7.1

RIM delivers new features with 7.1 OS, but still no BlackBerry 10

BlackBerry announced its 7.1 OS today, and it's loaded with several new features and upgraded apps.

As RIM tells it in the official BlackBerry blog, the philosophy behind the new version of the operating system is to help users to discover new things and make it easier for them to share these discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues.

Admittedly, some of the features are useful, though I wonder if the new OS helps users to discover what they really want, namely the upcoming BlackBerry 10!

At the top of the list of 7.1 OS' capabilities is the ability to turn your phone into a Wi-Fi router and to share that Internet access with five other Wi-Fi devices like laptops and tablets.… Read more

Five years after its launch, Sony decides to make a PS3 wireless stereo headset

There certainly has not been a shortage of gaming headsets by way of third-party manufacturers in the past few years. We've seen impressive entries in the market from brands like Turtle Beach, Astro, and Logitech, all of which perform well, but are priced as high as $250. … Read more

Qedoc Quiz Player fail to make the grade

Qedoc Quiz Player works in conjunction with Qedoc Quiz Maker. Its purpose is to play modules, or quizzes, created in the quiz maker program. But we had poor results in testing Qedoc Quiz Maker; in fact, we were unable to create a single quiz to play in Qedoc Quiz Player, so we were unable to test it. However, we'll offer some brief observations.

At first glance, Qedoc Quiz Player's user interface looked simple to navigate, but it's just as vague as its quiz-maker companion. A menu runs across the top of the window with options for opening … Read more

Qedoc Quiz Maker misses the mark

Quizzes are a great way to help students retain the information they learn. Qedoc Quiz Maker offers users a way to create their own custom quizzes. Unfortunately, the program's vague and never-ending user interface made it extremely unappealing to use.

A welcome screen greets you at the start of the program. It gives you options for getting started, but the program has its own language, so the options are vague. In terms of help, the program offers what it calls a "Help system," but when we clicked on it, nothing happened. The Online documentation and support feature … Read more

OS X 10.7.1 fails to address prominent Lion issues

Yesterday Apple released the first update to OS X Lion, but people who expected the first update to bring about major changes or fixes to problems that developed with the initial release of the OS may have to wait for a future release. The update is a relatively small one, at around 17MB for some people when downloaded through Software Updaate, but around 80MB as a standalone updater. For now the updater is just a minor bugfix that addresses some of the issues people have had with Lion, and enhanced fixes will likely come with the more hyped 10.7.… Read more

Lion gets its first update with OS X 10.7.1

Less than a month after releasing Lion, Apple's rolled out its first update.

In a software update that went out this afternoon, the company released OS X 10.7.1, a download that fixes a handful of bugs left by the initial release. The full list includes:

• Address an issue that may cause the system to become unresponsive when playing a video in Safari • Resolve an issue that may cause system audio to stop working when using HDMI or optical audio out • Improve the reliability of Wi-Fi connections • Resolve an issue that prevents transfer of your data, settings, and … Read more

Desktop clock gadget

Many users prefer an alternative to the system tray clock, and a Windows gadget is the ideal platform. We looked at Digital Clock GT-7, a simple gadget that displays 24-hour time in hours and minutes. If you prefer to tell time in the military fashion, it's for you. But it's also great for anyone who needs a 24-hour display of their system time.

Digital Clock GT-7 installs easily. We right-clicked the desktop and selected Gadgets, which called up the Windows gadget manager. This page let us open or uninstall the gadget. Digital Clock GT-7 opened with the time … Read more

Cut the Rope goes to comics

About 19 percent of respondents to a recent study say they have dropped their phones in the toilet, the Facebook for iPad app is hidden inside of the iPhone app version 3.4.4, and the popular iOS and Android game Cut the Rope makes its way to comic books.

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

Cut the Rope goes to comics Netflix and Dreamsworks deal in the works 19% of people drop phone into toilet Facebook iPad app in iPhone app Dolby rolls out consumer 7.1 Subscribe:  iTunes (MP3) |  iTunes (320x180) |  iTunes (HD) |  … Read more

Dolby rolls out 7.1, intros new consumer tech

Dolby Laboratories invited the tech and gadget press to San Francisco to sample its new 7.1 Surround Sound technology, the latest 3D theater improvements, and a suite of consumer items that bring Dolby sound into the home.

The 7.1 system configuration adds two additional rear speakers to the conventional 5.1 arrangement in theaters, creating a set of four surround channels and three front channels. Multiple in-theater demonstrations--including a screening of 7.1-native "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon"--featured how 7.1 forges a more 360-degree sound environment. "Cars 2" and the latest &… Read more