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Engadget News |
- eLocity announces seven 10-inch Android 3.0 tablets... before Android 3.0 is announced
- Toy smartphone jailbreak: top tech trend for 2011?
- PrimeSense and ASUS team, bring Kinect-like Wavi Xtion to your living room TV (update)
- 'Zombie satellite' springs back to life, actual zombies still zombies
- MetroPCS tweaks LTE plans: $40 gets you unlimited talk, text, and web*
- Editorial: I'm ready for my car of the future, and it doesn't even have to fly
- Analarm vibrating watch wakes you, not your spouse or the neighbors (video)
- Freescale announces i.MX 6 processor series, wants quad cores in your smartphone
- Multiple Intel Core 2011 PCs spotted at Vancouver Future Shop, yes it's still the present
- iPhone alarms still not working, worlds crashing left and right
- Samsung announces $299 HMX-Q10 camcorder, makes it work upside down
- Lexar Media reveals 64GB and 128GB Class 10 SDXC cards
- Polar bears destroy robot spy cams, show no remorse (video)
- OCOSMOS returns at CES 2011 with Windows 7-based gaming handheld
- Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes
- AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200
- A.C. Ryan FLUXX media player capacitates full HD streaming with its Atom CE4150 processor
- Vizio details specs on VIA Tablet and VIA Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV
- Swann's shockproof, waterproof Sportscam straps on your cranium, captures momentous occasions
- Nintendo 3DS escapes production line, strikes a pose with Yoshi (video)
- Nexus S overclocked to 1.2GHz, runs too damn fast for its Bluetooth to work
- iRobot unveils super-compact Scooba 230, new Roomba 700 series
- Samsung reaches goal: 10 million Galaxy S phones sold worldwide
- McGill University researchers show off lunar rover prototype with unique 'iRing' wheels
- Toshiba announces unnamed Tegra 2-powered Android tablet, waits only for Honeycomb
- Samsung crafts 'world's lightest' 3D glasses in partnership with Silhouette
- Intel's 2nd Generation Core processor family announced, includes 29 new CPUs and enhanced graphics
- Intel to launch Insider movie service with 1080p content, WiDi 2.0 will let you stream it to your TV
- Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s unleashed, glossy lids and outdated processors left behind
- Lenovo ThinkPad X120e snatches up AMD's Zacate, aims to right all of the X100e's wrongs
- Vizio reveals Via Tablet and Phone with Android, sub-$300 3DTVs ahead of CES (update: pic!)
- WSJ: Google plans a 'digital newsstand' to unite all newspapers and magazines under Android's umbrella
- Qualcomm lays down $1 billion for new Mirasol plant in Taiwan, catering small and medium devices
- Inhabitat's Week in Green: of space elevators, floating cities and solar sheltered drinking machines
- Dell's IPS and multitouch ST2220T finally shipping to tilting monitor seekers
- HTC Thunderbolt has 8 megapixel camera and video chat, according to the ad up there
- Samsung Galaxy Player up for pre-order at Amazon UK, £150 buys 8GB worth of Android Market apps
- MSI details Sandy Bridge, Fusion all-in-ones ahead of CES, teases a sliding screen
| eLocity announces seven 10-inch Android 3.0 tablets... before Android 3.0 is announced Posted: 03 Jan 2011 09:54 AM PST  eLocity Launches Seven New 10-Inch Mobile Tablets A10s available soon for online preorder PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Stream TV Networks announced today it will be expanding its eLocity product line and launching the 10-inch eLocity A10 line of mobile tablets for preorder on January 17th, 2011 at various online retailers. The A10 line will be previewed at CES on January 6th, 2011 (Stream TV Booth 30329), where detailed specifications will be released. The new 10-inch eLocity mobile tablets will run the Flash-enabled Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS with powerful NVIDIA Tegra 2 processors. These models, equipped with ample storage, front facing cameras and HDMI outputs, will be available at varying price points to meet a wide range of user preferences. The new eLocity A10.1, A10.2, A10.3, A10.4, A10.5, A10.6 and A10.7 models will have the highest screen resolution within the mobile tablet category. eLocity A10s launch for online preorder beginning on January 17th at http://MicroCenter.com, http://Frys.com, http://Sears.com, http://Newegg.com, http://Walmart.com, http://bjs.com, http://TigerDirect.com, http://Amazon.com and http://MicroCenter.com. This launch follows the successful introduction of the eLocity A7 seven inch mobile tablet, for which production targets were increased to meet high consumer demand. The eLocity A7 was the first mobile tablet available in the US to run the Android 2.2 OS. CEO Mathu Rajan of Stream TV comments, "We're pleased to introduce our new mobile tablets in time for CES. These additional models will make the A Series tablet line more robust and provide consumers with more options to suit their varied needs, while addressing skyrocketing demand for tablet computing solutions." The eLocity A7 and A10 tablets optimize portability, connectivity, and computing power like never before in a sleek design. The A Series offers a wide range of mobile apps, supports Adobe Flash and is enabled for 3D gaming with the NVIDIA Tegra 2 T-250 dual core processor. Sporting high resolution multi-touch screens and high speed internal flash memory, the eLocity A Series mobile tablets are multipurpose devices that provide a full entertainment solution along with business productivity and wireless connectivity. The tablets are equipped with micro SD slots supporting up to 32GB of added storage, USB ports supporting up to 64GB of added storage and a 1080p HDMI output. Stream TV's mission is to bring to market innovative products featuring state-of-the-art technology designed to transform consumer communications and digital lifestyle. | |||||
| Toy smartphone jailbreak: top tech trend for 2011? Posted: 03 Jan 2011 09:33 AM PST  Not since we ran into Benign Girl at the Dollar General have we been so taken with a toy cellphone. Yours now for a mere 99 cents, Smart Phone (creative name!), proves what we suspected all along: in Shenzhen, even children's playthings are jailbroken. But please be careful, as this thing is only recommended for users over the age of four. Get a closer look after the break. [Thanks, Josh]  | |||||
| PrimeSense and ASUS team, bring Kinect-like Wavi Xtion to your living room TV (update) Posted: 03 Jan 2011 09:11 AM PST  Update: Did we say HTPC? Turns out it doesn't quite work that way -- the Wavi are actually a pair of boxes that wirelessly sling data between them. You put the Xtion sensor on top of your TV, connect it to Wavi #1, then plug Wavi #2 into a PC up to 25 meters away. Mind you, it looks like the Xtion may not be quite as capable as Microsoft's unit, as there's only infrared hardware inside -- it might be fine for gesture control, but don't expect any augmented reality lightsaber fights. See some mockups below! PrimeSense Teams Up with ASUS to Bring Intuitive PC Entertainment to the Living Room with WAVI Xtion | |||||
| 'Zombie satellite' springs back to life, actual zombies still zombies Posted: 03 Jan 2011 08:50 AM PST  | |||||
| MetroPCS tweaks LTE plans: $40 gets you unlimited talk, text, and web* Posted: 03 Jan 2011 08:27 AM PST  MetroPCS' New 4G LTE Plans Offer Unprecedented Value and Choice with Prices Starting at Just $40 $40, $50 and $60 plans include unlimited talk, text and Web browsing on 4G LTE handsets; Allow consumers to select data access levels to meet their lifestyle DALLAS – (January 3, 2011) – MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (NYSE: PCS) today announced its new 4G LTE no annual contract service plans that deliver unmatched value to consumers who demand more service flexibility with their entertainment and Web experience. Starting at just $40 per month, all three 4G LTE rate plans offer affordability, flexibility and predictability with unlimited nationwide talk, text and Web browsing, with all applicable taxes and regulatory fees included. With the $50 and $60 service plans, consumers have more data access service choices to better fit their actual usage of certain streaming audio and video content, real-time Internet gaming, music and video downloads and other media applications. MetroPCS' other current service plans remain unchanged and continue to offer unlimited talk, text and Web browsing services. Each of the three 4G LTE service plans offers unique options and features: · The $40 service plan offers unlimited talk, text, 4G Web browsing with unlimited YouTube access. · The $50 service plan includes the same unlimited talk, text, 4G Web services and unlimited YouTube access as the $40 plan. Additional features include international and premium text messaging, turn-by-turn navigation with MetroNAVIGATOR™, ScreenIT, mobile instant messaging, corporate e-mail and 1 GB of additional data access, with premium features available through MetroSTUDIO™ when connected via Wi-Fi, including audio capabilities to listen and download music and access to preview and trial video content. · The $60 service plan provides the same premium features as the $50 plan, plus unlimited data access and MetroSTUDIO premium content such as 18 video-on-demand channels and audio downloads. "Our customers told us they wanted more video, more sharing of their content and more Web browsing capabilities – they want to have it all with the value and no annual contract that only MetroPCS can deliver," said Roger D. Linquist, president, CEO and chairman of MetroPCS. "Our 4G LTE network can deliver unlimited voice and mobile broadband data services and, with these new service plans, consumers are in the driver's seat on how much additional data access and real-time entertainment content they want to pay for on a monthly basis." The new 4G LTE rate plans are available in the nine metropolitan areas where MetroPCS currently offers 4G LTE services, including Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Sacramento and San Francisco. MetroPCS plans to expand its 4G LTE services into more metropolitan areas in 2011, including Atlanta, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa, and will continue the build-out of its existing 4G LTE metropolitan areas through the year. | |||||
| Editorial: I'm ready for my car of the future, and it doesn't even have to fly Posted: 03 Jan 2011 08:04 AM PST  If we're stuck with such pedestrian things as wheels and tires and fenders, what's the next-generation of cars going to look like? Are hybrids really a hot thing or are they the automotive equivalent of a transition medium? Will tomorrow's cars continue today's horsepower wars or are a nation's dyno graphs on the verge of a beige econo-precipice the likes of which we haven't seen since the '70s fuel crisis? Damned if I know, but I do at least have an idea of what I believe the next generation of cars should be, something that could be produced in five years or less and would totally rock my world. Maybe it will rock yours too. Adding lightness This was the key to Lotus cars on the track and off, a concept that major manufacturers have all moved away from, their autos burdened with ever bigger motors, bulkier frames, and more airbags. Even Lotus is following the trend. A key concept of my ideal (but theoretical) car of tomorrow is to reverse that trend, to make them truly light again. Let's say 1,500lbs for a roadster, 2,000lbs for a sedan, and exterior dimensions smaller than a Ford Focus or a Mazda 3. Today's cars that have grown and swelled to obscene proportions, burdened by once simple solutions to simple problems that bumped up against other solutions to other problems and in turn created new problems. Heavier cars need bigger motors to keep them going as fast, which means bigger wheels and tires, bigger brakes, bigger fuel tanks... more weight to haul around. So the cycle continues, spiraling out of control.
A place for your smartphone
It's time for the car's entertainment and navigation systems to be deleted. Smartphones do all that and more, with a cleaner, more user-friendly interface. Delete the stereo, delete the navigation system, delete the in-car cellular antenna, get rid of all that. Replace it with a simple smartphone dock and an amplifier. It's more weight saved, and less space taken up by a tangle of wires under the dash. In fact, ditch the whole dash. Put all the gauges on the steering wheel like an F1 car. Build the heating and cooling vents into the frame of the car and the seats. Simplify things, streamline them, a little like BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics above -- but maybe toning down the swoop a bit. Less dash means fewer things to hit in a crash, which could mean a reduced need for airbags and safer impacts overall. It's electric It's because, simply, EV is cleanest design. An internal combustion engine tries to capture the explosive force provided by a burning fuel and turn that into linear acceleration. After hundreds of years of refinements even the best engines do a damned poor job of it. A hybrid improves that efficiency, but shoots itself in the foot with yet another motor (or two) and a load of batteries and wires and processors and a gearbox capable of giving a mechanical engineer nightmares. All that means more weight, and remember: weight is bad. It's much the same story with a fuel cell car, though now you're trying to squeeze electrons out of hydrogen or the like, then sticking that in a (much smaller) battery, then turning around and pulling it back out to power an electric motor. This requires a big, rupture-proof tank situated somewhere inside the body and, perhaps more troublingly, a nation-wide hydrogen distribution system. I've yet to see a single hydrogen pump at a highway rest area. They all have electricity, though -- and Starbucks. Sure, EVs right now mean short range, the little Leaf managing a little over 100 miles with a stiff tail wind, the Tesla Roadster 200-odd. But, remember: these are on the leading edge of the EV wave. In a few years battery life and design will be better, meaning lighter weight, longer range, and quicker recharging. And don't worry early adopters, because you'll probably be ready for a new ride by then anyway. These are, after all, cars. DrivetrainSo it's an EV, then. That means batteries with wires, wires running to one or more electric motors. Current EV designs generally rely on a single large motor doing its thing in the traditional location under the hood. Mechanical power gets run through a transmission and differential. Differentials sit between wheels and allow them both to be spun by a single motor, each rotating at different rates so you can go around turns and things. Along the way all those gears suck down 10 or 15 percent of the power coming out of the motor. What do you get in return? Noise, some heat, and pools of slippery fluid that need to be drained and changed at regular intervals.
There are other advantages to putting a motor at each corner, a big one being brakes. A front-wheel drive hybrid can use its electric motor to brake and re-fill the battery, but the effect can't be too strong as you need to use standard, friction brakes on the two wheels chilling out back. An electric motor at each wheel means you can rely on regenerative braking to do most of the car's stopping, with only tiny friction brakes required to bring the car to a stop (regenerative braking loses efficiency at low speeds) -- and to keep it from rolling down the hill when parked. 
Four electric motors, a central computer having precise control over the RPM of each one, would make the GT-R's drivetrain arrangement look like a trebuchet sitting next to a railgun. Return of the three-seater That would leave a flat, open space upon which to set the interior, and open the door to throwing the traditional two-seater and 2+2 layouts out the window. I've always been intrigued by the McLaren F1's arrangement with the driver in the middle and a passenger on either side. With no transmission/exhaust tunnel running down the middle of the car, why not a three-seat roadster or 3+3 sedan? Charging: lose the wires
That's not so bad, is it? In addition, EV makers need an inductive, wire-free charging standard. You'd never get the voltage achievable through a wired solution (at least not without making everyone within 100-feet glow in the dark), but even slower charging would make life more convenient. You could juice an entire parking lot without having to worry about vandalism; let people top of their batteries while hunting for bouillon cubes in the grocery store. Maybe in the future we can build highways that recharge cars on the go, extending their range. Who's going to build it?This is perhaps the toughest question. A car of this design, a completely unconventional frame with an odd interior layout and an even number of motors, wouldn't exactly fit into the tooling that major manufacturers have spent decades bolting to the floor. That's fine, let's give the little guys a chance. In the early days of the auto, buying a car was a little more complex. You went to a chassis manufacturer and ordered some rolling stock, chose a motor to slot in, and then delivered the pile to a coachbuilder. They'd throw it all together and put a body of your choosing on it -- even crafting a custom shape on their rollers if you had the scratch. Let's bring some of that componentization back. If at CES this year ASUS launches a laptop with a CPU, GPU, memory, storage, and display all made entirely by in-house, with no help from Intel or AMD or Samsung or anybody, you wouldn't expect it to out-perform the competition. Why should it be any different with cars? General Motors or Toyota or Tesla aren't going to make the best electric motors in the world, and the best battery packs, and the best inverters, and engine control systems, and everything else required. Let a few companies focus on making the best motors. Let a few others focus on making the best batteries. Let you, the buyer, pick which ones you want, and let some smaller car manufacturers put it all together. Let's see what Caterham, Local Motors, Weismann, Ariel, and all the other mini marques can do. Wrap-up Am I dreaming here? Yeah, absolutely, but the technology is there. We could do this in five years, all we need to do is start with a clean slate. That's easy enough with a laptop or a smartphone, but in a car people are more conservative, in part because their lives are on the line. Education is needed to teach people that, when it comes to an accident, avoidance can be even more important than survivability in a crash. That small cars, with the right construction and features, aren't deathtraps. That giant wheels and lifted suspension don't give you more grip on a snowy day. That you could fit five sweaty kids in a small car and still have room for all their soccer equipment in the trunk. And, perhaps most importantly, that EVs don't have to be boring. To enable a coachbuilder renaissance we'd need revision and simplification of crash testing regulations, global standardization of New Car Assessment Programs (NCAP), and easing of regulations surrounding the import and export of cars. In exchange we'd get hugely light, hugely efficient, and hugely fun to drive machines that could be even faster than today's portly 500+hp beasts. And that's really all I want: a fast, fun, car that can finally shrug off 100 years of industry dead weight. | |||||
| Analarm vibrating watch wakes you, not your spouse or the neighbors (video) Posted: 03 Jan 2011 07:45 AM PST  | |||||
| Freescale announces i.MX 6 processor series, wants quad cores in your smartphone Posted: 03 Jan 2011 07:24 AM PST 
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| Multiple Intel Core 2011 PCs spotted at Vancouver Future Shop, yes it's still the present Posted: 03 Jan 2011 07:03 AM PST  [Thanks, Matthew T.] | |||||
| iPhone alarms still not working, worlds crashing left and right Posted: 03 Jan 2011 06:44 AM PST  Hey, you -- it's January 3rd. You know, the day you're supposed to return to work / school / life. And the day you're supposed to catch a flight you've had booked for three months. And probably a day that you're supposed to accomplish lots of other tasks. Unfortunately for you, you actually believed that your iPhone alarm would fix itself when today rolled around, but based on hordes of complaints seen on Twitter and Facebook, said fix is still hibernating. And thus, you're still sleeping. Even here at Engadget HQ, we've seen iPhone 4 handsets not wake us as promised (on non-recurring alarms), so who knows when Apple will step up to the plate and address the issue. In the meantime, go ahead and set up a recurring alarm while gently crossing your fingers and toes. Or, you know, buy a battery-powered alarm clock off of your grandmother.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in] | |||||
| Samsung announces $299 HMX-Q10 camcorder, makes it work upside down Posted: 03 Jan 2011 06:30 AM PST 
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| Lexar Media reveals 64GB and 128GB Class 10 SDXC cards Posted: 03 Jan 2011 06:19 AM PST 
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| Polar bears destroy robot spy cams, show no remorse (video) Posted: 03 Jan 2011 06:02 AM PST  | |||||
| OCOSMOS returns at CES 2011 with Windows 7-based gaming handheld Posted: 03 Jan 2011 05:41 AM PST  OCOSMOS. Sound familiar? If you were with us for last year's wild ride through the autumn, it most definitely will. For whatever reason, this South Korean company only comes out to play when the world's eyes are watching, and while we've yet to hear a peep about the products it wowed us with just a few months back, the outfit's making a last-second play for attention at this year's gala. All we have to go on so far are the images above and these two details: this unnamed gaming handheld will boast a dual-core Intel processor and run some version of Windows 7. In other words, you can finish up an Excel file right after you plow through a bona fide Windows game. We're hoping to learn more on this guy in due time, and you can bet we'll be grappling for hands-on time once we hit the floor. | |||||
| Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes Posted: 03 Jan 2011 05:17 AM PST  VIZIO Announces Full Line of Theater 3D™ HDTVs in Sizes Ranging from 22 to 71 inches - Brighter, Flicker-Free 3D with Superior Performance for Everyone -Theater 3D™ revolutionizes 3D for the home with an up to 2x brighter and flicker-free picture quality and significantly reduces crosstalk compared to current Active Shutter LCD TVs -Theater 3D eyewear is lightweight, comfortable, and doesn't require batteries. They're also compatible with most 3D movie theaters Download image Download image IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- VIZIO, America's #1 LCD HDTV Company*, announced today a full line of Theater 3D™ HDTVs that deliver superior 3D performance for all, with sizes ranging from 22 to 71 inches. Theater 3D HDTVs offer crystal-clear, flicker-free 3D that's up to 2x brighter and significantly reduces crosstalk compared to current Active Shutter LCD TVs. Best of all, Theater 3D eyewear is battery-free, lightweight and comfortable, works with most 3D movie theaters, and will be available in a range of styles and colors from brand name designers. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110103/LA23354) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090204/LA66605LOGO) "Theater 3D is a significant move forward from the conventional Active Shutter TVs introduced last year," said Matthew McRae, VIZIO Chief Technology Officer. "Users immediately experience a brighter picture, no flicker, less crosstalk, and the comfortable glasses enabling them to enjoy the content without the technology getting in the way. And by making this next generation 3D affordable VIZIO aims to fulfill our brand promise of Entertainment Freedom for All." From the essential E series, to the thoughtfully designed M series, and ultra-high performance XVT series, there will be a Theater 3D model for every movie buff, sports fan, gamer, and anyone else looking for a better, brighter 3D experience, starting this spring. The Best 3D Experience VIZIO Theater 3D™ offers consumers a revolutionary new technology that renders flicker-free and brighter images and significantly reduces crosstalk compared to current Active Shutter LCD TVs. By utilizing a circular polarized 3D filter, the burden of 3D processing is built into the TV, allowing Theater 3D eyewear to be free of the batteries and shutter mechanisms inherent in Active Shutter 3D TVs. Theater 3D offers several performance advantages over conventional, "active" 3D systems. Theater 3D is up to 2x brighter, and significantly reduces crosstalk compared to current Active Shutter LCD TVs, handles fast motion without blurring, has a wider horizontal viewing angle, and reduces flicker that may cause eye strain found in active shutter 3D solutions. In addition, Theater 3D eyewear can be used to view 3D movies in a majority of movie theaters. Depending on the model up to four pairs of the lightweight and comfortable Theater 3D glasses are included with each TV. With this, VIZIO has eliminated two of the most common objections to 3D HDTV purchases: the need to wear bulky 3D glasses that require batteries or recharging and the need to invest in expensive additional 3D glasses so the entire family can enjoy it together. By incorporating all of the 3D processing into the TV instead of burdening the eyewear, as is the case with Active 3D, VIZIO Theater 3D enables users to wear comfortable, eco-friendly, battery-free eyewear instead of Active Shutter glasses that are heavy, awkward, and require recharging and other maintenance. Support for the Widest Array of 3D Formats Each Theater 3D™ model supports the widest selection of 3D formats to ensure compatibility across Blu-ray, broadcast, cable, satellite, and gaming. This includes Frame Packing, Side-by-Side, Top and Bottom, SENSIO® HiFi 3D and the RealD Format. "DisplaySearch is forecasting that North America 3D TV shipments are forecasted to increase by more than 300% in 2011 to 7M units**, driven by a range of new 3D TV types, including circular polarizer filter systems like VIZIO's Theater 3D," stated Paul Gagnon, Director of North America TV Market Research, DisplaySearch. VIZIO's Leading LED Picture Quality Some Theater 3D models feature VIZIO's Edge-Lit Razor LED™ technology with Smart Dimming™. Razor LED HDTVs with Smart Dimming™ intelligently control the array of LEDs, which are organized in 32 zones. Working frame by frame, based on the content being displayed, Smart Dimming adjusts brightness in precise steps down to pure black (where the LED is completely off). This cutting-edge technology minimizes light leakage and enables a Dynamic Contrast Ratio of 10 Million to 1, for blacker blacks and whiter whites. Certain XVT models utilize VIZIO's Full Array TruLED™ backlighting with Smart Dimming™ technology. With over 120 zones across the entire display, TruLED backlighting is able to control specific areas of the image, depending on what's on screen, resulting in the most incredible and life-like images that "pop" off the screen. VIZIO Internet Apps™ (VIA) All Theater 3D™ models feature VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA) Connected HDTV platform. VIA delivers unprecedented choice and control of web-based content directly to the television without the need for a PC or set-top box. Current Apps from top online content and service brands include: Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, VUDU, Pandora, Facebook, Flickr, Rhapsody, Twitter, and Yahoo! TV Widgets. Additional Apps recently released include Fandango®, iMemories, MediaBox™, My-Cast®, TuneIn Radio™, Web Videos, Wiki TV and Yahoo Fantasy Football. Navigating VIA is simple, using the included Bluetooth Universal Remote (optional on some models) that includes a QWERTY keypad. State of the art wireless Internet access is available through built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi, allowing viewers to enjoy the convenience of on-demand movies, TV shows, social networking, music, photos and more with just the push of a button. VIA Plus HDTVs The XVT3D476SV and XVT3D556SV are part of the new VIZIO VIA Plus ecosystem that combines the convenience of entertainment on demand with a consistent and seamless experience across all devices in the ecosystem, including the VIA Phone and VIA Tablet. VIA Plus TVs, which will incorporate the Google TV platform, feature a sophisticated and intuitive user interface that allows users to access their favorite apps as well as search and browse the web using a premium Bluetooth QWERTY universal remote with touchpad and built-in dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi. Advanced Audio To compliment the 3D video of the Theater 3D™ TVs, M and XVT models include the latest high performance audio technologies from SRS Labs. SRS technologies help deliver an immersive, virtual, high definition surround sound through SRS TruSurround HD™. TruSurround HD creates an immersive, feature-rich surround sound experience from two speakers, complete with rich bass, high frequency detail and clearer dialog. In addition, SRS TruVolume™ provides a consistent and comfortable volume level while watching TV programming for a more enjoyable multimedia experience. Certain VIZIO Theater 3D TVs will feature SRS StudioSound™ HD - the ultimate all-in-one audio suite designed specifically for Flat Panel TVs. Years of excellence in audio, practical experience, and patented technologies allow StudioSound HD to deliver the most immersive and natural surround sound ever using built-in TV speakers. The suite also delivers remarkably crisp and clear dialog, rich bass, an elevated sound stage and consistent, spike-free volume levels. StudioSound HD features optimized audio presets for movies, news, sports and music while also providing a built-in EQ toolset for peak audio performance. Theater 3D in Style In addition, Theater 3D eyewear will be available from well-known designer brands, including Oakley who has already launched one line of 3D eyewear that is also compatible with Theater 3D HDTVs. Launched recently as the world's first optically correct 3D glasses, Oakley 3D Gascan® utilizes the company's proprietary HDO-3D™ technology for superior visual clarity and signature Oakley comfort. VIZIO continues to lead the HDTV marketplace and with the added performance and value of Theater 3D in these models for 2011: VIZIO Theater 3D Series Model Size/ Res. Refresh Smart Dimming VIZIO Internet Apps QWERTY Remote SRS Studio Sound HD MSRP E3D320VX 32" FHD 60 N Y IR Y TBD E3D420VX 42" FHD 120 N Y IR Y TBD E3D470VX 47" FHD 120 N Y IR Y TBD M3D420SV Razor LED 42" FHD 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD M3D420SR Razor LED 42" FHD 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD M3D460SR Razor LED 46" FHD 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD M3D470SV Razor LED 47" FHD 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD M3D550SV Razor LED 55" FHD 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD M3D550SR Razor LED 55" FHD 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD XVT3D225KP Razor LED 22" FHD 60 N Y IR Y TBD XVT3D265KP Razor LED 26" FHD 60 N Y IR Y TBD XVT3D325KP Razor LED 32" FHD 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD XVT3D375KP Razor LED 37" FHD 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD XVT3D425SP TruLED 42" FHD 480 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD XVT3D475SP TruLED 47" FHD 480 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD XVT3D555SP TruLED 55" FHD 480 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD XVT3D650SV Razor LED 65" FHD 120 Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD XVT3D476SV TruLED 47" FHD 480 SPS Y Y, PLUS Bluetooth w/Touchpad VIA Plus TBD XVT3D556SV TruLED 55" FHD 480 SPS Y Y, PLUS Bluetooth w/Touchpad VIA Plus TBD XVT3D500CM Razor LED 50" WFHD 2560 x1080 240 SPS Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD XVT3D580CM Razor LED 58" WFHD 2560 x1080 120 Y Y Bluetooth Y TBD * Sources: Q3 2010 iSuppli and DisplaySearch Reports ** Report source: DisplaySearch Quarterly TV Design and Feature Report About VIZIO VIZIO, Inc., "Entertainment Freedom For All," headquartered in Irvine, California, is America's HDTV and Consumer Electronics Company. In 2007, VIZIO skyrocketed to the top by becoming the #1 selling brand of flat panel HDTVs in North America and became the first American brand in over a decade to lead in U.S. TV sales. Since 2007 VIZIO HDTV shipments remain in the TOP ranks in the U.S. and was #1 for the total year in 2009. VIZIO is committed to bringing feature-rich consumer electronics to market at a value through practical innovation. VIZIO offers a broad range of award winning consumer electronics. VIZIO's products are found at Costco Wholesale, Sam's Club, Walmart, Target, BJ's Wholesale, and other retailers nationwide along with authorized online partners. VIZIO has won numerous awards including a #1 ranking in the Inc. 500 for Top Companies in Computers and Electronics, Fast Company's 6th Most Innovative CE Company of 2009, and made the lists of Ad Age's Hottest Brands, Good Housekeeping's Best Big-Screens, CNET's Editor's Choice, PC World's Best Buy and OC Metro's 10 Most Trustworthy Brands among many other prestigious honors. For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit on the web at www.VIZIO.com. The V, VIZIO, TruLED, Extreme VIZIO Technology XVT, VIZIO Internet Apps, VIA Plus, 480Hz SPS, 240Hz SPS, Thin Line, Smooth Motion, Razor LED, Smart Dimming, Theater 3D, Cinema HDTV, Entertainment Freedom For All names, phrase and symbols are trademarks or registered trademarks of VIZIO, Inc. All other trademarks may be the property of their respective holders. SOURCE VIZIO | |||||
| AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200 Posted: 03 Jan 2011 05:00 AM PST 
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| A.C. Ryan FLUXX media player capacitates full HD streaming with its Atom CE4150 processor Posted: 03 Jan 2011 04:28 AM PST  [Thanks, Nash] | |||||
| Vizio details specs on VIA Tablet and VIA Phone, reveals VIA Plus is Google TV Posted: 03 Jan 2011 04:10 AM PST   VIZIO Unveils New Smartphone and Tablet Featuring VIA Plus for Even More Entertainment Freedom - Part of the VIA Plus Ecosystem, the VIZIO smartphone and tablet Feature a Unified and Intuitive User Experience to Simplify Today's Connected Lifestyle - The VIZIO smartphone features a 4" high-resolution capacitive touch screen with 5 Megapixel camera for photos and HD video capture, and a front-facing camera for video chat - The VIZIO tablet boasts an 8" high resolution capacitive touchscreen with 3 speakers for stereo audio in portrait or landscape mode and a front-facing camera for video chat - Both devices include HD video playback with HDMI video output, high quality audio processing and built-in universal remote control app that make these the ideal handheld companions to the HD entertainment experience Irvine, CA-January 3, 2011 - VIZIO, America's #1 LCD HDTV Company*, announced today it is expanding into the mobility category with the VIZIO smartphone and tablet (referred to as the "VIA Phone" and "VIA Tablet" below) -- both part of the VIA Plus ecosystem, the next generation of VIZIO Internet Apps™, that features a unified, sophisticated and intuitive user experience across multiple CE devices including VIZIO HDTVs, Blu-ray players, smartphones and tablets. "Both the VIA phone and tablet feature the highest performance coupled with innovative features that tie them into the media consumption experience," said Matthew McRae, Chief Technology Officer at VIZIO. "And by integrating the VIA Plus user experience also found on our next generation TVs and Blu-ray devices, VIZIO is delivering the multi-screen, unified ecosystem others have talked about for years and never delivered." The VIZIO VIA Phone features a 1 GHz processor, 4" high-resolution capacitive touch screen, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, GPS, a MicroSD card slot for memory expansion and HDMI output with HD video playback. It also features a front-facing camera for video chats and a 5 megapixel rear camera for photos and HD video capture. The VIZIO VIA Tablet also features a 1 GHz processor, with an 8" high-resolution capacitive touch screen, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, GPS, a MicroSD card slot for additional memory expansion, HDMI output with HD video playback, and a front-facing camera for video chats. It also boasts a unique three-speaker design for stereo audio in both portrait and landscape modes. Both devices include a built-in IR blaster with universal remote control app for quick access to the entire home theater or nearly any other CE device in the home. Both run on the Android™ Platform, which will also allow users to access thousands of apps through Android Market™. "As part of the VIA Plus ecosystem, the VIA phone and tablet are natural extensions of the HD entertainment experience that historically has centered around the TV," added Mr. McRae. "Whether consumers are looking to enjoy content on the big screen, on their tablet or on a mobile phone, VIA Plus delivers on the promise of Entertainment Freedom for All by creating a rich and consistent user experience across all devices that's accessible to everyone, from the power user to the casual browser." VIZIO will be demonstrating the VIA Phone and VIA Tablet in their private CES showcase at the Wynn Hotel from January 6 to 9, 2011. *Sources: Q3 2010 iSuppli and DisplaySearch Reports VIZIO Announces VIA Plus, The Connected CE Ecosystem That Delivers A Unified User Experience From the Big Screen to Mobile Devices - VIA Plus to provide seamless entertainment freedom for all across VIZIO's line of HDTVs, Blu-ray Players, SmartPhones and Tablets - VIA Plus combines the convenience of entertainment on demand with seamless experience from the big screen to handheld devices - VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-ray Players incorporate Google TV and feature premium Bluetooth QWERTY universal remote with touchpad, dual-band 802.11n built-in Wi-Fi and enhanced onscreen navigation including search and web browser - VIZIO Smartphone and Tablet based on the Android™ Platform to feature built-in IR blaster with universal remote control app, HD playback with HDMI output, and access to thousands of apps in Android Market™ Irvine, CA-January 3, 2011 - VIZIO, America's #1 LCD HDTV Company*, announced today the VIA Plus ecosystem, the next generation of VIZIO Internet Apps™ that will provide consumers with a connected CE experience unlike any other. The new ecosystem will allow for unified on-demand content and application consumption across multiple consumer electronic devices including VIZIO HDTVs, Blu-ray players, SmartPhones and Tablets. "The promise of a unified consumer experience across multiple screens and devices has been unfulfilled until now," said Matthew McRae, Chief Technology Officer at VIZIO. "With VIA Plus, VIZIO is delivering the first true integrated ecosystem across multiple classes of devices and enabling a simple yet powerful interface for consumers to enjoy their applications, services, and content." VIA Plus expands upon the VIA experience and extends it to new devices creating a world-class connected ecosystem that combines the latest technologies and a unified user experience to provide the very best HD entertainment experience. Consumers will be able to begin content consumption from one device and seamlessly transition the content to another device allowing entertainment to be continuously enjoyed anywhere and anyplace without interruption. VIA Plus HDTVs and Blu-rays will incorporate Google TV and feature a premium Bluetooth QWERTY universal remote with touchpad, dual-band 802.11n built-in wifi and enhanced onscreen navigation including search and web browser. The VIA Plus Phone and Tablet will be based on the Android Platform and feature built-in IR blaster with universal remote control app, HD playback with HDMI output, and access to hundreds of thousands of apps in Android Market. "In the upcoming era of connected digital devices, we believe the companies that stand the best chance of success are those that realize the consumer experience isn't just about hardware. Rather, it's the integration of hardware, software, and services toward a specific usage model that will ultimately offer a unique and potentially lasting consumer experience," said Richard Shim, mobile computing analyst with DisplaySearch. "One of the usage models that we believe can be addressed most readily is the consumption of high-quality digital entertainment." More Freedom with VIA Plus With VIA Plus devices, consumers will be able to search, organize and access their favorite apps more easily than ever. At its core, the VIA Plus experience is a unified, consistent and intuitive user interface that allows consumers in just a few clicks to quickly group favorite apps by categories, customize the dock with their most frequently accessed apps or switch apps with the multitasking bar. "We know we have tremendous interest and support from our current distribution for new VIA devices, but always are mindful of what the end user wants. With the proliferation of platforms and apps now available to connected devices, navigating and learning different interfaces can be frustrating to end users," said Mr. McRae. "With that in mind, VIA Plus presents a simple, consistent, and elegant interface so users can quickly access the entertainment they seek on devices from a 4" mobile phone to a 65" Theater 3D HDTV." VIZIO will be demonstrating VIA Plus devices in their private CES showcase at the Wynn Hotel from Janurary 6 to 9, 2011. *Sources: Q3 2010 iSuppli and DisplaySearch Reports | |||||
| Swann's shockproof, waterproof Sportscam straps on your cranium, captures momentous occasions Posted: 03 Jan 2011 04:00 AM PST  
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| Nintendo 3DS escapes production line, strikes a pose with Yoshi (video) Posted: 03 Jan 2011 03:16 AM PST  Update: David T. wrote in with a video of the thing in action -- well, in non-action, really. It's embedded below, and as you can see the poor backless 3DS is decidedly non-functional. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]  | |||||
| Nexus S overclocked to 1.2GHz, runs too damn fast for its Bluetooth to work Posted: 03 Jan 2011 02:49 AM PST  | |||||
| iRobot unveils super-compact Scooba 230, new Roomba 700 series Posted: 03 Jan 2011 02:00 AM PST  iRobot® Scooba® 230 floor washing robot The world's smallest floor washing robot, the iRobot Scooba 230 scrubs your tile, linoleum and sealed hardwood floors. Scooba never uses dirty water to wash your floors. The compact robot easily cleans in tight spaces, including under and around cabinets and furniture and next to the toilet. With Scooba, you get cleaner floors more often. Let the robot do the dirty work. Scooba 230 washes floors clean – on its own. The robot's three-stage cleaning system washes, scrubs and squeegees your floors to ensure they are thoroughly clean. Scrubbing brushes loosen and get rid of dirt and stubborn stains. The robot uses a squeegee and a vacuum to pick up virtually all the water on the floor, so your floor dries fast. The robot's water management system includes a flexible bladder that keeps the cleaning solution and the dirty water separate inside the robot. While the robot is cleaning, the bladder shrinks in size as cleaning solution is put down on the floor, freeing up space in the robot to hold the dirty water that is being picked up. Small and Mighty. Scooba 230 is compact; at 3.5 inches tall and 6.5 inches in diameter (about the size of a soup bowl and about half the diameter of the iRobot Scooba 330, 350 and 380), the robot easily cleans in hard-to-reach places, including under and around furniture and next to the toilet. The robot is adaptable, based on your specific cleaning needs; choose either the standard cleaning cycle or a shorter 20-minute cycle for cleaning smaller rooms. The robot maximizes cleaning by adapting to your unique household environment; iAdapt Responsive Cleaning Technology monitors the cleaning environment 64 times per second, using multiple sensors and more than 40 behaviors to ensure the entire floor is thoroughly cleaned. Easy to use. Scooba 230 is very easy to use; just press the Clean button and the robot does the dirty work. Scooba knows which areas to clean and those to avoid. Virtual wall technology keeps the robot in the rooms you want to clean and out of the ones you don't. Cliff sensors ensure the robot automatically avoids stairs and drop-offs while cleaning. Scooba uses a series of lights and chimes to communicate, letting you know when it has successfully finished cleaning or needs your attention for something, such as cleaning the brushes. A built-in handle makes it easy to carry the robot with one hand. The bottom plate of the robot snaps on and off without tools, making it fast and easy to rinse the scrubbing brushes and the squeegee after each use; there's no other maintenance needed. iRobot Roomba® 700 Series (760, 770, 780) New features and upgrades include: · Incorporates iAdapt™ Responsive Cleaning Technology, the most actively intuitive robotic technology, giving the most thorough cleaning results. · Newly refined, sleeker design · New AeroVac™ Series II Bin bin with a powerful vacuum that maximizes air flow through Roomba's cleaning head to pull hair and debris off the brushes and into the bin · HEPA-Type Filter that keeps fine household dust from re-circulating into your home · Specially designed compliant Soft-Touch Bumper polymer coating to protect walls and furniture from possible scratches · Battery has 50% longer life than previous Roomba generations, cleaning up to four regular sized rooms on one charge · Persistent Pass Cleaning Pattern – when Roomba senses excessive dirt and debris, it uses a brush-like, back and forth motion to focus its cleaning effort in the dirty area it has detected · Convenient carrying handle is built into the top of Roomba · Greater autonomy from Full Bin Indicator light, which turns on when Roomba's optical sensor detects a full dust bin (Roomba 770 and 780) · Debris Detector uses an optical sensor to detect larger, soft particles on the floor like popcorn, lint or paper chads, so Roomba can respond by focusing its cleaning pattern to ensure deeper, concentrated cleaning in that area (Roomba 770 and 780) · A Wireless Command Center to easily control Roomba remotely (Roomba 780) · Capacitive sensor touchpad as the user interface to eliminate mechanical buttons (Roomba 780) | |||||
| Samsung reaches goal: 10 million Galaxy S phones sold worldwide Posted: 03 Jan 2011 01:14 AM PST  | |||||
| McGill University researchers show off lunar rover prototype with unique 'iRing' wheels Posted: 03 Jan 2011 12:14 AM PST  | |||||
| Toshiba announces unnamed Tegra 2-powered Android tablet, waits only for Honeycomb Posted: 02 Jan 2011 11:15 PM PST  While we couldn't turn on the dual-core Tegra 2-powered tablet, which will eventually run "the next version of Android designed for tablets" aka Honeycomb, we have to say the EasyGrip, spill-resistant, rubberized back felt really solid in hand and the 1.7-pound, .6-inch thick tablet felt comparable to the iPad in terms of portability. Oh, and did we mention that the aforementioned rear cover is swappable, so not only can you change its color but you can replace the battery? We told you it had some of the ingredients to make it go far, but we're obviously lacking quite a bit of information here to make any further decisions. Toshiba's maintaining that the tablet will be released in the first half of 2011 (it obviously has to wait until Honeycomb has been made official) and the pricing will be competitive, but we'll be digging for more when we get to Vegas and hopefully reporting back with some impressions of a working unit. | |||||
| Samsung crafts 'world's lightest' 3D glasses in partnership with Silhouette Posted: 02 Jan 2011 09:36 PM PST   | |||||
| Intel's 2nd Generation Core processor family announced, includes 29 new CPUs and enhanced graphics Posted: 02 Jan 2011 08:01 PM PST  They're here! That is, Intel's Sandy Bridge mobile and desktop processors herein known as the 2nd Generation Core processor family or more simply as Intel Core 2011 processors to us. After months of teasing and on-stage demos, Chipzilla is finally unleashing the details of its new Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, and considering there are 29 new CPUs in total as well as new integrated graphics options (now known as processor graphics) there's quite a bit to digest. Hit the break for our rundown of the new platform and a look at some of Intel's newest performance and graphics-focused features.
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| Intel to launch Insider movie service with 1080p content, WiDi 2.0 will let you stream it to your TV Posted: 02 Jan 2011 08:01 PM PST  Naturally, Intel doesn't only want you to watch those brand spankin' new 1080p movies on your laptop screen -- it is pushing WiDi in a big way, and the second generation, which will be baked into new Core 2011 systems, will support 1080p streaming and will eventually enable streaming of protected content, including DVDs and Blu-ray discs. WiDi 2.0, as they are calling it, will work a lot like the original version we like so much and allows you to extend your desktop to an HD monitor, but unfortunately, it will require a new HDTV receiver to enable the full HD capability and it still has that two second lag. No word yet on who is making those boxes or how much they'll cost, but we're hoping to learn a few more details about Intel's big push to tie video content to its new processors at its CES press conference in just a few days. Intel Brings 'Eye Candy' to Masses with Newest Laptop, PC Chips Intel® Core™ Processor Features Create New Visual Experience, Lifestyle NEWS HIGHLIGHTS • Introduces much anticipated, game-changing 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ processor family. Adds a number of visually stunning features built right into the chips through processor graphics. • Includes surprising and exciting new features such as, Intel® Quick Sync Video, Intel® HD Graphics, Intel Wireless Display 2.0, and Intel® Insider™ including collaborations with CinemaNow*, Dixons Retail plc*, Hungama* Digital Media Entertainment, Image Entertainment*, Sonic Solutions*, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution* and others. • Offers stunning video technology that converts a 4 minute HD video to play on an iPod in only 16 seconds or securely download HD movies for viewing on their local screen or beaming from their laptop to their HDTV. • 20 new processors, new chipsets and new wireless chips including new Intel® Core™ i7, i5 and i3 processors, Intel® 6 Series Chipsets, and Intel® Centrino® Wi-Fi and WiMAX adapters will power more than 500 new PC systems from all the major manufacturers worldwide. INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, Las Vegas, Jan. 5, 2010 – With more than one million computers selling each day, Intel Corporation introduced its game-changing 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ processor family today. Intel highlighted several surprising new features, services and partnerships that combine to deliver an entirely new visual experience with processor graphics built in. More than 500 desktop and laptop PCs are expected from all major OEMs worldwide throughout the next year. New features include Intel® Insider™, Intel® Quick Sync Video, and a new version of the company's award-winning Intel® Wireless Display (WiDi), which now adds 1080p HD and content protection for those wishing to beam premium HD content from their laptop screen to their TV. The company also revealed arrangements with CinemaNow*, Dixons Retail plc*, Hungama* Digital Media Entertainment, Image Entertainment*, Sonic Solutions*, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution*. "The new 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ processors represent the biggest advance in computing performance and capabilities over any other previous generation," said Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager, PC Client Group, Intel. "The built-in visual capabilities enabled by these new processors are stunning. This combined with improved adaptive performance will revolutionize the PC experience in a way that is obvious for every user to see and appreciate – visibly smarter performance." New Visual Experience for Today's Lifestyles The 2nd Generation Intel Core processor family is the first "visibly smart" microarchitecture to combine visual and 3D graphics technology with performance-leading microprocessors on a single chip. Incorporating the newly architected Intel® HD Graphics on each 32nm die enables significant graphics performance improvements over previous generation graphics, for both HD media processing and mainstream gaming. The chips improve performance and yet still offer great battery life and the ability to design thinner, lighter and more innovative laptops and all-in-one PCs. New processor graphics technology will focus on the areas where most people are computing today: high-definition (HD) video, photos, mainstream gaming, multi-tasking and online socializing and multimedia. Enhanced visual technologies like next-generation Intel® HD graphics are built into every 2nd Generation Intel Core processor. For consumers, this means a dramatically improved PC experience, with better overall power management, greater efficiency and great battery life. Additionally, a surprise new feature of the next-generation PC and laptop processors, Intel® Insider™, will give consumers access to movies on their PCs in true high definition that were not available before. To show this feature, Eden used a clip from the feature film Inception* from Warner Bros.* and demonstrated how easy it would be to get the movie from CinemaNow* and watch it in full HD on a laptop. In collaboration with Hollywood and Bollywood studios along with leading content distributors such as CinemaNow*, Dixons Retail plc*, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment*, Image Entertainment*, Sonic Solutions*, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution* and others, Intel creates a protected environment for the distribution, storage and playback of premium content. This enables content owners and video services to release more movies in high definition on the same date as DVD/Blu-ray* releases. Commercial distribution of HD premium content using the Intel Insider technology is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2011. and services will be available in Q1. Building upon this Intel Insider innovation, Eden then demonstrated how consumers can now also use Intel® WiDi 2.0 to beam content like the Inception film to their big screen HDTVs. Additional Intel® WiDi 2.0 improvements include support for 1080pHD as well as protected content either streaming from the Internet or played locally from a Blu-ray* or DVD player. Another unique element of the visual experience built into the 2nd Generation Intel Core processor family is Intel® Quick Sync Video. This built-in hardware acceleration takes the wait out of editing and sharing videos with astonishing performance that completes in minutes what used to take hours. Now faster than ever, consumers can edit, convert, and share videos with friends and family. Intel estimated that a four minute HD video could now transfer to an iPod* for example in just 16 secondsii. The power of the 2nd Generation Intel Core processors for immersive mainstream gaming was demonstrated with a teaser from Valve's* Portal 2*, one of the most anticipated game releases of 2011. Eden did the demonstration with precision Hydra motion controllers from Razer* using Sixense* MotionTouch* technology. Smart Performance, Energy Efficiency and Intelligence Merge The Core i3, i5 and i7 processors also include the enhanced Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. This feature automatically reallocates processor core and processor graphics resources to accelerate performance, giving users an immediate performance boost when and where it's needed. Other new chip features include Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX), Intel® InTru™ 3-D, and Intel® Clear Video Technology HD. Intel® InTru™ 3-D enables immersive stereoscopic 3D to 3D-capable HDTVs or monitors via HDMI 1.4, making movie excitement almost come out of the screen. Intel® AVX increases performance for demanding visual applications like audio processing and professional video image editing like stitching together multiple photographs. Intel® Clear Video improves the visual quality and color fidelity during video playback for a spectacular screen experience. To make it easy for users to find a 2nd Generation Core-based system that is just right for their particular needs, Intel is also announcing a wide array of SKUs including Intel vPro™ enabled processors. The chips are made on Intel's 32 nanometer manufacturing process on the company's second-generation high-k metal gate transistors. These unique advantages further boost performance; reduce power consumption for better battery life and smaller designs, and lower overall manufacturing costs. Intel announced more than 20 processors, wireless adapters and chipsets, including new Intel® Core™ i7, i5 and i3 processors, Intel® 6 Series Chipsets, and Intel® Centrino® Wi-Fi and WiMAX adapters. More than 500 laptop and desktop PC platform designs are expected from all major computer makers worldwide based on these products. The quad core (four processors inside one chip) based systems will be available on January 9 and additional dual-core versions in February. Video, benchmarks, photos and more details www.intel.com/newsroom/CES. About Intel Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com. – 30 – Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. * Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. CONTACT: Connie Brown 503-791-2367 connie.m.brown@intel.com Software and workloads used in performance tests may have been optimized for performance only on Intel® microprocessors. Performance tests, such as SYSmark*, and MobileMark* are measured using specific computer systems, components, software, operations and functions. Any change to any of those factors may cause the results to vary. You should consult other information and performance tests to assist you in fully evaluating your contemplated purchases, including the performance of that product when combined with other products. ii Video transcode claim using Cyberlink* MediaEspresso 6 to render a 4 minute, 449 MB, 1920x1080i, 18884 kbps, MPG2 video file for playback on an Apple* iPod* with resolution of 640x360, H.264, and file format of .MP4. | |||||
| Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s unleashed, glossy lids and outdated processors left behind Posted: 02 Jan 2011 08:00 PM PST  So, what do these suckers cost and when can you get 'em? Maintaining that they are still aimed at small businesses strapped for cash -- we're of the mind these are for anyone looking for a classy looking laptop with a great keyboard -- the E220s will start at $899 and the E420s at $749, and will be available in April. For those looking for slightly cheaper versions, Lenovo's also crafted the $599 E420 and E220, but as you'd expect, you'll have to give up the thinner cases and the "infinity displays." We're planning on catching some more intimate time with these when we touch down in the city of sin, though we did get to check out some very early, non-working versions of the E420s a few months ago. Until we can bring you those impressions, hit the gallery below for some of those hands-on pictures and then the press release after the break. Lenovo Adds Curves, Style and Attitude to Next-Gen ThinkPad Edge Small Business Laptops Marries Urban Attitude and Performance-Driven Technologies with ThinkPad Quality and Reliability RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – January 3, 2011: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced two new laptops that elevate small-to-medium (SMB) business computing with luxurious and sophisticated design, cutting-edge technologies and extra features to go beyond business computing. The ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s laptops catch attention with their jaw-dropping, premium design. Small details make a big difference: the stunning infinity screen, a matte finish that's soft to the touch and real metal accents project a cosmopolitan image. The laptops are also business performance powerhouses, featuring increased performance and integrated graphics in the upcoming second generation Intel® CoreTM processor technology, Lenovo's Enhanced Experience 2.0 for rapid boot up and a range of wireless connectivity technologies. They also crossover for serious play with Dolby Home Theatre® audio and high definition video conferencing. "How we think about PC design and the entire computing experience is changing," said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. "The new ThinkPad Edge premium laptops give users technology that's extremely personal, beautiful and powerful so they can accomplish their business goals and keep up with their personal lives." Eye-Catching, Intriguing Design With a chic, modern and clean appearance, Lenovo designed the 12.5-inch E220s and 14-inch E420s to turn heads. Strikingly thin and light, the E220s measures less than one inch thick and weighs less than 3.5 pounds1 for excellent portability, while the slightly larger E420s starts at just one-inch and four pounds2. They both feature metal accents that frame the black, soft-matte exterior. Inside they display an infinity screen for a TV-like appearance. The contemporary ThinkPad keyboard, recognized for providing the same comfortable typing experience as ThinkPad classic laptops, and an extra large clickpad fill the inside. The keyboard is spill-resistant too for peace of mind against accidental spills. For SMBs who need a physical device to play media, the E420s has a hidden, slim, slot-loading DVD player/burner. Work Hard: Hard-Core Performance Under the Hood Just as much attention went into the technology inside of the PCs as the elegant exteriors. To power both data-crunching, multitasking business activities and fun, personal entertainment, the E220s and E420s offer choices of upcoming Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. Since every second counts, especially for busy SMBs, Lenovo created the Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 7 to speed up boot time by 30 percent on select models with Rapid Drive technology3. Rapid Drive takes advantage of an SSD for faster boot speed. Lenovo also optimized the preload, drivers and BIOS for speedy start up. Additionally, the laptops feature all of the latest wireless connectivity technologies: WiFi and optional mobile broadband and 4G/WiMAX4. Play Hard: Beyond Business Features When it comes to play, the E220s and E420s offer a premium experience starting with Dolby Home Theatre® audio. Clear, crisp Dolby certified audio makes music and videos rock. The laptops come equipped with Lenovo's enhanced video conferencing technologies including a high-definition web camera, noise-cancelling keyboard software and high performance microphones and speakers. They also feature an HDMI port to show presentations to clients or to relax and watch on a PC monitor or flat-screen TV. Watch a video of the E220s and E420s here. More Choices for a Perfect Business Edge Lenovo also announced the ThinkPad Edge E420 and E520 laptops for SMBs who need an attractive business-class laptop at an attractive price. They pack greater productivity technologies in a thinner design with upcoming Intel® CoreTM technology and the Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 with Rapid Drive on select models. Pricing and Availability The ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s will be available beginning in April through www.lenovo.com and business partners. Models begin at approximately $899 and $749, respectively. The ThinkPad Edge E420 and E520 will be available beginning in April with models starting from approximately $599. For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook. About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo's business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com. 1 With40.7 Whr prismatic battery. 2 With 48.8 Whr (5.4 hrs) prismatic battery. 3Compares averaged data from Lenovo EE2.0 PCs with averaged data from 42 competitor products of similar configuration. Testing conducted by CNET Labs, Beijing in November 2010 using the independent Microsoft VTS tool to measure start-up, shutdown, resume and other Windows 7 performance measurements. Data from competitors and Lenovo PCs were averaged and compared to calculate the claims used. Performance will vary by model and configuration. 4WiMAX, mobile broadband and WiFi Service Providers: Requires separate agreement with select third party service provider, and is subject to credit approval and applicable service agreement/terms, rate plan and coverage maps of the provider. Service is available in select metropolitan markets, not available in all areas. Service provider, not Lenovo, is solely responsible for service. Lenovo customers may be contacted after purchase to activate service. Special credit and tenure restrictions and additional charges may apply to international roaming. A network connection, third-party software, additional hardware, and/or subscription to a third- party service may be required for certain solutions/applications. Additional restrictions apply. Offer subject to change. 5Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice. | |||||
| Lenovo ThinkPad X120e snatches up AMD's Zacate, aims to right all of the X100e's wrongs Posted: 02 Jan 2011 08:00 PM PST  Remember the ThinkPad X100e? Of course you do, the ultraportable or "notbook" only lasted 3.5 hours on a charge (with a six-cell battery!) and nearly burnt through our jeans. But that's all in the past now -- Lenovo's promising to have turned it all around with the ThinkPad X120e. The 11.6-inch laptop still has the same chassis as the previous version -- awesome curved keys, red pointing stick and all -- but instead of AMD's old Neo parts, it packs the long-awaited AMD Fusion APU technology. We're still waiting on AMD's official Fusion announcement, but the X120e will be available with both the Zacate E-240 and E-350 processors, which includes AMD's Radeon HD 6310 graphics on the same chip. It's said to deliver a pretty great graphics experience with over 6.5 hours of battery life, and better yet, AMD and Lenovo both ensure us that the heat issues have been taken care of. Naturally, we'll have to test that all out for ourselves, but at $399 there's no denying that it's all sounding extremely tempting. The X120e will be available in February, and if you cross your fingers hard enough, we'll whip up a review before you have to pull out the plastic. Full press release after the break. Lenovo ThinkPad X120e Steps Up Ultraportable, Ultra-affordable Laptop Performance for Businesses RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – January 3, 2011: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced its latest entry ultraportable, the ThinkPad X120e laptop, that raises the bar for affordable business-class performance. As the first commercial laptop to feature an AMD Fusion E-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), the X120e blends real-world needs for faster applications and graphics processing with enhanced battery life and digital display features starting at less than $400. "Multimedia elements like audio and video have become important parts of our world, and businesses are embracing this trend in digital content," said Dilip Bhatia, vice president, ThinkPad Marketing and Product Operations, Lenovo. "We've optimized the ThinkPad X120e to not only give businesses an excellent experience creating and consuming multimedia content, but we've also made key improvements to an area that has plagued laptops: battery life." Professional Performance: The ultraportable X120e looks small, but it now packs an even more powerful punch for business productivity. Integrating an AMD Fusion E-Series APU gives users 65 percent faster graphics performance1, which speeds up Web searches, page loads and running business applications. At the same time, the X120e gives users longer battery life – up to 30 percent longer – for more than six hours2 and meets Energy Star 5.0 specifications. It also carries the EPEAT Gold rating for its environmental attributes. Additionally, the X120e comes with an HDMI port for projecting content on another monitor or a TV screen. "Mobile users no longer have to trade battery life for great graphics performance," said Chris Cloran,corporate vice president and general manager, Client Division AMP Products Group, AMD. "AMD Fusion APUs allow for thinner, cool-running devices that can last the day and do what's demanded of today's professional." Just-Right Fit: As compact as it is, the X120e is designed to fit just right for business users who need to balance portability and usability. An 11.6 inch screen and a full-size keyboard give users plenty of room to work comfortably, and the contemporary ThinkPad keyboard features a progressively clean look while retaining the same feel of the ThinkPad classic keyboard. Incredibly Mobile: Starting under three pounds3, the X120e includes WiFi and optional Bluetooth and mobile broadband. Watch a video of the X120e here. Business-Class Support Lenovo offers a portfolio of service and support offerings to protect the X120e and to support IT departments. ThinkPad Protection covers repairs resulting from accidents, drops and spills, while ThinkPlus Priority Support provides 24x7 business-class technical support for IT administrators. Pricing and Availability The ThinkPad X120e laptop will be available beginning in February through Lenovo business partners and www.lenovo.com. Models start under $400. For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook. About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo's business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com. | |||||
| Vizio reveals Via Tablet and Phone with Android, sub-$300 3DTVs ahead of CES (update: pic!) Posted: 02 Jan 2011 07:59 PM PST  Expect TV manufacturers to be on their toes as well, since Vizio says it will bring 3DTVs to market that start at less than $300. The new mobile products will also tie into its TV business through the Via Plus internet service, which sounds a lot like Samsung Apps by allowing access to Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Android market access (to go along with its new Google TVs) and even a new Vizio On Demand movie services across all of its devices. We'll temper our excitement slightly remembering the new TVs and iPhone app shown off last year that never quite made it to shelves, but this trip to Vegas has already gotten even more interesting. Update: Get a peek at the Via Tablet and Via Phone immediately above, and get a load of those front-facing cameras! | |||||
| Posted: 02 Jan 2011 07:35 PM PST  | |||||
| Qualcomm lays down $1 billion for new Mirasol plant in Taiwan, catering small and medium devices Posted: 02 Jan 2011 07:03 PM PST  | |||||
| Inhabitat's Week in Green: of space elevators, floating cities and solar sheltered drinking machines Posted: 02 Jan 2011 06:00 PM PST Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.  In other news, Asia revved up the world of eco transportation as South Korea unveiled the world's first commercial electric bus, and Beijing launched a plan to cut eliminate gridlock by cutting vehicle registration by 2/3. We also checked in on the electric Bluebird supercar, which is gearing up to break the UK land speed record next year, and we took an in-depth look at the year's best electric vehicles. Finally, welcome to 2011! As the final countdown rang out we took a look at Times Square's dazzling 2011 eco ball, which is studded with 32,256 LEDs. We also looked back on Inhabitat's top green energy, transportation, and tech stories of 2010, and we rounded up the year's best green products and wearable technology concepts that stand to change the way we get dressed for the day. And if you're running errands this week to return any unwanted holiday gifts, check out Amazon's new preemptive return tool - it could save you a trip next year. | |||||
| Dell's IPS and multitouch ST2220T finally shipping to tilting monitor seekers Posted: 02 Jan 2011 05:19 PM PST  Well, it took a bit longer than we anticipated for Dell's glorious 21.5-inch multitouch ST2220T monitor with an IPS panel to roll into e-tailers -- last we had heard it was planned for late Fall 2010 -- but we promise you, this one is better late than never. The 1920 x 1080-resolution display is finally available through both Dell and LogicBuy, and if you're anything like us, just a glance at the picture above has you figuring out just how quickly you can get together $310 (there's a $20 discount now and free shipping from LogicBuy). Naturally, the IPS display is said to provide extra wide viewing angles, but perhaps even more enticing is the monitor's A-frame stand, which tilts the screen forward, backward and even flat. Put that all together with its infrared multitouch and you've got a larger than life tablet for gaming and watching Netflix. So, you blowing some of that Christmas cash or what? | |||||
| HTC Thunderbolt has 8 megapixel camera and video chat, according to the ad up there Posted: 02 Jan 2011 04:17 PM PST  [Thanks, Taylor S.] | |||||
| Samsung Galaxy Player up for pre-order at Amazon UK, £150 buys 8GB worth of Android Market apps Posted: 02 Jan 2011 04:03 PM PST  [Thanks, Paul] | |||||
| MSI details Sandy Bridge, Fusion all-in-ones ahead of CES, teases a sliding screen Posted: 02 Jan 2011 03:02 PM PST   |
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