Microsoft is introducing a new lock screen on Windows Phone 8 that can be customized thanks to the Live App infrastructure. What does this mean for you? Well, your lock screen just became a lot more useful, as you can have it display things like recent photos, sports scores, Facebook updates from close friends, and more. Not the most groundbreaking feature in the world, but it's another way that Windows Phone 8 allows you to customize your phone in a personal way, bringing real-time updates to the first screen you see when your turn on your phone.

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story

Theft of smartphones are on the rise, especially iPhones, and this latest crime was all caught on video. The YouTube video catches a dude eyeing a woman's smartphone. Then, as the train makes its stop, the thief waits a few seconds and, just as the train is about to leave, takes off with the victim's mobile device, leaving her high and dry as the train door rapidly closes. Even before the video went viral, the Hungary police identified the 28 year old thief and was arrested at his girlfriends apartment; and get this, it's not his first time. As a public reminder, we at Gear Live want to remind our readers to be hyper-aware of their surroundings. Shake up travel habits and practice the "out of sight, out of mind" method. Keep those expensive gadgets hidden. Oh, and those white cabled Apple headphones are a dead giveaway.

Click to continue reading Video: Thief Swiping a Commuter’s Smartphone

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story

Google's big Android event that was set for this Monday, October 29th, has been canceled due to Hurricane Sandy after a state of emergency was declared by Governor Andre Cuomo. The Android focused event was to be held in New York's waterfront district, and Google says it will be rescheduled for a later time:

"We are canceling our Monday morning event in New York due to Hurricane Sandy. We will let you know our plans as soon as we know more."

Hopefully the event happens sooner rather than later for all of you who are looking forward to the new Nexus 4 smartphones and Key Lime Pie software sweetness. Brace yourselves as the "FrankenStorm" is about to hammer the East Coast.

Read More | The Verge

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to write comics from a guy that actually writes comics professionally and whose credits include “Spider-Man Editor,” then there’s a workshop just for you.

My pal Danny Fingeroth (who’s the VP of Education at the Museum of Comic And Cartoon Art - aka MoCCA - in NY) is starting up a new session of his 6-part interactive online workshop called  Writing Comics And Graphic Novels. The once-a-week course will start on November 5th and run ‘til December 17th for two hours each session.

The great thing about an online course is that you can take it from anywhere in the world as long as you pay attention to the time zone!

From start to finish, Danny will teach you “how to develop your story from initial idea to finished script. Story and character development are covered, as well as script creation. Other topics will include finding the right artist to draw your story and navigating the ever-changing state of the world of comics publishing.”

Click to continue reading Danny Fingeroth: Writing Comic Books & Graphic Novels

Read More | Danny Fingeroth

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story

First off, smart thoughts on the state of various elements of the comics industry - retail, Marvel, 24 Hour Comics Day - from Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter.

Bleeding Cool has the story announcing Rob Liefeld’s latest retirement from comics. And then moments later says he’s back.

Here’s a nice review of Mark McKenna’s new indy comic, Combat Jacks. “While McKenna might be known as a great inker, he is certainly a surprisingly good writer too. The story and dialogue of Combat Jacks is quite enjoyable, making me wish there were more comics like this sadly rare done-in-one sci-fi/horror story.”

Who was the mysterious Marvel Comics creator known as Kevin Banks?

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Marvel Comics, Combat Jacks, Rob Liefeld & Star Trek

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story

Microsoft's Windows 8 has arrived, and alongside it, the Microsoft Surface tablet with Windows RT has been released! Surface is Microsoft's first first-party tablet PC device that it has ever released, and we were able to get our hands on it a little early to give you a look at what you'll find in the box. While we prepare our full Surface review, check out our unboxing video above where we give you a look at the tablet, the Touch Cover, and the setup process!

Big thank you to GoToMeeting for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out! GoToMeeting with HDFaces provides rich, super-simple collaborative virtual meetings.

Here's how to get the show:
[Download] - iPod-formatted H.264
[Download] - 720p HD
[Download] - 1080p MP4

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Forum Discussion
• Comments (0)
• Email this story

Apple acknowledged today that it has been legally ordered by a UK judge to publicly state on Apple.com, or a full page ad in a UK newspaper, that Samsung tablets are "not as cool" as the iPad. The UK's case revolved around whether Samsung's tablets infringed on the iPad design and trade dress, which Apple lost. Such a verdict leads one to conclude that if Samsung's designs were, in fact, "cool," that Apple would have won the case.

Leave it up to Apple's genius to take full advantage of the situation by killing two birds with one stone. By including the judges contradictory ruling verbatim, they highlighted the unflattering statements regarding Samsung products compared to Apple's, as well Samsung's failure to make its products cool based on the perspective of "the informed users overall impression." The saving grace for Samsung is based specifically on the choice of name branding on the back of the device.

Click to continue reading Apple complies with UK judgment, acknowledges Samsung tablets not as cool as iPad

Read More | Apple

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story

Somber news for the jailbreaking and unlocking community. Per rule of the Library of Congress, it will be illegal to unlock any smartphone (including iPhone) or jailbreak any tablet (including iPad) purchased after January 1, 2013. The only exception is jailbreaking or rooting a smartphone, which is covered by the DMCA for the next three years. 

B. Wireless telephone handsets – software interoperability

Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute lawfully obtained software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications with computer programs on the telephone handset.

C. Wireless telephone handsets – interoperability with alternative networks
Computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, that enable a wireless telephone handset originally acquired from the operator of a wireless telecommunications network or retailer no later than ninety days after the effective date of this exemption to connect to a different wireless telecommunications network, if the operator of the wireless communications network to which the handset is locked has failed to unlock it within a reasonable period of time following a request by the owner of the wireless telephone handset, and when circumvention is initiated by the owner, an individual consumer, who is also the owner of the copy of the computer program in such wireless telephone handset, solely in order to connect to a different wireless telecommunications network, and such access to the network is authorized by the operator of the network.

This exemption is a modification of the proponents’ proposal. It permits the circumvention of computer programs on mobile phones to enable such mobile phones to connect to alternative networks (often referred to as “unlocking”), but with limited applicability. In order to align the exemption to current market realities, it applies only to mobile phones acquired prior to the effective date of the exemption or within 90 days thereafter.  - US Library of Congress. 

Read More | Library of Congress

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (1)
• Email this story

Just as Apple promised at its iPad mini event, the new iPad mini is now available for pre-order, as is the 4th generation iPad. We are guessing these are going to go fairly quickly, so if you wanna get one delivered on the November 2 launch day, you'd better hurry over to Apple's online store to place your order.

Read More | Apple Store

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story

Macminicolo gotten ahold of the newly refreshed Mac mini and has found that it scores nicely with Geekbench. Some good take aways: the Mac Mini line is now on the same level as a Mac Pro and Xserve from 2010, assuming in stock configuration. Ram is now DDR3 at 1600MHZ, has Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors and it clearly shows in the chart. The Mac Mini server includes the Fusion drive, which should make things that much more snappy.

"We’ve now been able to benchmark the Mac minis with the great Geekbench. Keep in mind these are the standard build minis, with the stock hard drives and RAM. We’ll load some up with 16GB of RAM and SSDs to see their top performances. But for now, here are the three new minis compared to minis past."

Read More | Macminicolo

• Tools:
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Comments (0)
• Email this story