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Monday, November 8, 2010

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PlayStation 3's Bluetooth headset slims down, shines on, adorns ears later this month

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 10:28 AM PST

My, what a difference a couple years makes. As we suspected, Sony is updating its old Bluetooth headset design with a decidedly more elegant model. Here's what we've got: dual mics, USB pairing, in-game status indicator, a charge cradle that doubles as a desktop mic, and of course, a giant mute button for when you have only moments to smack yourself in the ear and curse loudly about your good-for-nothing teammates. It's also smaller and glossier -- and rocking the same $49.99 price tag. When's it arriving? Soon, later this month. When is that, exactly? Have patience.

Microsoft slide chronicles the journey from Portable Media Center to Windows Phone 7

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 10:10 AM PST

In case you missed it, Wired has a new piece out on the (very brief) history of Windows Phone 7. Unfortunately, the article pulls all punches, and skates through some bizarre statements from Microsofties, including calling Kin "a worthwhile risk that resulted in important lessons," and the real head scratcher of the piece: "Software is like making a movie and building a skyscraper. You're not quite sure how it's going to stand until it comes out in the end." Still, we were glad to find this slide (pictured above) in the article's photo gallery, chronicling the journey of the Metro design language from Microsoft's ill-fated Portable Media Center, to the vaguely successful Zune products, and around at last to the newly available Windows Phone 7. A bit of comeuppance for 2004's ahead-of-its-time, PlaysForSure-laden iPod killer? We like to think so.

Rhapsody on Android now works offline, but still goes online too (video)

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 09:50 AM PST

Rhapsody on Android now works offline, but still goes online too (video)
Rhapsody member on Android? Your life just got a little sweeter. Following up on August's iPhone update and in the footsteps of other downloadable streaming services like Slacker Radio, Rhapsody's Android app now offers playlists that don't turn into pauselists when you go offline. Subscribers paying the $10 per month can now make a list of whatever tracks they want (including full albums of content available on the service) and download those to the phone, where they can be played back even if there isn't even a whiff of network connectivity in the air. Naturally we're guessing the DRM is strong with these tracks and they'll surely only be playable through the Rhapsody app itself, but if you have a long flight ahead and need a bunch of fresh tunes to come along you could certainly do worse.

Nokia E7 starts shipping December 10th

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 09:03 AM PST

We can imagine that the wait's been an excruciating one for wannabe E7 owners who've been restraining themselves from buying an N8 instead... but the good news is that the wait isn't that much longer. Nokia has announced on Twitter today that the 4-inch tilting QWERTY handset -- a phone Espoo has labeled the true successor to the storied Communicator series -- will start shipping out on the 10th of next month, though exact availability dates and times will undoubtedly vary a bit from market to market. The company has been quick to note that today's wild Symbian Foundation news has no effect on the existing range of Symbian^3 devices being launched as we close out the year, so the question is: who's buying?

Samsung shows off 70-inch 'Ultra Definition' 3DTV

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 08:39 AM PST

Continuing a fine tradition of large, high resolution prototype displays, Samsung Electronics picked today to show off its latest innovation, in the form of the world's first 70-inch, "Ultra Definition" 240Hz 3DTV. That UD tag indicates a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels that puts your current HDTV and even larger projection 1080p 3D units to shame. The big deal in this version is the super high speed silicon Samsung has developed to drive all those pixels fast enough to support smooth motion and 3D viewing -- glasses still required, of course.

Editorial: Should your next mobile OS update cost you?

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 08:15 AM PST

Will that fancy new smartphone you're looking at buying run a version of Android that hasn't even been announced yet? Or that Nokia 5800 -- where's the Symbian^3 upgrade? Has the lack of commitment on a launch date for the webOS 2.0 upgrade stopped you from buying a Pre on Sprint? The balance between the relative importance of hardware and software in the smartphone industry is definitely teetering toward the software side these days for a number of reasons: screens have no need to get any bigger or higher-resolution, processors likely can't get much faster without a significant advance in battery technology, and we're reaching a point where we're all going to have HD camcorders in our pockets capable of taking still shots that'll put even higher-end point-and-shoots to shame. So when you stabilize the hardware like that -- that is, you get to the point where manufacturers are iterating essentially the same large slate over and over again with marginally better specs -- the spotlight starts to fix squarely on the software underneath.

That is to say, whether a phone receives "good" operating system builds (and receives them on a timely basis) really makes or breaks its retail success now more than ever before. All too often, the question isn't whether a particular device is great, it's whether the manufacturer and carrier have committed to upgrading it -- quite often to a version of its operating system that hasn't officially been announced. It's a recipe for confusion and paralysis among consumers that really don't have a great reason to be putting off their purchases -- they just want a reasonable assurance that their new phones aren't going to be regarded as "obsolete" in six or nine months. And why shouldn't they?

The evolution of the smartphone, in many ways, is like watching a rerun of the evolution of the PC on a fifteen-year delay -- but this is one aspect that's completely foreign.

The evolution of the smartphone, in many ways, is like watching a rerun of the evolution of the PC on a fifteen-year delay -- but this is one aspect that's completely foreign. When in the PC's history did we iterate either hardware or software this quickly? In what alternate dimension could the desktop you bought in January be discontinued and virtually unsupported by fall? We wouldn't dare question the pace of innovation -- faster is always better -- but just as hardware appears to be reaching a steady state, it seems like owners should be able to hold on for phones longer, too.

That's going to take some commitments from people and companies with a lot of power and a lot of ulterior motives, not all of them aligned. It's also going to take some shifts in philosophy, the way we think about phones, on a very broad scale. But it doesn't seem impossible. Consider this: the modern smartphone is a personal computer in every sense of the word. In fact, we'd argue that it's "the new PC." As such, the hardware and software should be decoupled. Heck -- even Apple, the most famously-closed ecosystem in the entire technology industry, decouples hardware from software insomuch that Macs are released on a timetable completely unrelated to that of Mac OS and can be upgraded -- at a cost -- for many years, at the owner's leisure.

But can it be decoupled? Technologically, has the smartphone industry painted itself into a corner here? Well, quite the opposite, really. ARM has come to wield such extreme dominance in the mobile space at this point that operating system vendors -- Google, Palm, the Symbian Foundation / Nokia, and so on -- only need to target a couple generations of ARM architectures and little (really, nothing) else. Alternatives like Hitachi's SH architecture have long since fallen out of favor, and x86 is still a non-factor. Ironically, it was (and continues to be) x86's dominance in the PC space that allowed desktop hardware and software to be decoupled so elegantly over the past thirty years; to this day, you could install, say, MS-DOS 5 on your brand new Core i7 gaming rig if you really wanted to. Amazing, when you think about it.

The point is that Android, Symbian, webOS, Windows Phone 7, and the rest of the pack should be able to advance with almost total disregard for the hardware business, knowing they're resolution-independent (within reason) and they can expect to target an ARMv6 or ARMv7 core. That's about it. The rest of the magic happens through drivers provided by the manufacturer and its products' component suppliers. Sounds kind of PC-like, doesn't it? Kind of how you'd install an operating system, automatically receive some baseline functionality using least-common-denominator hardware drivers, then install specialized drivers for your machine's video, sound, and network cards?

We're proposing you should be able to install it on any Android smartphone (or tablet, we suppose) on day one, assuming it meets 2.3's minimum hardware spec requirements.

So here's what we're getting at: say Android 2.3 comes out. It "hits store shelves." We're proposing you should be able to install it on any Android smartphone (or tablet, we suppose) on day one, assuming it meets 2.3's minimum hardware spec requirements. Yes, granted -- for most modern mobile platforms, that'll require some extremely user-friendly, foolproof tools for kernel compilation -- but it's not science fiction. It's not out of the realm of reason. It can be done.

Of course, barring a descent into communism, there needs to be some economic impetus to this. As it stands today, manufacturers -- be they Apple, HTC, Samsung, whomever -- decide whether (and when) to offer updates to devices based on market impact, not on the needs of existing owners alone. You're much more likely to see a timely update to a new version of a platform for a high-profile device that's still being sold, for example, then you are for one that's been discontinued. So what we're proposing is that these guys move away from the practice of offering no-charge updates for some indeterminate period of time (and on some indeterminate schedule) that best suits their shareholders and toward a practice of offering them quickly, if not immediately, for a fee. We pay to upgrade to Windows 7, we pay to upgrade to Snow Leopard, we're sure we'll be paying to upgrade to Lion. Why wouldn't we pay for Android 2.3 or webOS 2.0? Yes, sure, Google provides the core of 2.3 at no charge -- but just like vendors of Linux distros for the desktop, we think manufacturers have the right to charge for the time and effort they put into adding support for their devices and for offering technical support to customers over the long haul. Done correctly (and priced correctly), it seems like a fair trade to us.

The elephant in the room that we haven't mentioned, though, is the carrier. No network operator in the world will ever accept its role as a dumb pipe; they'll be subsidizing, branding, and generally ruining devices until the day you die... and then they'll install Bing on your tombstone. And that's fine -- maybe we just go ahead and leave carriers out of this little plan, letting the branded phones wither on the vine as they often do. You can't win 'em all. But for our money -- our $500 or more in unbranded, unsubsidized money, that is -- we see no reason we can't make this work.

Would you pay for an operating system update on your phone?

OCZ RevoDrive X2 PCIe SSD reviewed: blisteringly fast in every conceivable way

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 07:53 AM PST

Hard to say why OCZ Technology pushed out revision two of its RevoDrive so soon after the original launched, but it's hard to complain with numbers like this. Just in time to shock the performance hound in your life with an outlandish Christmas gift comes the RevoDrive X2, and this here PCIe SSD solution has now been benchmarked to the hilt. The bottom line? It's fast. Really fast. In fact, Hot Hardware calls it "simply one of the fastest PCI Express based SSD solutions" that they have tested, noting that it went toe-to-toe with Fusion-io's ioXtreme while costing a good bit less. Critics over at Tweak Town echoed those thoughts, and while both teams felt the $680 asking price for a 240GB model was a touch pricey, neither felt that it wasn't worth it if you've got the coin laying around. Hit the links below for more charts than you'd ever want to see as an eight grader.

Time Warner Cable rolling out Look Back service to the masses

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 07:29 AM PST

Time Warner has been running trials of its Look Back service for a year or so in various markets, but it's finally ready to bring it to the Real America. The feature lets good, honest folk go back and watch shows they've missed for up to three days after they've aired, with no need to set a DVR -- it's basically on demand content with a better name and no charge. Shows will be available to watch immediately after they've aired. Look for it to hit a coax cable near you very soon.
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Time Warner Cable Launches Look Back®

Digital Customers Can Go Back Up To Three Days To Watch Shows They Missed

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Time Warner Cable today announced the launch of Look Back®, a free feature that gives Digital Video customers the ability to go back within a three-day window to watch shows they may have missed without setting their DVR. Look Back® will launch with 48 channels (24 in HD and 24 in Standard Definition) with a consistent lineup across cable systems. Customers can access Look Back® programming content immediately after it has aired on the network channel.

After completing successful market trials in several cities, the company is launching this feature in multiple areas, including New York, New England, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin and parts of Texas. Look Back® complements the company's Start Over feature, which allows a customer to restart a program in progress, and its On Demand offerings, which are generally available one to eight days after original air time.

"Look Back® gives customers the ability to further time-shift and achieve more control over the programming they want to watch," stated Melinda Witmer, Executive Vice President and Chief Programming Officer for Time Warner Cable. "There is no need to set a DVR and no worries about getting special equipment. Look Back® is easy, fast and simple for all of us with busy schedules."

To use this feature, Digital Video customers simply use the "Select" button on their remote control then choose Look Back® to find a program. The available window for these programs will be 72 hours. For example, if a show airs from 8:00-9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, customers can view that show immediately after it has aired until 9:00 p.m. on Friday. Customers may also pause and rewind their program selection.

For a complete channel lineup and more information on Look Back®, please visit the Time Warner Cable website at: http://www.timewarnercable.com/Localization/LinkLocalizer.ashx?linkid=166

About Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable is the second-largest cable operator in the U.S., with technologically advanced, well-clustered systems located in five geographic areas - New York State (including New York City), the Carolinas, Ohio, Southern California (including Los Angeles) and Texas. Time Warner Cable serves more than 14.7 million customers who subscribe to one or more of its video, high-speed data and voice services. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers a suite of phone, Internet, Ethernet and cable television services to businesses of all sizes. Time Warner Cable Media Sales, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions that are targeted and affordable. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.timewarnercable.com, www.twcbc.com and www.twcmediasales.com.

Mintpass planning a dual-screen, dual boot tablet for 2011

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 07:06 AM PST

Mintpass, the Korean firm known for its Mintpad tablet (as well as a few baubles, including a flashlight that looks curiously like a chapstick tube and the Cube MP3 player), has recently announced that it will soon be releasing a dual-touchscreen, dual OS device. We don't have too many details yet, but we do know that it's, um, slated to ship with Windows 7 and Android, as well as Android Market access and some sort of feature called "Space Touch" (which we have no details about but sounds pretty awesome nonetheless). Like the Toshiba Libretto W100, this will be able to either operate as two independent displays or, when folded up like a laptop, feature the keyboard on one display with your apps on the other. The company is currently looking for a manufacturer and plans on launching the thing sometime next year.

Nokia taking over Symbian development, Foundation responsible for licensing

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 06:35 AM PST

So it seems the Symbian Foundation isn't necessarily going away, but it's transitioning its role in a big, big way. They're undertaking a "strategic change" that will involve the Foundation moving to a new role where it controls the product's patent portfolio and licenses the Symbian brand and its research and development activities, but the meat of the operation -- the actual platform development -- will move over to Nokia beginning the end of March next year. For its part, Nokia says that it's still "strongly committed" to the platform, it just won't be the Foundation throwing it together. Interestingly, the Symbian Exposition is this week in Amsterdam, so we suspect we'll be hearing a lot more about this over the next few days. Is it just us, or is Mr. Elop making his presence felt very, very quickly? For what it's worth, the Foundation is explaining that a board meeting held just today played a big role in this decision and sudden announcement -- though there was a call for media, we received notice of it just minutes before the event. Follow the break for both Symbian's and Nokia's press releases.

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Nokia commits to make the Symbian platform available under an alternative open model

AMSTERDAM, SYMBIAN EXCHANGE & EXPOSITION (SEE), NOVEMBER 8, 2010 – Following a strategy review, the board of the Symbian Foundation has today decided to transition the role of the non-profit organisation. The foundation will become a legal entity responsible for licensing software and other intellectual property, such as the Symbian trademark. Nokia has committed to make the future development of the Symbian platform available to the ecosystem via an alternative direct and open model.

"The founding board members took a bold strategic step in setting up the foundation, which was absolutely the right decision at the time," says Tim Holbrow, executive director, Symbian Foundation. "There has since been a seismic change in the mobile market but also more generally in the economy, which has led to a change in focus for some of our funding board members. The result of this is that the current governance structure for the Symbian platform – the foundation - is no longer appropriate.

"However, the platform enjoys strong support from some of the largest and most innovative device creators in the world. And we continue to see solid momentum behind the platform, with 25 percent of all Symbian-based devices shipping in the last 12 months.*

"I'm immensely proud of the work we've done at the Symbian Foundation. Perhaps most notably, in the last year we've delivered the biggest open source project ever in releasing the entire Symbian codebase under an open source license, and we did it four months ahead of schedule."

The first phase of the foundation's transition will involve a reduction in operations and staff numbers. By April 2011, the Symbian Foundation will be governed by a group of non-executive directors tasked with overseeing the organisation's licensing function.

"Nokia remains committed to Symbian as the most used smartphone platform around the world," said Jo Harlow, senior vice president, Smartphones, Nokia. "The Nokia N8 generated the highest online pre-orders we've ever experienced and we have a family of Symbian^3 smartphones including the Nokia N8, Nokia C7, and Nokia C6-01 which are available now, as well as the Nokia E7 which is expected to ship before the end of 2010. Nokia expects to sell more than 50 million Symbian^3 smartphones."

The Symbian Foundation leadership team will work together with Nokia to ensure that the reduction in operations of the foundation will bring as little disruption to the ecosystem as possible. Further details of this process will be shared at a later date.

Today's announcement does not affect the Symbian Exchange & Exposition (SEE 2010), which will commence on November 9th in Amsterdam. SEE 2010 will bring together attendees from over 55 countries to engage, exchange and explore opportunities offered by the Symbian platform. For more information about the event, visit www.see2010.org.

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Nokia reaffirms commitment to Symbian platform

As Symbian Foundation announces changes, a new era of Symbian development and innovation begins

Espoo, Finland - Following an announcement by the board of the Symbian Foundation that it will be transitioning from its current operational activities to become a licensing operation only, Nokia today reaffirmed its commitment to the Symbian platform. Nokia plans to continue to invest its own resources in developing Symbian, the world's most widely used smartphone platform, and expects to deliver a strong portfolio of Symbian-based smartphones to people around the world.

"The future of Symbian as a platform does not depend on the existence of the foundation," said Jo Harlow, Senior Vice President, Smartphones, Nokia. "The changes announced by the foundation have no impact on Nokia's Symbian device roadmaps or shipping commitments. The platform powers hundreds of millions of smartphones - including our own - and we expect to deliver ongoing support and innovation benefitting the Symbian ecosystem in the future."

Nokia's recent decision to focus on Qt as its sole application development framework is expected to bring greater efficiency and speed of evolution to the Symbian platform. This approach is aimed at ensuring compatibility for apps with future Symbian platform versions, and enables more frequent updates and upgrades for Nokia smartphones. To take advantage of this ever-growing opportunity, developers can find the tools and support they need through Forum Nokia, and global distribution to Nokia's broad base of smartphones through Ovi Store.

Nokia is the volume market leader in smartphones and the company's commitment to the Symbian platform is unchanged. Nokia smartphones based on the new Symbian platform include the Nokia N8, Nokia C7 and the new Nokia C6-01 which are available now, as well as the upcoming Nokia E7 which is expected to ship before the end of 2010. Nokia expects to sell more than 50 million Symbian^3-based devices.

Israel to activate SMS missile alert system next year

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 06:20 AM PST

This one's been talked about since the middle of last year (at least), but it looks as if the time for contemplating is over and done with. It's bruited that the Israel Defense Forces will be moving forward on a plan to light up a new cellular system that will blast out SMS alerts to citizens if and when a missile is fired in the direction of Israel. Just over $7 million will be invested, with the application itself being jointly designed by eVigilo and Ericsson. If all goes well, it'll be operational in June of 2011, and it's just one aspect of the country's effort to consolidate all emergency alerts into one centralized system. We're told that the blasts would be sent in a variety of languages, and there's even potential to send 'em to TVs, radios, websites and "billboards." And unlike various other SMS emergency alert systems that have been implemented, these would actually differ based on how the threat was forecasted to affect different geographic regions. Something tells us eVigilo's going to become a multinational company in no time.

Rocketfish serves up 4-port WirelessHD kit, wireless headphones

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 05:35 AM PST

Remember the FlyWire? Time to fuhgettaboutit it. While Belkin saw fit to kill the flagship wireless HDMI product of the last decade, a number of other firms have moved forward with similar ideas -- thankfully for far less cheddar in many cases. Take this guy, for instance. Best Buy's in-house Rocketfish label has just introduced a four-port WirelessHD kit, which consists of two separate pieces that work in unison to pipe 1080p content from up to four HDMI sources (one at a time, obviously) to a single HDMI-equipped display. It's utilizing the same 60GHz WirelessHD protocol that's been hanging around for years, and supposedly it can operate with around 33 feet of space between boxes. There's support for 3D video, CEC remote functionality and surround sound, and it'll even auto-sense which HDMI socket is active and change over to that one for you. At $299.99, it's definitely one of the cheaper ways to cut an HDMI cable from your setup, but only time will tell if artifacting is an issue. In semi-related news, Rocketfish is also debuting a set of wireless cans at $119.99, with the full details on those waiting just after the break.
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Best Buy Simplifies Home Theater With Two New Rocketfish Products

4-Port WirelessHD Kit and Rocketboost Wireless Stereo Headphones replace cord clutter, bringing easy connectivity to HDTV installation and high-performance personal audio

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer, today announced the arrival of two new Rocketfish™ products available exclusively at Best Buy. Both the 4-Port WirelessHD™ Kit and Rocketboost™ Wireless Stereo Headphones simplify home theater experiences by offering easy solutions to connect and enjoy content, eliminating the need for the complex cords and hassle that can limit where HDTVs are installed or where and how people enjoy personal audio throughout the home.

Available for $299.99, the Rocketfish 4-Port WirelessHD Kit sends full HD 1080p HDMI signals (including 3D) up to 32 feet without wires, presenting a simple, affordable solution for installing HD video where cables are not possible-such as over a fireplace or with ceiling-mounted HD projectors. The Rocketfish WirelessHD kit can also help reduce clutter by enabling easy wall mounting of an HDTV while "hiding" source components out of sight.

The 4-port WirelessHD kit operates in the 60GHz frequency range for crystal-clear, interference free wireless audio/video transmission without any type of signal compression or "bit-dropping" – just as if the components were connected with a high-speed HDMI cable. With four HDMI inputs on the auto-switching transmitter and latency of less than 4 milliseconds, the kit is perfect for all HDMI connections, including fast-action gaming systems, and is easy to set up and operate.

Priced at $119.99, the Rocketfish Rocketboost Wireless Stereo Headphones provide uncompressed digital CD-quality sound that can be streamed from any audio component in the house, including an HDTV, disc or portable music player. Included with the headphones is a docking station that, when connected to other devices, lets consumers listen to music around the home wirelessly with an over-the-ear design that fits comfortably for hours of enjoyment.

Many Rocketfish products take advantage of Rocketboost Wireless Audio technology, utilizing standard connections for speaker line and line level inputs, and designed for compatibility with almost any brand of equipment. In addition to the new Rocketboost Wireless Stereo Headphones launching today, the Rocketfish line of Rocketboost enabled simplified connectivity solutions also includes a Wireless Amplified Audio Receiver, a Wireless Sender/Receiver, a Wireless Outdoor Speaker and a Wireless HD Audio Starter Kit, among others.

Consumers can see the Rocketfish 4-port WirelessHD Kit and Rocketboost Wireless Stereo Headphones at all Best Buy retail locations or learn more at bestbuy.com. Key features include:

Rocketfish 4-Port Wireless HD Kit

* Connects up to 4 HDMI source components to transmitter
* Compatible with 1080p/60 and 3D video
* Supports HDMI CEC remote control functionality, also includes IR remote for port switching on components that do not support CEC
* Receiver can be mounted to wall or ceiling (bracket included)
* Includes two 4ft Rocketfish HDMI cables (model RF-G1160a)

Rocketfish Rocketboost Wireless Stereo Headphones

* Compatible with all Rocketboost Wireless products
* Headphones receive audio from other Rocketboost products
* Docking station sends audio to headphones and other Rocketboost products
* Works with all other audio components (TV, CD/DVD player, mp3 player)
* High-performance audio - uncompressed digital CD-quality sound, adjustable volume control
* Easy to Use - Easy setup, rechargeable batteries with convenient base docking station

ASSET speed camera also checks your seatbelt, insurance, can call the police all by its lonesome

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 05:13 AM PST

ASSET speed camera also checks your seatbelt, insurance, can call the police all by its lonesomeSpeed cameras have dubious legality in many places here in the States, but over in Europe they're an ugly fact of life. Now they're getting smarter, and the first is going into deployment in Finland. It's called ASSET, the Advanced Safety and Driver Support for Essential Road Transport, which confusingly abbreviates to ASDSERT and is the product of £7 million in government funding and years of development. Each of the £50,000 (about $80,000) cameras can naturally tell just how fast you're going and, if you're speeding, take a picture of you and your license plate number. That's just the beginning. It can also look up the status of your insurance, tell if you're wearing a seatbelt, and ding you for tailgaiting, all while sitting alone on the side of the road, relying on a wireless data connection and an internal generator to be totally self-sufficient. Whether or not this is scary depends largely on your propensity for speed, but know that the things will be getting built into police cars soon and will shortly be heading over here to our big, wide American highways

Motorola Droid Pro official on Verizon: $179.99 after rebate, pre-sales begin November 9th

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 04:49 AM PST

Exactly as suspected, the Droid Pro will start its Verizon retail adventure tomorrow, with pre-sales at selected VZW stores and the carrier's online outlet, to be followed by its proper shelf debut on November 18th. Price is set at $179.99 on a two-year contract, provided you're happy to take care of a $100 mail-in rebate. Moto will be hoping business types lap this offer up, as it has equipped the Droid Pro with an unusual (outside of RIM's realm) portrait QWERTY keyboard as well as a dual-mode CDMA/GSM wireless chip. A 3.1-inch display, 1GHz of processing power, and a 5 megapixel autofocus cam fill out the spec sheet. Jump past the break for the full press release.
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DROID PRO by Motorola Now Available on the Nation's Largest and Most Reliable 3G Network

DROID Does Business with Global Android Smartphone from Verizon Wireless

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation's largest and most reliable wireless 3G network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), today announced that DROID PRO, the first Android™-based smartphone optimized for business use, will be available as a pre-sale order at select Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com starting Nov. 9 and for purchase in stores starting Nov. 18. The DROID PRO will be available for $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

DROID PRO, a global-ready Android smartphone, allows customers to enjoy wireless voice service in more than 220 countries and data coverage in more than 200 countries, with more than 120 with 3G speeds. Powered by Android 2.2, DROID PRO is packed with features that meet both business and personal needs such as pre-loaded Quickoffice Mobile Suite, 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities, and a QWERTY keyboard designed for speed and convenience.

Verizon Wireless customers who purchase DROID PRO will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. DROID PRO customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan (beginning at $39.99 monthly access) and a 3G Smartphone Plan.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

To learn more about DROID PRO, visit http://news.vzw.com/news/2010/10/pr2010-10-05.html.

Open Handset Alliance member confirms Android 2.3 is Gingerbread, coming soon to Nexus One

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 04:10 AM PST

Open Handset Alliance member confirms Android 2.3 is Gingerbread, coming to Nexus One in 'next few days'
For an "Open" Handset Alliance, Google has been keeping its cards rather close to its chest when it comes to the oft-discussed Gingerbread flavor of Android, specifically whether it would be another point release or could it be spicy enough to knock us up to 3.0. Now it's looking confirmed that Gingerbread is indeed 2.3, with Alvaro Fuentes Vasquez, member of the leadership team at the Open Handset Alliance (and who shall now be known as "The Gingerbread Man"), delivering this tweet:
Prepare your Nexus One (Developer version) for Android OTA update 2.3 (Gingerbread) in the next few days :-D
That's some good news for many N1 owners, and of course means it's time for those who possess other Android handsets to start with the hoping and the waiting.

Soundfreaq's SFQ-01 Bluetooth audio system exemplifies gorgeous

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 04:00 AM PST

Can't say we've ever heard of Soundfreaq, but it's safe to say said company has our attention now. The newly introduced SFQ-01 Bluetooth audio system is easily one of the most stunning we've seen, and since it accepts BT commands, it'll play nice with just about any mobile phone and / or PMP in the modern era. As for aural qualifications, you're looking at Kevlar-reinforced balanced drivers (2.75-inch), an acoustically tuned dual-port chamber and a UQ3 spatial enhancement processor, all of which presumably combine to deliver pure nirvana straight to your ear canal. Doubly so if listening to Cobain. You'll also find an inbuilt FM radio tuner as well as a 3.5 millimeter auxiliary input, but you won't spot the unit itself anywhere other than Target; it'll ship there later this month for $199.
Soundfreaq's SFQ-01 Bluetooth audio system

HTC said to be working on its own app store, would make a lot of Sense

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 03:28 AM PST

Keen readers of the Financial Times will have been greeted this morning by a nice little bit of insider information regarding HTC's future software plans. We already knew the phone maker was keen to play a more active role in the softer parts of the smartphone experience it offers, but two new sources have come forward with word that HTC is actively hiring new staff in preparation for setting up its very own app store. The HTCSense.com cloud service that recently launched with the Desire HD and Desire Z Android models in Europe looks like the first step toward that goal, with its HTC Hub area already acting as an app discovery assistant -- it wouldn't be terribly difficult to include an extra section in it for HTC's own application offerings. That's not to say that this would be an Android exclusive thing, however, as HTC already boasts a selection of ten apps on Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 platform and it would seem quite logical that it'd want an organized repository where it could sort through all its wares.

Qualcomm says all options are on the table for FLO TV, including sale of spectrum

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 03:09 AM PST

FLO TV may be dead as we know it, but it's still a significant asset for Qualcomm, and it looks like the company is keeping all options on the table for what to do with it. As CEO Paul Jacobs himself laid out during a recent analysts' conference call, that includes a possible restructuring of FLO TV's wholesale business model, a joint venture with a third party, or a complete shutdown of the service and sale of its sure-to-be-valuable 700MHz spectrum. On that latter possibility, there's apparently been some "strong interest" from various parties looking to use he FLO TV network or spectrum for one purpose or another, although specifics beyond that are obviously still being kept under wraps.

Sprint's ZTE Peel embracing your iPod touch sans contract on November 14th?

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 02:44 AM PST

Still clinging on to your iPod touch in the hope that Sprint will one day launch an iPhone? Well, it's rather early to make a call, but news has it that we may get the next best thing very soon. According to our buddies over at BGR, the ZTE Peel that we saw a little while back is apparently hitting Sprint on November 14th, which is merely a week from today. Sadly, no one knows yet how much this 3G router case will cost, but both BGR and our own sources have confirmed that it'll be availble on a contract-free 1GB data plan for $29.99 per month. Meanwhile, you may consider the Apple Peel 520 that can actually turn your jailbroken iPod touch into a phone, or grab yourself an Overdrive and duct tape for some hot WiMAX Skype action.

[Thanks, Delon H.]

Omnio WOWKeys and iPhone team up to build a better Eee Keyboard

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 02:08 AM PST

Why just dock your iPhone when you can create an iOS-based Eee Keyboard instead? What you're looking at is a Made for iPhone keyboard called WOWKeys from Omnio. The $100 USB keyboard / iPhone (3GS or 4) dock is Mac or PC compatible (note the cohabitation of the Windows flag and Command key in the prototype images after the break) featuring 15 hotkeys designed for iPhone use. Of course, you can also load up any number of apps to turn the iPhone into a media center remote control, multi-touch trackpad, and soon an AirPlay media streamer when iOS 4.2 is released. That makes the whole ensemble a pretty versatile ARM-based computer and smartphone. Someone remind us of the advantages of that $600ish Atom-based ASUS all-in-one PC running XP again?

Update: Added gallery of product renders below and a description of the shortcut keys after the break.
Omnio WOWKeys and iPhone team up to build a better Eee Keyboard

Sharp Touch Wood concept turns real with limited run of 15,000 handsets on NTT DoCoMo

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 01:29 AM PST

You might have expected Sharp's pebble-shaped Touch Wood concept to remain just that, a concept, but the eclectic Japanese market has found a spot in its heart to fit 15,000 units of the curvy, wood-trimmed cellphone. Built from locally sourced cypress timber, each handset will have its own unique pattern and color, while the innards will be filled with a five megapixel imager, a 3.4-inch (854 x 480) display, a MicroSDHC expansion slot, and your usual GSM and 3G wireless radios. You can get yours through NTT DoCoMo some time around February or March.

NASA budgets $15 million for hypersonic flight

Posted: 08 Nov 2010 12:46 AM PST

You're probably familiar with supersonic planes like the SR-71 Blackbird pictured above, which managed to fly at over three times the speed of sound, but imagine this: NASA set aside $15 million to develop a hypersonic plane that could exit our atmosphere at speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 20. The US space agency's not expecting to build it quite that cheaply, of course, and it's not holding out hope for a contractor to build the entire plane just yet -- the organization intends to fund some sixteen smaller science and engineering projects (ranging from "how to build a Mach 8+ engine" to "predicting hypersonic fluid dynamics") and letting would-be government contractors pick and choose. Know how to quantify baseline turbulent aeroheating uncertainty in a hypersonic environment? You've got until November 23rd to get your proposal in.

Update: As some have pointed out in comments, hypersonic flight isn't unprecedented -- NASA spent eighteen years developing and testing the X-15 space plane starting in 1951, which reached Mach 6.7 using a rocket engine.

[Thanks, Gadi]

LG L-03C has 3x optical zoom, 12 megapixel CCD sensor, Xenon flash -- and it can make phone calls!

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 11:53 PM PST

Dear Nokia and Samsung, please come to reception to collect your old and busted 12 megapixel cameraphones. The new king of the phonecamera heap, in appearance at least, has arrived in the shape of LG's L-03C. It comes with a retractable 3x optical zoom lens from Pentax, a 12 megapixel CCD sensor, a Xenon flash, and a 720p movie recording mode. The L-03C is also intentionally styled to remind users of the more timeless compact camera designs of the past (and present) and it's only by entering the NTT DoCoMo OS and hitting up the dialer that you discover that it's also a cellular phone to boot. In spite of its 3-inch display and 800 x 480 resolution, this is still strictly just a featurephone, but it's sure put in a lot of work to make sure one of those features stands out. Look out for it in Japan from this January.

Toshiba rolls out Blade X-gale SSD modules, makes MacBook Air storage look a little less proprietary

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 11:12 PM PST

One of the most impressive aspects of Apple's recent MacBook Air redesign was undeniably the shift to ultrathin flash storage modules that could cram your gigabytes of data into picoliters of space. Needless to say, that's the sort of storage we could all do with in our lives and today Toshiba's doing us a solid by introducing its Blade X-gale SSD line to the wider world. It's basically the same stuff as in the Airs, sans Apple's bombastic marketing, and while the new SSD modules are not yet readily available to buy by consumers (who wouldn't have anywhere to put them in their laptops anyhow), system integrators are all free to start building around them as of today. The 64GB and 128GB modules are only 2.2mm tall, while the double-stacked 256GB option is 3.7mm in height, and all three can reach speeds of 220MBps while reading or 180MBps when writing. Full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
Toshiba Introduces High Performance Blade-Type SSD Modules with Capacities up to 256GB

At a Thickness of 2.2mm, the 128GB Module is 42 Percent Thinner than the Typical mSATA Form Factor

IRVINE, Calif., and TOKYO, Nov. 7, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba Corp. (Toshiba) and Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)* today announced the Blade X-gale™ SSD series, an innovative new form factor in high capacity, high performance solid-state storage. Available now, the new drives are offered in capacities of 64-gigabyte (GB) (1), 128GB and 256GB, with a maximum sequential read speed of 220MB per second (MB/s) (2) and a maximum sequential write speed of 180MB/s. Ideally suited for integration into space-sensitive products, including tablet PCs, laptops, mini-mobile and netbook PCs, Toshiba's latest SSD offering helps these devices achieve a super slim profile.

"Delivering a product that enables superior user experience in a smaller footprint is the ultimate goal," noted Scott Nelson, vice president, Memory Business Unit, Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. "The density of MLC NAND enables the creation of smaller form factor high density storage solutions, and Toshiba, as the technology leader for NAND storage solutions, will continue to innovate in this space."

As mobile devices get smaller and lighter, yet even more feature packed than ever, the SSDs inside them – the heart of storing all of the music and other entertainment data – must be even smaller, and much thinner. Toshiba's new 64GB and 128GB Blade X-gale SSDs are the thinnest available within the company's comprehensive portfolio of SSD solutions. At a thickness of 2.2mm, the modules are 42 percent thinner than that of a typical mSATA SSD, and Toshiba's advanced wiring technology has assured optimized wiring layouts and data transfer rates in this new form factor. Thanks to Toshiba's base design technology that minimizes board warpage during thinning, 256GB capacity can be achieved when mounted on both sides, the largest density in the industry for small type SSD modules. Toshiba also offers designers a choice of mSATA and Half-Slim SSD modules in capacities up to 128GB.

"Until recently, storage designers looking for high capacity storage had accommodated the size of HDD into their designs," continued Nelson. "Up to this point, SSD designs also followed the basic design of small form factor HDD - which does not fully leverage the capabilities of high density NAND technology. Toshiba's module-based SSDs break with this approach, giving hardware designers greater freedom and flexibility in enabling their product design."

Toshiba will continue to promote innovations that widen the horizons of the NAND Flash market and support the company's continued leadership in that market. As such, Toshiba will generate demand for SSDs in notebook PCs, netbooks, laptops, and digital consumer products by enhancing its line-up, offering products with various densities and interfaces in a range of packages - while also advancing device performance. For more information on Toshiba SSDs, please visit ssd.toshiba.com.

Hanvon to be first with color E Ink reader, sizes it at 10 inches, makes it a touchscreen

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 10:34 PM PST

While Amazon and Sony are still hemming and hawing about taking their ebook-reading adventure into the color E Ink realm, China's Hanvon is plunging straight in. The New York Times is reporting that the company intends to grace this year's FPD International trade show with the news that a 10-inch touchscreen e-reader, equipped with the first color-displaying panels from E Ink Holdings, will be arriving in the Chinese market in March. That's a little later than the originally promised "by the end of 2010," but it's not like anyone else is beating Hanvon to the market. Pricing in China is expected at around $440, and though there are no plans to bring it Stateside just yet, we imagine Hanvon would do so quite willingly if it can reach the volume necessary to offer up a more palatable price. And we'd be very happy if it does, the Nook Color's been looking a little lonely in the color ebook reader room.

Samsung throws up hands, posts Continuum user manual on Verizon website

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 09:53 PM PST

There is a slim possibility that come tomorrow evening, Samsung won't reveal the dual-display Continuum smartphone. But honestly, the company may not have to, as all the pertinent details have already leaked out. However, if you harbor any lingering curiosity about how that 1.8-inch secondary "ticker" display might work, you can find out right now -- the full user manual is inexplicably available on Verizon's website ahead of a formal announcement, along with the standard size comparison and 360-degree views. Find them at our source links immediately below.

Windows Phone 7 now on sale in the US

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 08:56 PM PST

Check it Microsofties, it's time to get back into the game. While some phones have already launched in Europe and beyond, today is the first day that you can put down cash in the US for a Windows Phone 7 device all your own. The Microsoft online Store just loosed the HTC HD7 (T-Mobile), HTC Surround (AT&T), and Samsung Focus (AT&T). Rumor has it that the 4.1-inch Dell Venue Pro (T-Mobile) will be out on shelves at Microsoft retail locations today as well. So why not use that extra hour of wakefulness that Apple provided to think it over?

Update: Prices drop to as low as $149.99 at Dell Mobility (which still doesn't list its own Venue Pro) and $99 at Amazon Wireless when purchased with new service plans. The LG Quantum is up for pre-order too with Amazon claiming an 8 to 9 business day delivery.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

RockMelt social browser launches in limited beta, we go hands-on

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 07:57 PM PST

Been thinking that Firefox or Chrome browser of yours just isn't, say, social enough? Probably not, but RockMelt is hoping that's exactly what you'll think after you try out its web browser. The Mountain View startup, which is backed by web bigwigs such as Marc Andreeseen, has just released its new browser in a limited beta today, and it's -- as you probably may have guessed -- built entirely around social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Using Chromium at its core, the browser naturally looks and feels a lot Chrome -- fret not, Incognito mode is still there -- but there are some clear interface tweaks. As you can see in the screenshot above, the left edge integrates your Facebook friends so you can chat, send messages or check out status updates no matter what site you're visiting. (Oddly, there doesn't seem to be a way to poke from the interface! Blasphemy!) The right column is meant for Twitter and RSS feeds -- both are updated in the background and use "push notifications" to let you know how many unread messages or posts you've got piling up. You can update your statuses from both rails as well as share the site you are reading by just hitting the large share button to the left of the search bar. It's all fairly straightforward and actually works quite well.

However, RockMelt is pitching itself as more than just a sharing platform -- it also claims to have improved the speed and ease of search. Instead of the search box taking you to a Google search page, it brings up the results in a box of its own and allows you to visit the different sites within the browser window -- basically, you don't have to keep clicking back and forth from that Google search page. It's fairly neat, and actually does seem rather snappy. So, when can you try out RockMelt yourself? We wish we had better news, but it's in a limited beta for both Mac and PC, so your best bet is to head over to the source link and give away your Facebook details (if you're cool with forking over that info). Based on our first impressions, it's definitely worth putting your name in the running.
RockMelt hands-on
Show full PR text
RockMelt Re-Imagines the Browser Around Friends, Feeds, and Sharing
Innovative New Browser Builds on Facebook®, Twitter® & Google

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – November 8, 2010 – RockMelt announced limited beta availability of its new browser, designed for how people use the Web today. The company has re-imagined the browser for modern Web users, building in the Web's most popular services. RockMelt enables you to interact and share with friends on Facebook, Twitter and other sites instantly from anywhere on the Web. RockMelt is built on top of Chromium, the open source project behind Google Chrome™, making it fast, secure, and reliable.

RockMelt was founded by Tim Howes and Eric Vishria in November 2008, and is backed by some of the Web's greatest innovators, including the father of the browser, Marc Andreessen.

To sign up for a beta invitation go to http://www.rockmelt.com.

"Today's Web users need a browser that does more than just navigate pages. RockMelt helps people do the things they do every single day – keep up with their friends, share, get updates, and search," said Vishria, RockMelt's co-founder and CEO. "We are very excited to begin offering early access to the RockMelt beta as we begin the race to our first million users."

"RockMelt is onto something huge. They've rethought the browser around the massive shifts in user behavior that will drive the Web over the next decade," said Andreessen, general partner, Andreessen Horowitz. "RockMelt is the freshest, most innovative take on browsing since browsers were created. Eric and Tim have built a stellar team that will continue delivering breakthrough innovations."

A New, Personalized Browser Backed by a Cloud Service
RockMelt has re-imagined the browser experience around how people use the Web today. Logging into RockMelt, through Facebook Platform, unlocks your personal Web experience, where you'll find Facebook, Twitter, and other popular social and Web services directly integrated into the browser. Your friends, feeds, and favorite services are always available, wherever you are online. And because RockMelt is the first browser backed by a cloud service, the experience can go wherever you go.

Key Features of the New RockMelt Browser

RockMelt's key features include:

· Your Friends. RockMelt integrates your Facebook friends directly into the browser, so you're always ready to chat, share a video, or keep up on what your friends are doing, wherever you are on the Web.

· Easier, Faster Sharing. RockMelt builds sharing directly into the browser, allowing you to update status, tweet, or share content on Facebook, Twitter and other services with just one click. No more wading through a different share widget on each site, or copy-pasting URLs.

· Your Favorite Sites. RockMelt is the first browser with push notifications. It keeps track of your favorite sites for you, alerting you when a new story comes out, a friend posts new pictures, or a new video is available, freeing you up from checking the same sites multiple times a day.

· Speedy Search. RockMelt has completely rethought the search experience in the browser, enabling you to get to the right search result radically faster. You get the same great results and suggestions from Google, but RockMelt allows you to quickly flip through results and find just the one you want, without having to click back and forth through a laundry list of URLs.



RockMelt is available for both Mac and Windows.



A Safe, Secure and Fast Web Browser, Built on Chromium
In addition to leveraging Chromium, the foundation of Google Chrome, RockMelt also utilizes open APIs that enable powerful, stable integration with the services people love from Facebook, Twitter, Google, and others.

"RockMelt simply would not be possible without all the great work that has come before us. In particular, we'd like to thank Google for the Chromium open source project, Apple for starting WebKit, and Facebook and Twitter for their APIs, help and support. We are proud and deeply grateful to be able to build on the shoulders of these and other giants," said Tim Howes, RockMelt's Chairman, CTO and co-founder.

RockMelt Backed by Industry Innovators
Along with Andreessen, RockMelt is backed by some of the technology industry's greatest innovators, including Bill Campbell, chairman of the board and former CEO of Intuit, and Apple board member; Ron Conway, legendary angel investor in Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others; Diane Green, co-founder and former CEO of VMWare; Ben Horowitz, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz and former CEO of Opsware; and Josh Kopelman, managing partner at First Round Capital.

For more information, images and product demo, please visit www.rockmelt.com. Read the RockMelt blog and learn more about the company on the RockMelt Facebook fan page or by following RockMelt on Twitter.


About RockMelt

RockMelt's mission is to make the Web easier, faster, and more fun. Founded in November 2008 by Eric Vishria and Tim Howes, the company has re-imagined the browser around how people use the Web today. RockMelt launched a private beta of the RockMelt browser in November 2010. RockMelt is based in Mountain View, CA and backed by Marc Andreessen, Bill Campbell, Ron Conway, Diane Green, Ben Horowitz and Josh Kopelman.

Disclaimer: Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc. Twitter® is a registered trademark of Twitter, Inc. All other product names, logos, brands, and other trademarks referred to herein are the property of their respective trademark owners.

Ben Heck modifies Toshiba Satellite for cramped flights, throws TSA the peace sign (video)

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 07:01 PM PST

So what has technology modder extraordinaire Benjamin J. Heckendorn come up with for his Ben Heck Show this week? Why, a laptop designed to fit on a airplane tray table, thanks to a special swiveling screen. The Coach Section Laptop is a modified Toshiba Satellite with aluminum arms affixed to either side, with slots down the middle upon which the screen's pegs slide. Thumbscrews then tighten to keep the display in place in either of two modes: the standard laptop configuration, or the floating display-over-keyboard setup you see immediately above. Ben himself admits that we're looking at a rough proof of concept for now, but we imagine he'll have a seamless variant on eBay before long -- just as soon as he can figure out where to put that precariously dangling display cord. Video after the break.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: serpentine solar, sustainable studios and shape-shifting shade

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 06:00 PM PST

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week we warmed up for cool days ahead by taking a look inside an incredible igloo made from 322 recycled refrigerators. We also showcased several feats of architecture that harness high-tech systems to achieve exceptional levels of efficiency - the ultra-modern world's most sustainable broadcasting studio, and Santiago Calatrava's shape-shifting pavilion for the Milwaukee Art Museum.

We also saw transportation get a solar-powered supercharge as designer Mans Tham unveiled plans for a serpentine photovoltaic skin for the Santa Monica Freeway. If that seems a bit ostentatious for your taste, then check out this award-winning plan to create roads using sand and bacteria instead of oil. And speaking of eco infrastructure, this week we were thrilled to see the launch of the world's first wireless electric vehicle charger in the UK.

We also showcased several new horizons for ultra-efficient lighting as we shared our top ten picks for stylish LED desk lamps, and took a look at a new interactive night light adorned with fun illuminated Glo balls. Finally, we were blown away by Levi's new WaterLess jeans, which can be produced using up to 96% less water than de rigeur dungarees.

Engadget Podcast 218 - 11.07.2010

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 05:00 PM PST

Hey. Were you living under a rock this week? Were you living in some sort of bomb shelter or trashy warehouse where you couldn't keep up with the week's consumer electronics news? If you were, the Engadget Podcast is a great place to catch up on what you missed in a fun, cool, easy-to-swallow way. Whether it's your first or your 218th, please make sure to welcome this week's edition to your media player of choice - now!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Enter Sandman
Lounge music: Something About Us

00:04:03 - Google TV review
00:11:00 - Sony Internet TV with Google TV review
00:17:00 - Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player with Google TV review
00:21:03 - Logitech Revue gets OTA update, a cure for the framerate jitters?
00:23:24 - Kinect for Xbox 360 review
00:44:53 - Samsung Galaxy Tab review
00:59:45 - T-Mobile myTouch 4G review
01:13:05 - Skyfire disappears from iTunes App Store due to technical difficulties (update: 'sold out')


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ASUS Eee PC 1215T with AMD Neo on sale now

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 04:08 PM PST

Been waiting on an Eee PC 1215N with an AMD Neo processor? Or how about an Eee PC 1015T with a 12.1-inch display? We know, you need a damn almanac to keep up with all of ASUS' netbooks, but if you have in fact been waiting on the respective strengths of those two Eee PC variants, the company's got you covered with its new 1215T. Forgoing the Intel Atom / NVIDIA Ion 2 combo for a single core 1.7GHz AMD Athlon K125 processor, the 12.1-inch notbook (our word for a machine that's not really a netbook anymore) packs 2GB of RAM, an 320GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. The system looks to have the same chassis as the $485 Eee PC 1215N we reviewed not too long ago, but instead rings up at around $436 on Amazon right now. We obviously haven't tested the AMD version nor have we seen any reviews, but we'd venture to guess that while you may save $50, you'll give up the better battery life of the Intel / Ion-powered 1215N -- the AMD Neo laptops we've tested haven't lasted longer than four hours on a charge. That's just our hunch, but hey, don't let us stop you from hitting that source link and ordering one right now.

[Thanks, Sal]

Kinect does hacker's bidding, but not for fortune or fame (update: more video)

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 03:07 PM PST

Yes, Microsoft's Kinect has already been cracked, as you'll see on video after the break -- the motion-sensing depth camera now nods its head on command and displays real-time accelerometer data on one lucky hacker's PC. We tracked down the son-of-a-gun who did it -- as it happens, the same NUI Group member who hacked the PlayStation Eye in 2008 -- and found to our disappointment that he doesn't necessarily intend to unleash his new exploit on the world. The $2,000 prize Adafruit is presently offering for open-source Kinect drivers isn't his aim, though he does have big personal plans for the device, as he hopes to integrate it into his company's commercial visualization suite CL Studio Live. It seems that work is progressing fast, as he's already gotten video streams from both cameras to output to his computer, and he plans to upload a far more convincing video soon. Here's hoping he has a change of heart about sharing his rapid accomplishments.

Update: Second video after the break!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]


Tactile+Plus brings buttons, of a sort, to your capacitive touchscreen games

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 02:17 PM PST

That fish sausage stylus might improve your cold weather accuracy, but it's not the wacky accessory of choice to reliably pull off that Ultra Combo in Street Fighter IV. For that, you need buttons, and a niche Japanese product has your back -- the Tactile+Plus, a set of translucent nubs you stick right on your capacitive touchscreen to get a tactile feel for your game. ¥630 (about $7.75) buys you two packs of the screen protector bubbles and directional pad equivalents, which Japanese publication Impress Watch says work well enough in Street Fighter that they could keep playing without looking down at the screen. They're not as useful in Sonic the Hedgehog, apparently, where the virtual D-pad is a slightly larger size, but if all you want is a perfect ego-destroying-uppercut on the go, you can't beat the price.

New Palm device codenames revealed in webOS 2.0 code?

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 01:12 PM PST

Had any doubts that HP would deliver multiple new phones? Here's a little something that should make you slightly less unsure. Homebrew hub WebOS Internals spent last week digging through SFR's webOS 2.0 build for the Palm Pre 2, and surfaced with the names Broadway, Windsor, Mantaray and Stingray, as well as the Roadrunner you're likely already familiar with. More telling, these five codenames appeared in a string designed to display the message "temporarily not restoring logs for newer devices," meaning they're all very likely as fresh as can be. Let's hope we can pin them to some fancy new hardware before the year is through.

BlackBerry Torch now burns in red and white hues at AT&T stores

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 12:02 PM PST

Right on schedule, a day before Windows Phone 7 hits its stores in force, AT&T is letting a couple of new BlackBerry Torch SKUs out to play. They're basic repaint jobs, described by the carrier as Sunset Red and Pure White, the latter of which almost lives up to its name by including a white keyboard but falters by sticking to the noir optical pad. Pricing is set at $499 if you never want to see AT&T again after purchasing one or $99 if you can commit to a two-year relationship. Same as with the "Charcoal" Torch.

[Thanks, Matthew]

MacBook Air has its fully upgraded 11-inch version reviewed

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 10:54 AM PST

Apple's new MacBook Airs aren't exactly performance kings -- if anything, they're performance laggards given the finely aged internals they have -- but there is some room for upgrading them should you wish for a little extra oomph. AnandTech cornered the maxed-out 11.6-inch variant, with a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and 128GB of flash storage on board, and put it through the usual benchmark routine. In spite of costing a much meatier $1,399 than the $999 default config, the upgraded Air was deemed to be a worthwhile improvement as it delivered an average of 15 percent better performance at the cost of no more than seven percent of battery endurance. To our eyes, the biggest driver for these improved results was the jump from 2GB to 4GB of RAM, something all of us can bear in mind when contemplating our next laptop purchase.

WiGig's 60GHz WiFi prototypes slated for 2011, real products for 2012

Posted: 07 Nov 2010 10:01 AM PST

The second half of 2010 is nearly behind us, and we're afraid we're not seeing a whole lot of 60GHz modems on store shelves. So, when will WiGig's 1.5Gbps wireless transfer speeds forever shape our content-consuming lifestyles? The inside word is 2012. TrustedReviews sat down with VESA chairman Bruce Montag -- who also happens to be on the WiGig board -- and was told that the wireless DisplayPort products made possible by the recent WiGig / VESA partnership are due in "the first half of 2012." You won't necessarily need to wait that long to read about how they're going to make mothers of young, video gaming children jump for joy -- should all go according to plan, we'll be treated to glimpses of the first prototypes early next year.
at 11:43 AM

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