Sure, it might not make for as good of an R&B album title as Nilay Patel's "Beautiful Handcuffs," but Interactive Fabrication's "Beautiful Modeler" iPad app is probably a bit more useful (though not as useful with the ladies). The concept is to use the iPad's multitouch screen as an input for multi-finger 3D modeling on a computer, while the tablet's tilt sense lets you navigate around the object. Sure, it's not as slick or precise as, say, the Axsotic 3D mouse, but it also looks a whole lot more "tangible." Unfortunately, the app is currently unavailable on the App Store, and we have no idea if it's ever headed for a computer near you -- Interactive Fabrication is all about the high concept stuff, leaving the execution to individuals -- but there's some freely available GPL-licensed source code if you want to take a crack at compiling and making a real product out of this. Check out a video of the sculpting in action after the break.
Not down with coughing up serious cash for a serious Galaxy Tab? Great news, Bargain Ben: you've got options. Joining the raft of cut-rate, low-priced tablets is a new one from Sylvania, which is humorously described as a "7-inch MID tablet." Details are scarce, but it's rocking Android 2.1, an 800 x 480 screen resolution, six-hour battery, 512MB of RAM, 2GB of Flash memory, front-facing camera and a microSD card slot. You'll also get 802.11b/g WiFi, a pair of mini-USB sockets, HDMI output and what we're assuming is a resistive touchpanel. We'd say the chances of Android Market access are slim to none, but for just $179.99, who really cares if it functions?
Timeline (the condensed version): Google launches Android 2.1 on January 5th, Motorola promises to eventually offer 2.1 for all its Android handsets (including the heavily skinned CLIQ) on January 6th, Google's Nexus One gets 2.1 on January 11th. We wait. Motorola CLIQ gets 2.1 today, a mere 11 months later. Sure, maybe we were young and naive, but who could've known then that this update would be so long coming? Nobody really knows the solution to this problem in a general sense, especially since vanilla Android seems to be off the table for the majority of phones. What could compel a handset manufacturer and a carrier to work up timely software updates on heftily-skinned handsets past their shelf life, potentially competing with their own newer handsets in the process? Maybe paying for updates? Real Genuine Tears of Desperation? You tell us. Anyway, congrats to the saintly CLIQ owners out there who have waited patiently for 2.1, and a grumble grumble thanks to Motorola for keeping its promise.
Alright, folks -- we get it. There's a market for iPad cases with accompanying keyboards. If none of the other options that have emerged over the past few months tickled your fancy, Zagg is introducing yet another to mull over. The Zaggmate actually does manage to differentiate itself fairly well from the competition, with two models being available: one with a keyboard and one without. This clip-on stand can elevate your iPad (positioned horizontally or vertically) for easier viewing, and the "with keyboard" model obviously throws out a full QWERTY set to make those Pages creations somewhat easier to bang out. Currently, Zagg's got this one listed as 'Coming Soon,' with the standard model carrying a $69.99 price tag and the keyboard edition demanding an extra $30. Peek 'em both in their YouTube debuts just after the break.
The Samsung Focus's microSD slot has always been an odd little blip on the spec sheet, since it's only kinda-sorta supported by Windows Phone 7, and now it looks like it's causing more trouble than it's worth: Paul Thurrot says AT&T's telling employees not to install anything in the slot because of reliability issues, and that Microsoft is working on the problem. Now, we've had mixed experiences using the microSD slot ourselves, and we've been told by numerous sources that AT&T and Samsung added the feature without too much encouragement from Microsoft, which told us at MIX that expansion wouldn't be supported by WP7 at all. We've also been told by reliable sources that the problem is primarily to do with microSD speed and reliability -- apparently only the fastest cards will work well, and current microSD class ratings aren't accurate or meaningful enough to be useful. We'd bet Microsoft and Samsung get together and put out a line of Focus-specific cards before this is all over -- but wouldn't it have been easier to just build in 32GB of storage from the start?
Update: Tipster Jon points out that Microsoft's own WP7 support docs specifically call out SD class ratings as not being accurate determinants of whether or not a card will work -- and further say that only OEMs or carriers should swap out cards. Here are the relevant passages:
The SD card slot in your phone is intended to be used only by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) that built your phone and your Mobile Operator (MO). These partners can add an SD card to this slot to expand the amount of storage on your phone.
[...]
Determining whether an SD card is Windows Phone 7 compliant is not a simple matter of judging its speed class. Several other factors, such as the number of random read/write operations per second, play a role in determining how well an SD card performs with Windows Phone 7 devices.
Sounds complicated -- and it also sounds like Microsoft needs to call Samsung or SanDisk and kick out a line of WP7-certified cards, like, now.
You can slow 'em down, HTC... but you can't stop 'em. That's the message that xda-developers is sending loud and clear today on news that the T-Mobile G2 has graduated from a temporary root solution to a permanent one, despite HTC's attempt to lock it down tight in hardware. Interestingly, the solution involves starting with the already-tried-and-true temporary root and applying a few additional steps; as always, you want to be careful with these sorts of things, but we've no doubt there are thousands of G2 owners out there who've already beaten us to the punch. Let us know how it goes, won't you?
You didn't think Verizon would start selling its iPad / MiFi bundle without an ad blitz, did you? Big Red's running a new commercial called "Breakaway" that features a dude using the combo to tear down the walls of his unfurnished home and wind up sitting alone on a bluff in a plastic chair. The magic of iPad, the power and reliability of Verizon. Video after the break.
Microsoft's already added a Taxi Fare Calculator to Bing Maps to help keep your cabbie in check, and it's now actually enlisted the help of some 33,000 Beijing cab drivers in an effort to further improve driving directions. More specifically, it's relying on GPS data collected from the cab drivers' cars over a period of three months, which has since been funneled into a system called T-Drive created by a team at Microsoft Research Asia. Just how big a difference can a bit of local know-how make? Apparently, about a 16 percent cut in time on average, or roughly a savings of five minutes for every 30 minutes of driving. Of course, it won't do anyone outside of Beijing much good at the moment, but there's plenty more GPS-equipped cabs out there if Microsoft ever decides to expand things.
Hello, diversification. The same company responsible for the Vizit photo frame is branching out in a big way -- Isabella Products has just introduced what it's calling the planet's first fully interactive, connected children's tablet. Just like mum and pop's Galaxy Tab, the Fable boasts a 7-inch touchpanel and inbuilt 3G, but details beyond that (hardware wise, anyway) are few and far betwixt. We are told that it'll come preloaded with children's titles from partner Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, including Curious George, Martha Speaks, and George and Martha. As you'd expect, it'll boast a tyke-friendly user interface and will provide a secure, SFW connection to the company's VizitMe.com content management system. There's nary a mention of price (nor how much it'll cost to maintain that 3G connection each month), but all should be crystal clear by the time it launches in mid-2011.
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Isabella Products Announces Partnership with Publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to launch the World's First Children's Tablet
Fable™, the world's first wireless connected children's tablet
CONCORD, MA November 8, 2010 - Isabella Products, a leading mobile Internet device and services company, today announced Fable™, the first fully interactive, portable tablet that enables children to read, draw, game and share over the mobile broadband network. Fable boasts an extremely intuitive user interface with a 7" high-resolution, full-touch LCD screen that utilizes Isabella's patent-pending carousel navigation interface. Fable will come pre-loaded with world-famous children's content from strategic partner and global education leader Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH).
"Isabella Products is excited to bring to market the first children's tablet aimed at creating a learning experience unrivaled by today's toys and e-Reader products," said Matthew I. Growney, Founder and CEO of Isabella Products. "We believe Fable will safely and securely usher in some of the youngest users to a digital learning environment, and with HMH's extensive list of award winning children's titles, we will design a superior digital content experience." Fable is expected to be available in mid 2011 through VizitMe.com and select retailers.
Fable's easy-to-use interface, coupled with a secure connection to Isabella's VizitMe.com content management system, enables children to interact with educational and entertaining content at home, school or on-the-go. Fable's core applications include reading, drawing, gaming and photo sharing. Fable will ship with selected content from HMH's treasured storybook collection. The e-Reader application will provide access to the Fable library, which includes a child's personal collection of preloaded and purchased material available for immediate viewing. Parents and children will be able to purchase additional eBooks from Isabella's VizitMe bookstore or directly from the bookstore located on the Fable device. With a wide selection of picture books and interactive content, Fable provides an entertaining digital experience for children of all ages and interests.
"Fable integrates classic stories and technology to enable children to experience our content in a rich and exciting way," said Cheryl Cramer Toto, Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy and Planning for HMH. "We continuously strive to entertain, educate and inspire young readers, and through the partnership with Isabella Products we are delighted to make our children's picture books available on Fable."
In addition to the e-Reader application, Fable offers: • Drawing - Includes an artistic toolset of various sizes and colors including markers, paintbrushes, magic pens or shapes, which can be applied to a blank page, coloring book pages or photos. • Gaming - Provides interactive games focusing on counting, reading, nutrition, colors, shapes and other educational themes, all supported by HMH and other publishers' unique characters and stories. • Photo Sharing - Supports the delivery of photos from family and friends to Fable's own Gallery. An onboard camera will also allow users to take photos from Fable and share them as well. Photos can also be used as coloring sheets in the drawing application.
To ensure a secure and safe experience, Fable is managed by Isabella's VizitMe.com content management system that controls the device's access to new content, friends and family, and the VizitMe bookstore. Fable's settings can be adjusted on the device by parents through a pin code or can be remotely managed through a password-protected account at VizitMe.com. All purchased and created content is saved on VizitMe.com where parents can also invite and manage their friends' and family's interactions with the child's device.
Powered by a mobile broadband connection, families will be able to take their child's Fable with them almost anywhere-as a fun interactive and entertaining tool in the car, at a sibling's soccer game or on the school bus. Fable's durable design takes into consideration a child's handling of the device and external factors within various environments. For more information about Fable, please go to www.isabellaproducts.com.
About Isabella Products, Inc. Isabella Products, Inc. is a mobile Internet device company focused on developing innovative solutions for emerging consumer needs. With its initial product, Vizit®, Isabella enables consumers to interact with the billions of unshared images found within camera phones, PCs and the Internet by combining a state-of-the-art touch-screen display with wireless network capabilities. The second family communications device in the Isabella line is FableTM, a handheld, connected children's tablet for reading, drawing and gaming. Isabella Products is led by a world-class management team with deep experience in the consumer electronics industry. For more information, please visit www.isabellaproducts.com.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global education and learning company that is leading the way with innovative solutions and approaches to the challenges facing education today. The world's largest provider of educational products and solutions for pre-K–12 learning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt develops and delivers interactive, results-driven learning solutions that advance teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Through curricula excellence and technology innovation, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt collaborates with school districts, administrators, teachers, parents and students. Today, HMH education products and services are used by 57 million students throughout all 50 U.S. states and 120 countries. With origins dating back to 1832, the Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers. For more information, visit www.hmhpub.com.
Verizon's been all kinds of leaky and loose with its Android lineup lately -- the Samsung Continuum was anything but a surprise, the Droid 2 Global is now on sale before even being officially announced, and now the Droid Pro is also on sale well ahead of its scheduled November 18th launch date. Whoops! If you'll recall, the Pro was only supposed to be up for pre-order now, but it's actually listed as "add to cart" on Verizon's site and tipsters have gotten overnight ship confirmations. Sure, we'll take early delivery of what should be one of Big Red's hottest phones -- but we can't help but wonder if Verizon's being this sloppy with device launches right now because it's focused on nailing the high-profile debut of something around January.
You saw the key specs slip out a little ahead of time, now it's the moment we've all been waiting for: the GeForce GTX 580 has been thoroughly benchmarked to see if its claim to being "the world's fastest DirectX 11 GPU" stands up to scrutiny. In short, yes it does. The unanimous conclusion reached among the reviewers was that the 580 cranks up the performance markedly relative to the GTX 480 -- with some citing gains between 10 and 20 percent and others finding up to 30 percent improvements -- while power draw, heat emissions, and noise were lowered across the board. ATI's AMD's Radeon HD 5870 wasn't completely crushed by the newcomer, but it was consistently behind NVIDIA's latest pixel pusher. Priced at $499, the GTX 580 is actually praised for offering good value, though its TDP of 244W might still require you to upgrade a few parts inside your rig to accommodate it, while current online prices are closer to $550. Anyhow, the pretty comparative bar charts await at the links below.
While Energizer's moving forward with its newfound Qi partnership, its bunny-less arch rival seems content right where it's at. Duracell's WildCharge-based myGrid charging mat, which was actually introduced over a year ago, is finally gaining a second good reason to purchase one: the myGrid USB Charger. The nugget you see above is a rechargeable Li-ion battery with a USB output, and according to Duracell, there's enough juice in there to extend the life of most smartphones by four hours and the life of most e-readers (Kindle included) by up to 100 hours. It's available today at CVS, Walmart, Target and Amazon for $34.99, and that does indeed include both mini-USB and micro-USB adapters. The full release awaits your eyes after the break.
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Duracell Expands Smart Power Portfolio with Wireless USB Charger
Compatible with Duracell's award-winning myGrid charging pad, the myGrid USB Charger can charge hundreds of devices anywhere at anytime
BETHEL, Conn. (Nov. 9, 2010) – Duracell has strengthened its commitment to provide power to consumers wherever and whenever they need it with the introduction of the Duracell myGrid USB Charger. The newest addition to its Smart Power portfolio, the Duracell myGrid USB Charger is a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery that gives users the freedom to stay connected to devices they value most without the hassle of searching for an outlet. Electronic devices are an integral part of today's mobile and modern lifestyle and Duracell Smart Power continues to offer reliable solutions to keep them powered.
The Duracell myGrid USB Charger is compatible with hundreds of popular devices such as smart phones, e-readers, MP3 players, portable gaming devices, GPS units, Bluetooth® headsets, and virtually anything else that can be connected with a USB cable. Its compact size makes it ideal for travel and convenient to have on-hand as an everyday accessory for reliable extra power. Recharging the Duracell myGrid USB Charger is simple as it is compatible with the Duracell myGrid charging pad, which has been recognized by PC World and US Airways magazine as a top product of 2009. Users simply drop the Duracell myGrid USB Charger onto the myGrid and go, or it can be charged through its USB input.
"The mobile lifestyle isn't just about cell phones. From iPhones, GPS systems or portable games like the Nintendo DS series, consumers rely on a number of devices to stay connected, entertained and informed," said Bob Jacobs, Duracell marketing director, North America. "Duracell, through our Smart Power portfolio of products, is dedicated to providing consumers with the power solutions they need. USB Charger is a great example of this vision that gives you freedom to use your devices when away from the power grid."
The Duracell myGrid USB Charger provides extra power for more use-time on popular devices. For example, the Duracell myGrid USB Charger can provide at least four hours on smart phones such as the iPhone and latest BlackBerry® models, at least 100 hours of reading on e-readers such as the KindleTM, at least 30 hours on MP3 players, and at least 10 hours on Bluetooth headsets. The Duracell myGrid USB Charger is available at select CVS, Target and Walmart stores and in time for the holidays at Amazon.com and Drugstore.com for an MSRP of $34.99. For hi-res images and additional information visit, duracellmediacenter.com
About Duracell
Part of the Procter & Gamble Company [NYSE:PG], Duracell has been powering people around the world for more than 40 years. Our products serve as the heart of devices that keep people connected, protect their families, entertain them and simplify their increasingly mobile lifestyles. As the world's leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries, Duracell also innovates in disposable, renewable and peripheral technologies and markets general purpose flashlights along with the advanced Daylite® LED flashlights. Visit www.duracell.com for more information, follow us on Twitter.com/Duracell_Power, and like us on Facebook.com/Duracell.
About Procter & Gamble
Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®.
The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
Apple hasn't always exactly been on the forefront when it comes to Bluetooth support, over the years creating quite an opportunity for third-party companies to make A2DP adapters for iPods and the like. One of those companies was Wi-Gear, which also made a stereo headset called the iMuffs and invited you to "Cut the cord and truly be free!" Sadly the use of such a device does not free you from the various responsibilities of modern day-to-day life, but an apparent acquisition appears to have helped the company's founders shed some of theirs. According to 9to5Mac, Apple has purchased Wi-Gear and brought the company's tech, and at least one of its co-founders, in-house. Michael Kim lists himself as an "iOS Bluetooth Engineer" at Apple now, while Wi-Gear itself has ceased operations according to its site. What's coming next remains to be seen, but if an Apple-branded stereo Bluetooth headset isn't the fruit of this partnership we'll eat our old A2DP dongles.
The BBC's iPlayer video-on-demand service has been an unqualified success since its rollout back in 2007 and now it's taking the next logical step in expanding its reach: it's going global. Such is the word from John Smith, the generically named head of BBC Worldwide, who sees the international market for British shows as "under-exploited" and wants to see the iPlayer opened up beyond the Queen's home isles. Of course, since continental Europeans and North Americans aren't subject to the same backbreaking TV license fee, there'll be a new commercial element to the service, though the Beeb's bigwigs have yet to figure out if that means users will have to pay a levy or put up with some ads. Either way, we've got quite a few eager iPlayer viewers on our own staff, so we imagine whenever and however the switch does get flipped, it'll be welcomed by all.
Well, what have we here? In the sea of me-too ultraportables, it looks as if Lenovo is doing its darnedest to mix things up with a somewhat unorthodox screen size. The leaked IdeaPad U260 hasn't been confirmed by the mother company, but word on the street has it rocking a 12.5-inch display, 0.71-inch thickness and a total weight of just 3.04 pounds. Naturally, it's living life sans an optical drive, and we're told that it'll ship with an Ultra Low Voltage Core i3 or Core i5 CPU. There's no ExpressCard slot, but you will spot a four-cell battery, Bluetooth 2.1, VGA / HDMI outputs, WiFi, 4GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive and a couple of semi-vivacious color options (Mocha Brown and Clementine Orange). Mum's the word on a price, but you can catch one more glimpse of the heretofore unannounced rig just after the break.
Truth be told, it's exactly what the world needed. More 3D gimmickry... on the iPhone and iPod touch, no less. With over 125 million of those two devices in circulation, Hasbro's betting that a new accessory will have a greater-than-average chance at taking off next Spring, with the My3D goggles set to put the View back in ViewMaster. Purportedly, the toy firm is expected to fully reveal the device to investors later today, with it being "aimed at both children and adults" and offering a 3D viewing experience on games, virtual travel, augmented reality apps and entertainment content. The device itself resembles a set of binoculars, and just as the aforementioned ViewMaster, there's a slot where you place your iPod touch or iPhone. Users will have to browse the App Store for compatible My3D content, with some of it to be offered up gratis. We're guessing more than a few curious consumers will bite at just $30, but how hard would it have been to get this thing onto store shelves next month? A holiday opportunity missed, Hasbro.
They're still far from being in the bargain bin, but solid state drives are slowly but surely walking their way down from the pricing stratosphere. A week after revealing a 96GB V+ 100 model, Kingston has now uncovered a more capacious sibling that'll definitely tempt existing HDD users who have been holding tight to their platters while scoffing at the tiny SSD sizes cluttering the market. The 256GB SSDNow V100 is a 2.5-incher with sequential read speeds as high as 250MB/sec and write rates as high as 230MB/sec, and as with other Kingston SSDs, this one too packs a three-year warranty and Windows 7 TRIM support. It should be popping up on NewEgg and Buy.com soon here in the US of A for $489.99, and for those in need of an upgrade kit, it'll find its way into a pair of desktop / laptop bundles for $10 more.
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Kingston Digital Ships Next-Generation Affordable Consumer SSD
- Most Cost-Effective, Performance-Enhancing Upgrade Option for PCs
- New 256GB Capacity Expands SSDNow V Series Family Product Line
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent leader in memory products, today announced the SSDNow V100, the latest addition to the SSDNow V Series family of solid-state drives (SSD). Designed for mainstream consumers, the Kingston® V100 SSD is the best performance enhancer and most cost-effective upgrade path for desktops and notebooks, short of a total system replacement.
The V100 expands the V Series line with the addition of a 256GB capacity drive. Also available in 64GB and 128GB capacities, the new V100 has Windows® 7 TRIM support and features an optimized controller and advanced NAND Flash technology for increased read and write performance. Consumers looking to extend the life cycle of their current system will notice quicker bootup and application load times as well as a faster overall user experience with the new V100.
"We are determined to stimulate the consumer upgrade market through Kingston's various upgrade bundle kits that provide cloning software and all of the accessories needed to advance one's desktop or notebook PC from a hard-disk drive to an SSD," said Ariel Perez, SSD business manager, Kingston. "Our new SSDNow V100 drives do just that as they represent the best value for an affordable upgrade solution with a low price vs. performance ratio."
The SSDNow V100 drives ship as either a stand-alone unit or as an upgrade bundle kit. The desktop bundle kit includes the SSD, cloning software, cables (SATA data and power), and 3.5″ hard-drive mounting brackets and hardware. The notebook bundle includes the SSD, cloning software and a 2.5″ external enclosure allowing the replaced hard drive to be used as extra storage.
Kingston SSDs are backed by a three-year warranty and 24/7 live technical support. For more information visit www.kingston.com/flash.
Kingston SSDNow V100 Features & Specifications:
* Innovative: 2.5″ form factor; uses NAND Flash memory components * Interface: SATA 1.5Gb/sec. & 3.0Gb/sec. * Capacities*: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB * Sequential Speed**: up to 250MB/sec. read; up to 230MB/sec for 128GB & 256GB, up to 145MB.sec. for 64GB write * PCMark Vantage HDD Suite Score+
64GB – 19,932 128GB – 20,571 256GB – 19,910
* Silent: runs silent and cool with no moving parts * Reliable: less likely to fail than a standard hard drive * Shock-Resistant: no moving mechanical parts so the SSD handles rougher conditions * Supports S.M.A.R.T.: Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology * Supports TRIM***: ensures maximum performance on compatible operating systems * Power Specs: Active 6.4W (TYP) / Sleep 1.0W (TYP) * Storage Temperatures: -40 degrees C to 85 degrees C * Operating Temperatures: 0 degrees C to 70 degrees C * Weight: 114.76g (stand-alone unit); 302.91g (notebook bundle); 328.40g (desktop bundle) * Vibration Operating: 2.17G (7-800Hz) * Vibration Non-operating: 20G (10-2000Hz) * Life Expectancy: 1 million hours MTBF * Warranty/Support: Three-year warrant with 24/7 support
* Some of the listed capacity on a Flash storage device is used for formatting and other functions and thus is not available for data storage. As such, the actual available capacity for data storage is less than what is listed on the products. For more information, go to Kingston's Flash Memory Guide at kingston.com/flash_memory_guide.
**Speed may vary due to host and device configuration.
*** Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2
+ Test system: Intel DG45ID Desktop Motherboard; Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 CPU @ 2.83GHz; System Memory 4GB; On-Board SATA 3Gbps with AHCI-Enabled Window 7 64-bit.
So, everybody has a Facebook page now: your parents, your next door neighbor's cat, and now even the Queen of England... or more specifically, the British Monarchy. Yes, the Crown of England has launched an official fan page for itself on everybody's favorite and most hated social network. Apparently, the page managed to rake in over 40,000 likes in its first hour of operation -- no small feat considering it took Miley Cyrus something like three days to get that many. Regardless, the Queen is posting tons of candid photos and we're hoping to get some videos of her getting crazy with the Cheez Whiz any day now; we'll let you know if / when they appear.
If the paper trail for this handset wasn't enough for you, here's the first official imagery of the Samsung Zeal. It is, as speculated, a dual-hinge, dual-display affair, equipped with an E Ink keyboard that transitions from a four-row QWERTY arrangement to a dialpad depending on orientation. If you're thinking you've seen this before, that might be because you were one of the few to notice Samsung's Alias 2, which also called Verizon its home. The Zeal is expected to arrive in stores on November 11th, so you can expect this premature little cameo to be augmented with full specs and a price very soon indeed.
Update: The leak has turned into a full-on press release. The Zeal will cost $79.99 on a two-year contract (after a $50 mail-in rebate) and will be available in stores and online starting on November 11th, as expected. Skip past the break for the full announcement. Having checked it out for ourselves, we've found that this isn't like the Alias 2, this is the Alias 2 ... but in black. Shame on Verizon and Samsung for building up our interest for what's essentially a soft relaunch with a freshened up nomenclature.
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Feel the Zeal With the Samsung Zeal™ From Verizon Wireless
Dual-Hinge Messaging Phone Features E Ink Transforming QWERTY Keypad and Social Beat Application
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced that the Samsung Zeal™, a dual-hinge messaging phone in a unique, flip-style format with an E Ink technology transforming the QWERTY keypad, will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Nov. 11.
Available color: Black
Key features: Dual-hinge form factor with E Ink keyboard that changes based on the user's needs
Open it vertically as a flip phone and it has a traditional numeric keypad and can change to an alpha-only keypad
In landscape, the phone features a QWERTY keypad that can change to numeric with symbols
Corporate Email support for Microsoft Office Exchange so customers can synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from their office e-mail
2.0 megapixel camera with night and panorama shot, auto focus and camcorder
Bluetooth® technology with support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, basic print, basic imaging, and object push for vCard and vCalendar
Lifestyle features:
Social Beat Widget – Offers a single point for accessing social networking sites, allowing customers to stay connected to Facebook®, Twitter™ and MySpace™ plus more than 50 news, sports and entertainment feeds
VZ Navigator® capable – Receive audible turn-by-turn directions to millions of points of interest and share the directions with others
Media Center – Access downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more
Skype mobile™ capable
Mobile Web capable
Full suite of messaging options, including text, picture, video and voice messaging; Mobile IM; Mobile Chat; Mobile Email; and Mobile Web Email
microSD™ card slot with support for up to 32 GB (card purchased separately)
Personal organizer with calendar, calculator with currency converter, notepad, alarm clock, world clock and stop watch
Price and availability:
The Samsung Zeal will be available on Nov. 11 for $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
Customers can purchase the Samsung Zeal beginning today at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores or online at www.verizonwireless.com. For additional 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.
Bing not meeting your needs? Don't fret, Google just pushed its Google Search app for Windows Phone 7 live in Marketplace. A move the mirrors the Bing app availability on the Android Market. The Google Search app utilizes your location to provide local search results and features suggestions as your type and a search history to quickly repeat any previous queries. While there's no way to reassign Google Search to the dedicated search "button" on WP7 devices, you could always pin the app to the Start screen. Unfortunately, we're still not seeing it populated in the UK Marketplace (search for "Google Search") but that should be remedied anytime now.
The quixotic quest for the perfect 3D mouse has a long and storied history, but the German-built "Axsotic" 3D-Spheric-Mouse looks like a pretty good attempt. Axsotic tracks a 40mm ball, which can be twisted, pushed, pulled, lifted, and so forth inside its patent pending, sensor-laden cage. Optical tracking watches for rotation in three axis, while magnets track zoom and pan in three axis of their own. The design gives complete camera control in a 3D app to one hand, while your other hand is free to operate a mouse or other pointing device to actually interact with the 3D object in question. Axsotic actually works driver-free on Mac and Windows, and a plugin is available for popular 3D softwares. No word yet on price or availability. Check out some action videos after the break.
E Ink Triton. That's the name we should all start getting used to as E Ink Holdings has just officially announced its first color electronic paper display. It was only yesterday that we learned Hanvon would be the first to bring the newly colorized e-reading panels to the market, so today the eponymous E Ink display maker has seen fit to dish out its own press release, catchy title, and even a handy explanatory video. The key points are that the new Triton stuff will offer 20 percent faster performance, sunlight-readable imaging, and up to a month's battery life. That would suggest there's almost no sacrifice in endurance relative to E Ink's monochromatic screens already on offer in things like Amazon's Kindle, which sounds all kinds of righteous to us. Skip past the break to get better acquainted with the Triton.
Show full PR text
E Ink Announces Color ePaper
E Ink color ePaper displays enabled by Triton Imaging Film will deliver high-contrast, sunlight readable, low-power performance that will revolutionize the market.
FPD International 2010
MAKUHARI MESSE, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--E Ink® Holdings Inc., the leader in electronic paper display technology, today announced the release of its next generation display technology, E Ink Triton. Triton enables color ePaper solutions, enhancing the visual experience for ePublishing markets.
"E Ink Triton marks a major milestone in the eBook revolution," said Hanvon's Chairmain Dr. Liu Yingjian. "E Ink has the right technology, manufacturing capability, and know-how to transition Hanvon's product vision into reality. With E Ink Triton technology, Hanvon is enabled to release the world's first color eBook reader today."
"E Ink Triton is a response to market need for a color ePaper display that mimics the printed paper experience," said Scott Liu, Chairman of E Ink Holdings. "Triton will compliment our monochrome product line to enable new markets."
"Color ePaper will enable richer content in eBooks, as well as enabling a broader array of other reading devices, for content such as magazines, newspapers, and educational materials," according to Paul Semenza, Senior Vice President, DisplaySearch. "We foresee market demand for ePaper displays in these applications reaching $5 billion by 2016."
Enhanced with Color
For image-rich information applications showing charts, graphs, maps, photos, comics and advertising, color displays made with Triton Imaging Film enable ultra-low power and high mobility devices with a paper-like experience. In addition to 16 levels of grayscale, Triton is capable of displaying thousands of colors. And just like E Ink's grayscale ePaper products, Triton's crisp text and detailed color graphics are fully viewable in direct sunlight.
Faster Performance
Displays made with Triton, as well as the recently launched Pearl, can perform up to 20 percent faster than those made with previous generations of E Ink Imaging Film. Whether turning a page, selecting a menu, taking notes, or viewing simple animations, Triton's update performance will satisfy today's user-interface product needs. This expands the ePaper experience and displays more dynamic content for signage or advertising.
Proven Technology
The E Ink Triton design leverages the patented two pigment capsule platform found in millions of E Ink enabled eBooks. This technology offers unparalleled image stability; pictures and text can be maintained on the screen even when the power is turned off. With this proven bi-stable technology, devices using E Ink Imaging Film have demonstrated both long life and high reliability, leading to the development of a whole new class of consumer products over the past few years.
About E Ink Holdings Inc.
Founded in 1992 by Taiwan's leading papermaking and printing group YFY (1907.TW), E Ink Holdings Inc. "E Ink" (8069.TW) is the pioneer TFT and ePaper business in Taiwan. Its corporate philosophy aims to deliver revolutionary products, user experiences, and environmental benefits through advanced technology development. This vision has led to its continuous investments in the field of ePaper display as well as its 2008 acquisition of Hydis Technologies, manufacturer of the world's best wide viewing angle LCDs and its 2009 acquisition of E Ink Corp., the worldwide leader in ePaper. Listed in Taiwan's OTC market and the Luxembourg market, E Ink is now the world's largest supplier of displays to the eBook market.
Looks like Swiss daredevil Yves Rossy is back to the, well, daredeviltry. On November 5, 2010, the self-described Jetman lept off a platform attached to the side of the Esprit Breitling Orbiter hot air balloon and, after reaching an altitude of 2,400 meters (7,874 feet), came back to loop around the thing twice. He was aided in his endeavor by a new, smaller wing (two meters across) with four jets, and executed the maneuvers using only his body movements to steer. Afterward, he deployed his parachute and landed in Denezy, in the Swiss canton of Vaud. We might also add that we tried to get one of these devices for an Engadget Show giveaway, but our lawyers seem to think it's a terrible idea. Video after the break.
Never mind that November 11 rumor, the Droid 2 Global is available to buy from Verizon right now. The dual-mode CDMA/GSM handset from Moto -- equipped with a 1.2GHz processor, don't forget -- is ready to be yours today for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and subject to the usual two-year contractual commitment. If you still need convincing, this new SKU also comes in a sparkling white option... can you really resist a white globetrotting Droid? See more of it after the break.
As promised, the boys and girls at Opera have pushed out an Android-flavored beta version of their Opera Mobile 10.1 product today -- and considering the company's track record for making awesome replacement browsers, odds are good that you're going to want to check it out. Besides pinch-to-zoom and support for location services, you'll find fan favorites like desktop browser sync and Opera's Speed Dial, a touchable grid of bookmarks. What's more, the visual tab management is downright slick (then again, outdoing the tab management in-built to Android doesn't take much), so you might want to take it for a test drive today -- can we suggest engadget.com as a fine starting point? The app's available from the Android Market right now; follow the break for the press release and an official demo of pinch-to-zoom in action. Or, you know, just download it and do some pinch-to-zooming of your own. Your call.
Show full PR text
Opera Mobile 10.1 beta for Android available
Oslo, Norway - November 9, 2010
Android users now have a new choice when it comes to browsers. Today, Opera Software announced that Opera Mobile 10.1 beta is available in the Android Market for free, providing the many millions of Android users better browser performance and an improved user experience.
Android users are known to appreciate speed and functionality. They are also known for their demands for new and improved software for their handsets, as well as an almost emotional relationship to their phones. Now, they have the opportunity to run Opera Mobile, made by a company that shares their passion for a better browser.
"Android users now have a better choice when it comes to using a browser on their mobile devices," said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. "With Opera's new browser for Android, we give users the opportunity to access the Web, using the best tools available."
Opera Mobile boasts faster page loading than other browsers and a highly fluid panning, scrolling and smooth zooming experience. Speed Dial, another Opera innovation, gives quick and easy access to the user's favorite websites while the password manager saves the user from cumbersome mobile-phone typing. Additionally, users will experience better browsing on slow or congested networks with Opera Turbo, which provides up to 80 percent data compression.
Opera Mobile 10.1 beta for Android also features:
* Easy tab management with visual tabs * Opera Presto rendering engine * Sync your bookmarks across devices with Opera Link * Ability to be set as the default browser * Geolocation support * SVG support
Download
Download Opera Mobile directly to the Android phone for free from the Android Market or atm.opera.com/next. For more information, visit http://www.opera.com/mobile/.
Opera Mobile is available for Android users in the following 18 versions: Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA has redefined web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera?s cross-platform web-browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.
A quick refresher: Bobcat is AMD's low-power Accelerated Processing Unit that can handle both computational and graphical duties, Ontario and Zacate are the chips built upon that core, and Brazos is the overall platform that they'll be doing their work on. Clear enough? We hope so. AMD has finally allowed a few tech pubs to get their hands on Brazos-based systems and, along with feedback about their experience, the guys have come back with some added spec notes. There'll be two initial Zacate options, the dual-core E-350 running at 1.6GHz or the single-core E-240 clocked at 1.5GHz, while Ontario will offer 1GHz dual-core and 1.2GHz single-core variants. Let's not forget that both are intended for netbooks and lithe desktop computers before writing them off as too slow -- which would be a mistake anyway as the sites that got a chance to play with the E-350 reported very respectable performance. HardOCP dared to try out Crysis and managed to get it chugging along at a resolution around 720p, whereas Hot Hardware witnessed a 1080p video clip being played back perfectly smoothly alongside an instance of Hyper Pi maxing out the CPU load. Benchmark results will have to wait for another day, but feel free to peruse the links below for a more detailed breakdown of the new architecture.
Looks like Kno kept to its "under $1,000" MSRP promise, after all, and by more than just a penny. The company says its flagship tablet textbook is still on track for release by the end of this year -- with limited available, at least -- tagged at $899 for the original double-screen model and $599 for the single-screener. Speaking to All Things D, CEO Osman Rashid estimates first-run production "in the thousands" and also claims ten as-of-now unnamed universities will be the first targets for the device. Less than eight weeks to go -- just worry about getting through fall semester finals for now.
It might not be November 9 all around the world yet, but NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 580 has already had its spec sheet dished out to the world, courtesy of CyberPower's seemingly early announcement. The new chip will offer a 772MHz clock speed, 512 processing cores, and a 192.4GBps memory bandwidth, courtesy of 1.5GB of GDDR5 clocked at an effective rate of 4GHz. CyberPower is strapping this beast into its finest rigs, and for additional overkill it'll let you SLI up to three of them within one hot and steamy case. Now let's just wait patiently for midnight to roll around and see what the reviewers thought of NVIDIA's next big thing.
Update:CRN has a $499 price for us and a recital of NVIDIA's internal estimate that the GTX 580 bests the GTX 480 by between 20 and 35 percent. It seems, however, that the embargo for this hot new slice of silicon is set for early tomorrow morning, so check back then for the expert review roundup.
Update 2: Lusting to see one on video? How about two side by side? Skip past the break for the eye candy [Thanks, Rolly Carlos!].
Magazine and newspaper publishers are about to get a larger piece of the Kindle pie -- 70 percent, to be exact. That's what Amazon's now offering, in an effort that's clearly aimed to attract more periodicals to the service. Only catch is, all versions of the periodical have to work for all version of Kindle, in all geographical regions where the publishers has the rights to distribute -- a small price to pay, especially since it keeps the customer base pretty wide open. Interested parties, you probably already know where to look.
We're guessing that this newfangled SmartPOP feature works a lot like Lenovo's Constant Connect (or perhaps LG's own Air Sync?), but either way, the feature set is still fairly innovative. On the surface, LG is today introducing its X170 netbook -- a 10.1-incher with an Atom N455 (or N550), 1GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and integrated Intel GMA 3150 graphics. But it's the accompanying SmartPOP feature that's really worth a second glance; purportedly, the system utilizes Bluetooth 3.0 in order to connect to your LG phone (supported models haven't been made public thus far) and do all sorts of things. Syncing your files and email is just the beginning -- once you're in, you can send an SMS, view contacts / files and dial a phone number from the comfort of your PC. We're guessing that future uses will be somewhat more impressive than existing ones, but you've got to start somewhere, right? Word on the street has this one going for just under $700 in South Korea, and we're definitely hoping that mobile there is included for that price.
Man, Microsoft really isn't keen on having you swap out the microSD card that ships within its Windows Phone 7 devices, eh? After finding that the HD7's card could be replaced if you threw caution entirely to the wind, we're now seeing that the same is true with HTC's 7 Mozart. But unfortunately, you're still facing the same dilemma -- should you seriously risk destroying your phone forever just to get a capacity bump from 8GB to 32GB? One Andy Hamilton answered that with a definitive "yessir," and in the source link below, he proceeded to initiate an iFixit-level teardown in order to unearth the deeply concealed 8GB SanDisk Class 4 microSD card. He made a few mistakes along the way that you'll want to pay attention to if you end up tossing your own mobile on the operating table, but seriously, watch where you slide that X-Acto knife.
We've already seen Epic Games and Id Software show off their respective game engines for iOS devices, but they're only now finally giving folks a look at the first actual games that will use them. The first of those to roll out will apparently be Id's Mutant Bash TV, which looks as impressive as the Rage demo promised (although that's aided in part by being on rails), and will cost just $0.99 for the standard version or $1.99 for the Retina Display-enhanced version. Seemingly even more impressive than it, however, is Epic Games' Infinity Blade, the game counterpart to the Unreal Engine 3-based "Epic Citadel" demo that was released back in September. While it may look like yet another God of War clone, it sounds like Epic has something quite a bit different in mind -- the game's creative director (of Shadow Complex fame, incidentally) recently described it as a mix of Karateka, Dragon's Lair and Punch-Out. Head on past the break to check out the trailer, and hit up the link below for Touch Arcade's preview of Mutant Bash TV (no video for it just yet, unfortunately).
Just a couple of months after Sony refreshed its longstanding Reader Daily Edition, that very product is now shipping to the masses. 'Course, you're probably laser-focused on Hanvon's new color E Ink device on tap for next March, but if you just can't wait for that bad boy -- and you're not interested in any of the LCD-based alternatives -- the PRS-950SC is now available in stores and through SonyStyle. As a refresher, this guy's got a 7-inch touchscreen, WiFi and 3G, a spartan web browser and 2GB of integrated storage space. All yours for a buck under $300.
Show full PR text
SONY READER DAILY EDITION NOW AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE AT SONYSTYLE.COM
SAN DIEGO – November 8, 2010 – Rounding out availability for its beautifully-designed new line of Reader™ digital books, Sony today announced that the wireless Reader Daily Edition™ is now available in select retail outlets and online at SonyStyle.com. The new Reader Daily Edition, equipped with Wi-Fi® in addition to 3G, will provide book lovers the ability to browse, purchase and download books as well as select newspapers and magazines on the go. Like the new Reader Pocket Edition™ and Reader Touch Edition™, the Reader Daily Edition is also outfitted with first-to-market optical touch screen technology, which enhances ease of use and increases reading clarity on its seven-inch, full touch screen.
The Reader Daily Edition gives consumers wireless access to Sony's Reader™ Store from most of the U.S. via Wi-Fi or 3G, powered by Gobi™ Technology by Qualcomm. It also provides basic Web browsing functionality via Wi-Fi and pre-loaded, reading-based URLs, including: Google.com, Wikipedia.org, Twitter.com, Facebook.com, cnbc.com and cnet.com. There are no monthly fees or transaction charges for the basic wireless connectivity and users still have the option to side load personal documents or content from other compatible sites via USB.
New features on the Daily Edition include intuitive content zoom, adjustable contrast and brightness control, as well as automatic multiple page creation to make documents designed for a standard sheet of paper easier to read. Also, personalized standby screen options give users the ability to download their favorite photos or other images as a screen saver. The collections functionality allows users to group their favorite reads by author, category or other criteria. In addition, the new Reader line offers users on-screen functionality to look up words and phrases with the built-in New Oxford American Dictionary, Second Edition and Oxford Dictionary of English eDictionaries, as well as 10 translation dictionaries in languages such as French, German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch. Just double tap any word to get the dictionary definition or translation and with one more tap, learn more about the word through Wikipedia. The Reader Daily Edition includes 2 GB of memory and expansion slots for additional memory (up to 32 GB). It is available in silver and currently retails for about $299.
Key Facts:
o Sony's new, seven-inch, full touch screen Reader Daily Edition is now on sale at SonyStyle.com and select retail outlets
o The Reader Daily Edition provides wireless access to the Reader Store from most of the U.S. through 3G and Wi-Fi
o It will also provide basic Web browsing functionality via Wi-Fi on a variety of Websites and pre-loaded, reading-based URLs, including: Google.com, Wikipedia.org, Twitter.com, Facebook.com, cnbc.com and cnet.com
o New features on the Daily Edition include first-to-market optical touch screen technology, personalized standby screen options, intuitive content zoom, adjustable contrast and brightness control, as well as automatic multiple page creation
o The Reader Daily Edition includes 2 GB of memory and expansion slots for additional memory (up to 32 GB)
o It is available in silver and retails currently for about $299
Pentax's Optio RZ10 looked fairly impressive on paper, and even when we handled it at Photokina, we reckoned it would be quite the standout in the bargain-bin point-and-shoot arena. Turns out that's not exactly the case. The fine folks over at PhotographyBLOG have put this pup through its paces, and while the handling, build quality and price all felt right, the image quality... well, didn't. And as you well know, there's hardly a silver lining to find when a camera's images aren't up to snuff. Even at ISO 200, critics spotted startling amounts of noise, "smearing of fine detail and loss of color saturation, with all three problems getting progressively worse as you work your way up the range to the true top speed of ISO 1600." At right around $200, it's still a well-priced compact, but with cameraphones getting progressively more adept, do you really need yet another ho hum gadget to push through airport security? Hit the source link for the fully skinny.
The last time we heard from CPT it was showing off what looked to be a competitor to Pixel Qi, a super low-power transflective display. Now the company is demonstrating something completely different, new enough to not really have a name but promising to deliver all the quality of a standard LCD at less than half the consumption of a typical backlit display while also working well in direct sunlight. Sadly that's about all that's known about it at this point, but you can see a prototype working in the flesh after the break. Well, a video of one in the flesh, anyway.
Even though Hulu has been blocking Google TV, for a few days users could still access the videos through Comcast's Fancast.com portal, but that loophole has been closed, repeating a pattern seen after the launch of Flash on Froyo and the overall path of Google TV up to this point. Even more notably, Syfy has joined corporate parent NBC in blocking its streams from the devices. So there you have it, despite being technologically able to play most video on the internet, the Google TV's selection is still limited by license agreements. Obviously a HTPC is the access route of choice if you're into cord cutting or just don't like limits, but if it can't fix the access problem soon, where does Google's baby really fit into the connected TV market? Check NewTeeVee for a list of what streaming services you can still check out on Google TV, at least, when you're not playing WoW.
If surprise was the focus of the event, we'd say the Samsung Android-powered, Verizon-exclusive (and, alas, Bing-driven) Continuum reveal was a comedy of errors -- but who cares now that we've got our hands on the Galaxy S phone, secondary ticker and all (at 480 x 96 resolution). The Android buttons themselves, as it turns out, are on the display as well -- basically, it's one huge display. The grip sensor that activates the display seems to work well, although it's pretty easy to squeeze the camera button by accident since it's also on the lower right of the phone. Unfortunately, there's no way for third-party apps to update the ticker -- it's limited to Samsung's stuff right now. We're trying to get some battery life info -- we're curious if turning on a smaller screen more often will result in a longer shelf life, or if it'll just be about even.
Update: Video after the break!
Update 2: Okay, we got some more info on that screen. The entire front of the phone is one huge four-inch screen, with the Android buttons more or less painted over the lower third -- the screen lights up underneath them in white to illuminate them. Samsung says it's just easier for marketing purposes to say it's two screens, but that they're selectively turning on the bottom portion of the display for the ticker. As far as battery life, it's a 1500mah battery that'll last about a day, we're told -- the lower screen turns on whenever a notification comes in, but since it's a smaller screen the battery life is on par with the Fascinate.
We also learned the "grip sensor" isn't really grip-based at all -- it's capacitive, so just lightly touching both sides of the phone lights up the ticker. It's pretty nice, although super easy to set it off by just holding the phone. Samsung says there will eventually be an API for third-party apps to use the ticker, but right now they're just focused on their core experiences. As for Bing, well, no one's saying why some Verizon phones get Binged out and some don't, but every indication is that Verizon calls those shots, not Samsung. We're also told that an Android 2.2 update will eventually arrive, but there's no timeline yet -- and there's a real chance this'll launch with 2.1 after 2.3 hits. Developing...
Update 3: Added a quick macro pic of the buttons after the break -- you can see how it's just one big screen. We also took some side-by-sides with a Captivate -- the Continuum is thicker and narrower. Samsung says the narrower size is designed to appeal to women, who generally have smaller hands.
After a rather large complement of leaks, Samsung has finally confirmed its Continuum phone for Verizon, via Twitter of all places. The phone will ship on November 11th. Samsung is billing it as the "first phone with a dedicated ticker display," referring to the secondary 1.8-inch color screen below the capacitive touch buttons. There's a Samsung Mobile event happening at 6PM EST that will undoubtedly shed more light on this Android handset, but for now we expect the specs to be in line with other Galaxy S-series handsets. You know, except for the ticker part. Samsung is also proud to announce that it's shipped 3 million Galaxy S phones in the US, a sizable chunk of the 7 million or so sold globally so far.
Update: We've got PR! Check it out after the break. Here's the feature breakdown:
3.4-inch Super AMOLED primary display, 1.8-inch Super AMOLED secondary "ticker" display.
"Grip sensor" lets you touch the bottom sides of the phone to light up the ticker.
Android 2.1 (ouch).
Bing Maps / Bing Search (double ouch).
Samsung 1GHz Hummingbird processor.
Six-axis sensor + accelerometer.
5 megapixel camera, shoots 720p video.
802.11n WiFi.
8GB microSD card included.
$200 on two-year contract after $100 mail-in rebate.
VERIZON WIRELESS AND SAMSUNG MOBILE DEBUT WORLD'S FIRST DEDICATED MOBILE PHONE TICKER DISPLAY ON THE SAMSUNG CONTINUUM™, A GALAXY S™ SMARTPHONE
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS – Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G data network, and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the number one mobile phone provider in the United States(1), today announced the upcoming availability of the Samsung Continuum™, a Galaxy S™ smartphone. The Continuum is the world's first smartphone designed with a dedicated ticker display, which provides users with up-to-the-minute news, sports, finance and social networking updates for maximized multitasking.
The Continuum features two separate but integrated displays: a 3.4-inch touch screen Super AMOLED™ main display and a customizable 1.8-inch Super AMOLED dedicated ticker display that streams customized information in real time. Additionally, the Continuum is powered by Android™ 2.1, with support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Android Market™ and more. The Continuum also includes a 1GHz Hummingbird Application Processor, 5-megapixel camera, and multiple entertainment and social networking features.
Color: Mirror Black
Key features and specifications: · 3.4-inch Super AMOLED Main Touch Screen Display – Main display provides user-customizable homescreens and widgets in a brilliant screen display
· 1.8-inch Interactive Super AMOLED Ticker Display – Dedicated ticker display enables zero-click access to news, social networking, sports and entertainment feeds; users can select what content they want on the ticker by selecting from menu on display
· Grip Sensor – By touching the bottom sides of the device, the ticker display lights up to give users real-time weather, social networking services (SNS), message, IM and e-mail notification updates
· Super AMOLED Screen Technology – Brilliant screen makes watching movies, viewing videos and playing games come to life like never before, even in bright light and outdoor environments
· Android 2.1 platform – With support for Google Mobile Services, including Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk and Android Market
· Preloaded with Bing Maps and Bing Search
· Full HTML Web browsing capabilities
· 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to transform their phone into a wireless modem for up to five compatible Wi-Fi-enabled devices
· Advanced touchscreen gestures capabilities, including multi-touch pinch to zoom, double tap to zoom and horizontal swiping, which provides easier and quicker access to many applications, including location-based services, Web browsing and digital photos or videos
· Multiple file formats supported, including DivX and Xvid support
· Six-axis sensor that works with the smartphone's accelerometer to provide a smooth, fluid gaming experience when the user is tilting the device up or down or panning the phone to the left or right
· Virtual QWERTY Keyboard Featuring Swype Technology – Input text faster and in a more intuitive way with one continuous finger motion across the screen keyboard
· Full suite of messaging options – Text, picture, video and voice messaging; corporate and personal e-mail accounts supported
· 5.0-megapixel camera/camcorder – Auto-focus and LED flash with HD video recording and playback capabilities to capture photos and videos for playback on your HD television; playback (720p) on the screen display
· Wi-Fi Connectivity (802.11 b/g/n)
· Stereo Bluetooth® Technology – Support for headset, hands-free, stereo, phonebook access, and object push for vCard and vCalendar
· Corporate Email – Supports Android Éclair Exchange ActiveSync e-mail to synchronize corporate e-mail, contacts and calendars from office e-mail accounts
· Music player features lock screen, ticker display and quick side panel controls and 3.5-millimeter headphone jack
· 8 GB microSD™ card preinstalled expandable up to 32 GB
Lifestyle features: · V CAST Music with Rhapsody®, V CAST Video on Demand, V CAST Song ID, Visual Voice Mail, V CAST Tones, VZ Navigator®, Mobile IM, City ID, Bing Search and Maps, and Blockbuster Application
· Dedicated ticker displays up-to-the minute news, weather and SNS updates, as well as music player controls and incoming e-mail, IM, and text messages without interrupting the activity on the main display
· Samsung's Social Hub – Built around messaging, contacts and calendar sync, which allows users to send and receive information, whether it is e-mail, social network updates or SMS messages
o Integrated Calendar information from portal calendars, on Exchange, Google Calendar™ and SNS, including Facebook®
o Integrated Contacts syncs with Exchange, Google, Twitter and Facebook – Facebook contacts display in four categories, including Info, History (previous calls and messages), Activities (status updates and notifications on social networking sites), and Media (Facebook profile photos and photo gallery)
· AllShare™ – Enables inter-device connectivity through Digital Living Network Alliance® (DLNA®), so users can send multimedia content wirelessly to other DLNA Certified®-enabled devices such as TVs and laptops
· Daily Briefing – Instant access to weather, news, stocks and schedules
· Write and Go – Quickly jot down an idea and later decide on a format, such as SMS/ MMS, e-mail, calendar or memo, to send or post to popular SNS sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace
· Weather Clock – Displays current time and weather of the selected city (ability to add and select other cities)
Pricing and availability: · The Samsung Continuum will be available for order starting Nov. 11 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement and data package. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. The device will be available for purchase in stores beginning Nov. 18.
· For additional 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.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images of the Samsung Continuum in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)
About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
About Samsung Telecommunications America Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.
(1) Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S. claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics Q1-Q2 2010, Q1-Q4 2009 and Q3 and Q4 2008 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.
Android, Google, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Android Market are trademarks of Google Inc.
6:43PM And that's it, apparently. We're off for some hands-on -- Samsung is reminding us that there's free food and drink again.
6:43PM Not word on a Froyo update for Galaxy S devices here.
6:43PM 5 megapixel camera with flash, as well.
6:42PM 1GHz Hummingbird, 720p camcorder, Android 2.1, 8GB microSD expandable to 32, 3G Mobile Hotspot.
6:42PM Swipe between ticker functions.
6:42PM The ticker is controlled by a grip sensor. "It's rude to check your phone every minute -- you do a gentle grip on the side and the ticker alone lights up to show new notifications. If nothing's happened, you just see the time and temperature."
6:41PM Lastly, the ticker shows media controls.
6:41PM Built in VZ Navigator, so turn-by-turn GPS directions are displayed on the ticker. That's awesome.
6:40PM That button on the right is the ticker history -- you hit it to bring up all the notifications that have hit the ticker.
6:40PM Fourth, incoming call and text alerts -- you can answer and ignore calls and texts.
6:39PM Third is RSS feeds -- ten preloaded feeds, and you can add others directly from the browser. Touch to open the story in the browser.
6:39PM Second is missed notifications: SMS, MMS, IM, email, all updated live. Click to bring up the message directly.
6:38PM Seven specific ticker services, first is standby mode -- date, time, weather.
6:38PM 3.4 inch WVGA Super AMOLED display, with a 1.8 inch ticker display below it.
6:37PM "So this is the Samsung Continuum, a Galaxy S phone exclusively on Verizon Wireless. Launching very soon."
6:37PM Looks like the ticker can also be configured as a dock for apps and shortcuts.
6:36PM Looks like apps can hit the secondary display -- they just showed a guy watching a movie and getting an ESPN score alert.
6:36PM We're watching a video here. Life is a continuum, guys.
6:35PM "We were inspired by Times Square and the stock ticker for speed and real time updates... for the first time I bring you the Samsung Continuum!"
6:35PM "People are multitaskers... almost hypertaskers." Meme alert!
6:34PM "You're familiar with the Galaxy S smartphones... but there are more opportunities in the smartphone market."
6:34PM Nick DeCarlo from Samsung up on stage now.
6:34PM Three million Galaxy S phones shipped in the US.
6:33PM Chief marketing officer Paul Golden on stage now. "Thanks for coming out to be with us, we're very excited about out announcement tonight." Announcement, singular. That doesn't bode well.
6:33PM "I can't remember a year in the five years I've been with Samsung that we've been here with so many events."
6:32PM "Good evening, thank you all for coming!"
6:32PM Okay, we're getting underway here. We hope.
6:30PM And now the Bravery is on. At this point this is just a really polite college party. And everyone's parents have shown up. Oh, and the college kids aren't here. Pretty weird party, actually.
6:27PM And now duck with marinated orange in a puff pastry shell. This is getting serious.
6:24PM And now Weezer is on. Is it weird that we can't hear "Say It Ain't So" without instinctively doing the Rock Band finger motions now?
6:20PM Chicken fingers and risotto / mozzarella croquettes now making the rounds. If Samsung doesn't start this thing soon we'll all be passed out.
6:18PM False alarm -- they cut the Killers off so they could kick in some MGMT.
6:18PM And the Killers have been abruptly shut off. Let's get this party started.
6:17PM Just looking at the various Continuum promo images floating about, it looks like the secondary display can at least show the time, weather, and text messages. There's also an icon on the right side that looks like it'll launch a message reply, so we'd guess the front of the phone is one large touch surface -- we'd definitely wondering how easy it'll be to hit the Android buttons, but we'll find out when we get some hands-on time.
6:13PM And on to "Friday I'm In Love." Fine, Samsung, you got us. We love the Cure. We admit it.
6:11PM "Hey folks, just wanted to let you know that the bar is... OPEN." Not being very subtle here.
6:11PM Hey, what's this? A closer look at the Continuum displayed on screen reveals that it's another in Verizon's line of Bing-infused Android phones. That's... cool.
6:09PM We've gone from dramatic action movie score to Phoenix. Even secret agents need to stop checking their stocks and look at twee vacation slideshows, we suppose.
6:08PM We're here -- Samsung is plying the invitees with beef tenderloin on crostini and an open bar, while security guards with stock-ticker T-shirts wander about to James Bond-esque music. It's very strange.
We're here live at Samsung's mysterious Android event... actually, it's not that mysterious since we're dead certain we're about to see the well-leakedContinuum make its official debut. Regardless, we're here and we're bloggin', so settle in and let's see if Sammy and Verizon have any actual surprises for us, shall we?
The Large Hadron Collider has been busily colliding protons since it opened last year, but a new set of experiments starting later this month could tell us more about the beginnings of the universe than we've ever known before. At CERN, where the LHC is housed in Geneva, scientists will attempt to create mini Big Bangs (the full-sized one is generally accepted as having created the actual universe about 13.7 billion years ago). The process will involve shooting lead ions through the 17-mile long collider, and accelerating them to relativistic speeds before colliding them head-on with protons. According to popular wisdom this should cause an explosion resulting in the creation of brand spanking new particles. Although similar experiments have been conducted on a much smaller scale at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, this will be the first time scientists have attempted to accurately recreate conditions exactly like the Big Bang. Hit the source link for the full story.
Not down with coughing up serious cash for a serious Galaxy Tab? Great news, Bargain Ben: you've got options. Joining the raft of cut-rate, low-priced tablets is a new one from Sylvania, which is humorously described as a "7-inch MID tablet." Details are scarce, but it's rocking Android 2.1, an 800 x 480 screen resolution, six-hour battery, 512MB of RAM, 2GB of Flash memory, front-facing camera and a microSD card slot. You'll also get 802.11b/g WiFi, a pair of mini-USB sockets, HDMI output and what we're assuming is a resistive touchpanel. We'd say the chances of Android Market access are slim to none, but for just $179.99, who really cares if it functions? 
You can slow 'em down, HTC... but you can't stop 'em. That's the message that xda-developers is sending loud and clear today on news that the T-Mobile G2 has graduated from a temporary root solution to a permanent one, despite HTC's attempt to lock it down tight in hardware. Interestingly, the solution involves starting with the already-tried-and-true temporary root and applying a few additional steps; as always, you want to be careful with these sorts of things, but we've no doubt there are thousands of G2 owners out there who've already beaten us to the punch. Let us know how it goes, won't you?
Hello, diversification. The same company responsible for the Vizit photo frame is branching out in a big way -- Isabella Products has just introduced what it's calling the planet's first fully interactive, connected children's tablet. Just like mum and pop's Galaxy Tab, the Fable boasts a 7-inch touchpanel and inbuilt 3G, but details beyond that (hardware wise, anyway) are few and far betwixt. We are told that it'll come preloaded with children's titles from partner Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, including Curious George, Martha Speaks, and George and Martha. As you'd expect, it'll boast a tyke-friendly user interface and will provide a secure, SFW connection to the company's VizitMe.com content management system. There's nary a mention of price (nor how much it'll cost to maintain that 3G connection each month), but all should be crystal clear by the time it launches in mid-2011. 
Truth be told, it's exactly what the world needed. More 3D gimmickry... on the iPhone and iPod touch, no less. With over 125 million of those two devices in circulation, Hasbro's betting that a new accessory will have a greater-than-average chance at taking off next Spring, with the My3D goggles set to put the View back in ViewMaster. Purportedly, the toy firm is expected to fully reveal the device to investors later today, with it being "aimed at both children and adults" and offering a 3D viewing experience on games, virtual travel, augmented reality apps and entertainment content. The device itself resembles a set of binoculars, and just as the aforementioned ViewMaster, there's a slot where you place your iPod touch or iPhone. Users will have to browse the App Store for compatible My3D content, with some of it to be offered up gratis. We're guessing more than a few curious consumers will bite at just $30, but how hard would it have been to get this thing onto store shelves next month? A holiday opportunity missed, Hasbro. 
They're still far from being in the bargain bin, but solid state drives are slowly but surely walking their way down from the pricing stratosphere. A week after revealing a 96GB V+ 100 model, Kingston has now uncovered a more capacious sibling that'll definitely tempt existing HDD users who have been holding tight to their platters while scoffing at the tiny SSD sizes cluttering the market. The 256GB SSDNow V100 is a 2.5-incher with sequential read speeds as high as 250MB/sec and write rates as high as 230MB/sec, and as with other Kingston SSDs, this one too packs a three-year warranty and Windows 7 TRIM support. It should be popping up on NewEgg and Buy.com soon here in the US of A for $489.99, and for those in need of an upgrade kit, it'll find its way into a pair of desktop / laptop bundles for $10 more. 
Magazine and newspaper publishers are about to get a larger piece of the Kindle pie -- 70 percent, to be exact. That's what Amazon's now offering, in an effort that's clearly aimed to attract more periodicals to the service. Only catch is, all versions of the periodical have to work for all version of Kindle, in all geographical regions where the publishers has the rights to distribute -- a small price to pay, especially since it keeps the customer base pretty wide open. Interested parties, you probably already know where to look.
Just a couple of months after Sony refreshed its longstanding Reader Daily Edition, that very product is now shipping to the masses. 'Course, you're probably laser-focused on Hanvon's new color E Ink device on tap for next March, but if you just can't wait for that bad boy -- and you're not interested in any of the LCD-based alternatives -- the PRS-950SC is now available in stores and through SonyStyle. As a refresher, this guy's got a 7-inch touchscreen, WiFi and 3G, a spartan web browser and 2GB of integrated storage space. All yours for a buck under $300. 
Pentax's Optio RZ10 looked fairly impressive on paper, and even when we handled it at Photokina, we reckoned it would be quite the standout in the bargain-bin point-and-shoot arena. Turns out that's not exactly the case. The fine folks over at PhotographyBLOG have put this pup through its paces, and while the handling, build quality and price all felt right, the image quality... well, didn't. And as you well know, there's hardly a silver lining to find when a camera's images aren't up to snuff. Even at ISO 200, critics spotted startling amounts of noise, "smearing of fine detail and loss of color saturation, with all three problems getting progressively worse as you work your way up the range to the true top speed of ISO 1600." At right around $200, it's still a well-priced compact, but with cameraphones getting progressively more adept, do you really need yet another ho hum gadget to push through airport security? Hit the source link for the fully skinny.
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