As you're undoubtedly well aware, the chicken's vestibulo-ocular reflex and gaze stabilizing function (Google it!) is highly evolved, making it just the thing for steadying your camera. Of course, you need access to live poultry, a tiny camera, some sort of rubber band, and the patience and skill to befriend a rooster and bring him to your film shoots. You've already seen one loyal Engadget reader's fledgling attempts at the Chicken Powered Steadicam™, but you can rest assured that this fowl gadget (groan) is constantly in development. Check out our friend Jeremiah's video after the break to see comparison shots between a rooster cam, a handheld camera, and one just sort of strapped to Jeremiah's head.
As the story goes, Russia-based AFK Sistema's subsidiary Sitronics (along with US' Qualcomm and and China's ZTE) have developed the first smartphone to use GLONASS -- specifically one with a 90nm GPS-GLONASS chip. It's been called, in so many words, the "Russian answer to the iPhone 4" by the Powers That Be, and without getting into key details like platform and specs, we know officially the phone is going on sale in Russian sometime in March for 10,990 rubles (about $360 in US).
For other details on the device, we seek more unofficial (and therefore not 100 percent confirmed) sources, like the notably well-connected Eldar Murtazin. According to him, we're looking at the ZTE model A918, an analog of the A916 with Android 2.1, a 3.2-inch QVGA screen, FM radio, and 2 megapixel camera -- yeah, hardly an iPhone 4 competitor, if you ask us. That version is supposedly launching on MTS for 7,500 rubles ($246), meaning the GLONASS-equipped equivalent has a 3,490 ruble ($114) markup. And the March release? Apparently in limited quantities, with mass production not coming until second half of 2011. Unfortunately, we're not sure this one'll be making an appearance at CES for further inspection. Check out the video after the break for a cameo of the device featuring Putin, Russian billionaire (and head of AFK Sistema) Vladimir Yevtushenkov, and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov.
Welcome to Growing Up Geek, a new feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. This week we have our very own Associate Editor, Vlad Savov.
Yes, I grew up in the monochromatic nation of Bulgaria. As geek starts go, I doubt anyone could come up with a more unlikely one than being born in a village in the southwest corner of a country known more for its sporting and culinary exports than any sort of technical expertise. That's not to say that Bulgaria was a tech backwater, but it's the sort of place where you spent more time reading about gadgets than actually using them. Fortunately for me, my mother worked in a local computer club, where the bright youth of the day would gather to use Pravetz machines -- finely crafted Bulgarian Apple II KIRFs -- and it was a spot that I would inevitably retreat to after a thoroughly regimented school day. That's another thing about growing up in the former Communist bloc: education was intensive and rigorous, though you shouldn't let that rebelliously turned up collar in the image above fool you, I was madly in love with my studies (as any true nerd should be). Somewhere between that boy pushing buttons and tearing down floppy diskettes for fun and the current London-based cynic pumping out copy for Engadget during the American night shift, my life happened.
A frank and open discussion of my geek credentials must commence with the confession that my love for gadgets is not unconditional. I like them, don't get me wrong -- some of them I even love and the ones I own figure prominently among my most valued possessions. But I'm no Chris Ziegler. I don't find scientific calculators alluring simply because their cold electronic hearts beat to a digital rhythm. My relationship with any device is entirely an exploitative one: it's about what you can do for me. I've done my part, whether in spending my carefully pinched pennies to buy that Game Boy KIRF or in putting together a lovingly constructed Athlon Thunderbird PC. What follows should be the fulfillment of the gadget's side of the bargain. Admittedly, in most cases that amounted to just turning on and staying stable while I played Tetris and Snake, but the first precondition for my affections was that a machine would do what it claims to do. Call me crazy!
Getting back to a more chronological narrative, I'd say there wasn't much hot gadget action in my life until I jumped on a plane to London way back in 1997. It wasn't long thereafter that my techie passions were inflamed to their peak by my first encounter with the original PlayStation. Coming from a land of older-gen Nintendo KIRFs, I had no idea what this 3D graphics madness was all about, so you can imagine the adolescent wonder that befell me upon playing my first bout of Tekken 3. I'd call it a life changer if I could pinpoint what exactly it changed for me -- gaming had already become the third cell type inhabiting my bloodstream -- but in terms of its own industry, Sony's console redefined what we could expect from modest-looking boxes stuffed with electronics. Film was no longer the most immersive format, games had grown up.
Playing about on consoles was just a diversion, however. The PC was and remains the place I feel most at home at and in 1999, I obtained my very first personal, as in one I didn't have to share with anyone else, computer. It served as the conduit through which I first met the World Wide Web and helped me nerd out for days weeks on end with such classics as Championship Manager, the Total War games, and the daddy of them all, Civilization (every one in the series). I learned what words like "theology" meant just by playing Sid Meier's classic, but for once, it wasn't just games taking up my attention. A little program named Photoshop crossed my radar in the early '00s and its expanse of tweaking, corrective and creative options has been fascinating me ever since. My interest in sports led to me joining online fan communities where young gents of my age would compete to create the most compelling desktop wallpaper featuring their favorite overpaid athlete, and many a night were spent composing such magazine-worthy collages in an unlit bedroom. Time well spent, I'm sure you'll agree.
On a more serious note, my experience with Photoshop does illustrate the most wonderful thing about technology in my eyes: its typically multifunctional nature allows you to learn new things and develop new skills all while having fun and exploring the capabilities laid out before you. Maybe humanity was capable of doing such things before graphical user interfaces and a massively interconnected globe became the norm, but there's no denying that it's much easier today. A question like "can you fly over the top of a thunderstorm in New York on your way to Las Vegas" can be answered instead of withering away in the back of your mind. Like an extremely knowledgeable friend, the web actively stimulates curiosity, though unlike such a friend, it tends to keep its condescension in check.
So, you surmise, being a web fanboy with fingers crafty enough to know their way around a motherboard, I was a perfect fit to write for Engadget? Well, perhaps, but my working life was headed down (I use that word advisedly) a very different trajectory before the Engadget Express crashed straight into it. I had studied the social sciences for most of my academic career, culminating in a couple of law degrees, and found myself suffering the unfortunately all too common trudge that is a London office job. Few things were further from my mind at that time than attending international trade shows, McLaren supercar unveilings, or being seated in the WiFi deadzone immediately behind Peter Chou as he unveiled HTC's latest Android phones. But now each of those things has taken place, in spite of me technically being better qualified to draft a prenuptial agreement than a mobile app worth its salt.
If there's a trite moral to be gleaned from this meandering exposition, it's that opportunities arise from strange places. You just have to be prepared to grab them and then hope that you're lucky enough to find a mentor halfway as awesome as our legendary Thomas Ricker.
You didn't think Barnes & Noble was just going to let Amazon rest on its "vague sales milestones" laurels, did you? The veteran bookseller just announced that the Nook lineup -- 3G, WiFi, and the new Nook Color combined -- has become "the company's biggest bestseller ever in its nearly 40-year history." That's bigger than Barnes & Noble's sales (note: not global sales) of DaVinci Code or any of the Harry Potter novels. Unfortunately, we can't say exactly just how many that is, as the press release only announces "millions" being sold. A B&N rep we spoke with told us they likely wouldn't specify any further, nor would there likely be a breakdown of sales by individual model.
Other notable factoids include Nook Color's reign as the company's "number one selling gift of the holiday season" and nearly one million "Nook books" downloaded on Christmas Day. In fact, the company now sells more digital books than it does physical books over BN.com (i.e. not including books sold in brick-and-mortar stores). Wish we had some hard figures, but hey, if any company is going to mince words in a sales announcement, it might as well be a book company, right? Press release after the break.
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NOOK™ Line of eReading Devices Becomes Barnes & Noble's Biggest Bestseller in Its History
NOOKcolor™ is Company's Top Holiday Gift
Millions of NOOK™ Devices and Expansive Digital Catalog Combine to Result in Nearly One Million NOOKbooks Sold on Christmas Day
New York, New York – December 30, 2010 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller, today announced that with millions of NOOK eReading devices sold, the line has become the company's biggest bestseller ever in its nearly 40-year history. The new NOOKcolor Reader's Tablet, introduced just eight weeks before Christmas, is the company's number one selling gift of the holiday season. Barnes & Noble also announced that it now sells more digital books than its large and growing physical book business on BN.com, the world's second largest online bookstore. With its growth across device and NOOKbook™ sales over the critical holiday selling season, Barnes & Noble has successfully established itself as a leader in digital reading.
Demand for the critically acclaimed NOOKcolor remained high following the product's introduction in late October through the holidays. Sales have continued to exceed the company's high expectations. In addition to a great customer response, NOOKcolor has received high praise and critical acclaim from leading technology and consumer media outlets including being named "Editors' Choice" and the "Best Android Tablet of The Year." The company also experienced robust sales for its award-winning line of NOOK 3G and Wi-Fi devices, which feature an E-Ink display and a color touchscreen for navigation.
The company also reported record holiday sales from its comprehensive two-million-title catalog, including nearly one million NOOKbooks purchased and downloaded on Christmas Day alone. Through Barnes & Noble's eReading offerings, customers can buy and read their NOOKbooks on the widest range of platforms, including NOOKcolor, NOOK 3G, Wi-Fi®, and using NOOK apps on popular devices including iPad™, iPhone®, Android™ smartphones and more. Among the best-selling titles of the holiday season were James Patterson's Cross Fire, Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Confession by John Grisham, and Decision Points by former U.S. President George W. Bush.
"NOOKcolor became the gift of choice over the holidays for people who love to read everything – books, magazines, newspapers, children's books and more – in rich, beautiful color," said William Lynch, CEO of Barnes & Noble. "The success of NOOKcolor, along with our unique ability to market NOOK devices to readers in our stores and through our strong channel partnerships with Best Buy, Walmart and Books-a-Million, resulted in the continued explosive growth of our Digital Content business and our NOOK line, our most successful products ever. We have a large online book business at BN.com, that's been recently growing. And the fact that eBook unit sales now exceed physical book sales through BN.com, illustrates how quickly we've grown this exciting new business at Barnes & Noble."
NOOKcolor is the first full-color touch Reader's Tablet that integrates books, magazines, newspapers and children's books – all in amazing, rich color in a device that weighs less than a pound. It features a stunning 7-inch VividView™ Color Touchscreen and is the most social reading device ever built. NOOKcolor is available at your local Barnes & Noble store and at www.NOOKcolor.com, as well as Best Buy, Walmart and Books-A-Million stores.
About NOOK™ from Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble's NOOK brand of eReading products makes it easy to read what you love, anywhere you like™ with a fun, easy-to-use and immersive digital reading experience. With NOOK, customers gain access to Barnes & Noble's expansive NOOKbook™ Store of more than two million digital titles, and the ability to enjoy content across a wide array of popular devices. NOOK products are the most full-featured, dedicated eReading devices on the market. NOOKcolor ($249), the first full-color touch Reader's Tablet, provides the ultimate reading experience with a stunning 7-inch VividView™ Color Touchscreen to read all of the content you love. For book lovers, NOOK 3G ($199) and NOOK Wi-Fi® ($149) offer a paper-like reading experience with a color touchscreen for navigation. In Barnes & Noble stores, NOOK owners can access free Wi-Fi connectivity, enjoy the Read In Store™ feature to read NOOKbooks for free, and the More In Store™ program, which offers free, exclusive content and special promotions. Barnes & Noble was the first company to offer digital lending for a wide selection of books through its LendMe™ technology, available through NOOK eReading products. Find NOOK devices in Barnes & Noble stores and online at www.NOOK.com, as well as at Best Buy, Walmart and Books-A-Million.
In addition to NOOK devices, Barnes & Noble makes it easy for customers to enjoy any book, anytime, anywhere with its free line of NOOK software, available at www.bn.com/NOOKapps. Customers can use Barnes & Noble's free eReading software to access and read books from their personal Barnes & Noble digital library on devices including iPad™, iPhone®, iPod touch®, Android™, BlackBerry® and other smartphones, PC, and Mac®. Lifetime Library™ helps ensure that Barnes & Noble customers will always be able to access their digital libraries on NOOK products and software-enabled devices and BN.com. Barnes & Noble also offers NOOKstudy™ (www.NOOKstudy.com), an innovative study platform and software solution for higher education and NOOK kids™ (www.NOOKkids.com), a collection of digital picture and chapter books for children.
For more information on NOOK devices and eReading software, updates, new NOOKbook releases, Free Friday™ NOOKbooks and more, follow us on www.twitter.com/eBooksBN and www.facebook.com/NOOKBN.
ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE, INC. Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 717 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, also operates 633 college bookstores serving nearly 4 million students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the United States. Barnes & Noble is the nation's top bookseller brand for the seventh year in a row, as determined by a combination of the brand's performance on familiarity, quality, and purchase intent; the top bookseller in quality for the second year in a row and the number two retailer in trust, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web's largest e-commerce sites, which also features more than two million titles in its NOOKbook™ Store (www.bn.com/NOOKbooks). Through Barnes & Noble's NOOKTM eReading product offering, customers can buy and read NOOKbooks on the widest range of platforms, including NOOK eReaders, devices from partner companies, and hundreds of the most popular mobile and computing devices using free NOOK software.
General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company's corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.
NOOK™, NOOKcolor™, NOOKbooks™, NOOKnewsstand™, VividView™, NOOKfriends™, AliveTouch™, LendMe™, ArticleView™, Daily Shelf™, NOOKfriends™, NOOK kids™, NOOKstudy™ , NOOKdeveloper™, ReadAloud™, NOOKbook Personal Shopping™, Read In Store™, More In Store™, Free Friday™, PubIt!™, Lifetime Library™, Read What You Love. Anywhere You Like™ and Touch the Future of Reading™ are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc. Other trademarks referenced in this release are the property of their respective owners.
Follow Barnes & Noble on Twitter (www.bn.com/twitter), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/barnesandnoble) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/BNStudio).
This is great news for the mom of at least one Engadget editor (who has been despairing at her inability to share e-books with Aunt Kathy). That's right: Amazon has enabled Kindle book loaning on select titles. Of course, there are caveats: books can be loaned only once, for a period of fourteen days. As you'd suspect, the loaned books can be read using the e-reader itself or the free Kindle app for any of your various devices (including iOS, BlackBerry, Android, PC, and Mac). While a book is being borrowed you can't read it yourself, and the publisher has the final word on which titles are eligible for lending. Exciting, right? At least as exciting as the opportunity to finally discover what The Secret Life of Bees might be.
Wasn't long ago that we found hard evidence of a WiMAX-capable MiFi from Novatel in the FCC -- and now, we might have the first press shot of it. Of course, press shots are always prettier than the actual devices, but even if you beat this image with the ugly stick for a minute or two, we're pretty sure it'd still be a good deal more handsome than the first-gen 3G MiFi that Sprint, Verizon, and others are using currently. No word on when this might launch, but with FCC certification under its belt, it's plausible that we'll see it next week at CES -- probably without the tipster's own professionally-Photoshopped status light below the battery indicator, we'd bet.
Apple's AirPlay might be getting all the attention lately but it's hardly the first solution for wirelessly streaming media to the television. Far from it. In 2003, the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) formed with its first set of interoperable products hitting the market in 2004. Since then, the alliance has certified thousands of products supported by more than 245 member companies, 29 of whom are listed as "promoter members" including such heavyweights as Sony, Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba, Verizon, AT&T Lab, LG, Qualcomm, Cisco, Microsoft, Panasonic, Intel, HP, and Motorola. Pretty much everyone but Apple. Recently, HTC joined the DLNA ranks with the introduction of two smartphones -- the Desire Z and Desire HD -- and a tiny media streamer known as the HTC Media Link, HTC's first attempt to gain a foothold in the living room. Over the last week we've been testing the Desire Z (a Eurofied T-Mobile G2) with the Media Link, lazily streaming video, music, and images around the house using a myriad of sources and controllers from Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and Western Digital. How did it perform? Click through to find out.
To say that HTC's Media Link is small is an understatement. It measures just 71.5 x 45 x 8-mm which is about two-thirds the length and width of a credit card and about as thick as a stack of nine. It's so small that we thought that our friendly government import agents had stolen it from the box that had obviously been jimmied open for inspection while en route to our European test lab. The DLNA 1.5 hardware is easily dwarfed by HTC's modular wall plug (which is already pretty small). As a result, the streamer's placement is easily overwhelmed by the tension of the attached microUSB-to-USB and miniHDMI-to-HDMI cables that come bundled with the device. Not that these are complaints, it's just surprising to see a media streamer this small when we're used to the relative bulk of more traditional streamers from Roku, Western Digital, and Popcorn Hour. The only other remarkable physical feature on the Media Link is an unremarkable button on the front with an LED indicator letting you know if the device is on and serving up WiFi.
One thing that we miss is a 3.5-mm jack to give us more control over the audio output. The Media Link is so portable that you're bound to pack it up and use it in situations where a decent amplifier isn't available -- like, say, in a conference room with a projector or connected to a hotel room TV. Situations ideally accompanied by a set of small but powerful portable travel speakers.
Setup
Out of the box there isn't much to setup and it should take no more than five minutes to have up and running. Unfortunately for us, we plugged the Media Link directly into the HDMI jack of our projector -- a two year old Epson EH-TW420 -- and nothing happened. We rebooted the Media Link a few times, reinserted the HDMI cable and still, nothing. No signal detected. Before shipping it back to HTC though, we attached the Media Link to a Viewsonic monitor and voila, success. The Media Link sprung to life with a familiar HTC Sense startup chime and graphics.
From there we could change the default password and tell the streamer to either attach to our local WiFi network or act as a standalone 802.11n 5GHz WiFi hotspot. We tested it both ways, though for home use it certainly makes sense for it to be joined to your local WiFi network. Otherwise, you'll be forced to constantly switch networks whenever you want to make the jump from internet access to streaming media over to the Media Link. Regardless, we like the flexibility here.
It's worth mentioning that HTC is developing a Media Link app that will help you quickly switch between the Media Link hotspot and your home network. It's headed to the HTC Hub but it wasn't yet available for download at the time of this review.
Streaming
You won't be regularly streaming 1080p Matroska Blu-ray rips from your storage constrained handset so we began our testing with a real-world scenario: using the Connected Media app found on the Desire Z to stream The Engadget Show podcast video already synchronized to our handset. This worked perfectly, whether the Media Link was setup as its own WiFi hotspot or as a member of our home WiFi network (located about 30 feet from our wireless router) without any hiccups in performance, thus erasing our initial frustration with the projector setup. Same with our on-device audio collection and the images and video captured by the Desire Z's camera -- it just worked.
In general, streaming content that the Media Link recognized (more on that later) stored on our HTC Desire Z worked most of the time -- we'd say about one in ten uses resulted in some kind of unexpected behavior. Foibles ranged from the wrong picture being displayed when selecting individual images from a photo album, volume controls not responding, unexpected delays or resets, and large videos unceremoniously quitting (and requiring a restart from the beginning) while trying to scrub forward or back. We were disappointed to discover the lack of album art support on streamed music and our inability to fast forward or rewind our streaming audio or video -- you can only skip to the next or previous items in the playlist. Other issues that frustrated the experience included the occasional WiFi dropouts, and our inability to ever get the Media Link to work with our home theater projector. Nothing to get too worked up over, mind you, because when it worked (which was most of the time) it was fantastic and dead simple to operate. And the fact that we could use the Desire Z to select compatible media from our Windows 7 laptop (Microsoft built DLNA support into the OS) and Mac running the Twonky Server (sold separately) was just icing on the cake. We even managed to sneak a Galaxy S in to share some photographs.
Unfortunately, not all DLNA devices are built the same. Like many alliances, vendors grow weary of debating the merits of their enhanced feature suggestions in hopes of gaining formal ratification in the published standard. As such, in time, it becomes difficult to know where the DLNA spec ends and the manufacturers' customizations begin. We were already baffled by the stated Media Link requirement for "a DLNA-compatible HTC phone" coming into the review. Was that tacit admission of incompatibilities or just an attempt to promote HTC's own products? After all, DLNA certified devices should play nice with eachother, right? Not always, as we discovered when testing with the very popular Galaxy S from Samsung and WD TV Live HD from Western Digital.
Galaxy S owners are already familiar with DLNA, or at least they should be since the AllShare player / server is one of the handset's primary features. Things looked promising in our early testing allowing us to stream photographs captured by the Galaxy S to the HTC Media Link when usng the S or Desire Z as the controller. We started having difficulties, however, when we began to test audio streaming between the Galaxy S and Desire Z. Although we could stream audio fine from AllPlay direct from the Galaxy S to the Media Link, we could not initiate the stream from the Galaxy S when using the HTC Desire Z as the controller. When trying to browse media from the audio folder the Desire Z kicked back a curious error message saying "no photo or video files" could be found -- even though we were looking for audio. And yes, we had the AllPlay server configured to automitcally accept all video, audio, and picture requests. We also ran into what seems to be a codec issue when trying to stream H.264 videos captured natively to a .MP4 container by the camera on the Galaxy S. Unsurprisingly, it also didn't work when using the Desire Z as the controller to launch the stream off the Galaxy S. We even transferred the Galaxy S video to the Desire Z and still couldn't get it to stream to the HTC Media Link even though it would play fine locally on the HTC handset.
Just for kicks, we decided to further test cross-platform DLNA compatibility between the Desire Z and a Western Digital WD TV Live HD we have sitting on our network. Again, while things generally worked, we had issues that manifested themselves by the WD box showing up as busy (even though it was idle) and therefore unable to accept a content stream from the Z. The most irritating issue, however, was watching the Desire Z connection drop immediately after initiating a stream to the WD box such that it could no longer control the content playing on the display.
Perhaps this partially explains why Apple -- a very prominent DLNA Alliance holdout -- doesn't want to get caught up in the non-standard standards nonsense that results in the kind of incompatibilities we saw when testing the HTC Media Link and Desire Z with the DLNA certified Samsung Galaxy S handset and WD TV Live HD streamer. Other than 3G (UMTS) video calling, it's hard to think of a more widely deployed and useful technology that's as underutilized as DLNA. In fact, your TV might already support DLNA media streaming if your set features built-in WiFi or an Ethernet jack. It's more commonly implemented than you think. And like Apple's proprietary FaceTime video calling solution, AirPlay is another shameless attempt to exploit industry incoherence and the consumer ignorance that has grown up around DLNA in order to differentiate Cupertino's own products. A shame really, but we'll take it if they can improve upon the user experience in typical Apple fashion. But we digress.
We then turned our attention to testing the Media Link's codec support. The spec sheet claims video support for 3GP, WMV, MPEG4, H.263, H.264, and XVID; audio support for AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-WB, MP3, and WMA; and GIF, JPEG, BMP image support. We started by hammering the H.264 codec with a number of unprotected H.264/MPEG-4 AVC movie trailers created using a variety of H.264 profiles in both 720p and 1080p formats -- all of which were packed into MP4 containers. Most of these failed to stream to the HTC Media Link from either the Desire Z handset, Windows 7 PC, or Mac running Twonky Server. One 720p file did manage to stream to the Media Link even though it wouldn't play locally from the Desire Z's microSD card. Another 720p file streamed fine off the Windows 7 PC for playback on the Desire Z but not the Media Link -- leading us to wonder how it was possible that the Media Link didn't support at least as many codecs as HTC's own handset. The 720p Engadget Show recorded to H.264 in a MP4 container worked fine in every test as did a few DVDs ripped to H.264 in .AVI containers. Unfortunately, after testing a couple of dozen sample files, it was clear that the Media Link suffered from a rather narrow list of codec support such that we were ultimately surprised anytime a new test file actually streamed.
By comparison, the WD TV Live HD successfuly streamed every test file over DLNA, and at 1080p when available, and connected to our home theater projector.
Wrap up
We suspect that many of you would be pleased to wirelessly stream the photos and home videos captured by your new HTC smartphone to the living room television. A proposition made all the more compelling if you could also stream your collection of digital videos, audio, and photos from any Windows 7 PC, Twonky-fied Mac, or big fat DLNA-compliant NAS server. Unfortunately, the €119.99 / £99.99 HTC Media Link is hamstrung by a high price tag and rather paltry list of supported codecs that pales in comparison to $100ish DLNA streamers like Western Digital's incredibly flexible and feature rich WD TV Live series. Hell, even Roku is promising DLNA support in the near future. So we can't recommend the Media Link as the primary, cross-platform gateway to stream your digital media collection to the living room television. However, it could prove useful as a highly portable accessory that lets you quickly share the media captured by your new HTC handset to an HDMI-equipped display. But what really sells us on the Media Link is the idea of setting up a portable WiFi network in the hotel room that lets us stream compatible media off the laptop to the hotel television while lying in bed using HTC's Desire Z or Desire HD as the remote control -- naked of course, holding a turkey leg. Unfortunately, we suspect that HTC had hoped for a larger, more genteel demographic with its first foray into the digital living room.
It's an open secret at this point that HTC is almost certainly working on one or more tablets for introduction in 2011 -- and with heavyweights like Samsung, Motorola, and LG all playing the game (or about to play the game), really, how could they not? PocketNow has unearthed a very fresh trademark filing with the US PTO -- filed this past Sunday -- for "HTC Scribe," described as a "handheld wireless device, namely, a tablet computer." Doesn't get much more definitive than that. Of course, companies file for marks that they don't ultimately end up using all the time -- from their perspective, it's better to shoot first and ask questions later -- so it's not a slam dunk, but when you think about it, Scribe could actually be an awesome name for a little Honeycomb tablet. Only question is, are we going to see this stuff next week at CES or in February at MWC?
Haven't had enough CES titillation yet? Good. ASUS has apparently been up to some mischief overnight in uploading and then pulling a new version of its teaser video from a week ago, though this time it also included explicit product names attached to some quite informative diagrams. It looks to be the full family of upcoming CES tablets, with the EP121 touting stylus input and a wireless keyboard, the EP102 showing that there will indeed be a slider in ASUS' Pad family, and the EP101 looking like, well, a laptop. There's also a media-centric EP71, whose proportions make it seem likely to be a sort of oversized PMP. Skip past the break for a closer look at them all and don't forget to grace our comments with your theory as to why ASUS feels compelled to have such a segmented product offering.
Man, who needs to go to CES anymore? Intel's frailly maintained secrecy around Sandy Bridge processor identities has been blown to smithereens today by Italian systems integrator Santech. The company lists a now familiar Core i7-2630QM (quad-core, 2GHz) alongside an i7-2720QM (2.2GHz), an i7-2820QM (2.3GHz), and an i7-2920XM (2.5GHz), confirming once and for all that Intel has completely lost its mind when it comes to naming chips. Other specs include up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 750GB of magnetic storage or 160GB of the solid state stuff, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, and a 15.6-inch display that can be either glossy or matte, with a resolution of either 1366 x 768 or 1920 x 1080, depending on your preference and budget. Deliveries are said to start on January 27th and prices range between €1,200 ($1,577) and €3,000 ($3,943).
It's baaack. We've gone well over half a year without hearing a peep from black magic makers LucidLogix, but here on the doorstep of CES 2011, the company has resurfaced just in time to ride on the coattails of Intel's forthcoming Sandy Bridge platform. Sandy is expected to take over CES when companies start to introduce new PCs in just a few days, and thanks to Lucid's virtualization software, we wouldn't be surprised if a few are served with NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. This here technology enables the two to play nice, making the outlandish fantasy of using a multi-GPU, multi-vendor setup a reality. DirectX 11 is also supported, with the only real requirement being to "connect the display screen directly to the motherboard's Sandy Bridge display output." We'll be taking a closer look at the peacemaker once we land in Vegas, but for now, go ahead and prepare yourself for a beta version of 'Virtu' -- it'll hit at some point next month.
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LucidLogix GPU Virtualization to Reform Entertainment PC Power Consumption
Allows Discrete and Intel's Sandy Bridge Processor Graphics to Dynamically Manage Power, Features and Performance
KFAR NETTER, Israel and SANTA CLARA, Calif. – December 29, 2010 – The pioneer of multi-vendor/multi-GPU graphic solutions, LucidLogix today announced ground-breaking GPU virtualization software designed for Intel Sandy Bridge platforms. With this technology, next generation PCs will dynamically balance the advanced power-efficient, built-in media features of Sandy Bridge processor graphics with the high-end, DirectX 11 3D performance features of discrete GPUs, while significantly reducing the power drain of traditional entertainment desktops.
Called Virtu, the Lucid GPU virtualization software is able to assign tasks in real time to the best available graphics resource based on power, performance and features considerations, with no need for additional hardware. If high end graphics power is needed for applications like DirectX 11, high-resolution 3D gaming, the system will assign the job to the discrete GPU. If not, the discrete GPU automatically goes into idle mode, while heat drops, fan speed slows down and GPU utilization goes down to zero, resulting in a green, power-efficient, long-lasting system.
"What we have really accomplished here is a seamless visual experience where it is not necessary to choose between the amazingly rich media features of Intel Sandy Bridge platform, like HD playback and powerful video transcoding, and the high-end 3D graphics functionality and performance of a discrete GPU," said Offir Remez, LucidLogix president and founder. "Now it is possible to experience a no-guilt, no- compromise PC entertainment experience, and save on energy at the same time."
Designed for entry-level through mainstream PCs equipped with second generation Intel's Core i3/i5/i7 and NVIDIA or AMD 3D GPUs, Virtu software automatically adjusts the performance, thermal and feature allocation based on the requirements of individual applications. The only system requirement is to always connect the display screen directly to the motherboard's Sandy Bridge display output (DVI, HDMI, etc).
Recently demonstrated to the world's top ODM and OEM system manufacturers, Remez added, "Customer feedback has been tremendous, since Virtu addresses a longstanding challenge in the market for dynamic resource allocation. Now desktops, which in real life rarely get shut down, will have the maximum graphics performance and features when they need it, while saving energy when they do not."
Interested parties can evaluate a demo version of Lucid Virtu immediately and a beta version will be available in January 2011. In addition, the software will be demonstrated in a private suite in Las Vegas during the upcoming CES show, January 6-9. For more information about LucidLogix, visit www.lucidlogix.com.
About LucidLogix Lucid Technologies has reinvented multi-core graphics with its HYDRALOGIX real-time distributed processing engine that improves visual computing for both business and gaming applications. A fabless SoC provider, headquartered in Kfar Netter, Israel with sales and marketing in Santa Clara, California, Lucids innovations are protected by more than 60 patents pending. For more information, visit the Lucid website or follow @LucidHYDRA on Twitter.
It's kind of hard to accept, Pluto has always been our favorite underdog, but the truth is that the Solar System's ninth planet was never really significant enough to earn that designation. Such is the coldly logical reason given for its removal from the planetary annals by a man who had a lot to do with its demise. Caltech astronomer Mike Brown discovered Eris, what he'd hoped was the tenth planet, back in 2005, but its extreme distance from the Sun and diminutive (by planetary standards) dimensions disqualified it from consideration. Unfortunately, its discovery is what doomed Pluto to be downgraded to a "dwarf planet," though Mike's not shedding too many tears over it. In fact, he's gone and written a book about the whole thing, the smug planet destroyer that he is. You don't have to buy it to learn more, however, as the source link has an interview with Mike all ready and waiting.
Daddy doesn't have to take the T-Bird away, he can just take all the fun out of driving it. That is, if the T-Bird is actually a Taurus. Ford's MyKey system has been engendering teen resentment since the release of the 2010 Focus, allowing parents to limit max speeds and cap radio volume, but parental control doesn't stop there -- the 2011 MyKey can selectively block radio stations. Starting next year, parents will have the option to block 16 Sirius radio channels from the car's dial, among them Howard Stern, Playboy, and Hip-Hop Nation. Optional radio censorship isn't the only new feature for MyKey, which allows owners to program a key to fit their specific level of paranoia -- the new version allows parents to set top speeds between 65 and 80mph, instead of the previous fixed cap of 80mph. Other controls carrying over from the original system include a chime that sounds at 10mph intervals, starting at 45mph, and an advanced notice when fuel levels are low. The new features will come standard issue on the 2011 Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer, and will eventually reach across both the Ford and Lincoln brands.
If you live in a technophile city like Taipei, you'll have been enjoying underground 4G for a long time now, but in London the rule is that you have to bid adieu to your mobile connectivity when diving into a tunnel. The city's Mayor has been active in encouraging (forcing?) the major British carriers to install the necessary equipment to provide coverage on the Tube, and now we're hearing that ambition has stretched beyond the nation's borders as well. The Daily Telegraph reports that Vodafone, O2, Everything Everywhere, and Three from the UK along with Orange, SFR and Bouygues from France have agreed to share the cost of putting together a £20 million ($30.8m) project for making cellular coverage possible while traveling through the 31.4-mile Channel Tunnel between the two countries. The goal is to get things up and running by the Olympics in 2012, though we've no indication as to what speeds those wireless data transfers will reach. Still, having some bars is better than none, right?
Can't say we had the best of times with Grace Digital'sAllegro, but the dawning of a new year means the dawning of a new effort. Three efforts, in this case. Poised for an official unveiling next week at CES, the outfit's new trio of internet radios have all been upgraded with color displays. Up first is the Solo Touch, a $249.99 device with an expansive 4.3-inch touchpanel, bundled remote, Ethernet connection, RCA outputs and a headphone jack. Stepping down a notch, there's the Bravado X ($179.99), which offers a 2.7-inch color display, RCA in / out and a USB connector. Finally, the $169.99 Mondo packs a 3.5-inch color display, a full-on alarm clock (with snooze!) and a USB port of its own. The whole lot can be controlled via a free iPhone app, and they're each capable of tuning into iheartradio, Pandora, Sirius XM, WeatherBug, CBS Radio, MP3Tunes and more. Now, off to Vegas to see if those user interface quirks have been cleared up...
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Internet Radio Goes Color with Grace Digital Audio's New Product Line Debuting at CES 2011
For the first time ever Grace Digital Audio will unveil 3 new color screen internet radios, including CES Innovations Honoree the Grace Mondo Internet Radio
San Diego, Calif. - (December 30, 2010) – Grace Digital Audio, a leading brand of Wi-Fi internet radios, announces its new line of color screen internet radios. The Solo Touch, Bravado X, and Mondo internet radios will be unveiled next week at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The entire Grace Digital product line includes internet radio services Pandora, Sirius XM Internet Radio, CBS Radio, iheartradio, Live365.com, MP3Tunes, NPR, National Weather Service, and WeatherBug.
Already known for its wide array of internet radio services and superior audio quality, Grace Digital radios are now equipped with a vivid color screen. The flagship of the new line is Grace's Mondo Internet Radio. Already a CES 2011 Design and Engineering Award Honoree, Mondo is the perfect bedside radio outfitted with a 3.5" TFT color display and an audio quality that can easily make a run for best in its class. The Solo Touch, big brother to Grace's original Solo Wi- Fi Internet Tuner, features a 4.3" touch screen color display. Grace's celebrated Bravado Internet Radio also gets a makeover, with the Bravado X adding a 2.7" TFT color display and high quality stereo speakers.
Solo Touch (GDI-IRTSC12) Compact tuner provides complete control over the world of internet radio directly on your home stereo • 4.3" touch screen color display • Remote control, Ethernet connection, RCA out jacks, and headphone connection • $249.99
Bravado X (GDI-IRD4500) Wi-Fi tabletop radio provides powerful sound with a user friendly color display • 2.7" TFT color display • Powerful stereo speakers, RCA in/out jacks, USB, and headphone connection • $179.99
Mondo (GDI-IRC6000) Perfect bedside internet radio with best in class audio and vibrant color display • 3.5" TFT color display • Snooze control and full alarm clock function • Remote control, Ethernet connection, RCA out jacks, and USB connection • $169.99
The three new color screen radios join Grace Digital's already award-winning line of audio products. "We are excited to start 2011 off with the announcement of 3 new color radios," says Grace Digital Audio's Chief Marketing Officer, Greg Fadul. "In addition to the new eye-catching color screens and superior audio quality, Grace's new radios also feature the best in class content. Grace radios play nearly every AM/FM and HD radio station from around the corner to around the world in pure digital sound with no static or fading. Whether you want to listen to CBS radio, iheartradio, NOOA, Pandora, Sirius, WeatherBug or the 50,000 plus stations from your local station to international you have it all – with Grace."
We like a bit of ambition around these parts and Sharp's plans for entering the US e-reader battlefield reek of the stuff. The Galapagos tablets that recently enjoyed their Japanese debut are going to be retooled, according to the Mainichi Daily News, to include new 3G radios for the internet-addicted US consumer, while the primary content format will also be switched from the proprietary XMDF in Japan to the almost universally compatible EPUB. Content partnerships are said to be brewing as we type, because, quite naturally, Sharp intends to have its own e-bookstore for Americans as well. After the Yanks, the company's said to be looking into bringing its 5.5- and 10.8-inch tablets to China, India, and Brazil. Highly ambitious indeed.
If you've been keeping an ear to the techie ground, you'll probably have heard some analyst chatter suggesting RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook may be delayed due to issues relating to its supposedly poor battery life. That scuttlebutt has now turned out to be mostly unfounded, with RIM clarifying the situation through a communiqué sent to Erictric:
"Any testing or observation of battery life to date by anyone outside of RIM would have been performed using pre-beta units that were built without power management implemented. RIM is on track with its schedule to optimize the BlackBerry PlayBook's battery life and looks forward to providing customers with a professional grade tablet that offers superior performance with comparable battery life."
To be sure, it's not an outright denial that there may be PlayBooks floating about with disappointing battery performance, but the immaturity of the software on them is clearly such as to invalidate any conclusions drawn. Perhaps more important than the imprecise discussion of battery longevity (what does "comparable" even mean in this context?) is the note that the company is still on track to complete its software optimizations and deliver its first tablet on schedule. Guess we can all quit worrying now.
Oh Android, is there any device you won't grace for the cheap thrill of adding to your army of followers? Creative's Zen Touch 2 served up most of its specs a couple of months back, including a resistive touchscreen and the use of Android 2.1 as its OS, but today it's formalized its US intentions with a bit of FCC certification action. The 3.2-inch PMP's 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 wireless transceivers all checked out okay, though the exhaustive teardown also revealed a "vibrator" module and an 1150mAh battery contained within its plasticky walls. Another note of import was that two variants, one equipped with GPS and one without, were offered to the FCC, in line with the company segmenting the Zen Touch 2 into "standard" and "enhanced" editions. If you're in the UK, you can have one of these music players shipped to you tomorrow, but the US online store only lists it by name and doesn't yet have a full page for it. Shouldn't be long now.
If you buy any of LG's latest HDTVs, you're pretty much assured it'll have a big sticker saying "Smart TV" somewhere along its fascia assuring you of its internet connectivity and compatibility. But, if you're still rocking some old school piece of visual tech that isn't yet past its "watch by" date, you'll be needing a set-top box of some kind to get on the web without leaving your couch. Naturally, LG would like to be the one to Smarten up your viewing habits there too, and so it's just unveiled its new ST600 sidekick for older television sets. It adds DLNA connectivity for some wireless media transfer fun, grants access to a "vast range" of premium content as well as local programming, throws in a web browser, and finishes things off with LG's TV Apps selection. Of course, this is the week of the pre-CES announcement, hence we've no pricing to share yet, but the way the company's talking about it, the ST600 sounds like it might make an aggressive MSRP its standout feature. Sadly, that's a bit of a distant hope for now as this Upgrader isn't expected in shops until Q2 2011. Who knows if we'll even be watching TV by that time?
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LG Smart TV Upgrader Makes Every TV Smarter
- ST600 Smart TV Upgrader Lets Users Enjoy Web Browser and Premium Content on Their Regular TV Sets
(SEOUL=Korea Newswire) December 30, 2010 -- At this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, LG Electronics (LG) will be unveiling the Smart TV Upgrader (ST600) that makes it easy for viewers to transform their regular TVs into Smart TVs at an affordable price. Embracing all the benefits of internet connectivity, the Upgrader gives regular TV owners access to all of LG's Smart TV functions including premium online content, Smart Share and the full range of LG Apps.
"The market for Smart TVs is set to take off this year, and the ST600 offers a perfect entry point," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Home Entertainment Company. "With the LG Smart TV Upgrader, we're taking the excitement and convenience of Smart TV and adding in LG's trademark ease-of-use because we see a significant audience who are interested but not interested enough to buy a whole new TV."
By connecting the ST600 to a regular TV set, users can access a vast range of premium content from global providers, as well as the best locally sourced shows and movies to cater to different tastes around the world. The ST600 also connects users to the growing range of LG Apps, which are custom designed for use on TVs and offer everything from language classes to games.
LG makes the viewing experience more compelling still with its superb compatibility, which lets users simply and wirelessly transfer content from their Digital Living Network Alliance(DLNA)-compatible PCs and other compatible devices for viewing on the big screen.
LG's Smart TV Upgrader will be unveiled at CES 2011 in Las Vegas and rolled-out to TV owners in the second quarter of 2011.
Specifications:
- Main CPU: BCM7615 - DDR 384MB, 1GB Flash - LG Add-on Architecture + Web Browser - AC 100-240V, 50/60 Hz - Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DLNA (DMP) - USB: 1EA (USB mouse, external storage) - Input Devices: Finger Touch RCU - Premium Content - LG Apps - Size: 11cm x 11cm
We're guessing we'll see a more official announcement about these soon enough, but for now we'll have to make do with some product pages that have quietly turned up on Gigabyte's website for two new Atom N550-based netbooks: the M1005 and Q2005. As Netbook News notes, the latter of those (pictured above) looks to be remarkably similar to the Jolicloud Jolibook, also based on the same dual-core N550 processor, while the M1005 appears to be a relatively minor update to the company's M1022 model, right down to the same docking station (check it out after the break). Still no indication of pricing or availability for either of them, but you can find the complete specs for each at the links below.
If you own a flat screen TV, a hybrid, a PC, or any number of cell phones, chances are you own a small but very sought after piece of China. The country accounts for 97 percent of the world's rare earth production, which is used in all manner of gadgets, and it recently announced plans to scale back exports by 10 percent in 2011. The move probably won't have a big impact on the average consumer, but it's certainly gained a lot of attention on the world market: the US threatened action in the World Trade Organization, stocks for rare earth mining companies spiked significantly, and Sony Corp. vowed to decrease its dependence on the minerals. It's actually not like the rest of the world is lacking for rare earth resources -- American's are actually sitting on 13 million metric tons of the stuff, which companies in the US and Canada are making a mad dash to mine. Trouble is, just getting the stuff out of the ground isn't enough -- China still has a monopoly on rare earth processing, and US companies are reluctant to spend the eight years and minimum $500 million necessary to construct a chemical separation plant. So what does all this mean for you? Well, not a whole lot, unless you happen to be China's Minister of Commerce, in which case you should probably stop surfing the web and get back to work.
All signs have been pointing to this release for a few days now, but we'll admit: we expected Skype to wait until CES next week to pull the covers off what could become its crown jewel service over the coming months. Skype's official iOS client has finally sprouted the ability to make video calls, allowing iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and fourth-generation iPod touch users to share real-time video amongst each other and users of Skype's Windows, Mac, and Linux clients along with the ASUS Videophone (obviously, 3GS users won't have the convenience of a front-facing camera, but they'll still be able to broadcast video from the rear-facing one). Additionally, you'll be able to receive video from others if you're using an iPad or a third-generation iPod touch. The service is free and works over both WiFi and 3G -- and considering Skype's existing PC footprint, we'd argue this stands a very real chance of putting the hurt on FaceTime usage. No word on when Skype will be making video-capable clients available for Android or other mobile platforms, but Skype says that there'll be "plenty more" announcements in Vegas next week, so we wouldn't be surprised.
Update: So we just gave 3.0 a spin, calling iPhone-to-iPhone (both WiFi), iPhone-to-desktop (both WiFi), and again iPhone-to-iPhone (both 3G). The first two worked great, although the desktop camera produced better quality. As for the worst-case scenario, 3G-to-3G video calling, well... we wouldn't recommend it unless absolutely necessary. Video after the break, and be sure to note the battery life -- after about 10 minutes of use, we dropped from 66 percent to 61.
Share the Moments that Matter Most over 3G and WiFi
30 DECEMBER, 2010 – Luxembourg – Skype today announced the new version of its iPhone application that brings video calling to millions of mobile users around the globe over both 3G and WiFi networks. Available to download from the Apple App Store today, the new Skype for iPhone App allows iPhone , iPad and iPod touch owners to make and/or receive free* Skype video calls for the first time. Users can now see their family, friends and colleagues around the world while talking to them. With approximately 25 million concurrent users logged into Skype at any given time**, the new Skype for iPhone makes it easier than ever to share moments wherever you are.
Video calling significantly enhances the user experience of Skype for iPhone, which is one of the top five free iPhone apps in 2010 according to Apple. Now, users can make and receive free Skype-to-Skype calls, call mobiles and landlines around the world at very low rates, and now share more moments together with video on Skype for iPhone.
"With video calling representing approximately 40% of all Skype-to-Skype minutes for the first six months of 2010, our users have been eager to get Skype video calling on their mobile phones," said Neil Stevens, general manager of Skype's consumer business. "By bringing video to mainstream users at their home or work via their desktops, on the go with their mobiles, or into their living room via their TV, Skype has made it possible for millions of people to share video moments wherever they are."
A video call evolves communication beyond transactional experiences to a shared experience where people can share any occasion with others wherever they are. Whether this is a military father watching the birth of his child while deployed abroad, loved ones communicating via sign language or work colleagues collaborating around the globe – the opportunities are endless.
Users can place Skype video calls with their iPhone over both a 3G data connection* or WiFi. The new Skype for iPhone app is compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPod touch 4th generation with i0S 4.0 or above. Video receiving capabilities are available on the iPod touch 3rd generation and iPad. Calls can be made between devices using the new Skype for iPhone app and desktops including Skype for Windows 4.2 and above, Skype for Mac 2.8 and above, Skype for Linux and ASUS Videophone.
The Skype for iPhone application is available for free download from the App Store or at www.skype.com/go/iphone
Smartphone user? Regardless of platform you have no shortage of navigation options, and now Ford has added another way to get where you're going -- if you're also an owner of a SYNC TDI-compatible car, anyway. Using the new SYNC Destinations app (available today for iOS and Android, with BlackBerry coming soon) you can more efficiently pre-plan your route. The app lets you pick a destination, view real-time traffic updates, even check out congestion predictions based on weather, time of day, and holidays. It's a feature that would have been pretty handy last week when we were simultaneously dealing with a heck of a blizzard and a whole lot of people trying to flee their in-laws.
The app will even suggest what time you should leave to avoid the most headaches, a potential boon for those desperately seeking any excuse to hit the road a little early. It is, however, just for planning, sending your route to the car and then disabling the phone's display when you cross the magic 5mph threshold. It's safer that way, after all. Full details are in the PR below and if you're on the lucky two supported platforms with a suitably compatible car you can download today for free.
NEW FORD SYNC DESTINATIONS APP OFFERS 'ON THE GO' NAVIGATION; PREDICTS BEST DEPARTURE TIMES
• SYNC® Destinations is a free smartphone app that gives SYNC Traffic, Directions and Information (TDI) users mobile access to search for and save destinations to their cloud-based SYNC Services account for easy access when back in the car
• App includes Predictive Traffic, powered by Ford's best-in-class traffic information supplier INRIX, providing users with recommended departure time, travel time and ETA based on current and expected traffic conditions along their route
• Free SYNC Destinations app is available today for Apple iPhone, Apple iPad and Android-based devices and can be downloaded through the Apple App Store and Android Market
• SYNC Destinations is available to owners of 2010-2011 SYNC-equipped, TDI-capable vehicles who have a registered and active TDI services account on www.syncmyride.com
DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 29, 2010 – Owners of 2010 and 2011 Ford SYNC-equipped vehicles that are Traffic, Directions and Information (TDI)-capable can now download a free smartphone app designed to help get them where they need to go with less hassle.
Ford launched the SYNC Destinations mobile app today for Apple iPhone, Apple iPad and Android-based devices, with BlackBerry smartphones coming soon. Available at no cost, the app gives users of TDI services mobile access to a host of navigation and traffic information specifically designed to make any trip easier.
"SYNC Destinations leverages the power of your smartphone to manage a user's SYNC Services account and to plan ahead, sending destination locations to your car, and knowing what's happening on the road ahead of you before you even get behind the wheel," said Dave Gersabeck, SYNC TDI product manager.
With the SYNC Destinations app, TDI users have an exclusive on-the-go link to their cloud-based SYNC Services account on www.syncmyride.com, where they can add, save and manage "Saved Points" or addresses. A maximum of 25 Saved Points can be accessed through the app. Locations added via SYNC Destinations are immediately accessible through SYNC Services once in the vehicle, with turn-by-turn directions delivered to the car only a few simple voice commands away.
"With SYNC Destinations, you can be standing in line for a coffee, making impromptu plans with a friend or sitting at the ballgame, and conveniently add a new address to your Saved Points – without ever stopping to log into your account at a personal computer," adds Gersabeck.
With SYNC Destinations, SYNC TDI users can also better plan the when and where of their commutes, accessing real-time traffic information, reliable traffic forecasts and other time-saving features powered by INRIX, a leading provider of traffic information and driver services. Key benefits include:
• Traffic maps with real-time speed, accident and incident information for all highways, interstates, arterials and city streets in 126 metropolitan areas across North America
• Reliable traffic forecasts that predict how travel times are expected to change over time, based on sophisticated analysis of current traffic conditions, day of the week, season, holidays and related days, current and forecast weather, accidents and road construction, as well as other unique local events such as school schedules, sports games and concerts
• Fastest routes based on current and expected traffic conditions as well as recommended departure times, expected travel times and ETAs that make navigating to daily destinations, whether across town or cross-country, easier than ever
• Easy look-up of addresses for new destinations through local business search and address book integration
"SYNC Destinations is an easy-to-use mobile tool that gives busy, on-the-go SYNC users the flexibility to search and save locations for quick access in the car, plus, with features such as predictive traffic, users can take some of the guesswork out of their daily trips by preplanning the best estimated time of departure to get around town quickly and easily," said Gersabeck.
Also specific to SYNC Destinations is a 5 mph lockout feature, which automatically halts the app from running on a smartphone once it is detected to be traveling in excess of 5 mph, helping drivers stay focused on the task of driving.
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury owners of 2010 and 2011 SYNC-equipped, TDI-capable vehicles can download the SYNC Destinations app for free from the Apple App Store and Android Market. To activate it, the user has to enter his or her www.syncmyride.com login credentials. Once those credentials are submitted, the app confirms the user's TDI subscription status, and is then unlocked and ready for use.
Ford will feature demos of SYNC Destinations at the Pepcom Digital Experience media event in Las Vegas on Jan. 5, 2011, and then at the 2011 International CES consumer technology trade show in Las Vegas between Jan. 6 and Jan. 9, 2011.
# # # About Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 163,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, production of which has been announced by the company to be ending in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.
Did the world's tech giants just discover they have lawyers on retainer? That's certainly how it seems, as company after company has decided 'tis the season to target the competition with patent infringement allegations. Sony, the latest, is aiming squarely at LG, claiming that the Korean manufacturer's violating eight patents with its mobile devices -- including the LG Fathom, Xenon, Neon, Remarq, Rumor 2, Lotus Elite and VL600 LTE modem -- claiming that these devices transmit variable-bandwidth audio streams, live-preview camera snapshots, hand off cellular calls and more in ways that infringe Sony's intellectual property. Sony's now filed both an ITC complaint in an attempt to ban new product shipments from the US, and a lawsuit in federal court that will no doubt seek monetary damages. Now, if recent history is any indication, LG will turn around and smack Sony with a patent stack of its own, and we'll all go back to dreaming about LG devices we'd actually care to purchase.
The world's first store for 3D printed goods just opened in Brussels, and while we imagine they've already got a fair selection of prototyped merchandise to choose, might we suggest they invest in a few production runs of this fabulous new flute? Amit Zoran of the MIT Media Lab -- yes, the same soul who helped dream up a 3D food printer early this year -- has now printed a fully-functional concert flute with a minimum of human intervention. Directing an Objet Connex500 3D printer (which can handle multiple materials at the same time) to spit out his CAD design, dollop by tiny dollop, in a single 15-hour run, he merely had to wash off support material, add springs, and assemble four printed pieces to finish the instrument up. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, of course, so how does it sound? Find out for yourself in the video below.
It's no secret that CES is the stage from which camera companies unleash more compact shooters than you can shake a tripod at -- and preceding those come a glut of rumors, naturally. 4/3 Rumors has heard Olympus will unveil the XZ-1 (pictured), which boasts the LX5's 10 megapixel sensor and a none-too-shabby 28-112mm f/1.8-2.5 lens. The site also heard that a few Panasonic model numbers that at this point really don't tell too grand a story: DMC-S1 and S3, DMC-TS3, FH2, and FH5. Meanwhile at Sony Alpha Rumors, the eponymous company will reportedly launch a number of compact cameras (go figure) including a Cybershot DSC-HX1 successor, some new Bloggies, and new 2D and 3D video recorders... and though no Alpha and no NEX models will be on the show floor, the site is also suggesting the future NEX-7 and Alpha A77 models have 1080p60 AVCHD and a 0.1-second autofocus. Latter tidbit notwithstanding, we'd wager by mid-January everything else here will be either confirmed or forgotten.
The 27th annual Chaos Communication Conference already hacked encrypted GSM calls with a $15 cellphone, but there was a second surprise in store this morn -- the souls who unlocked the Nintendo Wii's homebrew potential (and defended it time and again) claim to have broken into the PlayStation 3 as well. Last we left the black monolith, Sony had won a round, forcing the community to downgrade their firmware for any hope at hacking into the console. Well, the newly formed fail0verflow hacking squad says that won't be a problem any longer, because they've found a way to get the PS3 to reveal its own private cryptography key -- the magic password that could let the community sign its very own code.
So far, the team hasn't provided any proof that the deed's been done, but they have provided quite an extensive explanation of how they managed the feat: apparently, Sony didn't bother generating any random numbers to secure the blasted thing. (We don't really know how it works, but we have it on good authority that dead cryptography professors are rapidly spinning in their graves.) The group intends to generate a proof-of-concept video tomorrow, and release the tools sometime next month, which they claim should eventually enable the installation of Linux on every PS3 ever sold. Catch the whole presentation after the break in video form, or skip to 33:00 for the good stuff.
Okay, so maybe "border" is being generous. Wicked Audio is well known for its -- shall we say, vivacious -- line of earbuds and headphones, but none compare to the outfit's new 3D series of cans. Set to officially debut at CES next week, this line actually has embossed logos on each ear cup, enabling you to "feel" the graphics on the side. Hard to say who exactly this benefits, but for those who love raised artwork upside their noggins, we suppose it's perfect. As for specs? Keep dreaming -- all we know is that you'll be choosing the least offensive design from the three above next month when they go on sale for $29.99 at FYE.
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Empire Brands' Wicked Audio Unleashes Trend-Setting Line of Innovative Headphones at CES 2011
Fashion-forward company launches its newest 3D series featuring striking raised graphics and mind blowing sound
Lindon, UT (December 29, 2010) – Empire Brands, manufacturers of aesthetically appealing headphones, will be releasing its new 3D series line of headphones, at CES 20111. Falling on the heels of two widely acclaimed collections from Wicked Audio, the earbuds (Empires, Little Buds, Jaw Breakers and Metallics) and the headphones (Reverb, Tour and Chill), the 3D series rounds-up its popular releases this year.
The soon-to-be-released 3D series is the flagship line of headphones in the Wicked Audio line-up.These headphones sport raised, colorful artwork, offering a visually striking 3D appeal. They also feature maximum noise isolation, which inhibits ambient noise, ensuring pure sound quality. The adjustable headband and padded earcups offer the utmost in comfort, guaranteeing the most enjoyable listening experience.
"At Empire Brands, we strive to deliver headphones that feature vibrant colors, superior sound, and trend-setting style," said Paul Marshall, VP of Sales, Empire Brands. "We are thrilled to unleash our newest collection at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, our designers have crafted the most aesthetically appealing and best sounding wicked headphones to date."
The 3D series will be available January 2011 for $29.99 at FYE, and a number of select international retailers.
Be the first to see Wicked Audio's newest 3D series, at CES, Booth # 12438 (Central Hall).
We'll openly admit we never knew what African Blackwood was until Gresso started applying the stuff to its line of extremely luxurious cellphone mods, but now we can't imagine a new product from the Russian company without the 200-year old timber making an appearance. And sure enough, the Gresso iPad's rear is composed almost entirely of Dalbergia melanoxylon, broken up only by the insertion of an 18-karat gold Apple logo. Strangely, in spite of its extravagant constituent materials, this design is a very restrained, dare we say, classy, affair. It goes on sale on New Year's Eve at an unannounced price, but you know what they say: if you have to ask or you have to work for a living, you probably can't afford it.
Archos' line of inexpensive (dare we say "cheap," at times) Android tablets aren't necessarily on your wishlist, but for the budget-conscious, they're hard to beat. And now three new models are on sale, including the 2.8-inch Archos 28, the 3.2-inch Archos 32, and the 7-inch (of course) Archos 70. The first two will put you back $99.99 and $149.99, respectively, while the biggun' comes in both 8GB ($274.99) and 250GB ($349.99) options. What are you waiting for? Honeycomb? You're adorable.
The famed Ben Heckendorn concocted the first Wii Laptop of note way back in 2007, but ever since, the modding community at large has been toiling away on ways to improve it. ShockSlayer, a member over at Mod Retro, has accomplished just that, with his predictably titled Wii Laptop relying on a 7-inch LCD, an integrated sensor bar, a couple of polycases and inbuilt speakers. There's hardly anything here that couldn't be found at your local Radio Shack, save for the SunDriver -- that particular product has enabled him to ditch the DVD drive and install a SATA HDD within. From there, he burned his Wii game discs and loaded 'em all inside, making the whole thing extra mobile. Oh, and did we mention that it's powered by rechargeable batteries? Because it is. Marvel at the completed device in the video after the break.
Looks like the AMD Fusion netbook strategy may be to supplant Intel's Atom wholesale in the leadup to CES, as Toshiba has just become the second manufacturer to swap out an Atom chip for a 1GHz AMD C-50 Ontario APU while leaving the rest of the design practically untouched. Notebook Italia just spotted this 10-inch Toshiba NB550D having a grand old time on the company's German website, leisurely flexing its Harman Kardon speakers and newfound HDMI port, all the while dreaming about ways to upgrade its scant 1GB of DDR3 memory and 250GB of magnetic storage. Interestingly, Toshiba's actually forecasting only 9.5 hours of battery life for the AMD version (compared to 10 hours with Intel's 1.5GHz Atom N550 CPU), but we suppose that's the price you pay to have Radeon HD 6250M graphics on board. We'll try to get pricing and availability when we inevitably spot it at CES next week.
So you nabbed a webOS device over the holidays? Maybe you got yourself a Pixi or Pre Plus, or if you were really lucky, someone dropped a Pre 2 in your stocking. We know that Palm isn't exactly ruling the roost when it comes to smartphones, but that doesn't mean that your new device isn't plenty powerful given the right apps and proper tweaks. In fact, webOS can stand toe-to-toe with the iOS and Android devices of the world, even if the selection of apps and hardware leaves something to be desired. So how do you turn your holiday cheer into a year-round workhorse? Read on after the break for the must-have apps, accessories, and more!
Must have apps
Twee2 ($2.99). The best and most comprehensive Twitter app for webOS has only gotten better. There are plenty of excellent choices in this department, but Twee stands above the rest by offering consistent notifications, great timeline management, and a smooth, clean interface that lets you concentrate on the important stuff, like @kanyewest.
Facebook (free). Actually the best mobile implementation of Facebook we've seen. In fact, we may prefer this to the site itself. Facebook for webOS provides a tremendous feature set with great little perks (like being able to whittle down your news feed to only certain groups), along with a user interface that's smart and sophisticated. With the latest update and webOS 2.0, the contact integration won't get in the way of having a good time, either.
Voogle ($1.99). If you're a Google Voice user, you need this app now. Sure, it's still missing a load of features, such as auto updating and notifications, but it's the only choice you've got for integrating Voice with your webOS device, and it does work pretty darn well. We'd like to see improvements come a little faster for the app, but making the switch to webOS is a lot more pleasant with Google Voice in tow, and Voogle makes that possible.
weatherIcon (free). The weather app that does what even the iPhone can't... display the current temperature on the homescreen. If you're like us, you usually just want to know whether it's time for a parka -- and weatherIcon makes that easy by providing the current temperature in your location (via GPS or address) right on the icon. The in-app info isn't bad either. Bonus? It's free!
Feeder ($2.99). Okay, it's a shameless Reeder knockoff for webOS -- but it's really quite good. Besides syncing with Google Reader, which is a must-have for us, you're given options for sharing via Google, Twitter, and you're given a handful of choices for reading later (though we'd like to see Read It Later and Instapaper here). Regardless, Feeder is a slick, handsome RSS reader that should make Google junkies very happy... and we're speaking from experience.
Wapedia (free). An oldie but goodie. Need to get some Wikipedia info fast? Wapedia is here for you. Sure, webOS provides super-simple searching options for all things Wiki in its universal search, but for getting compact info quickly, Wapedia is hard to beat.
Tumbly ($0.99). If you're a Tumblr user, you'll feel right at home in this app, which recreates the microblogging experience almost perfectly. While it's not jam packed with extra features, the application does an excellent job of letting you navigate Tumblr in a native webOS environment. If you end up discovering a lot of good material while you're out and about, Tumbly makes it easy to move that content onto your blog.
Pandora (free). A must-have on any platform, but Pandora on webOS truly shines. One of the first (and still one of the best) applications on the platform to show off just how good Palm's operating system is at multitasking. Besides streaming your favorite channels in the background, Pandora provides terrific pop-up controls via webOS's notification panels, making it a joy to quickly tell the cloud service what you're getting into... and want to get out of.
Angry Birds ($1.99). C'mon. It's Angry Birds. Don't make us come over there. Kiss your life goodbye.
Dropboxify ($2.99). Apparently Dropbox hasn't made a native client for webOS, but this is what it would act like if the company did. A perfect companion to your cloud file manager, Dropboxify does everything you'd expect it to, and looks great while doing it. We're not crazy about paying for an app that's free on most platforms, but developer DoGood stepped up to the plate (and knocked it out of the park) in a spot where the Dropbox team is nowhere to be found. Kudos!
DreamEngine Deluxe ($3.99). As you may or may not know, we're big Turbografx-16 fans. So imagine our excitement when we discovered that old school Palm developer KalemSoft brought its TG16 / PC-Engine emulator to webOS. While the app can be a little finicky (in fact, it's pretty buggy), and the interface isn't exactly stunning, being able to play our vast collection of legally collected ROMS on new Palm devices is kind of heavenly. Be sure to check out the company's NesEm as well for all your NES needs.
SuperNES (free) / VisualBoyAdvance ($5.00). Oh, do you prefer SNES or Gameboy games? Look no further.
Tanks ($0.99). Tron: Legacy still weighing heavily on your mind? Then you'll love this killer Battlezone clone for webOS. Smooth gameplay, great controls, and stunning retro vector graphics make this $0.99 title a must-have for exterminating boredom at any number of locations.
Gameloft titles (prices vary). Your iPhone-owning buddies aren't having all the fun. Gameloft (one of the largest game maker's for Apple's iOS platform) has ported a ton of its titles over to webOS, including The Oregon Trail, Dungeon Hunter, Earthworm Jim, Modern Combat: Sandstorm, and the weirdly enjoyable GTA clone, Gangstar: West Coast Hustle.
BeatBox (free). An amazing little drum sequencer that is extremely easy to pick up, but insanely hard to put down. Lots of sequence and pattern options, a decent amount of drum kits, and a bargain price tag (AKA free) make this a no-brainer.
wIRC / homebrew. We're big proponents of old school IRC, but until wIRC came along, using the service was pretty much out of the question on webOS. That's all changed now, but you'll have to get your phone set up for homebrew app usage. That's easy enough to do if you follow some of the handy guides out there (Precentral has a great one right here).
Not only will you find wIRC on homebrew channels, but there are lots of high quality titles available that you won't see in Palm's App Catalog. This community is definitely alive and kicking.
Great accessories
Touchstone ($49.99). C'mon -- you've got a Palm device, now you're required by law to show everyone how awesome inductive charging is. It's not cheap, but it's worth the dropped jaws from in-laws.
Gelaskins ($14.95). We're pretty psyched on the way the Pre looks with a skin on it. There are plenty to choose from here, but unfortunately no offerings for the Pre 2 just yet.
Second / extended battery. The Pre isn't know for its great battery life, so consider a second or extended battery. Seidio makes a slim 1350mAh model that should help you get a little more time in before a charge.
Tips and tricks
webOS utilizes a slew of keyboard shortcuts. Try hitting option (the orange or gray key) + sym + p to take a screenshot, or option + sym + r to reboot your device. Option + icon tap in the launcher will allow you to delete an app, or option + sym + i in an open card will give you stats on that process
Don't forget to add your most-used contacts to speed dial, so you can call your friends and family with a long press on the key that you've assigned
Copy and paste works just as you'd expect here -- after selecting text (shift + tap) use a combo of gesture area tap + a, c, v, and x for select all, copy, paste, and cut
In webOS 2.0, it can be helpful to group cards by use -- for instance, we like to keep Voogle grouped behind our phone dialer, so our voicemail and phone are in one place
Creating your own alert tones is super easy (as of version webOS 1.4) -- just create a folder full of your favorites beeps and buzzes, then customize via the Sounds & Ringtones app, or from individual apps that support the feature
The selections above are just a few of the apps, accessories, and tweaks that are out there. If you've got additional tips or ideas, sound off in comments below!
So you're Barnes & Noble and you have a successful product like the Nook -- what do you do? Trademark the heck out of the name, of course. As PocketNow has noted, the company's filed a number of Nook-related trademark applications over the past few months, which may offer some hints of future Nook hardware, software, or both. That unsurprisingly includes an application for "Nook2," which was first filed back in June, as well one for the name "Nook Smart" (possibly related to the existing Nook Study education platform?), and one for the impossibly catchy "Nook Cook." Unfortunately, it's not clear which (if any) of those might actually be the name of a new Nook device -- there's also a trademark application for "Nook Kids" with a description similar to "Nook2," for instance, but it may well just be for the company's Nook Kids store and iPad app. The most recent of all the filings is one for "Nooksellers," which appears to be for a combination in-store kiosk and online service that would offer personalized recommendations and various social networking tie-ins. Of course, there's nothing more than the trademark applications to go on at the moment, but it does certainly seem clear that the Nook name is here to stay.
Newark, New Jersey's popular Mayor, Cory Booker, has had a novel reaction to the problems the blizzard is causing for his people: he's listening to them, and trying to help. Shocking, we know. Even more interesting, of course, is the fact that he's using Twitter to do so. While phone lines all over the tri-state area remain a joke (try calling an airline or public hotline), Twitter has presented Newark's Mayor with a unique, and incredibly direct way of interacting with people who need help with everything from getting their streets plowed to delivering diapers -- personally in many situations. While it's not exactly enough to make us consider a move to Newark, it's certainly impressive.
Watch out, Toshiba, your tiny SSD modules aren't the only game in town for ludicrously small flash storage anymore. Intel's just announced a new SSD 310 line that offers spectacularly minimal 51mm by 30mm by 5mm dimensions, while retaining X25-class performance (up to 200MBps read and 80MBps write speeds). To give you an idea of what those measurements mean, the industry-standard 2.5-inch form factor, an already diminutive footprint, is eight times larger than these newfangled storage chips. 40GB and 80GB variants of the SSD 310 are shipping out to OEMs already and Lenovo has confirmed it plans to roll these into its next refresh of the venerable ThinkPad laptop line. Prices are set at $99 and $179 (depending on size) when bought in batches of 1,000, though direct sales to end users are predictably off the table for now. Better start saving up for that next ultrathin laptop if you want one.
Show full PR text
New Intel® Solid-State Drive 310 Series Offers Full SSD Performance in 1/8th the Size
* New Intel SSD 310 Series delivers Intel X25-class performance, but in 1/8th the size. * Ultra-compact SSD enables the accelerated performance of an SSD with higher-capacity HDDs for dual-drive notebooks. * Intel SSD 310 is ideal for tablets, rugged, low-power military or industrial embedded apps, and was selected by DRS Technologies for its upcoming ARMOR™ tablet PC.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 29, 2010 – Intel Corporation announced today the Intel® Solid-State Drive (Intel® SSD) 310 Series, an ultra-small solid-state drive (SSD) that delivers Intel® X25-class award-winning SSD performance, but in one-eighth the size. Measuring 51mm-by-30mm and only 5mm thick, the Intel SSD 310 is a fast, ultra-compact SSD that brings flexibility, ruggedness and scalability to innovative form factors and devices. It can enable highly responsive dual-drive notebooks, innovative single-drive tablets and low-power, rugged embedded industrial or military applications. When paired with a high-capacity hard disk drive (HDD) in a dual-drive system, the Intel SSD 310 can improve overall PC system performance by up to 60 percent.1
A solid-state drive uses no moving parts, and thus is more durable and reliable than a mechanical HDD, while using less power and providing better system responsiveness. The Intel SSD 310 Series contains 34 nanometer (nm) Intel NAND flash memory and is available in an m-SATA form factor in 40 gigabyte (GB) and 80GB capacities.
The Intel SSD 310 supports SATA signals over a PCI Express (PCIe) mini-connector for on-board, compact storage in single-drive netbooks, tablets or handheld devices. Weighing just 10 grams, the compact size also enables dual drive all-in-ones, notebooks or small-form-factor (SFF) desktops to help accelerate boot time and access to frequently used applications or files.
"The Intel SSD 310 series will allow us to provide the advantages of a full-performance Intel SSD paired with the storage of a hard disk drive in a small, dual-drive system," said Tom Butler, director of ThinkPad product marketing, Lenovo. "We've offered Intel SSD solutions for our highly innovative Lenovo ThinkPad laptops for some time, and now we're looking forward to incorporating this new solution across our ThinkPad line."
With its rugged design, the Intel SSD 310 Series has been chosen by DRS Technologies for a new ARMOR communications tablet PC to be unveiled at Storage Visions in Las Vegas. The ARMOR mobile and field unit tablet PC is certified by DRS to work in extreme temperatures and hold up to shock, vibration and drops, delivering up to nine hours of operating time.
"In order to meet the rigorous demands of our mobile users, we design for mission-critical tasks that require connectivity and handheld mobility in all-weather operations," said Mike Sarrica, vice president and general manager for DRS Tactical Systems Inc. "The Intel SSD 310 Series fits the bill by offering a reliable and high performing memory solution."
"The Intel SSD 310 Series is the first in a wave of SSD products we will introduce throughout the next year," said Tom Rampone, Intel vice president and general manager of Intel's NAND Solutions Group. "With this introduction, Intel is offering full SSD performance in a compact, ultra-small form factor."
Already shipping to customers, the Intel SSD 310 is priced at $99 for the 40GB capacity and $179 for the 80GB version, both in 1,000-unit quantities. More information on Intel SSDs can be found at www.intel.com/go/ssd or by accessing the multimedia press kit at www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/ssd. Follow Intel SSDs on Twitter: @intelssd, Facebook: Intel Solid State Drive (Official) or communities.intel.com.
Looks like home automation may finally be taking baby steps towards the mainstream -- Verizon's just announced that it'll be demoing that long-rumored Home Monitoring and Control system at CES 2011, with a planned beta rollout in New Jersey to follow. The system will allow users to remotely view security cameras, lock doors, and control lights, thermostats, and appliances through their smartphones or FiOS TV boxes -- the same capabilities most other automation systems offer, but with the added benefit of being integrated and installed by Verizon. The pilot homes in Jersey will receive an energy reader, smart appliance switches and thermostats, door and window locks, a power strip, motion sensors, an indoor pan-and-tilt camera, and a fixed indoor / outdoor camera when the system launches next month, but Verizon says that's just the beginning. We're told the system will use Z-Wave wireless control units and WiFi security cameras, so we're guessing there'll be a central box that integrates everything -- and we've got a feeling this whole thing is based on 4Home (pictured above), which was just acquired by Motorola Mobility. We'll find out more at CES -- stay tuned.
Show full PR text
New Verizon Home Monitoring and Control Service Will Make the Concept of the 'Connected Home' a Reality
Service Being Tested in New Jersey, Offers Home Owners Anytime, Anywhere Access to Lights, Thermostats, Appliances and Monitoring Systems, via Smartphones, Computers and FiOS TV
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – You're miles from home when you realize that you've forgotten to lock the front door. With a new, fully integrated and customizable home monitoring and control service developed by Verizon, you won't have to panic and frantically call a friend or neighbor. The service, now in the trial phase and expected to be available in the first half of 2011, will enable customers to lock doors remotely; see what's going on at home via networked cameras; and set, adjust and control lights, smart thermostats and appliances -- all by using a smartphone or a computer or through FiOS TV.
Verizon will showcase the new service, Home Monitoring and Control, and many other new technologies, at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, from Jan. 6-9. Verizon's demo will be available in the press room and blogger lounge, located in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center and will be among the demonstrations in Verizon's booth (LVCC, South Hall #35215) on the show floor.
(NOTE: To take a video tour of Verizon's home monitoring and control offering, visit www.XXXXXX.)
Beginning in January, a pilot program for the new service will be conducted in New Jersey. The homes selected for the program will be outfitted with an energy reader, smart appliance switches and thermostats, a smart power strip, a smart door and window locks, motion sensors, an advanced pan-and-tilt camera, and a fixed indoor and outdoor camera.
"What we'll be testing in these homes is just the beginning," said Eric Bruno, vice president of product management for Verizon. "We're giving customers a remote control for their homes that they can use to cut CO2 emissions and their energy bills and give them anytime, anywhere access and control of their homes. The concept of the connected home has been discussed for many years, and now Verizon's high-IQ networks are making that concept a reality by converting customers' homes into bandwidth-rich ecosystems that enable a wide variety of customizable options."
High-IQ Networks Like FiOS Are Platforms for Innovation
Since launching FiOS, Verizon has pushed the boundaries of TV and broadband speed by introducing innovations that have spurred the industry's evolution.
Verizon is the only major provider to offer ultra-high-speed symmetrical Internet service to customers, and earlier this year the company began offering 150/35 megabits per second Internet service, the fastest speeds available on a mass scale. Consumers can choose from various FiOS Internet downstream and upstream options including 15/5 Mbps, 25/25 Mbps, 35/35 Mbps and 50/20 Mbps.
Verizon also offers a Media Manager, available to all HD customers, that enables them to access PC-based personal photos, videos and music – as well as search and enjoy online videos from YouTube, blip.tv and Dailymotion. DVR customers can remotely access their DVRs from any broadband connection or Internet-enabled phone. And in November, Verizon launched Flex View, a new feature that allows customers to take their video content with them and purchase, rent or watch videos on TV, online and on select mobile devices.
Three months after Netflix invaded Canada with a bizarre combination of paid actors and $8 instant streaming plans, CEO Reed Hastings the company has declared the move a success and says it will expand its service to other countries in 2011. "Based on the early success of Netflix.ca we're going to continue our international expansion next year and we're going to allocate significant dollars to it," spokesman Steve Swasey told The Canadian Press, without specifying which territories or how many might be blanketed with Albanian soldiers next. However, Canadians and others hoping to get an experience completely on par with the original US service shouldn't hold their breath, as Swasey says there are no plans to establish a movie queue for the streaming-only service, calling it a "strategic decision."
Update: The above quotes were attributed to Netflix's Steve Swasey, not CEO Reed Hastings. Our bad.
Left with just two weeks to explain exactly how seven of the web's biggest properties (and three office supply chains) violated his company Interval's patents, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen figured out a plan -- Intervals' lawyers are drawing big, colored boxes around large swaths of the allegedly infringing websites' real estate. In all seriousness, a lot of companies may owe Allen a lot of money if Interval truly has a case, because Interval claims to have patented no less than the ability for a website to take a user-selected piece of content and suggest other related pieces of content that might be of interest. Oh, and it's also apparently patented pop-ups and widgets, as most anything that displays information "in an unobtrusive manner that occupies the peripheral attention of the user" is getting the same treatment. Hilariously, it appears that the co-founder of Microsoft didn't provide his lawyers with basic scanning technology, because the PDF of the exhibits they uploaded to the court's web site is just epically bad -- check out everything they say infringes in the gallery below.
Disclaimer: We should note that AOL is among the companies being sued by Allen and Interval, and that Engadget is owned by AOL. So you know, just think about that a bunch, or something.
It's baaack. We've gone well over half a year without hearing a peep from black magic makers LucidLogix, but here on the doorstep of CES 2011, the company has resurfaced just in time to ride on the coattails of Intel's forthcoming Sandy Bridge platform. Sandy is expected to take over CES when companies start to introduce new PCs in just a few days, and thanks to Lucid's virtualization software, we wouldn't be surprised if a few are served with NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. This here technology enables the two to play nice, making the outlandish fantasy of using a multi-GPU, multi-vendor setup a reality. DirectX 11 is also supported, with the only real requirement being to "connect the display screen directly to the motherboard's Sandy Bridge display output." We'll be taking a closer look at the peacemaker once we land in Vegas, but for now, go ahead and prepare yourself for a beta version of 'Virtu' -- it'll hit at some point next month. 
It's kind of hard to accept, Pluto has always been our favorite underdog, but the truth is that the Solar System's ninth planet was never really significant enough to earn that designation. Such is the coldly logical reason given for its removal from the planetary annals by a man who had a lot to do with its demise. Caltech astronomer Mike Brown discovered Eris, what he'd hoped was the tenth planet, back in 2005, but its extreme distance from the Sun and diminutive (by planetary standards) dimensions disqualified it from consideration. Unfortunately, its discovery is what doomed Pluto to be downgraded to a "dwarf planet," though Mike's not shedding too many tears over it. In fact, he's gone and written a book about the whole thing, the smug planet destroyer that he is. You don't have to buy it to learn more, however, as the source link has an interview with Mike all ready and waiting.
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