Amazon enables Kindle e-book lending

This is great news for the mom of at least one Engadget editor (who has been despairing at her inability to share e-books with Aunt Kathy). That's right: Amazon has enabled Kindle book loaning on select titles. Of course, there are caveats: books can be loaned only once, for a period of fourteen days. As you'd suspect, the loaned books can be read using the e-reader itself or the free Kindle app for any of your various devices (including iOS, BlackBerry, Android, PC, and Mac). While a book is being borrowed you can't read it yourself, and the publisher has the final word on which titles are eligible for lending. Exciting, right? At least as exciting as the opportunity to finally discover what The Secret Life of Bees might be.

Amazon enables Kindle e-book lending originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/gDw5zTYc4AI/

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Microsoft's new HTML5 Labs lets developers experiment with emerging Web standards

Microsoft just launched a new site/developer playground called HTML5 Labs. It's a service letting developers experiment with parts of the HTML5 standard that are still emerging - things like WebSockets, a standard draft allowing bi-directional communication over a single TCP socket.

Rather than another shiny HTML5 showcase ready for general consumption, this is aimed at hard-core developers eager to get their hands dirty: Each prototype has to be installed and configured manually, and the whole thing comes with a big red "WARNING" label saying that the specifications are unstable and will change.

Still, if you're a Web developer trying to keep ahead of your game, it's much nicer to be able to see and play with actual implementations rather than read dry drafts of Web standards.

Microsoft's new HTML5 Labs lets developers experiment with emerging Web standards originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/22/microsofts-new-html5-labs-lets-developers-experiment-with-emerg/

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Google Docs Spreadsheet gets multi-user revision history

So far, Google Docs has been no match for Excel's raw power. Recent additions such as macro editing and scripting bring it somewhat closer, but it's still an uphill battle for Google. So instead of playing catch-up, they're now giving Spreadsheets users something Office users don't have - multi-user revision history.

While Excel does let users track changes, you can't separate the changes into distinct revisions easily (i.e, "all changes made yesterday"). The new tool for Google Docs allows users to see color-coded previous versions of the spreadsheet, with clear indications of who changed what and when. This functionality has been available for text documents for a while now, but having it for spreadsheets is definitely going to come in handy for collaborative work.

Google Docs Spreadsheet gets multi-user revision history originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/17/google-docs-spreadsheet-gets-multi-user-revision-history/

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The Engadget Podcast, live at 4:45PM EST!

It's the end of the year, so it's time for the boys to look back and reflect on the... oh, who are we kidding, we'll probably just do more skits. Join us below!

P.S. And don't forget that Ustream has Android and iPhone clients as well, if you're out and about and you can't join in on the Flash-based fun below.

Continue reading The Engadget Podcast, live at 4:45PM EST!

The Engadget Podcast, live at 4:45PM EST! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/the-engadget-podcast-live-at-4-45pm-est/

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World's Teensiest Battery Could Drive Big Innovations

With electron microscopes and tiny wires far thinner than a human hair, DoE researchers have pinpointed key events in the life of a consumer electronics staple -- the lithium ion battery. Their findings could lead to smaller, longer-lasting, more powerful batteries ready to rev up next-gen electric vehicles, laptops, cellphones and tablets.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/71548.html

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The top Download Squad stories of 2010

As yet another year slips quietly into the annual abyss, it's customary to take a retrospective glance at all that has happened. While history is surely nowhere near as exciting as the future -- especially as far as technology is concerned -- we can still learn a lot by looking back at the events of a year and analyzing, with perfect hindsight, what actually happened. After all, it is one thing to report on a new advance or technology, but it's another thing entirely to see how that technology has actually changed the world.

We'll lead with a prime example.

Continue reading The top Download Squad stories of 2010

The top Download Squad stories of 2010 originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/28/the-top-download-squad-stories-of-2010/

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The 12 best apps for your new Android device

So, you found a brand-new Android device under the tree a few days ago. Congratulations! Now what? In this post I'm going to recommend the very best apps to get off on the right foot with Android. If you've been using Android for a while, chances are you know most of these. Still, you might find a hidden gem or two. These are all based on my own use, so while the list is subjective in nature, these are not just shiny apps we've noticed in the market -- they have all been tested in real life for quite some time. Here goes:

Continue reading The 12 best apps for your new Android device

The 12 best apps for your new Android device originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/30/the-12-best-apps-for-your-new-android-device/

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Million-Volt Zap Cane Is Like Real-World Lightsaber

Owning the Zap Cane is about as close as you’ll ever get to being Yoda, combining walking-stick and Lightsaber into one ugly but effective package. The cane is adjustable between 32 and 36-inches (still too high for Dagobah’s favorite Jedi master) for when you’re hobbling around, trying to teach that lazy, whining Skywalker kid to [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/12/million-volt-zap-cane-is-like-real-world-lightsaber/

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Wikipedia Still $1M Short Of Fundraising Goal For 2010 (And Why I Donated)

It's the last day of the year, according to the Gregorian calendar at least, which prompted me to do some research on how well Wikipedia's fundraising efforts for 2010 were going. As you may have heard, the Wikimedia Foundation is trying to scrape together $16 million from user and supporter donations to fund its strategic plans for 2011 (PDF). The contribution campaign, starring Wikipedia founder Jimmy 'Jimbo' Wales in a prominent role, was kicked off around November 13, 2010, and has so far brought in $15 million according to the banner that appears on top of Wikipedia articles these days. Or has it?

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

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The Big Presentation: The Familiar, the Frustrating and the Flashy

One of my biggest concerns when I adopted the Linux OS over Microsoft Windows was Linux's ability to supply me with a robust presentation program. I did lots of lecturing and instructional seminars. Those activities required a product that closely mimicked Microsoft PowerPoint quality. The resulting file also had to be compatible with PowerPoint.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/71538.html

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Growing Up Geek: Vlad Savov

Welcome to Growing Up Geek, a new feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. This week we have our very own Associate Editor, Vlad Savov.

Yes, I grew up in the monochromatic nation of Bulgaria. As geek starts go, I doubt anyone could come up with a more unlikely one than being born in a village in the southwest corner of a country known more for its sporting and culinary exports than any sort of technical expertise. That's not to say that Bulgaria was a tech backwater, but it's the sort of place where you spent more time reading about gadgets than actually using them. Fortunately for me, my mother worked in a local computer club, where the bright youth of the day would gather to use Pravetz machines -- finely crafted Bulgarian Apple II KIRFs -- and it was a spot that I would inevitably retreat to after a thoroughly regimented school day. That's another thing about growing up in the former Communist bloc: education was intensive and rigorous, though you shouldn't let that rebelliously turned up collar in the image above fool you, I was madly in love with my studies (as any true nerd should be). Somewhere between that boy pushing buttons and tearing down floppy diskettes for fun and the current London-based cynic pumping out copy for Engadget during the American night shift, my life happened.

Continue reading Growing Up Geek: Vlad Savov

Growing Up Geek: Vlad Savov originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/growing-up-geek-vlad-savov/

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Watch the YouTube Video That Ebert Deemed Oscar-Worthy [Video]

It's a deceptively simple concept: man takes camera and tripod out into the NYC blizzard and shoots what he sees. But there's enough beauty and craftsmanship in this three-and-a-half minutes that Roger Ebert thinks it should win an Oscar. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/h-JtOis7phY/watch-the-youtube-video-that-ebert-deemed-oscar+worthy

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HTC Scribe turns up in US trademark filings, could be a tablet

It's an open secret at this point that HTC is almost certainly working on one or more tablets for introduction in 2011 -- and with heavyweights like Samsung, Motorola, and LG all playing the game (or about to play the game), really, how could they not? PocketNow has unearthed a very fresh trademark filing with the US PTO -- filed this past Sunday -- for "HTC Scribe," described as a "handheld wireless device, namely, a tablet computer." Doesn't get much more definitive than that. Of course, companies file for marks that they don't ultimately end up using all the time -- from their perspective, it's better to shoot first and ask questions later -- so it's not a slam dunk, but when you think about it, Scribe could actually be an awesome name for a little Honeycomb tablet. Only question is, are we going to see this stuff next week at CES or in February at MWC?

HTC Scribe turns up in US trademark filings, could be a tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Mr7W18EozsE/

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The Engadget Podcast, live at 4:45PM EST!

It's the end of the year, so it's time for the boys to look back and reflect on the... oh, who are we kidding, we'll probably just do more skits. Join us below!

P.S. And don't forget that Ustream has Android and iPhone clients as well, if you're out and about and you can't join in on the Flash-based fun below.

Continue reading The Engadget Podcast, live at 4:45PM EST!

The Engadget Podcast, live at 4:45PM EST! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/the-engadget-podcast-live-at-4-45pm-est/

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CrunchGear Week in Review: PCful Dream Edition

Here are some of last week’s stories on CrunchGear: TechCrunch Giveaway: Five Google Chrome Cr-48 Notebooks Physical Avatars For MP3s May Be The Vinyl Of The Future Hospi: Meet Panasonic?s Awesome Healthcare Robot (Video) Go Away, Snoopers: Internet Explorer 9 To Add Anti-Tracking Feature Kinect Hacked To Support 3D Occlusions The Great Holiday iPad Case [...]

Source: http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/12/13/week-in-review-pcful-dream/

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The Weirdest Indicators of Serious Medical Risks [Medicine]

Apparently things like finger length, grip strength, and height may be reliable predictors of cancer, longevity and heart disease. Don't believe it? Check this weird list of potential risk indicators out anyway. It'll terrify, amaze, and amuse you. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bOg2QdF_rn0/the-weirdest-indicators-of-serious-medical-risks

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This Video Cheered Me Up Today—In a Depressing Kind of Way [Video]

I've seen other kinetic typography animations in the past, but none of them were as good as this one and none of them were set to such a nice poppy happy tune: Jonathan Coulton's Shop Vac. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/1kn7yOD-q7o/this-video-cheered-me-up-today++in-a-depressing-kind-of-way

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