Windows phones users must update to 7.5 or else...

If users don't update their Windows Phones to 7.5, they won't be able to access Marketplace.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Anyone with a Windows Phone that hasn't been upgraded to version 7.5 won't be able to use Microsoft's Marketplace app store as of today.

The tech company announced today that in order to download, buy, update, or review apps in Marketplace, users have to be running Windows Phone 7.5. This change is required for both the phone and web Marketplace storefronts.

"Most phones are already running Windows Phone 7.5, which was released last fall, and so most of you won't notice anything different about how the Marketplace works," Microsoft's director of program management, Mazhar Mohammed, said in a blog post today. "However, if your phone has an earlier version of our software installed, you'll soon start seeing an error message when you try to download a new app, or update one you already own."

This change isn't as daunting as it sounds. The Windows Phone 7.5 update is free and fairly simple to install, although it could take more than an hour to complete. Mohammed said that the reason Microsoft is now requiring version 7.5 on Windows Phones is "part of a larger effort aimed at improving Marketplace performance and security."

Over the past year, the software giant has been pulling out several tricks to try to keep up with Android's Google Play and iPhone's App Store. Earlier this month it announced an app developer summit to happen in San Francisco this June and last summer it began paying app authors for their Windows Phone attention. As a result, Marketplace's available apps spiked from 30,000 in May 2011, to 50,000 in December of that year, to 80,000 this April.

Intel vs. AMD: Who's got the fastest chip now?

Has AMD finally got Intel beat? Overall, the answer is no

Hewlett-Packard's upcoming Sleekbooks will use AMD's newest processors.

(Credit: CNET)

Advanced Micro Devices new Trinity chip doesn't deliver the performance trifecta necessary to threaten Intel's market-leading position, according to most initial evaluations.

It's an old story line now: AMD comes out with a new processor that offers better graphics performance, but, overall, does little to change Intel-AMD market dynamics -- which of course heavily favors Intel.

And AMD has done it again. Tapping into the graphics processing unit (GPU) expertise it got when after acquiring ATI in 2006, the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company continues to ding Intel on GPU performance.

But AMD fails to threaten Intel on central processing unit (CPU) speed and power efficiency.

But don't take my word for it. "AMD's Trinity...doesn't unseat [Intel's] Sandy Bridge from its position of performance supremacy," wrote Tom's Hardware, referring to the Intel chip design announced in January of last year.

Let's insert a quick parenthetical here. Intel is now shipping its next-generation Ivy Bridge chip, and performance will only improve vis-a-vis AMD.

That said, there's plenty of praise for AMD's graphics silicon. Game play is good: AMD's Trinity is recommended "if you're a casual gamer" by Tom's Hardware.

But for higher end games, the advantage isn't necessarily there. "Your best bet continues to be laptops with an Intel CPU and a discrete GPU from Nvidia, at least of the GT 640M level," according to Anandtech.

And note that Intel these days is touting media processing performance for tasks like transcoding: converting a file from one format to another. For example, converting a movie so it is playable on an iPod.

In this area, Intel's Quick Sync is competitive with AMD, said Anandtech.

AMD is making strides with battery life, though. "It's worth pointing out that the concerns about AMD's battery life from a few years ago are now clearly put to rest," Anandtech said.

Then there's the school of thought that Intel needs to be afraid, very afraid. "AMD has a very credible chip on their hands with Trinity, and Intel should be very worried," said chip site Semiaccurate.

But one financial firm is not that enthusiastic. "Advanced Micro Devices'...Trinity seems unlikely to gain share, and will likely compete on price rather than performance against Intel's Ivy Bridge," said MKM Partners in a post on Barron's.

Via: [CNET NEWS]

Samsung Galaxy Tab 310 launching in India this week

Samsung's 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 --SamsungGalaxy Tab 2 310 -- is all set to launch in the country this week. The tablet will reportedly be priced at Rs 23,250 (MRP).

Unveiled at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 or Galaxy Tab 310 features Android 4.0, weighs 345gm, measures 193.7 x 122.4 x 10.5mm and runs on 1GHz dual core processor, 1GB RAM, and 7-inch PLS display with 1024 x 600p resolution. The tablet also sports a 3MP rear camera, front camera. On connectivity front it supports, 3G, Wi-Fi and HSPA. The device runs on 4000mAh unremovable battery and has 16GB internal memory which is expandable upto 32GB

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 will be the sixth Android tablet from the company to be launched in India. The other five Samsung tablet launched in India are Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Tab 750, 730, 680 and 620.

The tablet is available at some select retailers for Rs 19,500 approximately. Samsung's official online store is also taking pre-bookings for the tablet.

Facebook denies opening network to kids under 13

The world’s largest social network, fresh from a Friday IPO that raised a record $105 billion and created a small army of millionaires, is still appropriate only for those ages 13 and over -- despite a  (London) Sunday Times report that it was opening a public debate on overturning the minimum-age requirement.

The report cited Simon Milner, the head of Facebook policy in Britain, who told the paper that "a lot of parents are happy their kids are on [Facebook]. We would like to hear from people what the answer might be [in a debate on the issue]."

The Times said Milner was set to launch that debate at an education festival hosted by the newspaper in June. His comments appeared under the headline, "Under-13s may be let into Facebook fold."

Facebook officials declined FoxNews.com requests for confirmation that kids might be allowed onto the site. But an official from the London office claimed Milner was misreported.

"We have no idea how The Times concluded that we are opening up to under-13s from the conversation Simon Milner had with them," the spokesman told the Telegraph.

Despite trying to protect youth from cyber bullying and the dangers of predatory online grooming, Milner was quoted as saying, "There is reputable evidence that there are kids under 13 who are lying about their age to get on to Facebook. Some seem to be doing it with their parents' permission and help."

But the Facebook spokesman said, "All we have said is what we have been saying for months -- that minors on Facebook and the Internet is an important issue and we want to work with the broader industry to look at ways of keeping minors safe.”

“The headline copied from The Times is no reflection of that conversation."

Via: Fox News

Facebook stock opens with a thud; down to $33

The world's largest social network is watching its shares plummet today, and is currently down to $33.16, representing a 13 percent decline.

Facebook shareholders don't have much to smile about today.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

So, it looks like investors are not too happy with Facebook this morning.

The company's shares have plummeted in early trading, hitting a low of $33. As of this writing, the company's shares have climbed to $33.16, representing a 13 percent decline compared to its opening price of $38.23. The poor performance puts Facebook much lower than its $38 initial offering price.

The writing appeared to be on the wall this morning when Facebook started trading below $38 in pre-market trading. Before it started trading today, Facebook's shares were hovering around $36 in pre-market.

Apparent soft demand for Facebook shares has sparked some fear among investors and industry observers over whether the social network was priced too expensively at its start. However, more long-term thinkers don't think it's time to get paranoid about Facebook's shares or their prospects of long-term success.

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter is among many who believe Facebook will see its shares rise in the coming months. In a note to investors today, he said that he expects the social network's stock to jump to $44 in the next 12 months. Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia said earlier this month that he expects the company's shares to increase to $46 over the next year.

Zuckerberg's married status gets 1M likes

Once word got out that Facebook's CEO had married Priscilla Chan in a secret ceremony, the rush began to Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook status update.

Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg on their wedding day.

(Credit: Facebook)

Weddings are always a big deal, but some transcend the usual hoopla and well-wishing. Will and Kate. Kim and Kris. Luke and Laura.

To that list, you can now add Mark and Priscilla. While there was no run-up to the nuptials of Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, the weekend wedding of Facebook's co-founder has certainly captured the world's attention.

Since word got out late Saturday about the secret ceremony earlier in the day, more than 1 million Facebook subscribers have clicked the Like button for Zuckerberg's change of status to "married." In a less precise sampling, of the 731 comments at this time, "congrats!" seems to be the favored message to the newlyweds, with a "mazel tov!" here and a "woo-hoo!" there.

Chan's status update on Facebook, meanwhile, has garnered more than 39,000 likes.

The wedding ceremony was a modest one, especially considering Zuckerberg's status as the gazillionaire sovereign of the world's largest social network, which late last week raised roughly $16 billion in a ferociously hyped IPO. Fewer than 100 guests were in attendance, having arrived for what they thought would be a med school graduation party for Chan, according to the Associated Press account of the event.

The question for Emily Post is, do Zuckerberg and Chan have to write thank-yous for all those likes?

[Via CNET NEWS]

How Facebook quickly took over the Web

New data from Nielsen reveals the pace at which Facebook grew to become the dominant social network it is today.

by Lance Whitney  May 17, 2012 7:39 AM PDT

(Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)

Facebook is on its way to 1 billion users with an IPO around the corner. Not bad for a company with its roots in a Harvard dorm room.

But how did it achieve its grip on the global market? New findings from Nielsen offer a peek into some key milestones for the social network.

Facebook's user base currently numbers more than 900 million. But it's also one of the most visited Web sites in the world, according to Nielsen.

The site received around 152 million unique visits from people in the U.S. in March, which means that more than two out of three online Americans checked out Facebook that month. In such countries as Brazil, Italy, and New Zealand, the rate is even higher.

Facebook first grabbed 10 million unique U.S. visitors in November 2006 and 10 million unique U.K. visitors in April 2008. The site captured 10 million unique visitors in France, Germany, and Spain in 2009, Nielsen said.

In August of last year, Facebook surpassed Orkut as the top social network in Brazil and has continued to grab more users in the country since then. MySpace was also once a hot social network. But in January 2009, Facebook officially surpassed MySpace at the top social network and has held that title since.

Facebook is currently ranked top among all social networking and blog sites in 11 of 12 major countries around the world. The following table from Nielsen shows Facebook's reach in those 12 countries.

(Credit: Nielsen)

Of course, not everyone is a fan of the giant social network.

Half of the 1,000 Americans recently polled by the AP and CNBC believe Facebook is a fad. General Motors revealed this week that it was yanking its advertising on the network because it didn't think the ads were effective.

Concerns have also been raised about the company's move to go public. Half of the people in the AP-CNBC poll think the initial offering price is too high. Many also question whether CEO Mark Zuckerberg has the skills to manage and expand a large publicly-traded company.

And the company has consistently gotten into deep water over privacy issues, angering users and advocacy groups.

Only 13 percent of the people polled by AP and CNBC trust Facebook "completely" or "a lot" to keep their personal information private. More than half (59 percent) said they have little or no faith in the company to protect their privacy.

Facebook has made tremendous strides since its birth in 2004. But the company will face more challenges ahead as it strives to grow both as a social network and a public corporation.

Source: http://www.cnet.com/