As one would expect from D-Link, a company known for its networking products, its DSM-210 10-inch digital picture frame is Wi-Fi enabled, and it also have 10/100 Ethernet support. The 800-by-480 pixel resolution frame comes with snap-on white or black borders; I preferred the black, which give the frame a modern look. The DSM-210 doesn't really resemble a traditional picture frame, however; it looks far more like a tech gadget. But sadly, some of this frame's limitations will be problematic for techies and non-techies alike.
The frame has memory card slots for SD, MMC, and Memory Stick, and it also has a USB port for plugging in a USB flash drive. When I loaded my test photos to the DSM-210, the images transferred very slowly to the frame's 1GB internal memory--the DSM-210 only allows you to copy pictures one by one. The only way to copy multiple images at a time is by using a software widget, which is for Windows only. (The DSM-210 can also read images off a Windows PC on a network, but not a Mac.)
Once the images were loaded, the displayed pictures had a slightly desaturated look with a cool cast. The screen is bright and can be viewed from different angles without losing image visibility, but no brightness or contrast controls are available. The slide show ran smoothly, and you can choose from multiple transition effects, but the frame has limited slide-interval adjustments. Also, it cannot handle nested folders, or run images from multiple cards and internal memory into one show.
The DSM-210 allows you to stream photos (but unfortunately, not video) through FrameChannel, an RSS utility. Oddly, the default settings are limited to a meager five photos. It's as if D-Link were conspiring to limit the number of pages in your virtual photo album. In addition, as with the multimedia cards, the frame cannot stream content from more than one channel at a time (meaning only Picasa, or only Flickr, or other service). This may not be an issue for those who don't use more than one image-sharing network, but it is another unexpected limitation.
One pretty cool feature on this frame is motion detection: The device will power off when no one is around, thus conserving energy and the frame's lifespan. I also liked that you can receive pictures via e-mail on the frame.
Macworld's buying advice
The DSM-210 has some good features, but a lot of compromises are made within those features. If all you want to do is simply display pictures, you should be able to find a 10-inch frame at a more affordable price. The streaming and Internet access features can be found on other frames without the limitations found on the DSM-210.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Modern Combat: Sandstorm FPS Game Comes to IPhone
Gameloft has announced the release of Modern Combat: Sandstorm, a new first person shooter game for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's available for $7 from the App Store.
You're a soldier assigned to Mission Sandstorm, and it's your responsibility to locate and neutralize a new terrorist cell that's mobilizing and recruiting insurgents in a remote desert location.
The game features 10 missions in various locations ranging from city streets to a hospital, sewers, training camp, and more. You will be equipped with authentic weapons like assault rifles and a sniper rifle, RPG, shotgun, submachine gun, and more. The game features a level system that lets you progressively unlock weapons and use munitions you find on the bodies of your enemy. Modern Combat: Sandstorm also sports three different control systems, including tap control and "Virtual Sticks."
System requirements call for an iPhone or iPod touch running iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later.
You're a soldier assigned to Mission Sandstorm, and it's your responsibility to locate and neutralize a new terrorist cell that's mobilizing and recruiting insurgents in a remote desert location.
The game features 10 missions in various locations ranging from city streets to a hospital, sewers, training camp, and more. You will be equipped with authentic weapons like assault rifles and a sniper rifle, RPG, shotgun, submachine gun, and more. The game features a level system that lets you progressively unlock weapons and use munitions you find on the bodies of your enemy. Modern Combat: Sandstorm also sports three different control systems, including tap control and "Virtual Sticks."
System requirements call for an iPhone or iPod touch running iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later.
Android OS Developers to Revamp App Marketplace
In a bid to compete more squarely with Apple's App Store the developers of the Android mobile OS are improving the way people browse for applications on Google phones through what is known as Android Market. As part of a software upgrade (Android 1.6, aka Donut) Android handset owners will be able to browse more easily third-party apps by previewing screen shots of apps and sort apps by criteria such as most popular and newest. There is no official date set for the release of Donut.
Google announced update to Android Market in a blog post late Thursday stating upgrades to its mobile applications store will "improve the overall experience for users." Despite the update, improvements are also likely to irk some Android developers who feel the Android 1.6 doesn't go far enough.
What's New at Android Market
Navigation is key for the tweaked marketplace, which must be viewed on a mobile phone if you want to see the complete store and the new improvements. The main navigation buttons for Apps, Games and Downloads have been moved to the top of the screen, leaving valuable screen space for featured apps. When you are shopping for programs in category view, three buttons at the top of the screen will also let you filter apps by Top Paid, Top Free and Just In.
Other improvements to Android Market include screenshots to get an idea of what a particular application looks like, promotional icons and longer descriptions from developers. There are also four new sub-categories to improve navigation including sports, health, themes and comics.
Cranky Developers Not Satisfied with Update
Google's tweaks come on the heels of recent criticisms over Android Market's profitability for third-party developers. On Monday, the metrics firm Ad Mob released a report claiming Android Market typically produces $5 million in sales every month versus $200 million at the iPhone App Store.
One complaint takes issue with Android Market's payment options and Google's return policy. Currently, all Android users must purchase apps through Google's own payment system Checkout. But according to a recent IDG report some developers would like to see other payment options that users might find more convenient. Developers are also up in arms over Google's 24-hour return policy, which they say makes it too easy for users to return an application after using it for just a few hours. Apple's App Store, by comparison, does not grant refunds for any reason except in cases where a purchased product is not delivered within "a reasonable period."
Google announced update to Android Market in a blog post late Thursday stating upgrades to its mobile applications store will "improve the overall experience for users." Despite the update, improvements are also likely to irk some Android developers who feel the Android 1.6 doesn't go far enough.
What's New at Android Market
Navigation is key for the tweaked marketplace, which must be viewed on a mobile phone if you want to see the complete store and the new improvements. The main navigation buttons for Apps, Games and Downloads have been moved to the top of the screen, leaving valuable screen space for featured apps. When you are shopping for programs in category view, three buttons at the top of the screen will also let you filter apps by Top Paid, Top Free and Just In.
Other improvements to Android Market include screenshots to get an idea of what a particular application looks like, promotional icons and longer descriptions from developers. There are also four new sub-categories to improve navigation including sports, health, themes and comics.
Cranky Developers Not Satisfied with Update
Google's tweaks come on the heels of recent criticisms over Android Market's profitability for third-party developers. On Monday, the metrics firm Ad Mob released a report claiming Android Market typically produces $5 million in sales every month versus $200 million at the iPhone App Store.
One complaint takes issue with Android Market's payment options and Google's return policy. Currently, all Android users must purchase apps through Google's own payment system Checkout. But according to a recent IDG report some developers would like to see other payment options that users might find more convenient. Developers are also up in arms over Google's 24-hour return policy, which they say makes it too easy for users to return an application after using it for just a few hours. Apple's App Store, by comparison, does not grant refunds for any reason except in cases where a purchased product is not delivered within "a reasonable period."
Microsoft wants people to throw Windows 7 launch parties
A new version of Windows is not typically a reason to throw a party, but Microsoft is hoping people will do just that to celebrate Windows 7, and has teamed with House Party to help them do so.
Through a House Party promotional Web site, people can apply to throw a Windows 7 launch party any time between Oct. 22 and Oct. 29. Microsoft is releasing Windows 7 globally on Oct. 22.
"You host the party. We'll bring the favors," Microsoft declared on the site calling for applications. House Party is a community-based site that helps people around the world host parties that are usually held on the same day and are focused on a corporate event or product launch.
If chosen to throw a party, hosts will receive a Signature Edition of Windows 7 Ultimate and a Windows 7 Party Pack based on a theme of their choosing to help them organize the party. The themes for the party packs pertain to features of the new OS and, as listed on the Web site, are: PhotoPalooza, Media Mania, Setting up with Ease and Family Friendly Fun.
Every host also has a chance to win a PC worth $750, according to the Web site. Winners will be notified and their prizes delivered after Oct. 30.
Windows 7, which has been in the hands of testers and early adopters, has gotten generally positive reviews. Many say it's the OS Microsoft should have delivered when it released Windows Vista -- an overall disappointment among Windows users -- in early 2007.
Microsoft isn't the first company to ask enthusiasts to throw a geek-themed party in honor of a software launch. Fans of Mozilla's Firefox browser were asked by the company to host download parties when it released Firefox 3 in June. The company hoped to set a Guinness World Record for the number of software downloads in 24 hours, and claimed to log more than 8 million downloads of the browser in a day.
Through a House Party promotional Web site, people can apply to throw a Windows 7 launch party any time between Oct. 22 and Oct. 29. Microsoft is releasing Windows 7 globally on Oct. 22.
"You host the party. We'll bring the favors," Microsoft declared on the site calling for applications. House Party is a community-based site that helps people around the world host parties that are usually held on the same day and are focused on a corporate event or product launch.
If chosen to throw a party, hosts will receive a Signature Edition of Windows 7 Ultimate and a Windows 7 Party Pack based on a theme of their choosing to help them organize the party. The themes for the party packs pertain to features of the new OS and, as listed on the Web site, are: PhotoPalooza, Media Mania, Setting up with Ease and Family Friendly Fun.
Every host also has a chance to win a PC worth $750, according to the Web site. Winners will be notified and their prizes delivered after Oct. 30.
Windows 7, which has been in the hands of testers and early adopters, has gotten generally positive reviews. Many say it's the OS Microsoft should have delivered when it released Windows Vista -- an overall disappointment among Windows users -- in early 2007.
Microsoft isn't the first company to ask enthusiasts to throw a geek-themed party in honor of a software launch. Fans of Mozilla's Firefox browser were asked by the company to host download parties when it released Firefox 3 in June. The company hoped to set a Guinness World Record for the number of software downloads in 24 hours, and claimed to log more than 8 million downloads of the browser in a day.
Apple patches critical Java bugs, but leaves Leopard users vulnerable
Apple today patched 15 vulnerabilities in three versions of Java used by Mac OS X 10.5, or Leopard, bringing the operating system up to par with fixes that Sun issued a month ago.
Today's Leopard updates take that OS to the same edition of Java 6 included with Snow Leopard, which Apple shipped last week. At the same time, however, the update doesn't include the very latest Java fixes, which Sun delivered Aug. 11.
According to Apple's advisory, the upgrade patches 15 distinct vulnerabilities in Java, and updates Java 6 to version 1.6.0_15, Java 5 to version 1.5.0_20 and Java 4 to version 1.4.2_22. Sun issued those updates on Aug. 4.
All the vulnerabilities could allow for "arbitrary code execution," Apple-speak for the type of bug attackers can use to plant malicious code on a computer. Although other major software makers, like Microsoft and Oracle, assign threat rankings to their bug fixes, Apple does not. For example, Microsoft dubs the same kind of flaws as "critical."
"Visiting a Web page containing a maliciously crafted untrusted Java applet may lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user," Apple said in its advisory, explaining how an attack might work.
The Java update applies only to the client and server editions of Mac OS X 10.5, which are currently at v. 10.5.8. Users still running Mac OS X 10.4, aka Tiger, remain stuck on older versions of Java. Tiger's Java components were last updated by Apple on June 15, when it bumped up Java 5 to 1.5.0_19 and Java 4 to 1.4.2_21.
Although the June update -- which also affected Leopard -- plugged holes that Sun had filled six months earlier, today's update came harder on the heels of Sun's fixes for Windows and Linux. "That's not too bad for Apple, actually," said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Network Security, in an instant message.
Apple maintains its own versions of Java and is responsible for delivering patches to users. Typically, Apple is slow to patch the problems that Sun fixes, with a six-month lag not unusual. When Apple refreshed Java in September 2008, for example, it fixed more than two-dozen vulnerabilities, some of which had been patched in updates for Java for Windows, Linux and Solaris as far back as March 2008.
Apple has come under fire for its sluggish pace. Last May, for instance, a security researcher angered by the delays posted attack code that exploited one of the then-unfixed Java bugs.
Even with today's updates, however, Leopard still doesn't have the most up-to-date version of Java 6, which is 1.6.0_16. Sun shipped that update Aug. 11.
Snow Leopard, which caught flak this week for shipping a vulnerable version of Flash, also isn't in sync with Sun's latest Java. Computerworld today confirmed that Snow Leopard installs Java 1.6.0_15 during its upgrade, making it on par with today's Leopard update but still one version behind Sun's newest.
The Java security updates, identified as Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 5, can be downloaded manually from Apple, or installed using Mac OS X's integrated update service.
Users can verify that the updates have taken by using the JavaTester.org site created by Computerworld blogger Michael Horowitz.
Today's Leopard updates take that OS to the same edition of Java 6 included with Snow Leopard, which Apple shipped last week. At the same time, however, the update doesn't include the very latest Java fixes, which Sun delivered Aug. 11.
According to Apple's advisory, the upgrade patches 15 distinct vulnerabilities in Java, and updates Java 6 to version 1.6.0_15, Java 5 to version 1.5.0_20 and Java 4 to version 1.4.2_22. Sun issued those updates on Aug. 4.
All the vulnerabilities could allow for "arbitrary code execution," Apple-speak for the type of bug attackers can use to plant malicious code on a computer. Although other major software makers, like Microsoft and Oracle, assign threat rankings to their bug fixes, Apple does not. For example, Microsoft dubs the same kind of flaws as "critical."
"Visiting a Web page containing a maliciously crafted untrusted Java applet may lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user," Apple said in its advisory, explaining how an attack might work.
The Java update applies only to the client and server editions of Mac OS X 10.5, which are currently at v. 10.5.8. Users still running Mac OS X 10.4, aka Tiger, remain stuck on older versions of Java. Tiger's Java components were last updated by Apple on June 15, when it bumped up Java 5 to 1.5.0_19 and Java 4 to 1.4.2_21.
Although the June update -- which also affected Leopard -- plugged holes that Sun had filled six months earlier, today's update came harder on the heels of Sun's fixes for Windows and Linux. "That's not too bad for Apple, actually," said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Network Security, in an instant message.
Apple maintains its own versions of Java and is responsible for delivering patches to users. Typically, Apple is slow to patch the problems that Sun fixes, with a six-month lag not unusual. When Apple refreshed Java in September 2008, for example, it fixed more than two-dozen vulnerabilities, some of which had been patched in updates for Java for Windows, Linux and Solaris as far back as March 2008.
Apple has come under fire for its sluggish pace. Last May, for instance, a security researcher angered by the delays posted attack code that exploited one of the then-unfixed Java bugs.
Even with today's updates, however, Leopard still doesn't have the most up-to-date version of Java 6, which is 1.6.0_16. Sun shipped that update Aug. 11.
Snow Leopard, which caught flak this week for shipping a vulnerable version of Flash, also isn't in sync with Sun's latest Java. Computerworld today confirmed that Snow Leopard installs Java 1.6.0_15 during its upgrade, making it on par with today's Leopard update but still one version behind Sun's newest.
The Java security updates, identified as Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 5, can be downloaded manually from Apple, or installed using Mac OS X's integrated update service.
Users can verify that the updates have taken by using the JavaTester.org site created by Computerworld blogger Michael Horowitz.
Oracle delays security updates for user conference
Oracle database administrators who are worried they might have to skip Oracle's user conference next month to fiddle with security updates can relax. Oracle is cutting them a break and releasing its next set of patches a week later than planned.
The updates, which are released on a set schedule every three months, had been due for release on Oct. 13, slap in the middle of Oracle's OpenWorld conference in San Francisco. But after thinking things over, Oracle has decided to delay the patches. They're now due on Oct. 20.
Oracle announced the change Thursday on its Web site, saying it was moving the patches back because "many Oracle customers with responsibility for deploying the Critical Patch Update within their respective organizations will be attending Oracle OpenWorld."
The database vendor plans to release its advance notification information, detailing which products will be affected by the updates, a week later than expected too. It's due on Oct. 15.
Admins responsible for Windows systems will still have some work to do during the conference, however. Oct. 13 is the day Microsoft is expected to release its set of security updates for the month.
The updates, which are released on a set schedule every three months, had been due for release on Oct. 13, slap in the middle of Oracle's OpenWorld conference in San Francisco. But after thinking things over, Oracle has decided to delay the patches. They're now due on Oct. 20.
Oracle announced the change Thursday on its Web site, saying it was moving the patches back because "many Oracle customers with responsibility for deploying the Critical Patch Update within their respective organizations will be attending Oracle OpenWorld."
The database vendor plans to release its advance notification information, detailing which products will be affected by the updates, a week later than expected too. It's due on Oct. 15.
Admins responsible for Windows systems will still have some work to do during the conference, however. Oct. 13 is the day Microsoft is expected to release its set of security updates for the month.
AT&T sets Sept. 25 for launch of MMS on iPhone 3G, 3GS
AT&T Inc. today finally set a firm date of Sept. 25 for making multimedia messaging service (MMS) available for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.
The carrier had said at the launch of iPhone 3GS in June that MMS capability would be available by the end of the summer. AT&T went beyond that promise by a few days since autumn begins on Sept. 22.
The MMS will be enabled through a software update that day. A spokeswoman said the MMS service is available through a user's data plan at no extra cost.
The carrier said in an online note that it had to prepare the network for the "record volumes" of MMS traffic expected from iPhone users. The company wants to "ensure an excellent experience from Day One."
AT&T also said in the online note to customers, "We appreciate your patience as we work toward that end."
The carrier also cited an "explosion of traffic" with smartphone usage, and reported wireless usage growth of 350% year-over-year for the past two years. "We want you to know that we're working relentlessly to innovate and invest in our network to anticipate this growth in usage and to stay ahead of the anticipated growth in data demand, new devices and applications for years go come," the note stated.
When Apple announced the 3GS on June 8, crowds jeered when it was mentioned that AT&T would not immediately have MMS available on the shipment date. The delay brought plenty of customer complaints and helped fuel concerns over the value of a carrier having an exclusive deal for a smartphone.
For AT&T, missing the end-of-summer target by a few days was justified by the need to get the network ready. When asked why that target date was missed, a spokeswoman responded in an e-mail: "It was important to us to give our customers a positive experience from day one. We took the time necessary to make sure our network is ready to handle what we expect will be a record volume of MMS traffic. We appreciate our customers' patience and hope they'll understand our desire to get it right from the start."
The carrier had said at the launch of iPhone 3GS in June that MMS capability would be available by the end of the summer. AT&T went beyond that promise by a few days since autumn begins on Sept. 22.
The MMS will be enabled through a software update that day. A spokeswoman said the MMS service is available through a user's data plan at no extra cost.
The carrier said in an online note that it had to prepare the network for the "record volumes" of MMS traffic expected from iPhone users. The company wants to "ensure an excellent experience from Day One."
AT&T also said in the online note to customers, "We appreciate your patience as we work toward that end."
The carrier also cited an "explosion of traffic" with smartphone usage, and reported wireless usage growth of 350% year-over-year for the past two years. "We want you to know that we're working relentlessly to innovate and invest in our network to anticipate this growth in usage and to stay ahead of the anticipated growth in data demand, new devices and applications for years go come," the note stated.
When Apple announced the 3GS on June 8, crowds jeered when it was mentioned that AT&T would not immediately have MMS available on the shipment date. The delay brought plenty of customer complaints and helped fuel concerns over the value of a carrier having an exclusive deal for a smartphone.
For AT&T, missing the end-of-summer target by a few days was justified by the need to get the network ready. When asked why that target date was missed, a spokeswoman responded in an e-mail: "It was important to us to give our customers a positive experience from day one. We took the time necessary to make sure our network is ready to handle what we expect will be a record volume of MMS traffic. We appreciate our customers' patience and hope they'll understand our desire to get it right from the start."
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