| Firefox deems favicons risky, banishes them from address bar Apr 24th 2012, 14:19  Who'd have thought those tiny reminders of the site you're browsing could bite your backside? Apparently Mozilla did, and with its latest nightly Firefox build it has expunged favicons from their eternal perch just left of the URL. The problem is that instead something friendly -- like Google's famous "g" -- nefarious sites can use a padlock or similar image, making you think you're on a secure SSL page. So, starting from mid-July you'll see a generic globe for standard websites, green padlocks for SSL sites with validation, and gray padlocks for SSL sites without it. Take note that (so far) tabs will keep their favicons, so those of us with 43 sites open at the same time will still know where in the web we are. Firefox deems favicons risky, banishes them from address bar originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Mozilla Dev Blog |  TNW | Email this | Comments | | Facebook for Windows Phone getting a major refresh, now with less suck Apr 24th 2012, 13:56  The Facebook app for Windows Phone is certainly serviceable, but it's never really been anything to get excited about. In fact, it wasn't really something you looked forward to using and it's been slow to add the features considered standard on competing mobile platforms. Well, with the soon to land version 2.5, that capability gap will get quite a bit smaller. It hasn't hit the Marketplace yet, but when it does it'll bring support for group chats, threaded messaging, tagging in posts and the ability to like or delete not only posts but comments as well. The photo pages have also gotten a visual refresh and you can now tap on links in posts to go straight to the relevant content. For a few more details hit up the source, and keep checking the Marketplace for updates -- Facebook promises it won't be long now. Facebook for Windows Phone getting a major refresh, now with less suck originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink WMPoweruser | Facebook | Email this | Comments | | VIM Adventures teaches you keyboard shortcuts, :%s/n00b/pro/gc in no time Apr 24th 2012, 13:33  If you've ever had the pleasure of using VIM, the popular Linux (and other platforms) text editor, you'll know that dark magic lies within its keyboard shortcuts. However, with so many to learn, where do you start? Well, some fine fellows thought the answer to that question was a neat little fantasy adventure game. VIM adventures coaxes you through the learning process via ingenious little tasks that teach you the shortcuts along the way, all washed down with a healthy glug of gaming nostalgia. Before long you'll have the keys to the castle and, of course, unabated word processing prowess. Tap j to hit the source link and get started. VIM Adventures teaches you keyboard shortcuts, :%s/n00b/pro/gc in no time originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | VIM Adventures | Email this | Comments | | Skype launches on PS Vita, can do video calls in the middle of gaming sessions (video) Apr 24th 2012, 13:00  Skype continues to spread itself to anything with a data connection, and while while we don't expect this to be the last gaming device it'll appear on, it's the second. Yes, the Microsoft-owned Skype will be available to download for free on the Sony-made PlayStation Vita later today and it's capable of video calls from the get-go -- although we're yet to test whether that's possible on a 3G signal. Embarrassingly, the app looks far more capable than its recent gone-gold compadre on Microsoft's very own mobile platform. While the Windows Phone version is unable to tick along in the background, the Vita (with all that top-end processing power) can still keep your account online while you're running other apps, even take those video calls mid-game. Thankfully, Skype has drafted in professional gamer Fatal1ty to give us a quick tour of the UI and how it's all meant to click together -- it's included right after the break. Update: To allow the Skype app to connect in the background, games like Uncharted, which switch off wireless connections, are unfortunately not supported. Continue reading Skype launches on PS Vita, can do video calls in the middle of gaming sessions (video) Skype launches on PS Vita, can do video calls in the middle of gaming sessions (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Skype | Email this | Comments | | Samsung details Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades for American carriers Apr 24th 2012, 12:50  Samsung has published a list detailing which carrier variants of its phones and tablets will be blessed with Android Ice Cream Sandwich. While Sprint's Nexus S 4G is already enjoying the latest Android OS, the update will also arrive on the Now Network's Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch. From Verizon, both the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 7.7 will get the upgrade, accompanied by the WiFi variants of the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and the Galaxy Tab 8.9. On AT&T, ICS is confirmed for its Galaxy S II, the Galaxy S II Skyrocket, Galaxy Note, Captivate Glide, Nexus S and Galaxy Tab 8.9. T-Mobile customers, however, lack a similarly breathless list of upgradable hardware, instead Samsung says it will aim to upgrade "eligible devices" in the coming months and will "provide updates as we have additional details to share." Which all sounds like those updates aren't coming to Big Magenta any time soon. Samsung vows to update the list with more details as they arrive, which is available at the source below. Samsung details Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades for American carriers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Verge | Samsung | Email this | Comments | | AT&T reports Q1 earnings: $31.8 billion in revenue, 5.5 million smartphones sold Apr 24th 2012, 12:35  Sure, there was no new iPhone to boost its smartphone sales this quarter, but the carrier still managed to push 5.5 million of the devices out the door, while activating 4.3 million Apple-branded handsets. The company beat analyst predictions by raking in $31.8 billion in revenue and pocketing $3.6 billion of that as income, up from $3.4 billion over the same time period last year. Things are looking good for the company as both U-Verse and its wireless business grew revenues dramatically -- by 38.2 percent and 19.9 percent, respectively. Growth on the cellular side is in large part thanks to the 726,000 net subscriber adds. Of particular interest is the growth in so-called "branded-computing" subscriptions, which includes tethering plans and tablets. There, AT&T has seen a growth of 70 percent over last year, reaching 5.8 million customers (including 460,000 added last quarter). For more financial fun check out the PR after the break. Continue reading AT&T reports Q1 earnings: $31.8 billion in revenue, 5.5 million smartphones sold AT&T reports Q1 earnings: $31.8 billion in revenue, 5.5 million smartphones sold originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Buckeyes to fire 500 trillion watt laser May 15th in a short, cheap burst Apr 24th 2012, 12:28  High-energy laser fusion experiments evoke extreme numbers -- not only in power but also in greenbacks. Sure, the current champ at the National Ignition facility in Livermore, CA can pump out a 411 trillion watt pulse, but at what price? A taxpayer-busting $200,000 per shot, with a $4 billion original construction cost. Compared to that, the new Ohio State University's 500 trillion watt model seems bargain-basement, built with a mere $6 million grant from the US Department of Energy. Admittedly, that paltry sum get you a much shorter burst, lasting 20 picoseconds compared to the NIF's several nanoseconds. But with the ability to fire 100 or more times per day, instead of just once like it's pricier kin, Ohio State will be able to assist the NIF with their fusion experiments, while also carrying on its own science, like simulating star formation. And money aside, the possibility of unlimited fusion-powered energy is always a noble goal, no? Buckeyes to fire 500 trillion watt laser May 15th in a short, cheap burst originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Columbus Dispatch | Gizmodo | Email this | Comments | |
