One of my favorite activities around the holidays is visiting my ever-growing collection of discontinued (and often hilariously outdated) mobile hardware that I keep in storage. It's an annual tradition for me -- an opportunity to pull stuff out of the box, make sure all the devices, accessories, and documentation are insect- and vermin-free, clean the battery contacts, blow off a years' worth of dust, and generally check that everything's in good working order. Let me tell you, I feel like a kid in a candy store each and every time I pull out and open those bins. I'll know that when I stop feeling that way, it's time to sell off the collection -- but for now, it's still every bit as exciting as when I started buying random gadgets from my childhood a decade ago.
On the surface, you might assume that electronics are timeless. They're made of materials that are designed for daily use and abuse, after all, and it'd be easy to think that a gadget left in storage -- unused -- would remain in exactly the same condition as the day you left it. I've learned the hard way, though, that the reality is a little more unpleasant: plastics seem to dry out and become brittle as the years go by, and things start cracking and shattering. Boxes and packaging degrade, almost as if they're recycling themselves whether you like it or not. And batteries -- particularly alkalines -- will leak all over the place, eating through circuitry and oxidizing contacts beyond repair.
And actually, in many cases, it turns out that batteries are the single biggest threat to preserving the legacy of these little time capsules. From my experience, everything else can be pretty effectively managed -- you just keep devices stored in a cool, relatively dry place, and as long as you handle both boxes and the gadgets themselves with kid gloves, you probably won't break anything. Batteries are a different story.
They've stagnated a bit over the past several years, but looking at the broader picture over a couple decades, both battery technology and power management circuitry in mobile devices have taken a number of quantum leaps. We've gone from giant, heavy lead acid and gel cells -- effectively car batteries -- to nickel cadmium, to nickel-metal hydride, to several generations of lithium-ion. On the power management front, we've learned how to maximize battery lifespans by regulating the current delivered to them, power supplies have moved from heavy bricks inside the case to ridiculously tiny wall adapters, and usually, you no longer have to have a battery installed for a plugged-in device to be powered on. Seriously, the level of sophistication is mind boggling: a modern lithium-ion cell can pack nearly half the energy density of TNT and still deliver it in a perfectly controlled fashion (well, most of the time).
When a battery rolls off the factory line -- be it rechargeable or single-use, regardless of chemistry -- its death warrant is effectively signed.
Problem is, even the most thoroughly modern battery on the market today has an expiration date. When a battery rolls off the factory line -- be it rechargeable or single-use, regardless of chemistry -- its death warrant is effectively signed. Some will die sooner from use since lithium-ion cells are only good for a certain number of charge cycles, but even an unused battery will eventually become a paperweight with the crushing, unrelenting march of time. For your Nokia or your MacBook, that's not really a problem -- these devices have been manufactured in such ridiculous quantities that OEM batteries will be available for many, many years to come and third-party batteries for many more years beyond that. More importantly, you'll tire of these gadgets long before the supply of batteries will -- and they're too common to ever become collectible.
For vintage equipment, though, the story is a much bleaker one. Assuming their batteries have been properly removed and stored separately, the devices themselves should be physically unharmed, but getting them powered on is another matter altogether. No widely-accepted standards for the sizes, shapes, and power outputs of rechargeable batteries exist even today, much less in the late 80s and early 90s; tablets, PDAs, and early laptops often require their own proprietary NiCad packs that you'll never hope to find. If you're lucky, you might be able to salvage one off eBay or Craigslist, but it's an empty victory -- none of these batteries have been manufactured in the last decade, and they're all totally dead and useless. In the worst cases, these devices require a functional battery to be powered on, regardless of whether they're plugged into the wall. In a way, it feels like the saddest, most artificial and unnecessary form of "bricking" you can imagine.
If you're handy around a soldering iron and you've got a good electronics supply store nearby, you might be able to MacGyver something.
Sometimes, these batteries were little more than a handful of standard NiCad cells soldered together and heat-shrunk to form a single pack. If you're handy around a soldering iron and you've got a good electronics supply store nearby, you might be able to MacGyver something. But the fact remains that hundreds of models of devices that were absolutely critical in shaping the smartphones, tablets, netbooks, smartbooks, and notebooks we're all using today are at risk of being rendered dead simply because you can't find a battery for them.
Is there a solution? I'm not sure -- but I hope so. What I'd like to see is a company that specializes in the just-in-time manufacture of rare or discontinued battery types. Creating a company like that and making it profitable probably requires technology or techniques that haven't yet been invented -- and even so, you'd undoubtedly be paying a massive premium to commission such a battery pack -- but for vintage electronics enthusiasts like myself who want to preserve the legacy and impact that these devices have had, $100 (or more) might seem like a small price to pay to see that crappy monochrome LCD come to life one more time.
The Paper Jamz, they have jamz-ed their last -- at least for now. Gibson's won that injunction against WowWee for modeling its 2D toy guitars on famous axes like the Flying V and Les Paul without permission, and since retailers like Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy and Target were all named in the lawsuit, they'll have to pull PaperJamz from their shelves. Or maybe not -- the injunction was granted and immediately appealed on the 21st, and we've definitely seen PaperJamz for sale in Best Buy stores here and there since then, so it seems like there's still a chance to grab of the super-thin guitars while the lawyers sort it all out. We'd guess WowWee might simply re-think some of the designs to be little less "inspired" by Gibson guitars in the meantime -- could the Flying V PaperJamz one day command the same collector attention as a 1970s lawsuit Ibanez, Tokai, or Greco? For humanity's sake, let's hope not.
We've seen the Torah inscribed on a surface the size of a pin, and the atomic pen making inroads into even more impressive feats, but tiny writing never ceases to amaze us. Now, it seems, the entire periodic table of the elements has been scribed onto a single hair -- that of Martyn Poliakoff, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Nottingham. The project involved magnifying the hair under an electron microscope, and 'writing' on it with ions using an ion beam writer to imprint the entire table of elements onto the hair. As you'll see in the video after the break, the results are quite impressive albeit very small.
With Nissan's Leaf rolling into the driveways of a lucky few early birds we're already getting a better look into what the little thing can do. Now we're getting a better idea of when everyone else might get theirs. In a Mercury News story Nissan spokesman Tim Gallagher indicated that the company is working hard to fill those driveways, saying "By the end of summer, our goal is to have everyone in their car." That is, of course, just a goal, and we all know how these goals can go when it comes to delivering cars on time. But, it is at least more or less in line with the company's earlier goal of 25,000 cars shipped to here by the end of next year. Good news for those who have ordered? Yes, mostly, but it's also bad news for anyone who's thinking of signing up for one now: with Nissan's initial batch of orders filled it's anyone's guess when we'll be getting more.
In case you needed any more evidence that Sony is ramping up to launch a gaming system on a phone in the next few months, here you go: Japanese rag Asahi Shimbun says that the PlayStation Phone -- which could be known as the Zeus Z1, Xperia Play, or something else altogether by the time it's on store shelves -- is expected in the spring of 2011 for a North American and European release. That lines up with virtually everything we've been hearing lately, and it's also fortuitous timing considering that both CES and MWC are right around the corner; we don't know what Sony Ericsson might have on tap for CES, but we definitely know they're planning some new Xperia-branded models for MWC. There are many questions left unanswered -- how (and if) any of this ties into the standalone PSP2, how gaming titles will be purchased, and how many models will be available that support the platform, just to name a few -- but hopefully Sony can clear all that up here within the next few weeks.
CES 2011 is just around the bend, and while LG's 72-inch monstrosity will undoubtedly see its fair share of attention, Olympus is hoping to shake things up in the camera realm. Or so we're led to believe. The shot above is purportedly the first leaked image of the outfit's forthcoming E-PL2, the Micro Four Thirds followup to the E-PL1. The real question here is this: did Olympus' engineers take your advice on how to change it? According to 43 Rumors, this guy will ship with a new 14-42mm f/3.5 - 5.6 kit lens, a 'direct movie' button, high-res 3-inch display, an ISO ceiling of 6400 and an intriguing Bluetooth module as an option. Cleverly dubbed Penpal, this is essentially the most sensible method of sending photos you snap on your camera to the web, be it on Facebook, Flickr or any other social network. If you've got the apparatus plugged into the hot shoe, you can sync it with your BT-enabled smartphone (Android or "Windows Mobile," we're told) and use its cellular connection to complete the upload. Definitely a more logical approach than shoving a 3G chip into a digicam, and undoubtedly a trend we expect to see take off in 2011. Regrettably, there's no pricing or release information to share, but all should be revealed in a matter of days.
Someone must really like you -- otherwise, how did you end up with an iPhone this holiday season? Yeah, we know, iPads don't really fit into stockings. Besides, your parent or significant other got you an arguably better gift in the cheaper (with two-year contract, of course), more compact, and more recently updated iPhone 4. We've given you some app suggestions before when the device first launched, but that was six months ago, and in technology time, that's like seven years. Want a run-down of the best apps, our favorite accessories, and the essential tips and tricks? Just follow along after the break!
Dropbox (free for basic 2GB account). In case you hadn't noticed, getting files to and from your iPhone isn't exactly a walk in the park -- and that's what makes an app like Dropbox so damned valuable. Not only does using Dropbox on your desktop or laptop mean that you've got some simple, integrated cloud storage, but it makes it super easy to ping files back and forth to all of your devices (iPad too). A quick and easy fix for when you need to get content to and from platforms, and a great way to ensure that your files don't get lost in the shuffle. The Dropbox app lets you upload pictures and video, create links to share with others, and enjoy what's already on the server (including text and PDF files). And don't worry about backing out mid-transfer -- the app will keep uploading in the background.
Wikipanion (free; $4.99 for Plus edition). Just think, there was a time in our lives where we'd be at a bar or restaurant arguing over some stupid piece of trivial knowledge and no one could look up the right answer. Man, we'd go on for hours just berating the other person, never as confident in our side as we let on. Times have changed, and if you need a connection to the database of information that is Wikipedia, you can't go wrong with Wikipanion. It bests the official app, in fact, with features like remembering where you last left off in an entry
Kindle (free) and Nook (free). There's no shortage of e-reader apps for iOS, and nothing to stop you from download every single one, but for our money we like to stick with Kindle and Nook. The user interface for both is simple and intuitive and the library of books (backed by Amazon and Barnes & Noble, respectively) is expansive. The best part? Your virtual library syncs to the cloud so you can continue from the page you left off at regardless of which device -- iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, Mac, Blackberry, or of course Kindle / Nook -- you pick up next.
WorldMate (free; $0.99 for Gold edition). Here's hoping you didn't blow all of your savings on a new iPhone -- after all, you'll be needing a vacation after stuffing your face with holiday grub for a solid week. You'll also need $0.99, which you'll promptly spend on the 'Gold' version of WorldMate for iOS. Yeah, there's a free version if you're looking to test the waters, but a mere buck nabs you automatic flight delay notifications, real-time flight stats and loads more information that you never appreciate until you're hurrying through security. This app beautifully lays out your upcoming trips, ingests pretty much every confirmation email ever, and easily manages multiple people on the same flight who got there via different confirmation numbers. If you're looking to get your travel life organized, look no further.
Pandora (free). Still the reigning champ in the music department, next to the iPod app itself. If you're not familiar with the desktop version, Pandora's raison d'être is streaming music stations created based on an artist, song, or genre you pick, and pruned via thumbs up / down ratings you can apply to each song. Better still it works in the background -- with controls available at any time -- so you can keep the beat alive while bouncing around other apps.
iMovie ($4.99). We keep forgetting this is a premium app for download, but Apple's own video editing software is a pretty robust package, letting you take the HD home movie clips you've recorded and turning them into a moderately impressive presentation with transitions, music, even special templates if you so choose. Your family and friends will thank you.
Photoshop Express (free) and Instagram (free). Not every 5 megapixel picture (or VGA self-portrait) you take is gonna be a winner from the get-go. Adobe's Photoshop app provides nowhere near the options you get from the desktop version, but it's good for quick touch-up work and you've got a lot of different options for tweaking, including cropping, rotating, exposure, saturation, tint, and a number of filter effects / borders. Instagram, on the other hand, only gives you about a dozen preset (read: not customizable) filter options to choose from, each designed to give the shot a more vintage look. It's a bit hard to explain, but trust us, people really seem to dig it.
Convert ($1.99) and iHandy Level (free). Think of the iPhone like a toolbox. You've got to have some decent tools in there, and Convert and iHandy Level are two of the simplest and best. The former does just what it says -- converts just about any measurement to any other measurement (including foreign currency) and looks good while doing. The latter is also pretty straightforward -- it's a working level in your pocket for when just eyeballing something doesn't cut the mustard.
Mobile Mouse Pro ($1.99). Have a Mac connected to your TV? Then you need this app. Basically, it's a keyboard, trackpad, and universal remote for almost all of the applications on your computer. Using a simple component installed on your target box, Mobile Mouse Pro connects quickly and easily from anywhere on your wireless network, allowing you to zoom through VLC, iTunes, Safari, or just about anything else you can throw at it. If you're a control freak with a slightly complicated HD setup, this is lifesaver.
Skype (free). C'mon people -- get with the times. Skype is kind of a must have if you're into this new-fangled internacular communicatin' -- and let's be honest, you is. But seriously, Skype is probably the next best thing to an actual phone (and since you've got an iPhone, it may very well be better than your actual phone). If you've got an account already, this will make a lot of sense, and since Apple's added its brand of multitasking, you can not only receive calls when you're in other apps, but keep them going in the background while getting work done.
Angry Birds ($0.99, lite version is free). We're lucky the Angry Birds Seasons (also $0.99) holiday calendar is done, else we'd probably be wasting our morning trying to earn three-stars on the latest available level. It's a simple premise: fling ill-tempered birds of various abilities towards equally-petulant pigs with the express intent on destroying them. Both editions (the original and Seasons) add up to over 250 levels. There's a reason the game's surpassed 50 million downloads in just over a year... and we'd give you that reason, but we just thought of a new strategy for level 11-10.
iDracula ($0.99, lite version is free). Sure, it's a bit long in the tooth now, but iDracula is still one of the most exciting, addictive iPhone games we've played. Think Smash TV with monsters, and you've pretty much got it. From the graphics to the controls and even the audio, iDracula is 100 percent class. We dare you to not get totally wrapped up in this game. Now come on, guys -- isn't it time for the sequel?
Canabalt ($0.99). Just get it. You'll never work again.
The Incident ($1.99). Another work-destroyer. Awesome retro graphics and audio, amazing gameplay. Perfectly suited to those doctor office waits and long subway rides.
Call of Duty Zombies ($4.99). It's Call of Duty. There are zombies. Do we really need to explain further? Amazing graphics and terrific gameplay make for a quality, console-like experience that will have your non-iPhone-owning friends in a deep state of envy.
Infinity Blade ($5.99). While both this and Id Games' Rage HD ($1.99) have raised the bar for 3D gaming on smartphones, we find ourselves going back to Infinity Blade more often. There's something about leveling up our character and mastering a wide variety of weaponry that's become downright addicting. The fights can be repetitive, but the rising difficulty keeps you on your toes for all but the earliest of battles. Did we mention it's freaking gorgeous?
Find My iPhone (free). We really hate to admit how many iPhones we've lost, even when we've had the Mobile Me account and just forgot to set this app up until after the fact (note: it doesn't work that way). Now you can have the location-tracking comfort free of charge without paying for Apple's annual service. The extra Home Screen icon is worth it here.
Shazam (free). "Hey, what the heck is that catchy / addicting / obnoxious / nausea-inducing song playing right now?" Here's your answer. Not good enough for you? Try Soundhound.
There's additionally a number of free apps well worth your time likely go without saying -- if you like the service, you'll likely be just as glued to these apps:
Facebook
Twitter
Foursquare
Tumblr
Flickr
Netflix
ESPN
NPR
The New York Times
Yelp
Fandango
iPhone cases and accessories
As you probably know, there are a million and one accessories on the market for iPhones right now. We're just going to cherry pick a few we're really fond of (and think you guys might like), but make no mistake -- this is a massive market.
Apple's bumper case ($29). We suggest you put something around that iPhone 4, as they're prone to totally shattering if they hit the ground without protective coverings. There are a lot of options for cases, but Apple's homespun version keeps a relatively low profile. When the official solution first hit the scene, all we could find at the time was black. Now there's an assortment of color options to choose from -- may we suggest Engadget-esque blue?
Pantone case (coming soon). Are you the creative type? You'll probably love these Pantone-colored cases from Case Scenario.
Roberu leather case (about $72). Want to go high end? How about this hand-made leather case from Japanese factory Roberu. It'll look great with your Aldens.
Gelaskins ($14.95). Don't want to go the case route, but feel like personalizing your device? Gelaskins has a huge selection of form-fitting skins. We're partial to the eBoy selections, but you can also create your own.
Mophie juice pack ($79.95). We loved this extended battery in our review, and besides giving your new phone a lot more juice when you're out and about, it keeps a low profile (and comes in colors) -- so you can still feel a sense of superiority about your device. We'd also suggest checking out the Exolife Exogear case ($89.95), which is a terrific alternative, though a slight bit pricier.
You've got to have some decent headphones to go with your new smartphone, and Apple's included pair just don't hack it at all. We'd recommend the reasonably priced Klipsch S4i ($99) or Sleek Audio's SA1 ($79.99). If you really want to drop some cash, check into Klipsch's higher end X10i buds ($349.99), or Ultimate Ears' TripleFi 10vi ($334.99 at Amazon, though you can get the TripleFi 10 buds themselves for $184.99 and a separate mic cable for $19.99).
iPhone tips and tricks
Transferring from an old iPhone using a new computer? Connect the retiring device to whatever machine is going to act as a mediator, right click on its name in iTunes and select "Transfer purchases" followed by "Back up." You'll need your iTunes account login.
There's bound to be some bundled apps that you'll rarely (if ever) use but can't delete (e.g., Contacts, Stocks, Game Center), so why not clean up the home screen and throw them all into one easily ignorable folder by pressing down on the banished app until it wiggles and dragging it over another useless square until a folder is made
Want a search alternative to Google? Under the Settings > Safari menu, you can opt for Yahoo or Bing instead
Use the accessibility settings to activate triple click on the home button -- you'll be able to toggle the screen into white on black mode (really just reversed colors), which can make some reading situations easier
Web apps can be your friend, particularly if you're a Google user; use the + button in Mobile Safari to make quick, usable shortcuts to Gmail, Google Voice, and a handful of other HTML5-heavy mobile sites by adding them to the Home Screen.
Customize search in settings under General > Spotlight Search. You can get at nearly every file on the phone this way, or just limit it to more basic searches
iOS 4 gives the iPhone an orientation lock, too -- find it by double tapping the home button and sliding to the left. It's next to your music controls.
English isn't your only keyboard option, you know. Check out Settings > General > International to add an array of input formats for a number of languages, including handwriting options for those who'd prefer to sketch out simple / traditional Chinese.
The above list of apps, accessories, and tricks represents just a handful of what's out there for the iPhone. We're sure you guys have your own ideas, and we'd love to hear them -- so sound off in comments below! Darren Murph, Joshua Topolsky, and Nilay Patel contributed to this article.
We definitely know quite a few people (including this very editor!) who bought their parents Kodak Pulse WiFi photo frames over the holidays, since they seem like a perfect way to share pictures without any fuss -- you can just email the frame directly. Unfortunately, it seems like this cloud service has a dark, dark lining: Kodak's backend email servers have been down since at least Christmas Eve, rendering the Pulse's most interesting feature essentially useless. What's worse, that status display above is more or less buried on the Pulse web site, so it's not even immediately clear that the problem is on Kodak's side -- and when things turn back on we're guessing more than one Pulse owner will find tons of duped photos on their frames from multiple email attempts, since the system doesn't confirm email receipt. We've heard a few anecdotal stories about email photo delivery slowing down / stopping during previous high traffic periods, so you'd think Kodak would have sorted this out by now, but we guess not -- we'll let you know when the company tells us about a fix.
Hard to say if this injection of code will be enough to get Toshiba's Folio 100 back on PC World shelves, but for those who already snatched one off of there, it's bound to improve morale. Word on the street has it that Tosh has just issued a new firmware update (v2.2.5.0053) to the aforesaid device, and while it doesn't include Adobe's Flash Player 10.1, it does aim to improve the screen / touch responsiveness, issues with lag, pinch-to-zoom capabilities and audio / video processing. We're also getting the impression that the genuine Android Market is staying far, far away from this build, but we'd love to hear if your slate is acting any nicer post-update. Hit us up in comments below, won't you?
ASUS is already down with Sandy Bridge on the desktop side, but you had to know the company would be finding room for Intel's latest in it's mobile offerings, too. Notebook Italia has what looks to be solid confirmation of four separate models, starting with a big honkin' gaming rig, the G73SW. It has an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 8GB of DDR3, Geforce GTX 460M graphics, USB 3.0, dual storage bays (enabling mixing and matching of SSD and platter), and a 17.3-inch LCD that manages the full 1920 x 1080 resolution. Price looks set to start around $2,500. Also unveiled are four somewhat less gamer-oriented but still might fast models, grouped in the N53SV and N73SV series. All feature the same 2GHz processor and all have the new GeForce GT 540M processor that was recently seen rocking Acer's 5742G, which will drive either a 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 display or the larger 17.3-inch, 1080p display depending on which model you go for. Prices on this series are said to start at just $1,200 and go way up from there when they ship in January.
AT&T has promised to launch several new WiFi spots in the coming months, and it's starting off with new zones of connectivity in New York's Times Square, Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral -- all major tourist traps. Times Square already boasts free AT&T WiFi (lauched in May) but it's making the area larger as part of its new initiative. The company has also announced that it plans to launch free WiFi spots in San Francisco as well, starting with the Embarcadero Center, sometime later this year. The embellished Times Square WiFi and the two new zones will launch "in the coming days," which we know isn't very specific but hey: it's the best we can do. Full press release is after the break.
Show full PR text
AT&T Launches Major Wi-Fi Initiative to Deploy More Hotzones in Key Markets
Program Kicks-Off With Expanded AT&T Wi-Fi Hotzone in New York's Times Square and New Locations Near Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral; San Francisco Hotzone Coming Soon
DALLAS, Dec. 28, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a successful pilot program, AT&T* today announced plans to expand its deployment of AT&T Wi-Fi hotzones to additional locations in major markets, starting with the expansion of its existing Times Square Wi-Fi hotzone and new hotzones near Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral. In addition, AT&T plans to launch its next Wi-Fi hotzone in San Francisco's popular Embarcadero Center.
Earlier this year, AT&T deployed Wi-Fi hotzones in New York City's Times Square, downtown Charlotte, N.C., and Chicago's Wrigleyville as part of its pilot project to explore using Wi-Fi to supplement mobile broadband in urban areas with consistently high mobile broadband use. In just a few months during the pilot, AT&T customers made more than 350,000 connections at the three hotzones.
"Our initial AT&T Wi-Fi hotzones have received great customer response and supported high data traffic," said John Donovan, AT&T chief technology officer. "The pilot demonstrated the clear benefits of having fast and readily-available Wi-Fi options for our customers and our network, and so we have decided to deploy hotzones in more locations."
"We're excited to start the next phase of our hotzone program with additional Wi-Fi coverage areas in New York City and, soon, in San Francisco," said Angie Wiskocil, senior vice president, AT&T Wi-Fi Services. "AT&T Wi-Fi will be available across a wider area for Manhattan residents, visitors and New Year's Eve revelers during the busy holiday season and beyond. Plus, San Francisco residents are expected to soon be able to enjoy a Wi-Fi hotzone in the Embarcadero Center area as they shop, dine and work."
The larger Times Square hotzone will now cover the north central part of Times Square along 7th Avenue, east along 46th Street, and along Broadway. New hotzones near Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral are planned to launch in the coming days.
Hotzones enhance the broadband experience for AT&T customers who use Wi-Fi enabled devices. Wi-Fi hotzones provide another fast and reliable way for customers to stay connected from their mobile devices, adding data network capacity in high traffic areas. AT&T customers with qualifying wireless data, LaptopConnect and AT&T High Speed Internet plans get unlimited access to AT&T hotzones at no additional cost.
AT&T is using wireless technologies to mobilize everything that's important to customers - their favorite content, apps, entertainment and social networks. AT&T today delivers the nation's fastest mobile broadband experience nationwide as well as the nation's largest Wi-Fi network**, giving customers the best combination of speed and coverage.
The popularity of Wi-Fi continues to grow as more and more consumers adopt Wi-Fi enabled devices and experience the convenience and speed of a Wi-Fi connection. In the third quarter 2010, AT&T handled 106.9 million Wi-Fi connections on its network, exceeding the total 85.5 million connections made during the entire year in 2009.
Many of the most popular AT&T smartphones support auto-authentication at AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots, making it automatic and convenient for customers to connect. Customers can use AT&T Wi-Fi hotzones and more than 23,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots nationwide without it counting toward their monthly smartphone data usage.
AT&T's Wi-Fi network complements its wired and mobile broadband networks, offering Wi-Fi connectivity at popular locations like retail stores, restaurants and coffee shops from coast-to-coast. For more information on AT&T Wi-Fi and how to connect, visit www.att.com/wifiaccess.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.
Retro gamers, take note -- The Legend of Zelda is back, and this version's more intriguing than ever. From the pits of a mythical, magical unknown lair has arisen an early build of the original FDS version of Zelda, and thanks to the wonders of the internet (along with a few dedicated Earthlings), we're able to break down the differences between the prototype and the retail edition, download the FDS image and pore over the disk scans. From what we've been able to gather thus far, the early version is quite a bit easier to beat than the final build, with fewer enemies, easier money and more gullible partners. Sounds like our kind of place. Hit the links below to nerd out in fantastic fashion.
Ever tried writing a text message or an urgent work e-mail with gloves on? Chances are what you planned to type and what came out couldn't look more different...if anything came out at all. Digits are a $14 set of four conductive pins that, like the Dots iPhone gloves, were designed to make cold weather touchscreen use easy, and hopefully error free. Unlike Dots and other pre-made touchscreen products, however, Digits allow you to use your own gloves, provided they're knit (unfortunately, they're not leather-friendly). Each pin comes in two parts: one piece sticks through from inside your glove, and the other, which sports silicone caps, attaches from outside, using the same concept as this DIY set. Digits should keep your touchscreen free of scratches and your texts and e-mails free of error, even when it's freezing out. Hopefully now you won't end up firing when you should be filing.
World of Warcraft is a lot of things to a lot of people, a whole lot of people, but it's never been much of an immersive gameplay experience -- casting Plague Strike doesn't seem all that unholy when it's triggered by frantically tapping a key on a keyboard. Moving an arm would be at least a bit more involving, and with the Flexible Action and Articulated Toolkit, or FAAST, from the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, that's just what you can do. It's basically a software layer over your Kinect, built over OpenNI, that recognizes a skeleton and enables about 20 different motions to be mapped to key presses. This means you can lean forward to walk, raise your right arm to perform an action, and then sit down to take a breather after all that exertion. It's currently versioned .03, so don't expect miracles, but it is available for free at the other end of the source link. It's also demonstrated below, but don't tarry too long: guild meeting starts in five.
Got a car sittin' 'round, clutterin' up your driveway? Love the idea of handing over the keys to strangers? RelayRides, a recent beneficiary of some Google Ventures cash, has just brought its peer-to-peer car-sharing service to the San Francisco Bay Area. Already available in Boston, the service is sort of a "social bikes-meets-Zip Car." The idea is to let customers rent privately owned (and in some cases, leased) vehicles by the hour: owners receive sixty-five percent of the rental fee, and they're protected by a million dollar insurance policy (drivers have to pay a $500 deductable, which should be large enough to keep people on good behavior). RelayRides is unclear on the exact nature of the keyless entry system (which gets installed gratis when your whip enters the program), but we're guessing it's either RFID or NFC. It also contains a GPS, which is used to track the car's movements and mileage. Interested? Hit the source link to get started.
After Wal-mart, Best Buy and Amazon jumped on the digital delivery bandwagon it's clearly evident that just offering discs for sale isn't enough, and right on schedule Sears and Kmart are launching Alphaline Entertainment, a new venture created for the sole purpose of selling downloadable movies online. Powered by Sonic's RoxioNow backend just like Best Buy and Blockbuster, it's all very familiar, down to the $3.99 rent / $19.99 new release purchase pricing that we love to hate (with the Blu-ray version often on sale for less, why bother?) with plans to embed the service in a variety of connected Blu-ray players, mobile devices, TVs and more. It doesn't appear that Sonic's sale to Rovi or the addition of DivX to the company's fold has affected the deal at all, but here's hoping they plan on introducing a Blue Light Special pack-in like VUDU or Disc+ to make things a little more appealing.
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Sears and Kmart Team with Sonic to Launch Movie Download Service RoxioNow-Powered Alphaline Entertainment Service Now Live and Providing Consumers Instant Access to Movies and TV Shows
Novato, CA (December 28, 2010) - Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC) today announced that RoxioNow™ platform licensee, Sears, has officially launched its online movie download service, Alphaline Entertainment http://alphaline.roxionow.com. The new service enables Sears and Kmart customers to download entertainment online, including new movies on the same day they are released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Sonic is working with Sears on a multi-phase rollout that includes making the service available from a broad range of connected devices and ensuring compatibility with studio-supported digital programs.
Sonic's multi-year agreement with Sears extends the reach of the RoxioNow platform which powers a range of digital services for leading brick and mortar retailers, cable operators, PC manufacturers, game system vendors, consumer electronics makers, and Hollywood studios' direct-to-consumer initiatives. Sonic and Sears are teaming to embed the services at a chip level on a growing network of devices including portable media players, Blu-ray Disc players, mobile phones, and high-definition television sets from leading manufacturers.
"Collaborating with Sonic provides a great opportunity for Sears and Kmart to launch digital services for customers seeking even faster access to the latest in home entertainment experiences," said Karen Austin, President of Consumer Electronics for Sears and Kmart. "We'll continue to increase the reach and flexibility of the Alphaline Entertainment service by providing consumers on-demand access to the latest entertainment from a range of home and mobile electronics."
"The Sears launch represents an important milestone for Sonic, with another RoxioNow-powered storefront now open for business," said Mark Ely, President of Strategy, Sonic Solutions. "We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Sears and bringing Alphaline Entertainment to consumers through a broad range of connected devices."
The RoxioNow platform serves a broad range of premium content, including new movies and next-day TV programs, to a growing, multi-manufacturer ecosystem of home and mobile electronics. RoxioNow enables storefronts for brick and mortar retailers, cable operators, PC manufacturers, game system vendors, consumer electronics makers, and Hollywood studios' direct-to-consumer initiatives. The platform allows these companies to participate in the entertainment supply chain, add value to product offerings, and form ongoing relationships with customers. "Powered by RoxioNow™" stores enable consumers to instantly rent and purchase high-quality entertainment on their favorite devices and, through the RoxioNow online entertainment library, access their content at any time, on any RoxioNow-powered device.
About Sonic Solutions Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC) enables digital media from Hollywood to Home. For more than two decades, Sonic products, service, and technology brands including Roxio®, RoxioNow™, DivX®, and MainConcept®, have fueled home entertainment, powered rich digital media functionality on a range of platforms for a variety of partners, and inspired unique personal media experiences for hundreds of millions of consumers. Sonic technologies are now combining to deliver a universal platform for Hollywood Studios, retailers, consumer electronics manufacturers, and PC OEMs that provides consumers instant access to premium entertainment from virtually anywhere. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California. Learn more at www.sonic.com.
You know, we could just leave you with the image above and be done here, but its backstory is almost as cool. Researchers at the Florida Institute of Technology have built a 1,500-pound X-ray camera that can shoot ten million frames a second and then pointed it at a nearby flash of lightning to try and learn more about it. How did they know where the lightning would strike? Well, in true scientific fashion, they caused it themselves! This was done by shooting rockets into thunderstorms, with attached wires directing the flow of energy down into their target zone. The imagery produced from the X-ray sensor is actually extremely low-res -- a 30-pixel hexagonal grid is all you get -- but it's enough to show that X-ray radiation is concentrated at the tip of the lightning bolt. What good that knowledge will do for the world, we don't know, but we're sure it'll provide nice fodder for the next round of superhero empowerment stories.
Just kidding. In fact, Schiit Audio won't be responsible if you do wind it to 11 and blow the ear tips right off of your favorite canalphones. The drop-dead sexy box that you're peering at above is the Lyr, a hybrid (tube-MOSFET) headphone amplifier that claims to have zero feedback and more power than most headphones will ever have use for. This guy's pumping out six solid watts into 32 ohms, while loads of rivals are dabbling in milliwatts. It's relying on JJ ECC88 tubes for the input stage and touts less than 0.1 percent THD, and it'll be produced in the US of A using components that were also primarily sourced from American suppliers. It's expected to start shipping in March of 2011, but those already sold on it can commit $449 to a pre-order. And before you ask -- yes, the company name is hilarious. Ha. Ha.
Newhall, CA USA. Schiit Audio introduced the Lyr headphone amplifier today, a high-power hybrid design producing 6W RMS per channel into 32 ohms-10X more power than a typical headphone amplifier. Lyr is aimed at power-hungry orthodynamic headphones, as well as other difficult-to-drive designs.
"The popularity of orthodynamic headphones such as the Audeze LCD-2 and HiFiMan HE-4, HE-5, and HE-6 has created a need for very high-power headphone amps," said Jason Stoddard, Co-Founder of Schiit. "Lyr exceeds the power needs of these low-impedance, low-efficiency headphones, while also being easy on the wallet."
Lyr, priced at $449 direct from the manufacturer, is a hybrid (tube-MOSFET) fully discrete, no-feedback, noninverting headphone amplifier with a unique Dynamically Adaptive output stage. The Dynamically Adaptive output stage allows Lyr to operate essentially like a single-ended Class A amp into high impedance loads or at low volumes, then seamlessly transition to push-pull Class A and Class AB at higher output levels.
"The upshot of the Dynamically Adaptive output stage is that it gives us much higher efficiency," said Jason Stoddard. "We can pack almost 6x the output power of our Asgard Class-A amp in the same size chassis–and, at the same time, have it run slightly cooler." Lyr's hybrid design uses JJ ECC88 tubes for voltage gain. The tubes are exchangeable ("rollable") for any 6DJ8, 6922, or ECC88 type, up to and including 6N1Ps, which allows owners to fine-tune the sonic characteristics of the amplifier, with literally hundreds of different tube choices, from NOS American to new-build Russian and Chinese tubes.
Other details of Lyr's topology include a single voltage gain stage, and DC-coupling at the input and output, for exceptional transparency and enhanced dynamics.
"Lyr shouldn't just be considered a 'ortho' amp," Mike Moffat, Schiit Co-Founder, adds. "It's also a good choice for high-impedance, 300-to-600 ohm headphones that need high voltage output."
Lyr is covered by a limited 5 year warranty, with the exception of the tubes, which are covered by a 90-day warranty. Replacement JJ ECC88 tubes are available from the manufacturer for $40 for a set of two matched tubes, or from many other resellers.
Lyr Quick Reference • One of the highest-power headphone amps available: 6W RMS (40V p-p) into 32 ohms • Unique Dynamically Adaptive output stage provides high power with high efficiency • Tube rollable to permit use of hundreds of different tube types and brands • Hybrid tube/MOSFET discrete design, DC coupled at input and output, with no overall feedback • Low cost for high performance: $449
The Lyr is available for pre-order now, with a targeted ship date of March 1, 2011. Like all Schiit products, Lyr is made in the USA, primarily of USA-sourced components. Innovative engineering allows Schiit Audio to keep the overall prices of their products similar to those from Chinese companies.
About Schiit Audio Schiit Audio is a US manufacturer of headphone amplifiers. Founded by Jason Stoddard, formerly of Sumo, and Mike Moffat, formerly of Theta, Schiit is dedicated to providing great-sounding, high-quality products made in the USA for highly competitive prices.
Samsung's obsession with making the world's thinnest Blu-ray player hasn't abated and the company's now announced plans to slim things down even further with a 23mm-thick unit to be unveiled at CES 2011. What we know of it so far is that it'll be able to both play back native 3D content and convert 2D to "quasi-3D," it'll come encased in a metallic, wall-mountable chassis, and it'll feature the now familiar trimmings of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter integration. Pricing and availability are obviously still under wraps, but CES is next week, you can wait that long, can't you?
Been questioning the value of having omnipresent surveillance cameras tracking your every move? Well, if you're an outlaw, you still won't like them, but for the rest of us law-abiding types, London's Metropolitan Police has a comforting stat to share: almost six crimes a day are being resolved with the help of CCTV footage. It's being used primarily to aid the identification of perps on the run, and the number of suspects identified as a result has gone up to 2,512 this year. There is a bright light for criminals, however, as the Met admits digital recordings aren't kept around as long as VHS ones used to be, meaning that if you slip the dragnet once, you'll probably be alright. So good news for everyone!
Seems like all these CES vendors have wised up to the fact that announcing their new products amidst a maelstrom of new product announcements tends to be slightly counterproductive. So, naturally, they're spending their December carefully teasing out little pre-release details. It's ASUS' turn today, who clearly isn't content just telling us about its Eee Pad / Slate / Tablet / Chopping Board and has decided to dish out some candid hardware shots. What we see above is a USB 3.0 port embedded within a very slinky keyboard panel, which itself seems attached to a touchscreen display (with Android buttons!) up top. It's looking more like a tablet PC (presumably with a pivoting screen) than a tablet, which is corroborated by other images at the source link. Two devices are included in this teaser picture set, with the other looking like it has a slider keyboard (see it after the break) -- none of it is definitive just yet, but it makes for a good guessing game to fill the time until the big show kicks off in Vegas next week.
If there's one thing we appreciate more than pixel density, it's slim bezels. LG, a traditional enemy of unsightly frames, is today staking its claim for having the world's thinnest bezel on a laptop with the new Xnote P210. This 12.5-inch machine is said to fit within the footprint of an 11.6-incher, but before you start throwing insults like "netbook" around the place, do take note it has a dual-core Core i5-470UM processor inside -- capable of running between 1.33GHz and 1.86GHz -- 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB HDD. The LED-backlit display's resolution isn't specified beyond a note saying it's "HD," while Windows 7 Home Premium is the predictable OS of choice. Look for the P210 to hit Korea in February for around 1.3 million won (about $1,135), but don't hold your breath on it coming Stateside for anything other than a flying trade show visit.
Technically speaking, it's not actually the 28th of December in the Bay Area yet, but Sprint's already out in front with its announcement that WiMAX connectivity has been activated in and around the city of San Francisco. We were promised this development exactly three weeks ago, back when Los Angeles and Washington DC were first familiarizing themselves with the glorious new speed, and today the Bay Area, which also includes San Jose, Palo Alto and Oakland, adds to a total of 71 metropolitan markets that have been lit up with Sprint's finest wireless offering. Guess Verizon had better start fast and keep running if it wants to keep up, eh?
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Tech Lovers Rejoice! The San Francisco Bay Area is Wired with Sprint 4G
The Power and Speed of Sprint 4G is Now Available in 71 Markets Nationwide
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), December 28, 2010 - Today, Sprint (NYSE:S) officially unleashed the power of 4G in one of the world's largest hotbeds of technological creativity and advancement - the San Francisco Bay Area. The new mobile broadband service from Sprint enables fast mobile downloads, wireless video chat and turbo-charged mobile Web browsing up to 10 times faster than 3G service1. The service will initially be available in San Francisco, San Jose, Palo Alto and Oakland. Nationwide, tech enthusiasts are enjoying the power and speed of the Sprint 4G network, in 71 markets2 across the country, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York City.
The Sprint 4G Network can be accessed with a wide range of 3G/4G capable devices. For example, tourists can snap a photo of a San Francisco landmark with their Samsung Epic™ 4G and use Google Goggles to pull up facts about it by using visual search technology. Customers can video chat on their HTC EVO™ 4G, and families traveling for the holidays can power up the Overdrive™ 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot to share 4G speeds with up to five WiFi-enabled devices – such as an iPad™, laptop, iPod Touch™ or game console – making downloads, streaming video and Web browsing fast and easy. For students, consumers and small businesses that rely on Internet access, Web browsing and social networking to stay connected, Sprint also offers Dell™ Inspiron™ Mini 10 (1012) netbook designed to deliver maximum connectivity in a compact size.
"The Bay Area is responsible for creating so much new technology and today we are bringing the power of 4G to our customers in that region who are hungry for fast mobile broadband," said Matt Carter, president-Sprint 4G. "The introduction of Sprint 4G will be a great asset for this area, and we encourage customers to try it by using one of our well-regarded 4G mobile devices."
The Bay Area's own Raj Singh of San Jose was one of five winners of the Sprint 4G App Challenge. Singh developed an innovative application to help food lovers be more productive in the kitchen. His application, Recipe Search, is a reverse recipe finder app. The user simply speaks the ingredients they have in their refrigerator or pantry and will then see a display of meals with directions for creating something with those ingredients.
Sprint first launched 4G in Baltimore in September 2008 and since then has delivered a robust portfolio of 4G devices, including smartphones, USB aircards, notebook/netbook products, mobile hotspots and routers, that are currently being used by consumers and businesses across the country.
Of all the Arduino projects we've seen 'round here, this is certainly one of them! Using nothing but a Graphics LCD, an Arduino, and a WebSocket server he wrote using Python / Tornado, this young engineer created a system that allows him to connect to the server with his iPod touch (or any browser, we suppose -- although he's apparently only tested this with Chrome on his desktop PC) and draw a design on the web browser. In turn, his movements are recreated on the LCD. Pretty mean feat, if you ask us. If you'd like to marvel at his code -- or even try it out for yourself -- hit up the source link. If not, be sure to at least check out the thing in action. Video after the break.
Like son, like father? Evidently that's exactly how things are playing out, with papa BMW following the footsteps of MINI in the run-up to 2011. Just days after the MINI Connected app found itself situated in the App Store, a BMW Connected app has done likewise. The software itself is free to download, but you'll need a 6NR-equipped Bimmer to take advantage. From what we can gather, you'll have to fork out €150 or so for the Apps option, but sadly, there are two costly prerequisites to that: a €3,800 navigation option and a €400 USB interface. In other words, we get the impression that existing BMW owners are out of luck. If you've got the magic concoction (available from March 2011), you'll be able to access web radio stations, hear your Twitter and Facebook updates aloud and control your music via the iDrive setup. That is, until iOS 4.3 goes and breaks compatibility with everything, forever. Joy, joy.
We're still a ways off from living our dream iPod nano watch scenarios, but here's a small step in the right direction. As the story goes, on a flight home James Whelton booted up an iPod nano with a modified SpringBoard plist file that "removed" an app from the screens and replaced it with a blank space. What does this mean? Not much at this point, but it could provide a pathway to further hacking, jailbreaking, and yes, writing and installing those dream apps that make this a great wrist accessory. Video proof after the break.
Cameras and wands may be the game controllers du jour, but it seems there's still room in the world for virtual reality experiences a bit more concrete -- like these buckets, filled with water, that let their user physically paddle through a digital dreamscape. "Channels" uses a pair of flex sensors attached to plastic spoons to monitor the flow in each bucket as a projector throws the minimalist 3D environment up on a nearby wall. Meanwhile, "Cadence Chair" uses an antique rocking chair outfitted with an accelerometer to align ribbons of light, and if you do it in the right rhythm it plays a hidden video. Both are student projects from New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Project, and as you'll see in videos after the break, both look pretty darn cool. We're having this sudden urge to go back to school.
Last year Nokia made something of a telematics coup, partnering with just about every major European manufacturer and doing everything it could to get its Terminal Mode in-car smartphone integration into more autos. Mercedes was one of those partners and now we're getting a glimpse of the result in the new C-Class. Merc has made some minor exterior updates to the car (not necessarily for the better, in our opinion), but on the inside comes an updated Mercedes COMAND infotainment system that, for the first time, offers full internet access. Using Terminal Mode the car interacts with a smartphone to provide the data, allowing dashboard surfing (while stationary) and the transmission of Google Maps points and directions right to the vehicle. There's also Bluetooth for streaming your tunes through the car's sound system and a USB port in the armrest to keep things charged while you decimate that slab. PR is below if you're looking for more details, or you can just wait for our impressions when we get to Detroit in a few weeks.
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The Restyled MY2012 C-Class
New look for Mercedes' top-selling sedan this summer
December 23, 2010
* Energetic – new dynamic look inside and out
* Expanded – five new assistance systems for greater safety
* Efficient – new direct-injection engines with better fuel economy
* Experience – new-generation telematics
* Exceptional – more than one million sold since March 2007
The restyled 2012 C-Class sedan is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in the summer of 2011. The front and rear end of the popular Mercedes sedan have been enhanced with a more distinctive design. The luxurious interior is now emphasized by the stylish new dashboard, which features a premium, fine-grain finish and stylish trim elements, as well as a high-resolution color display in the instrument cluster. Fuel economy has been improved by as much as 15 percent, thanks to new direct-injection engines and the redesigned 7-speed automatic transmission. Five new driver assistance systems ranging from the ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection system through to the Blind Spot Assist are now available in the C-Class lineup. New- generation telematics offer new infotainment and navigation features.
"In terms of driveline and safety systems, the new-generation C-Class offers the comfort and safety of our luxury vehicles - and with many high-end details in the interior evocative of the new CLS, the new C-Class sets completely new benchmarks in its segment when it comes to premium look-and-feel," says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. This interior upgrade is further enhanced by the latest generation of telematics, which not only features completely new visuals, but also brings improved functionality.
A total of more than 2,000 new parts distinguish the newest generation of the Mer- cedes-Benz C-Class from its predecessor. The U.S. market introduction is scheduled for summer 2011 (available to order in Europe as of January 2011). Alongside the generous standard equipment, the Sport and Luxury versions of the new C-Class form the basis of the individualization program, with both lines now more clearly dif- ferentiated from each other.
The C-Class is Mercedes-Benz's highest volume model range, and therefore especially important. The current range has chalked up global sales of more than one million units since its launch in March 2007. Since the market introduction of the first C- Class in 1982 (known then as the 190), Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 8.5 mil- lion vehicles around the world.
Dynamic, determined and confident exterior
The bumper now has a more distinctive and dynamic design, with the front end adopting the brand's new design language. The central element of the front end is the grille, which is further enhanced by the new bumper design. The center air intake opens upward in a v-shape and forms the core element of the grille design. Distinctive lines emerge from the base of the aggressive arrow design in the center. Running beneath the head lamps, these character lines transition into the side profile. The out- board air intakes in the bumper are positioned very low down to give the car a more muscular stance.
The C-Class features a new aluminum hood, which contributes to weight reduction and consequently to improved fuel efficiency. Contours around the head- lamps and grille bring additional emphasis to the front-end arrow form. Working together with the redesigned head lamps, the overall front-end look is far more distinctive.
Modified clear glass headlamps create a more dynamic and determined look and, together with the hood, grille and bumper enhance the arrow visual at the front end. This precise, contemporary look is reinforced by the design of both the exterior and interior of the head lamp units, which feature a finely balanced interplay between matte and gloss surfaces. The halogen headlamps follow the classic format with low beam located on the outside and high beam in the inside, while the indicator lamps are discreetly positioned in the outer corners toward the fenders.
The available bi-xenon headlamps come with active functions and bring added depth to the appearance with a series of LED modules. A C-shaped positioning light defines the nighttime design, with cornering lights located behind it and stretching outward to the main lamp module. At the base of the headlamps are broad horizontal LED indicator units. Also horizontal are the LED daytime running lights located in the bumper, which make the C-Class unmistakable from a distance.
On the rear bumper, the character lines and shutlines have been modified to add emphasis to the vehicle's stance. This is especially evident in the steep rise of the character line running outward toward the rear lights. A continuous character line on the upper edge of the rear bumper runs into the fenders of the C-Class to provide a connection to the sides and emphasizes the sporty character of the rear view. A new one- piece jewel case on the tail lights provides further integration into the rear of the vehicle. The characteristic sinuous surface line is now reflected on the inside of the lights and is reminiscent of earlier models. The distinctive depth of the lights are achieved by LED indicators located in the center that appear to float in front of the more deeply set red LED bands above and below. The rear light pattern is particularly distinctive at night.
The bodyshell of the new C-Class is distinguished by its outstanding aerodynamics. With a cd figure of 0.26, not only is it best-in-class, its drag plane of cd x A = 0.57 m2 also cuts more smoothly through the air than most compact and even sub-compact cars.
Premium and sporty interior
One focal point of the work done in the interior was the redesign of the dashboard with the aim of creating a powerful, sporty and premium look-and-feel that includes extensive enhancement to the trim. The surfaces of the controls are more finely detailed and feature a metallic finish. The stepped hood of the instrument binnacle now extends to incorporate the central display and runs onward into the passenger side enhanced by a subtle character line. The central, trapezoidal air vents and the outer circular vents are accentuated with metallic trim elements.
Central to the design of the new dashboard is a prominent trim panel. This element stretches from the central air vents along the passenger side to the outer air vent, adding visual width to the interior. The surface grain on the top portion of the dashboard continues along the upper edges of the door panels.
The new-generation center console is distinguished by its rectangular silver keys and emphasizes the premium feel of the interior in combination with matte keys, high-gloss surfaces and a new knurled control knob. Together with the new- generation telematics, the restyled C-Class also receives a new instrument binna- cle with integrated display. Oriented toward the driver are three tubular gauge surrounds with metallic surfaces that further enhance the aggressive character of the C-Class.
The luxury feel is emphasized by the new-generation leather steering wheel introduced with the all-new CLS and now available as standard in the C-Class. The steering wheel features a chrome-plated central spoke and further accentuates the car's stylish and sporty ambience.
The new C250 Sport and C300 4MATIC Sport models come with standard brushed aluminum trim, while the C350 Sport has distinctive Black Ash. The Luxury versions feature Burl Walnut trim.
Drivelines with more power and better fuel economy
Fuel economy has been improved by up to 15 percent. All new direct-injection ver- sions feature exceptional efficiency and environmentally-friendly fuel consumption. All models also come with the redesigned seven-speed automatic transmission, with the gear ratios on all versions optimized for fuel economy.
The highlight in the engine lineup is the introduction of the new V6 gasoline engine in the C350 Sport Sedan, featuring the innovative and highly efficient BlueDIRECT process. The improvement in efficiency is combined with a considerable increase in output. The C350 Sport Sedan now generates 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque (previ- ously 268 hp and 258 lb-ft), while fuel economy has been improved by 5 percent compared with the outgoing C350 model.
The four-cylinder engine (new for the U.S. market) features direct injection and tur- bocharging and is also distinguished by outstanding combined fuel economy of 24 mpg. This marks an improvement of nearly 15 percent compared with the 2011MY C300.
Model Cyl. cm3 hp lb-ft 0-60(s) mpg (est)
C250 I4 1,796 201 229 7.1 24
C300 4M V6 2,996 228 221 7.1 20
C350 V6 3,498 302 273 5.9 21
New driver assistance systems
The C-Class attains an all-new level of safety with a total of five new driver assistance systems ranging from ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection through to Blind Spot Assist. The assistance systems are based on state-of-the-art radar, camera and sensor technology and are setup to react to frequent causes of accidents such as proximity to the vehicle in front, fatigue and darkness.
The following provides an overview of the new assistance systems:
* ATTENTION ASSIST
* Adaptive Highbeam Assist
* Park Assist incl. PARKTRONIC
* Lane Keeping Assist
* Blind Spot Assist
More user friendly, improved connectivity – the new generation of telematics
The new C-Class sees the debut of a new generation of telematics, which is scheduled for successive introduction across further model ranges. Key new features include improved user-friendliness with larger 3-D displays, phone book transfer, text message display, wireless music via Bluetooth and a USB interface now located in the center armrest.
We don't know much about it yet, but it's looking like we might be getting a taste of 3D on the go after all at CES. We'd hoped it would be with Nintendo's 3DS, but that report turned out to be a bust, and now LG is apparently going to pick up the slack with a new mobile digital TV that has a 3D display. We know virtually nothing about the set at this point, but we're thinking it will be glasses-free and are speculating that, after its appearance in Vegas next week, it'll never be seen in the US again.
Remember at Google I/O this year when Google showed off "something beyond Froyo" in the music realm? The demo included an all-new music player (boy, wouldn't that be nice!), along with magical features that let you push web-purchased songs to your device, and allowed you to browse your PC's music library from your phone as if it was on the device itself. Well, none of that showed up in Gingerbread, unfortunately, but the new music player itself has just leaked out. It's super buggy, and of course doesn't have any of those fancy wireless features we're waiting on, but it could offer a bit of a glimpse into 3.0, at least as far as UI tweaks go.
The differences seem minimal but aesthetically pleasing, with blurred background images behind frosted glass widgets as far as the eye can see. One important thing to note is that there is a menu button on the top right, at least in some views, and we went back and watched Andy Rubin's tablet time at D: there's clearly the same menu button on each app. [Suspenseful strings begin to play]. It seems Google might be getting rid of its hardware buttons entirely, or at least making menu functionality a more obvious part of its relevant applications, instead of the "surprise!" button it currently represents. There are also points in the video where tapping the application's icon in the top left takes you to the "home" of the app, and we also found similar icons on the top left of each application Andy demoed at D -- and we're guessing they have the same functionality. Check out a video after the break, or hit up the source link to grab the APK... if you dare.
As you probably know, we're big fans of DSLR video around here at Engadget. From shooting product demos, to producing the Engadget Show, if we shot the video, it was likely done with one of these single-lens cameras: they're convenient and capable of beautiful moving images but often leave much to be desired by way of form factor when it comes to video. While Canon and Nikon are slapping on articulating LCDs and calling it a day, Panasonic has upped the ante with its new AG-AF100 camera. Teased way back in April, Panny just dropped a press release announcing that its newest piece of video hardware is now being delivered, making a nice late holiday gift for any wannabe filmmakers that you really, really like.
Basically, the AF100 is what happens when you stuff the innards of a DLSR into the body of a video camera and slap some interchangeable lenses in front of it. Listing at $4,995, the AF100 rocks a Micro Four Thirds sensor that records to dual SD cards in AVCHD and outputs 8-bit uncompressed 4:2:2 video to an external recorder via an HD-SDI connection. It also attempts to solve the audio issues plaguing DSLR video shooting (namely, the difficulty of getting pro-level audio to play nice with a camera designed only for imaging) with its two phantom-powered XLR audio inputs and built-in stereo microphone. Panasonic is also claiming to have lessened aliasing and the dreaded "jellycam" found in DSLR video with an optical low pass filter and faster scanning, while still boasting the wide viewing angle and shallow depth of field that movie-makers (and Vimeo users) know and love to death.
We'll be doing a full review of the AF100 as soon as we can get our hands on it; in the meantime, head on past the break for the full PR.
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PANASONIC DELIVERS AG-AF100, THE AFFORDABLE LARGE IMAGER CINEMA CAMERA
Advanced, Custom-Designed 4/3" Sensor Delivers Depth of Field and Field of View Similar to a 35mm Movie Camera; Camcorder Uses Low-Cost Still Camera and Film-Style Lenses
SECAUCUS, NJ (December 27, 2010) – Fulfilling the holiday wishes of filmmakers worldwide, Panasonic Solutions Company today begins deliveries of the AG-AF100, the industry's first professional micro 4/3-inch video camcorder optimized for high-definition video recording. Available now at a suggested list price of $4,995, the AF100 offers a new level of affordability for HD motion image quality.
Targeted at the film and video production communities, the AF100 delivers film-like shallow depth of field and the wider field of view of a large imager, with the flexibility and cost advantages of a growing line of professional quality, industry-standard micro 4/3-inch lenses, filters, and adapters. The full HD 1080/720 production camera offers superior video handling, native 1080/24p recording, variable frame rates, professional audio capabilities, and compatibility with SDHC and SDXC media.
"The design of the AF100's advanced, custom-designed 4/3-inch sensor affords depth of field and field of view similar to that of 35mm movie cameras in a more affordable camera," said Jan Crittenden Livingston, Product Line Business Manager, Panasonic Solutions Company. "What's more, Panasonic engineering ingenuity has resolved the aliasing and moiré that has haunted the DSLR shooter. In fact, the AF100 was based on what we heard from and saw customers doing: purchasing DSLR cameras because they liked the look of the image, but then agonizing over all of the workarounds required to achieve an acceptable high definition recording."
The AF100 incorporates a large 4/3-inch, 16:9 MOS imager (with an imaging area just slightly smaller than 35mm cinema film) that minimizes skew with fast imager scanning, and incorporates an optical low pass filter for elimination of aliasing and moiré. The camcorder records 1080 at 60i, 50i, 30P, 25P (Native) and 24P (Native), and 720 at 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p and 24p native in AVCHD's highest-quality PH mode (maximum 24Mbps). The AF100 also records in AVCCAM's HA (17Mbps) and HE (6Mbps) modes, 1080i only. Ready for global production standards, the camcorder is 60Hz and 50Hz switchable. Equipped with an interchangeable micro 4/3-inch lens mount, the AF100 can utilize an array of low-cost, widely-available still camera lenses as well as film-style lenses with fixed focal lengths and primes.
Variable frame rates (VFR) are available in 1080p, selectable in 20 steps from 12p to 60p at 60Hz and 20 steps from 12p to 50p at 50Hz. The camcorder has a built-in stereo microphone and features two mic/lines, switchable XLR inputs with +48V Phantom Power capability. It can record 48-kHz/16-bit two-channel digital audio (in PH mode only) and supports LPCM/Dolby-AC3 in any of the modes.
This newest Panasonic AVCCAM camcorder is the first to enjoy the benefits of advanced SDXC media card compatibility in addition to existing SDHC card support. SDXC is the newest SD memory card specification that supports memory capacities above 32GB and up to 2TB. With two SD slots for continuous recording, the AF100 can record up to 12 hours on two 64GB SDXC cards in PH mode, with automatic clip spanning across the two cards. The AF100 offers still image capture as two megapixel (1920 x 1080) still images.
The AF100 features switchable FILM CAM and VIDEO CAM modes, with VFR operable in FILM CAM. The camcorder has a wide ISO gain setting range that allows sensitivity to be set between ISO 200 and ISO 3200 (in FILM CAM), or gain adjusted between 18 dB and-6 dB (in VIDEO CAM). It also offers a focus assist that can be used while recording, which is color-on peaking and a focus bar; area focus and area iris functions that facilitate recording when the subject is off-center; two sets of adjustable zebras; two manual black and white balance choices, and preset White Balance at 3200K, 5600K or variable; and a waveform monitor and vectorscope for more accurate monitoring of broadcast safe levels.
Weighing only 3.5 pounds (without lens or battery), the AF100 is packed with high-end features including Dynamic Range Stretch in all modes and frame rates; six built-in, customizable scene files that are exchangeable for quick and easy matching between multiple cameras; seven built-in gamma curves with four selectable color matrices; a built-in optical ND filter; adjustable shutter speed and Syncro-scan function; and a high-resolution, variable angle color LCD monitor and tiltable viewfinder. Standard professional interfaces include uncompressed 4:2:2, 8 Bit HD-SDI out, HDMI out and USB 2.0. The AF100 records SMPTE timecode and is able to perform timecode synchronizing via the video output seeing timecode in, and has an internal down-converter facilitating output of SD (480/576) signals
Other essential features include a wealth of solid-state recording modes (clip thumbnail display, pre-record;, intervalometer function that can be set for up to 24 hours); three User Buttons that can be programmed with up to 14 functions each; a Smart Battery interface for recording up to four hours with a 5800mA battery (model VW-VBG6PPK); metadata recording; and a wireless infrared remote controller.
Panasonic will support the AG-AF100 with a three-year limited warranty (one year plus two extra years upon registration) upon registration of the camera with the PASS customer support program. About Panasonic Solutions Company Panasonic Solutions Company empowers people whose jobs depend on reliable technology. The company delivers collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for customers in government, healthcare, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises. Products and services within the company's portfolio include Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computing solutions, projectors, professional displays (including both plasma and LCD), and HD and 3D video acquisition and production solutions. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic is known for the reliability and longevity of its products. Panasonic Solutions Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). All brand and company/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Information on Panasonic Solutions Company's full line of products can be obtained by calling 877-803-8492 or at www.panasonic.com/broadcast.
We may still not have an official price for the Nintendo 3DS, but it looks like you can now at least count on yet another unique gaming experience not found on other handheld systems. Konami recently announced that its "Project Loveplus" dating simulator for the system will not only take advantage of the system's 3D capabilities, but that it will also include a so-called "boyfriend lock" that uses facial recognition to prevent any virtual cheating. Apparently, if someone else picks up your 3DS and tries to play the game, your virtual girlfriend will act confused and respond with phrases like "who are you?" -- which, incidentally, is a question you might also want to ask yourself before looking for ways to import the game from Japan (yeah, don't count on this one being released over here).
So, Santa stuffed an iPad into your stocking on Christmas (insert mythical figure / appropriate receptacle / holiday of choice), and you're wondering what to do with the thing? First of all, congratulations! The iPad can be a wonderful, loyal companion and friend, but it can also take a while to warm up to. As we always say, a device is only as good as its apps, both literally and figuratively: it'll take some time to figure out what you want to get from the iTunes Store that will flesh out your experience, but it will also take some time to see which nooks and crannies of your life the iPad can fill, and what roles you'll want it to take over from your laptop and phone. Follow along after the break as we show you how to wring the most out of your shiny new tablet.
iPad apps
Entertainment
Netflix (free). We've probably spent more time watching Netflix than doing anything else on the iPad. The app is free, the service is cheap, and the content is plentiful. The UI isn't as elegant as some of the other apps, but it's what's on the queue that counts.
Hulu+ (free). Another free app, another paid service. Unlike Netflix, Hulu+ has some ads, and it's tough to swallow paying for stuff you might get for free in your web browser, but that doesn't seem to be stopping anybody -- video and the iPad were just meant to be.
Kindle (free). There are plenty of e-book services, all of them with competent iPad apps, but Kindle is our favorite. It syncs beautifully between iPhone, Kindle, iPad, and any other device you might think of, and has a very simple, fast UI.
Zinio (free). Zinio is to magazines what Kindle is to books. Instead of trying something ultra fancy and "magazine 2.0"-ey, Zinio just takes the original magazine layouts and presents them in a simple iPad view. There are free preview articles to get your feet wet, and the magazines themselves cost about the same as print subscriptions and off-the-rack copies will cost you.
Engadget(free). It's free, and it's Engadget. What more do you need to know?
Productivity
Pages ($9.99). This is the MS Word of the iPad. We wish it was a bit smarter about accessing your files (Google Docs sync, anyone?), but the great UI and surprisingly deep feature set makes it the de facto document editor for the tablet.
GoodReader ($2.99). GoodReader works as the bridge between your iPad and wherever you might've stashed your documents online. You can set it up to sync from Google Docs, MobileMe, Dropbox and more, and it has great formatting and annotating abilities for reading and marking up your PDFs or .docs.
Dropbox (free). Dropbox builds its own app for getting files on and off the cloud, and it's very good as well. You lose a bit in functionality, in comparison to GoodReader, but you gain a vastly simpler interface.
Twitter (free). This shouldn't need any explanation, but kudos to Twitter for creating a beautiful and functional #iPadapp.
Adobe Ideas (free). There are plenty of great drawing apps for the iPad (Brushes, Art Studio, and SketchBook come to mind), but Adobe Ideas is free, simple, and very pretty to look at.
Music
Beatwave (free). There are lots of ways to create beats and loops on the iPad, but Beatwave is just fun. It's free as well, though you can pay to unlock further functionality.
Virtuoso (free). Another free gem, Virtuoso is a piano. You get two rows of keys, and you can either use them both yourself (one set as the bass octaves, one for the treble, for instance), or you can flip one row around for use by a friend. "Heart and Soul," here you come!
KORG iMS-20 ($15.99). Want to make some serious music? This synth studio isn't cheap, but it's chock full of "real" equipment to truly go wild with noise and beat creation.
StudioTrack ($39.99). There are plenty of ways to make music with the iPad, but you can record music as well. StudioTrack is a full-on multitrack recorder with a price to match, complete with effects chains and in-depth mixing. It's perfect for "sketching" out song ideas -- with instruments you play on your iPhone, naturally.
Games
Rage HD ($1.99). It's a tough match between Epic's Infinity Blade and id's Rage HD when it comes to best iOS graphics, but Rage HD is the clear winner when it comes to playability on the iPad. It's an on-rails shooter, but has the frantic movement and shooting of a full-on FPS, and on the iPad's large screen it's easy to get immersed.
Solipskier ($0.99). Don't play this game. It will consume you. Your family will never see you again, and you will dream only in ski-slope rainbows.
Zombie Infection HD ($0.99). This is a straight-up ripoff of Resident Evil, but Gameloft creates great ripoffs, and this game is no exception.
Flight Control HD ($4.99). Looking for something a bit more relaxing? Flight Control HD is the Pina Colada of iPad games, with a simple mechanic of drawing lines and landing planes. You can go head to head against a friend on your iPad, or play iPad vs. iPad over WiFi.
Real Racing HD ($9.99).Real Racing HD was one of our favorite games when the iPad was first launched, and it's still great. There's something about the fact that the iPad is about the size of a steering wheel that makes racing games just feel great on the iPad, and this one's the king. However, Real Racing 2 just hit the iPhone, complete with licensed cars and better graphics, so if you're patient you might wait for that version to show up on the iPad as well.
Scrabble ($0.99). If you've got an iPhone and all your friends do too, there's only one thing left to do: play Scrabble. You get a "Tile Rack" app for each phone, and the actual Scrabble app for the iPad, and proceed to play the world's most decadent game of Scrabble.
iPad cases and accessories
Dodocase ($59.95). There are two main categories of iPad cases, and the one you'll choose depends on how you see the device: is it a reading tablet, or is it an everything else tablet? The Dodocase is the perfect example of the former, ensconching your iPad in a handcrafted Moleskine-style book.
Incase Convertible Magazine Jacket ($49.95). This case is more of the latter, taking cues from Apple's own iPad case but adding extra flexibility. It's perfect for propping the iPad up into a typing position, or protecting it from the elements. Just don't expect to impress any of your fellow hipster coffee shop campers.
Apple Keyboard Dock ($69). If you're using the iPad for writing, this dock is pretty much a must. It obviously only allows your iPad to stand vertically, but that makes the most sense for typing anyway. If you want a bit more flexibility, you can buy the iPad dock alone ($29), sans keyboard, and provide your own Bluetooth keyboard.
Pogo Stylus ($14.95). Don't expect this to turn you into Rembrandt, but if you find yourself spending a lot of time in the iPad's myriad quality drawing applications, it can't hurt.
Camera Connection Kit ($29). The iPad can't completely replace your computer (yet), but it can get pretty close with Apple's Camera Connection Kit. The two adapters let you plug in your camera's USB cable or SD card, respectively, allowing you to offload your pictures and upload them to Flickr or Facebook or wherever your heart takes you. New, unofficial kits are also emerging that combine both functions into one adapter.
Tips and tricks:
How to lock / unlock the screen rotation: In the beginning there was the orientation lock switch. And it was good. Now Apple has turned that switch into a mute switch and moved to a software lock. It's not the worst hassle, but it can be a major pain if you don't know where to find the software lock. Here's what you do: double tap the home button. That should pull up a list of recently used application (this is for fast switching between apps). You can swipe left to see even older apps, or swipe right to get a little control panel. On the left is the orientation lock / unlock button you were looking for, and there's also easy access to brightness and iPod controls.
Put Gmail on your iPad: Wait is there actually a Gmail app for the iPad? Yes and no. There's no native application, sadly, but Google has built a beautiful web UI for using Gmail on the iPad, and we recommend putting a bookmark on your home screen pronto. To add Gmail (or any website) to your homescreen, simply go to your Gmail in Safari, then tap the button directly to the left of your address bar (it's a box with an arrow coming out of it), then select the "Add to Home Screen" option. You'll get an option to name the application (we stuck with "Gmail), and then you just tap the "add" button and Safari will place the shortcut in with the rest of your iPad apps.
Getting files on and off: Sadly, one of the hardest things to do with the iPad is to put files on it. Then, once they're on, it's just as difficult to get them off. There's no file browser, like on a regular computer, and if you plug the iPad into your computer it doesn't show up as a hard drive, it just shows up in iTunes. No solution is one-size-fits-all, but here are a few of the ways we deal with this major shortcoming.
Email: Yeah, you probably thought of this already, but it's still one of the best ways to get stuff on the iPad. Just email an attached document to yourself, then open it up on the Mail app. You should get a nice thumbnail of the document, and then when you tap it, Mail will open its own preview of that document if it can. If you just wanted to view the file, that should be fine, but if you want to work on it, tap the button in the top right corner (the box with the arrow coming out of it) and you should get an option to open the file in the default application for that file type, along with an "open in..." button that lets you pick from any other applications you might have that will work with that file. After that it will be up to your application of choice how it deals with the file. If you get stuck you can always go back to the Mail app, where the original document will be waiting for you, untouched.
iTunes: It's surprisingly easy to miss, but Apple actual built some minor file management features into iTunes. Once you plug your iPad into your computer and open iTunes, you get all sorts of tabs for managing your music and movies and everything else on your device. The "apps" tab allows you to arrange applications and remove them from your device, but if you scroll down you get a "file sharing" list of applications that can give and receive documents. You simply click on the application you'd like to share a file with, tap "add," and upload a file from your computer. Similarly you can select files already on your iPad and save them to your computer from this interface.
GoodReader: There are other applications that sync files to the "cloud," but GoodReader is our favorite. You simply set it up with your Google Docs, Dropbox, MobileMe or even email account, and you can download files straight to your device and view them from within GoodReader. GoodReader also has an "Open in..." functionality for viewing and editing your files in other applications. You can sort your files into folders, download files off of websites, and connect to local servers over WiFi if you're really desperate for the digital good stuff.
Dropbox: If you're a Dropbox user, this is by far the simplest solution, providing a simple view of your online files, a lightweight viewer, and an quick shortcut to opening files in other applications.If you're not a Dropbox user, this won't do you much good.
So, that's it from us, but if you've got your own favorite apps, accessories, and trick for the iPad, please sound off in the comments below!
It was a bit too late to fend off a more than 3% drop in its stock price, but Logitech has finally come out and refuted those rumors that it was asked to halt production of its Google TV hardware until a significant update could be rolled out. As VP of corporate communications Nancy Morrison explains, Logitech "has not been asked by Google to suspend production of its Google TV products," and that such a suspension wouldn't even be necessary as "every Logitech Revue companion box will receive free over-the-air updates whenever Google and Logitech release software enhancements." That statement has now also been backed up by Logitech's official blog, which assures customers that "all's well with Logitech Revue," and that Logitech will be out in force at CES next month to demonstrate "how Google TV is transforming the TV-watching experience."
Taking a smartphone out of the box for the first time can elicit a wide spectrum of emotions, starting with unadulterated excitement that can quickly devolve into panic, chaos, and confusion: what do you do now? How do you make it awesome? How do you emanate an air of "cool" on the subway by using apps specifically designed to make you look like a badass? Well, fear not, newly-minted Android smartphone owner: as always, we've got your back. Read on for all the apps, accessories, and tips you should be investigating right this very second.
Great apps
LauncherPro (free). If you don't like the skin on your phone (we're looking right at you, Motorola owners) and you're not stoked about rooting, there's really nothing better you can do than download LauncherPro right now. This ultra-flexible home screen replacement lets you choose how many panels you'd like to see, the style of the app drawer, permanent icons for commonly-used apps, and everything in between; even if you're using a stock Android device, it's definitely worth a look. Oh, and the basic version is free.
Widgetsoid (free). You know that Power Control widget that Android includes? It's pretty handy for doing things like disabling Bluetooth when you're not using it -- but really, how often do you need to turn off account sync or automatic brightness control? Not very often... and that's where Widgetsoid comes into play. Basically, it lets you configure the heck out of home screen widgets that look completely stock but can include dozens of different toggles for managing various aspects of your phone like airplane, WiFi tethering, and so on.
TweetDeck (free). The official Twitter app isn't bad, especially since it's got native contact integration... but it's got a couple fatal flaws: it doesn't support multiple accounts, and notifications seem to be inconsistent at best. Fortunately, the Android version of TweetDeck stays true to the software's desktop and iPhone formula, offering multiple filtered "columns" of tweets, each of which can be configured individually for notifications and refresh times. It also supports Buzz, Facebook, and Foursquare accounts -- and since it's free, it's worth a shot.
Astrid (free, $4.99 with Power Pack). Most days, we've got exactly one item on our task list: "break news." For you, though, the story might be different. While it doesn't have the simplest or cleanest UI in the world, Astrid is an amazingly powerful to-do manager that can sync with Google Tasks and Remember The Milk; buying the $5 Power Pack adds some neat extra capabilities like unlimited alarms set to go off at times of your choosing (this used to be a free feature, but considering how many times Astrid has saved our butts, the one-time $5 outlay seems justified).
Pandora (free). We wanted to recommend one of the $10 / month unlimited download services like Rhapsody or Rdio, but frankly, they're not ready yet -- every one we've used on Android has been buggy, unintuitive, and generally opposed to letting you enjoy your music trouble-free. Pandora, meanwhile, is free, stable, and slick. Granted, you won't be able to listen to stations offline -- but for pulling some fresh tunes into the tired aural repertoire you've got stored on your phone's microSD card, there's really no easier way to do it.
Audiogalaxy (free). If you prefer to take your own tunes on the go, and either don't have enough space or enough time to bother syncing the entire collection constantly, Audiogalaxy give you access to your entire collection, no matter where you are. There's almost no configuration required, install the desktop app on your PC or Mac and the free mobile app on your phone and it will stream the entire library -- playlists, album art, Last.fm scrobbling and all -- at your request. There are other ways to stream your library from one place to another, but none are this simple.
Swype (free). Can't find it in the Android Market? No worries -- you need to go directly through the company's website to register for the beta version -- but trust us, it's worth it. Swype is one of the more innovative touchscreen input methods to pop up in the last several years, and it's not different just for the sake of being different: for many users, it's actually a good deal quicker than a standard virtual keyboard. Basically, you drag a line between letters in each word, and the software figures out what you're trying to type -- a little bit like connecting the dots -- and it's amazingly accurate most of the time. It's so good, in fact, that many manufacturers have started bundling it in ROM -- but if you don't have it, you can grab it.
SwiftKey (free trial, $3.99 full). Okay, so maybe Swype isn't your bag; we know it's not for everyone. Another option is SwiftKey, which moves beyond the concept of predictive text and actually tries to predict entire phrases -- and it does so surprising accuracy that becomes even more accurate as you use it.
WorldMate (free). If you picked an Android phone over pretty much any other mobile OS, chances are you did so at least in part due to having Google Maps Navigation on board. We're taking a little liberty in deeming you an argonaut, but if you're even a casual traveler, you owe it to yourself to pick up WorldMate. All the buzz is on TripIt, but we tend to prefer WorldMate's UI. There hasn't been a confirmation email yet that it didn't like, and it intelligently updates both your app and web profile immediately. Notifications are also spot-on, and if you have two confirmation numbers for a single flight (read: you and your gal / dude are flying on the same bird, but booked via different avenues), it'll properly sort that as well. The only problem? It looks awful when empty, so get to planning!
Angry Birds (free) and Angry Birds Seasons (also free). If you don't know what Angry Birds is by now, well... we're not entirely sure we believe you. Be that as it may, this is a must-have game for virtually any smartphone that serves up levels in bite-size pieces that are perfect for the odd free moment in your hectic schedule here and there. And trust us, you'll fall in love with the evil pigs.
Engadget (free). Frankly, your phone is little more than a paperweight until you get this titan of the Android Market installed.
Great accessories
Extended battery. One of the problems of owning a great smartphone (if you can really call it a problem) is that you're going to be using it all the time. Trust us: literally all the time. That means that for most models, there'll be days where you just barely squeeze by before your battery gives up the ghost -- and let's be honest, getting stuck anywhere but home without a working phone is a scary thought indeed. One option is to hook up with a third-party battery vendor like Seidio, which makes extended batteries for a wide variety of models -- and some of them even fit in your existing battery cover without adding thickness. An extra half-hour or hour of run time might not sound like much, but try saying that to yourself as your depleted phone starts powering down.
Good headphones. The headphones that are often bundled with devices are widely known to be total garbage -- sure, they're fine for taking the occasional hands-free call, but trying to enjoy music on 'em is usually an exercise in futility. Spend less than $100 on a set like Etymotic's ER6i or Shure's SE115 and your ears will thank you for years to come.
Big (and fast) microSD card. Odds are your phone comes bundled with a microSD card of somewhere between 2 and 16GB. If you're on the high end of that spectrum, you might find that it's enough storage for you -- and manufacturers sometimes do a good job of including high-quality, high-speed cards -- but if you need more, invest in a name-brand card with the highest Class rating you can find. That 32GB Class 2 card might be calling your name, but beware that performing a DoubleTwist sync for the first time on a card that large (and slow) can take several hours to complete.
Tips and tricks
Some people prefer old-school drag-and-drop music management, which is a piece of cake with Android -- but if you want something more akin to iTunes, give DoubleTwist a try.
Looking to install apps from somewhere other than the Android Market? Swype, Citibank, EA, and many others require that you go outside Android's official app store, but by default, you're not allowed to. To change that, go to Settings, choose Applications, and check the "Unknown sources" box. If your phone has that setting disabled (AT&T models, for example), we recommend trying Android Central's Sideload Wonder Machine.
In many screens, pressing and holding your phone's Menu key will call up the virtual keyboard, allowing you to access shortcuts that are usually reserved for phones with physical keyboards. They won't all work, but some do (try "c" while in Gmail for composing a new email, for instance).
Press and hold the Search button to bring up Android's Voice Actions system, which allows you to do all sorts of neat stuff with natural voice commands.
If you want to dispense of that extra step of unlocking your screen when you bring your phone out of sleep, try NoLock (free) in the Android Market -- it doesn't work on every device, but it's worth a shot.
You know who you are, hipsters. You're the kind of person who isn't satisfied with merely taking a photo of your Pabst Blue Ribbon with your iPhone 4: you have to make it old timey before you Tweet it, Facebook it, Instagram it, print it out and mail a physical copy of it to your best friend from the third grade... oh wait, that last one's just us. Well, you're in luck: you can now pretend like your brand new, high def videos are also from the olden days, just like your faux old timey photos. The new app, called 8mm Vintage Camera will add dust particles, scratches and age for you in seconds via a fun set of 'unique' filters. Sounds like a hoot, right? It's available for $2 in the app store right now for iOS devices. You know you want it. Video demo after the break.
Apple said last week that it expected its new Apple TV to cross the one million mark in sales before Christmas, and it's now quietly confirmed that it's managed to do just that. For those keeping score, that means it's sold a million in three months, which is certainly impressive for something Apple still describes as a "hobby," although that description does have the peculiar tendency to lower expectations somewhat. As you may recall, Roku also announced last week that it expected to sell a million units before the end of the year, and its CEO noted that the introduction of the new Apple TV actually seems to have led to a spike in sales of its own media streamers.
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
Eco transportation took off this week as researchers in Sweden discovered a new molecule that could make rocket fuel 30 percent more efficient. We also caught up with Russia's plans to construct a new high-speed rail system for the 2018 World Cup, and we saw several major auto manufacturers give their vehicles green upgrades - Ford announced it will insulate its 2010 Focus with recycled jeans, and Chevrolet launched plans to transform 100,000 pounds of used oil booms into parts for the Volt.
Speaking of spreading renewable cheer, this month Japan's Enoshima Aquarium unveiled the world's first Christmas tree powered by an electric eel. The FAA also got into the holiday spirit as they approved a next-gen Santa sleigh that delivers gifts 53% faster, and if you unwrapped a new video game system this year, you may be interested to know that the Nintendo Wii was recently crowned the most energy-efficient next-gen gaming console. Finally, if the wintry weather has you feeling down, just take a peek inside this supermassive airship hangar, transformed into a year-round tropical island getaway.
What you're looking at above is a real, actual object found in the material world. It's an Etch-a-Sketch so modified, as to look like a glorious leftover from a bygone era that never was. What era, you ask? Oh, the Victorian era -- so named for the United Kingdom's longest reigning monarch -- with a great dash of fancy added into the mix. We're talking alternate history, people! A history so wonderful, so beautiful, that a lowly red plastic Etch-a-Sketch could end up both complex and inordinately heavy looking. Made by an industrious youth as a Christmas gift for a chum, we couldn't imagine a better way to make this boring old gadget look so jolly well festive. Hurrah!
There are run-of-the-mill KIRFs, above-average KIRFs, and this. While we've definitely been privy to a few comical iPhone / iPod knockoffs over the years, there's a certain layer of hilariousness to this one that just can't be beat. The iPod nano watch isn't even a genuine Apple product; in fact, it's simply a mod that's so easy, your mum could probably pull it off with minimal effort. That clearly hasn't stopped the factories in Shenzhen from churning out an iPod nano watch knockoff, complete with a 1.8-inch resistive touchscreen, inbuilt SIM card slot, Bluetooth, a microSD slot, FM radio tuner, a side-mounted camera sensor and a speaker for good measure. You'll even get a fancy "Slide to Unlock" screen before being able to dig into the underlying UI, but that chintzy plastic wrist strap all but destroys any respect it was hoping to garner. Thankfully, the unit you're peering at above is being dubbed an "engineering prototype," with the final version expected to boast a 3.5mm headphone jack and a modicum of self-worth. We'll see, won't we?
In case you needed any more evidence that Sony is ramping up to launch a gaming system on a phone in the next few months, here you go: Japanese rag Asahi Shimbun says that the PlayStation Phone -- which could be known as the Zeus Z1, Xperia Play, or something else altogether by the time it's on store shelves -- is expected in the spring of 2011 for a North American and European release. That lines up with virtually everything we've been hearing lately, and it's also fortuitous timing considering that both CES and MWC are right around the corner; we don't know what Sony Ericsson might have on tap for CES, but we definitely know they're planning some new Xperia-branded models for MWC. There are many questions left unanswered -- how (and if) any of this ties into the standalone PSP2, how gaming titles will be purchased, and how many models will be available that support the platform, just to name a few -- but hopefully Sony can clear all that up here within the next few weeks.
Been questioning the value of having omnipresent surveillance cameras tracking your every move? Well, if you're an outlaw, you still won't like them, but for the rest of us law-abiding types, London's Metropolitan Police has a comforting stat to share: almost six crimes a day are being resolved with the help of CCTV footage. It's being used primarily to aid the identification of perps on the run, and the number of suspects identified as a result has gone up to 2,512 this year. There is a bright light for criminals, however, as the Met admits digital recordings aren't kept around as long as VHS ones used to be, meaning that if you slip the dragnet once, you'll probably be alright. So good news for everyone!
Extended battery. One of the problems of owning a great smartphone (if you can really call it a problem) is that you're going to be using it all the time. Trust us: literally all the time. That means that for most models, there'll be days where you just barely squeeze by before your battery gives up the ghost -- and let's be honest, getting stuck anywhere but home without a working phone is a scary thought indeed. One option is to hook up with a third-party battery vendor like Seidio, which makes extended batteries for a wide variety of models -- and some of them even fit in your existing battery cover without adding thickness. An extra half-hour or hour of run time might not sound like much, but try saying that to yourself as your depleted phone starts powering down.
Big (and fast) microSD card. Odds are your phone comes bundled with a microSD card of somewhere between 2 and 16GB. If you're on the high end of that spectrum, you might find that it's enough storage for you -- and manufacturers sometimes do a good job of including high-quality, high-speed cards -- but if you need more, invest in a name-brand card with the highest Class rating you can find. That 32GB Class 2 card might be calling your name, but beware that performing a DoubleTwist sync for the first time on a card that large (and slow) can take several hours to complete.
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