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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

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Digital Storm's xm15 gaming laptop rolls with NVIDIA's Optimus

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 10:09 AM PST

Lookin' to straddle the fence with your next laptop purchase? Or maybe you're just lookin' to conserve battery life when not picking off enemies in Counter-Strike. Either way, Digital Storm's new xm15 (not to be confused with Alienware's M15x) can satisfy the yearning, as the $999 base configuration comes equipped with a 2.4GHz Core i5-520M, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 320GB HDD and NVIDIA's GT 425M (1GB). Naturally, Intel's integrated graphics chipset is also included for less demanding times, and if you're in need of a little more oomph, a $1,086 build jumps to a 2.53GHz Core i5-540M and a $1,367 model steps up to a 2.8GHz Core i7-640M. 'Course, far nicer editions are available if you're got the cash to customize, but we'll leave all that between you and your wallet. And whoever fills your wallet.
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Digital Storm's Next Gen xm15 Laptop Boasts Rich Multimedia Features While Extending Battery Life

New breed of affordable laptops offer intelligent energy consumption, ideal for a variety of multimedia applications & high performance gaming

Fremont, Calif. - (December 20, 2010) – Digital Storm, the predominant name in computer system integration and engineering, proudly announces the xm15, a powerful new lightweight laptop based on NVIDIA's Optimus Hybrid Technology.

The xm15 is a new laptop breed that delivers targeted extreme performance when required so that you'll enjoy longer operation without losing the ability to enjoy the visual intensity of HD movies, multimedia applications, surfing the web, and gaming.

The xm15 delivers sumptuous graphics for a variety of multimedia content thanks to NVIDIA's powerful GT 425M 1GB video card. By utilizing NVIDIA's Optimus Hybrid technology, the xm15 defers operation to a second separate integrated Intel graphics processor for less intensive applications. This process of switching between the two graphic processors happens automatically and seamlessly so that there is no interruption in operation.

By increasing and decreasing performance when needed, the xm15 is able to substantially extend battery life. With such a powerful video card under the hood, it's no surprise that the xm15 comes with up to a 1080p HD LED screen that produces the most luscious imagery possible.

The Digital Storm xm15 is truly a mobile benchmark crusher, it routinely scores above 7200 on 3DMark06, putting it in the upper echelons of laptop performance. It isn't tethered to stagnant bulk data thanks to built-in light speed eSATA and USB 3.0 transfer ports. In addition, the xm15 comes with built-in HDMI and VGA outputs, so it can be taken anywhere and displayed everywhere.

"The power demands of high performance laptops have always put a strain on battery life. With the development of NVIDIA's Optimus Hybrid Technology, we're finally able to design an affordable laptop that can handle graphic intensive applications," remarked Rajeev Kuruppu, Digital Storm's Director of Product Development. "Our xm15 is the ideal solution for customers who want to consume graphically rich multimedia content, game or just browse the internet...it's truly a hybrid in every definition of the word."

Digital Storm's xm15 laptop is available for purchase at www.DigitalStormOnline.com/gaminglaptops.asp with a base configuration starting at $999.

FCC passes limited net neutrality rules, almost no one happy about them

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 09:51 AM PST

Well, no surprises here -- the FCC just passed a set of limited net neutrality rules by a 3-2 vote. The three Democratic Commissioners, including FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, voted yes, while the two Republican Commissioners both strongly dissented -- to quote Commissioner Meredith Baker, "I really, really, really dissent." The rules haven't been made public yet, but the general understanding is that wired broadband will be more heavily regulated than wireless -- a crucial point as carriers begin investigating pay-per-service charges. That means even net neutrality advocates are unhappy with today's decision -- Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps straight-up said, "Today's action could -- and should -- have gone further." What's more, we're hearing that Verizon is already considering a challenge -- which is odd since the rules appear to track closely with that joint Verizon / Google proposal from the summer. We're still waiting on the full text of the rules and will post a complete breakdown once we get them, but for now hit the source link and check out Genachowski's remarks on the regulations.

Moine-Garde offers finely rendered watch apps for indiscriminate Android owners

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 09:46 AM PST

Moine-Garde recently came to our attention, and we were quite frankly amused by its offer of "fine virtual timepieces" -- if only because, in this context, "fine" and "virtual" would seem to cancel each other out. But like the best websites and catalogs catering to the wealthy, social climbers, or the just plain gullible, this company is not just selling Android apps, it's selling a lifestyle. Some of our favorite item descriptions:
  • EX-01 Homme ($15) Entering the boardroom at 8:30 AM - everyone awaits a decision. Mentally going over the broader picture. Calmly sitting down at the end of the table. Placing the phone quietly on its black glass surface. Time: 8:31. Let the meeting begin.
  • F-01 M'elle ($7) Strolling down Rue Saint-Florentin. New dress: Check. Artichokes: Check. Hometown Crémant: Check. All is ready. Thinking about his smile on the last date. Loving the scent of vanilla from the bakery across the road. 7:10 PM. Incoming text message: "Chéri - Can't wait to see you tonight."
  • M-01 Jaune ($3) Finally got around to reading Fritz Neumeyer's essay on Mies Van Der Rohe. 3:05 PM, Sunday afternoon - Coldplay in the background. Sitting comfortably with a tall glass of Chablis. The patterns of rain on the terrace windows are simply amazing. Page 122.
  • M-02 Verte (Coming soon!) 12:30 PM, Singapore. Lunch break at the School of Art & Design. On the rooftop enjoying a Katong Laksa. Green as far as the eye can see. Remembering a Murakami sentence. Watching a plane go by. How time flies. Have to return to the lecture. Guess that's ok.
At this point you're probably asking yourself if this is all a joke, or if these guys are serious -- and to be honest, we can't tell either. But we do know this: $15 is quite a lot to spend on a watch app, even if it does display hours, minutes, and seconds. PR after the break.
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Copenhagen, Denmark - December 20th, 2010.

LIFESTYLE BRAND, MOINE-GARDE LAUNCHES WORLD'S FIRST COLLECTION OF PREMIUM VIRTUAL TIMEPIECES

Conceived in the unlikely intersection of classic watch design & craftsmanship and the modern revolution in device technology, Moine-Garde brings forth the world's first collection of virtual timepieces engineered exclusively for smart phones.

The launch consists of five original timepieces from five collections of four watches each, designed for the Android platform with plans to expand to the iPhone, Symbian and Windows mobile platforms as well. The luxury of time no longer rests upon a wrist Moine-Garde was created to fill the need for enduring, hand-crafted luxury goods in the here today, gone tomorrow climate of today's modern digital world.

"We originally set out to create beautiful, aesthetic, original and working watches for the Android platform in a niche populated by cheap one-offs or luxury brand imitations that never really worked...With Moine-Garde, our aim was to achieve elegance in design and perfect performance, all hands and dials and gauges working and fully functional." - Mike Højgaard, Head of Design.

Indeed, this attention to detail adds depth to the Moine-Garde experience. Every analog movement from hour, minute and second hand to dual-/ tri- and quad time and to temperature gauge is digitally reborn and programmed to precision and exists seamlessly with missed call / SMS notification and an array of cloud based services - showing everything from wind direction, wind speed and humidity measures in certain models.

Learn more about Moine-Garde: http://www.moine-garde.com

Priced at $1.99-14.99 USD, each timepiece widget comes with its own tailored wallpaper and an application for managing its individual features.

Press Contact: press@moine-garde.com

Best Regards,
Moine-Garde
Fine Virtual Timepieces

webOS 2.0 for the Sprint Palm Pre leaks out, added features in tow

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 09:22 AM PST

Palm promised that webOS 2.0 would hit all of its devices in the "coming months," and it looks like work is trucking right along -- we were just sent these shots of the updated OS running in beta form on the original Sprint Palm Pre. Obviously there's not much here that we didn't pore over in our exhaustive webOS 2.0 review, but we're noting the addition of voice dialing and some preferences for the screensaver-like Exhibition View -- we're told just the time works right now, but photos, agenda view, and Facebook are all listed.

Interestingly, this first beta is labeled "HP webOS Nova-Barley" and carries the version number of 2.0.1, with builds for the unlocked Pre and AT&T / Verizon Pre Plus also available -- the Pixi and Pre 2 variants of this build haven't been completed. Performance is said to be solid, although "not fast enough," and things are a little buggy, which makes sense for a first beta. The final build that goes out as an OTA update will apparently be version 2.1, although that's not totally confirmed yet -- we're told that there are references to a "Nova-Barleywine" in the code, but it's not clear if that's another 2.x version or something else entirely. Yes, it's all very exciting, but unfortunately none of this is what we really want: new phones and new tablets. Let's get cracking, Palm.
webOS 2.0 for Sprint Palm Pre leaks out

WakeMate review

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 09:00 AM PST

WakeMate review
Sleep. It's where some get to relax, some get to be comfortable, and some get to be a Viking. But, for others, that overnight period can be a stressful time, full of tossing and turning and mornings highlighted only by ground beans and hot showers. For those unhappy souls there are ever more dreamtime gadgets working to help the situation and turn morning monsters into drowsy-eyed angels, devices like the FitBit, and latest among them is WakeMate, a $60 accelerometer-having wristband that charts your nocturnal sleep patterns. Sadly, we've found it can also be responsible for some early morning spikes to our blood pressure.
WakeMate sleep monitor

Hardware

The term hardware seems unfortunate for something that is, ultimately, covered in cuddly felt. Indeed we don't get too many gadgets we'd want to take to bed, but the WakeMate seems snuggly enough. It's just a padded wristband with an elastic section. Gray fleece on the outside, blue fleece on the inside, big white logo to make sure you don't mistake it for a sweatband. It's sadly not-adjustable, making do with that elastic bit on the back that ensures it's too big for some and uncomfortably tight for others.

But, of course, the magic happens in actual hardware, in this case a wedge of silicon, a miniUSB port, a wee switch, an LED or two, and a silver Chicklet-sized battery all unceremoneously shrink-wrapped together -- and also graced with a big white label in case it gets separated from the softer bit.

Flip the switch one way and the green light turns on. Flip it the other and it goes off. Plug it in and the red light goes on. When the battery is full the light goes off. From a hardware control perspective it's pretty much that simple. Somewhere wrapped in there is a Bluetooth chip and with that you must pair it with your Android, BlackBerry, or iOS device, which must be running the WakeMate software. After that you, you know, go to sleep.

Going to sleep

We tested the WakeMate with a Motorola Droid running Android 2.2, which Bluetooth paired with the hard bit without problem, even when sheathed in the soft bit. Getting the software to actually recognize that the wristband was paired took a few tries, however, often requiring that we exit out of the app and load it up again once or twice.

Once paired a little icon in the software turns green and allows you to check the estimated battery life, a figure that we always found to be hopelessly optimistic. You then set the alarm time, which the app takes great pains to remind you is the latest time that it will attempt to wake you. It will fire up to 20 minutes earlier if it thinks you're awake, which basically means it senses motion.

There are two problems with this. First, it naturally only detects whether the person wearing the WakeMate is awake, so if you happen to be lucky enough to be sleeping with someone else (or unlucky enough, if they're a sheet-stealer) there's a very good chance they'll get awoken exactly when they don't want to. We'd love for there to have been a little vibration ringer in the wristband, something that would wake you but not them, because if you make a habit of waking them when they want to sleep there's a good chance you and your gadget could be sent to the couch.

The other big problem? Sometimes it's nice to wake up early and just lie all cozy in bed, dozing lightly and knowing there's a big world out there full of cold air, comforted by having 14 whole minutes left before your stupid alarm goes off and you have to put warm feet to frigid floor.

Not if you have WakeMate. Make the slightest move and that alarm starts singing. It wants you up now.

Another frustration is that you can't use WakeMate without setting the alarm. You have to set an alarm, because the wristband disconnects from the phone as soon as you tell it you're going to try to sleep and doesn't reconnect until the alarm goes off. Yes, you can set the alarm intentionally late and hit the "I'm up early!" button, but that doesn't always work so well...

Force Close at dawn

When everything works the WakeMate is great. As soon as your time is up (or you move within that 20 minute window) the wristband connects to the phone, the alarm goes off, and the app automatically sucks down a night's worth of accelerometer data while you go suck down a cup of Joe.

And things did go that well, but only about half the time. The other half? We repeatedly found the wristband running out of charge on us, usually on our third night of sleep despite the status estimating 11 or 12 hours worth of life left before we signed off. When this happens the wristband naturally won't sync in the morning because it is, after all, dead. You need to connect it to a charging source via USB and then try to sync it up.

Early on this inevitably caused a Force Close -- instant app crash and all the night's data was lost. WakeMate's developers released a fix which did help, but we still had consistent issues connecting. On weekends we'd set the alarm late and hit the "I'm up early!" button when we awoke. You're supposed to cycle the wristband on and off to get it to connect in this case, but inevitably this caused a Force Close as well. If the app crashes like this the entire night's data is lost, just like any hopes of a peaceful morning.

Analyzing your sleep

Wakelytics is the name for the service the company provides, a pretty window into the raw data spit out by the wristband -- when it does manage to get something out. The site does a great job of presenting the important information up top and then getting deeper as you scroll down.

First up is an arbitrary number assigned to rate your overall sleep quality. Ideal sleep is 100, but we found ourselves hovering in the 40s and 50s mostly. Worried whether the morning's data would sync up, no doubt. It also shows how much of any given night was spent in light or deep sleep, or awake tossing and turning.

The page shows number of awakenings, how long it took to fall asleep, and naturally the total amount of time spent sleeping -- or how long you stayed still, at least. Click on any day's worth of data and you get more specific metrics, including exactly when you were in light vs. deep sleep. There's also a simple graph showing that raw accelerometer data charted through the whole night. This will let you know exactly what time of the morning you finally got sick of the cat kneading the back of your head.

Wrap-up

The WakeMate is a simple idea and, ultimately, a simple little widget wedged in a simple little wriststrap. Obviously things are rather more complex when it comes to pairing up the software and doing something with it all and this is where, right now, it falls apart.

Even in the week and change we've been testing this the software has certainly improved, but as of right now, with product shipping out the door, it's failing as often as it works. We have little doubt things will continue to improve and within a few weeks or months pairing will be foolproof, data will be retrieved even if the app crashes, and you might even be able to use the thing without having to set an alarm.

But, even when that happens, there's the obvious question of what the heck do you do with all this data? If you have a crummy night sleeping you're going to wake up and have a bunch of graphs and charts that basically say "Yup, you sure had a crummy night." You can apply tags to the data, things like "cat scratch" or "creepy owl outside window" to help you figure out why your evenings aren't as restful as they should be. But, really, wouldn't a pen and piece of paper achieve much the same thing?

Update: There are a lot of people asking in comments whether the thing managed to make us feel more refreshed when waking up, and the simple answer is no. That's because, more often than not, the battery was dead by the morning or for some other reason the wristband failed to trigger the alarm. The few times it actually did trigger the alarm early it was a situation where the reviewer was already awake and just waiting for the alarm to go off. As mentioned above the alarm is triggered early by movement -- basically you have to already be awake to set the thing off early.

Josh talks holiday gadgets on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (video)

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 08:35 AM PST

Couldn't stay up till 12:37AM? We'll forgive you... in time. Thankfully, the wonders of the internet are enabling you to travel back to catch our own Josh Topolsky's holiday jam party with Late Night's Jimmy Fallon. The duo ran through a gauntlet of gadgets, including B&N's Nook Color, Samsung's Galaxy Tab, D-Link's Boxee Box, Apple's MacBook Air, Dell's Venue Pro and the Gingerbread-equipped Nexus S. Also appearing: teenage jokes, visions of a lunar eclipse, legally / illegally downloaded content and the Nexus X. Yeah, the X. See what we mean in the pair of videos just past the break.


Part 1 (Nook Color, Galaxy Tab, Boxee Box)


Part 2 (MacBook Air, Nexus S, Venue Pro)

N-Trig teaches DuoSense to write on Android screens, tablet to come in the first half of 2011

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 08:11 AM PST

This one isn't much of a surprise -- considering N-Trig told us just a few months ago that "the most useful Android slates will be pen-enabled" and that it was working on Android support -- but today the Israel-based company has officially announced support for Google's mobile operating system. What does that mean? On a technical level, it means that N-Trig's DuoSense pen and capacitive multitouch solution, which is currently on tablets like the HP Slate and Dell Latitude XT, will work on top of Android slates. On a product end, it means that we're going to start seeing an Android slate or two that takes advantage of pen in 2011. According to N-Trig's VP of Marketing Gary Baum, one company is far along in developing an Android slate based on DuoSense and there are "several others that are coming along." Baum wouldn't give us any specifics on those companies, though he did tell us that we should see one product in the first half of the year, while the majority will be waiting for Honeycomb. We're still crossing our fingers for Honeycomb in the first part of 2011, so we don't want to read into that too much, but he also stressed that third-party software developers are working on applications that take advantage of pen and that some of them may be previewed at CES. We'll be digging as much as we can into what company's pairing pen with Android, but until then, we leave you with the full press release after the break.
Show full PR text

N-TRIG PEN AND MULTI-TOUCH TECHNOLOGY NOW OPERATING WITH ANDROID
DuoSense® Technology Expands Developer Creativity & Consumer Connection on Slates

Kfar Saba, Israel and Austin, Texas - N-trig, providers of DuoSense® a pen and projected capacitive multi-touch solution enabled over a single digitizer, today announced that it is now compatible with the Android operating system.

Android is increasingly becoming the operating system of choice for the fast expanding slate and mobile PC segment. The DuoSense solution offers the Android community a comprehensive package for both pen and multi-touch development. Utilizing N-trig hardware, devices running over Android can expand conventional slate functionality by using both the DuoSense pen and multi-touch capabilities. The combination of DuoSense and Android opens up new windows of opportunity for the Android pen community to utilize the N-trig Digital PencilTM to expand functionality from traditional media consumption and create pen-enabled applications for more precise and creative on-screen user interaction.

"With the addition of Android, we are able to address the different requirements of a rapidly growing market that is looking to expand its media consumption and creative capabilities for pen and multi-touch functionality," says Amichai Ben David, CEO of N-trig. "Together with the Android developer community, we will be able to enable greater precision, productivity and accuracy with new pen-enabled applications that will enhance the way users connect with their computers".

N-trig's DuoSense solution will be integrated in a number of Android slates due to be launched in 2011.

About N-trig
N-trig DuoSense®, a dual-mode interface, powered by a single digitizer, uses pen and projected capacitive multi-touch to create onscreen digital input, for a true Hands-on computing® experience for mobile computers and other digital products. Offering a complete and highly usable solution to the ever-increasing demand for productivity on the move, the DuoSense Digital PencilTM utilizes inherent pen capabilities to enable greater levels of interactive creativity, and the N-actTM gesture vocabulary comprises a library of gestures for performing actions and tasks directly on the screen. Together these capabilities advance the combined pen and touch experience from basic touch consumption to a much greater potential for simultaneous input. DuoSense supports multiple operating systems, including various distributions of Windows, Linux and Android, and, with a screen size range of 7"-17", can be implemented across a wide variety of form factors, including slates, netbooks, tablets and desktop replacements. N-trig maintains a diverse, reliable and extensive supply chain, and is well-versed in international business opportunities with key manufacturers in the Pacific Rim, the United States and Europe. N-trig digitizers are provided as a complete subsystem, comprising hardware, drivers and software, and are easily integrated into existing platforms, supporting any type of LCD and a wide variety of industrial design options for mobile products, while keeping devices slim and light. With an extensive patent portfolio, N-trig also supports a variety of applications for different market segments including education, healthcare, graphic and industrial design, entertainment and multimedia. Founded in 1999, N-trig is a global operation, maintaining its R&D facility, corporate headquarters and management in Kfar Saba, Israel, sales, OEM and ISV support in Austin, Texas and San Jose, California, and ODM, operations and supply chain support in Taipei, Taiwan and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit www.n-trig.com.

Mysterious Sony VAIO tablet PC drops by the FCC

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 07:48 AM PST

Well, would you look at what we found lounging around the FCC -- it's a Sony tablet PC, alright, but the problem is we just don't know much more than that. Filed just today and submitted by a VAIO Business Group representative, the elusive tablet seems to be WiFi-only with 802.11b/g plus single band n, and it's likely to come in a few different flavors as there are a few confusing model numbers listed. Do PCG-31211L, PCG-31311L, PCG-312xxL (where 'x' can be any given number or letter) mean anything to you? Unfortunately, that's really all we can glean from the documents -- beyond the label you're peering at above, Sony has managed to keep the external photos, user manual, and test setup pics confidential until January 20th. Of course, that has us thinking that it might show its touchscreen self at CES, which means until then, we'll be dreaming up magical specs and features for this thing. Care to partake in that wonderful pastime? Dream big in the comments.

Clamcase iPad keyboard case / stand now on sale, ships January 2011

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 07:38 AM PST

Surely you haven't forgotten about Clamcase! Merely 14 hours after Apple introduced the iPad, someone on Clamcase's staff filed a patent application for the device you're peering at above. Between then and now, a smattering of iPad keyboard cases have come to light, but quite a few folks have apparently been waiting for the original to materialize. This week, the company opened up the pre-order hotline for the device, hawking it for the not-exactly-bargain-bin price of $119. It's available in any color you want, so long as it's black, and if all goes well it'll hit the shipping docks next month. It's definitely the nicest of the bunch based on pictures alone, and it's not like it'll have to try awfully hard to beat the rivals that have already let us down. So, what's it going to be? You in for one?

Update: Thanks to a snazzy gift card, it's just $99 for a limited time.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

See more video at our hub!

BBC comedians ridicule tech naming schemes, make us laugh along the way (video)

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 07:16 AM PST

They say all good comedy has a modicum of truth to it, and there's no denying that the jargon that's built up around technology is littered with opportunity for mockery, fun-poking, and general satire. Leave it to two old pros from the UK, then, Harry Enfield and Ronnie Corbett, to summarily dispatch Apple, BlackBerry, Orange, Microsoft and everyone in between in one of the better tech-related sketches we've seen. See them do their thing after the break, but be warned: the video contains (a lot) more than your recommended daily allowance of fruit puns.

[Thanks, Thanasis]

Planex MZK-SNG02US brings DLNA to your SD cards and USB drives

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 06:54 AM PST

Not looking to go all out with a DLNA-ready NAS or dedicated media player to get some streaming started on your home network? Then you might be able to get by with something like Planex's new MZK-SNG02US device, which packs a single USB port and an SD card slot, and basically acts as DLNA-enabled bridge between your storage media and your router. Unfortunately, it looks like this one is only available in Japan at the moment, and its ¥8,000 (or $95) price tag places it a bit closer to some of those aforementioned dedicated devices than we would have liked. We're guessing that will get knocked down a bit if and when it's released (and most likely rebadged) over here, though.

Aluratek's new wireless speakers go Bump in the night

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 06:32 AM PST

Speakers? Oh yeah. Wires? Heck no. Aluratek has launched three new wireless audio products collectively called Bump -- though somehow a wired model got lumped in there too. A bit of a step from the company's previous digi frame and e-reader offerings, the four tune-pumping solutions start with the $49.99 AMS01F, a wee boombox that plays music from SD, line-in, or FM and does six hours on a charge. The $79.99 AUWS01F ditches the media player functionality, relying on a signal sent from a 2.4GHz USB dongle that you stick in your nearest PC or Mac (within 60 feet) that has some tunes on it. Next is the $99.99 AWS01F, basically the AMS01F boombox with the addition of a separate wireless speaker. Finally, if you're not ready to cut the cord, there's the $19.99 APS01F, a single little tweeter with a 3.5mm cable sprouting from below. They're all available now, so you know what to do.

Update: Seems these are a rebadge. Welp, at least you've got another option.
Show full PR text
Aluratek Announces "Bump" Wireless Speaker Line

New speaker line streams music wirelessly without configuration or software for greater portability and superior sound quality

(IRVINE, CA – December 21, 2010) – Aluratek, Inc. (www.aluratek.com

Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone to be called 'Xperia Play'?

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 06:10 AM PST

We've been hoodwinked by trademark filing and domain registrations before (cough, BlackPad and SurfBook) so we wouldn't say this is anywhere near definite, but we just caught wind of a Sony Ericsson EU trademark registration for "Xperia Play," and SE PR firm Jung Relations has registered a variety of Xperia Play domain names, including XperiaPlay.com, .net, and .org. Yes, that certainly sounds like a promising name for the PlayStation Phone (although not quite as promising as, you know, "PlayStation Phone,") but honestly we wouldn't bet on anything at this point. We've got a feeling we'll either find out either at CES or at MWC in February -- hold on tight.

Update: Turns out SE also registered Xperia Arc, Xperia Duo, and Xperia Neo, so now our interest is definitely piqued. And our hopes are totally shatter-able.

JBL's AirPlay-enabled On Air Wireless speaker dock hits the FCC

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 05:54 AM PST

JBL was one of the first companies besides iHome and Denon / Marantz to announce support for Apple's AirPlay technology, so it's no surprise that the company's On Air Wireless speaker dock just hit the FCC, complete with its manual -- we've been hearing that AirPlay will be all over the place at CES 2011. The On Air Wireless seems like a fancier riff on JBL's On Air line of speaker docks and alarm clocks -- it features that familiar swoopy-loop design but adds in a large color LCD display that displays album artwork while streaming music. Looking at the manual, the display also makes WiFi setup and configuration a little easier, which is nice. All in all, it looks promising, but we'll see what price and availability looks like when we get to CES.

Microsoft: over 1.5 million Windows Phone 7 devices sold to carriers and retailers

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 05:32 AM PST

Microsoft has decided to finally dish out some sales figures for its new Windows Phone 7 platform, but alas, these are not the sales figures we are looking for. Instead of giving us the juicy number of actual devices sold to end users, the Redmond crew has provided a neatly rounded figure of 1.5 million sales to mobile operators and retailers. That tells us that the mobile industry is cautiously buying into Microsoft's new OS, and it'd be foolish not to, but it doesn't really educate us on the relative success of the platform's launch -- 1.5 million units is a tiny, tiny number when you consider the platform launched on 10 devices on over 60 carriers in over 30 countries. All that Microsoft's Achim Berg would say is that early sales have been "in line" with expectations.

Pixel Qi partners with Chunghwa Picture Tubes to manufacture new transflective LCD models

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 05:19 AM PST

The characteristic most often associated with Pixel Qi screens -- aside from their prized daylight-readable quality -- up to this point has been scarcity. Hoping to correct that supply shortage, Mary Lou Jepsen's team has today announced a partnership with Taiwanese manufacturer Chunghwa Picture Tubes to, well, produce some picture tubes. Apparently, "the teams have been working together quietly all fall" and now they're ready to make things official, while also announcing that three new panels will be coming to market at various points during 2011. The first of those, a 7-inch screen with a 1024 x 600 resolution, is set to make its debut at CES in early January, with mass production coming in the second quarter of the year. Another note of interest is the tally of three million Pixel Qi displays shipped over the past three years -- let's hope we can double that number through 2011, eh?

[Thanks, LifeBringer]
Show full PR text
Pixel Qi and CPT announce manufacturing partnership

by mary_lou_jepsen on December 21st, 2010

Pixel Qi and CPT (Chunghwa Picture Tubes) announce today their LCD manufacturing partnership. Together the companies are developing three new screens of various sizes which will reach the market at various times in 2011.

This alliance started early last summer when CPT showed a transflective screen of its own design at a Taiwanese trade show. Discussions between the two companies at that show made it apparent that Pixel Qi and CPT should work together to bring stronger product to market faster. A close alliance was formed and the teams have been working together quietly all fall. They have created samples of a 7" 1024×600 screens scheduled for mass production in early Q2 2011, which will be first publically shown at the CES 2011 exhibition in Las Vegas in early January 2011. This represents an expansion of Pixel Qi's manufacturing strength beyond its first LCD manufacturing partner who has been shipping Pixel Qi's 10" screen.

CPT commented this afternoon: "We are excited to be working with Pixel Qi to bring their new transflective LCD technology to market. The combination of Chunghwa Picture Tubes expertise in volume LCD manufacturing and Pixel Qi's innovative low power and sunlight readable display technology promises innovative LCDs for smartphones, tablets and notebooks in 2011."

CPT, based in Taoyuan, Taiwan, manufactures nearly 40 million screens per month, and is the #2 mid-size LCD manufacturer in the world.

Dr. Belle Fu (傅珮倫 ), vice president of manufacturing at Pixel Qi, said "This great alliance will bring out a robust sequence of exciting screens during 2011 and it's an exciting development for the whole industry"

Pixel Qi, based in Taipei, Taiwan (Neihu) and San Bruno, California , is the first fab-less LCD designer in the world and focuses on high-performance, low-power, innovative LCDs. Its technologies have won multiple display-industry and electronics innovation awards. Pixel Qi is a spin-off of One Laptop per Child where this screen technology was initially developed for the $100 laptop; nearly 3 million screens using this new technology have shipped in the last three years.

New Apple TV, Roku media streamers race to break one million in sales

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 05:08 AM PST

Curious timing, no? This morning, Cupertino's PR department has blasted out a blurb stating that the newfangled Apple TV -- which only started shipping three months ago -- is expected to cross the one million mark in sales prior to Christmas Day. The obvious remark is hard to ignore: "That's a lot for a hobby." And yeah, it is. But it probably has more to do with trends in consumer purchasing and a delightfully low $99 price point than anything else, and if you doubt that logic, you should probably have a sit-down with Roku CEO Anthony Wood. The folks at Business Insider did, and Wood confessed that Roku media streamer sales have actually doubled since the introduction of the second-gen Apple TV. As the story goes, Jobs did the whole sector a solid by refocusing consumer attention on the set-top box realm, and with the most basic Roku retailing for just $59, it's pretty clear that the outfit drives a tough bargain. Roku's also expecting to sell its one millionth box by the close of this year, but of course it's had a lot longer than three months to do so. Still, for an up and comer, selling one million of anything (let alone looking at $50 million or more in annual sales) is quite the achievement.
Show full PR text
New Apple TV Sales to Top One Million This Week

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apple® today announced that it expects sales of its new Apple TV® to top one million units later this week. The new Apple TV offers the simplest way to watch your favorite HD movies and TV shows, stream content from Netflix, YouTube, Flickr and MobileMe℠, all on your HD TV for the breakthrough price of just $99. iTunes® users are now renting and purchasing over 400,000 TV episodes and over 150,000 movies per day.

Now with AirPlay®, recently available in iOS 4.2, users can wirelessly stream their music, video and photos from iPad™, iPhone® and iPod touch® to their new Apple TV, making it the perfect iOS accessory. Users can also control Apple TV with their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch using the Remote app, available as a free app on the App Store℠.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

TRENDnet TEW-690AP wireless access point has a theoretical 450Mbps top speed, a real $200 price

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 04:39 AM PST

It's a sad fact of our digital lives that no matter how stylish we make our daily-used devices, we'll still need some antenna-riddled ogre in the corner of the room to blast out the WiFi goodness. Enter TRENDnet's latest contender, the TEW-690AP (even its name betrays an absolute lack of charisma), which has three spatial streams per antenna to deliver a max theoretical throughput of 450Mbps. It goes up to a full gigabit should you find any reason to connect via its wired Ethernet port, while a few extra bells and whistles -- like a repeater mode, WiFi Protected Setup with compatible devices, and up to four unique, encrypted SSIDs per wireless band -- complete the $200 value proposition. Whether you say yay or nay, look out for more from these guys at CES, they're promising to announce some more "first to market" wireless innovations.
Show full PR text
TRENDnet® Launches First to Market 450Mbps Wireless Access Point

Trendnet (12/20/2010)

TORRANCE, Calif. –December 20, 2011–TRENDnet, a best-in-class wired and wireless networking hardware brand today announces the launch of the first to market 450Mbps Wireless N Access Point, model TEW-690AP, which supports Access Point, Wireless Distribution System (WDS), and Repeater mode functionality.

Advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology with three spatial streams per antenna, generates a maximum theoretical wireless throughput of 450Mbps and exceptional wireless coverage.

A Gigabit Ethernet port maintains high performance wired connections. Advanced features include 4 SSIDs per wireless band, unique encryption for each SSID, WMM Quality of Service (QoS) data prioritization, WPA2-RADIUS encryption, and a convenient on/off power switch.

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) integrates other WPS supported wireless adapters at the touch of a button. Gone are the days of entering complicated encryption codes; simply press the WPS button on the TEW-690AP, and then press the WPS button on a compatible wireless adapter-the devices automatically exchange information and connect.

"TRENDnet will be the first brand to bring a full portfolio of 450Mbps solutions to market," stated Zak Wood, Director of Global Marketing for TRENDnet. "Expect more first to market announcements in the coming New Year at CES."

The 450Mbps Wireless N Access Point, model TEW-690AP, comes with a three year limited warranty and is currently shipping to TRENDnet's online and retail partners.

The MSRP for the TEW-690AP is U.S. $ 199.99.

Fujitsu Lifebook T580 Tablet PC now on sale in North America

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 04:11 AM PST

It took awhile for Fujitsu's Lifebook T580 to hit the US market, but at last, the 10.1-inch, three-pound Tablet PC has landed on this side of the Atlantic. The netvertible, if we can even call it that, is about double the price of the usual convertible netbook, and for good reason -- the system eschews Atom for Core i3 / i5 processor options and also has an capacitive display with an N-trig digitizer, which can support both pen and finger input. The $1,149 "Express Buy" model packs a Core i3-380UM processor, 2GB of RAM, 160GB of storage, and a 5,800mAh six-cell battery, while going on up to the Core i5-560UM CPU adds an extra $250. The T580 sure does seem to fill a pretty niche market these days, which is why we're guessing Fujitsu dropped the early "slate-beating" descriptor, but there's got to be some out there that still want the power of a mainstream system in a shrunken Tablet PC form factor, right?

Hulu Plus not happening on cable-provided TiVo Premiere DVRs, Scrooge wins again

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 03:32 AM PST

Hulu not happening on TiVo cable-provided Premiere DVRs, Scrooge wins again
It's a little hard to know exactly who to blame here, but one thing is for sure: consumers lose. Last week Suddenlink started deploying TiVo Premiere DVRs to its customers minus Netflix, saying that it was the agreements Netflix has with studios that prevents its streaming service from being deployed on a cable company DVR. At the time it was hopeful that Hulu Plus could still work, but now it's confirmed that its customers won't get that either, blaming the same sort of agreements between Hulu and its content providers. Frustrating? Absolutely -- but there is one obvious work-around: buy your own darned TiVo Premiere, get access to Netflix and Hulu Plus, and stop paying your cable provider that monthly rental fee. Mind, you'll have to rock a CableCard, losing the ability to watch video on demand, and the separate TiVo plus Hulu Plus fees might cost a bit more, but consider that a small price to pay for the right to stick a finger in the eye of The Man.

Satellite-borne lasers tracking woodland happenings, who knows what else

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 02:58 AM PST

It may shock your senses, but this actually isn't the first time we've heard of lasers being used to track birds and their habitats. But this go 'round, an Idaho University team is using a satellite-borne laser in an effort to "predict in which part of a State Forest the birds might be living." In particular, the crew is developing methods that'll help them track the North American pileated woodpecker, namely because these creatures are pegged as being great indicators of overall bird diversity. Currently, the laser is only capable of analyzing vital characteristics of a woodland, but scientists are using this information to take a stab as to where the aforementioned birds would be. Essentially, this laser spotting approach enables gurus to spot highly dense sections of forest -- plots where the pileated woodpecker loves to hang -- from above, dramatically cutting down the hide-and-seek that would previously take place on foot in much larger areas. Now, if only they could get lasers onto the birds, we'd have an all new brand of rave to consider.

Apple iAds Producer helps you produce iAds for iOS devices

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 02:26 AM PST

We know how it is, you want to be a hotshot developer, but all that coding sounds like daunting work. Never mind, Apple's got your back with its new iAds producer, which automates all the HTML5 and CSS3 stuff into the background and leaves you to focus on the crucial task of picking out templates and components for your perfect iAd. To be fair to this new dev tool, it does more than merely dumb down the design process. It also includes "sophisticated" JavaScript editing and debugging, a built-in simulator for testing your creation, and a project validator that checks your code for common errors. Hit the source link to give it a try.

Nexus One will get Gingerbread OTA update 'in the coming weeks'

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 01:52 AM PST

The original Google phone got us all excited a couple of weeks back when an OTA update was presumed to be the oven-hot Gingerbread upgrade, only to disappoint us. Now we've got the most lucid statement from the Android chefs yet on when the real Gingerbread Nexus One will stand up, which is placed in the relatively ill-defined window of "the coming weeks." Hey, better weeks than months, right?

Microsoft axes Office Genuine Advantage, says program has 'served its purpose'

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 01:39 AM PST

It's not offering any indication that Windows Genuine Advantage will follow suit, but Microsoft has just made the rather surprising move of shutting down its longstanding Office Genuine Advantage program. As with Windows Genuine Advantage, that program was designed to combat piracy and, as any Office user can no doubt attest, it wasn't shy to make its presence known -- warnings like the one above popped up when downloading templates from Office.com, for instance. Why the change? Microsoft isn't exactly offering too many details, with a spokesperson only going as far to say that the program has "served its purpose," and that Microsoft is "making several new investments that will allow us to engage with customers and help victims of fraud." In the meantime, however, it looks like you can now simply go about your business without a warning to be found.

Toshiba's Regza GL1 3DTVs going on sale in Japan tomorrow, no glasses required

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 12:54 AM PST

The panacea of glasses-free 3D displays (or content) might not yet be upon us, but Toshiba's doing its best by putting the two models in its Regza GL1 family up for sale in Japan. Tomorrow marks the debut of the smaller 12GL1, spanning a 12-inch diagonal and offering the unconventional resolution of 466 x 350. That's expected to be priced at ¥120,000 ($1,431), exactly half of the ¥240,000 ($2,863) asking price of the 20GL1, which will follow it swiftly with retail availability on December 25th. The latter display has the decency to come equipped with a more civilized 720p resolution and 550:1 contrast ratio, although, as you can see above, neither panel can be accused of being unnecessarily thin or space-efficient. Still, this parallax barrier stuff is the best we've got for the moment -- and as usual the best we've got resides in Japan only.

Update: The Wall Street Journal reports that Toshiba is planning larger members of this glasses-free 3D family with a panel of over 40 inches in the cards for the company's next fiscal year, which begins in April 2011. More to come at CES in January.

AirPlay hacked onto XBMC Ubuntu PC, Windows next (video)

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 12:17 AM PST

You won't find this hack available for download just yet, but Erica Sadun over at TUAW has posted a video showing AirPlay streaming from an iPad to an XBMC media server running on Ubuntu. As we understand it, the Linux box runs the AirPlay client service with XBMC advertising its availability using the Bonjour-compatible Avahi. Erica, who helped initiate all this AirPlay trickery with her early code spelunking efforts, says that Windows hacks are also in development. Click on through to see AirPlay take another bold step down the path of device agnosticism.

Gmail's free voice calls will be available through all of 2011, still only in the US

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 11:31 PM PST

While the rest of the world has yet to taste the sweet elixir of free voice calls from its email supplier, US-based Gmailers are having their fun extended for a whole new year. Back in August, Google made it possible to dial up voice numbers in the US and Canada for free, and now, in the true holiday spirit of keeping users happy and advertising dollars flowing, Google promises to keep that service free through all of 2011. And if it decides to extend it into 2012, we could have free calls until the end of the world.

Droid Incredible takes a stable bite out of Gingerbread (video)

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 10:56 PM PST

Android 2.3, get your Android 2.3! A Gingerbread ROM for the Droid Incredible that's been cooking on xda-developers for a couple of weeks is finally looking ready for mass consumption. It hit version 4 overnight, fixing a few niggling issues and enabling the 8 megapixel camera, which leaves only its video recording and GPS functions on the to-do list. Otherwise, it's looking like a very slick implementation of Google's latest OS, and it's particularly pleasing to see how its responsiveness has improved between builds. Hit the source link for more info, though don't expect to find out why HTC, Verizon et al can't do things this quickly themselves.

[Thanks, Stuart]

TomTom's Map Share update brings crowdsourced navigation to iPhone GPS app

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 10:12 PM PST

Buckled early and sprung for TomTom's iPhone GPS app, did you? If so, that very app just got a lot better today, as version 1.6 has brought TomTom's Map Share -- a crowdsourcing aspect that'll keep your maps more up-to-date than you ever thought possible. Map Share enables iPhone users to make changes instantly to their own maps and to benefit from free map updates made by the TomTom community and verified by the company itself. That means that users will now be able to edit street names, set driving directions and block / unblock streets directly on their maps, and if you're kind enough, you can share those updates with the rest of the TomTom community. Furthermore, the app will automatically check for new verified updates (including turn restrictions, speed limit changes and crossing changes), so the previously tried-and-true "my maps were old!" excuse will sadly no longer work. Give and take, as they say.
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TomTom Map Share™ now available on the TomTom App for iPhone

With Map Share, users can make changes directly to the map and receive TomTom-verified updates free of charge

CONCORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TomTom, the world's leading provider of location and navigation solutions, announces that its newest update to the TomTom App for iPhone, version 1.6, includes TomTom Map Share™. With the addition of Map Share, TomTom continues to deliver the most up-to-date and accurate maps. The latest version of the TomTom App for iPhone is available on the App Store starting today.

"We are pleased to bring TomTom's exclusive Map Share technology already enjoyed by millions of TomTom GPS users everyday to our iPhone App"

TomTom Map Share enables iPhone users to make changes instantly to their own maps and to benefit from free, map updates made by the TomTom community and verified by TomTom. App users will now be able to edit street names, set driving directions and block and unblock streets directly on their maps, and to share their changes with the TomTom community. The TomTom App checks for new TomTom verified map updates including turn restrictions, speed limit changes and crossing changes, automatically every week or on-demand as often as the users choose. With Map Share, App users always have the most up-to-date map in between new map releases.

"We are pleased to bring TomTom's exclusive Map Share technology already enjoyed by millions of TomTom GPS users everyday to our iPhone App," said Tom Murray, senior vice president of market development for TomTom Inc. "With the addition of Map Share, TomTom App users will get free, verified updates via Map Share anytime on top of the most accurate map available on-board."

TomTom Traffic for the App

With TomTom Traffic, TomTom App users receive real-time traffic updates and incident reports on their routes. As soon as any delay is found, users are notified and can be automatically re-routed to an alternate, faster route. TomTom Traffic for iPhone users is available via in-App purchase for an additional $19.99 for 12 months of service.

Availability and Price

The TomTom App for iPhone is available for purchase via the App Store. Continental and regional versions of the TomTom App are available today for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and iPod touch users at http://www.tomtom.com/tomtom-app.

Pricing varies by market. TomTom U.S.A. and U.S. & Canada Apps are currently available at a special price of $39.99 and $49.99, respectively.

TomTom App for iPhone runs on iOS 3 and iOS 4, however users should upgrade to iOS 4 to be able to take full advantage of the application's features.

Ben Heck constructs military-grade, self-contained PlayStation 3 suitcase (video)

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 09:21 PM PST

If you caught the latest episode of The Ben Heck Show, then you no doubt saw this era's modding mastermind piece together a PS3 console suitable for use in the wilds of Afghanistan. The military-grade portable gaming system was designed and built for a couple working with the military overseas, and it's Pelican's iM2600 Store Case there on the outside keeping things safe and secure from flying shrapnel. As Ben always does, he managed to carefully place an entire PS3 console deep within the confines of the enclosure, and he even threw in an integrated LCD into the lid to prevent any additional external hookups. Generator equals gametime, as they say. Head on past the break for the latest episode, which shows the play-by-play on how it was constructed.

Update: Turns out the folks that Ben built this case for are now taking matters into their own hands. Currently based in Afghanistan, Erica and Kris have founded Rugged Outdoor Gaming Units, Etc (R.O.G.U.E.) in order to build and sell similar hardcore gaming enclosures, or PeliStations. They're aiming for an early spring release, and we'll definitely be keeping an eye on them.

See more video at our hub!

Pentax K-5 review roundup: solid but pricey upgrade from the K-7

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 08:40 PM PST

Pentax's K-5 DSLR has been around for a little while now, but it's only just recently received enough reviews to establish something of a critical consensus. The short of it is that the camera largely addresses most of the criticisms leveled at the K-7 it's replacing -- namely, lackluster image quality and poor high ISO performance in particular -- but those improvements come at a fairly hefty cost. The K-7 costs about $300 more than the Nikon D7000, which Digital Photography Review notes has a similar sensor but a "significantly more versatile AF system." Photography Blog also came to some similar conclusions, but notes that the "headline-grabbing top-speed of 512000 is frankly unusable," and suggests that Pentax should have simply followed Nikon's lead and capped things at 25600. Despite that high price and some minor issues, however, DP Review says the camera is a "no-brainer" upgrade for current Pentax users, but obviously still something of a tough sell for Canon or Nikon users. Hit up the links below for some additional takes on the camera.

Read - Digital Photography Review
Read - Photography Blog
Read - Imaging Resource
Read - Pocket-lint

Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video)

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 08:04 PM PST

Not that we haven't been inundated with circuit-related fashion accessories in the past, but if you've already started thinking about what to get that lovely lad (or lady) in your life come February, look no further. SenseBridge, a research group with loads of passion, has just revealed the Heart Spark ($69, on sale now) -- a wearable pendant with an integrated wireless receiver, a smattering of LEDs and a wow factor that's downright heartwarming. The fortunate wearer must also strap a belt around their chest in order to monitor their heart rate, which is then transmitted wirelessly to the Heart Spark; upon receiving the information, the onboard lights will flash at the same rate as your heart, making it easy for the love of your life to see when your heart is aflutter. Video demonstration is just past the break, and yes, it's about as precious as you'd imagine.

See more video at our hub!

T-Mobile finally getting in on the mobile 3G (or 4G) router craze next March?

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 06:52 PM PST

Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T have all deployed MiFis (and MiFi equivalents) at this point, leaving T-Mobile as the sole US national carrier to do without a dedicated mobile router -- some sort of device you can throw in your pocket and turn on for those occasions when you need to turn a cellular data signal into a nice little pocket of WiFi. Looks like that's finally changing, though, with TmoNews leaking some shots suggesting that a device codenamed "Lil Wayne" -- yes, Lil Wayne -- will be introduced in March of next year, offering full 21Mbps HSPA+ speeds, followed by a second model in the second quarter of the year. The move makes a whole lot of sense for T-Mobile now that they're offering WiFi tethering on select phone models... and really, shouldn't we be using that shiny, new "4G" network in as many data-intensive ways as possible, anyway?

Windows Phone 7's Marketplace grows faster than Android did at launch, doesn't mean much

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 06:10 PM PST

An analyst note released by research firm IDC yesterday points out that in the nearly two months since Windows Phone 7's retail release, the Windows Marketplace has swelled to 4,000 applications -- a number that the Android Market took five months to reach. That's impressive, no doubt, and the analyst behind the numbers notes that he "would not be surprised if Microsoft had the third largest app portfolio in the industry by the middle of next year." Now granted, hitting number three would take very little effort on Microsoft's part -- they'd just have to beat webOS, BlackBerry OS, and Symbian, none of which have sparked iOS- or Android-like levels of developer interest. So beyond that, what does the growth mean? Read on!

[Thanks, Stephen]

Realistically, not much. On a fundamental level, app store success and platform success aren't yet one and the same -- look at BlackBerry, for example -- but beyond that, there are several things to consider here. Android launched on the T-Mobile G1 alone, which means that for most of the period IDC mentions, the Android Market was really more of the "G1 Market" than anything else: one device, one carrier, one country. It wasn't until the first half of 2009 that additional markets and devices came online, and even then it was slow going -- typically one device on one carrier per market. Windows Phone 7's had a moderately more well-supported and well-rounded launch with devices from HTC, LG, Dell, and Samsung reaching multiple carriers in multiple countries across North America and Europe within a few days of each other. Sure, you could use the iPhone as the counterexample here; Apple saw explosive App Store growth with just two devices (the original and the 3G) on a handful of carriers around the world, but by the time third-party apps were enabled, the company had already assembled a big installed base of users hungry for more functionality.

And let's not forget Redmond's time-honored mantra: "developers, developers, developers." Microsoft is famously great at supporting its developer community, and it did a commendable job parlaying that developer base into its Windows Phone 7 launch by utilizing tools and languages that those developers already knew. Clearly, throwing together an app for a new platform is a much easier endeavor to justify when you don't need to crack any new books or learn any new development environments -- and indeed, an existing .NET or XNA developer can roll a WP7 app with very little ramp-up time. On the Android side, sure, the syntax is familiar to Java developers, but the libraries and constructs were all new; mix that in with an ultra-limited launch in the early months and you've got a recipe for a slow-growing Market.

Bottom line? Both these platforms are going to be successful, but for the Windows Marketplace to overtake the Android Market is going to take nothing short of a miracle -- and interpreting IDC's data any other way would be a reach.

Josh is on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight! It's a holiday miracle!

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 05:34 PM PST

Killer flying robots? No, not this time. Our fearless leader is back once again in Jimmy Fallon's guest chair, this time with a bunch of new holiday gear at his disposal. Other guests include Jason Segel (Gulliver's Travels), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), and Dr. Elmo himself performs "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer." All the madness starts at 12:37AM tonight care of your local NBC affiliate... oh, and speaking of robots, don't forget to check out this week's Engadget Show while you wait.

Viewsonic: There's no G Tablet 'manufacturing defect,' it's a user experience issue

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 05:33 PM PST

In case you missed it, this weekend Staples announced that it was no longer offering the 10.1-inch Viewsonic G Tablet because of a "manufacturing defect." Well, as it turns out, Viewsonic is claiming there's really no hardware defect at all -- instead, the manufacturer of the Android 2.2, Tegra 2-powered tablet is reporting that there's really a "user experience issue." Nope, that doesn't sound much better, but according to Viewsonic's VP of Marketing Adam Hanin, the G Tablet saw a fair number of returns because of its sluggish software experience, which was caused by the preloaded Tap and Tap Android layer. A number of issues were also caused by the lack of Flash, which Adobe hasn't yet certified for Tegra 2 (we hear that's finally coming at the end of January). "We believe it is the user experience that caused all the returns, and we are taking important steps forward with the G Tablet," Hanin told us.

So, what are those steps exactly? Viewsonic will be releasing an over-the-air software update before the end of the week and will also provide links for users to manually download and install a beta version of Flash on its support page. Naturally, we asked Hanin why the G Tablet was shipped in this half-finished state at all -- he told us that while Android and Tegra are great platforms, Google's lack of support for larger devices means that companies like Viewsonic have to "go out and put together their own software and app stores." We're not sure that's a great answer -- in fact, it sort of sounds like Viewsonic is trying to blame Google, Adobe, and NVIDIA for its own half-finished and laggy software, when it released the tablet on its own accord to retailers. Either way, we've now seen more than enough terrible "user experience" issues on the early crop of Android tablets -- Honeycomb, where are you?
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ViewSonic Confirms High Performance of GTablet
Software Upgrade Release to Improve User Experience

WALNUT, Calif. – December 20, 2010 – ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today responded to recent retailer actions surrounding its GTablet 10.1" Android 2.2 Tablet. The GTablet, based on the nVidia Tegra II chipset, is one of the fastest Android tablets on the market today, consistently leading industry benchmarks.

"We always listen to customers; while they love the hardware, they raised several issues about the user interface," Jeff Volpe, VP and GM for ViewSonic Americas. "As a result, our software partner is releasing an upgrade that will address customer concerns. Along with great performance improvements, customers will have the flexibility to use both a standard Android interface as well as a user-customizable interface which has been significantly enhanced since the product launch." Volpe went on to say, "ViewSonic is committed to its tablet endeavors and will continue with new announcements at CES in January."

Current GTablet owners will automatically receive the upgrade through their WiFi connection by Friday, December 24. Users simply need to accept the request to install the upgrade. In addition, Adobe® Flash certification is targeted for the end of January, 2011. In the interim, users can download Flash from various websites that distribute android applications.

For the latest on GTablet software updates, please visit ViewSonic.com/gtablet beginning Wednesday, December 22. For general questions, please contact GTablet support at (866) 501-6405.

Kno tablets start shipping this week: quick, make desk space!

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 04:45 PM PST

Did you happen to pre-order a single- or dual-screen 14.1-inch Kno tablet textbook? Alright, we're assuming that schools and wealthy students were the only ones that actually did, but regardless, the monster-sized tablets are starting to ship out this week. According to the press release after the break, both the single- and dual-display versions are being boxed up and will be sent out to those early pre-orderers over the next couple of weeks. However, if you were hoping that this would mark the launch of the general availability of the enlarged tablets, that's just not the case yet -- you still have to receive an "invitation" and complete a "request for purchase" form on its website. That means even we'll be waiting longer to get one of these our hands, but if you're one of the lucky ones to receive one of these bad boys this week, let us what you think of it in the comments!
Show full PR text
KNO BEGINS SHIPPING GROUNDBREAKING EDUCATIONAL TABLET FOR STUDENTS

The Company Reaches Major Milestone with First Customer Ship This Week

Santa Clara, California – December 21, 2010 – Kno, Inc., the new educational tablet that revolutionizes the way students learn, today announced it has begun shipping its highly anticipated product to pre-order customers. The first Kno tablets will begin arriving on doorsteps this week.

"Since launch, we have been encouraged by the positive response to Kno and we are excited to deliver the first units to our most passionate customers – students and educators," said Osman Rashid, CEO and Co-Founder of Kno, Inc. "Over the next month, we plan to deliver units to pre-order customers and work closely with them to ensure a great user experience."

Kno, short for knowledge, is a unique 14.1 touch-screen tablet that blends textbooks, course materials, note-taking, web access, educational applications, digital media, sharing and more into a more powerful and engaging educational experience. Kno also offers a digital bookstore, www.kno.com/store/books, which includes tens of thousands of textbooks from most of the major publishers, with new books being added regularly. Digital textbooks typically cost between 30 and 50 percent less than physical textbooks and the Kno pays for itself in 3 semesters with the money students save in textbook costs.

The Kno tablet is available as a single and dual 14.1 inch screen and costs $599 and $899, respectively. Currently, the Kno tablet is available in limited quantity and is now available by invitation only. Shipments to pre-order customers will be staggered over the next month and new customers interested in purchasing a Kno tablet can go to www.kno.com to complete a request for purchase form.

"Designing and developing the Kno has been a collaborative 18 month process with students, partners and publishers, and it's exciting to see our vision come to fruition," said Babur Habib, CTO and Co-Founder of Kno, Inc. "We look forward to hearing from our first customers and working with them to continue to innovate on the product."

About Kno, Inc.
Kno, Inc. is fundamentally changing the way students learn, by offering new ways to digitally consume, organize, create and share knowledge. Kno is a transformative tablet textbook that artfully blends the intuitive experience of the conventional textbook with a rich digital world of video, note taking, collaboration and more. Its open platform encourages publishers and developers to create and distribute innovative education applications and content. Osman Rashid, the co-founder of Chegg, and Babur Habib, a consumer electronics veteran, founded Kno, Inc. in May 2009. Kno has a world-class management team from Apple, Cisco, HP, Intel, TiVo, Chegg and Palm. The company has received funding from Andreessen Horowitz, Floodgate, First Round Capital, Ron Conway, Silicon Valley Bank and TriplePoint Capital and is based in Santa Clara, California. For more information go to www.kno.com.

Press Contacts:
JSA Strategies Kathryn Kelly
Jennifer@jsastrategies.com kathrynkellypr@gmail.com
310-780-3331 408-718-9043

HTC Knight hits Best Buy's system with PG0610 model name

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 04:19 PM PST

We've already seen what's purported to be the HTC Knight show up in Sprint's database under the guise of the HTC A7373, and we now have yet another model name thrown into the mix courtesy of this supposedly legitimate shot of Best Buy's data transfer system. As you can see, what's clearly labeled as the HTC Knight is now sporting the PG0610 designation (previously seen at the FCC), and it's chilling alongside the HTC EVO 4G, which certainly makes sense -- although it's less clear what the ancient HTC Apache is doing there. For those that haven't been keeping track, this is the same phone that's also been known as the EVO Shift 4G and the Speedy, one of which may or may not be the device's actual name when it's finally, officially launched -- hopefully at CES next month.

Adobe clocks first billion-dollar quarter ever, $268m profit

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 03:44 PM PST

It's been a year of Flash-related drama for Adobe, but otherwise it seems like things are humming along nicely: the company just posted its first-ever quarter with a billion dollars in revenue, which is good for a $268.9 million profit. Unfortunately there's no granular data on how Flash is faring in the market -- it's lumped into the Creative Solutions group with the rest of the Creative Suite products, but with big wins on Android in the past year and a huge win on the Air-based BlackBerry Playbook coming next year, we'd say things are going well, no matter what Steve Jobs' Thoughts are.

[Image credit: Ben Templesmith's Flickr]

Parental supervision shocker! iPad use leads to costly in-app Smurfberry orders

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 03:12 PM PST

After the Soviet Union collapsed, many of its so-called satellite states had to struggle to find ways to keep afloat -- none more so than Smurf Village, that bastion of communal living where everyone looks nearly identical, has the same surname, and works "according to his ability" (and in return lives "according to his needs"). How has Papa Smurf and Co. survived in the post-Soviet geopolitical climate? It seems that Capcom's Smurfs' Village game for iOS might be free, but the in-app purchases will cost you dearly. Actually, it's the in-app purchases that your pre-literate toddlers make that will cost you dearly. And this is a lesson that a lot of parents are finding out, according to a recent AP article, which notes that "warnings may alert parents, but it's doubtful that they'd deter children who can't read and don't understand money." Sure, Smurfberries may grow freely on magical trees, but a virtual wheelbarrow full of 'em will run you $60.
at 11:28 AM

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