Nutshell Archive

  • iOS 4 privacy policy updated: Apple can anonymously collect location data, you can take away iAds’ cookies

    iOS 4 privacy policy updated: Apple can anonymously collect location data, you can take away iAds’ cookies

    Posted on June 21, 2010 | No Comments
    It may not be a big deal -- Android's done it for years -- but some will no doubt be interested to learn that Apple can monitor your GPS. In the latest revision of its privacy policy, presumably updated for iOS 4, it revealed the company can anonymously track the "real-time geographic location" of devices and is free to share that data with "partners and licensees" as well. In a nutshell, that means Cupertino could potentially sell location data, but don't get in a tiff just yet -- the company says it will do so anonymously and for location-based services only.

    Speaking of sales and personally identifiable data, another addition to iOS 4 is the ad network iAd, which monitors your browsing habits and interests and serves up targeted advertisements respectively. According to the updated privacy policy, however, you don't need to let the OS do that. Simply navigate to http://oo.apple.com to shut down automated cookie collection, and you'll see boring, generic ads instead.

    iOS 4 privacy policy updated: Apple can anonymously collect location data, you can take away iAds' cookies originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • AT&T ZERO to save the planet one phone charger at a time

    AT&T ZERO to save the planet one phone charger at a time

    Posted on March 17, 2010 | No Comments
    They’re in our homes, and they’re in our schools. There they sit, silently, eating our power. Even if you unplug your phone, they keep devouring power. What’s next!? Will cell phone chargers some day EAT YOUR CHILDREN? More at 11. In a move to save you some gadget juice and boost their “green”-factor, AT&T has just [...]

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  • Bluetooth 4.0 finally rolls low energy tech into a shipping standard

    Bluetooth 4.0 finally rolls low energy tech into a shipping standard

    Posted on December 17, 2009 | No Comments
    Bluetooth low energy and its predecessors (think Wibree) have been in the pipe for ages now, but we might actually see this tech take off en masse for the first time now that the Bluetooth SIG has officially added it into a release: 4.0. While Bluetooth 3.0 was all about high energy with the introduction of WiFi transfer, 4.0 takes things down a notch by certifying single-mode low energy devices in addition to dual-mode devices that incorporate both the low energy side of the spec plus either 2.1+EDR or 3.0. In a nutshell, the technology should bring a number of new categories and form factors of wireless devices into the fold since 1Mbps Bluetooth low energy can operate on coin cells -- the kinds you find in wristwatches, calculators, and remote controls -- and the SIG's pulling no punches by saying that "with today's announcement the race is on for product designers to be the first to market." Nokia pioneered Wibree, so you can bet they'll be among the frontrunners -- bring it, guys.

    Bluetooth 4.0 finally rolls low energy tech into a shipping standard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Apple Loosens The Reins A Bit, Sends Handslaps Rather Than Rejections

    Apple Loosens The Reins A Bit, Sends Handslaps Rather Than Rejections

    Posted on December 11, 2009 | No Comments
    It’s tough at the top. When you’ve got tens of thousands of developers vying for your acceptance, your every decision is scrutinized and criticized. Such is the case with Apple; if they approve a thousand applications and deny one, that one that got cut off will be the one you hear about. It looks like Apple [...]

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  • Review: iFrogz Timbre earbuds w/mic and Luxe case for iPod touch

    Review: iFrogz Timbre earbuds w/mic and Luxe case for iPod touch

    Posted on October 20, 2009 | No Comments
    DSC_0806 Short Version: What we've got here is a failure to communicate iFrogz's Timbre headphones w/mic and their iPod touch 2G & 3G Luxe case. In a nutshell, the Timbre headphones (which work with both the iPhone and iPod touch) provide decent audio playback, a reasonably comfortable fit (thanks to the three different ear bud choices), and the convenience of a built-in microphone for voice memos, Skype, etc albeit for the slightly higher than desirable price of $49.99. As for the Luxe, it is mediocre at best with a suspect design and very little going for it, especially considering it runs $29.99.

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  • Roasted Marshmallow Shooter: Yes, it shoots flaming marshmallows

    Roasted Marshmallow Shooter: Yes, it shoots flaming marshmallows

    Posted on September 24, 2009 | No Comments
    You put a marshmallow into it. It catches on fire. You shoot it. This, in a nutshell explains how the mazing Roasted Marshmallow Shooter works. As far as I tell it uses a a toilet paper tube to light the marshmallows which then blow out of the the tube. Also, don't try this at home.

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  • Flip camcorder, iPod nano video quality compared

    Flip camcorder, iPod nano video quality compared

    Posted on September 13, 2009 | No Comments
    The folks over at NewTeeVee took the “Flip SD,” as they called it – no real clarification if it was the bigger Flip Ultra or smaller Flip Mino camcorder – and did a side-by-side video quality comparison against the new iPod nano. You’ll recall that during the Apple presentation last Wednesday, Jobs and company took [...]

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  • An early look at Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online

    An early look at Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online

    Posted on August 28, 2009 | No Comments
    If you groaned a groaning groan at the announcement that the PC version of Tiger Woods would be online-only, cheer up. I played around with the beta for a while yesterday and came away impressed. For starters, the fact that it’s played inside a browser is pretty amazing given the level of detail. The graphics, sound, [...]

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  • World ranking: New Yorkers pay lowest cell phone charges

    World ranking: New Yorkers pay lowest cell phone charges

    Posted on August 12, 2009 | No Comments
    I'm aware studies comparing cell phone charges generally have to be taken with a grain of salt (especially cross-country studies like the following one), but this one coming from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is pretty interesting. It's not really a "world" ranking, but the ministry compared [JP, PDF] cell phone charges in seven major cities in Europe, Asia and the US. The result in a nutshell: New Yorkers are pretty lucky, Parisians aren't.

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  • Time to panic? RIAA wins suit against Usenet.com

    Time to panic? RIAA wins suit against Usenet.com

    Posted on July 1, 2009 | No Comments
    It's safe to say that I shed no tears yesterday when, for all intents and purposes, The Pirate Bay ceased to be. Suffice it to say that if Usenet comes under attack next I will not be a happy camper. (I know, I know: The first rule of Usenet is not to talk about Usenet, but bear with the story for a minute.) The RIAA just won a lawsuit against usenet.com, which, as you might guess, is a premium Usenet provider.

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