Though many are waiting with bated breath for the newest iPhone release, an article by Gadget Lab indicates that it’s unlikely the new operating system will be ready for release at next week’s World Wide Developers Conference. It appears that the completion of the 3.0 system hinges on a new in-app commerce feature that would allow for sale of things like songs and gaming accessories within iPhone applications. This feature is not quite ready for prime time. No new OS, no new iPhone. The article estimates that it will take three or four more weeks for Apple to get the OS tested and completed, so hopefully we’ll see it sometime in early July. An announcement of availability is expected at WWDC. [via Gadget Lab]
After dropping two bills on that sleek, shiny plasma television, your first instinct probably isn’t to see what kind of mindless drivel you’ve missed out on all afternoon on YouTube. However, once you tire of summer repeats, “celebrity” reality shows and four and half hour baseball games tied at one run, you may be looking for a reprieve. And thanks to an upgrade from Google, you’ll be able to watch a version of YouTube that was specifically designed for your television. YouTubeXL is a reconfigured version of the explosive video site that will seamlessly transport YouTube into your living room on your TV or gaming console. The new format has taken away some familiar features, such as user comments, to offer a more appealing, organized interface and has made all the controls larger so that they’re easier to operate with a flick of the remote. [via Channel Web]
Windows 7 Ship Date – I think we’ve all been waiting for Windows 7 since that first fateful moment we clicked Enter after typing in the password on a new Vista set-up. The whole “Mojave” diversion was like bleach in the wounds. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait much longer. Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 will be shipping to customers on Oct. 22. I’ll be anticipating it like prom-night virginity loss. Indications are that all versions of the new OS will run on PCs, notebooks and netbooks. The release candidate has received relatively positive reviews, but I guess we won’t really know for sure until we power it up. For those that can’t make the full leap, Microsoft will also be issuing Windows Upgrade Option for current users. Like said prom night, there’s a real mix of hair-tingling excitement and petrifying, palm-drenching fear. And similarly, it will all be over soon, for better or worse. [via PC World]
After curling up in the fetal position and taking a thorough ass-kicking from Wii for a while, Microsoft has opened its eyes to make sure it was clear, pulled itself up, hobbled battered and bruised back to the proverbial drawing board, and taken solace in the old maxim that starts off by admitting defeat then advocates mimicking the competition. In other words, they’ve announced a new package of body motion-based hardware at E3.
Bing Search Engine by Microsoft – Ahead of schedule appears to be the theme of this beautiful, bright 1st of June. Microsoft’s anticipated new search engine Bing was originally scheduled to launch on Wednesday, but is already available today. Though it will take more than a couple of hours to decipher just how much of a “Google killer” it is, it does offer some new features that set it apart. When searching travel destinations, for instance, you’ll be provided with real time pricing and availability to make booking fast and seamless. Similarly, online shoppers and those looking for health-related and local information are provided with more customized tools.
PSP GO Details Leaked – Though a press conference has been scheduled for Tuesday, details and pictures of the Sony PSP Go have leaked today. A video featuring Sony’s director of hardware marketing John Koller has provided a closer look at the slimmed-down gaming system. The basic physical specs include a 3.8-inch screen, down from the 4.3-inch that PSP users are used to. The Go is said to be 43% lighter than the PSP 3000, weighing in at around 3.8 ounces. It features a slide-up screen to reveal controls underneath. The Go gives you 16 GB of built-in flash memory expandable by a Memory Stick Micro slot.
It’s certainly possible to drop a few Benjamins on a compact digital camera, loaded with unnecessary features, but when it’s time to just take pictures, simplicity is king. That’s why the Canon PowerShot A480 is getting positive reviews despite its lack of frills and decidedly unstylish design. PCWorld says the A480 is “dead-simple,” while Photography blog calls it a “cheap, well-made, straight-forward compact camera.” It’s a 10-megapixel point-and-shoot with 3.3x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. The DIGIC III image processor offers face detection, motion detection and red-eye correction, along with 15 shooting modes, and that’s about it. A few different colors are available, but you’re not impressing anyone. Amazon’s got it for $105. [via Thaindian News]
Dude, you’re gettin’ a downturn. Dell’s income fell 63 percent in Q1, from $784 million to $290 million. Stocks are slightly above analyst expectations, but revenue is slightly below. Chairman and CEO Michael Dell speaks of a “powerful replacement cycle, with virtualization and managed services playing larger roles in what customers want and Dell provides.” That’s corporate jargon for “people are doing everything on the Internet and no longer want to pay for products they don’t need.” Revenue even dropped in the “mobile products” category, which includes laptops, even as laptop shipments rose 32 percent. That’s the netbook craze you’re seeing right there. The plan is to improve profit margins over time — though it’s not clear how — and get into more retail stores. [via ComputerWorld]
Perhaps because Google revolutionized e-mail and Web searches, the company is getting the benefit of the doubt for its latest app, called Google Wave. Billed as a reinvention of e-mail, Google Wave lets users communicate through a form of instant messaging that can expand into group text editing, event planning, blogging and gaming. It all depends on what extensions developers bring to the table, and how users themselves decide what to do with them. One example at Google’s I/O conference had a robot translating in real time, while another included real time map manipulation between two users. In the end, all of these creations can be searched, collaborated on, tracked or published, if the user chooses. It’s the kind of creation that seems cool in theory, if only we could understand its reason for existence. There’s no word on when Google Wave will be available to the masses, but I/O attendees will get preview accounts later this week. [via PC Magazine]
