snap

Windows 7: Whose idea was it really?

In many countries around the world, there are people who have come out and claimed Windows 7 as being their idea.

Microsoft chose to reveal in its new advertising that the operating system is one that came about because the people demanded it, because the people created it.

And in the process, they hope Windows becomes the people's brand rather than their injury-prone Elton brand.

Yet, as the week of the launch winds down and the hard graft of daily selling begins, it seems instructive to examine just a couple of nuances in the campaign.

Here are two spots, … Read more

Windows 7's Aero in pictures

Introduced for Vista, the translucent Aero skin has been heavily developed and expanded in Windows 7. See what this key design and interface feature looks like and behaves like in the new operating system.

Alltel snatches up the HTC Snap

Joining T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless, Alltel announced on Tuesday that it is now offering the HTC Snap for $79.99 with a one-year contract and after a $70 mail-in rebate.

The Windows Mobile 6.1 device is geared for messaging fanatics with its full QWERTY keyboard and we're happy to see that HTC's Inner Circle feature is included in this model, which lets you prioritize e-mails with a press of a button. In addition, the Snap offers world-roaming capabilities, EV-DO Rev. A support, Bluetooth, and a 2-megapixel camera.

While Verizon offers the HTC Ozone, the Snap is … Read more

T-Mobile Dash 3G priced and reviewed

The poor T-Mobile Dash has been pulling duty ever since October 2006, and while it's received a minor face-lift and Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrade over the years, it's definitely time for the smartphone to retire. More importantly, T-Mobile customers need and deserve something more up-to-date, and it looks like the T-Mobile Dash 3G is set to deliver.

First announced for the carrier on June 17, T-Mobile revealed on Wednesday night that the Dash 3G will be available starting July 8 for $169.99 with a two-year contract. For that price, you get a number of welcome additions, … Read more

Verizon to offer HTC Ozone for just $50

The HTC Snap is making its rounds to the various carriers. First Sprint, then T-Mobile, and now Verizon Wireless.

Rebranded as the HTC Ozone, the Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone will be available online starting June 29 and in Verizon stores on July 13 for just $49.99 with a two-year contract and after a $70 mail-in rebate. This is an incredible deal especially when you consider that unlike the Sprint version, you're getting world-roaming capabilities and wait for it, wait for it ... integrated Wi-Fi.

In addition, the Ozone will support a number of Verizon services, such as VZ … Read more

T-Mobile Dash 3G coming in July; more Android details next week

For those of you who don't care about a certain phone from a certain fruit-flavored company, you might be interested to know that T-Mobile announced on Wednesday the upcoming availability of its latest smartphone, the T-Mobile Dash 3G.

The Dash 3G is T-Mobile's take on the HTC Snap, which debuted at CTIA 2009. The carrier expects the smartphone to ship nationwide in July, though it did not release a specific date or pricing at this time. Sprint also announced that it will offer the HTC Snap on June 21 for $149.99 with a two-year contract, so we … Read more

Sprint to offer HTC Snap on June 21

Sprint's summer of hot phone releases continues. In addition to the Palm Pre and just-announced RIM BlackBerry Tour 9630, the carrier has confirmed that it will offer the HTC Snap on June 21 for $149.99 with a two-year contract. (This news surfaced last week, but I'm just catching up after being out for a couple of days.)

The Snap, which debuted at CTIA 2009, is a messaging-centric smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard and a feature called Inner Circle that lets you prioritize messages based on your preferences. It also offers Microsoft Direct Push Technology for real-time … Read more

Photoshop plug-in puts artists on notice

Whether it's rescuing a photo mucked up by a camera's image processing or boosting interest in an otherwise stale photo, Alien Skin's Snap Art 2 plug-in for Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements aims to let users quickly turn mouse clicks into brush strokes.

The software announced and made available Monday gives users 10 natural media, hundreds of styles (oil paint, watercolor, pencil , pastels, etc.), and several canvas textures. The example above was done using the Impasto selection, giving it the look of thick paint, which would be great for hiding photo flaws. There are more than 700 … Read more

Rumor: HTC, Motorola messaging smartphones bound for Verizon

While the Verizon Wireless and Apple talks are dominating headlines these days, the iPhone isn't for everyone and it looks like there might be two other noteworthy devices that are headed Verizon's way. More specifically, two QWERTY smartphones from HTC and Motorola.

The first handset, the Motorola A4500, is almost a lockdown for the carrier, considering that it was outed by the FCC. As PhoneScoop points out, the A4500 has similarities to the Motorola Q9c/Motorola Q9m but adds quad-band world roaming, Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel camera, and a fingerprint scanner. The Windows Mobile 6.1 device will also … Read more

Simple 9V battery flashlight gives light in a snap

Flashlights can be serious business for some people, with collectors spending upward of $200 for a high-end one. That's not what the Battery Snap is. This $5 flashlight connects directly to a 9V battery and can be turned on using a tiny switch on the top. That's it, there's nothing more to it. The simplicity of this gadget makes it great for kids, especially if you're giving them a physics lesson on electricity.

We reckon it's not exactly the newest product around. Let us know in TalkBack if you have one or have seen it … Read more