Samsung announces Galaxy Note 10.1 at MWC (update: hands-on photos!)

Samsung's announced another 10.1-inch tablet to join its burgeoning collection of slates. The Galaxy Note 10.1 is an S-Pen toting variant of the similarly sized-and-named Galaxy Tab. It's running Touchwiz-infused ICS on a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM, but here's the answer to the question on everyone's lips: nope, you can't use it as a phone. Sadly you'll only have access to HSPA+, WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0, dashing our hopes of using this as our primary cellphone to annoy people on the train. The 10.1-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) display is nestled opposite a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera and beside a 2-megapixel one for video conferencing. S-Pen specific features include S Note for scrawling text, Shape Match and Formula Match (to digitize images and mathematical formulae) -- but more importantly is the ability to use Adobe's new Photoshop Touch and Ideas, which will both come pre-installed.

If you'd rather use the slate as one of the world's largest sat-navs, you'll be relieved to know it's packing both GPS and Glonass. For the businesspersons of you out there, there's Exchange ActiveSync, on-device encryption, Juniper Junos Pulse and Cisco VPNs. It'll come in 16, 32 and 64GB variations, with a microSD slot for you to add up to a further 32GBs into the mix. It's clear that Samsung's bisecting its tablet business: purely touch-driven devices will now be branded as a "Tab" and anything with a stylus S-Pen will be suffixed with "Note." Pricing and availability are currently unspecified, but we'll do our best to shanghai that information out of a passing company rep when we see one.

ASUS Padfone formally unveiled: 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon S4 CPU, ICS, HSPA+, coming in April

Just like it said it would, ASUS has formally unveiled its versatile, form-changing Padfone at Mobile World Congress. There are two stories here, and they're both quite compelling, frankly. On the one hand, you've got yet another high-end device, with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, Snapdragon's new dual-core S4 chip, an Adreno 225 GPU, Ice Cream Sandwich and an 8-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash and f/2.2 autofocusing lens. (The front camera records at VGA resolution.) Other specs include 16 to 64GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI, GPS, A-GPS, a gyroscope, 1,520mAh battery and a compass. Connectivity options include WCDMA (900, 2100 MHz), EDGE / GPRS / GSM (850, 1800 and 1900 MHz) and HSPA+, with theoretical download speeds topping out at 42Mbps. Barring LTE, we wouldn't expect much less from a flagship launched at the world's premier wireless show.

But those are just specs. If you focus solely on its chip and 9.2mm-thick frame you'd be missing its most distinguishing attribute: it's ability to parade around in tablet's clothing (albeit, with the help of some optional, still-unpriced accessories.) Taking a cue from Motorola's Lapdock-friendly handsets, the Padfone can slide into an optional station that effectively allows you to use it as if it were a 10.1-inch tablet. Like the optional docks sold alongside ASUS' Transformer tablets, the station not only improves the ergonomics, but also extends the battery life -- in this case, by nine-fold. Speaking of keyboard docks, ASUS will be selling one for this product, too, so that you can tuck that 10-inch phone-tablet into something with a full physical keyboard. Finally, there's that guy you see up there, which looks like a stylus (and is!), but also doubles as a headset for receiving calls. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the future.

And when can you make it yours? ASUS confirmed that the Padfone will ship in April. Unfortunately, the company stopped short of revealing any pricing, so you'll have to stay tuned for some country-specific details. For now, though, we're planning on getting hands-on with the device as soon as we can, giving you a much closer look than we were able to when we spied a prototype back at CES.

Google: 450,000 Android Apps now available to 300 million devices

If you hadn't noticed, it's Mobile World Congress this week and Google's showing off its enormous booth packed to the gills with smiling green Androids. Andy Rubin insouciantly added that the Android Marketplace has reached its latest milestone: there are now 450,000 apps available for the platform. Other pertinent stats are that over a billion apps are downloaded every month and that 850,000 Android devices are activated each day -- meaning that there's more than 300 million of them worldwide. Of course, that's not the real story here at MWC, it's that the company have brought along a bedazzling booth for guests to glue as many false jewels to their Galaxy Nexus back-plate as their self-respect can handle.

All News Reviews Reviews AT&T HTC One X hands-on By Terrence O'Brien posted Feb 27th 2012 at 10:26AM Hands-On HTC One X Are you salivating after seeing HTC's One X? We don't blame you, it's a stunning piece of hardware with a set of rather lust-worthy specs. But, how does the AT&T version stack up to its international cousin? We're happy to say, quite well. Yes, the quad-core Tegra 3 was given the boot in favor of a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 and an LTE radio was crammed inside, but otherwise this is pretty much the same device we saw on the floor in Barcelona. The only piece of carrier branding is an AT&T logo above the gorgeous 4.7-inch 720p display. Thankfully, the design was left largely unmolested. At least at this early stage it's also blissfully free of bloatware and carrier apps, but we'd expect that to change before launch. Sadly, none of the demo units on hand at the New York showroom had SIMs in them, so we couldn't test LTE reception, and the devices weren't logged into the Market so we couldn't pull down benchmarks or a taxing 3D game. That being said, Sense 4.0 and ICS were plenty responsive and pages rendered very quickly -- even without those two extra cores. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break for more impressions. AT&T HTC One X hands-on READ MORE 338 Leave A Comment 18 ZTE PF112 hands-on By Sean Cooper posted Feb 27th 2012 at 10:07AM Hands-On ZTE's other handset launch of note at MWC this year was the PF112 (pictured at right next to SGS 2.) First take away here was the 4.5-inch 1028 x 720 HD display which was really bright and clear -- and again we were a little shocked by the dichotomy in build quality of the sets we're seeing from ZTE. Quad-band GSM radios, triple-band HSPA+ were on hand as well as an 8 megapixel rear-facing cam, all the wireless connectivity one could ask for and even an FM radio thrown in for good measure. Housing quality is fine, bezel size about on par with its neighbor in the pic above and fit and finish also looking sharp. Follow the break for some more pictures of this Android 4.0 device. ZTE PF112 hands-on READ MORE 65 Leave A Comment 9 Meego 1.2 arrives for Nokia N9 users today By Daniel Cooper posted Feb 27th 2012 at 9:56AM Nokia N9 users, if you've yet to activate your beloved device today, then do so post-haste. It looks like our army of faithful tipsters found PR 1.2 ready to roll this morning. The 284MB ... Read the full post on mobile.engadget.com 122 Leave A Comment 20 Sonnetar 25mm f/1.1 lens coming with Micro Four Thirds mount By Sharif Sakr posted Feb 27th 2012 at 9:51AM Just what the optician ordered: a prototype Micro Four Thirds 25mm lens that will put just 1.1 f-stops between you and a beautiful photograph. It's the work of specialist fast-glass maker Sadoyasu Miyazaki, who manufactures under the Sonnetar brand and is well know for his hand-assembled primes. There's no word on price or release date yet but the same lens with a Pentax Q mount can be had on eBay right now for $650 including shipping, so this MFT lens should be in the same range. Don some shades and then click the KTF Turbo link below for sample images (and look for "MS Optical R&D" in the top-right.) 43Rumors sourceKFT Turbo (Japanese) 38 Leave A Comment 10 AT&T announces global coverage via a single SIM at MWC, makes dual-wielding a thing of the past By Billy Steele posted Feb 27th 2012 at 9:28AM Tired of switching out those SIM cards when you travel abroad? AT&T is about to relieve that burden. At MWC, the company has announced a new platform that offers global internet, WiFi, satellite and Ma Bell network coverage via a single SIM. In addition to the hardware, the new tech offers worldwide diagnostic, monitoring and alert / response features for management purposes from AT&T Control Center -- backed by Jasper Wireless. Glenn Lurie, President of Emerging Segments notes "Lessons learned by market leading manufacturers suggest that a single carrier supplier with a single SIM solution is often preferred over working directly with multiple regional wireless carriers." Coverage for globetrotters will be provided in more than 200 countries via hundreds of carriers to keep you connected -- with a few less components in tow. If you're looking for a few more details, hit the full PR below to read on. READ MORE sourceAT&T 90 Leave A Comment 24 Apple scores temporary ruling in Motorola battle, can keep selling iPads, iPhones in Germany By Brian Heater posted Feb 27th 2012 at 9:05AM Apple today won a victory in Germany in its on-going legal dispute with Motorola Mobility. An appeals court in that country ruled that Cupertino can continue to offer its wares in its online store while it appeals a ruling that temporarily barred their sale. According to the court, the continuation of such a ban on iPads and iPhones would affect Motorola's abilities to maintain its "duties under antitrust rules." The temporary ruling is the latest in an on-going legal tug of war between the two handset makers in that country. sourceBusiness Week 209 Leave A Comment 10 web coverage Foss Patents, (2) Nokia 808 PureView first sample shots -- feast your eyes (update: GigaPan them!) By Myriam Joire posted Feb 27th 2012 at 9:05AM Exclusive Nokia 808 PureView first sample shots -- feast your eyes This is it. Here's an exclusive first look at some sample shots taken with Nokia's freshly minted 808 PureView imaging powerhouse -- and wow, just wow! The collection contains photos taken at different resolutions in various conditions that show exactly what the 41-megapixel camera is capable of. Feast your eyes in our gallery below -- we'll have a ZIP file with the original pictures for you to download shortly. Also, stay tuned for our upcoming interview with Damian Dinning, program manager for imaging at Nokia. Update: Our very own Andy Yang of Engadget Chinese slapped a few of these shots on GigaPan for your zooming pleasure -- check it out after the break. You can also grab the originals (a 31.8MB download) from Nokia Conversations. Nokia 808 PureView first sample shots READ MORE 837 Leave A Comment 119 Xperia U, HTC One X and One S coming to Orange UK

Orange, the only cellular network that's also one of your five-a-day has announced that it'll be releasing Sony's Xperia U, HTC One X and One S to smartphone demanding Britons in the second quarter of the year. Depending on your point of view, it's either fantastic or terrible that the network bagged the white edition of Sony's handset as an exclusive, but it's going to tempt some of you to the citrus-side of the force. There's no word on pricing, but we'd expect them to cost something we've heard called "money." While you wait for them to arrive, why not decide on which handset you'd rather purchase by reading our splendid hands-ons with each of the handsets? Xperia U / One X / One S.

ADATA reveals three new SandForce SSDs for the high, mid and low end

ADATA makes multiple memory solutions, including super fast USB sticks, and now the company has released a trio of new SSDs, with a model for every type of consumer. There's the XPG SX900 built for enthusiasts that uses a SATA III 6Gbps connection and SandForce SF-2281 controller to deliver 550MB/s reads and 530MB/s writes in up to a 512GB drive. The Premier Pro SP900 packs similar specs to deliver 550MB/s reads and 520MB/s writes in up to a 256GB package, but at lower price point than its performance sibling. Rounding things out is the Premier SP800, a budget entry in 32 and 64GB sizes that uses a SATA II 3Gbps interface, plus an SF-1222 controller to deliver 280MB/s and 260MB/s sequential speeds. As usual, ADATA's not telling how much the new SSDs will set you back

Aakash put on notice as BSNL and Pantel pair up to produce T-Pad

The last thing that the Aakash project needed was a more handsome, similarly priced commercial rival swooping in and stealing all of its thunder. Sadly that's what's happened: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), itself currently under investigation for corruption allegations, has announced a similarly low priced tablet in partnership with Pantel International. The T-Pad IS701R costs Rs 3,250 ($66) compared to the Aakash's Rs 2,999 ($60) but this device has a faster 1GHz processor and runs Gingerbread on a 7-inch 800 x 600 resistive display. However it's not all sunshine and roses, unlike the Government-sponsored slate, there is no GPRS modem in this edition. If you want freedom from WiFi, it'll cost you Rs 10,999 (or $223). So how do the two tablets stack up? Head on past the break and we'll show you in a little more detail.

Sony announces quartet of Cyber-shot cams, boasts of slim profiles and tough skin

The Cyber-shot family just keeps growing and growing, with its latest litter focused on keeping slim and staying active. The quartet's most rugged machine, the $330 16.2 megapixel DSC-TX20, promises to be tough as nails by tolerating water up to 16 feet under, bouncing back from five foot falls and braving freezing tundras as cold as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The $350 DSC-TX66, on the other hand, forgoes the armor in favor of a 18.2 megapixel sensor, a 3.3-inch "Xtra Fine" OLED touch screen and 1920 x 1080 video recording. The outfits 18.2 MP DSC-WX150 and 16.1 MP DSC-W690 claim the titles of "world's thinnest 10x optical zoom cameras," (excluding the lens) according to Sony, and are priced at $250 and $180, respectively. Read on for Sony's official press release and all of the rough, tough and svelte details, as well as Sony's own hands-on look at the new Cyber-shot lineup.

Toyota and Samsung turn your smartphone into a second display for your ride

Toyota and Samsung are pairing up to get the latter's smartphones to work perfectly with the former's vehicles. The duo will launch Samsung Mobile Car Application to sync your Android device to the in-vehicle-infotainment (IVI) systems of modern cars. You'll be able to use voice control and improve the accuracy of your GPS by hooking it up to mobile internet. At the minute it's just an announcement, we won't see any products entering the market until the second quarter of the year. They just wanted to tease, those lovable scamps.

CNBC: Quad-core iPad 3 with LTE to be unveiled in New York

The above tweet from CNBC says it all, really. Apparently sources close to the news network have revealed that the iPad 3 will be unveiled in New York rather than the traditional West Coast unveiling of previous products. It's interesting to note that the recent Mountain Lion briefings and Education event were both based in the Big Apple, lending some weight to the claim. Although company expert Jim Dalrymple has already rebutted the broadcaster's claim about the location. The rest? Well, it certainly tallies with the most recent crop of rumors, but when it's Apple-silly season we won't believe anything until we see it.

4G' Sony Tablet P coming to AT&T on March 4th for $400

Sony's odd, dual-screened, folding Tablet P is finally getting a "4G" version here the US, courtesy of AT&T. In this case, those 4G speeds are being "delivered" by an HSPA+ radio, a fact that carrier managed to bury in the PR. The Honeycomb device will be bringing its unique set of 5.5-inch screens to Ma Bell starting March 4th for the rather steep price of $400 with a two year contract. If you don't want to sign your soul over you can pick one up unsubsidized for $550, which is still quite a bit less than the cost of importing one of its £500 UK siblings.

Join us for Microsoft's Windows 8 press conference tomorrow at 9:30am EST!

If you're Microsoft and in the process of overhauling Windows so that it's equally at home on PCs and tablets, it would make sense to unveil a semi-final version at the world's premier wireless show. That's exactly what's going to happen tomorrow, when the company's executive team takes the stage here in Barcelona to show off all the changes it's made to Win8 since we got hands-on with the Developer Preview five months ago. Though we still won't know tomorrow what the final version will look like, we'll have a much firmer idea, as this will be the first version available to the general Windows-using populace. So what does Redmond have up its sleeve? Will the Windows Store open for business? A first look at some native touch-friendly apps? And what's to become of the Start button? Bookmark this page and come back tomorrow at 9:30am EST (3:30pm local time), when we'll be firing off up-to-the-minute updates. See you then!

what is the lunar eclipse

Introduction

An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer.

Totality solar eclipse
The term eclipse is most often used to describe either a solar eclipse, when the Moon's shadow crosses the Earth's surface, or a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into the shadow of Earth. However, it can also refer to such events beyond the Earth-Moon system: for example, a planet moving into the shadow cast by one of its moons, a moon passing into the shadow cast by its host planet, or a moon passing into the shadow of another moon. A binary star system can also produce eclipses if the plane of their orbit intersects the position of the observer.



Lunar eclipses occur when the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow. Since this occurs only when the Moon is on the far side of the Earth from the Sun, lunar eclipses only occur when there is a full moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, an eclipse of the Moon can be observed from nearly an entire hemisphere. For this reason it is much more common to observe a lunar eclipse from a given location. A lunar eclipse also lasts longer, taking several hours to complete, with totality itself usually averaging anywhere from about 30 minutes to over an hour.

The progression of a lunar eclipse.
There are three types of lunar eclipses: penumbral, when the Moon crosses only the Earth's penumbra; partial, when the Moon crosses partially into the Earth's umbra; and total, when the Moon circles entirely within the Earth's umbra. Total lunar eclipses pass through all three phases. Even during a total lunar eclipse, however, the Moon is not completely dark. Sunlight refracted through the Earth's atmosphere intersects the umbra and provides a faint illumination. Much as in a sunset, the atmosphere tends to scatter light with shorter wavelengths, so the illumination of the Moon by refracted light has a red hue, thus the phrase 'Blood Moon' is often found in descriptions of such lunar events as far back as eclipses are recorded.

Doodle Defense game uses Kinect to turn white boards into displays, dry-erase markers into weapons

Tower defense games have been done in damn near every way possible: on consoles, mobile apps, and online flash-based games. However, there's a new Kickstarter project, called Doodle Defense, that's putting a new spin on that simple gaming idea using some open source algorithms, a whiteboard, computer, Kinect and a projector. The game works by projecting the battlefield and bad guys on the whiteboard, while users can draw in obstacles using a black marker and towers of varied attack abilities in red, green, and blue. Kinect tracks where your drawings are onscreen, and reroutes the invaders accordingly, while also keeping track of how much ink you have left to use. Check out the video after the break to see the game in action

Auraslate opens Android tablets up to developers, welcomes mischief

HTC aside, not every manufacturer is willing, ready and committed to opening up its device portfolio to the idle hands of hackers. Which is why Auraslate, a recently launched start-up, is stepping in to fill that void, instituting a sea change in how devs translate their unsanctioned software concepts into actual end user products. To do this, the humble outfit's offering up 7- and 10-inch Android tablets that range in price from $139 to $270 and come loaded up with an ARM Cortex A9 CPU, 4GB storage and a Gorilla Glass-coated capacitive touchscreen. Prospective haxxors can choose between two configurations available on the site: an Advance Development Kit which includes a source code disk and a cheaper Novice option. For the money, you'll get that aforementioned hardware, peripherals (usb plug, power adapter), as well as access to Aura's forums and ROM refreshes, although ICS is limited to its top shelf Lifepad 1026. So if you're tired of damning the Man with every OEM-issued, security-patching update and just want to be left to your coding best, it might be wise to bask in this company's glow.

Samsung's new SD cards look too good to hide inside a DSLR

We've never been too fussed with how our storage looks -- it's rare that our SD cards linger too long outside the camera anyway. However, for you genius-level aesthetes who demand your internals are as beautiful as your externals, Samsung's got your back. It's releasing a line of SD and microSD cards with a stylish brushed metal body in silver or black that, frankly, looks shinier than whatever they'll be nestled inside. Just like Ryan Gosling, the cards are both pretty and pretty tough -- able to withstand 24 hours in water, 3,200 pounds of pressure or being left in an MRI machine with a power of 10,000 gauss, which we're always doing. After the interval, we've got pricing and stats for each unit (speed improves greatly if you plump for a 4GB card or higher) plus a little PR paperwork.

Amazon's second-gen, possibly larger Kindle Fire to set off at end of Q2?

Still anticipating the Kindle Fire's successor? Well, here's some gossip from the Far East for you Bezos fans. According to the well-connected China Times of Taiwan, it's been informed by parts suppliers that Amazon's next tablet does not yet have a finalized specification, though it hinted that a 10-inch OEM device from Foxconn could be a potential candidate. Amazon's chain of manufacturers -- including Quanta, ACES, Prime View, Singatron, CviLux and the newly added Foxconn -- is allegedly scheduled to supply sample parts in March, followed by mass production (assembled by Quanta and Foxconn, naturally) in May or June before releasing to market by the end of Q2.

Additionally, China Times understands that as an attempt to further reduce manufacturing costs, Amazon will also be personally picking and approving parts; as opposed to the olden days where Quanta took full care of the first Kindle Fire. This is surely a bad sign for Quanta in the short run, but hey, cheaper tablets sell well. The real question is: do people actually want a larger Kindle Fire? We're a tad skeptical at this point.

Microsoft reveals Windows 8's new logo: 'It's a window... not a flag'

Microsoft is making plenty of big changes with its Windows 8 operating system, and that has now also extended to a new logo. As explained by Microsoft's Sam Moreau in a post on the official Windows blog, the logo was created with the help of the design agency Pentagram, which posed a simple question when it began on the project: "your name is Windows. Why are you a flag?" That discussion eventually led to the four-paned window you see above, which not only looks more like a window than the previous logos, but clearly echoes the company's new Metro design language. Microsoft also notes that the logo is "authentically digital," and says it will welcome you with a slight tilt and change color based on your desktop.

Google's Dart lands in Chromium tech preview

Leaves weren't the only things flying around Mountain View last Autumn if you remember, Google also unleashed its Dart programming language. Now, developers can get their hands on a tech preview version of Chromium, with the Dart virtual machine baked right in. There are Mac and Linux binaries available today, but no details about other platforms (ahem Windows) at this time. The preview lets you run your programs directly on the Dart VM, skipping the separate compilation stage. While it's just for developers at the minute, there are plans to include this in standard Chrome releases in the future.

Google Screenwise panel will pay you to track your every move online

Don't mind letting Google watch your every click while browsing the web? Awesome, because the folks in Mountain View want to pay you for letting them do just that. The company is recruiting panelists for a project it's calling Screenwise, a program that will give the internet behemoth more insight into how the general public uses the interwebs day in and day out. Once you opt in, you'll receive a $5 gift card code to Amazon and for up to a year, you'll get additional spending money every three months. But how will The Goog track your mouse clicks? Just before getting paid, you'll have to download a browser extension that will keep an eye on things and send your data back to the mothership. If you're looking to make a little more dough, Ars Technica reports that you'll be able to opt for a more lucrative hardware monitoring option. Here, you'll have to install the Screenwise Data Collector (pictured above) on your home network; however, the pay out is an initial Benjamin and $20 for every month you participate. Sound like something you'd want in on? Hit the source link below to be notified when registration opens.

Sony promises eight more NEX E-mount lenses by the end of 2013, doesn't elaborate

Have you been holding out on that NEX purchase because of the currently limited E-mount lens selection? Well, Sony's got some good news for you -- there will soon be eight additional lenses to choose from (for a total of 15), with all models making it into circulation by the end of 2013. That's still no match for the hundreds of optics available for Canon or Nikon DSLRs, but you'll at least be able to build a collection that covers (almost) all of your bases. Sony hasn't detailed any of these upcoming models, but the company's chart above lists a few categories, including a High Performance Standard Zoom in the pricey Zeiss category, along with High-magnification, Standard, Wide Angle and Mid-magnification Zooms. There will also be a trio of prime lenses, including a Large Aperture Standard lens, a Middle Telephoto and a "Snap" (pancake) optic. We're just as anxious as you to find out exactly what Sony has in mind for each of these categories, but you should at least take some comfort in knowing that the E-mount collection is far from complete.

Google Chrome update brings speedier browsing, enhanced security, joy

The week isn't quite over yet, but it's already shaping up to be a busy one for Google Chrome. After finally bringing its browser to Android on Tuesday, Google yesterday announced an update for the original desktop version, promising faster browsing and enhanced security. More specifically, this new Stable release features a revamped omnibox that will now pre-render pages as a user types in a URL or search query, allowing for faster load times. Google has also tweaked its Safe Browsing feature, which will now automatically scan downloaded files for malware, with an especially sharp focus on any ".exe." or ".msi" files. To determine the safety of a given file, the browser will compare it against a list of publishers and files known to be safe. If it doesn't show up there, Chrome will then consult Google for more information. If the file proves suspicious, it'll warn the user and recommend deleting it. Google added that it's working on an update for its Chrome OS, as well, promising a new image editor and Verizon 3G activation portal, though there's no word yet on when that might roll out.

Kodak to shutter digital camera production this year

This year has not been a kind one for Kodak. Last month, the photography pioneer announced that it was filing for bankruptcy (and suing Samsung, incidentally), and now the company has let it be known that it will be dropping out of the digital camera business -- and then some -- marking an end to its line of digital point-and-shoots, pocket camcorders and digital photo frames. Production will end the first half of this year. The future for the company will hold printers, brand licensing, enterprise services and photo labs. Kodak will, however, continue to honor warranties on existing products.

Microsoft Store hacked in India, passwords stored in plain text

Frequenters of India's online Microsoft Store were briefly greeted with the suspicious visage of a Guy Fawkes mask this morning, following a hack that compromised the site's user database. According to WPSauce, Microsoft Store India's landing page was briefly taken over by a hacker group called Evil Shadow Team, who, in addition to putting a new face on Windows products, revealed that user passwords were saved in plain text. The group's motivations are unknown, though the hacked page warned that an "unsafe system will be baptized." The store is now offline, suggesting that Microsoft may have regained control. Read on for a look at the compromised password database.

Google TV Facebook page teases new announcement

Since Eric Schmidt made the rather bold proclamation that "most" new TVs would have Google TV embedded by summer 2012, we've all been waiting for something "big" from Mountain View. Well, if you can believe the services' Facebook page, "big announcements" are just what we can expect Monday. A post on Google TV's profile leaves a lot to the imagination, but while speculation is already jumping sky-high (Google TV Nexus, anyone?) the possibilities range all the way from new product announcements to minor service / feature expansions or contests -- so set your alert levels accordingly. Of course, if it were really a big deal then you'd think the news would come out on Google+, right?

Update: Just that fast, the official blog has revealed the big announcement and it's.... an updated version of the YouTube app. For what it's worth, the new version is supposed to be faster with smoother navigation when it starts rolling out "in the next few days." It also adds a "Discover" feature for browsing by category, new channel pages and better tie-ins for related videos, which should help viewers browse its growing library of premium content, but isn't exactly the big announcement some may have anticipated. Check the blog for more details and return to DEFCON 5.

HTC Endeavor specs revealed in leaked ROM: Tegra 3, 720p, Sense 4.0

HTC fans spent the last couple of days (i.e., their weekend) unpicking a leaked ROM Update Utility for an officially non-existent handset called the 'Endeavor.' The specs revealed so far include a 1280 x 720 display spread over 4.7-inches, a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, eight-megapixel rear shooter, front-facing camera, NFC, 1GB RAM and the new ICS-adapted version of HTC's Sense UI. These leaked specs tally with an earlier tip-off to MoDaCo, which further hinted at a 1.5GHz clock speed and Beats Audio. There's also a bunch of screenshots showing off the Sense 4.0 skin that we already glimpsed in a fuzzy HTC Ville video -- and it conspires to look both new and deeply familiar.

Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), offers Ice Cream Sandwich on a seven-inch platter

It looks like Samsung has just taken the wraps off its latest tablet offerings, with the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) -- an ICS-laced follow-up to the company's original seven-incher. Available in both 3G and WiFi varieties, this redux doesn't mark a huge departure from its predecessor, packing a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and a 1024 x 600 LCD. The big changes, however, come in the software department, with the Galaxy Tab 2 shipping with Android 4.0 straight out of the box. Other than that, you'll find a three-megapixel rear-facing camera, a VGA shooter up front, Bluetooth capabilities, and HSPA+ connectivity. No word yet on pricing or availability, but it's worth noting that we first saw this announcement hit Samsung's RSS feed earlier this morning, and it appears to have been pulled since then. It all looks awfully official to us, but when it becomes officially official, we'll be sure to update this post accordingly. Until then, be sure to head past the break for a shot of its backside.

Firefox on Windows 8: Metro build is in the works

We all know that Windows 8 will have a split personality, with a Windows 7 style "Classic" desktop environment working hand-in-hand with a finger-friendly Metro UI. Given that Firefox has a significant market share in the PC web browsing market, it's only natural for Mozilla to accommodate both parts of Microsoft's new OS. According to its 2012 Strategy & Roadmap, the company has plans for a proof-of-concept Win8 Firefox release in Q2 of this year. In that document, Mozilla reveals that a "simple evolution" of its existing browser will work with the "Classic" environment, but brand new new front-end and integration code is needed for Firefox to play nice with Metro. The plan is to build a Gecko-based browser that brings full Firefox capabilities and can handle Windows 8's unique requirements like being suspended by the OS when it's not being viewed and supporting multiple "snap" states to ensure a good browsing experience when multiple apps are open.

US gives its blessing to Google's Moto purchase

When it rains, it pours. Just hours after European regulators gave the green light to Google to snatch up Motorola Mobility, the US Justice Department gave the couple its own blessing. The $12.5 billion purchase has drawn serious scrutiny from both regulators and Big G's own partners, though, consensus seems to be that Mountain View is more interested in Moto's patents than in entering the hardware business. Though the Justice Department doesn't see the merger as an immediate threat to competition, it did issue a stern warning that it "will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action to stop any anticompetitive use of SEP (standard essential patent) rights." The concern is an understandable one since all the major players in the mobile space, Motorola included, have been at each other's legal throats for some time now. There are still a few more interested parties who will have to give their own consent to the combination including China, Israel and Taiwan. But, with two of the biggest potential blockades giving Google the thumbs up, it's looking more and more likely that the purchase will go through.

Cisco: mobile connections will hit 10 billion by 2016, helped by tablet boom

That Cisco's always been prescient. Three years ago, the networking giant predicted a 66-fold increase in worldwide mobile data traffic -- a surge that was expected to dovetail with the spread of 4G networks. With us so far? Sounds pretty obvious sensible, right? Well, the company's got more wisdom to share from its crystal ball: the outfit's just released its annual mobile data traffic forecast, and the marquee stat is that there will be an estimated 10 billion mobile connections by 2016. And though Cisco expects the bulk of these (8 billion) to take the form of cell phones, it also foresees a rise in tablets: there will be 5 billion of them, the company says, and that's not even counting all those WiFi-only models floating around (Cisco tallies WiFi traffic in a different forecast, released later in the year). If the market does indeed swell to 5 billion cellular-connected tablets, that would represent a 25 percent jump over today's global figure. Moreover, Cisco estimates that by 2016 21 percent of those 5 billion tablet owners will be relying solely on mobile data to get their internet fix.