Thanks to Chad and Melissa for putting this together.

Technology Round-Up

Poll

U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Apple, Adobe, Google, Intel, Intuit, and Pixar for entering into illegal agreements to not steal each other's employees. What do you think? Should companies be allowed to enter into such agreements? [Poll]

Apple

Apple is now has the second largest market value in the world. In related news, Steve Jobs has made #42 on Forbes' list of the richest Americans.

The Middle East iPhone 4 will not support FaceTime.

Steve Jobs will not offer you a quote to help your grade.

The newest iPhone rumors indicate that Verizon and Apple may never reach an agreement. However, further rumors indicate that Pegatron will begin mass productiong of a CDMA iPhone 4 in November (MetroPCS FTW?).

AT&T's CEO seems convinced that AT&T customers will not leave the network if other carriers get the iPhone 4. A new survey of iPhone users mostly supports the CEO's claim. What do you think?

Since Apple has changed its stance on App Store developer restrictions, the European Union is no longer investigating them.

NBC and Viacom oppose Apple's 99 cent rental policy.

Apple spent $29 million to purchase a Swedish company that works on facial recognition.

A Chinese manufacturer that the 7" iPad is finished. Target will start selling the iPad on October 3.

Apple may build an 11.6" MacBook Air that will further skew the lines between netbook and notebook.

Internet

Is Facebook creating its own cell phone? Answer: unfortunately not.

Apparently denying someone your Facebook friendship doesn't block them from seeing all your information.

Facebook has revamped its gaming component.

Microsoft has started a reward program to encourage Bing usage.

Check out YouTube Time Machine, which plays random videos from history (or, at least from 1860 until now).

YouTube Play has finally selected its shortlist of 125 videos. 20 of these videos will be featured at the Guggenheim next month.

Jet Blue will offer in-flight wi-fi... in 2012.

Internet Explorer 9 beta was downloaded over 2 million times in just two days.

Google

To keep yourself updated on all the latest and greatest Google products, check out Google New.

Apparently there are no animals in Oregon, because local hunters have been using Google's electricity fibers as target practice.

Google's rolled out a new transparency tool to allow users all over the world to check if their Google services are not working due to unintentional shut downs or government regulation.

Six new fonts and more advanced spreadsheet import features have been recently added to Google Docs.

Google Earth has added an ocean layer to iOS.

Over 3 million companies, schools, and organizations around the globe are using Google services.

Web developers will be happy to know that Google's HTML5 plug-in, Google Chrome Frame, is out of beta.

Electronics

Let a robot wash your hair instead of some chatty Cathy.

The next generation of 3D TVs may skip out on the sophisticated glasses.

Check out this "snail" that clamps on the sides of pots and pans to quickly heat the contents.

The new Kindle has been jailbroken. The eReader has also gotten its first paid app: Scrabble. Sorry for all of you who were hoping for Words with Friends.

Bookeen is finally releasing its eReader, CyBook Orizon.

New Flip HD video cameras hit the market.

Mobile

Verizon will join AT&T in offering tiered data usage pricing.

Sprint's CEO has suggested that unlimited data may end if people abuse it.

Even though last week's round-up had pictures of a Sense UI on Windows 7, HTC says it won't have time to put Sense on Windows 7 initially. Speaking of HTC Windows Phone 7 devices, check out the HTC HD7.

Sony Ericsson has no plans to develop more Symbian devices. Nokia is sticking by its guns though and says it will not switch to Android or Windows Phone 7. Chad predicts Nokia will switch mobile operating systems within the next two years if it doesn't pair up with Google or Microsoft to enable cross-platform app compatibility.

Marvell has unveiled a triple-core 1.5GHz processor capable of rending two simultaneous 1080p videos at once.

FCC diagrams of the Blackberry 9670 indicate that it will be a clamshell.

Windows Phone 7 will not have built-in tethering support despite earlier rumors. Of course, phone carriers might add the feature (at a cost).

Current T-Mobile customers can pre-order the G2 now. Pre-order will open up to everyone on October 6.

Metro PCS is billing itself as a major carrier by launching its 4G network (and phone, the Samsung Craft) in Las Vegas.

Check out the Droid 2 R2-D2 edition.

Sony Xperia X10 owners will have to wait until late October for Android 2.1. They shouldn't hold their breath for Android 2.2.

Android 2.2 is coming over the air to Droid X owners.

The HTC Desire ROM is now (unofficially) available for the Droid Incredible, Desire, and HTC Evo.

The latest official HTC Evo update removes the 30 fps video cap. So far, the development community has beaten HTC/Sprint to 802.11n support and the fps cap removal. Nice to see the official companies at least catching up.

The Samsung Captivate's GPS has been fixed.

The Gmail app has been released separately to the Android Market and can now be updated outside of the OS itself.

Computer

The Outlook 2010 blank contact photo is actually an outline of young Bill Gates' mugshot. Who says Microsoft doesn't have a sense of humor?

The next version of Microsoft Office will feature an app store.

Wine for Linux now supports Direct3D 10 and 11. Major news for Linux fans looking to play Windows games.

Digital PC game sales have surpassed boxed sales.

ElcomSoft makes software that will easily and conveniently crack any WiFi network it can reach. It's certainly not cheap though.

SteelSeries now offers shiftable keyboard layouts.

HP admits that webOS tablets will be similar to the iPad.

Check out the HP Slate running Windows 7.

Check out a video showing off the Galaxy Tab's mail application.

Microsoft Security Essentials will soon be free for business users.

Tips/Tricks

Learn how to get the Gmail Priority Inbox on your mobile device.

Make your own keyboard shortcuts using Key Command Generator.

Download songs freely and easily with Mulve.

System Ninja performs clean-ups and other maintenance tasks.

Print webpages that are better formatted with Print Edit for Firefox.

Come across pages you want to read but don't have time? Send to Instapaper is a Chrome extension that can keep track of the pages for you.

Miscellaneous

As expected, Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy last week.

If you haven't already heard of Batter Blaster, you're seriously missing out on life. Oh, and they're introducing a new flavor: bacon.

Apparently everyone should own a rice cooker.

Learn how to turn Welch's grape juice into alcohol.

Buy this fantastic poster to help you pick out your own rap name.

Check out these 10 awesome but practical tools.

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Contributors: CyberInferno, klawansie7

This wasted a lot of my time. Always great.

I was really scared this was going to be in a lame format like the game round up.

Always good stuff to nerd out on

Originally Posted by pasthefence49

I was really scared this was going to be in a lame format like the game round up.

Always good stuff to nerd out on

I allow each roundup coordinator to put together their roundups in their own format.

Thank you for doing this.

bummer for blockbuster. google is fascinating as always. great round-up, thanks much.

steve jobs can suck my balls

Originally Posted by Linda Ferreira

I allow each roundup coordinator to put together their roundups in their own format.

well stop it

Quote:

The Outlook 2010 blank contact photo is actually an outline of young Bill Gates' mugshot. Who says Microsoft doesn't have a sense of humor?

That is awesome. My office just upgraded to 2010 a few weeks ago, and I sent that out to everyone I talk to.

Originally Posted by CastlesXClouds

steve jobs can suck my balls

I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you

Quote:

Please leave us alone.

Sent from my iPhone

Jesus...hahaha.

Jobs didn't want to give a real answer because she was using a Blackberry.

Let a robot wash your hair instead of some chatty Cathy.

How am I supposed to get a cheap semi from the hot hair washer chic?

Originally Posted by zachff

I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you

is that even a question? duh