Glass Nest lets users control their homes from their heads

Those who already own Google Glass are more likely than most to embrace new technologies like Nest's thermostat, so it only makes sense that an especially eager adopter would find a way to combine the two. That would be James Rundquist and his new Glass Nest app: Glass owners now just have to announce that they're coming home (or heading out) to make their Nest units change the climate. More exacting homeowners can fine-tune the temperature, too. While the utility is both unofficial and quite limited at this stage, Rundquist has posted source code that lets anyone expand on the project. If you're in the rare position of owning both gadgets, we'd suggest giving Glass Nest and its code at least a cursory look.

Functional Apple 1 auctioned off for $671.4K, sets new record (updated)

With $671,400, you could buy roughly 2,040.7 base-model iPad minis before taxes.One unnamed buyer, however, just laid that amount out for a single Apple 1 from 1976. Auctioned through Cologne, Germany-based Auction Team Breker Sotheby's, the price beats out its $640K record from another unit last November. Interestingly, the seller refurbished this latest Apple 1 to working condition, after paying only $40K for it privately. While it doesn't seem to have the original enclosure, we'd be remiss not to mention that the seller also had Steve Wozniak grace the motherboard with his signature. You'll find more info at the source, while we wrap our heads around how this makes last summer's Sotheby's auction price of $374.5K look like a relative steal.

Update: We initially reported that the auction was held through Sotheby's, when it was actually done by Auction Team Breker. We've corrected this in this post.

Connectify Switchboard ditches original server plans, is available now for $90

​

Remember that Connectify Switchboard Insert Coin we featured just over a week ago? Well, we'd like to say we're sorry to hear it's been canceled -- but we're not. Why? Because a high amount of interest from people preferring to use their own computers as servers, has resulted in a change of plan. The result is that the product is available right away, and will no longer use cloud servers. This change means the need for investment has gone, evaporating the need for Kickstarter, too. This also means you can use the service as a private VPN, and always appear as if you're surfing from your home PC -- along with that speed-boosting channel bonding tech, of course. To sweeten the deal even further, if you purchase access to the beta program now ($90), then you'll get lifetime updates and support. After the beta, the price rises to $100. Better fire up that those internet connections, stat.

Evernote Windows Phone app now lets you pin tool tiles, gets other UI tweaks

It wasn't too long ago that we saw the Evernote app get a pretty major refresh on Windows Phone, but today the note-taking service is back with some underlying improvements and a couple of new features. The main highlight in version 3.1 is thatthe WP application now allows various tools to be pinned to your handset's Live Tiles -- you know, things like notes, recordings and snapshots. To close things out, Evernoteadded the option for users to be able to display Snippet View notes in a horizontal list, a minor tweak that's bound to be appreciated by those who have a thing for landscape mode. All in all, we'd say this isn't too bad for being in the category of a "dot-one" update.

Microsoft gives students 3GB additional Skydrive storage for one year

There are plenty of cloud storage options out there which offer some initial amount of free space -- including Dropbox (2GB), Google Drive (5GB), Box (5GB) and MicrosoftSkydrive (7GB). While these services usually provide additional free storage via referrals and special deals (bundled with device purchases for example), Microsoft is doing something different with Skydrive by gifting students an extra 3GB of free space for one year. If you have a valid .edu email address you can visit the URL below to receive a free storage code. The offer is limited to one per person and the code must be redeemed before December 31st 2013. It's unclear what happens to your data after the year's over but it presumably remains available in read-only form. Considering the price of tuition, this deal isn't quite as juicy as getting 100GB of free space for two years on Google Drive with the purchase of a Chromebook -- still it's a no brainer.

Samsung Galaxy S 4 mini peeks out of official app catalog in UK

Not convinced by leaks, pictures or user agent profiles? Maybe Samsung can convince you: the Galaxy S 4 mini is on the way. The phone still hasn't been officially announced, but UK users browsing the company's Content & Services app page can find the device among the catalog's sorting options. For now, the option is only appearing in the UK, matching rumors that the phone is bound for the same European markets as its predecessor.

Google Play Music All Access hands-on

Among the worst kept secrets to be revealed during today's Google I/O keynote wasPlay Music All Access. Mountain View's desire to create a subscription-based music streaming service was pretty well-documented. Now it's finally here, for $9.99 a month (or $7.99 if you're an early adopter and get in on the free trial before June 30th), with at least a couple major labels on board. Of course, All Access is entering a rather crowded field -- one already dominated by heavy hitters like Spotify. We spent the afternoon getting acquainted with Google's subscription music service to see if it has what it takes to hang with more established properties. Head on past the break to see what we learned.

Google I/O 2013 opening keynote roundup: All Access music streaming, a vanilla GS4 and more

Phew. Day one of Google I/O is far from over, but there's already been an onslaught of news. While our editors are running around the floor, why not catch up on any bits of the opening keynote you may have missed? There's now a Galaxy S 4 with vanilla Android Jelly Bean for $649, a $9.99 per-month music subscription service and a host of updates for Google+, Play, Maps and others. Join us past the break where we've got it all neatly categorized for your viewing pleasure.

Google's Map Dive takes us on a virtual skydive across seven instances of Chrome (video)

During Google's extended edition opening keynote this morning, there was a distinctive lack of skydiving. However, developers showed off lots of interesting things, including functionality highlighting the easy, real-time syncing of data across multiple instances of the Chrome browser -- whether on smartphone or tablet or desktop. The on-stage demo was a simple slot car racing game but, out on the I/O floor Google had a somewhat more advanced implementation: Map Dive. Running on seven separate instances of Chrome and relying on a 3D camera, Map Dive lets you experience the Maps API from a rather elevated perspective. Join us after the break for an arm-waving demo.

Google Play Books updated to allow user uploads, supports EPUB and PDF

With the exception of a brief mention in Google Play for Education, Mountain View's book platform was all but absent from its Google I/O presentation. Still, the service is getting updated with a significant new feature: user uploads. It hasn't rolled out to all users yet, but those with access are now able to add up to 1,000 PDF and EPUB files to their Google Play online library. Both the Android and iOS versions of the app will be able to read these files starting today. The update brings a standard assortment of stability and performance improvements too, and Android users will see a few minor visual tweaks. Check out the source link below to see if the feature has rolled out to your account, or click here to peek at Google's biggest I/O announcements.

Google Play Music All Access: Android / US-only rollout is just the start

Nearly two years ago to the day, Google introduced Music Beta at I/O 2011. But in reality, it was little more than a gigantic cloud to store 20,000 of your favorite tracks. Despite a plethora of rumors that the search giant would beat Spotify to the punch by launching a subscription-based music service in the United States, we got a digital locker that has done little to distract most listeners from giving Rdio, Pandora, iTunes and other like services at least a piece of their heart. Fast forward to today, and Google's finally joining the bandwagon... in majorly limited fashion.

Google Music All Access is presently only available for mobile as an Android app, and only to users in the US. Moreover, it costs $9.99 -- the exact same sum as practically every one of its rivals. Rivals that have multi-year headstarts in terms of mind and market share. (Yes, it's $7.99 per month if you sign up prior to June 30th.) Google has landed deals with the same "major labels" as everyone else, but even product manager Paul Joyce affirmed to us here at I/O that All Access doesn't have access to any exclusives. In a post-keynote meeting with Joyce, he noted that this is only the start for the product. Naturally, Google's going to do its finest work on its own platform, but it's certainly odd to see iOS users left out in the cold given Google's acknowledgement of its importance just minutes earlier.

Google+ Games to go dark after June 30th

Sure, Mountain View may be bolstering its gaming efforts on mobile platforms and the web, but it's seen fit to give Google+ Games the pink slip. After June 30th, the game section on the titan's social network will go dark, but Page & Co. note that some titles will still be playable on other sites. Depending on developer support, folks who've turned hard-earned cash into in-game credits may still be able to spend unused coin during a grace period or when playing the same games through other websites. It's not entirely clear why Google is sunsetting the portal, but it could certainly be part of its grand plan to focus on fewer things.

Field Trip for Android gets updated with over 80 countries, auto-translation

Niantic Labs' Field Trip is a location-discovery app that runs in the background during your aimless wanderings, piping up when you stumble across something notable. Unfortunately, for software designed to help you travel, it'd only made the one journey itself -- to the UK, and no further. Fortunately, the Google-owned company has sent the Android version of the app truly global, helping you find attractions in over 80 countries. Niantic Labs has also jammed in 30 languages and auto-translation, so if you find a restaurant review in an unfamiliar tongue, you won't have to resort to negotiating with the locals.

ASUS Fonepad gets a spec boost: 1.6GHz Intel processor, 32GB storage

ASUS' Fonepad has been making its way around the world with a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 processor and 16GB of built-in storage, but apparently there's a need for covering one's face with a beefier version. Announced in Taiwan earlier today, the 7-inch tabletphone will be offered with a faster 1.6GHz Z2460 plus 32GB of memory (with microSD expansion as before). This new model will retail for NT$10,900 locally, which works out to be about US$360; whereas the original model will still be available for NT$8,990 or about US$300 (which is, by the way, a tad more expensive than the UK price). We'll let you know when ASUS comes back with more information regarding availability in other regions.

Windows Phone steals third place from BlackBerry in IDC smartphone ranking

First and second place in the smartphone OS wars is a foregone conclusion with Android and iOS (respectively) strongly entrenched, but the battle for third place is now full of intrigue. BlackBerry and Microsoft have each stepped up their games with their respective BB10 and WP8 OS's of late, but so far it's Redmond prevailing, having jumped two spots from last quarterto take third place, with a 3.2 percent share over BlackBerry's 2.9 percent. While those two are fighting for third place scraps, Android kicked up its smartphone OS dominance with 75 percent of the global market, which is a huge jump from last year, while iOS fell back slightly to a 17.3 percent share. Between them, those titans owned 92.3 percent of the pie, but it's arguably Windows Phone that has raised its game the most, with a senior IDC analyst claiming that this latest ranking "validates the direction taken by Microsoft and key partner Nokia."

China's MeituKiss phone boasts dual 8MP cameras, wants to be a girl's best friend Mobile

Today we have a message for Oppo, Zopo, Vivo and Spice: 5-megapixel front-facing cameras are so yesterday for phones. Launched by Meitu, the developer behind the popular Chinese camera app Meitu Xiuxiu, the MeituKiss phone challenges the aforementioned brands with not one but two 8-megapixel f/2.2 cameras -- one on each side of the phone. The company makes it rather obvious that this Android 4.2 device -- available in pink or white -- is solely targeted at ladies, who in the Far East have a habit of taking self-portrait shots on the regular. So naturally, the MeituKiss does face beautification as well.

For CN¥2,199 or about $360, the rest of the specs aren't too shabby, either. The 9.3mm-thick phone comes with a 4.5-inch, 720p gapless IPS display, a 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 SoC, a removable 1,800mAh battery, 8GB of built-in storage and microSD expansion. As for radios, you get the usual WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 4.0, but there's only WCDMA 2100 for 3G. We're just as baffled by the fact that the MeituKiss can only capture video at up to 720p only, especially since each of the Sony sensors here has its own Fujitsu ISP. Regardless, pre-order starts today for the first lot of 18,888 units, followed by a full launch on June 6th should you miss the first round.

Nissan plans to make Leaf data available to app developers

Those of you familiar with the Nissan Leaf will know about its Carwings system, which lets you check the vehicle's charge, turn on the AC, rate your driving efficiency against others and even read RSS feeds out loud -- all over an always-on cellular data connection. In fact, the RSS functionality raised some privacy concerns when it was discovered that Carwings embeds location and other data in the URL it sends to public servers (something that can thankfully be disabled by the owner). Nissan announced today that it plans to make telemetry data from the Leaf available to third-party developers for a fee -- with the owner's consent, of course. The company already uses telemetry data for vehicle maintenance and products like Carwings, but it hopes to broaden the ecosystem with apps. Examples include smart-grid integration (supplying power to a building for a reduced parking fee) and location-based services (real-time coupons as you drive by restaurants). It'll be interesting to see if there's enough interest from both developers and Leaf owners for Nissan to successfully monetize this idea.

Archos launches ChefPad, a 9.7-inch Android tablet for your kitchen

Does your kitchen need a 9.7-inch Jelly Bean tablet to call its own? No, it certainly does not. But if your budget can accommodate such a device, it might look just like theArchos ChefPad, "the perfect tablet for the cooking enthusiast." Under the splash-resistant case, you'll find a standard suite of tablet specs. There's a 1.6GHz dual-core CPU, 1 gig of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and front- and rear-facing 2-megapixel cameras, along with a pair of speakers and a built-in mic, making the device suitable for both playing back cooking lessons and recording your own. In addition to that red silicone case, you'll receive a dedicated stand to match -- both will ship in the box, along with the tablet, for just $210 this June.

Hipstamatic Oggl app coming to Windows Phone 8, launching with Nokia's Lumia 925

Hipstamatic's Oggl app and sharing service is coming to Windows Phone 8, we learned at Nokia's Lumia 925 launch event. We didn't get to play around in the app -- the WP8 UI we saw on stage was but a preview, as the native app (read: not a port) is still in development. We're assured Oggl will be ready by the time the new Lumia launches, but it won't be a Nokia exclusive, so anyone with a WP8 handset will be able to use the food filter and (over)share their lunch choice on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest orInstagram. We don't know whether the regular dollar-per-month (or $10 per year) service fee will apply, but we're told you'll be able to swap cash for more filters and effects on top of the base selection.

Nokia to launch Smart Camera app on all of its Windows Phone 8 devices in Amber software update

Jealous of the Lumia 925's flashy new imaging software? At Nokia's London event, Jo Harlow has promised that other Lumia owners won't be left out in the cold. The company will be pushing out "Amber," an update that'll bring Smart Cam, amongst other apps, to the company's wider range of Windows Phone 8 devices. There's no word on when Amber will actually arrive beyond a vague mention of "summer," but the company hopes it'll be ready in time for your next vacation.

Microsoft adds built-in Google Talk to Outlook.com and SkyDrive.com

Make no mistake, we don't just like Outlook.com; we love it. The problem with Microsoft's revamped email service, though, is that ditching Gmail can be a tough sell, as it's meant giving up features like built-in Gchat. At last, though, Microsoft is adding support for Google Talk, which means you can keep sending your friends dancing-parrot videos even after you make the switch. (Outlook.com still does Facebook andSkype chatting too.) What's more, you'll find Gchat baked into SkyDrive.com -- a handy tool if you happen to be collaborating with Google users. To clarify, this feature is only coming to the Outlook and SkyDrive websites for now -- Dharmesh Mehta, Sr. Director of Outlook.com, told us Microsoft is still considering how GTalk might fit into its mobile apps. In the meantime, though, you can load up Outlook in your browser if you want a peek. And don't worry if nothing shows up right away: the company is warning users that the roll-out could take several days.

Hamster wheel used to control human-sized treadmill (video)

Sure, your pet hamster's amazing leg strength may someday power a house, but can it beat you in a race? A pair of Chicago-based artists might be able to help you solve this mystery. The duo recently hooked up a homemade tachometer to a hamster's exercise wheel and mapped the data to a treadmill's motor. The fur ball's RPMs are transferred in real time, which gives it the ability to control its bipedal competitor's running speeds. The team cautions that no animals were harmed during this experiment, however a human ego may have been bruised after trying to keep up with a tireless rodent.

Aereo confirms Atlanta launch on June 17th, will be third city to receive streaming service

It's still a long way from the 22 cities it hopes to launch in this year, but Aereo's expansion of its live TV streaming service beyond its NYC base is now moving steadily ahead. It's set to go live in Boston tomorrow, and the company has confirmed today that Atlanta will be next in line on June 17th. That's when the service will be available in the city to those who've pre-registered, with everyone else invited to sign up on June 24th. As you may recall from yesterday, the company's also slightly revised its pricing plans ahead of the expansion, with the $12 per month rate now netting you 60 hours of storage instead of 40, while the $8 rate remains the same as before at 20 hours. You can find all the specifics on the Atlanta rollout in the press release after the break.

Groupon launches Breadcrumb iPad app, vows to not be a typical POS

Yesterday, Groupon POS appeared in the iTunes Store, but was quickly pulled. Now we know why. Breadcrumb POS, which is the official name of yesterday's leaked point-of-sale iPad app, is now officially available, bringing a simple interface and a handful of financial incentives. The application, which can be downloaded for free, charges vendors a credit card processing fee of 1.8 percent plus 15 cents per transaction, assuming you're swiping plastic from MasterCard, Visa or Discover. In an effort to get small businesses signed up, however, Groupon is offering to cover the fees on the first $5,000 in credit card transactions, a savings of $90 by our calculations, plus whatever you'd be paying per swipe.

The app enables you to log transactions, manage menu items and issue refunds, in addition to processing credit cards and emailing receipts. The POS uses Breadcrumb Payments for processing, with deposits posting within 24 hours, and can be paired with a card swiper and optional printer (you can email receipts if you'd prefer). There's also free 24/7 telephone support, should you run into any issues while using the system. Breadcrumb POS won't replace the more sophisticated Pro version, which is available starting at $99 per month, and retailers will still be able to use the Groupon Merchants App for redeeming vouchers and processing supplemental payments

BlackBerry Q10 coming to Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile this summer

We've gotten word of a new BlackBerry smartphone today, and we now also have some news about familiar one. Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile have all confirmed that they'll soon be carrying the BlackBerry Q10, although some are being more specific with details than others. Verizon is saying that it will be available sometime in June (it has an exclusive on the white version), while Sprint will only go as far as to say "late summer," with neither offering a price. T-Mobile will also be rolling out the phone sometime in June, and has confirmed that it will run $99.99 down with its new plan structure, or $579.99 if you want to buy it outright -- that follows business registation for the device, which began last month. We've yet to hear anything more from AT&T, but it has already committed to the device and will presumably be launching it in roughly the same timeframe as well.

Screenshots of redesigned Google Maps surface, show web UI without a sidebar

If you can trust a couple of screenshots posted by the unofficial Google Operating System blog this evening, we'll soon see a new Google Maps experience on the web. As shown above, the sidebar is toast, gone in favor of overlays for the necessary information, a move that more resembles its mobile app, the apps / websites of some of its competitors, and even its own Google Maps Engine view. Also noted as different are elements like the icons and colors, but the most major change could be integration with Google+ to filter search results to locations recommended by your friends. With Google I/O just days away this could be a perfect time for changes to roll out from Mountain View, we hope to know by then if one of our most used websites is getting a fresh coat of paint.

Nokia teases 'colorful' announcement Thursday from New Delhi

Nokia already has one (likely Lumia 928-related) surprise scheduled for next week on the 14th, but it's doubling up by teasing more news Thursday in India. Scheduled for noon in New Delhi (2:30AM ET), all we have to go on are hints about "color", the yellow picture above and word that it's an "exciting global event." Executive VP of sales and marketing Chris Weber tweeted we should expect "Colorful Nokia news and so much more," but didn't reveal anything else. You have a little over 24 hours to wildly (or not so wildly, the location and timing suggests the Lumia brand won't be involved) speculate

ASRock's new Haswell motherboards will be waterproof, of course (update: video)

If your current motherboard has more Mountain Dew than CPU, you might be interested in ASRock's forthcoming Haswell. offerings. Among the usual features like dual-band 802.11ac-flavored WiFi, HDMI input and a Home Cloud service, Tom's Hardware spotted a mention of "Waterproof by Conformal Coating." The company's sub-site doesn't give too much else away, like how extensive the protection will be, instead simply telling us to "A-Style our lifestyle." The only feature with any amount of detail is a Pure Sound audio system (7.1 channel audio, Realtek ALC1150 audio codec and a TI 5532 pre-amp if you're interested) that we've already seen. Still, if fluid has been getting between you and your high scores, keep an eye on the source for more info.

-->

Maxthon Cloud Browser adds local network file transfers for Android and Windows

While many browsers sync through the cloud, few know how to cope with the local network -- what if we just want to push a file to another device nearby? Maxthondoesn't think we should have to resort to an online service or a dedicated app for the purpose, so it's rolling a LAN Transfer feature into its Cloud Browser. Starting with Android and Windows versions available today, the web client lets users shuttle files directly to others on the same network, with nothing but the browser in between. Both iOS and Mac users should join the party soon, which could turn Maxthon into a rare (and very unconventional) cross-platform file manager.

HTC M4 leaked, suggests flagship style with middleweight specs (updated with comparison images)

Remember the M4? We've seen glances of a spec sheet, but now we get to see how it's going to look. Courtesy of @evleaks, we can now tell it's looking good. After the critically-acclaimed One, the company looks to be sharing its style tips around -- at a glance the M4 appears almost identical to the HTC flagship, although the camera flash has been relocated to the center of the device and there's a few less micro-drilled speaker holes. Running over the leaked specs, you can expect a smaller 4.3-inch screen at 720p resolution and possibly a cheaper build to the unibody beauty that leads HTC's smartphone family.

There's likely to be a dual-core processor, LTE-capable radio and 16GB of storage too. There's better news, with the UltraPixel-packing 4-megapixel camera sensor rumored to make its way into the middleweight phone, although initial leaks pointed to a 13-megapixel sensor. The phone is said to be appearing later this quarter, but we're still waiting on official word (and that all-important price) before we get too excited. But hey, it worked for Samsung.

Update: We've made a couple of comparison images of this rumored M4 with the 4.7-inch One. Check them out after the break.

-->

Amazon updates Lovefilm Instant with PS3 HD streaming, improved search

Amazon has started rolling out a new version of Lovefilm Instant on the Playstation 3 in the UK and Germany, with new countries and platforms to follow.The update brings a better search engine and recommendations, along with a new Watchlist feature and revised UI that lets you track content currently being watched via the homepage. Viewers in the launch countries will also notice another welcome change: they can finally watch TV and movies in HD on the PS3. There's no word on exactly when other Instant platforms will see the upgrade, but we're assured it will get to everyone "in the future."

-->