Skype 5.3 for Windows released, improves mobile video call quality

Version 5.3 of Skype for Windows has just been released, with the main emphasis of the new release being improved call quality, and the quality of video received by mobile Skype users. Presumably one party of the video call must be using Skype for Windows 5.3, though.

Beyond improved call quality, not much has changed. You can now see your friends' presence icons when contact cards are collapsed, and the topic editing button is now always visible on the conversation header. For a complete list of changes, hit up the Skype Garage blog.

Download Skype 5.3 for Windows

Skype 5.3 for Windows released, improves mobile video call quality originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/07/skype-5-3-for-windows-released-improves-mobile-video-call-quali/

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Anne Hathaway at ?The White Fairy Tale Love Ball?

Anne Hathaway

On Wednesday night (July 6), Anne Hathaway dazzled at 'The White Fairy Tale Love Ball' at Chateau de Wideville in Crespieres, France. Looking princess-like as she stepped out for a good cause. As for the cause, The Naked Heart Foundation has a stated mission "to provide a safe and inspiring environment in which to play for every child living in urban Russia." The praiseworthy effort actually just launched a new program based on the principle that: ?Every Child Deserves to have a Family? - which supports the implementation of new and development of existing family support centers. [gallery=761]

Source: http://www.celebritygossiphollywood.com/celebrities/anne-hathaway/anne-hathaway-at-the-white-fairy-tale-love-ball/

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Ke$ha Wants 'Till The World Ends' Remix To 'Take Over Airwaves'

Singer says her collaboration with Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj made a 'supergroup of three hot, strong women.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias


Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News

Earlier this week, Britney Spears, Ke$ha and Nicki Minaj dropped their femme-fatale-friendly remix of the Spears club track "Till the World Ends." The already fun song got super-charged thanks to Minaj's cutting verses and Ke$ha's recognizable vocals.

"I'm a massive fan of both the ladies I share the track with," K told MTV News on Wednesday at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. "I wrote 'TTWE' for Britney with [producers] Dr. Luke and Max [Martin] and she killed it and I loved it, but I just thought a supergroup of three hot, strong women could just take over the airwaves."

Ke$ha went on to give props to both the ladies. "I'm such a massive fan of Britney and I'm such a massive supporter of Nicki and a fan, and chicks sometimes don't team up. I don't know why, but I'm, like, huge on the girl power, so I just wanted to make a power girl track take over."



The remix quickly won praise from fans who seem to think the new features step up the song's game. "You know, with the three of us, I wasn't necessarily surprised [people like it] because I'm such a massive fan of Nicki Minaj and obviously with Britney I'm a fan of it, [taking] myself out of the equation," she said. "I'm just happy people like it."



So did Ke$ha (who once sang backup for Spears) feel any pressure writing a song for Britney? "There was no pressure. Writing for somebody else is really fun 'cause I consider myself a songwriter first and foremost," she explained. "So it was so much fun to put my brain in the sexy Britney Spears brain and express myself almost as if I were possessed by her."

Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662875/kesha-britney-spears-til-the-world-ends-remix.jhtml

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Panasonic GF3 reviewed: aging 12 MP sensor, good upgrade for current compact users

When the Lumix GF1 was released less than a year after Micro Four Thirds first made its debut, it made a huge splash for its size, image quality, and versatility. Problem is, Panasonic set the bar very high for future GF-series models, and has sadly come up short with its latest update, positioning the GF3 ($600 with 14-42mm kit lens) as an upgrade for compact camera owners while leaving enthusiasts longing for much more. DPReview took the GF3 to task, publishing a very comprehensive review while finding that while Panasonic's latest ILC is a good fit for some photographers, more advanced users will likely be disappointed -- especially if they're expecting a rangefinder-like successor to the GF1. We spent a few hours with a pre-production GF3 earlier this summer, and weren't blown away by its performance. When testing against the class-leading Sony NEX-C3, we found the Sony camera to offer faster focusing, better high-ISO performance, more accurate white balance, and better image quality overall. So unless you're really gunning to save 50 bucks on an ILC with a kit zoom (or you already have a collection of Micro Four Thirds lenses), the $650 C3 is definitely the better bet.

Panasonic GF3 reviewed: aging 12 MP sensor, good upgrade for current compact users originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/12/panasonic-gf3-reviewed-aging-12-mp-sensor-good-upgrade-for-cur/

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Acer Iconia Tab A100 review

It's been nine months -- nine months! -- since Acer first announced it was getting into the tablet game, with a promise of both 7- and 10-inch slates. Well, the 10-inch Iconia Tab A500 has been on the scene for months, but until now we've been tapping our feet impatiently waiting for the other tab to drop. Acer came out and said it wouldn't be here until the second half of the year, and meanwhile we'd heard rumors it would arrive in September and that it was delayed due to "Honeycomb compatibility issues".

Well, folks, dog years later it's finally here. Say hello to the Acer Iconia Tab A100, the company's first 7-inch tablet, and the first 7-inch tablet to run Android 3.2. Other than its OS, its specs are fairly run-of-the-mill: a Tegra 2 SoC, five- and two-megapixel cameras, and micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports. And rejoice, geeks, because that's vanilla Honeycomb loaded on there -- you won't find any custom skins or proprietary widgets clogging your home screens. As much promise as these vitals might have for nerds, though, Acer is clear the tablet is for mainstream consumers ("moms," among others, according to the press release). We're not sure how your mother would feel about the precious pattern on the back, but chances are she'd appreciate the bargain factor: the 8GB version costs $329.99 while the 16GB number rings in at a reasonable $349.99, undercutting the 16GB HTC Flyer by $150. We've been lucky to get some quality time with the A100 the past few days, and let's just say we're coming away with some mixed feelings. But do we like it enough that we feel this little guy was worth the wait? That's a toughie, guys.

Continue reading Acer Iconia Tab A100 review

Acer Iconia Tab A100 review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Gs1FVtcxjVo/

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Jessica Alba's Thoughts on Balancing Work and Family

Venturing out in search of a few household needs, a beautifully pregnant Jessica Alba was spotted out on a shopping trip in Beverly Hills, CA on Thursday afternoon (August 11).

Dressed in comfortable sweat pants, the expecting actress was accompanied by her mom, Catherine, as the two lovely ladies roamed from shop to shop before purchasing light fixtures and a standard lamp.

The sighting comes as Miss Alba has been busy promoting her upcoming movie "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D" - which hits theaters on August 19th.

As part of her promotional efforts, the 30-year-old has been penning a blog series titled "Diary of a Spy Mom" for iVillage - most recently writing about the "elusive balance between work and family."

Voicing her thoughts on the topic, Jessica opined, "I'll start by saying that I don't think I have or ever will achieve a perfect balance -- I mean, who can?"

Commenting further, the thoughtful Hollywood mommy told, "I feel fortunate that I'm in a position in my career where I don't have to work as much as I used to. When I do work, I make sure that it's time worth spending away from my family: taking jobs where I'm genuinely passionate about the material and excited to collaborate with the actors and filmmakers involved. And HUGE BONUS: I am lucky that I am able to bring Honor to work with me. Her days revolve around her nap -- for now, at least -- and she spends a lot time hanging out with me in my trailer. I create a makeshift playroom with a Pack 'n Play for naps, I have lunch with her and spend all my down time with her."

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/jessica-alba/jessica-albas-thoughts-balancing-work-and-family-533123

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Microsoft files antitrust complaint against Google in Europe, showdown imminent

Bill Gates and Paul AllenMicrosoft, citing Google's tyrannical 95% share of the European search market, has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission. It's not like Microsoft is breaking any ground here -- the European Commission has been investigating Google's alleged violation of European competition law since November 2010 -- but there's no doubt that the addition of Microsoft's gravitas will affect the proceedings.

Microsoft's complaint reads like a sincere and plaintive cry for help against the Google Overlord. Microsoft lists no less than six damning reasons why Google's behavior is anti-competitive -- from Windows Phone 7's incompatibility with YouTube, to its nefarious handling of Google Books -- and finishes with a wide-eyed plea to the European Commission to please find Google guilty.

For those of you that have been following Microsoft's own antitrust troubles over the last decade, don't worry: MS is quick to point out the irony in the situation. "There of course will be some who will point out the irony in today's filing. Having spent more than a decade wearing the shoe on the other foot with the European Commission, the filing of a formal antitrust complaint is not something we take lightly. This is the first time Microsoft Corporation has ever taken this step. More so than most, we recognize the importance of ensuring that competition laws remain balanced and that technology innovation moves forward."

It sounds like Microsoft, having well and truly gone through the wringer, wants Google to be held similarly accountable. That's fair enough, right?

Microsoft files antitrust complaint against Google in Europe, showdown imminent originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/microsoft-files-antitrust-complaint-against-google-in-europe-sh/

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Class Up the Joint With a Retro Internet Radio [Audio]

Bells, whistles, and brushed aluminum on your home stereo are great—if you're into that sort of thing. But if you want something a bit more Mad Men and less Mad Max, check out the Victoria Nostalgic Internet Radio. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/zl2RAQK6Yk0/class-up-the-joint-with-a-retro-internet-radio

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Android Ice Cream Sandwich pictures leak, leave us slightly cold

Well what do we have here? It looks like Ice Cream Sandwich might have escaped from Google's freezer a little early. Let's be clear here -- we're not 100 percent sure this is the next major version of Android, but the evidence is somewhat convincing. Both Android Police and RootzWiki posted screenshots of a Nexus S running a blue-ish themed skin which appears similar to the Gingerbread UI, but with a revised dock containing four icons instead of the usual three. Most of the changes are mild, but introduce functionality that already exist in Honeycomb. The camera app is said to gain a panorama mode, and the Gmail app is supposed to match the design of the new OS. Follow the links below for more details, and jump past the break for an additional picture.

Continue reading Android Ice Cream Sandwich pictures leak, leave us slightly cold

Android Ice Cream Sandwich pictures leak, leave us slightly cold originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/mZ2OLYUqP9w/

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