It's true, picking a smartphone is incredibly difficult these days. Gone is the time when your options were limited and your choices simply between the lesser-of-evils. The market has exploded, and the decision-making process of finding the best device for your cash can be one of the most daunting tasks you'll ever undertake. Android, iOS, webOS, and Windows Phone are all better than they've ever been before, carrier lineups are bigger, and even choosing a plan can be a daunting process if you don't know what you're looking for. But hey, don't let the stress of deciding between a Droid X and a Droid Incredible put a damper on the excitement of getting a truly awesome gadget -- we've got your back!
We've broken the choices down into two groups for each major carrier in the US after the break -- the top pick when money is no object, and the thriftier budget choice. We've also included our top selections for some of the smaller carriers throughout the US, and our ultimate pick if cost and carrier don't stand in your way. In putting together the list, we were shocked to see just how many Android devices made it, but that's a testament to the openness of the platform (and voracious consumer adoption of smartphones). 2011 is going to be a crazy year, but if you're in the market right now, the options are amazing -- so read on to see our picks.
Verizon
Amazed that a phone launched way back in April is still on top of the game in December? Us too, us too -- but seriously, HTC's heavily-tweaked rehash of the Nexus One for Verizon with a better camera and an optical pad remains one of the best Android sets money can buy, regardless of whether you get your hands on the early AMOLED version or the newer SLCD style. And who can argue with red accents, anyway? With that $50 you save over the Droid Incredible's pricier counterparts, you can afford an extended battery pack -- battery life is one of the phone's few glaring weaknesses.
If you've got to have a keyboard...
The Droid 2 Global from Motorola is your best option, thanks to its insane 1.2GHz processor, Android 2.2, choice of colors, and -- of course -- the support for global roaming, which is something that most Android buyers on CDMA don't currently get. The customized UI isn't for everyone, sure, but the company's definitely made leaps and bounds in smoothing out the wrinkles since the CLIQ first launched last year. Look for it at $199.99 on contract.
We love phones based on LG's Optimus One, and although you wouldn't know it by the name, the $80 Vortex falls into that category. Unfortunately, the phone is one of the devices afflicted deeply by Verizon's partnership with Bing, which means that all traces of Google search and maps have been replaced by their Microsoft-supplied equivalents -- but if you can move past that, the Vortex is the best smartphone you can get for under $100 on Verizon at the moment.
AT&T
The iPhone 4 may be a divisive device along the fanboy battle lines, but there's no questioning its sheer power and prominence in the smartphone world. Sporting one of the slickest and most sophisticated designs we've ever seen in a piece of consumer tech, the snappy A4 CPU, Apple's stunning Retina Display, and the much-improved iOS 4, the phone is a force to be reckoned with. Despite the drama of Antennagate (which now seems to have been the product of a very vocal minority) and AT&T's recurring network issues, the iPhone 4 still stands above other competitors in the market, offering a tremendous amount of power, utility, and just plain fun for AT&T customers.
If you've got to have a keyboard...
AT&T doesn't have any stand-outs in the landscape QWERTY arena, but if you're willing to give Windows Phone 7 a try, the LG Quantum's specs are hard to beat: 1GHz Snapdragon, 16GB of internal storage, a 5 megapixel camera, and a 3.5-inch WVGA display; it'll run you $199.99 on contract. And if you're feeling even more adventurous, you could take a look at Palm's unlocked Pre 2 -- it's intended primarily for developers, but if webOS is your bag, it's the only game in town for webOS 2.0 at the moment. Yours for $449.99, and you don't need to worry about a contract.
HTC's Sense UI isn't for everyone, but the cute Aria remains one of the best Android devices you can buy directly from AT&T because it combines a modern processor with hip design and HTC's usual engineering prowess. Seriously, where else are you going to find a phone with a blindingly yellow battery compartment? At 4.1 x 2.3 inches, it's among the smallest mainstream smartphones on the market today while still offering HVGA resolution, which is good enough to run pretty much any app you come across; some cheaper devices in the same size range use a QVGA display, which tends to limit compatibility (and makes Android's UI generally more clumsy). Oh, and most importantly: at $10 on contract for a refurb, it's a good deal.
Sprint
Like the Droid Incredible, the EVO 4G is old enough so that it's technically "aging" in this ridiculously fast-paced Android market, and yet it's still turning heads and showing practically no signs of slowing down. Sprint and HTC did a reasonably good job of bringing Froyo to the EVO in a timely fashion -- and it's hard to ignore the draw of WiMAX with mobile hotspot capability if you're in one of Sprint's launched markets. In fact, it was only very recently that Europe finally got an EVO doppelganger in the form of the Desire HD... so yeah, this puppy's got some legs left.
If you've got to have a keyboard...
The great thing about the Epic 4G, really, is that it's pretty much an EVO with a keyboard. Okay, that's not exactly true: the display's a bit smaller (and a lot better), it runs Samsung's TouchWiz UI instead of HTC's Sense, and it feels a bit cheaper in the hand, but that's not to say it's a cheap phone by any stretch. Most importantly, you still get access to Sprint's awesome WiMAX network -- and the device is the first Galaxy S-branded handset in the US to get blessed with an official Froyo upgrade. Cheers to that! $199.99 on contract.
Just like Verizon, Sprint's version of the LG Optimus One -- the Optimus S, in this case -- makes an appearance in our guide. What can we say? It's just a solid, good-looking, basic Android phone (available in your choice of two colors, no less) that's surprisingly fast running Froyo with support for tethering and mobile hotspot. And you'll pay a little less than you do for Verizon's version, too: $50 on contract ain't bad.
T-Mobile
Android smartphones with QWERTY keyboards are still oddly hard to find, but fortunately, HTC's hit the T-Mobile G2 (also known as the Desire Z abroad) out of the park. It's taken a few knocks for having a loose, over-engineered hinge, but overall, it's one of the best, most capable handsets on the market today -- particularly with the latest software update that adds mobile hotspot support and WiFi calling capability. Add HSPA+ data into the mix, and you've got a winner.
If you've got to have a slate...
T-Mobile's in the running with Verizon as the most Android-friendly carrier in the country, which means you've got modern, high-end options like the myTouch 4G and Vibrant at your disposal -- but let's be honest: it's the Nexus S you've been waiting for. We'll talk about it in a little more depth down below.
Windows Phone 7 still needs a little more time to mature -- both from a hardware and a software perspective -- but we just can't hide our excitement for Dell's beautiful Venue Pro that's finally shipping this week. Between the 4.1-inch curved glass display and the all-too-rare portrait QWERTY form factor, this one could be a keeper... and it's already had people lining up in front of Microsoft's handful of retail stores around the country for its ultra-limited presale several weeks ago. And considering the impressive spec sheet and the drop-dead good looks, T-Mobile's $99.99 subsidized price on contract is extremely aggressive, making it our surprise budget pick this holiday season.
US Cellular
The Desire's certainly not the freshest phone in the guide, but it's a phone that's aged extraordinarily well: keep in mind that this is basically an HTC-customized Nexus One, and goodness knows how many Nexus Ones are still in daily use right now among Android enthusiasts. This particular version of the phone is a little odd just because it's CDMA -- no other major CDMA carrier has launched it, meaning the overwhelming majority of the Desires you'll encounter are GSM. That inhibits global roaming, of course, but otherwise, this is a faithful reproduction of the SLCD-equipped European model -- and we mean that in the best way possible.
MetroPCS
MetroPCS -- traditionally a voice and text value brand -- is still finding its smartphone footing, so the pickings are slim at the moment. Fortunately, one of the company's three offerings is the Optimus M, which might actually be the most stylish of the many Optimus variants we've seen (most of which we're recommending in this guide). And at $229 contract-free, it's $20 cheaper than the considerably less-powerful Samsung Code (running Windows Mobile 6.1!) and BlackBerry Curve 8530 that sit alongside it in the lineup.
Cricket
It's not the prettiest (nor the fanciest) Android phone on the block, but we were pleasantly surprised with the Ascend when we had a chance to play with it back at CTIA in October -- and at $109.99 off-contract, it's a pretty extraordinary deal. Pair it with Cricket's $55 all-you-can-eat voice, text, and data plan and call it a day: no overages, no sweat. Perfect for that special someone in your life whose budget is exceeded considerably by his or her ability to keep their head buried in their phone all the way through dinner.
Virgin Mobile
Like MetroPCS, Virgin's smartphone lineup is quite slim, but the $249.99 off-contract Samsung Intercept is a solid midrange choice, particularly for heavy texters who prefer landscape QWERTY keyboards. On Virgin, though, it's not really about the phone, it's about the insane plan pricing: just $25 a month on prepaid nets you unlimited messaging and data paired with 300 voice minutes -- which, let's be honest, you probably don't use anyway.
Any carrier
If you're free to join up with any carrier you choose, you've got a tough decision ahead of you. Devices like the EVO 4G and Droid Incredible are extremely tempting, and the market is changing nearly week-by-week. Still, when you line up all of our smartphone contenders against one another, the best of the best is still Apple's iPhone 4. Matching pure specs, application availability, design and build quality, and customer service and support, it's tough to find a phone that hits every mark the way Apple's device does. That's not to say it doesn't have its problems -- AT&T's network can be tremendously troubling for some customers, and the device is prone to cracks and breakage due to its glass casing. But for sheer power, fit, and finish, the iPhone 4 holds the crown right now.
If you just can't take the plunge on Apple / AT&T, we get it -- some people just aren't going to come around to the iPhone or its partner carrier. But the good news is that there are a lot of great alternatives. Any of our top choices are excellent smartphones with loads of features and utility. Additionally, a device that deserves a nod is the new Nexus S -- a pure Googlephone with the latest version of Android (2.3). It's an excellent device which can be paired with a T-Mobile contract for $199, or purchased totally unlocked for $529. Microsoft is also offering a handful of Windows Phone 7 devices with a lot of potential -- if you're on AT&T, the Focus is a strong alternative to the iPhone or an Android handset. Regardless, no matter what device you decide on, there's never been a better time to shop for a smartphone, or more excellent choices to pick from.
Joshua Topolsky and Ross Miller contributed to this report.
This week at GigaOM's NetWork 2010 conference in San Francisco, we briefly mingled with our robot overlords and survived to tell the tale. Anybots was letting its $15,000 QB telepresence robotdecimate roam the crowd, and we were invited to interact with one and then take another for a spin by way of remote control. The experience was entertaining but still rather impersonal, mostly due to the lack of two-way video, something that's billed as "coming soon." There's no word on whether the robots -- which are starting to (literally) roll off the assembly line -- were amused or not. Based on our abysmal remote-control skills, we can only assume our lives were spared for one reason: to write this post. Take a look at our videos after the break!
Turns out Andy Rubin might not be the only fella who's been showing off the elusive Motorola Android tablet. Earlier this week, some lucky guy from Taiwan claims to have stumbled upon the same Honeycomb device, and was kind enough to share the above homescreen spy shot as well as some thoughts on his one-hour hands-on. We're told that there'll be a 7-inch version as well as a 10-inch version (the latter appears to be what Rubin had), and the one we're looking at here has a 1280 x 800 display of unknown size, NVIDIA Tegra 2 T20 dual-core chip, gyroscope, a 5 megapixel main camera, and a 2 megapixel front camera. Memory-wise it has a 32GB embedded MMC and a microSD slot.
The poster reckons the hardware -- which is "pretty light" -- is all ready for launch, but Honeycomb still needs some final fine-tuning. Sadly, he hasn't got a date, but said device will apparently be priced like the current Motorola high-end phones, and will be available in three flavors: UMTS, CDMA, and LTE (which we heard about a little while back). Well, only time will tell whether this guy really does have a good friend at Motorola, or that he's been talking to some unicorns.
Science has prototyped flexible versions of just about everything a ever-loving geek needs: displays, memory, batteries, LEDs, speakers and an input device or three. Now, Reebok's looking to put some of that computing power up our sleeves. The apparel manufacturer's teamed up with MC10 -- a startup founded by our old friend John Rogers, who helped pioneer the field -- with the intent to build "conformable electronics" into high-performance clothing for athletes over the next couple of years. Though the company told MIT Technology Review the devices typically consist of thin silicon strips printed onto flexible materials, and that they might they might measure metabolism and performance using embedded sensors, hard details are few -- the only thing we know for sure is that a flexible tech scientist just scored a partnership with a major company, and we're hopeful they'll make something neat. PR after the break.
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Reebok and MC10 Announce Development Collaboration for Advanced Athletic Apparel
Massachusetts companies partner to develop conformal electronics-enabled apparel and equipment for athlete monitoring and performance enhancement
CANTON, MA (December 9, 2010) – Reebok International Ltd. and Cambridge, MA-based MC10, Inc. have today announced an R&D collaboration to create a new class of athletic apparel and equipment, combining market leading sport design with advanced electronics.
The collaboration will use MC10's revolutionary conformal electronics platform and Reebok's preeminent design capability to bring new products to the athletics market. When combined with Reebok's heritage of innovation for the athlete, MC10's proprietary approach to making high performance electronics "skin like" and invisible to the wearer will enable entirely new classes of intelligent sports equipment and apparel.
Reebok has a strong history of innovation with iconic products in the sporting goods industry like The Pump®, and more recently EasyTone®, and ZigTechTM, which deliver game changing technologies to consumers.
"We are excited to begin a new chapter of sport innovation at Reebok. The marriage of our expertise in performance athletics and MC10's leading edge electronics capability will help shape a broad range of exciting product possibilities," said Paul Litchfield, Vice President of Reebok Advanced Concepts.
MC10's conformal electronics platform makes high performance chips and sensors thin and bendable, transforming once rigid devices into truly wearable products. This capability allows the seamless integration of electronics into athletic goods, catalyzing new levels of performance and intelligence.
"We are delighted to bring the unique advantages of our technology platform to the world of athletics with Reebok," said Ben Schlatka, Vice President of Business Development and Co-Founder of MC10.
Your average SSD fits in a laptop friendly 2.5-inch slot and does so meekly, not calling too much attention to itself. RunCore's next SSD powerhouse, however, is a little more bodacious. It takes up a desktop standard 3.5-inch slot and is said to rely on "substantial" sized PCBs on both sides of its cool, cerulean silicon. It's an SATA III drive offering a similarly substantial 1TB of storage, even fronting dual SandForce SF-1222 controllers for integrated RAID 0 performance. The result? 500MB/s speed, meaning this hippo does that tutu right. No pricing has been announced yet, but expect an appropriately large MSRP when it is fully announced at CeBIT in March.
Signal. You can never get enough signal. Got full bars on your laptop? Something will come up, cause you to move, and then you'll be down to three, and then two, and before you know it your downloads will be failing and you'll be holding your device up and waving it around, hoping the fickle gods Micro and Wave will smile upon your plaintive dance while everyone else in the coffee shop sneers over mochas. You could avoid this scene with a BearExtender PC, a $45 device that will give you signal enough to curse them all and work out on the patio if you feel like it. Read on to see if it's worth it.
We first heard of BearExtender back in January, when it released its n3 for Macs. That $45 extender from Berkeley grad Roland Saekow impressed our friends at TUAW and seemed like a right old bargain for those who operate on the very edges of WiFi range.
Now there's a PC version, aptly and cunningly titled BearExtender PC. It too is a $45 ($44.97 to be exact) 802.11n adapter and it looks much the same as its fruitier brethren. It's a reasonably small capsule, about the size of an Altoids tin but thinner and, naturally, proudly displaying a 2dBi gain antenna, which thankfully pivots and rotates in all sorts of directions.
It has a miniUSB connector on the bottom, coming with two cables of differing lengths that you can select from depending on how far away from a host port this will be situated. On the back is a clip to attach it to your monitor, but that easily comes off if you're not feeling it.
Install and testing
Installation is easy: there's a CD containing drivers for XP, Vista, and Windows 7, which take all of a minute to deploy. After that you plug the thing in to your next available USB port and wait for the little blue light to start blinking. Surf's up.
The clip on the back of the device makes it easy to perch it atop an LCD, but of course when it's attached thusly the lid on your laptop won't latch. We could certainly see removing that altogether and using a little adhesive-backed Velcro to stick it onto your display instead, which sounds like a fun and simple DIY project. Unfortunately there's no getting around that USB cable.
For testing we headed out into the wilds, the frigid and frozen wasteland that has become our back yard. With our trusty Linksys WRT54G in the basement next to the cable modem we get great signal inside, but in the summertime we're lucky if there's much left 60 feet from the house. Surprisingly, in the 20 degree F temperatures and humidity-free air we're seeing lately, signal range has seen something of a boost.
Using the standard internal WiFi adapter in a Lenovo T400s we were able to successfully maintain signal out to 180 feet -- though the strength started dropping noticeably after 60. At 240 feet we could no longer get a reliable connection, our attempts at testing bandwidth failing as often as not but delivering a poor .67MB/s download and .15MB/s upload when they did work.
Fingers quickly going numb we ran back inside, disabled the laptop's adapter, attached the BearExtender PC, and blew on our hands for a bit while mumbling expletives about the virtues of testing WiFi range in the winter. Blood flow and feeling restored we headed out again.
With the BearExtender, download and upload speeds stayed consistent all the way out to 240 feet, where signal strength was hovering between 80 and 100 percent. There was a slight drop in performance at 180 feet, but other than that hiccup performance didn't waver a bit until we ran out of yard and hand warmers. And this with a pedestrian b/g router!
Wrap-up
To put it simply: this thing works. At 240 feet, with a concrete wall between us and our 802.11b/g router, our laptop's integrated WiFi receiver gave up the ghost but the BearExtender PC felt like it was just getting warmed up. Yes, it's a little clunky and having yet another gadget hanging around is sometimes a bother, but at $45 this is great deal if you are cursed by low signal strength and just don't feel like dancing.
It was bound to happen sooner or later: an unholy marriage between an iPhone (or second gen or later iPod touch) and a radar detector. As seems most fitting, the peeps at Cobra are behind this one, and we must say that if this is your thing, the premise is pretty interesting: the handset, running a free app from the company, connects to the iCobra fuzz buster via Bluetooth and alerts the driver to things like cameras, commonly identified speed traps, rough intersections, and more. Suggested retail is $170, but we've seen it making the rounds for the $100 mark. Race your way to your favorite e-tailer to see for yourself.
Canon's latest midrange SD4500 point and shoot -- known as the IXUS 1000 HS in Europe --has scored a "Recommended" review by the folks at Photography Blog thanks largely to its excellent image quality (particularly with night shots) and the presence of a big 10x zoom lens packed inside its Elph body. The testers were concerned, though, with the camera's poor 150-shot battery life, 36mm not-so-wide-angle setting and minimal physical controls -- which may drive experienced users loco from excessive button mashing. Its $299 price tag is also precariously close to the beloved Canon S95, which offers significantly better performance for only $70 more. Still, if your budget is rigid and size is key, the SD4500 should suit you and your pockets nicely. To read the full review by the folks at Photography Blog, thanks.
Solid-state lasers are fine, durable and reliable and all that, but what if you want something a little softer, maybe a little more conforming to your needs and moods? Or, what if you want something that can beam light in all directions at once? Then you need to go liquid, baby, liquid. That's what Slovenian scientists (and diacritic wunderkinds) Matjaž Humar and Igor Muševič have done, creating, in their words, "3D microlasers from self-assembled cholesteric liquid-crystal microdroplets." Various layers of fluids form what's called a Bragg-onion optical microcavity, including embedded crystals not unlike those that flip the tiny switches in an LCD. These blobs are self-assembled chemically and, when a little laser is applied to them, can create a 3D image by shining their light in every dimension simultaneously. Well, not every one -- you know the Fifth Dimension can only be seen if you let the sunshine in.
Let's face it, the daddy of all motion-controlled gaming is the humble art of air guitar. There's no question about it, creationists and evolutionists all agree, the genesis of our modern craze for motion sensitivity was your uncle rocking out to Jimmy Page's face-melting solo in Stairway to Heaven. Now that we've got the history lesson out of the way, someone's gone and programmed Kinect to recognize the fine craft of your air strumming and deliver concordant chords in response. Excellent!
We know, it's a bit odd to see the Jawbone name attached to something other than a Bluetooth headset or speaker, but Aliph is forging into the application game with a new voice messaging service for iOS. Called Thoughts, the software is basically like text messaging or instant messaging with voice. The free audio-based messaging iPhone app, which should be hitting the App Store today, lets you send short audio recordings to either a single contact or a group with a tap of a button. We got a chance to check it out at the D: Dive into Mobile conference this week and found the whole thing to be a really great way to circumvent voicemails or longer texts -- all you have to do is tap the name of your contact and then leave a short voice message. There's absolutely no ringing or waiting. If and when that contact responds it appears as a threaded message, and if you're in an area that isn't conducive to listening to those thrilling messages, there's also a transcription feature. The app should be hitting today, but if you need more details before tapping install, hit the break for the full press release and a short promo video.
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Jawbone THOUGHTS Combines the Power of Voice with the Efficiency of Text Jawbone's New iPhone App Lets Users Send Voice Messages Instantly Without Calling
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Dec. 9 – Jawbone, the leader in personal mobile technology, today unveiled Jawbone THOUGHTS, an iPhone application that allows users to easily send quick voice messages to individuals and groups, without typing or calling. The application combines the speed of texting, the group collaboration of email, and the emotional quality of voice all in one. Available as a free download in the Apple App store, THOUGHTS is the latest innovation from Jawbone.
"We live in a world that is 100% mobile, 100% connected and unfortunately 150% distracted. Reading and typing doesn't work when you need your hands and eyes to navigate the physical world. While there has been a tremendous amount of innovation in text based messaging, all of it lacks the richness of voice," explains Travis Bogard, Vice President of Product Management and Strategy at Jawbone. "THOUGHTS is our solution to these realities by integrating all the things we love from text-based communications with the power of voice. We think it's a really powerful way to share ideas quickly."
With Jawbone THOUGHTS, users can send a "Thought," which is a voice message up to one minute in length, by simply selecting a contact or group, speaking into an iPhone or Jawbone ICON headset, and tapping POST – no more stopping whatever you're doing, no more typing long messages on cramped keyboards. And because Jawbone THOUGHTS sends messages in the user's own voice, there's no need to re-explain or run the risk of a message being misconstrued.
Sometimes messages are better spoken than written. THOUGHTS reintroduces emotion and personality into mobile communication. Users can sing a birthday song, congratulate a colleague, joke around with friends, coordinate a dinner, or share big news with all the people they care about, such as "We're having a baby!" Nothing conveys information more personally and sincerely than the human voice.
Jawbone THOUGHTS is the ultimate collaboration tool that allows a user to send a message to anyone in their phone's address book. Contacts with the THOUGHTS app will receive the message in THOUGHTS and recipients without the application will receive a link to the audio message via text or email. The asynchronous design of the application allows the sender to share a Thought at the time of the idea and the recipient to listen and reply when convenient for them. THOUGHTS' interactive interface allows users to hold multiple discussions at once – automatically organizing conversations as users reply and allowing recipients to quickly and easily see who said what and when. Additionally, for situations when a user may prefer to read a message (in a restaurant or meeting), THOUGHTS can transcribe the audio message instantly into text.
Jawbone THOUGHTS is free to install and available online at the Apple iPhone® App store and at mytalk.jawbone.com. To learn more about Jawbone THOUGHTS, go to Jawbone.com/thoughts.
About Jawbone For more than a decade, Jawbone has produced personal wireless technologies unparalleled in their innovation, ease-of-use and sophistication of design. The Company is the creator of the award-winning and best-selling premium ICON Bluetooth headset, the inventor of NoiseAssassin® technology, the world's first and only military-grade noise-eliminating technology, and of JAMBOX, the first intelligent wireless speaker and speakerphone. A 2010 IDSA Design of the Decade winner, Jawbone is committed to delivering innovative products that improve the mobile lifestyle through ever-changing software and wearability. Jawbone is privately-held and headquartered in San Francisco.
Become a fan on Facebook: Facebook.com/jawbone Follow us on Twitter: @Jawbone
For more information, images and product demo, please visit: http://www.jawbone.com/thoughts
Remember when Pioneer's Android minions shot laser beams from their eyes and created an awesome prototype heads-up display? It turns out those lasers came from a Microbision PicoP projector, and that prototype is inching towards reality. You see, Pioneer's partnered with Microvision to build a brand-new laser module for the commercial version -- which is set to debut in 2012 -- using a brand-new display engine and the actual green laser that's been missing from the formula up until now. We can't wait to burn driving directions into our collective retina, so we'll be watching this one closely from now on. PR and video after the break.
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MicroVision and Pioneer to Jointly Commercialize Innovative Laser Display Products REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS), a leader in innovative ultra-miniature laser display technology, announced today that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pioneer Corporation, one of the top original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and business markets, to develop, manufacture and distribute display engines and display engine subsystems for consumer and in-vehicle head-up displays (HUDs) using the MicroVision PicoP® laser display technology.
"We believe that by combining our respective market and product development capabilities, and leveraging best practices in manufacturing, MicroVision and Pioneer can accelerate introducing next-generation laser display products while reducing the total cost for both companies in getting there." Earlier this year, the two companies executed a joint development agreement to develop two critical components of the PicoP display engine: a laser light source module using direct red, blue, and green lasers and a separate display engine subsystem based on MicroVision's patented PicoP laser scanning technology. Both are key pieces of the next-generation PicoP display engine that will offer OEMs significant commercial advantages in price, size, power, and performance for embedded solutions ranging from cell phones and eyewear, to airplanes and automobiles.
The MOU establishes the framework of a future manufacturing and commercial distribution agreement for PicoP-based display engines to be used in consumer, after-market and embedded automotive products. Pioneer has announced it is targeting commercial introduction of an in-vehicle HUD using PicoP technology into the consumer market in 2012.
"Pioneer has a strong history of bringing cutting edge technologies to mass markets," stated Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision. "We believe that by combining our respective market and product development capabilities, and leveraging best practices in manufacturing, MicroVision and Pioneer can accelerate introducing next-generation laser display products while reducing the total cost for both companies in getting there."
Both Pioneer and MicroVision were recently recognized as finalists for the CEATEC Innovation Awards for 2010. Pioneer was recognized in the Automotive category for its demonstration of a HUD using laser scanning technology provided by MicroVision, and MicroVision was recognized in the Components category for its SHOWWX™ laser pico projector, powered by the PicoP display engine.
About MicroVision
MicroVision provides the PicoP® display technology platform designed to enable next-generation display and imaging products for pico projectors, vehicle displays and wearable displays that interface with mobile devices. The company's projection display engine uses highly efficient laser light sources which can create vivid images with high contrast and brightness. For more information, visit us on:
We're no strangers to the futuristic catch-all idea of 'self-healing' -- it's one of the basic tent poles of many conceptions of tomorrow. That said, researchers are currently hard at work at Arizona State on a material that -- you guessed it -- can detect when it is damaged and, of course, heal itself. Though we sound a bit incredulous, the science is pretty simple here, and the progress on the project is very real. The material uses what the researchers are calling 'shape-memory' polymers and have a fiber optic network embedded within them which acts as the damage sensor as well as the heat delivery system. The polymers return to a pre-defined shape when heated to a certain temperature, and, when damage is detected, an infrared laser sends light through the network to the damaged area, triggers the shape-memory, and commands the area to repair the crack or tear -- regaining up to 96 percent of its original strength. The so-called autonomous adaptive structures are part of a long-term research into shape-memory healing which could impact long-term developments of implantable medical devices, for instance. A video of the shape recovery process is after the break.
No doubt sensing a little heat from Apple's own AirPrint, Epson and Thinxstream have now announced that their PrintJinni wireless printing app for iOS devices will soon be available completely free of charge -- a permanent price drop, mind you, not simply a holiday promotion. Unfortunately, you can't grab it for free just yet, as it will still demand the regular $6.99 until the App Store processes the price change, which is apparently expected to happen before the end of the month. Head on past the break for the complete press release.
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Epson and Thinxtream Offer Free Apple Mobile Printing With PrintJinni for Epson
Popular Printing App Previews and Prints Directly to any Epson Wireless All-in-One With iOS4.2 Compatibility and Native Support for Apple iPad Users
LONG BEACH, Calif. Dec. 8, 2010 – Epson America, Inc., a leading provider of superior performing desktop printing solutions, and Thinxtream™ Technologies today announced that the PrintJinni™ for Epson® mobile printing App will be available for free and offers native support for the Apple® iPad™, making it easier for Apple mobile device users to print documents on the go.
PrintJinni for Epson allows Apple iPhone®, iPod Touch® and iPad users (iOS 3 and 4) to easily print Microsoft® Office, PDF, and JPEG attachments from Apple MobileMeSM, Gmail™, Microsoft Exchange, and AOL® e-mail accounts to any Epson wireless all-in-one, including WorkForce®, Artisan® and Epson Stylus® NX models1.
"Whether you're printing a document at home or a presentation for an important meeting, PrintJinni for Epson allows you to preview and print to any Epson wireless all-in-one near your Apple device," said Gregg Brunnick, group product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc. "Epson is committed to delivering superior printing performance to mobile device users, that's why we are also happy to offer expanded iPad printing capabilities and make the App free to our customers."
Unlike other mobile printing solutions, PrintJinni for Epson allows users to easily download, preview and wirelessly print e-mail attachments that maintain their original formatting – the print preview matches the print. Printing is easy and truly direct without the need to install printer drivers or additional software on a Mac or PC.
In addition, this latest version of PrintJinni for Epson utilizes the iPad's larger screen size and rotational capabilities while providing a more intuitive interface. It offers faster navigation to multiple e-mail accounts, downloaded files, and printer settings. As an added benefit, iPad users can now email and print their Apple iWork documents wirelessly.
PrintJinni for Epson Features:
* Connects to Epson wireless all-in-ones over a wireless network * Previews and prints without the need for an intermediate computer, additional software or printer drivers * Prints PDF, Word®, Excel® and PowerPoint® documents (Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007, Macintosh versions 2004 and 2008), and JPEG e-mail attachments * Enhances iPad user experience New user interface optimized for the iPad's larger screen size and rotation capabilities Improved browsing of e-mail attachments and downloaded files More robust document search and a simplified printing workflow Email and print Pages, Numbers and Keynote documents * Provides simple set-up and e-mail attachment support for Apple MobileMe, Gmail, Microsoft Exchange, AOL, and other IMAP-based email accounts * Delivers secure encrypted communication for mobile printing * Supports iPad2, iPhone 43, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and iPod Touch4
"We are pleased to enhance PrintJinni for Epson and make it easier for iPad users to view and print documents on Epson printers," said Robert Shibata, director of marketing, Thinxtream Technologies. "We are also excited to continue developing new features for Epson customers – which means more ongoing value as we introduce new capabilities."
Pricing and Availability PrintJinni for Epson will be available from Thinxtream Technologies free in the U.S. and Canada on the Apple App Store by the end of December, and includes a one-year subscription to PrintJinni Cloud Services. The App will continue to be priced at $6.99 until the Apple App Store processes the price change. More information about Epson's mobile printing solutions is available on Epson's website.
The big G just revamped its mobile device interface of Google Docs to make it closer to the full-fledged experience you get when editing from a proper computer -- you know, something that probably has a keyboard, a big display, and a price that didn't come with any two year agreements. Now that top shelf interface is also available on one of those devices that fits somewhere in-between those two segments: the iPad. Users of Apple's tablet can opt into the desktop version for big-time editing of spreadsheets and documents and, while Google still recommends using the mobile editor, if you want full power it's yours.
Yeah, we're a sucker for a good Kinect hack, and we're a sucker for anything involving RC cars, too. Happy day for us, then, as the two come together in blissful harmony with this project from Michael Schweitzer and Michael Himmelsbach at the University of Bundeswehr Munich. It's a 1:10 scale auto with Microsoft's fancy cam mounted up front and what looks to be a surplus Dell XPS M1330 riding in style on the back. The laptop is running a simplified version of the software that propelled the school's MuCAR-3, a full-sized VW Touareg, in the Darpa Urban Challenge. This little 'un is a little shaky right now, but that's largely because they haven't managed to get an accurate odometer working yet. Still, it does avoid obstacles, as you can see, and now all it needs is some Lexan bodywork before it can look pimpin' when cruising the strip -- autonomously, of course.
Coming this February, at a Mobile World Congress near you, from the company that popularized the Service Pack: a second major update to Windows Phone 7. The observant among you will already be leaping out of their seats to point out that the first WP7 update hasn't even been delivered yet, but it seems like Microsoft's calendar stretches beyond the next month and the company's already churning away on enhancing and improving its rebooted mobile OS. Such is the scuttlebutt coming out of WinRumors, and it's kind of hard to argue with the postulation that Steve Ballmer wouldn't be keynoting MWC in 2011 without something significant to announce. Word is that users will be getting added customization options for their phones, while developers will gain an extra few API hooks and controls that will ideally lead to more sophisticated apps in WP7's future. Sounds good to us, now how about some landscape love, Microsoft?
The Antikythera Mechanism is what you call truly old school technology. Argued to be the world's oldest known computer, this ancient Greek invention was used some time circa 100BC to calculate and "predict celestial events and eclipses with unprecedented accuracy." Skipping past the two millennia in which it lay lost on a sea floor somewhere, the Mechanism has now been recreated by an Apple software engineer by the name of Andrew Carol, who has lovingly pieced 1,500 Lego Technic blocks together, creating 110 gears and four gearboxes in total. Each box is responsible for performing one piece of arithmetic, and when the resulting machine is fed with appropriate calendar data, it spits out a (hopefully accurate) prediction for the next time a solar eclipse should occur. All well and good, but we're really just amazed by the beauty of those gears working. Check them out after the break.
Physical keyboards are old news, right? They will be come January 28, which is when Acer intends to make its dual-screen Iconia laptop available for public consumption. That's the date we've received from the company's official Spanish mouthpiece, accompanied by a lofty €1,499 ($1,987). Literal currency translations are as usual inadvisable, but that's a hefty fee, however you want to think about it. Then again, the Iconia does come with two 14-inch multitouch LCDs, which last we checked weren't the cheapest parts in the land, and also furnishes you with some decent grunt under the hood courtesy of a Core i5 CPU, up to 4GB of RAM, up to 750GB of storage, an optional 3G module, and -- lest we forget -- a USB 3.0 port. We're sure it'll end up as somebody's perfect bowl of porridge.
Researchers at the UCSF School of Pharmacy's Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, led by Christopher A. Voigt have just published a paper which promises to get your circuits moving. The team has been working with E. coli bacteria to build logic gates like the ones found in computers directly into cells, making it possible to rewire and program them. The simple logic gates used in the experiment were built into genes then inserted into E. coli cells. The logic gates then acted as the communicator between the separate strains, allowing them to be connected together.The use of logic gates in cells could make it possible to tackle more complicated processes, so that science can begin to use cells at the molecular level for biomedical advances.
Need to have the latest and greatest, but can't stand the sameness on tap? You can easily spruce up your Android device with some Windows Phone 7 window dressing to impress your fanboy friends. Mind you, the "Windows Phone Android" launcher -- now available in Android Market -- isn't good for more than a practical joke or three, as it's buggy, doesn't run on all phones (our Droid 2 failed, and we're hearing some Galaxy S derivatives aren't supported), doesn't support notifications, and doesn't even have those fancy auto-updating Live Tiles. No, what you're looking at here is just a stack of square icons to launch your apps, and a second pane with a vertically scrolling list of the same. Until some brave soul brings us the real deal, though, this may be as close as you're going to get.
Hey, it's December, what else are you going to do but monger rumors of the next iPad? Reuters has rounded up no less than four sources from within Apple's component suppliers, all expressing their belief that the hallowed tablet will be refreshed some time in early 2011. A pair of the tipsters could only go so far as to say that production at places like Wintek and Simplo is expected to ramp up in the first quarter, while the other two were more decisive in identifying the cause for the extra activity as Apple's next tablet iteration. As to the future iPad's camera or cameras, one source says it'll feature both a back-mounted and a front-facing module, with Largan and Genius identified as having received new orders from Cupertino for churning out imagers. Notably, the latter is currently also supplying the iPhone 4's photon collector and there's no confirmation that whatever they produce will inevitably land in an iPad 2, but the tea leaves seem to be in agreement: parts are targeted for a February shipment in preparation for an April iPad refresh. Whether the new slate arrives at that time, however, will be another matter altogether.
Boy, we know the Cr-48 is supposed to be a test platform and all, but even by that standard, Google's Chrome OS laptop has had a very rough first day on the job. Ambushed by one of our kindly tipsters upon its arrival, the Cr-48 has been gutted and disassembled (mostly, the motherboard is mercifully left attached to the chassis), revealing the typical arrangement of tiny electronics, which includes Hynix memory chips and a SanDisk-branded SSD. We're just glad to see that masking tape isn't playing a structurally integral role in its construction. Things don't really get much better for the slinky 48 once it gets back home to Google HQ, however, as its makers have put together an entire video composed of creative destruction methods for it. Cruel, cruel people.
YouTube has announced that it is in the process of removing the 15-minute time length restriction imposed on videos. While the limit has, so far, only been lifted with a few special content partners like National Geographic and Lonelygirl15 (a channel which apparently still has viewers), it should pave the way for longer videos for all moving forward. So, why the change now after years of limits? Joshua Siegel, a product manager at YouTube told The New York Times that the company now has copyright issues under control via ContentID, which scans roughly 100 years worth of uploaded video per day in an attempt to fend off violations. There's no word on when the time limit will be further lifted, but for now, you can at least finally check out epic, full length National Geographic videos on YouTube (one of which we've linked below).
If you've been scouring the virtual shelves for a new laptop SSD, you've probably come across one name more than any other: SandForce. Recently, both SandForce and Indilinx have all but taken over the SSD market in terms of controller use, but at long last we've got some formidable competition on the benchmarking trail. Samsung's 470 Series SSD range features an in-house controller, and it's obviously got a lot of work to do if it plans on ousting either of the previous two names from their place atop the pedestal. The good news, however, is that Sammy is well on its way. Reviews across the web have sung the praises of this her drive, with Slashgear noting that unlike most drives -- which only truly impress on the read side -- this one also generates drool on the write side. The critics over at Hot Hardware noted that while it won't take advantage of SATA 6Gbps, it doesn't "suffer from a split personality," meaning that performance was shockingly consistent in use. Of course, the rub that everyone points to is the price -- at $550 for a 256GB slab, it's far from cheap, but it's as close as one could get to being worth the premium. Drive in below to see for yourself.
Still slinging a laptop with USB 2.0? Fret not, as that's all the bandwidth you need to handle LaCie's Slim Blu-ray burner. As the title implies, the new unit is little more than a nicely styled external BD burner, designed to tag along with your ODD-less netbook / ultraportable and provide Blu-ray burner / viewing enjoyment at a moment's notice. $264.99 gets you the device itself, CyberLink's Blu-ray Disc Suite and a two-year warranty, and if you're curious about toasting speeds, it'll write to a BD-R at 6x (dual-layer at 4x), a BD-RE at 2x and a blank DVD at 8x. The rest of the nitty-gritty, as well as a purchase link, awaits you in the source.
Yelp may be the raconteur of restaurant recommendations and Foursquare the cardinal of check-ins, but Google has an ace up its sleeve: NFC chips. The company's embedded near-field communications chips into each and every one of these "Recommended on Google Places" window stickers, which you'll be able to trigger with a shiny new Nexus S -- just hold your handset up to the black dot, and voila, your phone gets a "tag." Google's now distributing the signs on a trial basis to Portland, Oregon businesses as part of a larger Google Places kit, though it doesn't explain how (or if) they'll be able to program the chips. Either way, if you own a hot new joint in Portland, you might as well give it a spin. Find the sign-up form at our more coverage link, or peep a Nexus S doing its thing after the break.
It's been a hot minute since Yamaha served up a new Digital Sound Projector, but with 3D doing its darnedest to take over the home entertainment universe, there's hardly a better time for the YSP range to make a comeback. Debuting shortly before CES, the YSP-2200 is one of the outfits sleeker soundbars at 3.5-inches tall, touting 16 speaker beam drivers, faux 7.1 surround sound, 11 Cinema DSP programs and full internal decoding of DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD. You'll also find a foursome of HDMI 1.4a inputs alongside a single output, all of which are fully capable of handling 3D Blu-ray content. We've been ardent supporters of the YSP range ever since we first heard one at CEDIA 2008, but even for a loyalist, the $999.95 retail price is tough to swallow. But hey, at least that nets you a 100-watt subwoofer and a bucket of bragging rights!
Show full PR text
YAMAHA UNVEILS NEW SLIMLINE HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE DIGITAL SOUND PROJECTOR WITH HD AND 3D SUPPORT
⎯ The YSP-2200 Delivers a Highly Detailed and Dynamic Full 7.1-Channel True Cinema Sound; Accompanying Subwoofer Offers Convenience and Versatility ⎯
BUENA PARK, Calif.––Yamaha Electronics Corporation today introduced the YSP-2200 Digital Sound Projector™, the latest addition to its award-winning sound-bar series. Featuring high-quality, True Cinema sound, the YSP-2200 offers Yamaha's proprietary YSP front surround sound technology for the ultimate home theater listening experience.
The versatile design of the slimline 3D-compatible sound projector enables it to conveniently fit in front of a TV, eliminating the need for additional speakers, cabling and stands that can clutter home entertainment spaces. Measuring at 3½ inches, the YSP-2200 has height-adjustable feet to allow for use with virtually any flat-screen video display without blocking any of the picture. The YSP-2200 comes complete with a 100 watt subwoofer (compact enough to fit into a shelf) that can be positioned either vertically or horizontally, giving users an unobtrusive, space-efficient environment and adding extra bass reinforcement.
The ingenious design lets the YSP-2200 offer a 7.1 surround sound without any extra speakers via Yamaha's YSP technology that is also used in the company's higher-end sound projectors (YSP-4100/5100). Included with the YSP-2200 is a sound bar that has 16 speaker beam drivers each with its own digital amplifier, along with a bass-reflex subwoofer. All together, they create an immersive multi-channel surround sound experience by reflecting the detailed 7.1 beams of sounds off the walls and into the listener's ears.
The YSP-2200 features 11 CINEMA DSP programs, including three Movie and three Music programs, plus five additional Entertainment options. All of these programs can be used for enhanced gaming as well. The YSP-2200 provides the ultimate sound environment for a variety of programs. Additionally, the YSP-2200 decodes HD Audio signals (DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD) to ensure that Blu-ray Disc players and other digital sources output the best possible sound.
"Most consumers want the benefits of 7.1 surround sound, but don't want to compromise the look of their living room," said Tom Sumner, President, Yamaha Electronics Corporation. "Yamaha's YSP-2200 technology allows for the enjoyment of surround sound without additional speakers, unsightly cables and stands."
Further features include: the Music Enhancer function, which improves the sound of compressed sources such as MP3 files; HDMI 1.4a (4 in/1 out) that enables the connection of multiple HDMI sources and the full enjoyment of 1080p monitors, 3D sources and Blu-ray disc players and HDTV set top boxes. An easy set up via IntelliBeam Automated System Calibration optimizes sound performance for any room.
The YSP-2200 also features a dock port, ideal for adding optional accessories such as the YID-W10 Wireless Dock System for iPod/iPhone, the YDS-12 Universal Dock for iPod/iPhone, and the YBA-10 Bluetooth Wireless Audio Receiver.
The Yamaha YSP-2200 carries an MSRP of $999.95.
For more information, write Yamaha Electronics Corporation, P.O. Box 6660, Buena Park, CA 90620; telephone (714) 522-9105; email infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/hometheater.
- # # # -
About Yamaha Yamaha Electronics Corporation (YEC), USA, based in Buena Park, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation of America. YEC offers industry-leading home theater components and systems, featuring A/V receivers, neoHD Media Controllers, the MusicCAST2 Wireless Music Distribution System, amplifiers, Blu-ray/DVD/CD players, speakers, mini-systems, home-theater-in-a-box (HTiB) pre-matched systems and the company's exclusive Digital Sound Projectors (single component surround sound solutions), as well as A/V & IT convergence products.
Wouldn't you Kno it -- sorry, we couldn't resist -- the Kno has found its way into the confines of FCC's labyrinthine headquarters. But not just one version, no sir / ma'am, the FCC tested both the single screen and dual screen versions together, it seems. External photos of the pair (or is it triplet?) can be found within the same entry, and while the user manual is also included, there's nothing to glean from it. Feel free to enjoy the iconic photography all the same!
Only a few days after Radio Shack unveiled the first iPhone sale in recorded history, Best Buy's done one better -- it's offering up the 8GB iPhone 3GS "to qualified customers" without charging a cent for the handset. Yes, that's a free iPhone, not counting the AT&T ball and chain, for the likely-far-less-than-one-day supplies will last, and so we imagine a fair number of you will start queuing up right now to get in on the action. Not a bad way to move surplus inventory and head off perennially rumored CDMA juggernauts at the pass -- promise them the free iPhone, then lock them into those two-year contracts. It's hard to resist!
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Terrillo, who seems eager and excited to make the leap up from the point-and-shoot universe. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"I really want a new camera, but not a point and shoot -- more like a DSLR or a Micro Four Thirds. My budget is $300 but I can go up to $400 if there's sufficient reason. I really want to get a new camera before Christmas. Any suggestions?"
Suggestions? Boy, are there. The interchangeable lens / Micro Four Thirds market has exploded this year, making up nearly all of the news that flowed from Photokina in September. Panasonic's GF2 has seen glowing reviews, as has Sony's NEX line. So, readers, what do you recommend? Speak out in comments below.
Have you ever received a PDF in your email, only to find yourself weeping moments later after accidentally printing 349 copies and murdering six or seven endangered trees in the Panamanian rain forest? It's more serious of a problem than you may realize. In order to solve spontaneous bouts of Accident Print Syndrome, the World Wide Fund For Nature has created the WWF file format. We'll let the entity itself explain:
The WWF format is a PDF that cannot be printed out. It's a simple way to avoid unnecessary printing. So here's your chance to save trees and help the environment. Decide for yourself which documents don't need printing out – then simply save them as WWF.
For now, it's only readable on a Mac, which means that WWF files also cannot be printed from a PC. We're envisioning a world of college professors using these to prevent printable study guides, but so as long as hackers also exist in that same universe, those who prefer their documents on paper -- and HP's ink department -- will probably figure out their own road to nirvana. Must to the dismay of Ma Earth, of course.
"Less" and "later" are some of our least favorite words, but they may apply to the Mac App Store, as one source claims it will miss Christmas, and another says the marketplace will have fewer features than its iOS counterpart. First off, The Loop's Jim Dalrymple believes that December 13th isn't the magic date, claiming that his inside sources say the store will actually arrive in January -- which, we must admit, would still be within the window of Apple's October promise to launch within 90 days. Second and perhaps more importantly, 9to5 Mac reports that App Store developers are being told that their Mac endeavors will have a number of substantial limitations, namely no Game Center support, no in-app purchases, and no ability to offer demos, trials or betas. Sounds like those high-denomination iTunes gift cards you've been stockpiling in your basement will finally come in handy.
We can't begin explain our exasperation at running a Samsung Galaxy Tab on Sprint's 3G, knowing full well the WiMAX airwaves floating just overhead could make our experience speedy. Thankfully, we won't have to dwell on our frustration for long, because a Sprint executive told Forbes that a 4G tablet will arrive in 2011. Sprint's Paget Alves, president of business markets, wouldn't say where it would be made, but hinted that the company intends to sell tablets running different operating systems -- so it's probably not another Android device. What could it be, then? We can't say, but paired with the knowledge that Verizon also plans to debut LTE tablets in 2011 -- possibly including one Motorola Stingray -- it seems like 2011 will be a fine year for goodies on CDMA.
Yep, that Flash error up there is one of many we got today on our Cr-48s. On top of that, as you may have read in our in-depth preview, we've been experiencing incredibly sluggish Flash performance, including choppy playback of YouTube and Hulu videos. It's certainly not a good situation, but Adobe's aware of it and promising that hope is on the way. Adobe's Senior Director of Engineer Paul Betlem has put up a post regarding the matter on the company's very own Flash Player blog, and says that " In terms of Chrome notebooks specifically... video performance in particular is the primary area for improvement." He also goes on to promise that the updates will be seamless as the Flash plug-ins are integrated directly into the self-updating operating system. That sure sounds good to us, but in the meantime, we'll be waiting for these Flash errors and stuttering 480p videos to disappear -- or, you know, for HTML 5 to take over.
Is Japanese band Sour's "Mirror" music video the single best thing we've ever seen in a browser? It probably is. Load it up in Safari or Chrome and make sure you connect your Facebook, Twitter, and webcam -- we tried it out and it's totally fine. In fact, it's more than fine. It's stunning. Why can't HTML5 and Flash always play this nicely together?
FLO TV said that it would be refunding the eight folks who actually bought into its services once it made the tough decision to shut things down on March 27, 2011, and lo and behold, it's a promise kept. What we weren't expecting, however, was any sort of monetary compensation for hardware, but it looks as if FLO TV will be providing some sort of rebate amount to those who purchased a FLO TV Personal Television, Audiovox Portable DVD Player with FLO TV or FLO TV Auto Entertainment center. It's unclear how much you'll be getting back -- you'll need to go through the entire rebate process to find out -- but you will be reimbursed for any prepaid FLO TV services that you're no longer interested in using (or won't be able to use due to the March 2011 cutoff). Hit the source link to file your claim, but be aware that your service will be cut within 72 hours of submitting it. Beyond the break, you'll find the full email that FLO TV is sending to its customers.
[Thanks, T.J.]
FLO TV Service Ending in Spring 2011
Dear [Name Redacted],
Thank you for being a valued FLO TV customer. As you may be aware, FLO TV has announced that it will discontinue its live mobile TV service on March 27, 2011.
In consideration of this termination of service, FLO TV is offering you a rebate on your FLO TV devices, including:
* FLO TV™ Personal Television * Audiovox Portable DVD Player with FLO TV™
Please do not try and return your device to the retailer from where you purchased the product, as the rebate program is being offered only through FLO TV directly. Full rebate details and the claim form are available now at www.flotv.com/rebate. Rebates will be issued via check and will arrive 4-6 weeks from the date your claim is validated.
Please note: Your FLO TV service will end within 72 hours of validation of your claim. If you want to continue enjoying FLO TV through March, you are welcome to submit your claim later. All claims must be submitted by April 30, 2011.
Lenovo's just announced two new laptops and a desktop, the IdeaPad Y460p, Y560p, and the IdeaCentre K330. First up, the Idea Pad Y460p and Y560p are 14- and 15.6-inches with 16:9 widescreen displays, and come with a range of processors up to the Intel Core i7, an up to 750 GB hard drive, and up to 8GB of DDR3 memory. The laptops also feature JBL speakers and Dolby Home Theater. The IdeaCentre K330 also features up to a Core i7 CPU, up to 16GB of DDR3 SDRAM, twin RAID0-configured hard disk drives, and up to 4TB of HDD storage, and DIrectX-11 graphics. It also has a host of optional add-ons, including an integrated DVD or Blu-ray player, TV tuner, and HD graphics support. The IdeaPads will be available on January 11, 2011 with an $849 starting price, while the IdeaCentre will start at $699 and should be available in early 2011. The full press release and another shot is after the break.
Show full PR text
Lenovo Takes Multimedia Computing to New Heights with Three New Idea Products: IdeaPad Y460p, Y560p and IdeaCentre K330
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – December 09, 2010: Lenovo (HKSE: 0992) (ADR: LNVGY) today introduced the IdeaPad Y460p, IdeaPad Y560p and IdeaCentre K330, which all sport high-performance processors and are packed with multimedia features. The new PCs are perfect for young adults who seek the ultimate multimedia experience for watching movies, listening to music and playing games. "Lenovo is continuously expanding its product line to provide consumers with the latest advancements in multimedia and entertainment capabilities," said Dion Weisler, vice president, business operations, Lenovo. "The Y460p, Y560p and K330 all feature speedy performance and advanced processing in a sleek form factor. Immense storage and high-quality graphics make these ideal for those looking for a superior and easy multimedia experience."
IdeaPad Y460p and Y560p - High Performance Entertainment System in a Sleek Design The powerful and stylish IdeaPad Y460p and IdeaPad Y560p are high-performance notebooks that come packed with top multimedia features, perfect for entertainment seekers, gamers or those consumers who are always creating content to share with friends. Featuring the Second Generation Intel® Core™ Processor family, these 14-inch and 15.6-inch PCs are available with up to Intel® Core™ i7 processors. With up to 750 GB HDD and up to 8GB DDR3 1333 memory, consumers now can store more movies, music and games while enjoying enhanced-application performance. Lenovo's RapidDrive feature combines 32GB SSD and HDD capacity to speed up system performance. The Y460p and Y560p, which come with 16:9 widescreen, also meet Lenovo's Windows 7 Enhanced Experience certification, providing up to 33 percent faster boot up and 50 percent faster shutdown time as well as rich multimedia capabilities and easy system maintenance tools.
Consumers who are looking for the ultimate entertainment setting will be pleased with the spectacular sound quality of the Y460p and Y560p, which is made possible by JBL speakers and Dolby® Home Theater™. The beautifully engineered notebooks come with OneKey™ Theater, allowing users to experience richer images and enhanced sound while watching movies with just the press of a button. Available with a metal hairline etching exterior and the choice of two interiors, metallic grey and white, the Y460p and Y560p are designed for easy use with a one-handed hinge open feature and user-friendly ports. Other key features include OneKey Rescue and Lenovo's VeriFace™ face recognition.
IdeaCentre K330 - The Power Performance Desktop The all new IdeaCentre K330 desktop is the ideal PC for consumers who want the most thorough computing experience and desire the very best in aesthetics and high-performance capabilities. Boasting a sleek and powerful design with a metallic and vibrant color scheme, the K330 features up to Intel® Core™ i7 processors with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. This ultimate desktop experience comes with up to 16GB DDR3 memory, increasing user multi-tasking capabilities, twin RAID0-configured hard disk drives1 and up to 4TB HDD storage, providing plenty of space for multimedia.
The K330 desktop is packed with fun-enabling features to maximize time spent gaming, surfing the Web and utilizing all of its multimedia attributes. The Power Control Switch provides easy changing between three convenient power modes for the fan and CPU speed – Turbo Red for high speed and power performance, Auto Blue for regular operation and Cool Green for the silent, energy-saving mode. The entertainment doesn't stop with the K330, thanks to advanced features, including an integrated DVD or Blu-ray Disc™ drive, optional TV Tuner and HD graphics support. With full HD 1920x1080 resolution and DirectX 11 graphics, users can experience vibrant video imaging and high-power gaming effects.
The IdeaCentre K330 also features the Lenovo Dynamic Brightness System2 to adjust screen brightness based on ambient light and the Lenovo Eye Distance System3 to alert users when they are too close to the screen for ultimate eye protection. The OneKey Recovery makes data backup and recovery a simple one-touch task while the tool-free CPU design eliminates the need to use a screwdriver to open the K330 so upgrades and replacements are quick and easy.
Pricing and Availability4 The Lenovo IdeaPad Y460p and Y560p laptops are available beginning January 11, 2011 and will start at $849. The IdeaCentre K330 will be available in early 2011 and will start at $699. All of the devices will be available on Lenovo.com. For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook. About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 0992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo's business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com.
1 Optional feature; requires using twin-matching hard drives. 2 Requires Lenovo monitor with webcam. 3 Requires Lenovo webcam. Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice. 4 Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.
Aww, would you look at that, the iPhone's trying to play big boy games! Following in the well received footsteps of Rage HD, today marks the debut of Infinity Blade, the second in what's hopefully a wave of gorgeous-looking iOS games boasting advanced 3D graphics, if not 3D gameplay. Epic Games has put aside the chainsaw-equipped projectile weaponry of its wildly successful Gears of War console series to deliver the first mobile game built around its Unreal Engine 3. You won't be surprised to hear that it's utterly delicious to look at, and the visuals certainly helped transport us to this alien realm of swords, axes, shields, and magical rings -- where body armor is optional, but helmets apparently are not. Jump past the break to see this visual feast in motion and to soak up some more of our impressions.
You'll be doing yourself a disservice, it must be said, if you play Infinity Blade with just your iPhone's underpowered loudspeaker for company. What you'll want to do is plug in a pair of headphones or some external speakers, so as to truly appreciate the immersive nature of the audio-visual one-two punch before you. For such a relatively clichéd game in terms of storyline, Infinity Blade managed to suck us in and we feel like the quality of the presentation had a lot to do with it.
Things do take a little while to ramp up, as your first few encounters with bad dudes will be an introduction to the control scheme more than actual life-or-death situations, but once you level up and your enemies stop telegraphing their attacks a week in advance, you'll find yourself legitimately challenged and there's an appositely rewarding feeling as you overcome each successively musclier foe. It's worth noting that your basic gameplay mechanic boils down to a series of one-on-ones, however there's plenty of (frankly surprising) variety and depth to the controls you have on offer and the intelligence of higher-level enemies certainly contributes to diversifying the experience so it never feels like a repetitive grind.
You have the ability to dodge, block, or parry attacks, while your own strokes of furious vengeance can be delivered via either your trusty metallic weapon of choice -- whether it be sword-shaped or more reminiscent of an axe, your protagonist will wield it in the same way -- or a spot of magical destruction, depending on your tastes. Mixed up together, the virtual buttons and gesture-based slashing represent your classic case of a control scheme that's easy to get the hang of quickly, but challenging and deep enough to require an investment of time to master fully. The most important thing is that it can be sickeningly satisfying, particularly because your blade cuts swathes through the enemies that directly correspond to the angles of your finger swipes. It just makes it that extra bit more personal.
Epic bills this as an action-RPG title and the role-playing aspect comes in immediately following each battle, where you're studiously assessed on how stylishly you destroyed your opponent. Experience points are then distributed in a somewhat quirky way, whereby each item of your kit collects a portion of the score until it is mastered, at which point its share of the XP loot starts to be wasted. Since mastery of each item is rewarded, you'll want to achieve it, but because you lose points after mastering an item, you're encouraged to keep moving on to other swords, other helmets, and other sets of armor, which then tend to subtly alter the basic gameplay. This, in turn, helps to variegate the game's experience. Another important aspect of RPGs, the storyline, is almost entirely neglected here, but that's to be expected -- we are, after all, talking about gaming on a smartphone.
It's also extremely encouraging to hear that Epic plans to expand the already rich inventory of trinkets for your warrior with even more options, all of them free, and a multiplayer element is also promised at some point down the line. Game Center integration is already present and achievements get tallied up -- yes, they do make the game more fun -- but we can't wait to start dishing out some trash talk with our super-duper combos.
The one major downer to this game, the fact that it's basically a one-on-one dojo sparring session under all the glitz and glamor, goes out of the window when you're playing against your best buddy or colleague. The unpredictability of human opponents is the thing that's kept so many first-person shooters going far past their sell-by date (or even real-time strategy titles like StarCraft), so we can only imagine how crazed this game's followers will become once it lets you slash up your boss with something called the Sword of Storms.
In terms of its relationship with your iPhone, Epic's Infinity Blade has a predictably ruinous effect on battery life. We managed to halve a fully charged iPhone's juice with a three-hour session of on-and-off gaming, but backgrounding this app has also shown to be energy-intensive. In our limited experience, we saw our iPhone 4 chew through an atypically large chunk of its energy reserves while we had Blade in the background, meaning that you'll want to shut it down completely when you're done with it.
Otherwise, it performed perfectly respectably for us. Some drops in frame rate were apparent, but given the visual treasures on offer, that's neither a surprise nor an intolerable flaw. There is a touch of lag in responding to our swipes as well, but that's mostly evident when battles really heat up and is again a relative non-issue.
There's no denying that, as a game, Blade Infinity is limited. The storyline can be recited in a single sentence and the basic gameplay mechanic is one and the same throughout. However, it never feels like a trudge because of some spectacular presentation, RPG elements that have been woven in intelligently rather than thrown in as an afterthought, and increasingly sophisticated enemy AI as you progress through the game. So, is it worth your $5.99? Hell yes. And even if it wasn't, you'd still want to buy it just so you could tell your grandkids that you were there when 3D games went mobile.
N.B. -- Infinity Blade was reviewed on an iPhone 4. The game is also compatible with the iPad, iPhone 3GS, and iPod touch fourth generation and third generation (16GB and above).
The Droid 2 Global from Motorola is your best option, thanks to its insane 1.2GHz processor, Android 2.2, choice of colors, and -- of course -- the support for global roaming, which is something that most Android buyers on CDMA don't currently get. The customized UI isn't for everyone, sure, but the company's definitely made leaps and bounds in smoothing out the wrinkles since the CLIQ first launched last year. Look for it at $199.99 on contract.
AT&T doesn't have any stand-outs in the landscape QWERTY arena, but if you're willing to give Windows Phone 7 a try, the LG Quantum's specs are hard to beat: 1GHz Snapdragon, 16GB of internal storage, a 5 megapixel camera, and a 3.5-inch WVGA display; it'll run you $199.99 on contract. And if you're feeling even more adventurous, you could take a look at Palm's unlocked Pre 2 -- it's intended primarily for developers, but if webOS is your bag, it's the only game in town for webOS 2.0 at the moment. Yours for $449.99, and you don't need to worry about a contract.
The great thing about the Epic 4G, really, is that it's pretty much an EVO with a keyboard. Okay, that's not exactly true: the display's a bit smaller (and a lot better), it runs Samsung's TouchWiz UI instead of HTC's Sense, and it feels a bit cheaper in the hand, but that's not to say it's a cheap phone by any stretch. Most importantly, you still get access to Sprint's awesome WiMAX network -- and the device is the first Galaxy S-branded handset in the US to get blessed with an official Froyo upgrade. Cheers to that! $199.99 on contract.
T-Mobile's in the running with Verizon as the most Android-friendly carrier in the country, which means you've got modern, high-end options like the myTouch 4G and Vibrant at your disposal -- but let's be honest: it's the Nexus S you've been waiting for. We'll talk about it in a little more depth down below.
Hey, it's December, what else are you going to do but monger rumors of the next iPad? Reuters has rounded up no less than four sources from within Apple's component suppliers, all expressing their belief that the hallowed tablet will be refreshed some time in early 2011. A pair of the tipsters could only go so far as to say that production at places like Wintek and Simplo is expected to ramp up in the first quarter, while the other two were more decisive in identifying the cause for the extra activity as Apple's next tablet iteration. As to the future iPad's camera or cameras, one source says it'll feature both a back-mounted and a front-facing module, with Largan and Genius identified as having received new orders from Cupertino for churning out imagers. Notably, the latter is currently also supplying the iPhone 4's photon collector and there's no confirmation that whatever they produce will inevitably land in an iPad 2, but the tea leaves seem to be in agreement: parts are targeted for a February shipment in preparation for an April iPad refresh. Whether the new slate arrives at that time, however, will be another matter altogether.
Yelp may be the raconteur of restaurant recommendations and Foursquare the cardinal of check-ins, but Google has an ace up its sleeve: NFC chips. The company's embedded near-field communications chips into each and every one of these "Recommended on Google Places" window stickers, which you'll be able to trigger with a shiny new Nexus S -- just hold your handset up to the black dot, and voila, your phone gets a "tag." Google's now distributing the signs on a trial basis to Portland, Oregon businesses as part of a larger Google Places kit, though it doesn't explain how (or if) they'll be able to program the chips. Either way, if you own a hot new joint in Portland, you might as well give it a spin. Find the sign-up form at our more coverage link, or peep a Nexus S doing its thing after the break. 
Have you ever received a PDF in your email, only to find yourself weeping moments later after accidentally printing 349 copies and murdering six or seven endangered trees in the Panamanian rain forest? It's more serious of a problem than you may realize. In order to solve spontaneous bouts of Accident Print Syndrome, the World Wide Fund For Nature has created the WWF file format. We'll let the entity itself explain:
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