Firefox 4 launched yesterday, and since going live it has already been downloaded 5 million time – giving it a share of just under 2 percent of the worldwide web browser market already. And things aren’t looking so rosy for Internet Explorer 9, which has been available for more than a week: according to web analytics firm StatCounter, IE9 has only nabbed 0.87 percent of the market.
March, 2011
The Nintendo 3DS hits the UK on Friday, and as is the way with these things, shops are opening their doors at midnight on Thursday to accommodate gamers who just can’t wait. We’ve just got word that over 200 ASDA stores are opening late (or early, depending on how you look at it) to hawk the Nintendo 3DS to eager punters.
It’s been another busy morning in consumer tech, so if the prospect of wading through all the headlines looks a bit too daunting, never fear: settle back and chow down with the cream of the crop right here in our lunchtime lowdown news roundup.
GarageBand for iPad is certainly among the coolest apps for Apple’s tablet, and while you can record a guitar track by strumming away on the touchscreen, wouldn’t it be better to rig up your actual electric guitar? Enter the Griffin GuitarConnect.
Intriguing rumour alert! Whispers says Valve’s Steam games distribution platform is set to add iOS devices following the Steam for Mac launch in May 2010. The rumour comes via a Steampowered User Forum member who chatted to Valve co-founder Gabe Newell. He apparently dropped hints that both iOS and Android could become Steam-friendly platforms…
The Google Doodle is now a patented Google innovation. After 10 years trying, Google has convinced the US Patent and Trademark Office to give it a patent for its awesome scribbles. Titled “Systems and Methods for Enticing Users to Access a Web Site”, the patent is all about adjusting the main image on Google homepages.
The patent credits the innovation to Google co-founder Sergey Brin and includes the examples of a pot of gold for Saint Patrick’s Day and a turkey for Thanksgiving. What’s your favourite Google Doodle? Click the headline and jump to the comments.
Out now | £free | Google Doodles (via Slashdot)/Engadget)
If you’ve got a Windows Phone 7 device, it’s just about to get better. The Windows Phone 7 NoDo update has started to roll out bringing copy and paste functionality with it.
The Windows Phone 7 update also promises to load apps more quickly, improved Windows Phone Marketplace searches and perk up your WiFi performance. There’s also improvements to Outlook, messaging, Facebook, audio and the camera. Let us know in the comments if your Windows Phone 7 device had got the nod yet.
Out now | £free | Windows Phone 7
The Blackberry PlayBook will arrive on April 19 in the US and it’s gunning directly for the iPad 2 with an identical entry level price point ($499). That’s an interesting move given that the Blackberry PlayBook is a 7in tablet versus the iPad 2′s 9.7in display. Obviously the Blackberry PlayBook has the strength of handling Flash video but right now we’re not sure whether it’ll get anywhere near the battery life boasted by Apple’s tablet.