Firefox 3: 8 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do

The latest version of Mozilla's popular open-source browser enjoyed one of the most successful launches in software history, with a record-setting 8.2 million downloads the first day it was available. With the ability to drastically expand the browser's functions using plug-in extensions and Greasemonkey scripts, many of Firefox 3's built-in features are overlooked. Here are eight handy things you can do with Firefox, ranging from tiny tweaks to hugely powerful capabilities, all with nary an extension to install.

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First Android Phone Available September 23rd?

How many days are you willing to wait in front of a T-Mobile store to be the first to own a gPhone? You might have to decide soon. According to the Reuters news agency, T-Mobile is set to announce availability of its mobile phone based on Google's Android operating system as soon as September 23.

According to sources the T-Mobile phone, called "Dream," will be available "within weeks." Those same sources say T-Mobile plans to hold a press event in New York City on September 23. Reuters, however, is not clear in its report as to whether the actual T-Mobile Dream phones will go on sale that date. If the sources are correct in estimating actual phones being available in "a couple weeks," then September 23 could be the date the Dream becomes a reality.

Amazon + IMDB = 6,000 Free Films

Amazon (NSDQ: AMZN) has finally done what many have been asking it since the time the company bought IMDB: it has enabled video on the film and TV database/info site. The company says users can now watch 6,000 full-length feature films and TV episodes for free on IMDb.com’s video section. IMDb is now showing full-length movies and a great selection of full-length TV episodes directly on their site -- for free! Their fantastic selection of films and TV shows, both current and classic, is paired with all of the in-depth film and TV information that you expect from IMDb. Take a look at episodes from TV shows such as "Survivor", or full-length movies like Fever Pitch. They even have clips from the most recent "Saturday Night Live" -- you can watch Tina Fey's impersonation of Sarah Palin right there! You can browse their great featured content to familiarize yourself with some of their offerings, or search for your favorite films and TV shows to find the videos and movies you want to see.

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VLC media player 0.9.2 IS OUT!

After more than two years of development and 100,000,000 VLC media player 0.8.6 downloads, the VideoLAN team is proud to announce the release of VLC media player 0.9.2, codename "Grishenko".. It's awesome!

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Touchscreen BlackBerry Storm Will Be $199

Boy Genius has a fairly juicy bit of backstory on the delays plaguing the BlackBerry Bold, and the serious, stab-you-in-the-throat infighting between AT&T and RIM that drove RIM to deliver their touchscreen baby, the Storm, exclusively to Verizon in the US (probably in Nov.), where it will apparently be going for just $199 with a two-year contract and rebates.

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Comcast's Usage Cap: What Does It Mean?

Comcast has posted a change to its broadband user policy today. It’s now limiting subscribers to 250 Gigabytes of monthly usage, which can include e-mailing friends or uploading photos.

Near term, the limit may not do much to curtain the average consumer’s Web usage. After all, 250 Gigabytes is a lot: You could download 100 HD movies over the Web, and still have some of that capacity left. Chances are, 99% of consumers will not even notice the change — for now.

But the decision carries weighty implications for the future. As Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett pointed out in his Aug. 29 note, “While the usage level specified is high, it is now finite…. A line has been crossed.” This is the end of unlimited broadband use as we know it. The end of an era.

Official Google Blog says Google Chrome to Launch Tomorrow

As you may have read in the blogosphere, we hit "send" a bit early on a comic book introducing our new open source browser, Google Chrome. We will be launching the beta version of Google Chrome tomorrow in more than 100 countries. On the surface, we designed a browser window that is streamlined and simple. To most people, it isn't the browser that matters. It's only a tool to run the important stuff -- the pages, sites and applications that make up the web. Like the classic Google homepage, Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go.

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The Rise of the All-Conquering Liliputer

The number of models of "Liliputer" - low-cost ultraportable PCs running Windows or Linux - has exploded to more than 100 in less than a year, according to Liliputing.com, a site put together by the freelance journalist Brad Linder.

Since the introduction of the OLPC XO laptop last year, more than a dozen manufacturers have leapt into the space, spotting the potential for sales to children and schools - and, perhaps surprisingly, to adults keen to work while moving around but unwilling to carry fully fledged laptops.

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Intel Develops Wireless POWER

Intel on Thursday showed off a wireless electric power system that analysts say could revolutionize modern life by freeing devices from transformers and wall outlets.

Intel chief technology officer Justin Rattner demonstrated a Wireless Energy Resonant Link as he spoke at the California firm's annual developers forum in San Francisco. Electricity was sent wirelessly to a lamp on stage, lighting a 60 watt bulb that uses more power than a typical laptop computer. Most importantly, the electricity was transmitted without zapping anything or anyone that got between the sending and receiving units.

"The trick with wireless power is not can you do it; it's can you do it safely and efficiently," Intel researcher Josh Smith said in an online video explaining the breakthrough.

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Yahoo Knows Where You Are

Given all the drama surrounding Yahoo’s corporate activities, it’s easy to forget that there is a business still to be run and new products to launch. On Tuesday at Yahoo’s San Francisco-based skunk works - known as the Brickhouse - the embattled Internet company unveiled a new location services platform dubbed Fire Eagle. (Yes, it’s a silly name but say it 10 times fast and think of Firefox and it begins to sound OK.)

Location is one of those things that has huge potential for adding a layer of context to all kinds of services on the Web. Geo-tagging - the practice of adding geographic information to Web sites, photos and videos - is gathering steam across all sorts of Internet-based properties, from restaurant review sites to social networks and house hunting services. What has been missing, however, is an easy way to insert yourself into that growing stream of geographic information. In essence, that is what Fire Eagle does.

You either tell Fire Eagle where you are, or give permission for some device to do it on your behalf - say your mobile phone - and Fire Eagle broadcasts your location information to the services that you have approved.

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