Arcade Fire and Google Pushing HTML5 Together [HTML5]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5625646/arcade-fire-and-google-pushing-html5-together

At first, it might look like a bad memory from a late-90s porn misclick—a flurry of browser windows filling your screen. But a new collaboration between Google and Arcade Fire is looking to the future, showcasing HTML5's power.

Rather than stick a traditional music video on YouTube, Arcade Fire's "The Wilderness Downtown" is a Chrome "experience," highlighting what modern, HTML5-compatible browsers are capable of rendering. Multiple windows run and close in coordination with the music, and—easily the neatest part of the demonstration—your browser will incorporate Street View imagery of your childhood home (after you provide the address).

We're not sure the demonstration is quite an experience, but should offer some ammunition in the HTML5/Flash imbroglio, despite being an imperfect demonstration (we recommend temporarily quitting other applications that might pop windows and derail the show). [The Downtown Wilderness via Wired]

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Gmail's New Priority Inbox Feature Knows Which Emails Are Important To You [Google]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5626003/gmails-new-priority-inbox-feature-knows-which-emails-are-important

Google is rolling out a new beta feature to Gmail users: The Priority Inbox. It's a way for Gmail to learn which emails are important to you and make sure that you see them first. Oh, and it works incredibly well.

I've been trying out the Priority Inbox feature for a bit and have found that it's rather reliable, albeit initially a bit prone to deeming too many things important.

The way it works is that you'll find a link in the top right of your Gmail inbox sometime soon and be offered the opportunity to use the Priority Inbox. You'll be able to fiddle with some settings to get it to look just right:

Once done, you'll start seeing the Priority Inbox instead of the standard inbox—though you can select the other at any point—and your emails will be sorted by importance. The feature bases the importance of an email on whether you've previously read emails from its sender, whether you've emailed that person before, and other mysterious factors. If you ever find that it misjudged an email, you can simple add or remove its importance marker just as you'd add or remove a Gmail label.

It took about a dozen adjustments over the course of a day, but now I'm finding that the Priority Inbox is organizing my emails rather accurately and placing loved ones and my boss on top of the email pile:

As you can see, I was previously using a confusing-yet-effective combination of labels to designate how important an email is to me—the direct label indicated whether I or a mailing list were the recipient while several labels listing companies and individuals marked other importance factors. If the Priority Inbox feature continues to be as good as it's been so far, I'll finally be able to ditch that label system and trust in Gmail.

Now, if Google decides to add another feature to allow me to forward emails based on importance, then I'd be in email heaven. Hint, hint.

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The Ideal Vacation Spot For You And Your Virtual Girlfriend [Travel]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5626031/the-ideal-vacation-spot-for-you-and-your-virtual-girlfriend

You might chuckle at this fellow for pretending to be taking a picture with his virtual girlfriend, but he's happy. He's on vacation with his love and they're in a place which caters to their sort of peculiar relationship.

The town of Atami, Japan is full of landmarks with barcodes which if viewed using a cellphone's camera will reveal young men's virtual lovers. There's even a hotel with barcodes in its rooms which will show the girls in "flattering summer kimonos."

The entire idea behind these arrangements appears to be to enhance virtual relationships—ones created in simulation game called Love Plus—and to offer the players a new challenge: A romantic trip with their girls. [AFP]

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The Eee PC 1215N by ASUS is Fastest Netbook Yet—But Measures 12-Inches [NetBooks]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5626118/the-eee-pc-1215n-by-asus-is-fastest-netbook-yet++but-measures-12+inches

When does a netbook cease being a netbook? When it measures over 10-inches? Has a dual-core CPU? Laptop has reviewed ASUS' 1215N, and deemed it the best netbook yet, thanks to the sheer speed of Nvidia's Optimus graphics-switching tech. [Laptop]

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Q: Is ViewSonic's 7-Inch ViewPad a Phone or Android Tablet? A: Both! [Tablets]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5626161/q-is-viewsonics-7+inch-viewpad-a-phone-or-android-tablet-a-both

If you thought the Dell Streak was too large to be used as a phone at 5-inches, get a load of ViewSonic's ViewPad 7, a 7-inch Android tablet that also doubles up as a phone.

Running Android 2.2 (Froyo), we first heard about this model last week when the company announced it was also working on a dual-booting Android/Windows tablet. This 7-incher has a VGA forward camera for video chat and back-facing 3MP camera, along with a G-sensor, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and A-GPS.

While full specs haven't been announced for the ViewPad, we'll be getting hands-on with it later this week at the IFA show.

31st August 2010 – ViewSonic Europe ushers in a new product category to its portfolio with the introduction of a premium capacitive multi-touch screen 7" tablet.

Viewpad 7
The ViewPad 7 is a world's first 7" Android 2.2 (Froyo) tablet with phone functionality, multi-tasking capabilities and front and back-facing cameras, VGA and 3MP, resolutions respectively.

Within a lightweight, pocket-sized design, this device is ideal for anyone who needs a mobile connection to the world via email and video and wants to enjoy a wide-range of applications.

With full 3G and phone functionality, a full size SIM card slot and integrated Bluetooth connectivity the ViewPad 7 will support instant messaging, text/mms messaging, VOIP and standard voice calls all in a single device.

It features an easy to use familiar interface with a G-sensor that reorients the screen depending on how the device is held and access to the Google Android app store featuring over 100,000 applications.

Additional features includes a Micro SD slot for up to 32GB of storage; Wi-Fi and 3G functionality for web browsing and USB connectivity. It also boasts advanced features including Assisted GPS and an office document reader, along with the capability for hand-written note taking. There is also an e-book reader, when combined with the crystal clear LED screen, makes the ViewPad 7 an invaluable travelling companion.

Superior to other tablet offerings with resistive touch technology the ViewPad 7 incorporates a capacitive multi-touch screen and is a portable, easy-to-use and competitively priced device that will transform the way that consumers read, watch, listen to and interact with media in a mobile environment.

"We are proud to announce another world first at Viewsonic. 3G phone functionality combined with dual cameras gives the ability for use of Android apps to use augmented reality or video calling on the move with the benefit of an excellent 7" screen" says Derek Wright, European Product Marketing Manager. "The ViewPad 7 is aimed at users who require the 'always on' connectivity they are used to from a mobile phone with a more agreeable screen size for longer term use."

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