Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Looking for something to set you apart on MySpace?  Need a funky-fresh, dressed to impress photo?  Head on over to Pixisnap and use there free service to create your very own mosaics and Polaroid images.  The site is just a web application so there is no downloading.  Getting images to look cool is super easy.

This morning, I created the image above.  The site does not make users sign up, so it took all of two minutes for me to be in and out.  Simply upload a photo, choose the design (you can pick from several choices on the Polaroids, each choice adding more glimpses of the photo), then pick a background and decide where you want the image to go.  The site interfaces with MySpace so you can send it right there.

As a quick, easy to use photo generator, this site is great.  It does all that it says and does so well.  I am pretty sure a cat could get this site to work, it is just that easy.  The site is in beta, but worked without a hitch in my trial.

Head over and try it out: [pixisnap]

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Sections: Imaging, Web, Web Apps, Websites

According to a source, you can opt into the new Netflix Watch Instantly movie player.  The source is The Official Netflix Blog, so it’s probably accurate.  This brings Netflix’s movie player to OS X for the first time (without running Windows) by using Microsoft’s Silverlight.

If you’re a slider and you use both Mac and Windows machines, once you opt into the Silverlight experience, you’re locked into to it for both platforms.  If you’re a Windows-only user, you may wonder why bother with opting in at all?  Well, maybe you hate Internet Explorer and you’ve always wanted to watch Netflix in Firefox.  This is your chance.

However, there is no opting out yet.  If the experience sucks, you’re stuck.  It’s a beta, so you know what that means.  I’m using it now and have already been hit with some errors.  Some movies that used to work don’t play Silverlight yet (mostly Starz offerings). 

Go for it!  [Netflix opt-in link]
Read more at the [The Official Netflix Blog]

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• How to get your Mac to talk to your PS3

Sections: Apple, Video, Accessories, Web, Web 2.0, Web Apps, Web Browsers, Online Music/Video

The delay is finally over! Mozilla has recently released Firefox 3.1 beta 1 (code-named “Shiretoko”) for public testing.

What should a web developer expect?

Web developers will definitely be delighted to know that the @font-face CSS property is implemented in Shiretoko. This will allow web developers to design websites with consistent formatting and layout. New CSS properties such as text-shadow and word-wrap are also supported.

New HTML tags are also introduced: namely, the <video> and the <audio> tags; both tags simplify the embedding of video and audio files on a web page. It must be noted that the <video> and the <audio> tags only support the OGG Theora and OGG Vorbis formats.

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Sections: Web, Web Browsers

FriendFeed launched a new feature last night,  real-time updating.  With this feature, you can see all the most recent FriendFeed posts without even having to refresh the page.  As nifty as this new feature is, it can also get a bit crazy.

The site has essentially turned the web into a giant chatroom according to Robert Scoble.  You’ve got it all going on here, not just the chatting, but videos, photos, tweets, and more.  Every item has its own URL, as well as its own RSS feed.  You’re able to comment on everything there, not just on the “commentary” like in a chat room. 

Much more after the break!

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Sections: Computers, Networking, Software / Applications, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Web, Downloads, Web 2.0, Web Apps, Web Browsers, Websites, Online Music/Video

Firefox Mobile Concept Video from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.

Rumored to be “soon” or even next week, Firefox Mobile Alpha will be released onto the Nokia N810 internet tablet.  Sure to be the first of many releases, the new web browser designed for mobile devices is sure to mix things up a bit.

One major difference is controls.  Unlike the minimalist Safari for the iPhone and iPod touch, Firefox for Mobile uses the extreme edges for access to special menus.  Just a swipe of the finger off the page to port or starboard brings up controls that were previously hidden.  It is a neat way to get at controls.  Just my opinion?  No, Mozilla calls this the “awesome bar” which I thought existed only in Times Square, NY.

See more interesting features in the alpha version.  Click more to follow.

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Sections: Communications, Smartphones, Mobile, Computers, Software / Applications, Wireless, Gadgets / Other, Web, Downloads, Web Browsers

Bill Gates promised frequent updates way back when they were doing the final testing of IE7. Yet somehow, it’s been almost two years before they finally released the beta mode of Internet Explorer 8 just today. Some will hurrah, some will cringe, some won’t care one way or the other. But…it’s out…and along with actually seeming to be an improvement over the previous version…it’s pretty clear that the folks at Microsoft are also using their latest browser as a clever little way to try to take over some Google ground.

I admit, I’m a diehard Firefox user. And when I checked out IE8 beta, I immediately recognized the same thing others seem to be seeing. The Smart Address Bar is very similar to the Awesome Bar in Firefox 3. When you start to type in the address bar, it tries to guess where you want to go, based on where you’ve been before. Although I have to give it to Microsoft, their Smart Bar seems to do the job even a little better. It shows history items, autocomplete suggestions, and your saved Favorites all in lists that you can collapse or expand with just a click. Also, you can delete an address from the Smart Bar with just a click as well, which is really handy for any addresses you may have in there that were typed incorrectly or if you have bookmarks you just don’t use anymore.

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Sections: Computers, Software / Applications, Web, Web Browsers

Amazon is set to launch a new service called Amazon Video on Demand which will enable users to watch any of the 40,000 movies and television programs right after they order them through their PC or Macs’ web browsers. Similar to cable video-on-demand services, the videos ordered by users will start streaming immediately after users placed their orders.

In addition to the computer support, Amazon has also reached a deal with Sony Electronics that would put Amazon’s Internet video store on Sony Bravia high definition TVs. Users who will opt to use the Video On Demand on their Bravia units would initially need the Sony Bravia Internet Video Link which costs $300. This would give them access to the Amazon Video on Demand content from their Bravia’s menu. Sony has also promised to embed this link in the Bravia’s menu screen sometime soon.

The new Amazon Video On Demand service will be initially available to selected US customers before it goes public later this summer. To answer the issue of storage, Amazon will also offer a service called “Your Video Library” which will store each customers downloads, and users can watch the movie or show whenever they go back to the Amazon Video On Demand store.

Read [New York Times]

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Sections: Video, Content, Video Providers, Web, Websites, Online Music/Video

We had already expected the release to come in mid-June and it looks like Mozilla has held that date true, they have officially announced that Firefox 3 will be available on June 17.

In addition, they have also, as we mentioned early yesterday, released an additional release candidate as RC3 that took care of a few last minute bugs found in the Mac version.

Otherwise start getting ready to download and install Firefox 3 on June 17, and don’t forget to help all of your not-so-computer literate friends and family members do the same.

In addition to the release, June 17 will also be the day that Mozilla is attempting to set the world record for the most software downloaded during a single day.

Read [Mozilla]

• Mozilla wants you to Fashion Your Firefox
• Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X1 to make a US debut on Black Friday
• Battlefield Heroes closes beta, retreats until 2009

Sections: Web, Web Browsers

While we were all set and waiting for the final release of Firefox to drop at anytime now, CNET is reporting that some of us may indeed be given an RC 3 sometime today. The latest release, which will come officially as RC 3 will only be for Mac users as the Windows and Linux versions are already considered stable. The changes are also reported to be “internal” so assuming you are a Mac user and do choose to update, its more than likely you will not see any difference. Still no word of any delay with the final release, so as of now Firefox 3 is still on track for a “mid-June” release.

Read [CNET]

• Mozilla wants you to Fashion Your Firefox
• Battlefield Heroes closes beta, retreats until 2009
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Sections: Web, Web Browsers

As we expected Mozilla has made the next early-adopter release of Firefox 3 available for download. The latest is Firefox 3 RC2 and although the release notes are a little light on the exact updates, its safe to say they have taken care of the issues that were found during the testing of Firefox 3 RC1. This latest download of RC2 is expected to be the last early release and the full, final Firefox 3 is still on track for a June availability.

I have been using RC2 since last night, and was able to update from RC1 without any issues, similar to the last few versions of FF3 it has been stable so far. However, a little friendly warning, as always take caution with any beta or pre-release software.

Download [Mozilla]

• Mozilla wants you to Fashion Your Firefox
• Battlefield Heroes closes beta, retreats until 2009
• I have found a new medical solution, the iPill

Sections: Web, Web Browsers