pre

While everyone was busy picking up $99 HP TouchPads this weekend, I was holding out hope for a similar fire sale for the HP Pre 3, but it looks like that's not going to happen. At least, not in the States anyway.

HP confirmed to PCMag.com today that the WebOS smartphone will not be sold in the U.S. Instead, it will be sold unlocked in the U.K. and France, but at a drastically reduced price of around $75 (down from $490 to $500). Since it is a quad-band GSM phone, you would be able to use it here with AT&T and T-Mobile service, but only on their EDGE networks.

If you're still keen on getting one, be prepared to act quick. HP said the Pre 3 is already sold out in Germany, and the smartphone is expected to go on sale in France and the U.K. "shortly."

Anyone going to try to pick one up? … Read more

If you know Bonnie Cha, you know that she's not happy about today's news that HP was discontinuing support of WebOS smartphones and tablets just over a year after acquiring Palm. Bonnie was a big fan of the mobile operating system from the moment she first saw the original Palm Pre at CES 2009. And her passion continued while reviewing every WebOS smartphone, from the Pre to the recent HP Veer (Donald Bell examined the TouchPad tablet).

I'm rather sad too, even if my experience with WebOS … Read more

Windows 8 is set to hit the prerelease stage over the coming months, according to a blog posted yesterday by Microsoft President Steven Sinofsky.

Though the term prerelease version is a bit vague, Sinofsky is likely referring to the beta of Windows 8 since he said that the company wants to "begin an open dialogue with those of you who will be trying out the prerelease version over the coming months."

Aiming the new blog series, "Building Windows 8," at customers, developers, and users in general, Sinofsky used the post to provide tidbits of information but … Read more

Imagine a situation where a kid chases a ball into a street. Even for drivers with lightning-sharp reflexes, there might not be enough braking distance to avoid impact. But Toyota's next-generation crash avoidance technology may be able to solve that problem by steering the vehicle out of harm's way.

Designed in part to reduce pedestrian fatalities, Toyota's Pre-Collision System (PCS) with collision-avoidance assist uses stereo camera and millimeter-wave radars installed around the vehicle to identify objects in its path. If the system calculates that there isn't enough time to brake and that a crash with an … Read more

The HP Pre 3 is expected to be one of the summer's biggest smartphone releases, but it looks like the WebOS-based smartphone won't be coming to at least one of the major U.S. carriers.

According to This is My Next, Sprint will not offer the Pre 3 and there's even some doubt over Sprint and HP's future together. The source did not provide any details on what brought about the decision, but some think it might have to do with the disappointing sales of the original Palm Pre, which exclusively launched with Sprint in June … Read more

Microsoft could show off a pre-beta version of Windows 8 next week at its Worldwide Partner Conference, according to WinRumors and other sources.

With WPC 2011 officially kicking off July 11, WinRumors cited a tweet on Tuesday from an account called @MSFTtm, which said that "Microsoft will release a CTP [Community Technology Preview] build of Windows 8" at the conference. Though a single tweet from an unverified source hardly makes it a done deal, WinRumors says this particular tweeter has been accurate in the past with news about Windows 8 builds.

Adding further fire to the rumors, tech … Read more

A new version of Google's JavaScript rendering engine and security fixes land in Google Chrome 14.0.794.0 dev today, available for download for Windows, Mac, Linux. The latest rough version of the browser improves secure HTTP support in several ways, updates the V8 JavaScript engine to version 3.4.3.0, and tightens security when installing Web apps from the Chrome Web Store.

The security changes are small but nevertheless could have a positive effect on your browser's security. Chrome 14 dev supports DNSSEC authentication for HTTPS, which strengthens the secure Web protocol, and Chrome 14 … Read more

Images from a pre-beta version of Windows 8 reveal that Microsoft is apparently expanding its use of the ribbon interface to replace traditional pull-down menus and toolbars.

Following Microsoft's release of the latest pre-beta build of Windows 8 to select partners recently, screenshots of certain features in the upcoming OS were allegedly posted online. In particular, images displayed on enthusiast site Within Windows by "Windows 8 Secrets" co-authors Rafael Rivera and Paul Thurrott show the ribbon interface reaching Windows Explorer.

Introduced with Office 2007, the ribbon interface has been loved by some and reviled by others. But … Read more

A German advertising agency highlights an innovative idea from Mercedes-Benz in this Web video.

The Mercedes-Benz safety feature, "Pre-Safe," is a collision warning system that anticipates oncoming hazards.

In the ad "Transparent Walls," the Pre-Safe concept plays out more like an art installation piece than a safety feature demonstration. Transparent Walls shows what Pre-Safe would look like as seen through human eyes.

Live video is captured on the onside of a wall and projected around the corner onto another wall--making the wall look transparent. As drivers pass, they can literally see what is coming from behind … Read more