Posted 06/18/09 at 09:00:37 AM by Paul Lilly

Apple this week released its iPhone OS 3.0 software update, the much anticipated upgrade that allows iPhone and iPod touch owners to run the next generation of iPhone apps, like peer-to-peer games. Over 100 new features find their way into the update, just a handful of which include:

• Copy & Paste text and photos
• New Spotlight allowing users to search across the entire information contained in the device
• Search in Mail, Calendar, and iPod
• Landscape keyboard
• Shake to shuffle music
• Improved parental controls
• Stereo Bluetooth

The new OS is free for all iPhone customers (both the original iPhone and iPhone 3G), while iPod touch customers will have to pony up $10 for the update.

iPhone Update
iPod Touch Update

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Posted 05/22/09 at 04:00:41 PM by Paul Lilly

We like where this is going. NEC this week introduced the first USB 3.0 host controller chips for PCs and other digital gadgets, which should help accelerate the technology coming to market.

Checking in at 10X the speed of USB 2.0, NEC's µPD720200 chip ups the data transfer ante to 5Gpbs, while also maintaining full backward compatibility with previous generation USB protocols, NEC promises.

The USB Implementers Forum finalized the specifications for the USB 3.0 standard almost six months ago, which in addition to offering faster data transfer rates, will also provide more power output. That means you'll be able to recharge your MP3 player and other gizmos quicker than before.

Samples of NEC's chip will be available in June for $15 each, with production expect to hit one million units by September.

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