Looks like Jolicloud knows how to keep a product under wraps -- just ten days after revealing the Jolibook to the world, it's already on sale at a pair of e-tailers. Yes, it's just a netbook, and a fairly standard one at that -- you can cross the 10.1-inch WSVGA screen, Intel GMA 3150 graphics, 1GB of RAM, 250GB hard drive and 0.3 megapixel webcam right off your laundry list. But it does have the instant-on Jolicloud 1.1 OS on board, and a dual-core 1.5GHz Atom N550 processor to power through basic tasks, and for a confirmed £279 (about $443) it would also seem to have a price to match. Find it Vye or Amazon UK if you're already sold, and expect to actually receive it before long -- founder Tariq Krim tweets that orders placed this weekend will ship out Monday morning.
Plausible deniability seems to be Sony's strategy when it comes to the PlayStation Phone, and that apparently goes for Sony Ericsson as well -- once again, without actually confirming the existence of the Android-based gaming handset, its manufacturer is hinting strongly at an impending reveal. "There's a lot of smoke, and I tell you there must be a fire somewhere," CEO Bert Nordberg told the Wall Street Journal, adding that some sort of new Sony Ericsson product will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress this Februrary. While that particular item could easily be the 4.3-inch Anzu slate rather than a PlayStation slider phone, the chief executive didn't seem to shy away from video games in a series of additional quotes. "I haven't dug into that history, but the future might be brighter," he said when asked why the company didn't make a PlayStation Phone years ago, and later suggested that gaming might be the ticket to help SE diversify its offerings. "Sony is of course a very strong brand, and why shouldn't we use that?" he asked the Journal. We can't think of a single compelling reason, Mr. Nordberg. Bring on the games.
Say "electric bicycle" around here and visions of Sanyos with baskets go floating through our heads. The Beast from M55 is something rather different, rather more bodacious. It offers a 40mph top speed and a 75 mile range plus a construction featuring pieces hewn on CNC along with plenty of titanium and carbon fiber bits for good measure. The design is perhaps a bit too in your face for some, but for others is the perfect mix of 'tude and tech. It's been in design for some months now but recently made something of a debut at SEMA ahead of a forthcoming shipping date with pre-orders open now. Cost? If you have to ask...
Pop musicians have been endorsing products as long as they've existed (who could forget Beatles toothpaste, Ricky Nelson hand sanitizer, or Enrico "The Great Caruso" Caruso-brand horse polish?), but for some reason the convergence of the two never fails to amuse (and annoy) us. Even more so when sensible boy band yelper Jesse McCartney, um, flips out his Motorola Flipout Android phone to surreptitiously film some hard working dancer's backside. Is that how a celebrity should act? We think not! Video after the break (if you really want to, that is).
We smell a Hasbro lawsuit coming with this one, but for now AutoBot is a funky name for a potentially great iPhone and Android app. Working in concert with a Bluetooth OBD-II dongle (not unlike the Superchips Vivid), it lets you diagnose engine troubles, keep track of maintenance, and locate your car via GPS coordinates -- useful for when some Decepticon tries to make off with your ride or when you're simply running low on energon and can't remember where you parked. It can even be configured to automatically send a text to loved ones should you get into an accident, specifying your GPS coordinates and ruining any hope of hitting the body shop before dad finds out. The Mavizon-developed app recently won a startup competition at i-Stage 2010 and sadly isn't slated to be available until 2012, but we should be getting an early look at CES. When it does ship it'll cost $300 for the hardware and the software, though an extra fee will be required if you want to banish pop-up ads back to Cybertron.
Crime doesn't pay, folks, but sometimes you have to be at least somewhat amused by the shenanigans of those who operate beneath the law. Workers at a shipping facility in Brampton, Ontario discovered on Monday that a trailer containing $500,000 worth of Sony goods was stolen. Apparently whatever measures they took to prevent a recurrence were insufficient, because the very next day a second trailer went missing containing even more PS3 and PSP games and hardware. The first truck looks something like the above, with Nebraska plates, while the second is an XTRA Lease model with Ontario tags. If you see either don't tarry -- call Kevin Butlerimmediately.
Robots and artificial intelligence are no stranger to chess, but it's not every day you get to witness an actual, fiery game of blitz chess between a World Champion and a robotic arm. Vladimir Kramnik, who was World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007, seems to take the game pretty casually, but the robo-arm's quick, decisive moves feel just a little threatening to us. We get it, you're a robot, you don't have to go shouting it from the rooftops!
Get the hang of your AR.Drone yet? Good, because while flying dangerously close to your little brother or late-night TV show host can be a fun diversion, it looks like things are about to get real. Really real. We've just received word that on November 26, AR.Pursuit -- the first of hopefully many Augmented Reality games for the drone -- will be making its way to the app store. The rules are pretty straightforward: one player pursues the other, attempting to bring him down with virtual machine guns and missiles. Once caught, the players change roles and the pursuit begins anew! That is, until someone gets carried away and sends their air vehicle into a concrete wall or running wood chipper. Game times are variable, from one to nine minutes, and the app will cost you $2.99 in the app store. Now all you need is an AR.Drone, and a friend -- with an AR.Drone. Video, PR after the break.
Show full PR text
AR.Pursuit: The first game in Augmented Reality especially developed for the AR.Drone
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Nov. 18, 2010 -- Parrot, a global leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, announces the availability of AR.Pursuit, a game in augmented reality that takes advantage of the exceptional technical and flight capabilities of the Parrot AR.Drone.
Available end of November in the Apple App Store, AR.Pursuit enables players to measure and challenge their piloting skills.
The rules of the game
AR.Pursuit is a two-player pursuit game, where a player has to escape from the other one, as in the game of cat and mouse.
The "pursuer" has two kinds of virtual weapons to reach its opponent:
- Automatic machine gun: as soon as the frontal camera detects the pursued AR.Drone, bullets are automatically sent in order to slow it down. When it is hit, the AR.Drone will physically 'react' to the attack and the escape maneuvers will be more difficult for the pilot.
- Missiles: when the opponent is locked on the screen, the pilot of the pursuer AR.Drone has to shake his/her iPhone/iPod touch/iPad to send a missile.
When it is hit by a missile, the "pursued" becomes "pursuer" and so on. At half time, the roles are automatically reversed. The winner is the player who has the longest escape time during the entire game.
A technological first
Once the Bluetooth of the iDevice is on, each player connects to his/her AR.Drone in Wi-Fi and launches AR.Pursuit.
One of the players selects the "create" option on the main menu and indicates his/her opponent's color and type of hull (indoor or outdoor).
The second player selects the "join" option in the main menu and also indicates the characteristics of his/her opponent. Then the game can start.
Each player can see on the screen of his/her iPhone/iPod touch/iPad what the AR.Drone is seeing. Each action, a shoot received or launched, will also be visualized on the screen via the magic of augmented reality.
Note: If the game is played with indoor hulls, players should place the colored stickers (sold with the AR.Drone) on it.
AR.Pursuit is an enthralling game that makes the most of the extreme maneuverability and stability of the AR.Drone, and which dives the players into a world where real and virtual are mingling... A first!
* Game time: 1 to 9 minutes (3 minutes by default) * The roles of each player are arbitrarily defined at the beginning of the game. * Game available around Nov. 26 in the App StoreSM * Price: $2.99
Looks like Microsoft took Big Red's challenge and decided to respond in kind, as the official Windows Phone Twitter feed claims that Windows Phone 7 devices are finally headed to Verizon. They'll allegedly arrive this holiday season, a good bit earlier than we were told, but we doubt you're exactly dismayed to get your hands on CDMA WP7 phones ahead of schedule. You know how we hate to mince words, but "devices" does suggest more than one phone, and those of you warily eying your local retailer's selection of Christmas lights could even argue that "this holiday season" has already begun. So when, exactly, will we get these handsets... and which ones?
Update: The original entry hasn't been pulled, but there's a brand-new tweet now, reading "Verizon is a valued partner and we look forward to seeing Windows Phone 7 devices in their stores in 2011," which doesn't quite refute the idea of seeing devices in time for Yuletide too. Needless to say, we've pinged Verizon and hope to clear up this matter soon.
Humans, keep your eyes tuned to this post -- because at 6:30 PM ET, we'll be starting The Engadget Show live, with Sprint's product chief Fared Adib, Google TV project lead Salahuddin Choudhary, a tablet-centric roundtable, insane giveaways, and more! We've got music from exileFaker and visuals from HN_i_C. You seriously don't want to miss it. Just for fun (and 'cause we love you) we've got the stream going already so you can watch us set up for the show tonight. Check out the live stream and chat after the break!
Update: We still have tickets left, so if you're in New York City, come join us at the Times Center. The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City. Also, Palm has graciously given us 10 (that's right, ten!) Pre 2 unlocked developer units to give away (you know, the ones that look like this) so you're going to want to be here!
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Slowly but surely, the biggest US cities are catching up to the rest of the world -- just imagine, by this time next year, we might even have broadcast television beamed to our tablets and cell phones. That's because the Mobile Content Venture formed from twelve media giants in April has just promised to start upgrading TV stations to deliver Mobile DTV (aka ATSC-M/H) around the country, with the intent of reaching 20 major markets and a total of 40 percent of the US population by "late 2011." Each of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Tampa, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Orlando, Portland, Cincinnati, Greenville, West Palm Beach, Birmingham and Knoxville can expect to have a pair of ad-supported TV channels before long, assuming citizens are willing and able to pick uphardware with a old-school RF antenna sticking out -- and that whole "streaming" thing doesn't take off. PR after the break.
Show full PR text
Mobile Content Venture Announces Commitment to Roll Out Mobile TV Service in 20 Markets by the end of 2011
MCV Partners Will Offer Programming Service for Portable Devices to More Than 40% of U.S. Population
NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile Content Venture (MCV), a joint venture of 12 major broadcasters, today announced a commitment to upgrade TV stations in 20 DMAs in order to deliver live video to portable devices. By late 2011, the venture will deliver mobile video service in markets representing more than 40% of the US population. The service will initially consist of at least two ad-supported free-to-consumer channels in each market. Additional channels and markets are expected to be added over time.
In 2011, MCV expects to offer the mobile video service in the following markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Tampa, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Orlando, Portland, Cincinnati, Greenville, West Palm Beach, Birmingham, and Knoxville.
"Live, local video will ultimately be a key part of mobile services," said Salil Dalvi, co-GM of MCV. "Upgrading our stations for mobile is an important first step in making this a reality."
"Our commitment to launch in 20 markets, including 13 of the top 15 DMAs, is a significant and necessary step in building a viable commercial mobile TV business that delivers a comprehensive product to viewers," added Erik Moreno, co-GM of MCV. "We welcome the opportunity to work with Fox and NBC affiliates, as well as additional broadcasters, in rolling out many more markets."
In order to receive the mobile video service, consumers will need a device capable of receiving a specific type of mobile video broadcast, encrypted with conditional access. MCV is working with various OEMs and device manufacturers to ensure these devices are available in the second half of 2011.
According to the market research firm In-Stat, the U.S. mobile DTV sector will experience solid growth over the next few years, with more than 30 million ATSC Mobile DTV devices expected to be deployed by 2014.
MCV's mobile video service complements the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) National Broadband Initiative. MCV offers consumers access to mobile video content by utilizing existing broadcast spectrum from its launch partners to offer a breadth of mobile video, including sports and entertainment content. The technology being deployed by MCV will permit all broadcasters, in a scalable manner, to deliver popular video content in a spectrally efficient manner as compared to wireless 3G and 4G technology. Additional markets, content and device partners are expected to be announced in the upcoming months.
About Mobile Content Venture
Mobile Content Venture (MCV) is a joint venture that includes Fox, ION Television, NBC and Pearl Mobile DTV, LLC. The Pearl member companies include: Belo Corp., Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television Inc., Media General Inc., Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations Inc. and Raycom Media. MCV aims to be the catalyst for a new national mobile video service that utilizes existing broadcast spectrum to enable member companies to deliver content to mobile devices, including live and on-demand video, such as sports and entertainment programming, as well as local and national news from print and electronic sources.
Not kosher with ponying up $500+ for an Android tablet? You've got options, kid. Velocity Micro's Cruz Tablet has finally hit the shipping stage, and sure enough, it's doing so in the month that was promised back in September. $299.99 lands you a 7-inch Android 2.0 tablet with an 800 x 480 capacitive touch panel, 512MB of RAM, 12GB of total storage, 802.11n WiFi, inbuilt speakers, a headphone jack, mini-USB port and a rechargeable Li-ion good for around ten hours of use -- or so they say. Of course, you'll be stuck accessing the Cruz Market rather than the bona fide Android Market, and you can forget about embedded 3G. But hey, it's three Benjamins sans any sort of life-altering contract. And that's got to count for something, right?
So, the whole wide world knows that the inside of your Mac Pro is fairly lust-worthy, but what's the use if you never crack open the side and install anything new? Apricorn -- a small, albeit respected name in storage -- has just concocted what may be the best reason yet to do precisely that. The outfit's new Mac Array is pretty straightforward: you'll get a foursome of 128GB MLC Western Digital SiliconEdge Blue SSDs strung together in a RAID 0 configuration, all on a single full-length PCIe X4 slot. That's 512GB of pure, unadulterated SSD power connected directly to the motherboard, and considering that it only takes up a single slot, there's nothing but a shortage of funds keeping you from adding a couple more and grinning over a 1.5TB SSD solution. A single Mac Array promises read rates of 760MB/sec and write rates of 524MB/sec, and if you double up, you'll see those surge to 1408MB/sec and 1027MB/sec, respectively. It's available now to make your every dream come true -- yeah, even that one about you dropping $1,499 on a new storage setup for your Apple desktop.
So, the whole wide world knows that the inside of your Mac Pro is fairly lust-worthy, but what's the use if you never crack open the side and install anything new? Apricorn -- a small, albeit respected name in storage -- has just concocted what may be the best reason yet to do precisely that. The outfit's new Mac Array is pretty straightforward: you'll get a foursome of 128GB MLC Western Digital SiliconEdge Blue SSDs strung together in a RAID 0 configuration, all on a single full-length PCIe X4 slot. That's 512GB of pure, unadulterated SSD power connected directly to the motherboard, and considering that it only takes up a single slot, there's nothing but a shortage of funds keeping you from adding a couple more and grinning over a 1.5TB SSD solution. A single Mac Array promises read rates of 760MB/sec and write rates of 524MB/sec, and if you double up, you'll see those surge to 1408MB/sec and 1027MB/sec, respectively. It's available now to make your every dream come true -- yeah, even that one about you dropping $1,499 on a new storage setup for your Apple desktop.
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