Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. We’re keeping our eyes on three particular stories of interest today.
Seesmic Upgrades Its BlackBerry App
Seesmic has upgraded its Twitter client for BlackBerry users, the company announced this morning.
New features include:
- Sound profile notifications available in the BlackBerry “Sounds” app.
- Support of Ping.fm groups.
- Notifications for new tweets, new replies and new direct messages.
- Improved user interface.
- Picture thumbnails now displayed in the “Pictures” folder of the file explorer.
- Use of XAuth with Twitter for more security.
Microsoft Details Chip Powering the New Xbox 360
At the Hot Chips conference on Monday, Microsoft shared details about the two-headed chip that powers the slimmer, quieter and more efficient Xbox 360 250 GB model. The system’s microprocessor and graphics chip are combined on a single piece of silicon, which allowed the company to reduce the size, cost and energy requirements of the console compared to the previous iteration, in addition to adding new features like wireless networking [via Ars Technica].
TiVo Releases First QWERTY DVR Remote
TiVo has released its new Slide Remote, featuring a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, which the company first unveiled at the TiVo Premiere launch in March.
“This is the first ever DVR remote with a full QWERTY keyboard, and we are certain that users will be excited to get their thumbs on it. The slick design has the same fun look of the classic TiVo remote, but makes it even easier to get more from your TV experience,” Vice President and General Manager of Product Marketing Jim Denney said in a statement.
Further News
- The latest 1.1 version of Google Earth for Android includes features that will let users explore surfaces under the ocean, as well as the more terrestrial spaces of the planet’s surface.
- Facebook has begun reducing the width of Pages tabs, causing formatting issues on many brands’ and apps’ Pages.
- Hunch, a collective intelligence app that delivers personalized recommendations based on users’ responses to a set of taste-determining questions, has launched an alpha version of its new Local Search feature, designed to help users discover what’s best in their area.
Series supported by HTC EVO 4G
This series is brought to you by HTC EVO 4G, America’s first 4G phone. Only from Sprint. The “First to Know” series keeps you in the know on what’s happening now in the world of social media and technology.
Reviews: Android, BlackBerry Rocks!, Facebook, Google Earth, Hunch, Ping.Fm, Seesmic, Twitter, pages, picture
More About: blackberry, blackberry apps, IBM, microsoft, seesmic, tivo, Xbox 360
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