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Thursday, November 11, 2010

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Google Nexus S is the Samsung GT-i9020?

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 09:56 AM PST

We've already established that the Nexus S is almost certainly a Samsung -- but what else do we know about it? Well, a quick search for pictures taken with a Nexus S on Flickr and Picasa produced some 5 megapixel results, believe it or not, and some of those users' albums had been using a Samsung handset with model number GT-i9020 just a few days earlier. If we had to guess, a recent firmware update changed the EXIF identifier for these shots from the code to the actual retail name -- Nexus S, that is -- which explains the switchover. We've got both an FCC filing and a Wi-Fi Alliance certification for the i9020, and it's definitely a smartphone with 802.11 b / g / n (single-band, unfortunately) and AWS 3G, a radio choice that ties it in nicely with T-Mobile as the Best Buy leak would have us believe.

Interestingly, a little digging reveals that all of these shots on photo sharing sites are coming from Google employees and families of Google employees -- and Sammy's i9000 series is closely tied to the Galaxy S line, which makes sense considering how much the Nexus S seems to look like a Galaxy S. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, the FCC label documentation for the i9020 lines up perfectly with the leaked picture. So yeah, it's all kind of coming together -- all we need now, Google, is an official Gingerbread and hardware announce. Let's do this thing.

PlayStation Moves into creepy ad business

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 09:51 AM PST

We all know Sony likes to be a bit off the wall with its commercials, so this dystopian vision of a grown-up baby's trudge through corporate monotony shouldn't surprise us at all. And yet, somehow, it does. It's part of a pair of new ads destined for Latin America, the second of which awaits you after the break.

Is this the Nexus S?

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 09:08 AM PST

Woah, what do we have here? A new "In Store" web-based flier from Best Buy Mobile has this little nugget on its front page: a previously unseen Galaxy S, running stock Android (possibly 2.3, based on the green icons and black notifications bar) and harboring what looks to be a front facing camera. Sounds like a Nexus S to us! Paired with this morning's little Nexus S slip-of-the-tongue from Best Buy, we're starting to get our hopes up. Don't let us down, Google / T-Mobile / Samsung / Best Buy / planet earth!

[Thanks, Ryan C.]

Dell confirms protected WiFi problems, mislabeled batteries on the three Venue Pros sold so far

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 09:04 AM PST

If you detected a hint of anger in our headline, please forgive us, but we're sure many of you are going through the same rollercoaster of emotions -- after all, Dell's lovely portrait QWERTY Venue Pro has only been sold in ridiculously limited quantities through Microsoft's seven retail stores so far, making them virtually impossible to buy for most of us. Anyhow, in the event you were lucky enough to get one, you'll be pleased to know that Dell is aware of the problems you might be having connecting to secure WiFi networks, and the next batch won't be afflicted -- which might explain why they haven't offered a steady stream of devices through the stores this week. They also mention it's a "software glitch," but there's no mention of timing on an update for phones in the field.

There's also been a problem with batteries on these inaugural devices being labeled as "engineering samples," apparently, but Dell assures that they're production-quality cells that have simply been mislabeled. They say that customers wanting an exchange either for the WiFi issue or the mislabeled battery can get one at their local store "beginning at the end of next week," so we'd take that to mean there won't be any stock filtering in for anyone until then. Patience continues to be a virtue we don't believe in.

AAXA busts out its bright little XGA M2 projector

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 08:42 AM PST

AAXA is known in some circles for making bright little pico projectors, and its newest, the M2, is no exception. This latest model packs 110 lumens of brightness, XGA (1024 x 768) resolution -- seemingly a first for the world of tiny projectors. It also has 1GB of built-in storage plus an SD card slot if you need to get serious. The micro projector also boasts VGA, HDMI, and USB ports. Other than that, the M2 has a built-in media player with support for MP4, MP3, AVI, JPG, and other file formats, and optional cables for iPod, PSP and smartphone hookups. AAXA's M2 is available now, and you can grab one for $369.

Samsung NX 100 gets reviewed, deemed a good option for the CSC curious

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 08:21 AM PST

We've shared exclusives of Samsung's NX100 in the wild, gone hands on and even completed a quick and dirty mini review at Photokina this year, and for the most part walked away impressed by its i-Function lens controls and wallet-friendly price. Now, the folks at Photography Blog have shared their own exhaustive review of the mirror-less camera and recommend the NX10's little brother as a good option with a high-quality APS-C sensor for those looking to dip their toes in the Compact System Camera waters. However they were less enthused about the NX100's i-Function controls than we were, feeling the concept would work better on units with electronic viewfinders (which they missed on the NX100) -- since they can be held close to the eye as opposed to at arm's length. The lack of a built-in pop-up flash, and optical or in-body stabilisation was also a disappointment. Benefits like a good Smart Auto scene selection system, competitive focusing speed, and an impressive AMOLED 3-inch screen were mentioned as redeeming high points though, which combined with rock-bottom pricing, put the camera in a unique competition-undercutting position. For more juicy details, be sure to hit up the review link below.

Sprint and Clearwire set to launch WiMAX in Los Angeles by December 1st

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 08:00 AM PST

Sprint set to launch WiMAX in Los Angeles by December 1st
The headline says it all on this one, folks. Thanks to a tweet by Sprint representative Stephanie Vinge we know that company and Clearwire will be flipping the switch on 4G service in LA sometime before December 1st, following on recent successes in New York City, Tampa, Hartford, and many other lovely locales. Of course, we all know it isn't actually 4G, but it's as close as we're going to get right now, and we'll certainly take it.

Update: Lots of folks are indicating WiMAX is already well and truly working in the greater Los Angeles area, so go ahead and enjoy those download speeds early -- unofficially, of course.

[Image courtesy Sten Rüdrich]

JooJoo is no more, Fusion Garage to keep on trucking

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 07:39 AM PST

Ah, JooJoo, we hardly knew ye.That 0.2.4 firmware update did a number on your speed woes, but alas, it wasn't enough. Fusion Garage founder Chandrashekar Rathakrishnan told e27 that the tablet didn't meet sales expectations and that, despite his rant against the iPad business model, people apparently do want those "non-web experiences," in his words. But like all good soap operas, this one still goes on: Rathakrishnan confirmed the company is still going, meaning there's at least one new project in the pipeline, and yes, there's also still a lawsuit that'll stay alive and kicking.

New York Times to launch bestseller list for e-books in early 2011

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 07:20 AM PST

The New York Times has dropped some PR on us this morning, making an official announcement that it will begin to publish a bestseller list for e-books in early 2011. The current NYT bestseller lists -- which are divided into several categories -- are considered by many to be the definitive metric for a book's success. The Times will have two separate lists covering fiction and non-fiction when it launches, drawing on information from various retailers, and will be independently verified by third party company RoyaltyShare. The list will appear in both the print and online editions of the paper. The full press release is below
Show full PR text
The New York Times to Launch eBook Best-Seller Lists

Independent Third Party, RoyaltyShare, Inc., Will Help Validate Sales Data

NEW YORK, Nov 11, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The New York Times announced today it will publish eBook fiction and nonfiction Best-Seller Lists beginning early 2011.

Since 1935, The New York Times Best-Seller Lists have been the definitive metric that book publishers and authors have used to judge success. The Times's eBook Best-Seller Lists are a natural extension of this important franchise as the proliferation of portable devices grows.

"The vibrant growth of digital publishing has created a need for an impartial, reliable source for tracking and reporting the top-selling eBooks across the country," said Janet Elder, editor of News Surveys for The New York Times. "The Times is a trusted brand within the book publishing industry and with consumers. As with all The Times's rankings, these additional lists will benefit from corroborative sourcing and we will watch for trends in the industry."

"The best-seller list is an essential part of the Book Review, and we're excited we'll be able to give readers newer and more complete information," said Sam Tanenhaus, editor of The New York Times Book Review.

The rankings will reflect sales aggregated from a growing number of online service providers who sell eBooks to consumers. To further secure the integrity of the rankings, The Times is aggressively developing a means of processing and displaying the information necessary, and of verifying the data provided.

The Times has entered into a relationship with an independent third party, RoyaltyShare, Inc., whose unique, Web-based software platform will be used by the staff of The New York Times Best Seller Lists to help validate eBooks sales data received from various sources.

As new devices continue to captivate readers, the eBook category has seen tremendous growth. The Association of American Publishers recently reported that eBook sales for the first eight months of the year were up more than 190 percent, generating nine percent of total consumer book sales.

The lists will appear in The New York Times Book Review both in print and online editions. Rankings will reflect sales for the week at many venues where a wide range of general interest eBooks are sold nationwide. These include independent book retailers; national, regional and local chains; and online and multimedia entertainment retailers.

About The New York Times Company

The New York Times Company, a leading media company with 2009 revenues of $2.4 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

About RoyaltyShare, Inc.

RoyaltyShare, Inc. is the leading provider of global digital revenue management and reporting solutions for the music and book publishing industries. Utilizing an innovative Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) application delivery model, RoyaltyShare provides a suite of on-demand services dedicated to simplifying the increasingly complex digital sales channel. RoyaltyShare's technology is used by hundreds of companies around the world. RoyaltyShare is based in San Diego with offices in New York and London. More information on the company can be found at www.royaltyshare.com

Nexus S for T-Mobile gets brief Best Buy Mobile nod: there and gone again

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 06:59 AM PST

Well, this was rather unexpected. Earlier today, Best Buy Mobile published a humble (if not incomplete) ad for the "Nexus S for T-Mobile," touting both its "pure Google" experience (i.e. vanilla Android) and holiday availability exclusively from Best Buy. It's gone now, saved only by the grace of Google cache. To be honest, all we can do is speculate beyond that. An anonymous tipster to RadioAndroid pegged the Nexus S name late last month and claimed it would feature Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, and a Hummingbird processor. TechCrunch later described a Samsung-borne "Nexus Two" that has since been delayed due to some serious hardware issue. Is this a placeholder from the online devs? Does / did the S stand for Samsung, or something else entirely? And most importantly, is this presumed follow-up to Nexus One actually coming out, or did you just get your hopes up for nothing?

Seiko's 'active matrix' E Ink watch now up for pre-order

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 06:51 AM PST

Does the time you spend at work away from your e-reader leave you crippled with the E Ink shakes? Well the good news is that Seiko's gorgeous atomic clock-syncing 'active matrix' E Ink watch we covered a while back is now available for pre-order via Amazon Japan. The bad news is that it's priced at ï¿¥84,000 (on sale) -- which equates to roughly $1,022 based on current exchange rates. That's about five times more than Phosphor's latest 24 hour time zone mastering E Ink watch, or nearly enough cheddar to a buy one of Amazon's latest Kindles for everyday of the work week. Really, though, the price isn't too surprising coming from a respected watch company like Seiko, especially when you take into account its schmancy 180 degree viewing angle, geek-chic looks, and radio-controlled movement. Don't be misled by the 'active matrix' terminology however, because a matching leather trench coat isn't part of this deal.

[Thanks, P-A]

Robo-nurse gives gentle bed baths, keeps its laser eye on you (video)

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 06:29 AM PST

When they're not too busy building creepy little humanoids or lizard-like sand swimmers, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology like to concern themselves with helping make healthcare easier. To that end, they've constructed the Cody robot you see above, which has recently been demonstrated successfully wiping away "debris" from a human subject. The goal is simple enough to understand -- aiding the elderly and infirm in keeping up their personal hygiene -- but we'd still struggle to hand over responsibility for granny's care to an autonomous machine equipped with a camera and laser in the place where a head might, or ought to, be. See Cody cleaning up its designer's extremities after the break.

Jolibook is the official netbook of Jolicloud, coming this month?

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 06:02 AM PST

Just a few weeks ago, we got word (by way of a few Tweets) that Jolicloud was seemingly -- if the images were any indication -- in the final stages of developing a netbook of its own. Well, we've just gotten some official news on just that topic. The Jolibook, as it's going to be known, is of mostly unknown specifications at this point, but here's what we do know: the Jolicloud 1.1-powered laptop will boast an Atom N550 CPU, and a 250GB hard drive. Jolicloud also says that the netbook's display will boast a "gorgeous" screen and an affordable price. Sadly, that's all we know for now, though the company is promising that all this is going down this month, so we're going to keep our eyes peeled for you.

Boxee Box gets the requisite teardown; would you look at that heat sink!

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 05:03 AM PST

Lest you forget, the Boxee Box is a capital C computer, just like Google TV. In fact, both products share nearly identical processors, with the Intel CE4110 in Boxee and the CE4150 in Google TV, each clocked at 1.2GHz. Turns out, much of the mass of the Boxee Box is used for the heat sink and fan that are cooling that sucker, as revealed in iFixit's timely teardown of the media powerhouse. Other things they found inside include 1GB of RAM, 1GB of flash memory, and a digital-to-analog audio converter to allow for 1080p video out of HDMI while still using legacy audio hardware. Sounds like some good stuff -- so, after years of hacking the Apple TV for Boxee use, who will be the first to repay Boxee the favor and get something else running on here?

Hulu Plus now available to all PS3 owners in the US, Europe lets out a wistful sigh

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 04:29 AM PST

Yes indeed, the expected wide availability of Hulu Plus on the PlayStation 3 has just been enacted, allowing any US PlayStation Network member to get streaming with Hulu's premium offering. Until now, you needed to be a paying member of Sony's PlayStation Plus club to qualify, but that requirement has now finally been dropped. Check out our experience with Hulu Plus on the PS3 if you still need help deciding whether the $9.99 TV streaming service is worth your hard-earned greenbacks. Those of us unlucky enough to be living on another continent will just go drown our sorrows with another round of Black Ops mayhem.

[Thanks, Robert]

Wall Street Journal releases Android Tablet Edition app, phones need not apply

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 04:11 AM PST

Given that the first truly respectable Android tablet just came out, the Wall Street Journal is timing its Tablet Edition app release pretty much perfectly. It aims to offer a faithful reproduction of the printed version of the paper while augmenting it with full-screen video, market data, customization options, and the ability to save articles for offline reading. $3.99 will net you a week's worth of access on both Android and iPad Tablet Editions along with subscriber privileges on WSJ.com. The app itself is free, so if you have a Galaxy Tab just hanging around (it doesn't work on phones, we've already tried on a Desire Z) you can give it a test-drive -- it's certainly what we intend to do, check back later for our impressions!
Show full PR text
Wall Street Journal Tablet Edition Now Available for Android

NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Wall Street Journal today announced its Wall Street Journal Tablet Edition app is now available for Android tablet devices. The new app references the experience of the Journal newspaper along with full-screen video, market data, customizable features, and the ability to save articles from sections for later or offline reading.

"Our strategy is to serve readers whenever, wherever, and it's critical that the Journal's unparalleled news and analysis are available in a high-quality format across multiple devices and platforms," said Daniel Bernard, chief product officer for The Wall Street Journal Digital Network. "The WSJ Tablet Edition for Android continues to blend the best of print and online with an experience that showcases our strength of innovation and original delivery of content."

Content on WSJ Tablet Edition for Android includes full sections from each day's newspaper with the ability to swipe through from section to section or article to article within sections, including What's News, Opinion, Marketplace, Money & Investing, Greater New York, Personal Journal, WSJ Weekend and WSJ. magazine. The app has been designed to download each day's paper automatically every morning when the paper is published, resulting in more efficient download.

WSJ Tablet Edition for Android subscribers will receive access to content such as Business, Markets and Opinion and an archive of each day's print Journal from the previous seven days. Special features available to all users include Market Data, including quote search and a customizable Watchlist, and videos and slideshows.

The WSJ Tablet Edition app for Android is free to download from the Android Market with a subscription required for full access to all content and features. A full digital subscription is available for $3.99 per week, which provides access to WSJ Tablet Edition for Android and iPad, WSJ.com, and WSJ Mobile Reader for BlackBerry and iPhone. Current Journal subscribers receive full access to the WSJ Tablet Edition for free for a limited time.

Speculative Kinect sales figures announced, looks to have handily trumped PlayStation Move

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 03:49 AM PST

Speculative Kinect sales figures announced, looks to have handily trumped PlayStation Move
We'll get this out of the way right up front: VGChartz won't say where it gets its sales figures and, because of that, they're not to be taken as gospel or treated with much validity on their own. But, comparing one set of the site's numbers to another can be useful in showing trends, and with that caveat firmly in mind let's take a look at Microsoft's Kinect vs. Sony's PlayStation Move. According to the site, Kinect Adventures (bundled in with the camera itself) sold just under 480,000 units in one week after launching on November 4th, while the PlayStation Move sold 200,000 "units" in its first week, which according to VGChartz is not individual pieces of hardware but bundles of hardware tied to a single console. (This contrasts to Sony's figure, which counts each piece of hardware -- nunchuck, wand, and camera -- separately.) So, by these rather early and decidedly unofficial numbers it looks like Microsoft's Kinect investment might just be paying off, though of course it's the long-run that counts in these things.

Steve Jobs says AirPrint has not been 'pulled,' but here's how to re-enable it just in case

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 03:19 AM PST

Steve Jobs says AirPrint has not been 'pulled,' but here's how to re-enable it just in case
We're still just as much in the dark as you are as to the current state and future of AirPrint, but we do now have a solution. Yesterday it was looking like wireless printing from iOS devices was out the window, but according to MacRumors.com Steve Jobs has responded to one disgruntled user's ask for clarification, saying in typically terse prose:
AirPrint has not been pulled. Don't believe everything you read.
Indeed you should not believe everything you read, and given there's no way to authenticate this supposed response you might want to take that with a bit of a grain of salt too. But, until we get official confirmation one way or another, Mac developer Steven Troughton-Smith has managed to find a way to re-enable the service in the released version of Mac OS X v10.6.5. It won't be easy, you'll need to pull some files from a pre-release version of that version (confused yet?), but if you need to print something wirelessly today give it a shot. Or, you could just wait until tomorrow when iOS 4.2 rolls out and we see for sure what's going on with AirPrint.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

HTC Media Link DLNA media streamer dances through the FCC with 802.11n WiFi

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 02:48 AM PST

This certainly isn't the first media streamer we've seen but the very fact that this non-smartphone sports HTC branding makes our hearts flutter with curious anticipation. HTC's Media Link (model DH H100) just made its appearance in the FCC putting it right on schedule for a Q4 release. It tested on 802.11n WiFi at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz for wirelessly streaming (DLNA) photos, audio, and video up to 720p to your HDMI connected TV. Otherwise, you can always tether that HTC handset to the microUSB jack. We're not seeing any mention of the rumored "Tube" product name -- perhaps that was the internal codename and the more mundane (but descriptive) Media Link moniker will stick for retail. We should see lickity quick now that US certification is done.

AMD publishes CPU roadmaps through 2012, runs a quad-core Bulldozer through the laptop realm

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 02:24 AM PST

Heard of Trinity, Krishna, Wichita and Komodo? You have now -- they're the codenames of brand-new processors that AMD plans to ship in 2012. AMD dropped preliminary details on the basic platform lineup earlier this week, and it looks like there are some sweeping changes in store -- like the fact that every single chip will have a DirectX 11 capable GPU on board in true Fusion style. Also, if you thought Bulldozer was a desktop processor and Bobcat limited to laptops, you'll be interested to know that's not at all how it's going to work -- powerhouse notebooks and mid-range towers can get the same four high-end cores in the form of a 32nm Trinity APU, while Krishna and Wichita mop up the low-end and hopefully address low power consumption scenarios with 28nm silicon. Of course, there's a little something extra for the desktop enthusiast, and that's where the octa-core Komodo will come in (picture after the break). AMD's also enacted one other very important change, and that's to provide the handy-dandy AMD Codename Decoder™ for telling all these platforms apart. You'll find it at our more coverage link. We kid you not.

Show full PR text
AMD Details a Vivid Future of Computing at Annual Financial Analyst Day

Sunnyvale, Calif. - 11/9/2010

At its annual Financial Analyst Day, AMD (NYSE: AMD) demonstrated how its unique combination of CPU and GPU computing technologies on a single die will enable breakthrough capabilities in an innovative processor design with planned OEM system availability in early 2011. AMD executives detailed how this new class of processor, AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), is poised to create a sustained position of advantage by powering demanding PC workloads in sleek form factors with long battery life, pacing future AMD growth. AMD Fusion APUs are built from DirectX® 11-capable GPU technology and either low-power or high-performance multi-core x86 CPU technology. These APUs are designed to vastly improve today's Internet, video processing and playback, and gaming (client and online) experiences. For the first time, AMD also demonstrated its new high-performance x86 multi-core CPU architecture codenamed "Bulldozer" and provided additional information around the "Bulldozer" launch schedule.

For more detail on AMD's disclosures from today please see roadmap blog, and for additional commentary on what APUs mean for AMD please see AMD Fusion blog.

"AMD's business model has consistently delivered operating profits this year, while the strength of our platform offerings drove continued expansion of our customer base," said Dirk Meyer, AMD president and CEO. "The industry is at an inflection point, with users demanding technology that is more immersive and interactive. With our upcoming AMD Fusion APUs combining our DirectX 11-capable graphics processors and next-generation microprocessors on a single chip, we are poised to lead the industry's next computing era with richer, more vivid digital experiences."

"AMD Fusion products represent the biggest advancement in processor technology since the industry's switch to multi-core designs," observed Nathan Brookwood, research fellow at Insight 64. "AMD Fusion enables a quantum increase in the performance of entry-level and mainstream processors, and helps software developers enrich their offerings in ways that would previously have been hard to imagine. These enhanced applications, in turn, will give the PC industry tools to tap into new opportunities that only the latest GPU technology can provide."

AMD Fusion APUs mark a significant leap forward in technology innovation to address evolving workloads and users' needs for smaller, more power-efficient form factors that enable richer visual computing experiences such as:

Outstanding Web browsing experiences in terms of speed of response, quality of graphics, quality of animations;
Smooth video playback of HD and 3D content in even the most portable form factors;
Optimized experience in popular GPU-accelerated productivity applications such as Microsoft PowerPoint where AMD Fusion enables smooth transitions, better animations, easier video editing;
Better content management capabilities to organize the millions of digital media files created and stored by consumers everyday;
User interface innovations designed to rapidly evolve as new technologies such as gesture recognition and voice command take advantage of the massive parallel processing capability of GPUs as evidenced by the hundreds of gigaflops of compute power in the AMD Fusion APU codenamed "Llano".
AMD Public Roadmap Updates
AMD also announced several notable updates to its 2012 roadmaps including:

"Krishna" and "Wichita": Two and four-core 28nm APUs based on the next-generation sub-one watt "Bobcat" CPU cores and a DirectX 11-capable GPU, designed for the tablet, notebook, HD netbook, and desktop form-factors;
"Trinity": a 32nm APU based on AMD's next-generation "Bulldozer" CPU cores and a DirectX 11-capable GPU, designed for mainstream and high-performance desktops and notebooks;
"Komodo": a 32nm CPU featuring up to 10 AMD "Bulldozer" CPU cores designed for high-performance and enthusiast desktops;
"Terramar" and "Sepang": Two new 32nm CPUs for the server market based on AMD's "Bulldozer" CPU core. Targeted for the enterprise, mainstream market "Terramar" will scale up to 20 cores while "Sepang" is designed for the cost-optimized, energy efficient market and will scale up to 10 CPU cores.

Hulu's block on Boxee streaming affecting more than just Boxee Boxes

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 01:36 AM PST

We know Boxee wanted its Box launch to have an impact, but we doubt this was the way the company intended. A great many of our readers are reporting this morning that their browser-based streaming attempts from Hulu have been greeted with an error message telling them that they're trying to access the service "from Boxee." Needless to say, these Windows 7 and Mac OS X users are not amused and we suspect Hulu will have only a short time to sort out its blocking algorithms before a full-on frenzy of discontented geeks engulfs its forums. Reported browsers to have fallen afoul of this unplanned ban include Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari, leaving us to wonder whether anyone is able to stream content from Hulu right now. Have you had any luck?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: One of our tipsters has now seen his streaming uncorked again, so maybe Hulu has sorted out its booboo. Thanks, Chris!

Hanvon's color e-reader up for pre-order in China -- for just $530

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 01:25 AM PST

We'll rarely be accused of being proper economists here, but we do have to question Hanvon's calculations in throwing up a pre-order price for its brand new color e-reader of 3,500 Chinese Yuan. That's the report coming out of DigiTimes this morning, placing the device at around the $530 mark in a market that's not exactly known for its rampant consumption of tech luxuries. Then again, what we're talking about here will indeed be the very first E Ink Triton-equipped device anywhere once deliveries commence in February, so there's the cachet of short-term exclusivity to look forward to. Or it might be very long-term exclusivity if nobody thinks that color is worth paying that massive premium over more conventional e-readers. We shall wait and see.

Windows Phone 7 USB tethering uncovered on Samsung phones

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 12:46 AM PST

If you're the proud owner of a Samsung Focus or Omnia 7, you can scratch a pretty major item off the list of basic features missing from WP7: USB tethering. A couple of sites have come upon a quick and relatively easy hack to enable using your handset as a 3G modem on Microsoft's new platform. You'll need to dial up ##634# to get into a diagnostics menu, switch over to a "Modem, Tethered Call" mode and deal with a few more prompts along the way, but the end result is that you'll have a pretty much automated USB tether setup on your hands. Our own testing on HTC's Trophy and LG's Optimus 7 hasn't been quite so productive, perhaps because those devices require a different route to achieving it, but it seems like Windows Phone 7 is perfectly capable of performing the USB tethering task. Let us know how you get along in the comments below!

AMD GPU roadmap points to a happy 2011 for Radeon lovers

Posted: 11 Nov 2010 12:01 AM PST

The ATI name might be dead, but Radeon graphics cards are only growing bigger, bolder and better. AMD's recent financial analyst day has made official what many of us already knew or suspected: there'll be three new high-end GPUs forthcoming in the first quarter of 2011. The slides explicitly describe the recently launched HD 6870 / 6850 as mere refreshes, aiming to bring HD 5800 series performance in a more efficient package, but peek beyond them and you'll see an armada of HD 6900 chips just itching to bring the fight to NVIDIA and its newly crowned GTX 580 king of the single-GPU hill. No specs yet, of course, but at least we now know there'll be some fireworks to greet us early in the new year. Oh, and if the mobile realm is more your thing, we've got a shot of AMD's plans on that front waiting for you just after the break.

Galaxy Tab hitting AT&T on November 21st for a $649 premium?

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 11:28 PM PST

It's not official but that image above sure as hell looks like an official AT&T training document. AT&T already announced that it would carry the Samsung Galaxy Tab but has been coy with details about launch date, pricing, and custom apps. Now, if the screengrab above can be believed, we know that it'll hit AT&T shops on November 21st for a "HQ recommended" price of $649.99 without contract and featuring the same data plans (250MB for $14.99 per month or 2GB for $25 per month) AT&T offers alongside its $629 16GB WiFi + 3G iPad offering. Right, that's 20 bucks and change more for half the display and $50 more than the base price of T-Mobile's or Verizon's Galaxy Tab offering. Of course, AT&T will preinstall the Nook eReader and the AT&T Account Manager app for on-device activation and monthly credit refills. Not sure that's worth the premium though. Hold tight to see how this plays out as we should see an official pricing and launch date announcement any day now.
Galaxy Tab hitting AT&T on November 21st for a $649 premium?


[Thanks, tipster]

Xi3 Modular Computer is one cool-looking desktop in a cube

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 10:27 PM PST

Yep, that thing is a computer, and while it probably won't be your next computer, it's definitely an interesting one. Made by hardware startup Xi3, the aluminum case (yes, it's available in more than just that orange mocha frappuccino color) houses three separate boards -- one holds the AMD Athlon 64 processor and 2GB of DDR2 RAM, another the power / video card, and the last the input / outputs. As you may have guessed, the 20 watt modular system is meant to be tinkered with, and in addition to those internal boards, it has only two sides, eight screws, and that colorful chassis; the company will sell additional modules on its site. So, how much will that little thing set ya back? Obviously, it's customizable, but the base model, which includes a 1.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of flash storage rings up at $850. That's pricey considering it doesn't include a Windows OS, but Xi3 told us that it's primarily aiming this thing at the embedded market and cloud computing customers. Still, that doesn't mean you couldn't configure it with a larger hard drive, install your OS of choice, and find a home for the little guy on your desk. It's available now at the source link, but before heading over there you'll want to check out some pictures of the Xi3's internals in the gallery below and then journey past the break for the full press release.
Xi3 computer hands-on
Show full PR text
Xi3 Corporation Unveils the Xi3 Modular Computer

Winner of a CES 2011 Innovations Award in the Computer Hardware Category, the cube-like
Xi3 Modular Computer measures less than 4-inches per side, is powered by
dual core processors and may be "the last computer you ever need to buy"

SALT LAKE CITY – November 10, 2010 – Xi3® Corporation today announced its Xi3 Modular Computer™, a truly new approach to personal computing.

Showcased last night for the first time to journalists and analysts at the CES Unveiled@NY Showcase and Networking Reception in New York City, the Xi3 Modular Computer was named by the Consumer Electronics Association as an Innovations Award Winner in the Computer Hardware Category for the 2011 International CES trade show.

Measuring less than 4-inches per side, powered by dual core processors, yet requiring less than 20 Watts to operate, the Xi3 Modular computer is a small cube-like computer that is (as its name suggests) completely modular in nature. The Xi3 Modular Computer is supported by six issued U.S. patents and utilizes the Xi3 computer architecture which divides the classic motherboard into three separate boards:

* One board that houses the processors and RAM, and
* Two additional I/O boards to handle all connectivity and input/output requirements.

Each Xi3 board can be quickly removed, modified and/or replaced. Additionally, the Xi3 design makes it very easy to connect new external devices to the Xi3 Modular Computer.

"We reject the concept that computers should have a useful life of only two to four years," said Jason A. Sullivan, President and CEO of Xi3 Corporation. "Instead we believe that computers should be upgradeable and updateable over and over and over again, and that's how we've designed the Xi3 Modular Computer, making it (potentially) the last computer you ever need to buy."

Xi3 Modular Computer Design

The Xi3 architectural design houses the three boards within a strong yet lightweight aluminum cube that is small enough for almost any embedded solution, yet is supremely functional for both office and home use. Additionally, the aluminum casing of the Xi3 Modular Computer serves as a type of heatsink, while the flow-through design and the placement of the processors within the computer combine to help mitigate and dissipate heat blooms inside the enclosure itself. Three of the external sides of the aluminum casing also host separate universal mounting slides, making it simple to mount an Xi3 Modular Computer to almost anything, anywhere.

Pricing and Availability

Retail priced at less than $1,000, the Xi3 Modular Computer is available in limited supplies today for evaluation and proofs-of-concept purposes. General mass market availability is slated for early 2011, with other Xi3 products slated for introduction throughout 2011. Xi3 Corporation will exhibit in Booth #26003 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the 2011 International CES tradeshow January 6-9, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

About Xi3 Corporation
Formed in 2010 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Xi3 Corporation has brought a new type of computing to the world – modular computing, initially in the form of the Xi3 Modular Computer. For more information on Xi3 Corporation (an ISYS Technologies company), please visit www.Xi3.org.

About ISYS Technologies, Inc.
Formed in 2002 headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, ISYS Technologies is an intellectual property management company.

# # #
Xi3 and Modular Computer are trademarks of Isys Technologies, Inc. ISYS Technologies is a servicemark of ISYS Technologies, Inc.

Samsung Galaxy Tab lands on Verizon for $599.99

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 09:08 PM PST

So it was written, and so has it been done. Hot on the heels of T-Mobile, the little Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch Android tablet that could just hit Verizon retail for $599.99. Of course, that's before taxes and options for month-to-month data plans (with $35 activation fee) are factored in starting at $20 per month for 1GB on up to $80 for 10GB. So feel free to jump right in if the idea of waiting for a Super AMOLED version, a 10.1-inch flavor, or a tablet-tuned Android release sounds like crazy talk.

[Thanks, Spencer T.]

NEC rolls out Android-based LifeTouch 'cloud communicator'

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 07:33 PM PST

NEC's LifeTouch Android tablet wasn't exactly turning heads for all the right reasons when it was first unveiled it back in June, but it looks like the company has managed to at least slightly refine it for its official launch today. In addition to ditching a handful of buttons, the tablet is also now being pitched specifically as a "cloud communicator" that's especially well-suited for corporate customers, although exactly what that means in terms of capabilities still isn't clear. The tablet's specs apparently remain unchanged, however, and include a 7-inch pen input-capable display (described as a "Retina Touch Panel"), an ARM Cortex A8 processor, a 3 megapixel camera, an SD card slot, built-in WiFi and GPS, and Android 2.1 for an OS. Don't count on this one being released over here, but folks in Japan will be able to pick it up by the end of the month for a yet to be specified price.
Show full PR text
Introducing a New Cloud Communicator, the "LifeTouch(TM)" Tablet Terminal

Tokyo, November 10, 2010 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) announced today the launch of a new cloud communicator, "LifeTouch," in support of corporate client services through cloud computing. The new product starts shipping at the end of this month.

The new cloud communicator, "LifeTouch," is a tablet terminal featuring a 7-inch LCD and an open platform, Android(TM) operating system. It is positioned between a PC and mobile phone, featuring many of the characteristic abilities and mobility of both.

Due to recent corporate demand to reduce IT investment expenses and total cost of operations (TCO), both the interest in cloud computing and its actual use have steadily increased. The "LifeTouch" cloud communicator enables corporate customers to generate new revenues through customer services and to improve the efficiency of business operations through an optimized user interface. NEC provides customization and development of device and software elements in response to the content and business needs of corporate customers. NEC also provides a development environment for software vendors in order to enhance application software.

In addition to this new terminal, NEC will continue to provide its cloud service platforms that enable total service support for corporate customers.

The concept and main features of "LifeTouch" are as follows:
Concept

User friendly new terminal that everyone can use

* Easy operation
* High presentation ability and mobility
* Service and function expandability

Main Features

1. Design and interface for a wide range of users
* Soft and easy to carry form (Thin design, weighs approximately 370 grams)
* 7-inch touch panel and easily operated screen
* Easily operated four direction button
* Pen operable
* Full SD card
* Easy access to wireless LAN software (Rakuraku Musen Start)

2. Supporting service development for corporate customers
* Customized services for corporate customers (*)
* Support for developing original application software
* Total support from terminals to service platform

3. Expected use
* Electronic books, home services, e-shop, entertainment, etc.
* Sales promotions within stores, mobile sales activities, self-ordering, logistics related work, etc.

NEC anticipates the arrival of new market needs that these middle domain terminals will be ideally suited for. Looking forward, NEC aims to enhance its line-up of "LifeTouch" in support of these growing cloud computing needs.

"LifeTouch" will be exhibited at the "C&C User Forum & iEXPO 2010" in Tokyo between November 11 and 12.

Motorola slaps Microsoft with a pair of patent infringement lawsuits, says it's such a shame

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 06:42 PM PST

Looks like Motorola's about to fight a legal battle on two fronts -- Apple on one hand, and Microsoft on the other. Microsoft fired the first shot last month with a nine-patent ITC complaint and a second salvo alleging that Motorola was charging unfair licensing fees for 802.11 WiFi and H.264 video last week, it's now Moto's turn to retaliate with a pair of legal complaints. The cellular company now claims that Redmond's infringing a total of sixteen patents with everything from Microsoft Exchange to Bing Maps to the Windows operating system itself -- as well as the aforementioned video codecs and wireless tech, of course. Moto's also determined to rub a little salt in the wound, it seems, as the company just pushed out a press release with the following statement: "It is unfortunate that Microsoft has chosen the litigation path rather than entering into comprehensive licensing negotiations, as Motorola has mutually beneficial licensing relationships with the great majority of technology companies industry-wide." PR after the break.
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Motorola Mobility Files Patent Infringement Complaints Against Microsoft

November 10, 2010

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Nov. 10, 2010 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that its subsidiary, Motorola Mobility, Inc. has filed complaints against Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) with the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of Florida and the Western District of Wisconsin alleging infringement of sixteen patents by Microsoft's PC and Server software, Windows mobile software and Xbox products.

The Motorola patents directed to PC and Server software relate to Windows OS, digital video coding, email technology including Exchange, Messenger and Outlook, Windows Live instant messaging and object oriented software architecture. The Motorola patents directed to Windows mobile software relate to Windows Marketplace, Bing maps and object oriented software architecture. The Motorola patents directed to Xbox relate to digital video coding, WiFi technology, and graphical passwords. Motorola Mobility has requested that Microsoft cease using Motorola's patented technology and provide compensation for Microsoft's past infringement.

Kirk Dailey, corporate vice president of intellectual property at Motorola Mobility, said, "Motorola's R&D and intellectual property are of great importance to the Company and are renowned worldwide. We are committed to protecting the interests of our shareholders, customers and other stakeholders and are bringing this action against Microsoft in order to halt its infringement of key Motorola patents. Motorola has invested billions of dollars in R&D to create a deep and broad intellectual property portfolio and we will continue to do what is necessary to protect our proprietary technology."

Mr. Dailey noted that Microsoft also has filed separate patent infringement litigation against Motorola. "It is unfortunate," he said, "that Microsoft has chosen the litigation path rather than entering into comprehensive licensing negotiations, as Motorola has mutually beneficial licensing relationships with the great majority of technology companies industry-wide."

WowWee Cinemin Slice takes the pico out of your pocket

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 06:17 PM PST

We can't say we've ever dreamt of a pico projector / speaker dock combo, but we also can't say the idea doesn't make a bit of sense. Continuing its expansion into the projector space with its Cinemin sub-brand, WowWee's Slice is much more than your usual unitasking pico -- it packs six-watt stereo speakers along with a 854 x 480 resolution, 16 lumens DLP projector. As you can see, it's been designed for your choice of Apple products -- its 30-pin connector is compatible with the iPad, iPhone 3G/3GS/4, etc. -- but the back of the device does hold additional VGA, mini-HDMI and AV ports for hooking up whatever other gadget you've been dying to project on a wall. Speaking of that projection, the maximum image size is 60 inches, though you'll have to set it back quite a bit from the projected surface to achieve that viewing size -- WowWee says the viewable range is anywhere between 11 to 125 inches. We caught a look at the Slice at the CES Press Preview event in NYC, and have to say it's not a bad looking dock -- the glowing red LED buttons give it some pizzazz. Obviously, it was hard for us to judge the image and sound quality from the brief look, but we were able to hear Bolt over the event background noise if that counts for anything. The Slice will be priced around $400 but won't be hitting stores until January -- until then you've got the pictures in the gallery below and some more tech specs at the source link.
WowWee Cinemin Slice hands-on

Boxee Box remote gets dedicated Netflix button

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 05:22 PM PST

When technology company executives want to show their dedication to an idea, some get a tattoo. Boxee's Avner Ronen, apparently, puts a giant button on his media center's otherwise minimalist remote control. The image above may well be 'shopped, but the man's dead serious about the final result -- not only is Netflix coming to the Boxee Box, we've confirmed it will be front and center on future remote controls. Hit up our full Boxee liveblog to find out what else we learned!

ARM intros next-gen Mali-T604 embedded GPU, Samsung first to get it (update: video)

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:52 PM PST

Promising "visually rich user experiences not previously seen in consumer electronics devices," ARM has introduced its latest embedded GPU architecture, Mali-T604, at its Technology Conference 2010 in California today. Though we're unlikely to see it in devices any time soon, the introduction means that the new design is available to ARM licensees -- and notably, the company points out that partner Samsung will be the first to get hooked up. Considering Sammy competes in the high-end embedded system-on-chip space already with its ARM-based Hummingbird line of cores, adding in the Mali-T604 is probably the next logical step for them. ARM says that it's designed "specifically" with the needs of general purpose GPU computing in mind and includes extensive support both for OpenCL and DirectX, so look for some insane number-crunching capabilities on your next-generation phone, tablet, and set-top box. Follow the break for ARM's press release.

Update: We sat down with ARM's Jem Davies to get some more details about the new Mali, and discovered it's only the first of several potential next-gen GPUs to come as part of the Midgard platform -- while this particular processor is available with up to four shader cores, successors might have more. The T604 itself is no slouch, though, as it can theoretically deliver two to five times the performance of the company's existing Mali 400 GPUs core for core and clock for clock -- which themselves run circles around the PowerVR SGX 540 competition if you take ARM at its word. Davies told us that not only does the Mali-T604 do DirectX, it supports the game-friendly DirectX11 as well as the always-popular OpenGL ES 2.0, and will appear in an system-on-a-chip together with an ARM Cortex-A15 "Eagle" CPU, when both are eventually baked into silicon several years down the road. Of course, in the eyes of marketers the future is always now, so get a look at conceptual uses (hint: augmented reality) for ARM's new Mali right after the break.

Additional reporting by Sean Hollister


Show full PR text
ARM Heralds New Era In Embedded Graphics With Next-Generation Mali GPU

10 November 2010

Samsung first to gain access to new Mali graphics technology

SANTA CLARA, CA, USA – NOV.10, 2010 – ARM today introduced the ARM® Mali™-T604 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) at the ARM Technology Conference 2010 in Santa Clara, bringing innovative and compelling visual computing to next generation consumer electronics devices. Delivering up to 5x performance improvement over current Mali graphics processors, the Mali-T604 provides industry-leading graphics performance with an energy-efficient profile. The Mali-T604 enables visually rich user experiences not previously seen in consumer electronics devices, scaling from smartphones to high-end digital entertainment systems. The Mali-T604 is currently available to license by lead partners. Samsung, who is already a licensee of the Mali graphic processor technology, will be the first ARM Partner who can gain access to the Mali-T604.

"Visual computing is driving the next generation of consumer electronics, as consumers and developers demand the highest levels of graphics performance", said Lance Howarth, EVP and general manager, Media Processing Division, ARM. "The tri-pipe architecture in the Mali-T604 provides both market leading compute functionality and high-performance graphics without compromise, enabling unequalled user experiences in energy-efficient consumer electronic devices."

The debut of the scalable, multicore Mali-T604 GPU raises the performance bar for visual computing in the consumer electronics space, including mobiles, tablets, DTVs and automotive infotainment. The innovative tri-pipe graphics architecture within the Mali-T604 GPU, addresses the ever-increasing computationally intensive demand inherent in next generation interactive user interfaces and gaming.

"Allegorithmic is excited by the announcement of Mali-T604 with its enhanced GPGPU capabilities which will make it possible for procedural content to be computed on the device, " said Dr Sébastien Deguy, Founder and CEO, Allegorithmic. " enabling higher-quality graphics, reduced memory bandwidth and footprint, and best of all, reduced energy consumption."

ARM's fourth-generation GPU is specifically designed to meet the needs of General Purpose computing on GPU (GPGPU) and extends API support to include full profile Khronos™ OpenCL™ and Microsoft® DirectX®. Support for GPGPU is becoming increasingly important for enhanced Augmented Reality applications and gesture recognition.

"Khronos congratulates ARM on the announcement of the Mali-T604 and its plan to support full profile OpenCL 1.1 on both ARMv7 CPUs and the GPU. The OpenCL 1.1 specification was announced by the Khronos organization in June 2010 and is a significant milestone in enabling GPU computing on embedded devices", said Neil Trevett, President of the Khronos Group and Chair of the OpenCL Working Group."Khronos is committed to the development and promotion of royalty-free, open standards that enable heterogeneous computing with portability across multiple vendors' silicon solutions, growing the total market for applications that use GPU compute technology."

The Mali-T604 brings innovative, patented techniques reducing memory bandwidth consumption, by up to 30%, substantially improving system level energy-efficiency. The Mali-T604 fully exploits ARM's Cache Coherent Interconnect (CCI-400) to deliver a memory coherent system with the recently announced Cortex™-A15 MPCore™. Bringing the key resources together into an optimized coherent system enables higher performance and more efficient data sharing, maximizing throughput in ARM compute sub-systems.

About Mali Graphics Technology
The Mali GPU family scales from the smallest GPU in the world through to scalable multicore solutions for high frame-rate HD devices. It is widely adopted, currently having 31 licensees and ships in a growing range of consumer electronics devices. Building on the heritage of Mali-400 MP, the Mali-T604 is ARM's fourth-generation GPU and is the first member of a new family of GPUs based on the Midgard architecture which all use a common software driver, minimising software upgrade costs for future implementations. The Mali-T604 delivers up to 5x performance improvement over previous Mali graphics processors and is specifically designed to meet the needs of General Purpose computing on GPU (GPGPU). Together with its comprehensive ecosystem of Partners, ARM is uniquely positioned to offer IP and tools which address the complete range of graphics development activities - from System-on-Chip integration and software development through to content creation and optimization.

Netflix and Hulu Plus coming to the Boxee Box

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:34 PM PST

Some big news out of the Boxee Box launch event just now: Netflix and Hulu Plus are both coming to the asymmetric streamer. There's no timeline on Hulu Plus -- Boxee told us talks have just begun -- but Netflix should be live by the year, and that's a major requirement if Boxee is going to be competitive with the various other connected TV devices on the market. It's also nice to see the Boxee / Hulu relationship finally thaw out, but we'd guess there's no chance regular Hulu will work in the Boxee browser now, and we'd bet the rest of the networks block it just like Google TV as well. That's okay, though -- adding Netflix and Hulu Plus to the Box's insane codec list, Webkit browser with Flash support, and Vudu integration should still make it pretty easy to get anything you want on your TV. Now if only we could get our hands on a review unit.

Logitech Mini Controller for Google TV now available

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 04:10 PM PST

You may have been lucky and able to find one floating around before now, but Logitech has just officially announced that its Mini Controller for Google TV is now widely available for purchase. As you'll recall, the controller is basically just a Google TV-friendly version of Logitech's classic diNovo Mini controller, and a decidedly smaller alternative to the standard keyboard that comes with the Logitech Revue. At $130, though, it's not exactly a cheap alternative -- head on past the break for a brief video of the controller courtesy of Logitech, and don't forget to check out our hands-on with it right here.


Live from the Boxee Box launch event!

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 03:42 PM PST


8:46PM They're giving stuff away -- we'd say this is over. We're off to see if we can accost some Hulu execs.

8:45PM "Thank you for coming." He's about to play I Gotta Feeling. Way to bring it back corporate.


8:44PM "Can I plug in a USB Blu-ray player?" This was a serious question. Avner: "I don't think so. I feel like I'm losing the crowd. There's another slide? Once we're done here we're gonna go drink real drinks nearby. I get much more chatty when I'm drunk. And I dance."


8:43PM One more question and then we're done here.

8:42PM "2012 we're supposed to start making money. That's what we told our investors."

8:42PM The hard drive supports basically every formatting standard. "I don't know where FAT goes, but we support it."

8:42PM "I'm not sure if I answered the right question, but that was my answer."

8:41PM This is devolving into chaos.

8:41PM Multiple Facebook and Twitter accounts? "I guess more than one Facebook account is kind of freakish. We don't support it."

8:40PM "What about autoplay on the queue? We should do that. It's not a queue, by the way -- it's a Watch Later." Avner on a roll here.

8:40PM "Assuming it doesn't download torrents or give you the wrong weather, we'll post it."

8:39PM "Can you write your own weather app? You're not happy with the weather!?" Fake outrage from Avner.

8:39PM Boxee Box can't act as a network bridge, but it can serve as an SMB server.

8:38PM Working on an iPad app for Boxee. Android coming sometime next year. "If you're an Android developer and you're in the crowd, we're interested. Windows Marketplace, if it happens, we're interested."



8:37PM And that's it! Q&A time.

8:36PM "Next up for me after this is peace in the middle east." Ha!

8:36PM Only Hulu, no Hulu Plus.

8:36PM "We're gonna work really hard really soon to make Hulu Plus available, and do it in a way that makes sense. No hacky stuff. Between Hulu, Netflix and Vudu it's going to be an amazing experience."


8:35PM Hulu Plus slide goes up to huge cheers. "It's true -- we're friends now!"

8:35PM "Netflix is coming! It won't be available tomorrow, but it's coming by the end of the year. It won't be the same interface, but it'll be high definition. Many people waited on preorders because of Netflix -- there's gonna be Netflix and it's gonna be great." New version of the remote with a dedicated Netflix button! "This is serious!"


8:34PM "Anything I forgot to say?" Crowd yelling Netflix, Hulu. One guy yelled porn -- "We tried it last time, it didn't work so well."

8:33PM "The other thing we have is search. We search the Boxee TV library, the movie library, and the apps library, and also the whole interwebs." Working with a company called VideoSurf. "In Boxee search we trust. If it's on the internet you should be able to play it."


8:32PM "The weather is great. We have it."


8:32PM "Whenever we have a new version of Boxee there's one project that takes to much time... in this case it was this icon. It's the weather. Apparently many people care about the weather, and now we have it. It's cold. There's a map of coldness. It continues to be cold. You can see news about... it being cold."


8:31PM "In the end you shouldn't care about so many formats... I don't even know half of them. But you should be able to hit play and have it work."


8:30PM "We also tested with the Apple TV and the Google TV Logitech product." The other boxes didn't play quite as many formats.



8:29PM We are definitely watching a very dramatic Bollywood film.

8:28PM "If it has three letters in it, we support it." Big cheers from the crowd here.

8:28PM "1080p -- Boxee is not even sweating."

8:28PM Showing off the Boxee Box's codec support with Anandtech's suite of video files.


8:27PM "People have terabytes of storage with lots of files. If you can play it on your PC, you should play it on your TV. No matter if it's on a disk, or a NAS."

8:27PM "There are already HTML5 apps from HBO, TNT, Chow. The fact that Google TV is pushing this is helpful."

8:25PM Showing off the New York Times TV site now.


8:25PM "To tell you the truth, we think the idea of apps kind of sucks. We don't think every TV platform should have an SDK, and that all this content is on islands that aren't searchable. We'd much prefer HTML."

8:24PM "I've been told that if I say I love TED more than three times, they'll invite me to speak."

8:23PM Playing the Andrew Bird TED performance.

8:23PM "We don't think using the browser is a mainstream TV experience."

8:22PM TED app looks a lot like Vevo, actually. Sort of Cover Flow-y.


8:22PM And now we're going straight from "Like a G6" to the TED app. "You can spend hours watching TED."

8:21PM Avner's bumping "Like a G6" from Vevo.

8:21PM Showing off the Vevo app -- it's pretty austere, but also pretty fast.



8:20PM Showing off the apps now -- you can sort them in many ways as well.



8:19PM Drilling through genres and other options in the Movies menu. The interface looks pretty quick.


8:18PM Watching the Scott Pilgrim trailer now, playing with the transport controls.

8:17PM It installs and launches the Vudu app when you click on it. "We love Vudu, they're amazing. Their HD format looks perfect. 9 megabit streams, surround -- it works perfectly."

8:17PM Looking at the movie screen now. "We have this amazing partnership with Vudu... there are over 9,000 movies in the library."


8:16PM "We don't think using a web browser on a TV like on your computer or phone doesn't make much sense... you're better off using your computer or phone... but having that freedom to use a browser is great as a fallback. We built this Webkit browser with Intel... it's not beautiful, but you can play whatever you want. That's cool."


8:15PM Sorry -- Die Antwoord. Seeing this in this context shook us out of our normal spelling comfort zone.


8:14PM It's getting totally nuts in here.

8:14PM Avner dancing now.

8:14PM Die Antwerp! Sort of a perfect match to Major Lazer. We're assuming the Intel reps are totally freaked out.


8:13PM "In terms of playback, I'll go and play something from YouTube -- it launches our new Webkit browser, and you'll see HD streaming from YouTube."



8:12PM "This is a big development: instead of calling it a queue, we're calling it Watch Later."


8:12PM "We've introduced a new menu... there's a menu button on the remote that brings it up. We're brilliant at Boxee."

8:11PM "One of the things that is very common with people sitting on couches that they don't know what they want to watch... so you go into the friends section and see what people share with you. We think that's a great way to waste time. Lots of time."

8:11PM "We tried to take away as much from the homescreen as we can. We try to recommend things people will love... this is whatever Andrew thinks is cool."

8:10PM "Can the guys drinking at the bar be quiet? It's ruining my mojo." Ha!



8:10PM "What we've done with this new homescreen is try to make it much simpler."

8:10PM It's a totally new UI -- much simpler.

8:09PM And the Box is up!

8:09PM "You'll have to play music for me to dance... you're serious with the music? I don't have any moves. I have to be drunk." We'd say Avner knows some jokes.

8:08PM "I don't know any jokes, by the way."

8:08PM Some technical troubles now. "What you're supposed to be seeing right now is the Boxee Box."


8:07PM "That's the end of that presentation, so that means we should probably switch over... to the Boxee Box."


8:06PM And we're back to Andrew from Boxee. "Boxee started off as five guys with a problem to solve, and we wouldn't be here without partners like Vevo and Intel and Vice. And I'd like take a moment to thank D-Link."

8:05PM Short documentary about Diplo, who produced MIA's Paper Planes. They're in Jamaica with him. We would assume they will not be showing any Major Lazer video clips.


8:04PM Okay, let's lighten the mood with an Intel-sponsored Creator's Project video. We're assuming no one will kill a child and drink their blood during this one.


8:03PM Liberia, that is.

8:03PM The Vice Guide to Liberian, everyone.

8:03PM We are entertained. We are also never leaving the house again.

8:02PM This appears to be an extremely depressing documentary about human trafficking. "So you killed a child, and then you drank the blood? Yes."

8:01PM Showing some Vice video. "It's about a minute long... you'll be entertained." Ha!


8:01PM Showing off Vice content on the Boxee interface. "Wonderful to see it on TV rather than with a laptop on your lap."

8:00PM "We only started our magazine because of desktop publishing... the same thing happened with video when we started VBS.tv."

8:00PM "When people think about Vice they think of us as content creators, not a technology company."

7:59PM Spencer from the Creator's Project up now -- a partnership with Vice magazine.

7:59PM "In the end it's all about getting the right content and cool experiences to the consumer. And today I get the honor of introducing the Creator's Project."



7:58PM "Around six years ago we decided to bring the innovation around the PC to the mass market to the TV. So we spent about a billion dollars doing the first SoC. And we did it to bring innovation to the TV. There hasn't been innovation around the TV in a long time."

7:57PM Next up: Intel! Say hello to Lance, people. "I didn't expect a chip guy would get such a response."


7:56PM "The fan doesn't know much difference between the display in their hand and their TV, and with Boxee we're taking a step towards that. With Boxee the fan is a VJ -- it's not just lean back, it's search and discover."



7:55PM "The artist is now a filmmaker." This sounds something like a Grammy Lifetime achievement award.

7:54PM First up: Vevo. "Last month over 50 million people in the US and Canada watched music through Vevo."



7:53PM Introducing some partners. "Talk about yourselves but mostly how great Boxee is."

7:53PM Boxee Box launching in 33 countries and pretty much every retailer. "You'll be able to get your Boxee fix in many places. This is all thanks to D-Link -- we know nothing about this retail stuff."



7:52PM Showing off the remote. "On screen keyboards suck."

7:52PM "It's a strong beast in a small package." Running down the specs now.

7:51PM Big cheer from the Boxee crowd here.

7:51PM "Unfortunately we hit a delay... we switched platforms from NVIDIA to Intel. That was painful, but here we are today."

7:51PM "People think the Boxee Box is like this huge subwoofer, but it's really small."


7:50PM "CES 2010 was amazing for us -- we went in with D-Link, we got so much love."


7:50PM "We learned some stuff in Vegas: we learned that we shouldn't build our own booth. We also learned about clubs in Vegas and alcohol."

7:49PM "In 2009 we won a CES startup competition -- we won $50,000 and a booth. That $50,000 is our only revenue to date. It was... our peak."

7:49PM The first working prototype ran Linux -- it was a computer in a new case. "We ran around to investors and said we had a box... they still didn't give us money."




7:48PM Showing off the prototype of the first Boxee Box QWERTY remote. "This cost like $50,000... I don't know who has it."



7:47PM "We went to Astro in San Francisco... they designed the Xbox 360 and a bunch of other stuff." Showing off some early box prototypes. "We never thought about doing yet another pizza box."

7:47PM "We went to Amsterdam... we got our photo taken, we engaged in some illegal activities... we launched an alpha."

7:46PM Showing off some initial UI concepts here. They're pretty rough.

7:46PM "When we started the company, we decided that user experience sucked. So we went out and hired a company called Method, which designed our logo and also our UI -- before we wrote one line of code."

7:45PM "And then we said the alpha is pretty good, and well, we want to have a box partner. And D-Link called us... and now the Boxee Box is coming!"

7:44PM And we're off! Avner's on stage. "We went out raise money very confidently, and told us we shouldn't build boxes. So we said we were a software company instead."
Sure, the Boxee Box has been teasing us since CES, but it's finally here, new Intel-based chipset and all. We're live at the huge launch party, and Boxee CEO Avner Ronen and crew always have a few surprises in store, so join us after the break for the full blow-by-blow!

Apple didn't buy Wi-Gear, according to Wi-Gear CEO

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 02:47 PM PST

If you were hoping for surefire proof Apple was about to start making stereo Bluetooth headphones so that you didn't have to make a difficult choice among the many already-great options on the market, you're not in luck. A rumored acquisition of iMuffs manufacturer Wi-Gear has turned up false, with the CEO Mark Pundsack himself refuting the claims. Turns out Wi-Gear and its IP are up for sale, and the company has ceased operations due to lack of funds, but Apple apparently hasn't picked up the tab. Mark's response to the rumored buy? "Two words: 'I wish!'"

Fox.com joins NBC, ABC and CBS by blocking Google TV

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 02:12 PM PST

Looks like Fox has finally made a decision, following the other major networks, Hulu and several cable channels by opting to block streaming video on its website from Google TV devices. Blocking by Flash ID is the order of the day and takes simple browser workarounds out of play, so unless users want to go the PlayOn route, there's large swaths of legitimate video on the web that's now inaccessible. This same type of blocking is likely to affect other devices like the Boxee Box that launches tonight, so prepare for a bit more preening by the "get an HTPC!" crowd while fans of dedicated media streamers will have to look elsewhere for video to feed their hardware.

Jabra rolls out Stone2 on November 21st, just as UFO-like as the original

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 01:52 PM PST

Bluetooth headsets look strange enough hanging off your ear as it is, so why not maximize the shock factor? Jabra's Stone is equal parts strange and elegant, and it would appear that the newly-announced Stone2 is making no attempt to diverge from that formula. Apart from some minor tweaks, the overall curved design and matching charging dock appear to be largely unchanged from the original model, but the Stone2's claim to fame is the fact that it's now a completely touch-free experience to use: if a call comes in, you just say "answer" or "ignore" and the phone will do your bidding. Never mind the fact that the people around you at the coffee shop are more convinced than ever that you're talking to yourself, we suppose. Look for it in AT&T stores on the 21st of this month for $129.99.

iHome's iW1 AirPlay dock gets detailed

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 01:27 PM PST

We're all expecting iOS 4.2 to hit sometime this week and bring AirPlay streaming with it, and it looks like iHome is getting prepared -- the company just updated its AirPlay speaker dock page with more info. The iW1, as it's been named, is much slicker than its minimalist looks would suggest: the portable speaker system features a built-in lithium-ion battery with an inductive charging base so you can just grab and go, Bongiovi Accoustics audio, capacitive touch controls and support for iHome's iOS configuration apps, and a USB port for charging and local audio playback. Oh, and it can stream music from iOS devices and iTunes using AirPlay, of course. Sadly, there's still no price or ship date, but if this thing is priced anywhere close to earth we'd say the Sonos S5 has got itself some serious competition.

Study finds that text message-addicted teens more likely to have a life

Posted: 10 Nov 2010 01:01 PM PST

According to a recent study lead by Dr. Scott Frank, an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, kids in Cleveland who text over 120 times a day are more likely than to have had sex or to have used drugs or alcohol than kids who don't send as many messages. We're guessing it's because it takes in excess of 120 text messages for kids to line up their drugs, alcohol, or sex partners. To explain the findings, Frank puts it this way: "If parents are monitoring their kids' texting and social networking, they're probably monitoring other activities as well." The study, based on a survey of 4,200 students, is one of the first to look at the correlation between texting and risky behavior in teenagers.
at 11:34 AM

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