MySpace Is Back: Redesigned Reboot Publicly Opens

Facebook was once the hip new upstart amid a nascent social media landscape dominated by offerings like MySpace and Friendster. (Show of hands — who remembers Friendster?) But it wasn’t long before the Zuckerprise overshadowed its competitors and emerged as the dominant platform for Mafia Wars, Farmville and that Broadway soundtrack that your auntie listens to, seemingly ad nauseum.

But like any medium, service or company that becomes “the establishment,” the social network — which has hundreds of millions, or possibly a billion+, users — has competitors vying to knock it off its pedestal — most notably Google+. So far, it has successfully managed to keep Mountain View at bay, but how would it do against a returning champion? MySpace is itching to find out.

MySpace? Seriously? I know, I know — seems ludicrous. That place became the singer-songwriter’s landing spot, DJ-turned-club promoter’s wasteland and the butt of jokes across all of social media. It has been that way for ages now. And that’s the interesting part. It never really went away. And like a phoenix rising from the ashes, it has been hard at work to resurrect and re-imagine itself.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo - Click here to read the full story]

Facebook Reveals “Graph Search” For Narrowing Down Friends By Interest, Finding Places

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stage on Tuesday during a Facebook press event and unveiled, among other things, a new beta feature called “Graph Search.” Basically, it allows users to search the website using queries. You can, for example, find friends in New York who are interested in Wine, or cheese or even politics. That way, if you want to throw a small get together, you can make sure you’re only inviting people with similar interests (if that’s the kind of person you are). As Engadget notes, you can also filter by a friend’s name, where they attended school and more. It seems like you can dive super deep into the filters.

Graph Search also allows you to search for points of interest. As Zuckerberg demoed during his presentation, you can look for a restaurant in a specific city or region and see ratings for the restaurant, among other information. We’ll update this post as we learn more, such as when the feature will go live, but it’s clear Facebook has interest in combining search with people and points of interest… which almost sounds like it wants to move into Maps. Maybe I’m crazy.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Microsoft Surface and Windows RT gets simple jailbreak

If you thought jailbreaking was just for the iPhone 5 and iPad, think again: Windows and the Microsoft Surface have been busted out of jail.

The crafty folk at XDA Developers have come up with the jailbreak, handily packaged into a batch file that you run each time you turn the tablet on, so you can install apps that haven't been aproved by Microsoft.

The jailbreak exploit works on Windows RT, the tablet version of Windows 8 found in the Surface and set for a range of tablets from (a small number of) other manufacturers. RT is designed for the low-powered ARM chips found in tablets. It's a stripped-down version of the software that only runs apps from the Windows Store, unlike the full version of the software that allows you to install any app you fancy.

Applying the jailbreak allows the tablet to run apps that didn't come from the Windows Store, although applications designed for a computer's x86 processor won't work on the tablet unless recompiled for the ARM architecture. 

The full version of Windows 8 is set to appear on a tablet in the shape of the Microsoft Surface Pro, which is expected in the US this month but is yet to have a British release date confirmed. Meanwhile the different versions of Windows 8 have caused enough confusion to see theSamsung Ativ Tab cancelled.

[Source: CNET]

PlayStation 4 could be revealed in May, Sony bigwig teases

Sony might be firing the starting pistol on the next generation of game consoles earlier than we thought. Hiroshi Sakamoto, the company's vice president of home entertainment, told Chilean tech site Emol "we must wait until May at the earliest" for the PlayStation 4.

"That's still a big secret, but our friends are preparing Sony PlayStation," Sakamoto teased, as translated by the Google magicians. "I can only say that we are focused on the E3 gaming event, scheduled for June's announcement may be in that minute or even earlier in May."

E3, in June, is the enormous annual show -- like CES for gamers -- that was expected to see the debuts of both the PlayStation 4 and next Xbox. But Sony might be taking a leaf out of Apple and (lately) Samsung's book and holding its own separate launch event to hog the limelight.

Asked if a pre-E3 event would be a proper announcement or just a teaser, Sakamoto replied, "Probably the first, in that time we expect to deliver great news, but we must wait until May at least."

While the launch would show us what the hardware looks like, whether it has any controller gimmicks and what we can expect in terms of exclusive games, we almost certainly won't get our hands on the PS4 until much later in the year.

The PS2 reached Europe in November 2000, while the PS3 launched in Japan in November 2006, but we had to wait until March the following year. Seven years on, a near-simultaneous worldwide launch is all but guaranteed.

The PS3 was £299 when it launched, a year later than its bitter rival the Xbox 360. After a couple of redesigns and major price drops, it finally outsold Microsoft's console a few months ago. The PS4 is likely to be cheaper, thanks to third-party components (as opposed to the PS3's expensive and hard to code proprietary Cell chip).

The whole tech industry worked itself into a later over the astonishing world-changing properties of 4K TVs at CES -- so I'd be amazed if the PS4 didn't support the ultra hi-def resolution. Sony has TVs of its own to sell, after all.

[Source: CNET]

HMV gift cards: you're 'at the bottom of the pile'

Know your rights, as The Clash once sang. As HMV crashes into adminstration, threatening 4,000 jobs, many irate customers have been left out of pocket with gift cards and online orders under threat. But what are your rights as a customer?

Technically, once it enters administration a company no longer exists in its present form, so it doesn't have to fulfill promises like accepting vouchers. Unless administrators Deloitte decide to honour HMV's gift cards, you may find yourself out of luck. 

Fortunately, finances guru Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert.com offers advice on rescuing your gift cards as well as bargain-hunting at the troubled HMV.

Gift cards

HMV isn't accepting gift cards at the moment, but the administrators could change their minds and accept them -- as was the case in Comet's final sale.

Don't get your hopes up, though; the chain has no obligation to honour your gift card. Martin Lewis explains, "Those who have gift cards are now effectively in that list of people the firm owes money to, but sadly are at the bottom of the pile. So while it is possible if the administrators get money they could give a few pence per pound back, it's unlikely."

The good news is that you could get your money back if you bought the vouchers on your credit or debit card thanks to section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, or what's known as 'chargeback'. For full details check out MoneySavingExpert's article about HMV.

Bargain hunt 

If you're not affected by the gift card issue but you're hoping to take advantage of HMV's sale, Martin Lewis warns "I'd caution against buying online, as HMV could take your money and then later legitimately choose not to fulfil it -- and give you no refund. Buying in-store is safer as you get the goods immediately."

It a case of buyer beware, however, as you won't be able to return goods that turn out to be faulty. "If HMV were to cease trading, you would therefore be left in the cold. In practical terms, this isn't likely to be too much of a problem for CDs or DVDs, but for higher-end electricals like games consoles, it's worth bearing in mind."

[Source: CNET]

Apple Thunderbolt Display Supplies Begin Running Short at Third-Party Resellers

One of the most significant changes likely to make an appearance in a redesigned Apple Thunderbolt Display is the adoption of the thinner profile and new display assembly process seen in the company's latest iMac. The current Apple Thunderbolt Display borrows heavily from the previous generations of the 27-inch iMac, and thus it seems reasonable to assume that some of the iMac design changes such as new lamination procedures to make the display thinner and more vibrant will make their way to the standalone display. 

But with that lamination process leading to shortages of the 27-inch displays used in the iMacs, an issue expected to persist until next month, Apple may hold off on introducing a new standalone display for the time being in order to prioritize the iMac. 

Other changes likely to appear in an updated display are a move to USB 3.0 ports, which have become standard on Mac products, and the inclusion of a MagSafe 2 port for charging Mac notebooks. The current Apple Thunderbolt Display still uses the original MagSafe design for power passthrough, with Apple bundling a MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter to provide compatibility for owners of newer Mac notebooks.

[Source: MacRumors]

BlackBerry Z10 Detailed in German Video

We have a feeling we’ll be able to bring you an in-depth look at RIM’s new hardware, including the Z10, on Jan. 30 during the company’s big BlackBerry 10 event. But if you want yet another look at the hardware and the operating system, a new video has been posted thanks to a few folks in Germany. The 7:10 clip walks through the actual Z10 hardware as well as some software features. There’s even a glimpse at BlackBerry Hub, which wasn’t active on the test unit we recently filmed.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

BB 10 Twitter and Google Talk app integration leaks ahead of launch

Care for a sneak peek at BB 10's third party app integration? Well, if the screens above are to be believed (and we have reason to assume they're quite legit), standalone applications like Twitter and Google Talk could be ready to download on BlackBerry World at launch. From what we can glimpse, it appears the apps will be folded into BB Hub, the OS' new unified inbox, lending further credence toRIM's claims of a seamless "flow," as it doesn't seem likely social applications will be sandboxed. Design-wise, both apps offer a direct parallel to their current offerings on other rival platforms, albeit made to fit the straight and soft BB 10 aesthetic. We'll know much more in the weeks ahead as RIM prepares to reveal the full monty. For now, buckle in for a load of expected leaks.

[Source: Engadget]

Activist, RSS creator Aaron Swartz dead at 26

On Friday, the 26-year-old polymath Aaron Swartz was found dead in his apartment, the result of an apparent suicide. Swartz contributed his intellect and effort to an astonishing number of technologies and political causes, including collaborating on Reddit'searly development.

At the age of 14, Swartz co-authored the 1.0 version of theRSS specification, enabling millions of news sites and blogs to share their posts easily and consistently.

Swartz was deeply involved in the development of the Creative Commonscopyright alternative licenses, and founded DemandProgress.org to help defeat the legislative overreach of the proposed SOPA law.

Prior to his death, Swartz was facing fines and a possible lengthy prison term if convicted on charges that he illicitly downloaded huge quantities of journal entries from the non-profit JSTOR archive via a laptop stashed in an MIT closet. JSTOR had declined to press charges, but MIT and the Massachusetts prosecutor on the case did not follow its example. Swartz also acknowledged suffering from depression at times.

[Source: TUAW - Click here to read the full story]

Oracle patches Java exploits, toughens its default security levels

Oracle hasn't had a great start to 2013. It's barely into the new year, and Apple and Mozilla are already putting up roadblocks to some Java versions after discoveries of significant browser-based exploits. The company has been quick to respond, however, and already has a patched-up version ready to go. The Java update goes one step further to minimize repeat incidents, as well -- it makes the "high" setting the default and asks permission before it lauches any applet that wasn't officially signed. If you've been skittish about running a Java plugin ever since the latest exploits became public, hit the source to (potentially) calm your nerves.

[Source: Engadget]

Samsung ships 100 million Galaxy S devices worldwide

Samsung has announced that its Galaxy S line of Android phones has shifted a total of 100 million units “on the supply side” to date. Meanwhile, the manufacturer’s leading Galaxy S3 smartphone has reportedly moved some 40 million units, as has its predecessor, the Galaxy S2.

Samsung broke the news through a Flickr post, in which it also revealed that the Galaxy S3 is currently selling at a rate of around 190,000 per day. (Our last update on Galaxy S3 numbers came in early November, when Samsung had moved 30 million units.)

The history of the series stretches back just over two and a half years, to the launch of the original Galaxy S in May 2010. Since then, Samsung has gone on to dominate the Android market, and in many countries its devices account for the majority of smartphone sales.

Desirable specs, broad international availability and aggressive marketing have seen the Galaxy S3 emerge as one of the biggest-selling handsets of the year, going toe-to-toe with Apple’s iPhone 5 in recent months.

As we move further into 2013, all eyes will be on the eventual successor to the Galaxy S3, though at present Samsung remains tight-lipped about any possible Galaxy S4 device.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Facebook Looks Prepped to Launch Messenger for iPad

Facebook is hosting a special event on Tuesday, Jan. 15 during which the company is expected to make several announcements. One of those announcements may just be Facebook Messenger for tablets.

TechCrunch got a hold of the above image recently, which is clearly a screen shot of Facebook Messenger running on an iPad. The site said we can expect all of the Messenger features that are already available for mobile devices, just in a bigger format, plus a new option that allows users to record messages using their voice. That seems relatively minor, since most pundits are expecting a long event that spans a few hours.

TechCrunch also believe Apple will unveil some sort of product that’s being dubbed a “big deal.” Maybe it’s a Facebook phone? Unless the company has kept the hardware under tight wraps, we’re guessing it’s going to be something entirely different. Maybe we’ll finally seeInstagram for iPad.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]