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Thursday, December 2, 2010

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Over the counter, spray-on stem cell treatment could treat burns on the go

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 09:54 AM PST

Research at the University of Utah could lead to burn treatment on the go that makes use of your body's own cells. Surgeons Amit Patel and Amalia Cochran are researching the use of stem cells in conjunction with several chemicals as a spray-on jelly which has, in early testing, shown to accelerate the healing process of burns. While the team is starting with small burns, its goal is to be able to provide fast and effective, actual regeneration of a patient's own cells to be grafted onto large area burns. Video of the project is after the break.

GameString demos its streaming, custom World of Warcraft UI by raiding on an HTC Desire (video)

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 09:31 AM PST

We're still not ready to apply the label "Gaming 3.0" here (or to anything, for that matter), but despite its boasts, GameString's making a compelling case for cloud-based play time. We've already seen the company bring World of Warcraft to Google TV, but now the company's showcasing its take on a challenge we've seen a few times before -- streaming a playable version of WoW to a mobile phone. (Gotta get 'em out of the house somehow.) The trick here is a streamlined UI overlay that makes for a every touch-friendly experience; there's translucent "thumbstick" spots and larger buttons for spells. The setup in question here is its Adrenalin Host Server from approximately 80 kilometers away (geographically) and an HTC Desire running over a home network that's 2Mbps down / 2Mbps up. And while there's some notable lag and parts of the interface that's still too tiny to really use, it's still an Alpha build that seems functional for all but the most intense of moments. See it for yourself after the break.


Rambus files ITC complaint against just about everyone, wants to stop sale of just about everything

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 09:04 AM PST

Rambus files ITC complaint against just about everyone, wants to stop sales of just about everything
Rambus, which modestly describes itself as "one of the world's premier technology licensing companies," has meekly asked the International Trade Commission to block import and sale of an amazing array of products from companies including Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, MediaTek, NVIDIA, and STMicroelectronics -- the latter of which was sued by Caltech only yesterday. But wait, there's more! Rambus also indicates that other "companies whose products incorporate the accused semiconductor products" have also been named, selling things like "personal computers, workstations, servers, routers, mobile phones and other handheld devices, set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, motherboards, plug-in cards, hard drives and modems." That should just about cover 95% of what's available at your local electronics store, and certainly puts our holiday wish lists in legal limbo.

This is a follow-up to earlier disputes involving the company, particularly with NVIDIA, which will continue via patent infringement lawsuits filed in US District Court against those corporate entities mentioned above. Beyond that, Rambus is hoping that the ITC stops import and sale of any and all infringing products post-haste. That seems awfully drastic, but for its part Rambus indicates it has been trying with all its might to negotiate licenses with these supposedly dirty dealers and that it was told "the only way they would get serious is if we sued them." So, place your bets because here we go.

[Thanks, Antonio]

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Rambus Files ITC Complaint Against Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, MediaTek, NVIDIA, and STMicroelectronics

Patent infringement pursued against same companies in U.S. District Court

SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - 12/01/2010 Rambus Inc. (Nasdaq:RMBS), one of the world's premier technology licensing companies, today announced it has filed a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) requesting the commencement of an investigation pertaining to products from Broadcom Corporation, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., LSI Corporation, MediaTek Inc., NVIDIA Corporation and STMicroelectronics N. V. The complaint seeks an exclusion order barring the importation, sale for importation, or sale after importation of products from Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, NVIDIA and STMicroelectronics that infringe certain patents from the Dally1 family of patents, and of products from Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, MediaTek and STMicroelectronics that infringe certain patents from the Barth family of patents. In an earlier investigation requested by Rambus, the ITC found that these same Barth patents were valid and infringed by NVIDIA products, and issued an exclusion order in July of this year.

"We have been attempting to license these companies for some time to no avail. One of the respondents frankly told us that the only way they would get serious is if we sued them. Others pursued a strategy of delay rather than negotiate a reasonable resolution," said Harold Hughes, president and chief executive officer at Rambus. "Rambus has invested hundreds of millions of dollars developing a portfolio of technologies that are foundational for many digital electronics. There is widespread knowledge within the industry about our patents including their use in standards-compatible products accused in these actions. In fairness to our shareholders and to our paying licensees, we take these steps to protect our patented innovations and pursue fair compensation for their use."

For the Dally patents, the accused semiconductor products from these companies include ones that incorporate PCI Express, certain Serial ATA, certain Serial Attached SCSI (SAS), and DisplayPort interfaces. In the case of the Barth patents, the accused semiconductor products include ones that incorporate DDR, DDR2, DDR3, mobile DDR, LPDDR, LPDDR2, and GDDR3 memory controllers. Accused semiconductor products in the complaint include graphics processors, media processors, communications processors, chip sets and other logic integrated circuits (ICs).

In addition to Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, MediaTek, NVIDIA and STMicroelectronics, the ITC complaint names companies whose products incorporate the accused semiconductor products and are imported, sold for importation, or sold after importation into the United States. These products include personal computers, workstations, servers, routers, mobile phones and other handheld devices, set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, motherboards, plug-in cards, hard drives and modems. The ITC is expected to decide whether to initiate an investigation under this complaint within 30-45 days.

Rambus today also filed separate actions for patent infringement against Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, MediaTek and STMicroelectronics in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The lawsuits allege that semiconductor products with certain memory controllers and/or serial links from the above companies infringe certain patents from the Farmwald-Horowitz, Barth, and Dally patent families. In the case of MediaTek, only infringement of the Barth and Farmwald-Horowitz patents for certain memory controllers is alleged. Rambus also filed an action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against NVIDIA for infringement of certain Dally patents. The categories of accused semiconductor products in the District Court complaints include the same categories accused in the ITC complaint, as well as SDR memory controllers. Rambus is seeking injunctive relief barring the infringement, contributory infringement, and inducement to infringe the patents, as well as monetary damages.

Rambus management will discuss the filing of these actions during a special conference call today at 5:00 p.m. PT. The call will be webcast and can be accessed through the Rambus website. A replay will be available following the call on Rambus' Investor Relations website or for one week at the following numbers: (800) 642-1687 (domestic) or (706) 645-9291 (international) with ID# 29122159. Further information regarding these legal actions will be made available at http://investor.rambus.com in the Litigation Update section.

1Rambus is the exclusive licensee for the Dally family of patents which are owned by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This license was assigned to Rambus as a part of its 2003 acquisition of technology and IP from Velio Communications, a company founded by Dr. William Dally.

About Rambus Inc.
Rambus is one of the world's premier technology licensing companies. Founded in 1990, the Company specializes in the invention and design of architectures focused on enriching the end-user experience of electronic systems. Rambus' patented innovations and breakthrough technologies help industry-leading companies bring superior products to market. Rambus licenses both its world-class patent portfolio, as well as its family of leadership and industry-standard solutions. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Rambus has regional offices in North Carolina, Ohio, India, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Additional information is available at www.rambus.com

Android Gingerbread officially teases you in Google's voice search video tutorial

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 08:37 AM PST

Sure, we've already gorged ourselves on plenty of Gingerbread by way of Mr. Blurrycam and even Eric Schmidt himself, but it's only now that Google's officially (or accidentally) given us a tour around the next Android release. In a recent voice search video tutorial from Google Hong Kong, eagle-eyed peeps have spotted many tell-tale signs of Gingerbread on what appears to be a Nexus One. As you can see above, said firmware sports the previously-seen black status tray with its new icons, along with a subtly tweaked launcher bar at the bottom of the home screen. A quick peek in Settings also reveals the restyled buttons, as well as a new tab called "Related" in Market's app description page. Help yourself to some more spicy goodness before it's too late -- the video's right after the break (from 0:47).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Android Gingerbread officially teases you in Google's voice search video tutorial

Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Toys / Neat Stuff

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 08:00 AM PST

Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.
Technically, you can toy with just about anything, so the items that follow aren't necessarily the ones you'll find on the shelves of your average toy store, though there's certainly a few of those too -- mostly, they're items that we thought were simply too awesome to escape your notice this year, but didn't make it into our standard categories. Read on!


Stocking stuffers


Nerf N-Strike Barricade RV-10

Nerf redefined cubicle warfare this year with a series of belt, clip and drum-fed guns, but the Nerf Barricade is the one you really want -- it's a comparatively compact electric revolver that uses a pair of high-speed wheels to kick out ten semi-automatic Nerf darts. No need to pump or cock this foam-firing pistol, so your giftee can even go akimbo on co-workers with one in each paw. Brand new, you may have to trek to a physical store to find one right now, but it should be shipping shortly wherever toys are sold.

Price: $14-18


Ever wondered what it might be like to drink coffee out of a EF 70-200mm f/4L USM telephoto lens? This is how you do it without wrecking that precious Canon L-glass. Also available in Nikkor varieties, the larger hides a vacuum-insulated thermos, and the smaller features a working zoom function to extend your liquid throw.


These look just like the vanilla Mario Karts that Tomy sold last year, but the hard to find Choro-Q Hybrid VS are in a league of their own -- each cart comes with infrared transmitters and special controllers that let your game-addled recipients duke it out with virtual banana peels and shells.

Joby Gorillatorch Switchback / Blade - $60

Photographers have traditionally gotten the most out of Joby's flexible tripods, but the mechanics and outdoorsmen in your life will thank you profusely for these -- 130 lumen Cree LED flashlights with some particularly useful gimmicks. The Switchback starts out as a headlamp with an elastic strap for your recipient's noggin, but can also slot into a lantern-style case, whereas the Blade has a rechargeable battery and magnetic feet to keep it firmly affixed to a car while they fish around for dropped bolts.


We'd be hard pressed to call the OnLive MicroConsole a bona fide game machine at this early stage, but it's already a fantastic toy -- just hook it up to a TV and blazing fast internet connection to stream full PC games from the cloud, and record hilarious gameplay videos. At present, your giftee can only pick from around forty titles to extensively demo, rent or buy, but with a new Netflix-style flat-rate plan and 100 games in the pipeline, by this time next year OnLive might even have a spot on our regular Gaming Gift Guide.


Oh, you shouldn't have


Parrot AR.Drone quadricopter

There are any number of reasons to invest in a Parrot AR.Drone on behalf of that special someone. Perhaps they've a budding interest in augmented reality gaming, or perhaps they need to scare the bejeezus out of a late night TV host. Maybe they just want to casually fly the remote control auto-stabilizing four-propeller aircraft from the comfort of their touchscreen smartphone. But the best reason to purchase an AR.Drone is to convince your significant other to let you buy one for yourself. You'll need two, after all.

Price: $300
Logitech G930 wireless headset - $160

Audiophiles may balk at putting on a wireless headset, but trust us when we say Logitech has outdone itself with these circumaural mic-equipped cans, which boast stellar stereo, superb isolation and comfort in a cord-free package with ten hours of rechargeable battery life. The G930's meant for PC gamers with a USB dongle, three programmable buttons and virtualized 7.1 surround, but there's also an analog version.

Come Christmas morning, the last thing Dad wants to do is run another 50 foot Ethernet drop or set up another wireless access point to accommodate all the brand-new connected gadgets in the house. Thankfully, the Innoband 210P-I1 takes care of both by transmitting data through existing power lines. Plug one box into a wall socket near your wired router, the other box into an outlet in your target room, and you'll deliver 802.11n WiFi and an up-to-200Mbps wired LAN jack without drilling a single hole.

We can't afford the rent now, can we?


MakerBot Thing-O-Matic 3D Printer

Buying toys is all well and good, but why not build them yourself? MakerBot's got everything you need to build a miniature computer numerical controlled (CNC) 3D printer that extrudes little dots of ABS plastic goop to form whatever shapes you'd like -- even another MakerBot, if you choose -- and comes with its own conveyor belt to automatically print object after object in a row. Connect over USB to a computer (or pop in an SD card) with a ready design, and it'll keep printing till it runs out of plastic filament. Truly, the gift that keeps on giving. Sadly, you'll have to print out an IOU for this one -- it ships after seven weeks of lead time.

Price: $1,225

Toying with technology is certainly our favorite pasttime, but toying with audio has a distinct draw... and if your giftee is a would-be disc jockey, the Traktor Kontrol S4 will help them harness the artform. It's an all-in-one DJ controller with a four-channel digital mixer that lets them sample tracks from their connected laptop library in real time, and scratch on a pair of virtual decks (you can swap between four on the fly). All in all, it's a mean machine with a relatively shallow learning curve and at a reasonable price.

There are more buttons, switches and dials on this instrument than some video game controllers, but none of them are for show -- the Gibson Firebird X embraces the idea that you shouldn't need to pause your jam session to fine-tune its sound. To that end, it's got a robo-tuning head for each of its six electric strings, six color-coded effect sliders up top to morph your tunes on the fly, and a pair of Bluetooth footpedals. All your riffs get recorded to an SD card reader embedded in the breakout box, and an eight-pack of rechargeable batteries keep everything juiced while you rock out. Just remember to get in line at Gibson's website on December 11th if you want one, as the company's only grinding 1,800 axes this time around.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 and AMD Radeon HD 6870 square off in dual-card showdown

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 07:36 AM PST

Whether you're an NVIDIAn calling it SLI or a Radeonite referring to it as CrossFireX, a multi-card graphics setup is nowadays almost a prerequisite for experiencing the best that PC gaming has to offer. It'd be negligent of us, therefore, not to point you in the direction of the Tech Report crew's latest breakdown, which takes an investigative peek at dual-card performance on NVIDIA's latest and greatest GeForce GTX 580 and naturally compares it to a wide range of other alternatives on the market. AMD's latest refresh, the Radeon HD 6870, is among those options, though it's worth remembering that the company's real high-end gear isn't due for another couple of weeks. All the same, most people will be buying their holiday rigs right around now, and if you want an exhaustive guide as to what's what on the graphics front, the source link is your best, um... source.

Hornblower Hybrid ferry relies on eco-friendly trifecta: hydrogen, solar and wind power

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 07:12 AM PST

Plan on visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island via ferry next year? If so, pay close attention to the vessel you board, as it just might be the world's first to rely on hydrogen, solar and wind power for motorization. Currently, the New York Hornblower Hybrid (not to be confused with the San Francisco Hornblower Hybrid) is under construction in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and if all goes well, it'll reach completion in April. The 600-passenger boat be equipped with Tier 2 diesel engines, hydrogen fuel cells, solar panels and wind turbines, with power coming from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that turns hydrogen into electricity. We're told that the diesel rigs will only kick in to cover "additional energy needs," but it's hard to say how often they'll actually be used. The eventual goal, however, is to do away with emissions altogether in the ferry process, and it seems that the technology is already capable of being scaled for use in other hybrid ferries, hybrid yachts and even hybrid tugs.
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Statue Cruises Sets Launch Date for Revolutionary New Hydrogen Hybrid Vessel

Pioneering new vessel using hydrogen, solar and wind power to minimize emissions is under construction in Bridgeport, CT

November 30, 2010 07:36 PM Eastern Time

NEW YORK--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--A multi-million dollar project is on its way towards completion after Statue Cruises signed an agreement with Derecktor Shipyards in Bridgeport, CT to complete the world's first Hybrid Ferry using Hydrogen fuel by April 2011.

"We expect this pioneering project to inspire continued industry innovations. The technology on the Hornblower Hybrid is now scalable for other hybrid ferries, hybrid yachts and even hybrid tugs. Some may say we are at the turning point in modernizing marine technology and Hornblower plans to be leading the way."

The new 1,400-horsepower Hornblower Hybrid will run on a combination of energy generated by clean Tier 2 diesel engines, hydrogen fuel cells, solar panels and wind turbines. Power will come from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that turns hydrogen into electricity. In addition, solar panels and wind turbines will help power the vessel. Efficient Tier 2 diesel engines kick in to cover additional energy needs.

The New York Hornblower Hybrid follows the 2008 launch of the San Francisco Hornblower Hybrid, the United States' first hybrid ferry. San Francisco-based Hornblower Cruises & Events created both vessels and operates Statue Cruises, the concessioner authorized by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior to serve the public at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

"By combining hydrogen, solar and wind power, Hornblower will minimize its environmental impact as we transport guests to popular national landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Our goal is to reduce emissions to the greatest extent possible, with a goal in the future to eliminate them entirely during a cruising day," says Terry MacRae, CEO of Statue Cruises and Hornblower Cruises & Events. "We expect this pioneering project to inspire continued industry innovations. The technology on the Hornblower Hybrid is now scalable for other hybrid ferries, hybrid yachts and even hybrid tugs. Some may say we are at the turning point in modernizing marine technology and Hornblower plans to be leading the way."

"This is a genuinely breakthrough project, not only for us but for the U.S. marine industry. This boat will produce minimal carbon emissions and sip, rather than guzzle, diesel fuel. Along the way it will help make New York harbor a cleaner, safer and more pleasant place. As a local shipyard, we're extremely pleased to have this project," says Gavin Higgins, Derecktor Vice President for Business Development.

Upon completion, the 600-passenger vessel will feature an outdoor sundeck and two spacious interior decks – including one with glass walls that showcase the region's landmarks and cityscapes. Eco-friendly materials will be incorporated throughout, from recycled glass countertops, to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified carpet and aluminum wall coverings that eliminate the need for wallpaper. Flat-panel LED video screens and LED lighting will minimize energy use, while long-life, low VOC paints will cover the boat's exterior. Hornblower has been testing these paints, including some without the copper that impacts water quality and wildlife, as part of an EPA-funded project taking place in its San Diego port.

To follow this project over the next few months please visit the Hybrid Blog at www.respectourplanet.com

To learn more about Statue Cruises' ferry service, charters and special events, visit www.statuecruises.com. For information on Hornblower Cruises & Events, visit www.hornblower.com.

55 people think the iPad is more valuable than the Galaxy Tab

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 06:40 AM PST

If you read tech news today, expect to see a story making the rounds concerning a "consumer poll" rating the iPad versus the Galaxy Tab. According to the report, an "overwhelming majority" of consumers prefer Apple's tablet over its nearest Android competitor -- a whopping 85 percent of those queried felt the iPad had a higher perceived value than the Tab. Sounds shocking, right? Except there's one small problem. The "survey" (and really, you have to use the term loosely here) consisted of 65 people. Let's just say that again: 65 respondents. That's problem number one.

Problem number two is that the survey was conducted by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, who is not only using a bizarre and somewhat useless metric like "perceived value" to judge these devices, but is also known for wildly miscalculating sales numbers and expectations for Apple products. In fact, Gene Munster should probably be close to the top of the most wanted list for irresponsible analysts. Some of his famous misses? Take the wildly speculative report that Apple would sell 5.6m iPads in 2010 (a baseless prediction which he quickly reassessed to more reasonable digits... the day after the device's launch), or the prediction that Apple would build its own search engine (so far so good!), and of course, Gene's news that Apple will have an HDTV on the market by 2011. Did we mention the $1,000 AAPL stock price call? No? Okay.

So this latest report, in which Gene apparently just polled the families living on his block, seems beyond disingenuous. The margin of error on a group of 65 people is so high that it makes the results of the iPad vs. Galaxy Tab study all but meaningless, and further demonstrates the insidious, dangerous power of some analysts and their fantasy football stock manipulations. The moral of the story? Next time you see the names Gene and Munster in the same sentence, don't just take the news with a grain of salt -- use the whole shaker.

Lineo's Warp 2 boots to Fedora on Atom in 4 seconds, MPC Data's SwiftBoot warms up embedded Linux in an instant

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 06:25 AM PST

Alright, you caught us. We're suckers for speedy, unrealistically optimized boot times. The fine folks at Linux for Devices just highlighted two major players on the horizon: Lineo's Warp 2, which is about to launch; and MPC Data's SwiftBoot, which is now available. Both of them are less of a "boot" and more of a "wake from hibernation" sort of thing, but most of the issues are the same -- you still have to boot a kernel, whether or not you're gonna populate the system with a saved state when it's ready. Lineo is booting up Fedora Linux 12 on an Atom Z530 machine, and has just hit the 4.06 second mark -- compared to a 54.72 second "normal" boot time on the system. Meanwhile, MPC Data is going after much more of a niche, but doing it well: its SwiftBoot tech can get Linux up and running an actual application on an embedded device-ready Renesas SuperH SH7724 processor in under a second (0.982 seconds, to be precise). This one has to be seen to be believed, so check out the video after the break. Sure, it won't help you love your pokey PC or Mac any more (though Apple's doing its own work on this problem with its misnomered "instant on" feature on the MacBook Air, which wakes the computer from hibernation in a few seconds), but it's a nice glimpse of what's to come.

Gaikai enters closed beta, we get an exclusive first look

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 06:00 AM PST

This is Mass Effect 2, running on a netbook -- a stock Eee PC -- with a single core Atom CPU that wouldn't dare to dream of actually processing the game. It works because the sci-fi opera's not taxing that silicon at all, but rather a beefy server miles away, streaming processed and compressed video frames direct to the 10.1-inch screen. It's called Gaikai, and if you're thinking it sounds just like OnLive by a different name, you'd be half-right. However, this streaming game service has a radically different business model which doesn't cost players a dime. Gaikai will power game advertisements that let you actually play their games. If that sounds like an idea you'd like to hear more about, then we've got a treat for you. We spoke with founder David Perry about what the service can do, got an exclusive hands-on with the closed beta, and an extensive video walkthrough to boot. After the break, find the whole scoop.
Gaikai beta, hands-on

Gaikai's very much in beta at the moment, and that extends all the way to its presentation. Right now the service is a dedicated website that inspects your internet connection, checks for Java and Flash, then lets you play... but Perry explained that couldn't be further from the way it'll look when complete. The idea is that Gaikai will let video game publishers secretly test your latency and bandwidth while you're browsing a website, and if it detects that you're on the cusp of a gaming purchase, it will act -- attracting your attention with a pop-up or animation that offers you a free trial of the software. Perry says you'll need about a 5Mbps connection to stream at 720p, but the latency requirements can be a bit more stringent. Publishers get to decide what latency makes for an acceptable session on a per-game basis, so you may need a server in the same neighborhood for fast-paced first-person-shooters.

If you accept, you'll be streaming the title nigh-instantly from Gaikai's servers and can play until the clock runs out (Mass Effect 2 gave us 90 minutes), but if you reject the offer or if your ping to a Gaikai facility was too high, the system files that statistical point away in a massive database so the company can decide where to put the next server, and / or modify the offer so that next time you're more likely to comply. Gaikai has twelve twenty-three data centers (There are twelve data centers in the US, and twenty-three worldwide - Ed.) at this point -- based all around the world -- so you may not qualify immediately when the service launches later this month. The idea is that if you don't, you won't even know, and thus won't be disappointed by rejection. If you do, however, it'll look something like this:


Over an up-to-18 megabit AT&T U-Verse internet connection aimed at Gaikai beta servers roughly fifteen miles away, we generally got 10-15 megabits of download bandwidth, and a latency of between 25 and 35 milliseconds. That got us performance just about equal to the 720p video above, both in terms of visual quality and speed, and yet a noticeable amount of input lag -- not too much to make the game unplayable, but not nearly as enjoyable as on a dedicated console or gaming PC. There's a bit of video compression artifacting, especially around floating text, but it still made for a fairly pretty game -- imagine looking at a beautiful picture through a slight haze. If we were to compare against what we've played of OnLive (which also presently delivers 720p images over a variable-bandwidth stream) we'd say the visuals were roughly the same, but OnLive seemed to perform more antialiasing to soften sharp edges and had slightly more responsive controls. Controlling our protagonist through a few firefights, we found it difficult to reliably score headshots on the robot armies as our targeting reticle didn't move quite as precisely as our mouse, but we still got through the opening level without too much trouble.

You'll notice we're making a few excuses for Gaikai here, but the truth of the matter is this: the entire time we were playing, we wished we were running the game on our home console or beefy gaming PC instead. Which, if you think about it, is kind of the whole point. We asked David Perry about our experience, and he turned right around and asked if our session was fun -- and if we thought we'd experienced enough to figure out if the game was worth buying. We had to concede that yes, we'd had a fairly stellar demonstration of what the game was like, without having to spend a single minute downloading packages of texture files -- and that's a tremendous improvement over, say, watching a YouTube video of a game before making a purchasing choice.

However, that doesn't mean that Gaikai isn't planning to improve the service to the point where it can support full game sessions later on -- Perry said he'd like to offer that as an option to publishers alongside 1080p streaming and stereoscopic 3D when more servers roll out, and both processing power and bandwidth increase. For now, however, he's focused on improving latency and fixing last-minute bugs before a tentative mid-December launch, and sorting through the games to figure out which ones are worth hosting.


In October, Gaikai publicly announced that it had all the major game publishers signed on, but one of the most interesting things Perry told us was that he's actually spending more time these days turning games away. "We will not be putting 60, 100, 250 games on Gaikai," he told us, saying that rather than ramp up to a service full of titles, the objective is to only demo games that gamers will want to keep playing: "You're ninety-eight percent there and you just need to touch it -- those are the ones."

Obviously Gaikai wants to make a splash with quality titles, but the reasoning goes further than that -- if gamers play a demo through the service and decide the title's not for them, that game's publisher ends up paying for a negative outcome. Perry wants to steer individuals towards games that are guaranteed buys when and if tried, making the one-cent-per-minute flat rate Gaikai charges completely worthwhile. If you quit playing immediately publishers don't pay a dime, but if you get engrossed in the title, then you're likely to buy it, right? Perry says he's sitting on about 20 high profile titles right now, but won't launch all of them at once, and that we shouldn't necessarily expect them to all be games. The instant demo model also makes sense for big budget commercial software -- imagine if you could try a new video editing suite online, for instance. Perry wouldn't tell us which programs we could expect, but that Gaikai had access to all the "key franchises" of Electronic Arts, and intends to unveil one brand each week after the service is launched. That's slated to happen December 15th, though Perry didn't make any promises. We'll be waiting, watching and hoping our bandwidth is adequate in the days and possibly weeks to come.

Spacelog provides fascinating searchable text transcripts for NASA missions

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 05:38 AM PST

What you're looking at above is a scan of the physical NASA transcript of a famous moment of the Apollo 13 space mission. These transcripts make extremely fascinating reading, especially if (like us) you're really into minutiae. Now, for the first time ever, these transcripts are being... transcribed again, on the internet. Yes, if you wander over to Spacelog, you can now view full transcripts of the Apollo 13 and Mercury 6 space missions in searchable text which also links back to source images like the one pictured above. This is the kind of historical documentation and access that reminds us of why the internet is so, insanely awesome. Spacelog's site also says they're going to provide other mission transcripts in the future, including Gemini 7, Apollo 8 and Apollo 11.

Zoom's dual mic-equipped Q3HD camcorder now available for $300

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 05:21 AM PST

Been eager to get your hands on the Zoom Q3HD camcorder since seeing it on our Holiday Gift Guide? Well, it should now be relatively easy to find -- Zoom has just announced that the camera is officially available at retailers across the US for $299.99. That will not only get you full 1080p video recording, but some high-quality, 24-bit/96kHz audio from the camera's stereo microphones, which the company says makes it particularly well-suited for musicians or those working with musicians -- a fact fully backed up by the auto-playing Joe Satriani on the company's website, and videos featuring the likes of Roger Waters, Anthrax, and Megadeth. Check out a sample after the break.
Show full PR text
Zoom Announces Availability of the Q3HD Handy Video Recorder – Only Point-and-Shoot to Record HD Video & HD Audio

Check out soundmakesthemovie.com to see HD footage shot with the Q3HD

Hauppauge, NY – December 01, 2010 – Zoom, makers of award-winning stereo recorders, is excited to announce availability of the highly anticipated Q3HD Handy Video Recorder – the only handheld to record both HD video and HD audio (24-bit/96kHz). The Q3HD combines Full HD 1080p video with Zoom's renowned audio technology and a new user-friendly icon-based interface allowing users to capture truly immersive movies with ease and confidence.

The Q3HD records in both Full HD 1080p at 30 fps (frames per second) and 720p at 30 or 60 fps. Zoom paired its redesigned larger aperture with three lighting settings to ensure the perfect amount of light in every shot. Zoom's exclusive "Concert Lighting" setting allows the camera to capture clear, detailed videos even in light-intensive environments that would cause most camcorders to wash out.

Zoom smartly incorporated the same microphone capsules used in their industry-leading H4n recorder, configured in a wide 120° X/Y pattern, offering unparalleled stereo recording quality. Users will appreciate how simple it is to set audio levels using the onboard level meters and mic gain switch with auto gain control.

After shooting, videographers can turn the Q3HD on its side to watch videos in 16:9 format on its color LCD screen or take advantage of the built-in HDMI port to view and share new footage on an HDTV. The Q3HD also has a built-in USB 2.0 cable to transfer, view and edit movies on a PC or Mac.

The Q3HD comes with a 2GB SD card that provides up to 45 minutes of HD video and accepts up to a 32GB SDHC card for approximately 7 hours of HD video. Zoom also includes HandyShare editing software and two AA batteries.

The Zoom Q3HD is now available at major retailers across the country for $299.99 MAP. A Q3HD accessory package (APQ-3HD) that includes a soft shell case, windscreen, AC adapter, HDMI cable, AV cable and tripod can be purchased separately for $39.99 MAP.

For additional information please visit soundmakesthemovie.com or contact PR Representative Mark Olson at (305) 576-1171 x17 or at markolson@maxborgesagency.com.

About Zoom Corporation

Zoom is renowned all over the world for its recording and guitar effects gear. Headquartered in Tokyo, Zoom has continuously created a diverse line of original, innovative audio products from effect processors, to rhythm machines, samplers and recorders. Samson Technologies is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Zoom products. Samson is based in Hauppauge, New York. zoom.co.jp / samsontech.com

OnLive ushers in the MicroConsole with all-you-can-eat game plan for $10 a month

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 05:00 AM PST

OnLive wants to be the Netflix of video games, that much is clear, and today it's rolling out a flat-rate monthly pricing plan called PlayPack to help seal the deal. It'll cost $9.99 a month when it launches January 15th, giving subscribers access to a back catalog of forty retired and indie titles, including a number of games entirely new to the OnLive service. What's more, if you bought the company's $99 MicroConsole, you'll get access to that entire flat-rate catalog free until the formal launch, meaning you'll have fourteen full games instantly ready to play the moment you boot it up. OnLive founder Steve Perlman tells us you can pay month-to-month and cancel PlayPack anytime you want, and OnLive will still store your savegames for a full year in case you decide to rejoin -- or if you want to mix and match flat-rate and a la carte titles without losing your precious progress. So, when are those MicroConsoles going to arrive? If you were among the first to buy, you could get yours this very afternoon, and Perlman says there are "thousands and thousands of boxes" shipping right now. PR after the break.
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OnLive Offers $9.99/month Flat-rate Video Game Plan;

OnLive Game System Shipments Begin

Flat-rate Plan Offers Unlimited Access to Growing Library of Instant-Play Games

Palo Alto, Calif., December 2, 2010-OnLive, Inc., the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video games, today announced details of its new $9.99/month "PlayPack" flat-rate plan, which is immediately available in beta to OnLive Game System owners and available to all OnLive members on January 15, 2011. OnLive will continue to offer its current free trials, 3- and 5-day rentals and Full PlayPass options for a la carte new-release games in addition to the new PlayPack flat-rate plan for access to a growing library of recent, indie and classic games.

"OnLive's PlayPass and PlayPack plans give players maximum flexibility to try or buy video games," said Michael Pachter, Managing Director, Equity Research Wedbush Securities. "Top-tier titles are available as individual rentals and purchases, while everything else is available at a flat rate. With these programs, OnLive is effectively offering the equivalent of an iTunes/Netflix combo for gaming."

OnLive today also began shipping the OnLive Game System, a $99 controller and MicroConsole™ bundle, providing instant access on HDTVs to all OnLive games.

The PlayPack option is available, in beta, starting today for owners of the OnLive Game System free of charge. The PlayPack game library will steadily expand up to and beyond the January 15, 2011 launch date. After this introductory beta period, the PlayPack flat-rate plan will be available as a $9.99/month option for all OnLive members, including those PlayPack beta members who choose to continue with the plan.

The PlayPack flat-rate plan will comprise more than 40 high-quality games when officially launched, incorporating major franchises immediately recognizable to any gamer. A sampling of the current PlayPack beta game library includes:

•Prince of Persia®, Ubisoft
•NBA® 2K10, 2K Sports
•Tomb Raider™: Underworld, Square-Enix
•F.E.A.R. 2, Warner Bros
•Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.™, Ubisoft
•Unreal Tournament® 3, Epic
•Vin Diesel Wheelman™, Ubisoft
•LEGO® Batman™, Warner Bros
•Defense Grid® Gold, Hidden Path
•Saw, Konami
•Puzzle Chronicles, Konami
•King's Bounty: Armored Princess, Katauri Interactive
 •Ninja Blade, From Software

Like all OnLive titles, PlayPack games play instantly on TVs, via the OnLive Game System, or on a PC or Mac® via a small browser download.

"OnLive's new PlayPack plan is another example of unique value and convenience unlocked through cloud gaming technology," said Steve Perlman, founder and CEO of OnLive. "People love flat-rate plans for instant-play media, so it's exciting to introduce this offering to the video game market for the first time. With PlayPass games priced from $3.99 to $49.99, along with the new $9.99/mo PlayPack plan, OnLive's growing library of games will suit any budget and any type of gamer, from casual to hardcore."

Some PlayPack games require a mouse and/or keyboard. The PlayPack flat-rate plan will be offered on a month-to-month basis and can be cancelled at any time.

For more information about the PlayPack flat-rate plan, visit www.onlive.com/playpack. For additional details on the OnLive Game System, visit www.onlive.com/game-system.

About OnLive

OnLive is the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video game services, delivering real-time interactive experiences and rich media through the Internet. With groundbreaking video compression technology, OnLive harnesses cloud computing to provide the power and intelligence needed to instantly deliver the latest, premium game titles to any HDTV via the OnLive Game System or nearly any PC and Mac via a small browser download. OnLive technology is backed by hundreds of patents and patents pending. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. OnLive investors include Warner Bros., Autodesk, Maverick Capital, AT&T, British Telecommunications (BT) and The Belgacom Group. More information is available at www.onlive.com.

Google doodles go mobile at long last

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 04:43 AM PST

One of the greatest treats a human can know is to visit Google's home page only to discover that the company has decided to celebrate some obscure birthday, anniversary, or special event by dressing up its logo in a creative way. Google takes these so-called doodles very, very seriously -- so seriously, in fact, that it has taken the time to let us know that those doodles will now be available on your phone. No longer will you need to see a Google logo fashioned from meat, vegetables, and pie on your desktop, only to suffer through the normal array of colored letters when you go mobile. You're welcome, America.

Toshiba launches NB520 and NB500 netbooks, one with Harman Kardon sound, one without

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 04:19 AM PST

NB520
When's the last time you said "Crank up the netbook, I love this song!" Yeah, probably never, but if you had a Toshiba mini NB520 you might -- or at least that's what Toshiba would like to envision you would do. It packs stereo Harman Kardon speakers that can crack the foundation and wake the dead with an amazing two watts each, apparently the smallest tweeters H/K has ever put on a laptop. That's paired with an Atom N550 processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory, a 250GB HDD, 10 hours of battery life, and a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 LED-backlit display. If that's too loud or you're too old, there's also the "no frills" NB500, offering the same specs but minus the petite sound system and stepping down to an Atom N455, though doing so at a lower price. What price? That we don't know, but we'll find out when both ship in the first quarter of 2011, which starts in a month. Yikes.
Toshiba NB500 and NB520


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The mobile sound machine: Toshiba mini NB520 with superior sound quality

Toshiba's latest netbook family includes the mini NB520 with Harman/Kardon® speakers and the no-frills model mini NB500

Neuss, 02nd December 2010
Toshiba Computer Systems, a division of Toshiba Europe GmbH, today unveiled two models of its new netbook family: the mini NB500 and the mini NB520, a model for users who want a slim and stylish netbook with enhanced sound features.

The mini NB520 is the world's first netbook with embedded premium speakers from Harman/Kardon® for a superb entertainment experience with a vibrant sound. The mini NB500 and the mini NB520 will be availablehttp://cms.aol.com/content/posts/create/21/ during the first quarter of 2011 throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Netbook users very much value outstanding sound
"Offering a magic sound experience by featuring the world's smallest Harman/Kardon speakers on a laptop embedded in a slim and stylish casing, the mini NB520 meets a yet unfulfilled user demand in the netbook market", said Marco Perino, General Manager, Product Marketing EMEA Toshiba Computer Systems Division. 81.4% of netbook users say that it is important that their device offers a good sound. More than two thirds of netbook users use the speakers when listening to music or watching videos while being alone at home, while around 40% do so together with friends.

Vibrant bass and crystal clear trebles
Despite its diminutive size, the mini NB520 packs a powerful sonic punch with its 2 watt Harman/Kardon® stereo speakers, giving sound volume and quality not normally associated with netbooks. They support Dolby® Advanced AudioTM to provide a natural sound experience while listening to music or watching videos in HD quality (720p) on the netbook.

The Sleep and Music feature allows consumers who've stored their favorite music tracks on a MP3 player to connect the gadget to the netbook and listen to the music through the speakers without turning the PC on .

The slim mini NB500 serves users everyday computing consumption needs
As second member in Toshiba's new netbook family, the mini NB500 is targeted at users who appreciate a slim, mobile device with basic computing consumption features at a very competitive price. Despite the affordable price, the mini NB500 is one of the thinnest and lightest netbooks on the market featuring an Intel Atom processor.

Pleasing to all senses
While the mini NB500's and mini NB520's subtle look with shiny metallic reflections and engraved dot patterns is pleasing to the eye, the paint with its rubber textured feeling is appealing to the touch. A selection of five fresh colour variations - blue, brown, lime green, turquoise, and orange – give customers a wide choice to express their personality. The mini NB500 comes also in a black version.

Music adds value to the netbooks
Music Place powered by 7Digital offers an easy to use client that gives access to one of the widest catalogues of music. Users can either download purchased tracks and file it on the PC or store it on a personal cloud storage area and then sync their connected devices via internet. This opens up a modern way to enjoy content anytime and anywhere.

Additional press materials and information
To download images please visit the Image Library at the Toshiba Press Lounge at http://eu.press.toshiba.eu where also a visual news release on the mini NB520 can be found. Here you can also find a video which you're very welcome to embed on your website or blog.

About Toshiba Europe GmbH
Toshiba Europe GmbH (TEG) is a fully owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo, a global corporation with more than 130 years of company history. Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning information & communications systems; digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances.

Headquartered in Neuss, Germany, TEG is comprised of four business divisions: Computer Systems, Storage Device Products, Consumer Products and Electronic Systems Operations. Together, these divisions provide product offerings including industry leading portable computers and other mobile products and solutions, HDDs, DVDs, LCDs, TVs and electronic office equipment. As the headquarters for the EMEA region, TEG provides support and assistance to its local branch offices. For more information on Toshiba laptops and accessories, visit the Toshiba Press Lounge: www.toshiba.eu/presslounge

Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 204,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.3 trillion yen (US$68 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm.

RIM buys TAT, BlackBerry UI in danger of becoming awesome

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 03:37 AM PST

This is not a joke, in fact it's quite official. Research In Motion has just confirmed the acquisition of Swedish UI design company TAT, which will soon be "bringing their talent to the BlackBerry PlayBook and smartphone platforms." You'll be familiar with TAT as the team that helped polish the original Android interface on the T-Mobile G1 as well as from more recent UI design projects -- the important thing is that these guys have shown they know what they're doing. We have to admit, pairing the rock solid foundation of the QNX-built PlayBook OS with some top-level spit-shine from a company specializing in exactly that has us legitimately excited. Who knows, maybe we'll even see a BlackBerry with a user interface that someone other than a BBMer could love.

[Thanks, Rasmus]

Dish Network launches Remote Access app, brings live TV and scheduling to iPad

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 03:12 AM PST

See, that wasn't so bad, now was it? If you're befuddled, we're simply referring to the week that iPad owners have had to listen to their Android-lovin' brethren gloat about having Dish Network's Remote Access app. As of today, that same piece of software is available in the App Store, enabling iPad owners to watch live and recorded programs so long as they've a broadband-connected, Sling-enabled device like the Sling Adapter. It'll also allow iPad owners to browse and search up to nine days of programming, schedule DVR recordings, manage conflicts, delete shows on multiple receivers, and use their tablet as a fully functional remote, but much to our dismay, it doesn't have the power to make Heroes a show worth watching again.
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DISH Network is First Pay-TV Provider to Give Customers Ability to Watch Their Live TV on iPad

Free DISH Remote Access Gives DISH Network Customers Ability to Transform Their iPad into a TV

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- DISH Network L.L.C., today announced that DISH Remote Access, the free application that gives DISH Network customers the ability to watch their live and recorded TV on compatible smartphones, tablets and laptops, is now available for the iPad™. To enjoy live and recorded TV viewing on the iPad, DISH Network customers must have a broadband-connected, Sling-enabled™ device such as the Sling Adapter™ - a small placeshifting device that pairs with DISH Network's ViP® 722 or 722k HD DVRs.

"DISH Network is the only pay-TV provider to offer a true TV everywhere solution, and now we've extended that experience to the iPad," said DISH Network Chief Marketing Officer Ira Bahr. "Unlike mobile viewing from cable and telcos that limit access to select programs, our TV Everywhere services give consumers 24 x 7 access to all of their live and recorded content included with their DISH Network programming subscription."

In addition to TV viewing, the DISH Remote Access app also gives DISH Network customers with compatible DVRs the ability to browse and search up to nine days of programming, schedule DVR recordings, manage conflicts, delete shows on multiple receivers, and transform the iPad into a fully-functioning remote control.

The DISH Remote Access app for the iPad can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store. For more information about DISH Remote Access, visit www.dish.com/tveverywhere.

GM's new crash test dummies can say 'ouch!' 10,000 times a second

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 02:36 AM PST

General Motors may have gone through a teeny tiny bankruptcy problem, but that doesn't mean it's behind the times. The American motor maker's just unveiled its latest crash test dummies -- or anthropomorphic testing devices, to give them their highfalutin title -- which are capable of beaming out status reports 10,000 times per second. Equipped with 70 to 80 sensors each, the new family of test devices spans a wide range of potential passengers, from fully grown males to toddlers, though it is slightly disappointing to see they all have washboard abs and perfect posture. Come now, GM, we'd hardly call a race of perfectly sculpted drones that can speak fast enough to converse with a hummingbird representative. Video and the full press release can be found after the break.
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Smart Dummies Save Lives

Hyper-tech Crash Dummies Help Make Buick a Safety Leader

2010-12-01

DETROIT – If a crash test dummy could talk, what would it say? And would we understand what it was saying?

At General Motors' Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) lab, new hyper-tech dummies talk in hyper-speed, recording and transmitting crash data 10,000 times a second. Two-hundred crash test dummies of all shapes and sizes are wired with 70-80 sensors each that tell safety engineers exactly how much and what kind of forces they endure during crash tests. The 2011 Buick Regal benefits directly from this capability.

Engineers analyze data from physical crash tests and computer simulations to understand how a vehicle, its safety systems and occupants respond during a crash. Armed with that data, engineers continuously look for opportunities to enhance the safety of Buick cars and crossovers.

To better reflect reality, the dummies representing men and women range in size from what would be a large adult to a small toddler. The price tag for the most sophisticated dummy can approach $500,000.

The ATD lab is run by GM safety engineer and Technical Fellow Jack Jensen. "We design these test dummies so that they mimic real life," he says. "Data from the dummies helps us predict the risk of injury in a real crash. The more realistic the dummy, the more accurate the test results."

The efforts of Jensen and numerous safety engineers helped the 2011 Buick Regal become a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. The award recognizes what the Institute considers "Good" ratings in front, side and rollover crash tests and evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear crashes. In addition, winning vehicles must offer electronic stability control, which Buick calls StabiliTrak.

"Most people don't realize that the Hybrid III dummy, still used in most frontal crash tests, was created by a group of biomechanical scientists at General Motors who were pioneers in their field of vehicle safety," says Jensen.

Jensen's decades of crash test experience place him among a select group of highly trained leaders in the area of automotive anthropomorphic testing. He has degrees from the University of Nebraska and Purdue University.

"It's very satisfying for all of us who work here in safety and crashworthiness to know that the work we're doing is preventing injuries and saving lives on the roads," Jensen says.

Chrome sandboxes Flash Player in latest Dev channel release for Windows

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 01:50 AM PST

Hey, Adobe's finally figured out how to make Flash secure -- have Google do it! The guys behind your favorite search engine have updated their latest Dev channel release of Chrome to include a new sandboxing facility for Flash Player content. It'll serve to limit access to sensitive system resources and make Flash's operation a generally less threatening proposition than it currently is. This also marks the fulfillment of a longstanding promise from Google to give Flash the same treatment it's afforded to JavaScript and HTML rendering for a while, and should be welcome news to Windows users eager to minimize "the potential attack surface" of their browser. Sorry, Mac fans, you're out in the unsecured cold for now. Of course, the Dev channel itself is one step less refined than beta software, so even if you're on Windows it might be advisable to wait it out a little bit.

Sony 'Hybrid FPA' liquid crystal alignment technique sets LCD issues straight

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 01:14 AM PST

Sony has announced a new LCD display technology called Hybrid FPA (field-induced photo-reactive alignment), which it claims provides a bevy of improvements for LCDs in the areas of response time, contrast, panel stability, and production speed. For those of you who slept through display science in school (no shame), this boils down to Sony finding a better way to wrangle unruly liquid crystal molecules (LCMs) into more optimal alignments -- which is important since this affects how light passes and therefore how images are resolved. The new technique builds on earlier work, which focused on the vertical alignment of LCMs via an alignment layer. As the left diagram shows, through pre-tilt positioning at the substrate layer, LCMs were forced into a more stable vertical state, which made shifting them quicker and more precise while requiring less voltage. In other words, images resolved faster and more evenly, resulting in "cleaner" whites and blacks with less motion blur. Hybrid FPA simply improves the situation by aligning LCMs even more vertically, which produced response times of less than 3ms in tests. That's great news for 3D lovers and gamers, and should help Sony at least move units off of retailer shelves at some point, particularly if its plans for rapid commercialization of this tech hold true.
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Sony develops "Hybrid FPA", a novel liquid crystal alignment technique that achieves faster response time for liquid crystal displays

Sony Corporation (hereafter 'Sony') has developed "Hybrid FPA (field-induced photo-reactive alignment)", a new liquid crystal alignment technique which enables a significantly faster response time for liquid crystal displays. Fast responses of less than 3ms have been achieved in test cells through this technology. Aside from contributing to 'picture quality enhancement in 3D and high frame rate video', this technology will improve 'product stability' during the display panel manufacturing process as well as after long-term use. Additionally, this technology will achieve production efficiencies by reducing the manufacturing process and time.

Sony previously developed the "FPA *1" high-speed liquid crystal response alignment technique based on vertical alignment (VA) liquid crystal modes. One method for improving liquid crystal response time is to generate pre-tilt of the liquid crystal molecules. "FPA" technique uses the alignment layer developed by Sony and maintains pre-tilt of liquid crystal molecules by irradiating UV while applying voltage in manufacturing process. This facilitates the stable and even alignment of the liquid crystal molecules *2, thus achieving improvements in both liquid crystal response time and the contrast ratio. In addition, this has made it possible to eradicate the Mura (uniformity problem) in the display as well as to eliminate the 'sticking image' that can occur after long-term use.

The new "Hybrid FPA" technology is the result of further development of the aforementioned "FPA" technology with its superior features. "Hybrid FPA" technology has achieved an even faster liquid crystal response time by maintained the pre-tilt on just one side of the substrate alignment layer (see illustration). Furthermore, this new technology has succeeded in facilitating drastic improvements in liquid crystal response time, especially faster movement of liquid crystal molecule when decreasing the voltage which was previously difficult to achieve, as well as higher contrast.

This technology will be presented on December 2 at IDW '10 (International Display Workshops), a display technology conference to be held in Fukuoka City, Japan from December 1 to 3. (http://www.idw.ne.jp/home.html)

Sony is jointly developing alignment layer materials with JSR Corporation (hereafter, 'JSR'), a leading company in electronic materials and display materials, for early commercialization of this technology. Hereafter, Sony plans to further accelerate its development of the technology with JSR's highly functional alignment layer materials and stable material quality.

High-speed camera in motion can stop a commuter's heart

Posted: 02 Dec 2010 12:26 AM PST

By now, you're certainly familiar with the magic that a consumer-branded Casio super-slow-mo camera can do with motion, right? But what happens when you use a two-year old Casio Exilim FH20 to shoot 210fps footage (played back at 30fps) from a moving train? Nothing, at least until the train slows down.

BBC iPlayer to start international rollout with subscription service on iPad

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 11:39 PM PST

BBC.com managing director Luke Bradley-Jones has dropped some knowledge on the TV-loving world by revealing that the iPlayer's global launch will be on a "pure paid subscription model," to be followed thereafter by partnerships with advertisers on "free" areas of the British TV catchup service. The US is specifically named as one of the first new markets for the venture, which is expected to go live in the middle of next year. In addition to knowing you'll have to shell out to get your fix of Top Gear, Doctor Who and, erm, The Foods that Make Billions, you'll also be wanting to know that the first platform for the iPlayer outside the UK will be none other than Apple's iPad. What is it with Brits and the iPad?

Android 2.x now accounts for 83 percent of all active Googlephones

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 10:41 PM PST

We're not totally sure that Android 2.1 users will be happy to be bundled in with 2.2 consumers -- after all, there's plenty in Froyo that's not available on Eclair -- but the fact remains that a cool 83 percent of actively used Android phones right now run one of the two latest iterations. A reminder is merited to say that by "active" we mean those that accessed the Android Market over the foregoing two weeks -- which might have a slight bias toward over-representing the newer phones with folks either abandoning their Cupcake and Donut handsets or simply not searching for new apps for them. Either way, we reckon it's good to see such nice big slices taken up by Android's most advanced versions, it seems almost a shame that Gingerbread's arrival will soon disrupt things all over again. For now, we're off to our delicatessen, all this food talk's given us the munchies.

[Thanks, Dan]

Canon will now add locking mode dial to your EOS 5D Mark II or 7D... for $100

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 10:09 PM PST

Oh, sure -- Pentax may have thrown one in gratis on its K-7, and Nikon has done the same on its D3S, but none of that really matters if you're the proud owner of a Canon, now does it? For those fed up with accidentally moving their mode dial during a critical shoot, Canon is now offering a chargeable service for the EOS 5D Mark II and EOS 7D cameras. For the tidy sum of $100, the outfit will install a Mode Dial with a center-located lock button -- the goal here is to prevent the wheel from moving during "normal camera operation," while simultaneously milking an extra Benjamin out of the outfit's loyal customer base. 'Course, there's a glass half-full / half-empty way to look at this. You could bang on Canon for not including this from day one, or you could be grateful to have the option at all. Your move, cynic.

Kinect theremin is just too late for the 'Day the Earth Stood Still' remake soundtrack (video)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 09:07 PM PST

Kinect theremin is here, too late for the awful 'Day the Earth Stood Still' remake soundtrack (video)
The sound of the original theremin frightened audiences of spooky and science fictiony movies in the '50s and '60s, and while this digital replication is perhaps a little less chilling it's also a lot less physical. It's the so-called Therenect from Martin Kaltenbrunner, created using the Open Frameworks and OpenKinect libraries. To play just hold your hands up, allow the software to detect them, and then let the digital falsetto flow, as Martin kindly demonstrates for you below.

Logitech, Google TV enlist Kevin Bacon (and his biggest fan) for a new ad

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 07:32 PM PST

They keep pulling us back in -- Logitech's latest Google TV ad takes a different, and yet still stalker related tack to sell users on the viability of search and web in their living room, focusing on the Kevin Bacon obsessed (and incredibly familiar looking) Ivan Cobenk. The main gist is that the Google TV is the key to easily finding your favorite video content, wherever it is... along with the slight danger of turning into Kevin Bacon. Give it a watch, while we're still not totally sure the Revue belongs in every living room this bit is far more convincing than the old screaming anthromophized HDTV.

IBM breakthrough brings us one step closer to exascale computing, even more intense chess opponents

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 06:56 PM PST

The path to exascale computing is a long and windy one, and it's dangerously close to slipping into our shunned bucket of "awesome things that'll never happen." But we'll hand it to IBM -- those guys and gals are working to create a smarter planet, and against our better judgment, we actually think they're onto something here. Scientists at the outfit recently revealed "a new chip technology that integrates electrical and optical devices on the same piece of silicon, enabling computer chips to communicate using pulses of light (instead of electrical signals), resulting in smaller, faster and more power-efficient chips than is possible with conventional technologies." The new tech is labeled CMOS Integrated Silicon Nanophotonics, and if executed properly, it could lead to exaflop-level computing, or computers that could handle one million trillion calculations per second. In other words, your average exascale computer would operate around one thousand times faster than the fastest machine today, and would almost certainly give Garry Kasparov all he could stand. When asked to comment on the advancement, Dr. Yurii A. Vlasov, Manager of the Silicon Nanophotonics Department at IBM Research, nodded and uttered the following quip: "I'm am IBMer, and exascale tomfoolery is what I'm working on."*

*Not really, but you believed it, didn't you?

Archos Internet Tablets get firmware updates, everybody gets a Froyo

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 06:15 PM PST

Archos Internet Tablets and PMPs get firmware updates, everybody gets a Froyo
Okay, maybe not everybody, but the vast majority of the Android offerings from Archos are receiving some guilt-free sweet treats. Models 23, 32, 43, 70, and 101 (you know, these guys) are all on the lucky receiving end of firmware updates that bring Android 2.2.1 to the table. That comes with improved performance, better battery life estimation, and support for external GPS adapters. All yours for the low, low price of free -- well, assuming you've already bought the tablet, of course.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Xbox Live Rewards loyalty program goes live in the US and UK

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 05:39 PM PST

Spend an embarrassing amount of your life immersed in the Xbox Live universe? It's cool -- we all do. But now, you'll actually have a better reason to ignore whoever's yelling at you to disconnect. Microsoft has just launched its Xbox Live Rewards loyalty program after testing it out last year, but for now it's only available to US and UK-based gamers. As our compadres over at Joystiq mention, it's a lot like Club Nintendo, but instead of getting gear, you'll be awarded Microsoft Points for doing things you'd already be doing anyway. Gamers can look for a ten point boost for renewing a one-month membership, a 400 point increase for buying / renewing a family plan or 100 points for activating Netflix -- and that's just the start. Hit the source link to join up. It's free, you know.

Ion Audio's Twin Video dual-facing camera becomes more than a render, starts shipping

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 05:05 PM PST

Remember this little "Twin Video" freak of nature from January? Well, Ion Audio went and built the thing, and while it looks dramatically different now, the general idea is the same: one camera faces you, the other camera faces your subject. Outside of that it's a pretty basic Flip-style camcorder, with a decent $120 price tag, SD card storage, and a rechargeable battery. Just remember, with great dual-facing power comes great dual-facing responsibility. Check out a sample video after the break.

HP's DreamScreen 400 is the touchscreen Linux desktop you'll never own

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 04:31 PM PST

"What's this thing? It looks pretty cool. What pretty icons! Can I touch them? I can, really?" Etc. That basically describes our infantile thought process when we stumbled across the DreamScreen 400 (not to be confused with the DreamScreen photo frame line), a new all-in-one desktop from HP, but suddenly it all became clear: this thing is built for the Indian market, and us chubby Americans will have to keep on dreaming. Still, it's an interesting thought experiment. HP has long sought to differentiate itself in its Windows-based offerings, and even at times abandoned its first OS love with its Mobile Internet Edition Ubuntu-based netbooks and now its upcoming webOS tablets. The DreamScreen 400, which runs some flavor of Linux with an extensive, touch-friendly HP skin on top, sort of demonstrates an alternate reality where HP decided to pursue Linux in the consumer desktop space -- Microsoft be damned. Of course, this is also an actual reality: you should be able to buy this 18.5-inch desktop in India for Rs. 19,999 (about $450) in India right around nowish, and we'll see where HP takes this software from here.

[Thanks, Chris J.]


Show full PR text
HP Connects Consumers in India to World Wide Web, Hometown Content

New information hub delivers simplicity and regional relevance

NEW DELHI, India, Nov. 18, 2010

Aiming to connect generations of families and overcome the complexity often associated with technology, HP today unveiled a gateway to information and services prized by consumers in India.

The HP DreamScreen400 delivers the full reach of the internet and access to localized content and services to all members of a family.(1)

The "developed in India, for India" tabletop product is designed to enhance education, deliver news and entertainment, link families, enrich spiritual life and provide access to the web via a touch interface.

"What was once elusive is now within reach – a tap of a finger lets everyone in the household reach the information they cherish," said Satjiv S. Chahil, advisor, Global Markets, Personal Systems Group, HP. "With such an easy way to access the internet, Indian families now can participate more fully in the global community and reach their dreams."

To deliver information that is tailored for the market, HP collaborated with leading Indian content and service providers to create an experience for all members of the family, including first-time technology users. Thanks to an intuitive user interface, information ranging from school curricula to Bollywood TV and music is instantly accessible(2) – in English or Hindi. Video calls can be initiated by tapping an onscreen number keypad or touching a photo. Real-time religious services are brought into the home from webcams stationed in faraway temples, bringing spiritual satisfaction to the comfort of the home.

To develop the HP DreamScreen from concept to final product, team members from the HP Innovation Program Office visited scores of Indian families in their homes. The primary objective was to create a customer experience that would be intuitive to people familiar with basic cell phones. It needed to offer people convenient alternatives to the travel and long lines that are commonplace in India for paying bills and purchasing train tickets, for example.

"We sat with people in their homes and really listened to what was important to them. They inspired us," said Phil McKinney, head of the Innovation Program Office and vice president and chief technology officer, Personal Systems Group, HP. "To serve kids, their parents and their grandparents sharing a household – sharing one device – that was our goal."

Additional information is available in the India news release and at www.TheNextBench.com, HP's innovation community.

The concept and business model of the HP DreamScreen400 is applicable to other countries and regions.

Pricing and availability

The HP DreamScreen400 has an 18.5-inch diagonal touchscreen display, a DVD optical drive, and is powered by innovative technology from Intel. It is expected to be available in India later this month at approximately 700 outlets across 60 cities in the country for Rs. 19,999 plus taxes, or about US$450. In-home delivery, setup and a tutorial are included in the price for a limited time.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world's largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

XIM3 final hardware revealed, coming soon to give an unfair advantage in Xbox 360 shooters (video)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 03:59 PM PST

XIM3 final hardware revealed, coming soon to give you an unfair advantage in Xbox 360 shooters (video)
It's been almost two years since the XIM2 finally became available, letting Xbox 360 gamers bring some additional inputs to their gaming -- namely a keyboard and a mouse. Now its successor is nearing availability and its final form has been unleashed to the world. This version is considerably more advanced than its predecessor, sporting a little LCD for easier programming and some very advanced game-specific tuning called "Smart Translators." These handle various settings for various games, automatically deleting the various sized and various shaped dead zones employed by various shooters, demonstrated in a video below. No price has been announced yet, but we're guessing it'll cost a good bit more than the (now discontinued) XIM2's $149.99.
XIM3 final hardware

[Thanks, K. Green]

Motorola Mobility's mystery gadget streams video to tablets and phones

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 03:31 PM PST

Wonder why Motorola's set-top-box business got bundled in with the phones? If we had to guess, it's probably because Motorola Mobility is making a device that will wirelessly join both. Speaking at the Reuters Global Media Summit, company president Daniel Moloney said that Motorola's working on a standalone device that will wirelessly sling video to tablets and phones in the home, and will later be integrated directly into new set-top-boxes the company rolls out. "It's one consumer proposition that will come sooner rather than later," he told the crowd, suggesting that the device would be available through "service providers" rather than sold off the shelf, and that said providers might charge an additional service fee for its use. Here's hoping not. Perhaps Qualcomm finally found a buyer for that FLO TV spectrum, though?

Keepin' it real fake: Mini Galaxy S gazes meaningfully skyward next to a mini grand piano

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 03:15 PM PST

Keepin' it real fake: Mini Galaxy S gazes skyward next to a mini grand piano
If you were going to make a "mini" version of something else you'd probably want it to be significantly smaller. However, this "i9000 Mini" smartphone, cheekily adorned with both Samsung and Galaxy S branding, isn't any more svelte than the phone it is most certainly trying to be. If our eyes don't deceive us it's even fatter, though the capacitive touchscreen is indeed a half-inch smaller, down to 3.5-inches, and rather than being wide VGA it is instead half VGA -- doing with a measly 320 x 480 pixels. And no, it sure isn't AMOLED. Other specs include a five megapixel camera, 512MB of ROM and RAM, and dual SIM support. Roll with this 1,480 yuan (about $200) phone and you'll be rolling with Android 2.1, but the manufacturers promise it'll be updated to 2.2 in just a few weeks. If you can't trust a company that steals another company's design, logo, and trademarks, who can you trust?

aTV Flash (black) now in beta, ready to equip your new Apple TV with a browser

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 02:46 PM PST

It's always a bit of a funny business paying for hacks, but Fire Core's aTV Flash is a serious product and we can't blame them for trying to make a buck off the back of it. Now the sequel, aTV Flash (black), is here in beta form, bringing a subset of the aTV Flash's functionality to the brand new Apple TV, which runs that fancy new iOS-based 4.0 software. Most importantly, Fire Core brings a HTML5-compatible browser, but the Last.fm app and Plex Client are welcome tag alongs. "Coming soon" features include expanded media format support and networked storage support. The pre-order beta price is $20, while the final hack will retail for $30. For existing users, (black) is a free upgrade.

[Thanks, Gustavo]

Gameloft Advent Calendar offers free iPhone, Android games until Christmas

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 02:18 PM PST

Deals on iPhone and Android games aren't exactly hard to come by at this time of the year, but the folks at Gameloft have cooked up something a little extra special for the month of December. They've just kicked off an Advent Calendar on Twitter, which promises to reveal a free iPhone games, Android games, and a few other surprises every day until December 25th -- plus "a little bit more in the end." While there may be a few duds in there, things have gotten off to a pretty good start -- you can now grab the updated version of the classic PlayStation game Driver for the iPhone and iPod touch.

NC State and CMU develop velocity-sensing shoe radar, aim to improve indoor GPS routing

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 01:54 PM PST

The world at large owes a good bit to Maxwell Smart, you know. Granted, it's hard to directly link the faux shoe phone to the GPS-equipped kicks that are around today, but the lineage is certainly apparent. The only issue with GPS in your feet is how they react when you waltz indoors, which is to say, not at all. In the past, most routing apparatuses have used inertial measurement units (IMUs) to track motion, movement and distance once GPS reception is lost indoors, but those have proven poor at spotting the difference between a slow gait and an outright halt. Enter NC State and Carnegie Mellon University, who have worked in tandem in order to develop a prototype shoe radar that's specifically designed to sense velocity. Within the shoe, a radar is attached to a diminutive navigational computer that "tracks the distance between your heel and the ground; if that distance doesn't change within a given period of time, the navigation computer knows that your foot is stationary." Hard to say when Nike will start testing these out in the cleats worn by football players, but after last week's abomination of a spot (and subsequent botching of a review by one Ron Cherry) during the NC State - Maryland matchup, we're hoping it's sooner rather than later.

Google Reader gets native Android app

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 01:29 PM PST

We're surprised it took this long, but what good would it do to live in the past? Google Reader is now available to download as a native app for Android, care of Google Inc. itself. Multiple accounts are supported, preferences are synced, search is enabled, and since it's native, you can send to other apps (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, Bluetooth). Should make for a better experience than the web-only client, but hey, you be the judge.

Computer Engineer Barbie now available, and her phone has been upgraded since we last saw her

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 01:07 PM PST

We were fairly impressed with Computer Engineer Barbie's Linux laptop and cellphone when we last saw her at the Toy Fair in New York City. Well, the doll is available now, and her gear has gotten an upgrade for the retail version. The pink laptop now boasts some kind of custom Barbie operating system, and yes, she seems to be sporting an iPhone these days. We assume this is a tie in with Mattel's Barbie 'I Can Be' iPhone app, but we also remember from our childhood that Barbie is an intense tech geek who always has to have the latest gear, so we can't say that we're surprised. Computer Engineer Barbie is available now for $12.99. A shot of the first Computer Engineer Barbie we met is after the break.

ThinkGeek TK-421 iPhone keyboard case review

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 12:44 PM PST

We've been eagerly waiting for iPhone cases with built-in keyboards to hit ever since iOS 4 added Bluetooth keyboard support, but they simply haven't materialized like we'd hoped -- in fact, ThinkGeek's TK-421 case is the first to hit the market, nearly eight months after iOS 4 was first announced. Now that it's finally here, we've got to ask -- is this thing the ultimate iPhone accessory? Does the iPhone actually need a keyboard? Does flipping open automatically make something awesome? Read on to find out.
ThinkGeek TK-421 iPhone keyboard case review

The TK-421 is an odd little beast -- the keyboard flips out clockwise, instead of sliding or folding open. Unless you're holding the phone in landscape with the button on the left, that means a screen rotation is required -- not a big deal, but a transition that can delay grab-and-go typing. It also means that you have to open the phone to use the camera, since the keyboard blocks the lens while closed. It initially appeared that opening the keyboard woke the iPhone display automatically, but that's not actually the case -- it's easy for keys to be accidentally get pushed when they slide past the top part of the case during the open motion, and that's what actually triggers the screen. We'd have liked to see this functionality implemented for real, though.

Size-wise, well, the TK-421 is pretty gigantic. The actual case around the iPhone is of average size, but the keyboard is far from svelte, and there's a significant gap between the two halves -- you're essentially doubling the size of your phone. You've also got to deal with the incredibly bulky hinge, which justs out permanently from the right side of the phone, making both right- and left-handed use uncomfortable. On the plus side, the TK-421 is light as a feather -- it barely adds any weight to the phone at all. Just size. Lots and lots of size.

Let's talk about that hinge some more -- it's pretty flimsy. From what we can tell, it's held together by a single pin, and the two halves lock into either position when two magnets on either side of the pin align. It's a clever solution that feels stable enough once you've got it open, but the huge amount of wobble and flex doesn't inspire too much confidence -- and it feels almost comically easy to break when closed since the gap between halves is so big.

Once you've got it open, the keyboard itself is fine -- it paired right up to our iPhone and worked without issue. Typing feel is serviceable for a hard plastic keyboard, we suppose, but the layout is terrible. The delete key is next to the space bar, and the Enter key is kicked way off next to the period key -- both concessions to space, we suppose, but that doesn't explain why there are virtually useless Control and Alt keys. It took us a few moments to find the apostrophe, which buried under a function key. Speaking of the function keys, the labels appear to have been copied from a Mac keyboard but mapped somewhat at random -- the arrow keys work, as do the volume keys, but the Home key is actually an old-school word processing Home and not, you know, an iPhone Home. There's also an Expose label, which is cute and useless, and a set of brightness keys that heartbreakingly do nothing. And just to add insult to all this injury, the key labels themselves are painted on quite sloppily and don't line up -- check out the T, Y, U, and I keys just floating away in the picture above. Whoops.


Let's just end this here, lest we become too overwhelmed by despair -- the TK-421 is all of 50 bucks, after all, and if you're totally desperate for an iPhone keyboard case it'll probably do the job. Turns out we're not quite as desperate for an iPhone keyboard case as we thought, though -- we'd suggest passing on the TK-421 as a first-generation novelty and waiting for something a little more thoughtfully designed to show up. Boxwave Keyboard Buddy, you're up next.
at 11:16 AM

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