Google Now awarded Popular Science's Innovation of the Year

Popular Science has given Google Now its "Innovation of the Year" award, putting it alongside past winners like the Large Hadron Collider, the Toyota Prius and the Mars Curiosity Rover. It's august company to be sure, and the reasoning behind the decision is that it's "the first virtual assistant that truly anticipates your needs." The service has grown quite a bit since its initial launch -- from personalized recommendations to public safety alerts and the addition of a pedometer, it seems that these are early days yet for the context- and location-aware app. Hit the Android G+ source link to read a Q&A between PopSci and part of the Google Now team to get some behind-the-scenes insight of the award-winning service.

[Source: Engadget]

Chrome OS developer update adds extended desktop support

Google issued an update this week for the developer edition of Chrome OS, which adds extended display support via HDMI or VGA. Chromebooks packing A15 and Intel Celeron processors are said to fit the bill, while older machines such as the Cr-48 may experience a few hangups. The Dev Channel update also brings a newer version of Flash and Intelligent Window positioning, which automatically organizes your content displayed. If you'd like to go hands-on with these new features before they make their official debut, you'll need to switch your Chromebook over to the Developer Channel. This can be done by toggling: Menu, Settings, Help, More Info and then selecting the Dev Channel option. However, if patience is your strong suit and you prefer to wait for a certified stable release, at least you now know what lies ahead.

[Source: Engadget]

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 to receive Android 4.1 with Premium Suite

Samsung has already begun delivery of Android 4.1 for the Galaxy Note 10.1 in some parts of the world, but in a move that'll no doubt add to the anticipation, the company has now revealed Premium Suite as an accompaniment to the OS upgrade. Along with Jelly Bean, users can expect greater Multi Window functionality, which brings the ability to open up to 16 apps at a time, each which can be moved, resized and pinned to remain on top. Samsung's Air View is also incorporated within Premium Suite, which allows users to preview appointments, emails, video and the like by hovering the S Pen above the screen. Not to stop there, Samsung is also upping the ante with new additions such as Easy Clip, Quick Command, Photo Note, Paper Artist and an enhanced S Note app. No definitive timeline is known for Samsung's rollout of Premium Suite and Android 4.1, although it's now clear that "soon" can't come quickly enough. In the meantime, be sure to hop the break to preview all the new features that are on deck.

[Source: Engadget]

Apple announces Black Friday deals: $101 off laptops, up to $61 off the new iPad

The finest Black Friday deals may involve risking life and limb in a Best Buy scrum, but that doesn't mean you can't save some cash shopping online. Apple's one-day shopping event has begun, with the company knocking $41 off the price of the 16GB 4th generation iPad and $61 off the 64GB model. If you'd prefer to stick with the older iPad 2, it's available with $31 taken off the tag, and you can also get money off accessories like the AirPort Extreme ($21 cheaper) and EarPods ($7 cheaper). On the computing side, Cupertino has deducted $101 off the MacBook Pro with Retina Display, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.

[Source: Engadget]

David Attenborough's Galapagos 3D begins airing New Year's Day in the UK on Sky 3D

The long nights, relentless Christmas adverts and brisk chill in the air are all signs the year is coming to an end, and what better way to see in the next than with British documentary legend Sir David Attenborough? The first episode of his new three-part natural history series Galapagos 3D, written and presented by the man himself, will be airing New Year's Day on Sky 3D in the UK. Like most of his projects, it's sure to be a stunning visual treat that'll make you forget about even the worst of New Year hangovers. So, don't forget to stoke the fire, switch on your 3D TV, and enjoy an educational tour of the Galapagos Islands to start off your 2013.

[Source: Engadget]

Instagram Badges are now available, because your web profile deserves the love

It's a minor move, but the app that never even acknowledged the desktop world until recently is taking its first notable step to promote Web Profiles. Instagramhas today launched Badges, which are intended to help users "link to and promote one's Instagram web profile." Sure, designers with the right skill set have been able to do similar for some time, but now it's easy. Just surf over to your web profile, hit your username and select 'Badges' from the drop down menu. And just like that, you'll be on your way to adding yet another little icon to your About.me page -- not like things weren't crowded enough with Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Google+, Tumblr, Formspring and Foursquare already.

[Source: Engadget]

Lovefilm signs deal with DHX Media to stream 2,000 children's TV shows

Lovefilm has already had a streaming video selection for kids, but a new deal could patch up what few content holes are left. Amazon's UK service has signed a pact with DHX Media that gives it access to about 2,000 shows spread across the decades, including well-known back catalog titles like Dennis the Menace and more recent shows like Mona the Vampire. All of the expanded library is immediately available to watch for subscribers; that said, we'll admit to being more than a little predisposed towards Inspector Gadget as a first choice.

[Source: Engadget]

Galaxy Note II with dual-SIM slots goes official in China

Picking between LTE and HSPA iterations of Galaxy Note II was difficult enough already but now Samsung China has gone official on its previously-spotted twin-SIM variant. It's the same exotic mix of micro and full-size SIM slots, alongside that potent 1.6GHz quad-core processor and 5.7-inch Super AMOLED HD screen. The phone has a respectable collection of radios (GSM 850/900/1, 800/1,900, WCDMA 850/900/1,900/2100 MHz) too -- just ensure you have all your SIM sizes in order when the device goes on sale December 3rd.

[Source: Engadget]

Why Wii U could make it a Nintendo Christmas

Nintendo has been pretty busy recently, particularly with releases for its Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL games consoles. But while many will be looking at picking up the latest Professor Layton adventure or New Super Mario Bros 2, others will be holding out for the launch of the Wii U.

All things considered, it’s beginning to look a lot like a Nintendo Christmas, but what will Wii U bring to stores ahead of the festive season?

Wii U – a new games console for a new generation
With Wii U, Nintendo is not just updating its existing hardware line-up, it’s bringing something very new and exciting to the table. The rather nifty touch-screen Wii U GamePad controller works alongside – or in some cases instead of – your main television and interacts with what’s on screen in ways like never before. The new games console comes with an incredible line up of launch titles and is available in a bundle with the family-friendly Nintendo Land and as it’s a HD device, there is great potential for enjoying video and audio content too.

New Super Mario Bros. U – the brothers are back
What better way to celebrate the launch of a new console than a fresh take on one of the most beloved franchises around? Nintendo is launching the Wii U on November 30th and will put out a whole range of Wii U games to support it, but perhaps one of the most eagerly anticipated of them will be New Super Mario Bros. U. Using the new Wii U GamePad and four Wii Remote controllers, up to five players can play together and with easy drop-in players can jump in quickly. The GamePad also allows you to play in single-player mode which means others can use the main TV.

All the above, as well a high profile games that include FIFA 13, ZombiU, Rayman Legends, Mass Effect 3 and Call of Duty Black Ops 2, it looks like gamers lucky enough to get their hands on a Wii U games console will have plenty to keep them entertained well into 2013.

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Firefox 17 heads out of beta, officially drops support for OS X 10.5

We've just seen an update to Firefox for Android, but that's not the only revision that Mozilla has had in the works. Today also sees the release of version 17 of the desktop browser, which brings with it a number of changes and one noticeable omission. The latter is a lack of support for Mac OS X 10.5 (a.k.a. Leopard), which Mozilla first announced last month -- those on Leopard can of course continue to use Firefox 16, they just won't receive any updates. Otherwise, you can expect a new "Awesome Bar" with larger icons, more than 20 promised performance improvements and a new click-to-play functionality for dealing with outdated or potentially vulnerable plug-ins. Also receiving the bump to version 17 is the Extended Support Release (or ESR) version of the browser, which disables the automatic updating to cause less headaches for those dealing with mass deployments. You can find the full change log at the source link below.

[Source: Engadget]

Greenpeace study gives Wipro top marks for eco-friendliness, docks Apple, Dell and Lenovo

Greenpeace often seeks to light a fire under companies it thinks are dragging their heels in clean technology, and that's more apparent than ever in its latest Guide to Greener Electronics. The frontrunner this time is chart newcomer Wipro, an Indian tech giant that scores a high 7.1 in the rankings for both green products and aggressive attempts to cut down on pollution. Most everyone else lags behind, however, and their scores only emphasize how little progress there's been. Apple (4.5) is hurt mostly by a lack of transparency; Dell (4.6) is bruised for not living up to its own promises of the past two years, and Lenovo (3.9) is chastised for the absence of clear policies. Greenpeace once more has an agenda in its report -- in this case, drawing attention to India's environmental situation -- but the high-contrast study does show that planet-friendly gadgets can be more than just dreams.

[Source: Engadget]