Apple buys Chomp to 'revamp' App Store search

Apple has splashed-out on application discovery website Chomp and plans to use the technology to revamp the App Store, according to TechCrunch.

Recent speculation has hinted that an overhaul is due for Apple's application download portal so Apple's reported acquisition arrives at an opportune time.

Three year-old start-up Chomp.com arguably gives smartphone and tablet owners a more efficient way to discover new apps by simply asking 'what kind of app are you looking for?'

It brings easy access to categories like trending apps, free apps of the day, all time greats, and on-sale applications for iPhone, Android and iPad.

Moving to Cupertino

The TechCrunch report says the entire Chomp team will transition over to Apple, when the purchase is completed.

"This is not a cheap acqui-hire," says the article. "Apple has bought the Chomp team and technology and plans to use both to completely revamp App Store search and recommendations."

There has been no official confirmation from Apple or Chomp.

Windows Store App Submission Process Detailed

Microsoft’s Jonathan Garrigues has detailed some aspects of the submissions process for the upcoming Windows Store on the company’s Windows Store for Developers blog. The post describes in detail the various steps involved in the app submission process, and Microsoft’s efforts to address developer complaints about its competitors’ storefronts.

Most of Microsoft’s efforts focus on transparency: they want app developers to be aware of the approval process before they ever submit any code, and they want developers who have submitted apps to be able to track those apps through every step of the submission process. Each step in the process is described, both in terms of what the steps entail and how much time the step usually takes. The submission procedure is mostly automated and focuses on validating code and making sure it runs, but ultimately depends on a human being to launch your app, verify that it works and that it does not violate any of Microsoft’s policies, and verify that it does not contain any malicious code.

Visual Studio will include some features that work toward these ends, including a feature that will allow developers to reserve a name for their app before the app is actually ready for submission to the store. Microsoft will also supply a Windows App Certification Kit that automatically goes through your code to make sure that your app launches and meets a set of basic requirements – the certification kit can be run locally and corresponds to one of the stages of Microsoft’s certification process, meaning that if your app passes this test it stands a better chance of being allowed on the Windows Store.

As is often the case with Microsoft’s latter-day offerings, the Windows Store is trying to find a place in between Apple and Google’s respective app stores for the iOS and Android platforms: it wants to maintain some aspects of Android’s openness and flexibility with the added benefit of iOS’s safety and freedom from malware while at the same time steering clear of Apple’s obscure and sometimes fickle approval process. While Microsoft’s system does result in a “walled garden,” the company hopes that the Windows Store’s relative transparency about the approval process pleases longtime Win32 developers and newcomers alike.

For more on this process, you can read the full post - it is linked below for your convenience.

Source: Windows Store for Developers Blog

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How many atoms to store one bit of data?

IBM Research has successfully demonstrated that you can store information in as few as 12 magnetic atoms – a discovery which could pave the way to smaller, faster and more energy efficient hard drives in our favourite devices.

Current hard-drives need around one million atoms to store a single bit of information, according to IBM's scientists, but that atomic limit of magnetic memory is just 12 atoms.

So what does that actually mean for our tablets, computers, mobile phones and any other device that stores information.

Manipulate matter

Well according to the research: "The ability to manipulate matter by its most basic components – atom by atom – could lead to the vital understanding necessary to build smaller, faster and more energy-efficient devices."

IBM's research was conducted as it became clear that silicon transistor technology has "fundamental physical limitations" which suggest that the current scaling efforts will plateau.

IBM Research suggests that nanostructures – built one atom at a time – could utilise antiferromagnetism and store 100 times more information in the same amount of space.

"The chip industry will continue its pursuit of incremental scaling in semiconductor technology but, as components continue to shrink, the march continues to the inevitable end point: the atom, said Andreas Heinrich, the lead investigator into atomic storage at IBM Research.

"We're taking the opposite approach and starting with the smallest unit -- single atoms -- to build computing devices one atom at a time."

You can check out more of the details on IBM's website.

Buying Guide: Best image editing apps from the Mac App Store

Best App Store image editing apps

Manage, share and edit your photos with ease with the help of these helpful apps from the Mac App Store...

01. ImageConvert
£Free
Limit Point

This is an app with no frills. No, really, there are NO frills. But then, if all you want to do is convert your photos from one format to another, you probably don't want an interface getting in the way.

To convert files you select the Preferences tab, and select the format you'd like to save in (JPG, PSD, TIF, PNG and so on). Then you just drop one image, a number of selected images, or an entire folder on the ImageConvert dialog box. Done!

02. Flare
£5.99
Iconfactory

Many apps are available that quickly enable you to apply pre-set filters to photos. On first inspection, it's easy to assume that Flare is one such tool, but it offers much more.

Using an interface that makes editing photos a pleasure, you can stack multiple filters, add and remove them easily, and also save them as presets. Adjust exposure, contrast, blur, midtones, colour gradient, sharpness, texture, grain, and much more. We love Flare!

03. Sketcher
£3.99
Neatberry

Creating painterly masterpieces from your photographs has never been easier, thanks to Sketcher. After dragging the photo you'd like to transform into the interface, you're presented with a series of sliders and drop-down menus.

First, choose whether you want pencil, watercolour, pastel, oil, paint blend, or watermix. You can then edit the properties of your image, such as brush size and stroke. Finally, choose your media (crumpled paper, canvas and so on) and you're done. It's simple to use, and the results can be mightily impressive.

04. Colorize
£1.79
iApe

Despite what you might think, the extremely popular practice of selectively adding colour to a monochrome photo is a technique that existed long before digital technology. Unfortunately, it was the devil's own job to achieve. But not any more.

Photo manipulators have been using layer masks to achieve this technique for a good few years, but Colorize makes things even easier. Add an image, have it automatically converted to black and white, and then paint over the part of the image you want in colour.

05. CameraBag Desktop
£8.99
Nevercenter

CameraBag is presented as a 'one-click photo lab', and it's a great way to add an extra level of creativity to even your most uninspiring images.

You can apply preset filters, such as mono and colour-cross, combine any two filters together, pick from a selection of borders, save presets, and even batch-process entire folders of images. And thanks to the unpredictable nature of film processing, the Reprocess button can make subtle/extreme changes with one click.

06. Aperture 3
£45
Apple

If you feel that iPhoto doesn't give you enough oomph, there's another photography tool from Apple that caters to those people looking for a more professional solution: Aperture.

Aperture doesn't come cheap, but compared to the likes of Adobe's Photoshop it's a veritable bargain. Building on the ease of use and functionality of iPhoto, Aperture offers enhanced editing controls (such as selective retouching and filters); enables you to create powerful slideshows; stores multiple versions of a photo in the same file (saving space); has masses of library options; and comes with the added bonus of being able to split your library across multiple external drives (for serious snappers!).

07. Flickery
£5.99
Eternal Storms Software

It's impossible to cover photography apps for the Mac without mentioning this top tool for managing photos on the web's leading online image app, Flickr. Using Flickery, you can easily upload, manage and move your Flickr photos.

It's actually worth the cost just to be able to navigate your Flickr images in such an intuitive way, but the added functionality makes it a necessary purchase for any serious Flickr users out there.

08. Light Master
£Free
Duan Baoping

The HDR (high dynamic range) photo technique enables you to get images that really pop, providing more control over the lightest and darkest areas. The purist's approach to HDR is to take multiple images at different exposures and combine them, but the effect can be achieved in-app with just one photo.

Suited to landscapes, Light Master takes an image of your choosing, and enables you to use a slider to adjust HDR intensity.

09. iPhoto
£8.99
Apple

Apple's entry-level organiser for photos is must-have software for anyone starting out with digital photography on the Mac and looking for a way to easily organise and edit files.

There's great Facebook and Flickr integration, a number of slideshow tools, and a new full-screen mode in iPhoto '11, all of which make it well worth a look.

10. PhotoSync
£Free
touchbyte

At the time of writing, we're not entirely sure how iCloud is going to affect PhotoSync, but as things stand it's currently the best way to transfer photos from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac, without the need for cables.

The PhotoSync Mac app is free, but the companion app on iOS has a small charge. But if the ability to quickly move photos around is important to you, this is a fantastic syncing solution.

Covent Garden Apple Store in 'smash and grab' attack

The Apple Store in Covent Garden, London, was robbed in the early hours of Monday, with masked raiders on bikes targeting the outlet.

Scotland Yard has confirmed that two people have been arrested after the incident – a16-year-old and 21-year-old male.

A number of bags that are said to belong to the robbers have also been found, with their bounty including - unsurprisingly - a number of iPads.

Inquiry continues

Speaking about the incident, Detective Sergeant Nathan Tozer of Westminster CID told the Guardian: "Although two men are in custody on suspicion of burglary, the inquiry continues and other persons are sought.

"It is essential that anyone who saw the smash and grab, or the suspects making off, contact us as soon as possible."

The Apple Store in Covent Garden opened its doors back in August 2010, with Apple announcing that it was "the best store we have ever created".

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Google launches Chrome Zone in London store

Google has launched a 'shop-within-a-shop' at the flagship Currys and PC World superstore in London's Tottenham Court Road in order to sell its Chromebooks.

The Chrome Zone has been daubed with a primary Google-style brush, and will look to explain the cloud OS notebooks to the general public.

The only notebook on offer will, of course, be the Samsung Chromebook, with Acer's version yet to launch in this country, despite being badged as 'coming soon' since the launch in June.

Great deal of thought

"We've put a great deal of thought into the design of this Chrome Zone," said Arvind Desikan, head of consumer marketing for Google in the UK and Ireland.

"Chromebooks are the perfect notebook computers for people who live on the web, and offer a faster, safer and more secure online experience, without all the time-consuming and confusing maintenance required by typical computers."

Mark Slater, category director at Dixons Retail, said: "Initial customer response to the launch of Samsung's Chromebook has been excellent and we are expecting a lot of customer interest and excitement now it is in-store.

"It's the most revolutionary laptop on the market and as the leading electrical retailer in the UK we are thrilled that our flagship store has UK exclusivity to showcase this new technology to our customers.

"We have dedicated staff who have been specifically trained in using the Chromebook to demonstrate all its unique benefits and features to customers."

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Valve Games Available Through EA's Origin Store

In an ironic development following months of public squabbling over digital distribution practices, Electronic Arts is now offering Valve games through its Origin service.

EA is running a buy-two-get-one-free special this weekend, and three Valve titles are included: Counter-Strike: Source, Left For Dead: Game of the Year Edition, and Left 4 Dead 2. The Valve games (each priced at $19.99) are boxed retail copies, and the free games available are downloadable copies of select EA titles.

The promotion is raising eyebrows after EA announced last month that its flagship shooter Battlefield 3 would not be available on Valve’s Steam platform, citing “a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content.” EA issued similar statements after removing Crysis 2 from Steam following Origin’s launch.

Without offering any concrete solutions, both sides have expressed a desire to resolve this dispute. Valve president Gabe Newell recently told Develop, “We want EA’s games on Steam and we have to show them that’s a smart thing to do.” EA’s Jens Uwe Intat told Eurogamer last week that the company isn’t planning on making its games Origin-exclusive. “Competition and choice go hand in hand,” he said. “So the fact we will only distribute our own games on our own platform, I don't see that.”

Neither company has issued a statement regarding the promotion. EA does hold the distribution rights to retail copies of some Valve titles, so this may be less of a sign that the two companies are newly cooperating and more of a message from EA saying they’d like to cooperate.

Source: Origin via Joystiq

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Review: Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 External SSD

The Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 External SSD has a relatively small storage space of 32GB. This is not an external hard drive for storing thousands of digital photos, movies and music.

For backing up important office documents, the 32GB should be plenty of space. If it's not, you can also get 64GB and 128GB versions, with slight increases in speed the larger the capacity.

The physical size of the Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 External SSD makes it much easier to carry around and plug into different computers than a standard external hard drive. The convenience of an external hard drive this size cannot be overstated.

Of course, with small sizes comes great responsibility – a drive this size could easily get lost. However, it won't look out of place plugged into a media centre PC in your front room, or attached to a router as a NAS device.

As far as speeds go, the Verbatim Store 'n' Go USB 3.0 External SSD took a very good 18 seconds to transfer our 1GB test file, and scored an average write speed of 60.11MB/s and a read speed of 129.06MB/s in our benchmarks when plugged into the super speed USB 3.0 socket.

This is a performance that puts most USB flash drives to shame.

Related Links

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AMD Sempron X2 2300 in Store in Japan

AMD’s dual-core Sempron X2 2300 has been available in Japan at JPY2480 (about $27), according to the guys at AKIBA. This is the second model of Sempron dual-core CPU after Sempron X2 2100 announced in last March.

With 512KB L2 cache, 65nm Socket AM2 and TDP of 65W, Sempron X2 2300 is almost the same as Sempr

on X2 2100. But it features frequency of 2.2GHz, up from 1.8GHz on Sempron X2 2100.

AMD Sempron X2 2300 in Store in Japan

Chrome Web Store Goes International And Gains In-App Purchases With 5% Flat Fee

"One of the reasons we’ve been angry is that we haven’t been able to bring Angry Birds to the web,” a Rovio developer noted on stage today at Google I/O. Well guess what? Thanks to the Chrome Web Store, it's finally here.And that's not all. Google's Sundar Pichai also had some more to share about the Chrome Web Store. In the first three months since launch, they've seen 17 million app installs. And developers are telling them that apps installed through the store are seeing users spend roughly two times the amount of time in their apps installed through the store.