Internet speeds drop around the world according to Akamai, adoption rate up

Here's an odd one: average connection speeds around the globe dropped 14 percent to just 2.3 Mbps during the last quarter of 2011. The drop off remains something of a mystery since the data used to calculate that result doesn't include mobile broadband (so its increased adoption can't be dragging down the whole) and Akamai offers no explanation. Still, it's not time to start panicking, just yet. Even though speeds in the US dropped 5.3 percent from the previous quarter, average connection rates are still up significantly over the previous year. Otherwise, things largely stayed the same. Global broadband adoption was steady at 66 percent and the US continued to trail its friends across the Pacific (by a lot) in the race for the fastest Internet connections.

Interestingly, while the number of broadband connections stayed consistent the number of narrowband lines (under 256 Kbps) declined dramatically. Yet, the percentage of the world's population connected to the web managed to increase 2.1 percent quarter over quarter -- and 13 percent for the year. So, while it may seem that the internet had a temporary set back in Q4 of 2011, the long term trends look good. The number of people online is increasing, the average speeds being pulled down by those people is climbing and the number of folks stuck in the dial up era is dropping. To get a copy of the full report hit up the source.

Internet speeds drop around the world according to Akamai, adoption rate up originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/SuxZW3u4Kak/

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British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app

To celebrate the imminent marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Royal Collection will release an Android an iOS app that chronicles the last seven royal marriages, including Queen Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert in 1840.

Ironically, the app won't actually feature anything to do with William and Kate's marriage -- rather, it will focus on the "tradition, splendor and romance" that are intrinsic to British royal marriages. "[The app] will share the stories of past royal weddings and offer a wealth of historical context for the ceremony on April 29."

Unfortunately, the app, which has been lumbered with the fantastically creative name of 'Royal App,' won't be available until April 18 -- just 11 days before Kate's big day. It won't be free, either: it'll cost the rather princely sum of £1.79, or three of your Tea Party-loving dollars. The money will go to the Royal Collection, though, which is a good cause!

British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/british-royal-family-announces-ios-and-android-wedding-app/

IRON MOUNTAIN INCORPORATED IOMEGA INTUIT INTERSECTIONS

Line Grapefruit is a tricky Flash "path" game

Okay, see that snaking line coming in from the right on the screenshot? That's you. And see those large round circles? Those are supposedly grapefruits, only they won't sit still - they keep moving up and down and cutting across your path. And if you touch one, you die!

That's what you have to deal with in Line Grapefruit. But that's not all - you're also on a time limit. In fact, you have a very limited amount of time to make it through the "path" (for lack of a better word). You need to snake your way through the winding trail without touching anything. The good news is that a grapefruit only kills you if it touches the end of the line - once you've made it past the grapefruit, nothing happens if it crosses the path you've made.

This is not an easy game, but it's quite unique - I can't recall seeing another game quite like it.

Line Grapefruit is a tricky Flash "path" game originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/line-grapefruit-is-a-tricky-flash-path-game/

ITRON IRON MOUNTAIN INCORPORATED IOMEGA INTUIT

How Tablets Are Transforming Business Intelligence

Staying on top of your game and understanding the competitive landscape is essential to winning in the modern business world. A huge component to staying ahead of the curve is keeping a close eye on competitors in your market, which entails maintaining a watchful eye on industry news. Some companies turn to expensive news monitoring services to keep track of their respective industry, but in reality there are more viable options. Emerging tablet news and information services like Flipboard, Pulse and others are proving an incredible companion to business and consulting executives in staying current with industry changes occurring around them. Jeff Cavins, CEO of Fuzebox, recently�wrote in Business Insider�that�the explosive uptake of tablet computers is fueling the growth of what he called the new ?iPad economy.? Cavins said: ?The iPad is shifting the way businesses function, changing how executives interact and transforming the economics of today?s business operations.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Ko9HA1A6ft8/

INSIGHT ENTERPRISES INGRAM MICRO INFORMATICA INFOCUS

Internet Explorer 9 nears 4% share on Windows 7, IE6 extinction countdown picks up steam

Microsoft has shared some news about the state of its most and least loved Web browsers -- Internet Explorer 9 and 6, respectively. Even with IE9 only recently exiting beta, Microsoft reports that 3.6% of Windows 7 users are now running the new browser (no mention of Vista... what's with that?). The post also reveals that the adoption rate is almost five times what IE8 garnered in the early going.

It's also interesting to note that there are now more than 1,000 sites utilizing Internet Explorer 9's Windows 7 integration features -- like the new desktop notification support we showed you in Hotmail.

But perhaps the best news of all is that Microsoft's IE6countdown.com now has more than 400 partners and is generating nearly two million pageviews per month, helping to lure users away from the woefully out-of-date browser. Can the end come soon enough, DS readers?

Internet Explorer 9 nears 4% share on Windows 7, IE6 extinction countdown picks up steam originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/01/internet-explorer-9-nears-4-share-on-windows-7-ie6-extinction/

INTUIT INTERSECTIONS INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY

Musubo Brings Their iPhone Cases to the US

Musubo has a line of iPhone accessories inspired by Tokyo street fashion, and they are now available in the US at Amazon, GoWireless, and Wireless Zone.� On the left is the MatchBook Pro case for iPhone 4/4S.� It’s made of polycarbonate and features a built-in kickstand that looks like a row of matchsticks.� The match [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/04/27/musubo-brings-their-iphone-cases-to-the-us/

LAWSON SOFTWARE LAND SOFTWARE

Acer Aspire V3 coming to Japan for $1,100 with right processor, wrong ppi

Want a 2.1GHz Ivy Bridge Core i7 in your next media laptop? Mmm, yes please. And a 1080p LED backlit display to devour movies on? Well, of course. Then keep looking, because the Acer Aspire V3 maxes out at just 1366 x 768 -- despite being equipped with a Blu-ray spinner and Dolby Theater v4, and also despite the eye-popping competition. Then again, at 15.6-inches that resolution might not be a total deal-breaker, plus our hands-on taster at CeBIT (before we even knew about the Ivy Bridge internals) wasn't totally unpleasant. The HD 4000 graphics should give you the odd gaming snack, even if not a full meal, while a 750GB HDD, up to 8GB RAM and a ton of I/O options take care of the back room. The V3 will hit Japanese shelves on April 29th for around $1,100 -- but watch out for a 17-incher too (which will do 1080p) plus cheaper Core i5 variants coming later.

Acer Aspire V3 coming to Japan for $1,100 with right processor, wrong ppi originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/27/acer-aspire-v3-ivy-bridge/

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Temperature Sensitive Rug Changes Colors To Match the Seasons [Wish You Were Here]

When you decorate a room you're stuck with a single color palette all year round that doesn't necessarily reflect the changing seasons outside. So maybe we should look to Siren Elise Wilhelmsen's color-changing rug for inspiration on designing a room that reflects, or contrasts, the temperatures outside. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Ttyw5s20Bfk/temperature-sensitive-rug-changes-colors-to-match-the-seasons

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Konstruct for iOS creates generative augmented reality art with your voice

If you have an artistic temperament, but you weren't blessed with steady hands or an eye for color, Konstruct might be the app for you. Not only does the iPhone app let you produce generative art using words, warbles and whistles, but it also uses augmented reality to bring your artistic creation to life.

To get started, you first need to print out the Konstruct marker and place it wherever you'd like to create your AR sculpture -- it could be on your living room wall, or on the floor of your bathroom, it doesn't matter. Open the app, point your iPhone at the marker, and start making some noises! Once you're done, you can save your creation, or simply wipe the slate clean and start again.

The volume of your voice affects the size of the shapes that are drawn on the screen, and you can move your head around to alter the path of your 'brush' -- but to change the shape of your brush or modify the color palette you have to use a menu. Without knowledge of the app's internal workings, it's hard to say what the actual difference between whistling, talking and singing is -- and judging by the developer's affinity for whistling in the demo video (after the break), the app probably doesn't perform that much analysis on your input.

Still, Konstruct is just a prototype! A later version could do away with menus and rely entirely on the location, tonality, quality and amplitude of your voice -- and judging by the the words of the developer, James Alliban, there is definitely more in store for Konstruct: "The idea of transforming entire cities into user generated virtual art galleries really appeals to me. I see Konstruct as an early prototype that will hopefully be realised in this form in the future."

Download Konstruct for free from the App Store (iPhone 3GS and 4 only)

[Thanks to Richard for the tip!]

Gallery: Konstruct for iOS: create generative augmented art with your voice

Continue reading Konstruct for iOS creates generative augmented reality art with your voice

Konstruct for iOS creates generative augmented reality art with your voice originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/konstruct-for-ios-creates-generative-augmented-reality-art-with/

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Tonight's Stoner Channel: Dr. Zaius on Mark Twain, Terrible Transportation Tactics, and Old Men with Lightsabers Ain't Nothin' to F*ck With [Video]

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PD9X40OuE9o/

INTEL INSIGHT ENTERPRISES INGRAM MICRO INFORMATICA

BattlePaint is an addictive geometric shooter game

In BattlePaint, you play a cube. In fact, you're not even a cube -- just a square. But boy, are you fast! And you can shoot in all directions. That's important, because there are baddies coming in from all over the place.

The "baddies" are swarms of other squares, in all sorts of pretty colors. They track you all over the screen, and you run around very quickly and just shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. If that doesn't sound very emotionally deep, it's because it isn't. But it's fun!

After you shoot a baddy, it splashes paint as it disappears. You need to skate across this blob of paint and "eat it up" to get points. This game is fast. It clocked in at around 60-70 FPS on my system, and was loads of fun to play. It does tend to insult you when you die, though, but don't be offended -- I don't think it's personal.

BattlePaint is an addictive geometric shooter game originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/09/battlepaint-is-an-addictive-geometric-shooter-game/

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First image of Sony NEX-F3 leaked, outs 16.1 MP sensor

Leave it to photography buffs to leak product shots that are decidedly unblurry, if poorly framed. Dpreview forum goer Bibogue outed a sneak peek at the Sony NEX-F3, a mirrorless shooter that seems to be poised to replace the NEX-C3. The leaked picture appears to reveal a 16.1 megapixel sensor, a built in flash and a 180-degree tilting screen, and Bibogue says the unit sports a new peaking level feature to help fine-tune manually focused shots. The new unit seems to retain its predecessor's proprietary accessory connector as well, so prospective buyers should choose their peripherals wisely.

[Thanks, Sjoer]

First image of Sony NEX-F3 leaked, outs 16.1 MP sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/27/first-image-of-sony-nex-f3-leaked-outs-16-1-mp-sensor/

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N.O.R.E Featuring Styles P and Raekwon: Google That [Video]

Dropping today is N.O.R.E.s "Google That," one of the most memorable tech references in recent rap memory since Rick Ross said he was "selling dope straight off the iPhone." Watch out though, because it might get stuck in your head with a chorus that repeats the phrase synonymous with Internet search more dozens of times. (Bonus: it also includes a Game of Thrones reference). More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nHMGZhdyaVc/nore-featuring-styles-p-and-raekwon-google-that

INTEL INSIGHT ENTERPRISES INGRAM MICRO INFORMATICA