Mozilla aims to socialize app shopping with Marketplace for Firefox OS (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/29/mozilla-marketplace-prototype/

Firefox OS has an uphill battle to impress consumers, and Mozilla is hoping that the social app store it's developing will be the thing that sets it apart. Marketplace designer Liu Liu took to Mozilla's blog to discuss the team's decision to focus on "the feed," which appears to share content much like a social media site. In this brave new Marketplace, users would be able to customize their homepages, receive personalized suggestions, like specific apps and view download statistics. To create a friendlier environment, Mozilla has also included profile photos so you can put a face to the name behind the apps. Liu was careful to point out that the Marketplace prototype is, for the time being, a concept, not a product, and it'll certainly undergo several rounds of revisions before it's ready to unleash upon the world. To learn more, read Liu's blog post at the source or check out the video after the break.

Filed under: Software, Mobile

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Mozilla

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Kyocera piezoelectric film speaker delivers 180-degree sound to thin TVs and tablets (update: live photos)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/29/kyocera-piezoelectric-film-speaker/

The thinner our devices become, the less room there is for speakers and other thicker components. Kyocera has a solution, however: it just modified its Smart Sonic Receiver conduction technology for use with conventional, over-the-air audio. The company's new Smart Sonic Sound device still relies on a piezoelectric actuator, but vibrates against a film to generate as much volume as a regular speaker in a far thinner (under 1.5mm thick) design. The new speaker might even sound better than its traditional counterparts. It delivers full volume and quality in a 180-degree listening arc, and it's responsive enough to recreate very subtle noises. Smart Sonic Sound is already shipping in LG's 55-inch curved OLED TV, and Kyocera expects it to reach laptops, tablets and other devices where interior space is valuable.

Update: Our colleagues at Engadget Japanese have posted their first-hand look at Kyocera's speaker technology, complete with a gallery of live photos; we've posted two of them here.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Laptops, Tablets, HD, Mobile, LG

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Source: Kyocera

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Aereo CEO reveals an Android app is launching this September

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/29/aereo-android-app-launching-in-september/

In more than one way, Aereo keeps growing and growing, and it looks as if it's getting ready to grow a little more. According to the International Business Times, Aereo CEO, Chet Kanojia, has confirmed to the publication that an official Android app for the TV streaming service is on its way. More specifically, Aereo's chief says the application will be launching in the month of September, which would be right around the same time as the unconventional cable provider prepares to debut in Chicago. No word on when exactly we can expect the Aereo app to arrive on the Play store, but given how August only has about two full days left in it, it's safe to say it'll be sooner rather than later. In the meantime, there's always the option to watch on your computer -- or, hey, maybe a dear friend would be kind enough to let you borrow an iOS device.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet

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Via: GigaOM

Source: International Business Times

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Black Betty 2K camera can shoot, cut and upload video with built-in Mac Mini

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/29/black-betty-2k-camera-mac-mini/

The Black Betty company has just hit the scene with a cinema camera that pulls an astounding trick -- it's got a freaking desktop computer jammed into the body. Camera-wise, there's a 2/3-inch 2K sensor with a 16mm lens mount developed by Silicon Imaging and used in films like Slumdog Millionaire. That'll capture 2K or 1080p, 160-500 ISO footage at up to 30fps (or more for lower resolutions), and bring 11 stops of dynamic range via CineForm compressed RAW files. The feature that made us triple-take, though, is the built-in Apple Mac Mini with a 2.5-inch SSD for recording, letting you edit and even upload in-camera. That can be detached from the camera head and its 7-inch, 720p monitor, then tethered via ethernet. It can only be rented for now, but No Film School said the 10-pound heft made it very well balanced, and it sports a nice retro look, too -- who knew a sideways Mac Mini could double for a movie camera magazine?

Filed under: Cameras

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Via: No Film School

Source: Black Betty Cameras

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Facebook releases cross-platform SDK for Unity titles, looks to boost 3D and mobile gaming

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/28/facebook-unity-cross-platform-sdk/

If the folks from Facebook and Unity have their way, you -- and everyone you know -- will be playing mobile 3D titles directly on the social network. The two companies have been working together since March to boost user engagement with games on Facebook, and a cross-platform SDK released today should go a long way toward reaching a broader audience. Available for download via Unity's developer site, the new kit lets devs port their mobile games to Facebook.com and integrate social experiences -- such as posting achievements to your Timeline -- into core titles, regardless of whether gamers are on Android, iOS or the web. And the companies are making this process quite easy for devs; bringing titles to several platforms only requires a line of code.

A handful of games, including Cmune's UberStirke, Madfinger's Shadowgun: Deadzone and Nival's King's Bounty: Legions, have already incorporated the new SDK, and Unity is no doubt hoping that other devs will follow suit. This isn't the first time the gaming engine has extended a helping hand to developers -- it's been known to drop licensing fees, for instance. Here's hoping this means a wider selection of Facebook titles is just around the corner.

Filed under: Gaming, Mobile, Facebook

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Via: All Things D, CNet

Source: Facebook Developer Blog

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