A number of iPhone keyboard cases have popped up lately, from the TK-421 flip-out case (which we reviewed) to the BoxWave Keyboard Buddy. We've spent the better part of 24 hours using an engineering sample of Nuu's MiniKey QWERTY slider for iPhone 4 -- expect "a few minor changes to be made" before actual launch -- that the company was kind enough to send over. So, how's it stack up?
The first thing you'll notice, and you really can't help to otherwise, is just how bulky it is (we've been told 20mm in thickness, which is more than double the iPhone 4 solo). It seriously adds a strain to your pocket. That said, once the iPhone 4 is in the case, it's not going anywhere -- the case fits snugly around the device, and it takes a good bit of effort to separate the two. A little too effort much, in fact, to pry one from the other. The slide-out mechanism is actually quite sturdy, although with just a hint of hinge flexibility when it's out.
As for the keyboard, the keys themselves are laid out well enough, although we wish the delete key was in the upper right hand corner and not right above the return key. They're snappy and have a decent bit of texture, but are still much too small for our liking -- we'd love it to stretch entire span of the case, especially since our fingers couldn't help but make erroneous clicks. A power button in the top left lets you toggle between off / on and somewhere in between, where the device knows to turn itself off after 10 minutes of idleness. Behind the keyboard there's a longer button for toggling between the physical and on-screen QWERTYs (pictured, right) -- we ended up using that more than a few times. Due to the the height of the case, a sharp enough light can cast quite an annoying shadow over the top row. There's also no backlight for the keys, so don't expect this to be very functional in the dark settings. Battery life is said to be up to 36 days on standby and charges via micro-USB, although we haven't had it long enough to really push that to the test.
Ask yourself, how badly do you need a physical keyboard? While walking around or in situations where a larger, more separated Bluetooth option won't suffice? It feels like a step up from the TK-421, but that's not saying much. We can't promise you'll be typing faster on this, and at $70 asking price, it's much too bulky to not have more functional value. Is there a market for iPhone keyboard cases? Maybe, but this isn't the one to convince.
As commonplace as smartphones have become, it's about time that carriers and manufacturers start getting serious about mobile security (and no, we don't mean iPhone tethers). According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Verizon is currently working with Lookout, a San Francisco-based company known for remote backup and geolocation apps for BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile devices, while RIM has recently announced a little something called BlackBerry Protect, which promises to lock or even wipe a misplaced phone, pinpoint the thing on a map, and make regularly-scheduled wireless backups. By far the most ambitious plans in the article, however, belong to AT&T, which -- aside from recent deals with MobileIron and McAfee -- is currently opening a new mobile security lab in New York City. From here, the company will research malware, worms, viruses, and other threats as they develop in the mobile sphere. "Everyone is realizing that this is an uncontrolled environment," said AT&T chief security officer Edward G. Amoroso. "We don't want to have the same problems that we had with PCs."
There may still be some camera makers resisting the 3D trend, but that's getting to be an increasingly dwindling lot -- the latest to jump into the game is Rollei, the 90-year old German manufacturer, which has just announced its new Power Flex 3D point-and-shoot and accompanying Designline 3D photo frame. As you can see above, the camera looks fairly unremarkable expect for that second lens, and the specs are also pretty much in line with some similar 3D point-and-shoots, including 720p video recording, 5 megapixel still images, and a 2.8-inch LCD 'round back that promises to let you see your images in something resembling 3D without the need for 3D glasses. The photo frame also apparently uses the same sort of no-glasses 3D, but thankfully packs a larger 7-inch screen -- check it out after the break. Still no word on a release over here, but both the camera and photo frame will be available in Europe next month for €300 (or just under $400) apiece.
Remember how Dell's supposed to be introducing a 7-inch Tegra 2-powered Android tablet, like, right now, possibly followed by a 10-inch model in a few months? Well, we're not saying that's what's going on here, but consider the facts: the original 5-inch Streak has a model code of M01M, and a new device with code M02M just popped up in the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification database identified as a "Mobile Internet Device" in the Smartphone category. Yes, 7 inches is a bit large for a "smartphone," but the Alliance doesn't have a great category for these tweeners that support cellular data (and like the European Galaxy Tab, some of them really are smartphones anyway). PocketNow suggests that we could also be looking at the Streak 2, which is possible -- but considering the groundswell of rumors we've been hearing about a slightly larger tablet in the pipeline, that's where our money lies. That holds especially true considering how close we are to CES, which promises to be a veritable tablet-fest this year -- but regardless, we bet the truth comes out within the next couple weeks.
Believe it or not, it's been almost a year since we caught a look at Lenovo's IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, and while we've heardnumeroustimes that the device and a new tablet part -- the LePad -- were still kicking, we've got some rock solid evidence this time around. Okay, we got some of the best evidence out there -- pictures and early impressions of the China-bound 10.1-inch LePad tablet and its U1 dock / shell. Now, we don't want to get your hopes up too much -- we didn't get to spend all that much time with either of the units and they were in very early form, but that didn't stop us from playing around with both of them and taking some notes. Interested? We thought so. Hit the break for a short rundown and don't forget to peruse the gallery below on your way.
LePad - Forget whatever you remember about the U1 tablet that we saw at last year -- the 10.1-inch LePad is a totally different beast. And we mean that in a very good way. The version that we saw, which is the one slated for release in China sometime this month or next, had a very responsive capacitive display with much (much!) better viewing angles than the former 11.6-inch model. To boot, Lenovo has wisely ditched that Skylight OS for Android. Navigating the Android 2.2 interface (we're still assuming Lenovo's waiting for Honeycomb in the US) was pretty smooth, and as you can see in the pictures, the company's drastically retooled the stock experience by bringing over quite a bit from its LePhone skin. The colorful UI is a bit too playful and in-your-face for us, but it stretches across three panels -- one has circular app shortcuts, another is divided into four media panes (music, photos, etc.), and a final one stores widgets. That middle media pane was actually pretty slick -- similar to the UI on the Skylight version, you can adjust the size of the different music, photo, video and e-book boxes by dragging the circular toggle in the middle. Other than that though, it doesn't seem like Lenovo is doing much to take advantage of the extra screen space within apps.
Overall, the performance seemed to be pretty good for pre-production unit. We couldn't test out the browser or scrolling speed, but when we fired up what looked to be an HD trailer of Nacho Libre, there were no issues watching Jack Black prance around. We'd venture to guess Lenovo's using Tegra 2 inside, but then again, we've heard that they may be using fresh Snapdragon guts. The unit also had a mini-HDMI port, mini-USB and headphone jack along with a front- and rear-facing cameras. As for the actual look and feel of the hardware, we'd say it was comparable in weight to the iPad, though the back of the device seemed to be made of both metal and plastic.
U1 Hybrid dock - Unfortunately, the U1 dock we saw was a non-working model, so we couldn't actually attach the LePad and boot up Windows. That said, the chassis is rather thick, but the hardware seems to be much improved -- the 10-inch form factor makes it closer in size now to a netbook and the styling is akin to some of Lenovo's most recent ultraportables. It has a very similar chiclet keyboard to that on the IdeaPad U160 and the touchpad has two mouse buttons. Since the unit wasn't working we have no idea what sort of internals it packs, but we do know that it has a USB port and HDMI socket. Our biggest concern here is endurance -- the battery seems to be integrated into the chassis and our recent experience with the Dell Inspiron Duo left us wanting more runtime in netbook mode.
That's all we can really tell you from our short time with the early products. We've got our fingers crossed that Lenovo will be showing closer to final versions at CES or that we'll be able to catch a glance at a production LePad on the streets of Hong Kong soon, but until then we seem to be left with quite a few questions. But, hey, at least we know that after a year, this duo still exists!
As if there weren't enough Greys flying around in saucers and conducting strange experiments on us at night, a team at Tsukuba University went ahead and created their own. Two of them, as a matter of fact. It started with TalkTorque, a short, white bot with swoopy arms and head designed to help research in non-verbal communications. That poor guy is old news now, relegated to guide duty at the school's Groupware Lab. TalkTorque 2 has come along with slightly refined looks and a chunky collar containing a trio of motion- and range-sensing cameras to help the thing figure out who it should be talking to. Of course, it still has no mouth, so the "talking" will be in broad arm gestures, which it will surely use to guide you to his ship's examination chamber. There's a video of that communication technique below, along with some dramatized footage of the TalkTorque 2 in action.
Without question, one of the images from 2010 will be the insane, almost incomprehensible sinkhole that emerged in Guatemala earlier this year, but this particular shot from the South Pole does an outstanding job of vying for equal attention. Coming directly from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this is a look into the planet's largest neutrino observatory, which was just completed after half a decade of work with $279 million. The goal? To detect "subatomic particles traveling near the speed of light," and when you have an ice-bound telescope that encompasses a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice, well... you've high hopes for success. Will this pipe into the underworld finally lead us to understanding Dark Matter? Will century-old mysteries of the universe finally have answers? Even if not, we're envisioning a heck of an entry fee when it's converted into the world's longest firehouse pole and marketed to affluent tourists who make the trip down.
The DSLR market just seems to keep on speeding up, and it looks like Olympus might be lagging back toward the caboose a bit with its latest full-body DSLR, the E-5. It's the successor to the E-3, jumping to 12.3 megapixels and adding 720p recording with full exposure controls, plus a handy swiveling LCD. But, according to reviews, it just doesn't quite compare to something like a much cheaper Nikon D7000. PhotographyBlog liked the improved image quality and the rugged build, but not the ugly rolling shutter effect in video recording and the poor high ISO performance. Similarly DigitalCameraReview says this $1,699 beast "feels like a modest update to the E-3," a sentiment shared by Pocket-Lint as well. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
The Poco Pro from Iain Sinclair, manufacturers of fine tiny things, is said to be "the world's thinnest" 1080p HD pocket camcorder. Poco's specs tout dimensions of 54 x 85.6 x 5mm, much smaller than JVC's Picsio, Samsung's HMX-E10, and even Toshiba's Camileo, but we are definitely wary of image quality on a sensor as small as this one. We're not entirely sure we get the purpose of its optional WiFi capabilities, either -- the site claims they're for "wireless data transmission," but we don't know if that's to a PC or some sort of service. If you're dying to find out, you can reserve a Poco of your own for £100, or about $155, but be patient, this little guy won't hit the market until June.
After debuting quietly at CEDIA Pioneer's 2010 line of Blu-ray players is finally available for purchase, including the low end BDP-430 and its two Elite cousins, the BDP-41FD and BDP-43FD. Other than the obvious addition of Blu-ray 3D compatibility, key upgrades from 2009 include WiFi readiness with optional dongle, streaming from YouTube (after a firmware update), Netflix and Pandora, an expanded continue mode to make sure you start The Twilight Saga: Eclipse right where you left it and the return of Pioneer's iControlAV remote app for iOS devices. Starting price? $299 for the BDP-430, $399 for the BDP-41FD and its home automation-friendly RS-232 port, while $499 is required to bring home the "armored chassis" of the BDP-43FD
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Pioneer Ships Widely Anticipated Blu-ray 3D Player Line Company's Commitment to Quality and Connectivity Showcased in New Models Long Beach, CALIF. 12/22/2010
To the delight of avid movie lovers, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today begins shipping its first line of Blu-ray 3D™ players for those who want to recreate a state-of-the-art theatrical experience in the comfort of their own homes. Unveiled at the 2010 CEDIA Expo, the line includes the Pioneer BDP-430 and two Elite models, BDP-41FD and BDP-43FD, which provide unrivaled picture and audio quality consumers expect from the Pioneer brand in addition to faster load times, streaming compatibility, WiFi ready, a BD-J resume feature and the iControlAV App.
Built with a focus on high quality audio and video reproduction, with a compatible TV, the new line offers pristine 3D video via the latest HDMI standard, 1.4a, allowing for passage of the high data transfer rate required by the Blu-ray 3D format. Additionally, Pioneer's PureCinema technology upconverts standard definition video sources to 1080p for optimum image processing and delivering clear, sharp images with reduced image noise. Additionally, 36-Bit Deep Color support with compatible content and displays features smooth gradation steps with more accurate color precision and adds to overall high quality color reproduction.
The 3D models also support the latest high-quality audio formats including DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. Pioneer-exclusive technologies also improve the audio experience, a critical component to complete a fully immersive 3D experience. The three new models employ the Precision Quartz Lock System (PQLS) for jitter-free reproduction of Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD content. When paired with a compatible Pioneer A/V receiver, PQLS precisely syncs the audio signals between the components for a true-to-life listening experience.
Consumers are no longer limited to their own movie library. Once connected to an Ethernet connection or wirelessly through the AS-WL200 wireless adaptor (sold separately) consumers can access content from streaming services such as YouTube*, Netflix and Pandora. All models are WiFi Ready with an optional adaptor for a wireless connection to home networks, streaming content services, BD-Live content and over-the-air, auto-notification of firmware updates.
Continue Mode, a newly expanded feature, now allows users to easily resume watching Blu-ray Discs, including most BD-J titles, where they left off. A movie is marked using the "Continued" key on the remote, and if the disc is not removed before turning the power off, users can resume playback at the same place.
For convenient integration of personal devices with a home theater system, Pioneer's free iControlAV App turns iPhone™ and iPod touch™ devices into a fully functioning remote control for the new Blu-ray 3D players*. When the players are connected via Ethernet to a wireless router, the app allows users to control basic functions of the players. Pioneer's iControlAV App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.
The Pioneer BDP-430 is currently available for a suggested retail prices of $299. The Elite BDP-41FD, featuring an RS-232 port for custom installation access and control, is available for a SRP of $399. Featuring an armored chassis and high grade parts, the Elite BDP-43FD is currently available for a SRP of $499.
* With future firmware update
PIONEER, the PIONEER logo and the ELITE logo are registered trademarks of the Pioneer Corporation. Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and BD-Live are trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association. Apple, iPhone and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC. DTS and DTS Digital Surround are registered trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. DOLBY and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.
DARPA is currently soliciting proposals for the development of Soldier Centric Imaging via Computational Cameras, also known as SCENICC for those who prefer brevity. This latest project is a visual enhancement system that seeks to meet all of our armed forces terrorist-hunting and war-waging visual needs. The system, which is purely theoretical at this point, will provide a 360 degree, three-dimensional field of view for soldiers in the field. This optical omniscience is obtained through the use multiple cameras, including images from airborne drones. Soldiers will have real time 10x zoom capabilities and can operate everything via voice commands. As if that weren't enough, SCENICC employs augmented reality to identify and track targets in a way (we presume) not unlike your garden variety T-800. As this bit of kit is years from production, our commandos will have to make do for now with smartphones and wrist displays to keep an eye on enemies of the state.
So, are you confused about the presence of two MPG numbers on your newly delivered Volt? Fear not, the folks at GM are doing their best to educate the huddled masses about the Volt's industry-leading fuel economy, and just how the EPA arrived at the car's previously released 93MPG (electric equivalent) and 37MPG (straight gas, homey) ratings. No word on plans for a film explaining where the missing 137MPG went. Check the video after the break.
Growing companies need growing workspaces, and Google just bought one of the biggest possible in NYC. It's the former Port Authority Building at 111 Eighth Avenue, a massive brick establishment that, according to Wired Epicenter, set the company back an equally massive $1.9 billion. There's a helipad on top, perfect for quick getaways in the company's ROFLcopter, but more importantly a major fiber line runs through the building, giving the Googs priority access to bits flowing through the city. Google already has a presence within those crimson walls, which also houses offices of communications companies like Verizon and Level 3, companies who might just need to be finding new spaces when their current leases expire, because Google is "hiring across the board," apparently hoping to fill that thing to the brim.
Isn't it fun when you hit the right place at the right time? We just happened to be chillaxing in Hong Kong when Dell chose the city for the Venue's global launch (and it's actually hitting the shops slightly ahead of South Korea), so a quick hands-on is inevitable. As we've seen previously, this HK$3,999 (US$514) handset is essentially the Venue Pro's Android 2.2 cousin, sporting the same curved (or "Shear Design") vibrant AMOLED display at 4.1 inches and 800 x 480, but missing the slide-out keyboard. Under the hood lies a 1GHz Snapdragon with 1GB ROM and 512MB RAM, along with the usual microSD expansion, 1400mAh battery, 8 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, Bluetooth 2.3 EDR, WiFi and AGPS.
There aren't any surprises in terms of software -- the Venue shares the same snappy Stage UI and Swype keyboard with the Streak, except for the lack of landscape orientation for the homescreen (and that's with orientation enabled in system settings). As for hardware, the killer feature here is the screen, and we found its curved Gorilla Glass to be surprisingly nice for our thumbs while swiping across it. The AMOLED panel underneath is also vibrant with great viewing angles. Elsewhere, build quality is almost solid bar the squeaky battery door, but at least it provides some grip. That's all we got for now -- we'll delve into more details in our forthcoming review, so stay tuned.
DELL'S LATEST SMARTPHONE IS THE PERFECT "VENUE" FOR WORK AND FOR PLAY
· Dell Venue smartphone makes global debut in Hong Kong · Dell sets the "Stage" with its new Android UI to enhance the browsing experience · The shear, sexy and sleek design fits perfectly into the palms of creative explorers as well as affluent professionals
Hong Kong, December 21, 2010 – Making its global debut, the 4.1-inch Android™ 2.2-based smartphone Dell Venue (codename Thunder), was launched in Hong Kong today. Based on Dell's new Stage User Interface (UI) and coupled with Dell's Own Shear Design Concept, the Venue is the perfect companion for trend-setting creative junkies as well as business professionals who are always on-the-go. The Dell Venue is priced at HK$3,999 and available immediately through Broadway, Fortress, Suning Citicall and Wilson retail shops across Hong Kong.
Things that Matter, Always Accessible Venue is based on Dell's new "Stage" UI, a customizable user experience that simplifies access and usage of content. Users are a click or touch away from finding and enjoying their favorite content, be it streaming YouTube videos, browsing the web with Flash10, reading eBooks or the latest news on the 4.1" AM-OLED display. The dedicated camera key enables instant access to the 8MP camera, so users can capture life as it happens and with perfect clarity. Sharing photos and videos on social networking sites is also just a tap away.
Shear, Sexy and Sleek The top and bottom surfaces of Dell Venue are angled, looking as if they have been sheared off. This is Dell's Own Shear Design Concept that enables the front face to be larger, maximizing the display area and enhancing the user interface experience. Looking from the top, the elliptical shape of the Venue not only houses the optimal form factor for its internal components, but is also smooth and comfortable in the hand. Attention to detail is further reinforced by the smartphone's single, unbroken surface. The back of the phone is simple and pure and echoes the same look and feel as the front.
Not All Looks & Play The Venue was designed to do more than just keep people entertained and connected to their friends and family. The smartphone also is equipped with email services such as ActiveSync, HSPDA interface and integrated Wi-Fi, and compatible with Microsoft documents, so professionals can take care of business on the go. In addition, the predictive text feature and innovative Swype text entry provides a faster and easier way to input text, significantly improving productivity on portable devices for mobile workers.
Quote: "Whether you are a creative explorer seeking for the latest online entertainment or a business professional working on-the-go, the Dell Venue smartphone is your ideal companion, keeping you closely connected to those who are most important to you. The customizable Stage UI also helps make your life simple, as everything that matter to you most is just one click or touch away," said Michael Yang, Dell vice president and general manager for Greater China consumer. "The Venue is Dell's second smartphone launched in Hong Kong this quarter, demonstrating the strong market demand for Dell's mobile products. The fact that the Venue is making its global debut in Hong Kong also reinforces the company's commitment in the Greater China region."
Key Features at a Glance Ÿ Premium look and feel with Dell's New Shear Design Concept. Ÿ The Stage UI provides a customizable user experience that simplifies access, usage and sharing of content. Ÿ Stunning 4.1-inch WVGA AM-OLED display frames a suite of apps for movies, books and music. Ÿ 8.0 megapixel auto focus camera with LED that can capture life's every moment in clarity. Ÿ Equipped with a full complement of email services, including POP3, IMAP, ActiveSync, Push Email, Web mail and Microsoft Exchange. Ÿ Preloaded with Swype text entry system, making editing and emailing work documents a breeze.
Specifications Form Factor: Touch Screen Bar Dimensions: 121mm x 64mm x 12.9mm Display: AM-OLED 4.1" 800x480 pixels, 24 bit- 16M colors Bands/Modes: GSM 850/900/1899/1900 GPRS Class 12, EDGE Class 12 WCDMA 850/2100/2300 or 900/1700/2100 HSDPA 7.2Mbps ; HSUPA 5.76 Mbps Weight 164g Memory Internal ROM 1GB; RAM 512MB Memory External Available with micro SD up to 32GB OS Android 2.2 Messaging/ Web / apps POP3 IMAP, ActiveSync, Push Email, Web mail, Microsoft Exchange, SMS, MMS, Native IM Connectivity Sync to PC, USB Mass Storage, USB Support, Wi-Fi, AGPS Bluetooth 2.3 EDR, A2DP, AVCRP, others Ecosystem Android and Widgets Internet Web 2.0 full HTML, WAP support Audio Standard codecs Video H.264/ MPEG-4 AVC, WMV Camera 8MP Autofocus, Digital Zoom 4x, Video and Audio Record, Dedicated camera Key Connector Micro-USB; 3.5 mm HSJ Other Predictive text, GMS HW Compliant with G-sensor, E-compass, Virtual Keyboard Price HKD 3,999
Following the success of Streak, Venue is Dell's second Android-based smartphone launched in Hong Kong. Existing Streak customers can now upgrade their smartphone to the Android 2.2 OS with Dell Stage UI.
The only official timeframe we have for an Android 3.0 Honeycomb release is sometime "next year." A little too vague for our liking and for a seemingly infinite list of manufacturers chomping at the bit to release their fully sanctioned Android tablets onto the world. Now DigiTimes narrows things down a bit with an off-the-cuff comment about MSI preparing to sell its Tegra 2-based tablets in April or May "after Google releases Android 3.0 in March." Of course, a March release seems almost definite what with Acer hoping to ship its tablets with Honeycomb in April as well. Hopefully we'll get this confirmed at CES in early January.
We already knew that it was coming to its home country of Korea in January. Now we know that LG's Tegra 2 Optimus 2X will bring its 4-inch display and 1080p video recording capability to the Android loving shores of Europe in the first month of 2011. The detail was hidden in a rather mundane press release touting the inclusion of 25 audio files (including 15 custom ringtones) from famed film composer Ennio Morricone, a man most recognizable for scoring those Sergio Leone "Spaghetti Westerns." While we're not sure how this oddball partnership materialized, we do know that there are two kinds of people in this world. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig? So we're not going to push it.
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LG Electronics (LG): Legendary Composer Ennio Morricone Makes Beautiful Music For LG Smartphones
LG Focuses on Creating Original Content for Today's Mobile Entertainment Devices
LG Electronics (LG) today announced the release of an exclusive collection of music and ringtones written by movie soundtrack maestro Ennio Morricone. The first such collaboration of its kind, both newly composed pieces as well as a selection from Morricone's legendary oeuvre, including Cinema Paradiso, The Mission and Love Affair, will be included in the collection.
To ensure that the beautiful music is paired with a suitably impressive platform, LG engineers have been hard at work perfecting the audio performance on its latest mobile phones. The exclusive music will be preloaded on LG smartphones starting with the LG Optimus 2X set to debut next month in Europe. LG smartphone users will be able to enjoy a total of 25 of Morricone's creations -- 15 ringtones composed specifically for LG and 10 of his best-known tunes from the world of cinema.
Born in Italy, Morricone is one of the most prolific and influential film composers in the world. He has composed and arranged scores for more than 500 films and TV programs over his illustrious career.
"Signore Morricone is one of the best-loved soundtrack composers of all time," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "Reproducing his work with such amazing clarity on the Optimus 2X, gives smartphones a whole new level of respect as the primary device for on-the-go music."
In addition to the collection of 25 ringtones and music, LG plans to develop a range of apps with Morricone-related content such as images and video clips for free downloading from the LG Application Store (www.lgapplication.com) starting next year.
The partnership with Ennio Morricone is part of LG's Mobile Signature Sound Series, which kicked-off in 2006 with The Real Group, the award-winning a cappella group from Sweden.
They're far from the first to put an all-electric car to an endurance test, but the team behind Moto Mundo are certainly near the head of the pack when it comes to sheer ambition. They set out from Denmark with a pair of Nissan Qashqai SUVs turned electric by AfutureEV back in June, and recently entered the US after making treks across Scandinavia, Russia, Mongolia and China. As for the vehicles themselves, they apparently have a top speed of 130 kilometers per hour and a range of 200 kilometers on a charge (at 80 kph), although they can apparently eek out 300 kilometers in "slow city driving." Making the trek even more impressive, as one Autoblog Green commenter has pointed out, is the fact that two similar cars converted by AfutureEV have apparently burst into flames and sparked some serious fires. No such problems have plagued Moto Mundo's trip, though, and they're soon set to roll into the Detroit Auto Show for an appearance.
It's been awhile since we've heard anything official from ASUS about its 12-inch EP121 tablet announced back at Computex in May. That changes today as ASUS Chairman, Jonney Shih, promises an "Eee for everyone" at CES 2011 -- and that's not an exaggeration what with 7-, 9-, 10-, and 12-inch Armdroid and Wintel tablets expected. While the video doesn't show the physical EP121 first revealed as a prototype in Taipei, it does call it an "Eee Slate" (not an "Eee Pad" like before) while demonstrating pen-based input on the multitouch display riding Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system and a Core i5 processor. Naturally, ASUS is also promising better performance and more flexibility than existing tablets. Don't worry, we'll be getting hands-on with this beast in a few weeks before it hits retail sometime (somewhere) in January. Until then, you can watch the teaser after the break.
Update: DigiTimes claims that the EP121 will target enterprise customers when launched. Additionally, two 10-inch Eee Pads (one with Windows 7 on Oak Trail and one with Android on Tegra 2) will hit retail as early as March for $499 to $599. Meanwhile, 7-inch Android models will also launch as early as March featuring either Tegra 2 or Qualcomm chipsets with at least one model featuring a "3.5G" radio for "phone functionality."
We heard it was in development just two days ago and now we've got a first glimpse at Apple's AirPlay media streamer working a Windows PC. The hack comes courtesy of the free AirMediaPlayer client for Windows client (currently at version 1.0.5) that leverages the Microsoft .NET framework 3.5 SP1, Quicktime, and Bonjour for Windows to enable AirPlay media streaming from any iOS device back a XP, Vista, or Windows 7 PC. Possibly good to news for those of you with PC-based media centers. Catch all the hot Apple on Microsoft video action after the break.
You may not have heard of Ambarella factoring into the smartphone processor race alongside Qualcomm, TI, and Samsung, and there's a good reason for that: they don't do smartphone processors. Rather, these guys are in the business of making video and photographic processing chips, and their latest -- the iOne -- is a doozy. Starting with a dual-core Cortex-A9 at 1GHz, the iOne adds in an extra ARM11 core at 533MHz dedicated to handling camera functions and ensuring ready times of under one second. It's capable of real-time encode and decode of H.264 1080p video content at 30fps and includes a GPU that can run OpenGL ES 2.0 for what we can only assume would be the wildest camera UI you've ever seen. What kind of beastly point-and-shoot is this, anyway? Well, Ambarella envisions cameras running Android before too long, and when you think about it, the hardware difference between a smartphone and a digital camera is getting smaller by the day -- so it would make sense that this iOne sounds so much like something we'd like to have powering our handsets. We can dream, can't we? Follow the break for the press release.
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Ambarella iOne Camera Applications Processor Enables a New Class of Android™-Based Smart Cameras
iOne combines triple ARM cores with advanced media DSPs for unprecedented still image and HD video quality
SANTA CLARA, CALIF – December 22, 2010 - Ambarella, Inc., a leader in low-power, high-definition video compression and image processing semiconductors, today announced the availability of the iOne System-on-Chip (SoC), bringing advanced HD camera and multimedia capabilities to the Android platform. By leveraging the fast growing Android ecosystem and cloud-based video services, the iOne will open the door for a new class of smart camera device capable of no compromise still photography, advanced HD video recording, Internet-connectivity, and running powerful applications. The iOne SoC's multi-stream encoding capability supports live video streaming, WiFi upload of video clips to popular websites such as YouTube™, and full HD telepresence applications. Its multi-format video decoding enables the playback of Internet and broadcast based video content up to 1080p60 resolution, including 3D HDTV. The iOne builds upon five generations of Ambarella DSP architectures and algorithms to produce high-resolution still images and HD video quality that rival the finest standalone DSC and camcorder products.
"Coupling our proven video and imaging processing expertise with the Android platform enables next generation cameras to take a significant leap forward in user experiences and capabilities," said Fermi Wang, Ambarella CEO. "The iOne will fundamentally change the way consumers capture, create and share visual content. We are very excited about the possibilities."
The iOne is based on a triple ARM CPU architecture specifically developed for low-power mobile media applications. Dual-core 1-GHz ARM CortexTM A9 CPUs provide the horsepower to run Android applications while a third 533-MHz ARM-11 handles real-time camera tasks and enables camera boot time of under one second. The iOne's unique architecture requires only a single x32 DRAM for extremely low power operation and low total system cost. A powerful 3D graphics engine supports HD GUI requirements and OpenGL ES 2.0.
iOne - key features for high quality visual content creation and sharing:
* Simultaneous still photography and HD video recording. Up to 32Mpixel still image processing with high speed capture of 5Mpixel images at 30 frames per second. * High ISO capability with excellent low-light performance. Advanced noise reduction including MCTF (Motion-Compensated Temporal Filtering) for minimal motion blur. * Dual stream encoding. Simultaneous encoding of a full HD 1080p30 stream and a second stream for uploading to the Internet or streaming over WiFi. * Industry's first low power 1080p60 decoder capable of full 3D HD decoding on a mobile platform. Support for all leading video formats including H.264, MPEG-2, DivXTM and VC-1. Integrated HDMI 1.4 transmitter for 3D HDTV output and display. * Full-duplex encode and decode of HD 1080p30 H.264 video for mobile HD telepresence applications. * On-device HD video editing with hardware acceleration. * Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) with CMOS sensor rolling shutter correction for capturing stable images even during motion. * 3D photo and video capture. Combining the iOne with the Ambarella S3D pre-processor enables stereoscopic HD video and still image capture. * Seamless connectivity support for WiFi (802.11n), GPS, Bluetooth, FM and Mobile TV. * Extensive interfaces including dual CMOS sensor inputs (SLVDS/MIPI/HiSPiTM/parallel), Gigabit Ethernet, SATA, dual USB2.0, S/PDIF, transport stream and analog video out.
Pricing and Availability The iOne SoC is sampling now to early access customers. Pricing information can be obtained directly from Ambarella at www.ambarella.com or by calling +1-408-734-8888.
Nothing says truthiness quite like anonymous Chinese sources telling next generation iPad secrets to a Japanese blog lacking any notable successes on the professional rumor mongering circuit. Nevertheless, the Apple rumor sites have jumped all over the story like a Bay Area cop on prototype thief. So here's the dirt, which certainly seems plausible in its specificity: a 3-mm reduction in bezel width, same 9.7-inch display size, and flattening of the back allowing it to rest wobble-free on a desktop. Mac Otakara also explains that there's a "wide-range speaker" covered with "metal mesh" (that's their render above) occupying the cut-out we saw at the bottom of those supposed next-generation iPad cases. The overall unit is said to measure 239 x 186 mm compared to the current iPad's 242.8 x 189.7 mm footprint. Suspiciously, the site was unable to reliably confirm the existence of front of rear facing cameras but does claim that the new iPads will begin shipping from factories in January -- timing that aligns nicely with previous rumors. After the break you'll find another purported iPad 2 case with yet another render of the speaker grill design.
We've all known for quite some time that the pen is mightier than the sword, and now science has given us a pen that is mightier (sort of) than the stress of that TPS report your boss needs rightnow. A student at Delft University in The Netherlands will receive his PhD this week for research that led him to create just such a pen. Based upon the obvious premise that people play with their writing utensils when anxious, the pen uses motion sensors instead of more conventional means of stress detection. When the pen detects stressful movements, internal electromagnets provide corresponding counter-motion feedback to stop your nervous tics. During experiments, the pen did diminish test subjects' heart rates around five percent, but according to feedback none of them actually "felt" less stressed. The pen isn't yet commercially available, and given its dubious value as an actual stress reliever, we would look to more satisfying methods to aid the relaxation process.
See that? No, not all the ambiguous 4G talk, we mean the veiled phone. If we had to guess we'd say that we're looking at a January 6th reveal of the HTC Incredible HD / Mecha -- a device rumored to be headed to Verizon's new LTE network. Unfortunately, we don't know who 2mymob.com is (the domain carrying the tease) or how it's affiliated with HTC. So don't go entering your mobile phone number into the field where you can sign up for notifications. The site seems to be linked with Yahoo! marketing and by entering your number you're consenting to receive "further complimentary marketing text messages by SMS to your mobile phone," according to the terms and conditions. Don't do it. We'll let you know the very minute the Incredible HD is launched, which, by the looks of things will happen at CES in Las Vegas.
Update: The site is indeed official -- it's the "Mobile Version" linked directly from the HTC.com website.
We're still struggling to find the speakers on this thing, but Life Technologies' new Ion Personal Genome Machine does at least have one big advantage over most other iPod docks: it's... a personal genome machine. Curiously, the company itself isn't doesn't seem to be talking up the iPod dock at all, but MedGadget reports that it can be used to explore a genome and check on the status of given sequencing run with either an iPhone or iPod touch. As for the device itself, while it's still only designed for research use and "not intended for animal or human therapeutic or diagnostic use," the company does have some pretty grand designs for the future. According to Ion Torrent founder Dr. Jonathan M. Rothberg, the company hopes to eventually do nothing short of doing for DNA sequencing what digital cameras did for photography. Head on past the break for the complete press release.
Show full PR text
Life Technologies Launches Ion PGM Sequencer Company Initiates $7 Million Life Grand Challenges Crowdsourcing Contest
CARLSBAD, Calif., Dec 14, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE), a provider of innovative life science solutions, today announced that it has launched its Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM(TM)) sequencer, the first product to use semiconductor sequencing technology. The sequencer is shipping to select sites in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
The Ion PGM sequencer's unprecedented speed, scalability and affordability are driving strong interest in the system around the world and as a result, delivery priority will be given to customers ordering multiple units.
Ion Torrent, a business unit of Life Technologies, has invented and brought to market a fundamentally new semiconductor device that enables chemical signals to be directly translated into digital information for the first time. Ion semiconductor sequencing is a disruptive technology because it brings the entire design, fabrication and supply chain infrastructure of the semiconductor industry -- a $1 trillion investment -- to bear on the challenge of DNA sequencing. The semiconductor has radically changed every industry it has touched, from the microprocessor enabling desktop computing to the CMOS imager, enabling digital photography and replacing film cameras.
"Point-and-shoot digital cameras opened up photography to everyone because they were fast, cheap and easy -- and people saw the results immediately, so they quickly became better photographers," said Dr. Jonathan M. Rothberg, founder of Ion Torrent. "That's what Ion is doing for DNA sequencing. The Ion PGM sequencer gives you results in two hours, and it's affordable and easy to use, so researchers can make decisions in a timely way and can get to publication quicker."
The PGM sequencer augments Life Technologies' broad portfolio of DNA sequencing instruments, a market first revolutionized with the introduction of the Applied Biosystems 3700 Genetic Analyzer, which enabled the initial sequencing of the human genome. The current 3500 Series Genetic Analyzers are the gold standard for forensics, and the 3500Dx model for molecular diagnostic applications in Europe and Asia, while the SOLiD(TM) System's unparalleled accuracy makes it the ideal researchers' choice in large-scale next-generation sequencing.
Life Grand Challenges Contest
Life Technologies also announced a first-of-its-kind crowd sourcing initiative in the life sciences tools and technology industry, called the Life Grand Challenges Contest. The goal of the $7 million competition is to unlock even bigger opportunities the company is witnessing, while accelerating innovation within the life science community.
There will be seven individual challenges, each with a $1 million prize. The first three challenges are focused on Ion semiconductor sequencing. The remaining four challenges will be related to Life Technologies products and will be announced later in 2011. The three Ion challenges are to 1) produce twice as much sequence data, 2) do it twice as fast, and 3) do it with twice the accuracy. The threshold for winning is to produce results 2X better than the best internal Ion Torrent record at the time of submission.
"Life Technologies has a legacy of democratizing new technologies, and the speed and low cost of semiconductor-based technology will bring DNA sequencing into new areas we can't even imagine," said Gregory T. Lucier, Chairman and CEO of Life Technologies. "While we are on track with our internal research and development, The Grand Challenges are intended to incentivize the user communities that inevitably grow around open technology and encourage them to help accelerate discovery even further. With its ease-of-use and scalability, the Ion semiconductor sequencing technology is the natural place to start."
The judges for the first three Grand Challenges include Dr. Rothberg, Dr. Sidney Altman, who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and Professor Sir Aaron Klug, who won the 1982 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Additional information about the first three Grand Challenges, including terms and conditions, will be released early in 2011. By registering your email address at www.lifetechnologies.com/grandchallenges, you will be sent the most up-to-date information on the contest when available. You can also join the conversation about the contest on Twitter: @Grand_Challenge
About Life Technologies (www.lifetechnologies.com)
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of $3.3 billion in 2009, employs approximately 9,000 people, has a presence in approximately 160 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of approximately 3,900 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc., and manufactures both in-vitro diagnostic products and research use only-labeled products. For more information on how we are making a difference, please visit our website: http://www.lifetechnologies.com.
Research Use Only
The Ion PGM sequencer, 3100 and 3500 Series Genetic Analyzers and the SOLiD System are for research use only, and not intended for animal or human therapeutic or diagnostic use. The 3500 Dx Genetic Analyzer is for IVD use in Europe and Asia, and is not available in the U.S.
Life Technologies' Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about Life Technologies' anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies' plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words "believe," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "target," "estimate," "expect" and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions ("will," "may," "could," "should," etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
So, there's good news and bad news. The good news is that $699 is $300 less than the purported $999 price tag we had originally heard would be affixed to the Indamixx 2 slate. The bad news? It's just a rebadged iiView M1 Touch, which can be had for around $500. That said, those who fork out the premium will get a copy of Transmission 5.0 running atop MeeGo, not to mention a 1.66GHz Atom N450 processor, 2GB of RAM, a mini HDMI output and a 250GB hard drive. Those who'd prefer to snag a model that dual boots into Windows 7 can do so if they're willing to part ways with $779, with both models including a mouse, free shipping and a gratis carrying case. Not exactly a bargain, but for those in desperate need of a music-centric tablet, it ain't like you've got a ton of options.
Just shy of a month after it launched on the PlayStation 3, VUDU has begun delivering its newly revamped interface on the game console. It should be there once the app is opened, but just in case you're not near a Sixaxis or the (now supported) Move controller check out our gallery for an idea of what the new layout look like. Oh, and if you're getting your 1080p HDX streaming via a different box or smart TV widget then keep an eye out, the company's support page say the PS3 and LG devices will be the only ones sporting the new look through January, with all the rest getting it later on.
You've seen Jack Wong's baby from every angle and taken a deep dive through the UI -- now, feast your eyes on the juicy silicon insides. Forumgoers at gadget portal 163.com and Soomal cracked open the Retina Display-wielding device this week, and there's a good bit to see. Sure enough, there's the 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird we were promised, some TriQuint communication chips, and a lot of tiny covers on a fairly stacked little board. Check out our source links for the full teardown; you'll find plenty more pics where this one came from.
The PlayStation phone keeps popping up time and again, and still no one at Sony is going to flat-out admit anything -- but that hasn't stopped playful speculation. Even SCE chief Kaz Hirai is joining in the fun. "We don't want gamers to be asking, what's the difference between that [a PS phone] and a PSP... we have to come up with a message that users will understand," he told The New York Times. "It would have to be a product that keeps the PlayStation's strengths intact." So that's the issue, then, differentiating a new PSP and a variant with phone capabilities -- nothing a good marketing campaign can't fix, if you ask us.
But enough about the phone, what of the PlayStation's portable brand in general? Hirai seems to fancy touch controls, actually. "Depending on the game, there are ones where you can play perfectly well with a touch panel," he said, adding that "immersive games" -- the ones he think are Sony's focus, vs. the more casual fare offered by Apple and Android -- do well with physical buttons, and that some games work well with the two. We can't help but notice he said touch panel and not touch screen, which reminds us of the touchpad we saw on the PS phone leaks, but we wouldn't want to harp too much.
Hot on the heels of its P7000 firmware update, Nikon has just released one for its D7000 DSLR as well. The update was created for the sole purpose of fixing the hot pixel issue that pops up when taking videos in low light. While this doesn't completely eliminate the problem, the "bright spots" effect has been "reduced" according to Nikon USA. Unfortunately, this means you no longer have an excuse to not record your child's rendition of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Hit up the source link for the download.
Having rolled out to T-Mobile just about a year ago, Google's celebrating the anniversary of its Android Market carrier billing feature in the US by expanding the service to AT&T. Put simply, this means that if you're using an Android device on an AT&T line, you'll no longer need to use a credit card -- you can just bill your purchases straight to your AT&T bill, which is painless... almost too painless, really, if you're the compulsive type. And no, we're not aware of a way to bill a Froyo update for your Captivate to your account -- but believe us, we'll keep on looking.
What happens when you burn an iPad? Take a sledgehammer to an iPhone 4? Leave a stack of iPod nanos on the train tracks? Shoot a iPhone 3GS with a 9MM handgun? Carve up a Magic Mouse into sushi-sized chunks? Artist (and former Apple graphics designer) Michael Tompert strove for the beautiful, horrific truth. You'll find his answer to one of these questions above, and eleven others at our source link below.
10 million freaking smartphones. Who thought, when Samsung put that number forward as its 2010 Galaxy S sales goal two months ago, that it was actually going to happen? Well, with just over a week left in the calendar year, the Korean giant has racked up 9.3 million sales of its Android superphone globally and actually expects to sneak past the mythical 10 million mark just before the champagne glasses start clinking. The Galaxy S has also scored a win in its home market of South Korea, where its two million units sold so far leads the 1.8 million iPhones sold since the series debuted in November 2009. Hearty congratulations are due to the crew in Seoul, such success doesn't happen by chance, but let's keep working on those Froyo (and Gingerbread!) software updates as well, eh chaps?
Update: This article has been update to reflect Chosunibo's claim that 1.8 million iPhone series devices were sold -- not just iPhone 4 handsets.
We have all ideas that the 70b will look mighty weak after next year's spate of slates, tablets and readers hit the public view at CES, but with a price tag as diminutive as €99.99 ($130), who cares about bells and / or whistles? Spotted first in the FCC's lairs a few weeks ago, the Archos 70b e-reader is now up for pre-order in Europe, boasting a 7-inch WVGA touchpanel, 4GB of storage, 802.11b/g WiFi and an SD expansion slot. We're told that the battery will keep things humming for around ten hours (or up to 18 if using it strictly as a music player with the screen flipped off), and if we had to guess, we'd say it'll probably make the trip through the Panama Canal in Q1 2011. Question is: will you care?
You can be as jaded as you like, and trust us we've offered our own fair share of cynicism, but let's put that aside for a moment as we learn that General Motors is pulling in about 100 miles worth of oil-soaking booms, 100,000 pounds worth that would have otherwise gone into landfills, and turning them into stacks of plastic parts that will go under the hood and in the front bumper of the Chevrolet Volt. The booms of course come from the Louisiana coasts, where oil is still being collected despite the US media having collectively forgotten all about it. These 100 miles of booms will provide enough parts to outfit the entire first-year production Volts and, while we're sure this is as much a PR move as it is a practical or environmental one, we're going to go ahead and just call it a win-win.
Get your iPhone running. Head out on the highway. Looking for some pancakes, and whatever else Google Local Search finds along the way. BMW's Mini brand has been on the forefront of iOS connectivity and the Mini Connect app is now in the App Store, ready for download. It lets you stream internet radio through your 2011 model's speakers or have Twitter and news feeds read to you. Google integration means easy use of Local Search and a "Send To Car" feature lets you find your destination on the phone and then deploy it to the rather more clunky built-in nav system. Finally, the "Minimalism Analyser" (MINImalism, hah!) gives you points for driving all nice and environmentally friendly. You'd better lay off the Stepphenwolf if you're looking to do well there.
They're here, well, almost. Two attractive and legible alternatives to the over designed watch, Ziiiro's Gravity and Mercury, are now available for pre-order. No, they can't tell you if it's snowing out like Fossil's Connected, and they won't bump your 2010 year in review playlist like an iPod nano watch, but they do tell time like no other -- quite literally. The Gravity and Mercury have taken Ziiiro's lofty goal of stylish utilitarianism from concept to reality. The watches function without any of the markings of standard analog timepieces, instead using a continuously rotating combination of two rings to make temporal distinctions. The tip of the inner ring represents the hour, while the tip of the outer ring denotes minutes, and a fading gradient tracks the passage of time. Ziiiro doesn't let form override function, but it doesn't skimp on aesthetics, either: Mercury, which touts a stainless steel band, comes in four different color schemes, while Gravity boasts a patent pending bracelet strap (a silicone-metal combo), available in six colors. Both watches also feature pop-out faces, allowing for a variety of Swatch watch-style face-band pairings. However, while they're both readable and fashionable, these low frills watches don't come cheap: prices range from €100 to €143, or about $130 to $175.
There's been no shortage whatsoever of PC control schemes using Kinect, but up until now, every bit of it has been without Microsoft's official blessing. Of course, the company eventually caved to the massive amount of hacking going on and confessed that it didn't have any hard feelings for those giving it a whirl, but is it really fixing to take things one step further with bona fide PC support? That's the talk emanating from South Korea, where game developer GamePrix has reported that at least one of its titles (Divine Soul, if you must know) is "scheduled to support Kinect." Continuing on about the game, the company's Jason Lim was quoted as saying that "Kinect will soon be available as a new PC controller," but naturally, we've our doubts. For starters, why wouldn't Microsoft be working with a more major developer if honest-to-goodness PC-Kinect interactions were planned? Secondly, there's a definite possibility that GamePrix could really be referring to unofficial support, which would make everything seem a lot more sensible. Either way, we'll definitely be keeping an ear to the ground for more, and with GDC under three months away, we ought to know the truth sooner rather than later.
Let's be real: it should come as little surprise that Sammy -- a company with multiple Android phones on Verizon already -- would be joining LG, Motorola, and HTC in prepping a new model for its LTE network. Sure enough, Gizmodo has scored an alleged shot of said phone, showing Froyo (Android 2.2.1, to be specific) along with a front-facing camera and a model number of SCH-i520; it's said to feature TouchWiz (as most non-Nexus S Android phones from Samsung tend to do) and, fortunately, lacks the Bing integration that Verizon's been pushing on its low- and midrange smartphones lately. Given the company's iffy track record on getting Froyo deployed in a timely manner to the Galaxy S line, we're not sure how we'd feel about buying a new Froyo model when Gingerbread's now available -- especially with all these other LTE models that Verizon's going to have on top -- but options are good, we suppose.
We're not quite sure what's prompted all the hilarious names today, but the CIA has now formed a new group with an acronym of the likes we haven't seen since the days of Nixon's CREEP (or the Committee to Reelect the President). The WikiLeaks Task Force -- yeah, WTF -- has been charged with assessing the impact of the leaked cables on the agency's foreign relationships and operations, and it seems that the acronym has unsurprisingly already become the normal parlance at HQ. No word if the CIA is planning on holding a WTF BBQ to mark the occasion.
Amazingly, the FCC still hasn't released the full text of the net neutrality rules it passed by a contentious 3-2 vote yesterday, so we can't really say much about what's in them -- and while this sort of delay is typical of the Genachowski FCC, it hasn't stopped the carriers from issuing statements on the new rules. We've got to say, responses to the new rules range all over the map: Sprint commended the FCC, T-Mobile needs some time to look things over, AT&T called it a "fair middle ground" but railed about "radical voices" and "heavy-handed government regulation" (seriously) and Verizon -- well, Verizon issued what appears to be a veiled threat to sue everyone. That's pretty interesting, since it sure looks to us like the FCC all but rubber-stamped last summer's Google / Verizon neutrality proposal, but you never know what's happening behind closed doors -- and remember, Verizon's last major policy statement was a call to revamp the entire Telecommunications Act, so Big Red might have bigger plans in store. We've rounded up all the reactions below -- check 'em out.
T-Mobile:
From Tom Sugrue, vice president of government affairs:
We will have to review the FCC decision carefully before commenting on the substance, but we do hope by adopting this item it is now possible for the FCC to turn to the priorities of its national broadband plan, including acting on its pro-competitive data roaming proposal and making more spectrum available to support the continued deployment of advanced mobile broadband services so important to economy.
AT&T
From Jim Cicconi, senior executive vice president of legislative and external affairs:
For far too long, the question of net neutrality has hamstrung the FCC and prevented needed action on far more urgent, and real, problems. Today's vote, we trust, will put this issue behind us with a compromise that appears to balance major differences despite a number of lingering concerns.
We appreciate the views expressed publicly by Commissioners McDowell and Baker. Theirs is, we feel, a position supported by the factual record in front of the Commission, and by law. It would also be our preference, especially given the utter absence of any evidence that abuses are occurring in the Internet market, let alone any of the gravity to justify government intervention.
At the same time, we recognize the determination of the Chairman to move forward with a rulemaking. In this circumstance, which is not ideal, our overarching concern is to bring market certainty so that investment and job creation can go forward, while ensuring that we can still meet the expectations of our customers. Though a final view must await a careful reading of the FCC's order, we believe the Chairman's compromise can provide this certainty while taking steps to preserve flexibility for investment and innovation.
In particular, we would like to commend Chairman Genachowski and his staff for seeking a fair middle ground in this contentious debate. As we have seen in many issues, there are always radical voices urging heavy-handed government regulation and control of free markets. Such voices have not been absent from the net neutrality debate despite their repudiation by the American public.
Too often, well-funded ideologues have used intimidation, vilification, and fear-mongering to advance their goal that government control the Internet and other forms of communication without regard for their impact on the jobs and livelihoods of millions already challenged by a difficult economy. The Commission's apparent rejection of such unfeeling dogma is an added reason to be heartened by today's FCC vote.
Sprint
From Vonya B. McCann, senior vice president of government affairs:
Sprint has always believed in giving consumers and developers access to an open Internet and broadband services – allowing to them take advantage of the timely and diverse information the Web has to offer, and provide a path to create new applications, devices and continuously energize the tech industry.
Sprint commends the FCC for the careful and deliberate approach it has taken on this issue. It is an important next step in ensuring the freedom and openness of the Internet, while also recognizing the differences between fixed and mobile networks and the importance of providing all broadband providers with the flexibility to manage their networks.
While Sprint will study carefully the text of the Order, the outline presented at today's meeting appears to be a fair and balanced approach to a difficult issue. Sprint is encouraged that the Commission has resolved this issue and is moving forward.
Verizon:
From Tom Tauke, executive vice president of public affairs, policy and communications:
Verizon has long been committed to the goal of an open and vibrant Internet. We have invested tens of billions of dollars building innovative and dynamic wireline and wireless broadband networks that provide abundant capacity to our customers. We are also the only major Internet service provider that has publicly embraced openness obligations for both its wireline and wireless broadband Internet access services. We do this because we believe this is good for our customers and good for our business.
Although we share with the FCC the overarching goals of an open Internet, we are deeply concerned by today's 3-2 decision. The FCC's majority breaks with years of bipartisan communications policies that recognized that Internet innovation and investment - and the jobs they create - thrive without government intervention. There is no doubt that the policies put in place by the Clinton Administration and the Bush Administration to jumpstart innovation and the spread of broadband worked. As a result, America's broadband and Internet marketplace is intensely competitive and an engine of economic growth, job creation and multibillion-dollar investment. Today's decision, however, unnecessarily departs from these successful policies.
While it will take some time for us to analyze the FCC's rules and the order once they are released, the FCC's decision apparently reaches far beyond the net neutrality rules it announced today. Based on today's announcement, the FCC appears to assert broad authority for sweeping new regulation of broadband wireline and wireless networks and the Internet itself. This assertion of authority without solid statutory underpinnings will yield continued uncertainty for industry, innovators, and investors. In the long run, that is harmful to consumers and the nation.
Verizon remains committed to preserving an open Internet and meeting the needs of our customers. We will continue to work constructively with the FCC and the Congress on these issues.
CTIA:
From President and CEO Steve Largent:
While we agree with Commissioners McDowell and Baker that net neutrality rules are unnecessary, and we continue to maintain that net neutrality rules are particularly unnecessary for the wireless industry that continually innovates, competes and significantly invests in our nation, we recognize that the Chairman has attempted to bridge the differences among the various stakeholders. As we await the text of the Report and Order, we appreciate that the Commission's action today appears to recognize the important differences between fixed and mobile broadband. Whether it is the competition within the industry, the technical characteristics of the service or the distinct deregulatory framework adopted by Congress under which wireless currently operates, wireless is different."
As for the keyboard, the keys themselves are laid out well enough, although we wish the delete key was in the upper right hand corner and not right above the return key. They're snappy and have a decent bit of texture, but are still much too small for our liking -- we'd love it to stretch entire span of the case, especially since our fingers couldn't help but make erroneous clicks. A power button in the top left lets you toggle between off / on and somewhere in between, where the device knows to turn itself off after 10 minutes of idleness. Behind the keyboard there's a longer button for toggling between the physical and on-screen QWERTYs (pictured, right) -- we ended up using that more than a few times. Due to the the height of the case, a sharp enough light can cast quite an annoying shadow over the top row. There's also no backlight for the keys, so don't expect this to be very functional in the dark settings. Battery life is said to be up to 36 days on standby and charges via micro-USB, although we haven't had it long enough to really push that to the test. 
We will have to review the FCC decision carefully before commenting on the substance, but we do hope by adopting this item it is now possible for the FCC to turn to the priorities of its national broadband plan, including acting on its pro-competitive data roaming proposal and making more spectrum available to support the continued deployment of advanced mobile broadband services so important to economy.
For far too long, the question of net neutrality has hamstrung the FCC and prevented needed action on far more urgent, and real, problems. Today's vote, we trust, will put this issue behind us with a compromise that appears to balance major differences despite a number of lingering concerns. 
Sprint has always believed in giving consumers and developers access to an open Internet and broadband services – allowing to them take advantage of the timely and diverse information the Web has to offer, and provide a path to create new applications, devices and continuously energize the tech industry.
Verizon has long been committed to the goal of an open and vibrant Internet. We have invested tens of billions of dollars building innovative and dynamic wireline and wireless broadband networks that provide abundant capacity to our customers. We are also the only major Internet service provider that has publicly embraced openness obligations for both its wireline and wireless broadband Internet access services. We do this because we believe this is good for our customers and good for our business.
While we agree with Commissioners McDowell and Baker that net neutrality rules are unnecessary, and we continue to maintain that net neutrality rules are particularly unnecessary for the wireless industry that continually innovates, competes and significantly invests in our nation, we recognize that the Chairman has attempted to bridge the differences among the various stakeholders. As we await the text of the Report and Order, we appreciate that the Commission's action today appears to recognize the important differences between fixed and mobile broadband. Whether it is the competition within the industry, the technical characteristics of the service or the distinct deregulatory framework adopted by Congress under which wireless currently operates, wireless is different." 
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