The smallest MP3 player in the world?

Up to 32 GB of music in a small "Kube"...

This Kube2 is presented as being the smallest of the world MP3 player! Nothing than this. Let us to doubt, because it still has the impression that the iPod Shuffle 3 G is less bulky. But well, let's. It has the advantage to accept a micro-SD card allowing to offer up to 32 GB of storage, and to be customizable via various stickers to stick on its aluminum coating. This MP3 player offers 6 hours of autonomy on a battery that recharges completely in 1 hour on USB port.

The Kube2 is launched at a price of $ 35, but is only available to Singapore for the moment. Rest following a presentation scheduled in the next, it should be marketed around the world. However, it remains quite secptiques the interest of a "square" format, not necessarily very pleasant to fit in a pocket. Also remains to be seen if it pilot only via a wired remote control buttons or if it has buttons hidden somewhere on one of its faces. Because the absence of controls on the iPod Shuffle previously cited signed his judgment of death as early as its launch, allowing change of listeners without to go through expensive adapters that uncomfortable or unsightly.

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BlackBerry, a major player in the riots in London

During the violent clashes that have opposed London youth to the forces of order this weekend, rioters communicated via BBM, the BlackBerry Instant Messaging System.

According to the English media, this application would have played a key role in the events of this weekend. Reserved only to BlackBerry, BBM requires giving ID phone (PIN) to be able to converse with others. Security coupled with the fact that sent messages do not pass by GSM networks, but by Research In Motion servers. De facto, this way of talking is difficult to track for the Police. Free and unlimited, RIM service has attracted a large part of the English youth. According to a study published by the Guardian, 37% of them have a smartphone of the Canadian firm.

"The BlackBerry, previously reserved to businessmen and politicians, are now the domain of the thugs and young people (...)" "with this application", argue the Telegraph. The BBC weakens the impact of the network of RIM on the riots. "If smartphones helped those who participated in the riots, they have surely not convinced those who were not interested in joining the rallies." In the end, Research In Motion, himself, suggested his entire contribution to the Ministry of the Interior as well as the British police.

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Can You Get Flash Without Adobe? Meet DivX Plus Web Player

DivX Plus Web Player is the first alternative to Adobe's Flash Player. It promises better performance, battery life, and video quality, all in one shot. If Flash content brings your computer to its knees, read on to find out if DivX is the answer.

A while back, Steve Jobs posted six reasons why Apple wouldn't support Adobe's Flash-based products on the iPad and iPhone. Those reasons ranged from the software's openness to the fact that it's from a third-party to its effect on battery life. Also listed is the performance of mobile devices playing back Flash-based content. We already spent a lot of time digging into the product's effect on system resources in Adobe Flash: A Look At Browsers, Codecs, And System Performance. If Flash can torpedo the performance of a desktop PC (and it can; we've seen it), just imagine what it could do to a smartphone.

Now, no one is debating the merits of streaming video. Apple simply believes the problem lies in video delivery. That's why it is promoting a new standard known as HTML5 for its mobile devices. However, Apple's overwhelming popularity is one of the factors preventing more widespread adoption. Most Web sites only enable HTML5 content when they detect the iOS user agent. So, if you're cruising the Internet on a PC, HTML5 compliance might not be as relevant right now. That leaves us with a big question mark over the desktop systems (or laptops or netbooks) that still struggle with Flash-based content.

This is where DivX steps in. The company is sidestepping a format war altogether by providing a player that supports HTML5 and Flash-encoded video.  For a long time, Adobe's Flash Player was the only game in town able to play back Flash video. But that's in the past. DivX isn't out to trash Flash, but it is out to prove that it can deliver better performance, battery life, and image quality.

How important is Flash, really? If you enjoy following news sites like CNN, you generally have to install Flash to access all of the content. ComScore estimates that roughly 75% of all online video is Flash-based. For better or for worse, Adobe's Flash format is a fact of today's Web surfing experience. Clearly, DivX has a tall order to fill. Let's see how its solution stacks up.

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