Sponsored

Engadget News

---

• Verizon officially kills off New Every Two upgrade discount program
• FCC approves Comcast's purchase of NBC, Justice Department up next
• Two arrested for iPad security breach
• Exclusive: HP / Palm's webOS tablets -- pictures, plans, and more
• Lenovo's Chinese eBox console suffers delay, here's how its camera-based games might play (video)
• YikeBike review
• Kongregate Arcade hits Android, GameStop shoving free Flash games straight onto your smartphone
• Bloodhound SuperSonic Car begins construction: 1,000mph on Intel Atom processors (video)
• $99 concept NoteSlate tablet does electronic ink in color, but only one at a time
• Sonos recounts its successes, dishes on future plans but not Android support
• Harvard University controls worm with laser, we wait for choreographed dance moves (video)
• Sprint increasing 3G data plan pricing by $10/mo, calling it 'premium data'
• JVC KW-NT30HD / 50HDT navigation systems offer iPhone-controlled HD radio
• Lenovo setting up a specialist unit for tablets and smartphones
• Griffin StompBox pedal board brings authenticity to iPad rocking
• AIRPrint performs ranged fingerprint scanning, won't let the terrorists win
• Acer building Sandy Bridge tablets for Android, will use them to 'phase out' netbooks
• Moneual DSPC puts a monitor on your computer case, welcomes your widgets
• SanDisk SDHC UHS-I cards are so Extreme they went Pro
• Plastic Logic receives massive $700 million Russian investment
• Visualized: the glamorous lifestyles of WP7 jailbreakers
• iPad 2 cases surface, rekindle SD card slot fire and add a pinch of mystery with topside cutout
• T-Mobile G2 free on contract for a limited time, Android buyers have never had it so good
• 14-year-old dev's first game tops iOS free apps list (we'll just say it: aww...)
• App Review: TiVo Premiere for iPad
• Lag-free Wii on PSP episode II: Mario Kart strikes back
• Samsung Vibrant 4G for T-Mobile in the wild? (Update)
• FastMac U-Socket now shipping out to the world, making it a better place
• Disney to sell Android phone in Japan, apparently Apple doesn't care
• Pentax K-7 and K-x firmware upgrades pack SDXC compatibility
• Nook Color gets overclocked, further blurs the line between tablet and e-reader
• Sony Ericsson sues Clearwire for trademark infringement
• RIM: PlayBook is a 'great standalone tablet,' not 'reliant on a BlackBerry'
• iPad 2 Retina Display evidence mounts, this time a .png of wood is to blame
• ECOtality teams with Sprint to connect Blink EV charging network
• BenQ debuts high-end EW2430, EW2430V LED monitors
• Pac-Man reality TV show coming, and not a moment too soon
• White iPhone 4 shows up in Vodafone Germany's inventory system
• Princeton study shows that easy fonts make things harder to remember
• Universal Music and Sony releasing singles same day they hit the radio, will anyone buy them?

Verizon officially kills off New Every Two upgrade discount program Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:38 AM PST There's already been plenty of evidence over the past couple weeks to call this a lock, but let's just go ahead and close the loop on this one: Verizon's official FAQ list has been updated to indicate that its New Every Two upgrade discount program is toast. In short, that means that new lines of Verizon service won't be eligible for an equipment discount -- which used to run between $30 and $100 -- after your two-year contract is up, and folks that are currently enrolled in an NE2-eligible plan will only be able to redeem the discount one more time before being taken out of it. The move kind of dovetails with Verizon's decision a few months back to bump the smartphone ETF to a groan-inducing $350, and it seems to be part of a larger industry trend toward making phones wincingly expensive to replace. Don't drop that Droid X, folks!

FCC approves Comcast's purchase of NBC, Justice Department up next Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:22 AM PST No huge surprise here, but the FCC just approved Comcast's purchase of NBC Universal by a 4-1 vote. Details of the ruling aren't out yet, but FCC chairman Julius Genachowski had been pushing for strong regulations forbidding Comcast from cutting itself sweetheart deals on NBC content or prioritizing its own video traffic on its pipes, so we'd assume that's part of the agreement here. The only nay vote was from Commissioner Michael Copps, who said the deal "opens the door to the cable-ization of the open Internet." Ouch. We'll let you know when we find out exactly what the FCC's actual conditions are -- and keep in mind this deal won't be wrapped until the Justice Department weighs in, which is expected to happen next week. Can we say it? Oh, we're going to say it: stay tuned!

Two arrested for iPad security breach Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:07 AM PST Two arrests have been made connected to the security breach that exposed thousands of iPad users' email addresses and other info last year. Daniel Spitler and Andrew Auernheimer (yeah, that guy again) have been taken into custody and charged with conspiracy to access a computer without authorization and fraud, for allegedly using a custom script (built by Spitler) called iPad 3G Account Slurper to access AT&T's servers, mimic an iPad 3G, and try out random ICC identifiers. Once a valid ICC was found, one could harvest the user's name and email address. Of course, the hackers maintain that this was all done to force AT&T to close a major security flaw, and we'll be interested to see what exactly the company does to make things right.

Exclusive: HP / Palm's webOS tablets -- pictures, plans, and more Posted: 18 Jan 2011 09:36 AM PST Oh, hello. A trusted tipster just sent in these internal renders of HP / Palm's "Topaz" webOS tablet, which is one of two tablets currently being developed in Sunnyvale. That's right, two tablets: the 9-inch Topaz and a 7-inch model codnamed Opal -- a lineup that fits nicely into Palm's "Something big, Something small, Something beyond" tagline for its upcoming February 9th event. Looking at the render, we're seeing the no-button design we'd previously heard about (we're assuming the gesture area rotates with the display), a front-facing camera, a micro USB port on the bottom, and what appears to be a Vizio Tablet-style three speaker arrangement for stereo audio in both landscape and portrait modes -- that's two speakers along the left side and a third on the right. (That's just a guess, though.) We'd also note the back appears to be a glossy material, which might rule out a giant Touchstone for charging -- Touchstone backs have heretofore been soft-touch, but anything can change, we suppose. We're told that units will start to arrive at Palm HQ in June as production ramps up for launch later this year -- a timeline backed up by an internal marketing slide we received that lists WiFi-only, AT&T 3G, and Verizon LTE versions of the Opal arriving in September 2011, and on AT&T LTE in July 2012. The slide also indicates the Opal will have a particular e-reading focus, which makes sense for a 7-inch device, and there's a mention of "premium audio," which nicely reinforces our speaker hypothesis. Unfortunately, we don't have any word on specs or pricing yet, but these things had better be packing some serious heat for cheap if Palm is really planning to wait until September to launch them -- they'll be going head-to-head with the Xoom, the PlayBook, and presumably the iPad 2. We're still digging for more, so keep an eye out -- things are going to get crazy leading up to February 9th. Update: We're told that they both have unspecified 1.2GHz processors, and that Topaz may arrive before Opal. We'll let you know if we learn anything else. Exclusive: HP / Palm's webOS tablets -- pictures, plans, and more

Lenovo's Chinese eBox console suffers delay, here's how its camera-based games might play (video) Posted: 18 Jan 2011 09:02 AM PST We had nearly forgotten Lenovo's Eedoo spinoff and its China-bound video game console, seeing as how it failed to meet a planned November 2010 unveiling, but IDG News reports that the motion-sensing eBox hasn't slipped Lenovo's mind -- it's just been pushed further into 2011. How far? If we were to guess, we'd say Q2 2011, and the video above spells out why. Seemingly by coincidence, we were just sent this footage of a game called Flyimal, built on the Unity Engine as a collaboration between 3D asset company Mixamo and 3D gesture recognition company Omek Interactive, and -- get this -- running on "the first [console] to be made by the Chinese for the Chinese market and due for launch by Q2 of this year." We can't think of many game systems that fit that description, to be honest. There's not a lot to look at here, but we imagine PrimeSense and competitors will be perusing the video soon, noting that the machine captures precisely 15 points on a user's body for its gesture recognition algorithms... and wondering if there's a third dimension to any of that movement. Read Unity, Mixamo and Omek's statement after the break. Show full PR text In the first half of 2011 the first Asian game console will be launched in China integrating 3D camera technology included with every unit. "Flyimal" by Mixamo, shown in the video, is one of the first games due to be released. The game uses the Unity game engine in what is the first integration between Unity and the Omek Interactive 3D sensor SDK. The game takes advantage of the latest game engine optimization and performance improvement with Unity 3.1. Mixamo - the developer of the game - is an online service for animation and motion capture technology leader which has early this year acquired resources to create games using 3D camera sensors. Mixamo and Unity Technologies are working together and leading the democratization process of game development.

YikeBike review Posted: 18 Jan 2011 08:02 AM PST Want to meet a bunch of random strangers everywhere you go? Start riding around on a neon green electric bicycle that looks like nothing this world has seen before, something tossed out of a passing UFO that some New Zealand shepherd found glowing slightly as it rested in the middle of a smoking crater. This $3,595 electric bicycle with a 15mph top speed and six mile range does come from New Zealand, but the YikeBike is very much a product of human ingenuity, or so creator Grant Ryan claims, but that doesn't stop it from giving us a riding experience that is nothing short of other-worldly. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily equate to a entirely perfect experience. YikeBike A penny-farthing for these times Yeah, we're not particularly keen on the name "YikeBike" either; it sounds like a Ferengi gambling term or an epithet hurled in some harsh foreign language. Over the course of our testing we were asked many times "What is that thing?" Each time we responded with "YikeBike" the follow-up question was "What?" Perhaps this is proof that the name doesn't exactly stick, but it is certainly odd enough to describe this very odd cycle. It's something like a modern interpretation to the penny-farthing style bicycle. You know, the old timey ride with a giant wheel up front, tiny one out back, bowler hat wearing gentleman perched precariously up top, high enough to make one wonder how he got there in the first place. The YikeBike is thankfully much smaller, its front tire having a diameter of just 20-inches. This is a little bigger than that purple or blue (or both) Huffy you had as a kid, with a rear wheel just 8-inches inches across. It's a strange looking bird, but it isn't odd for the sake of turning heads. That little rear wheel collapses and tucks inside the front, which is almost entirely enclosed by an all carbon fiber shroud containing the battery pack, motor, and probably some kryptonite too. Likewise the handlebars fold down, the seat tucks away, and the whole thing turns into a puck that, with the addition of a padded shoulder strap, becomes a 23lb back appendage that is, unfortunately, rather larger than George Jetson's briefcase and a bit too large to carry on to a flight. However, it's plenty small enough to work on a subway or other means of public transportation where it could fill the gap between the closest stop and your destination. It's also light enough to carry up some stairs, but we wouldn't recommend lugging it for too long. We think your chiropractor would agree. The folding and unfolding process takes about 20 or 30 seconds, naturally getting quicker the more times you do it, involving a handful clamps and folds. Sadly there is no button you can press to have the thing automatically furl and unfurl, an addition that would really knock the socks out of those slack-jawed passers by -- adding unneeded cost and complexity in the process. However, one simple thing that really is missing is some form of kick stand. There's simply no way to keep the thing from falling over except for leaning it against something. When folded it's basically round and decidedly top-heavy, so even propping it up can be a challenge. Some sort of little fold-down center stand is really needed. On the back is an array of decidedly conspicuous LEDs that act as brake and turn signals -- yes, there are little buttons on the handlebars that let you indicate a turning direction. Just in front of those buttons are a pair of even brighter LEDs that act as makeshift headlights. No, they won't deliver sweet comeuppance those xenon blinders in their luxury cars, but they will at least let you see far enough to get home safely after yet another late-night production deployment. Learning to ride Five wobbly feet into our first ride on the YikeBike it became painfully clear that motorcycle and bicycle experience isn't going to help much here. The YikeBike is steered by handlebars that sit at your sides, on stalks that extend from behind the seat. Turning the bars turns the front wheel, feet either side on pegs that fold down from that swoopy carbon cowling. Meanwhile the seat is really attached to the rear wheel. It's a bit odd, to have your feet and the front wheel turn while your body keeps looking straight. If you want to experience it, hop on the handlebars of a friend's bike and have him let you steer, just be aware that if you fall over and break something we will not be held liable. Thankfully on the YikeBike you're much lower, so falling over is a lot harder. Squeeze the throttle too hard (a trigger on the right grip) and you might just lose your balance, but you can always just put a foot down. Alternately if you hit the brake too hard (a trigger on the left grip) the bike does an immediate endo, bucking you out of the seat. This may sound dangerous, but it actually feels quite natural: you just stand up. Regardless of how cool such a dismount may look the idea is naturally to ride in control, and YikeBike the company recommends 30 minutes in an open area of slow-speed riding to get used to things before you get too crazy. There's even something of a grenade pin that fits in the throttle (which is cheekily shaped like the bike itself), preventing newbies from inadvertently quick getaways. It took us about 15 minutes before we felt comfortable pulling the pin. Rebels, we know. Like snowboarding or riding a motorcycle it actually got easier the faster you went, so once we got over our early wobbles we felt comfortable giving it a bit more stick -- with restraint. An itchy trigger finger can still send you into a wee tank-slapper, and the touchy regenerative brakes do take some practice. But, we didn't fall once and didn't scrape a single knee, which is more than we can say for learning to ride a bike as a kid. All this without training wheels! Saddling up The seat on the YikeBiks is, in bicycle terms, rather generously sized and padded -- more Huffy than Selle. That said, after a few minutes of cradling it with your nether regions it begins to... irritate. That's thanks to the riding position that sees you placing almost your entire weight on that seat. On a bicycle some amount of your mass is supported by the handlebars and some by the pedals. Here, though, with your feet out front and your hands down at your sides most of your weight is on your kiester and, well, after a little while things start to get a little sore. We're thinking frequent cyclists won't mind so much, but if your cheeks haven't embraced a bike seat in awhile prepare for an acclimatization period. Try as we might we alas weren't able to get up to that 15mph top speed, at least not according to GPS, not even with a slight downhill run. Our best was about 13.5mph, though perhaps with a little more breaking in than our virgin steed had experienced things would roll more smoothly. Also, due to a series of blizzards we haven't been able to get as much road time as we'd have wanted, but battery life thus far has given us little reason to doubt the six mile range estimate from the company. It's abundantly clear that this is not an all-terrain machine, though: the tire is a slick and the only suspension is provided by whatever cushioning nature gave you. YikeBike assured us the machine is fully waterproof, and indeed we bisected some puddles without getting electrocuted or a skunk stripe up our backs, but it seemed like a shame to get something this lovely all covered in excessive road grime. When depleted you'll need to break out a generously sized charging brick, which has an annoying little fan that spins away to presumably keep the aluminum box from combusting. A charge takes about 45 minutes, which is quite acceptable, but having to use that charging brick is a bit of a bother. If you're looking to charge on the go it means you'll either need to take it with you or cough up another $100 for a second one. Given the weight of the brick and the total cost of the bike we'd say the extra $100 isn't so bad. One thing we wouldn't spring for is the paint. This is actually the first painted YikeBike in the world -- initial shipping models are available in any color you like so long as it's carbon fiber. That early status shows, with a few paint flaws jumping out at us as soon as the bike sprang from its container and a couple scratches seemingly self-manifesting through the course of our testing. The company will soon offer a range of colors for those with a bit of patience, but we'd stick with the raw carbon. If all the import tuners can flaunt their carbon wings and other meaningless add-ons to their cars, why can't you show off the weave of your bike that's entirely made of the stuff? Wrap-up We obviously can't wholeheartedly recommend that everyone go out and buy a YikeBike because it is, after all, a somewhat goofy and rather niche product that costs over $3,500. But, happy day for those who fit in that niche: someone who doesn't have a particularly long way to go; someone who wants an EV but has to charge it inside their home; someone who likes to support innovation; someone who, it must be said, has a fair amount of disposable income. If that's you, break out the credit card and get ready to have some fun. And that niche will be expanding a bit soon, with extra battery packs that will extend the bike's range and turn it into more of a practical commuter. Even then the YikeBike won't fit into the lives of an awful lot of people, and we can't help feeling intense jealously toward those for whom it does.

Kongregate Arcade hits Android, GameStop shoving free Flash games straight onto your smartphone Posted: 18 Jan 2011 07:31 AM PST GameStop may think that people still like boxes, but that's not stopping the company from diving into the digital distribution realm. It bought up Flash game purveyor Kongregate last summer and now that anty acquisition just dropped a big egg on Android with the launch of Kongregate Arcade. It's basically a separate mobile app store from the Android Market, but with a few important differences. Biggest is that these games, numbering over 300, are all free and are all Flash-based. This is said to "solve the game discovery problem" by popping out of the Market but certainly won't do much to solve revenue problems for devs working on premium mobile games. Of course to get all the games you'll still need to find this app, but it's there. Right now. We checked. Show full PR text KONGREGATE LAUNCHES KONGREGATE ARCADE, WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF FREE MOBILE FLASH GAMES New Android App Now Offers Social Gaming Site's Most Popular Games SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 18, 2011) – Kongregate (www.kongregate.com), one of the leading free browser based game sites with more than 13 million monthly unique visitors, today launched Kongregate Arcade, the world's largest collection of free mobile games for Android using Adobe® Flash® Player. Kongregate Arcade blends a growing library of more than 300 games with player achievements, profiles and a robust navigation layer to create the most complete gaming experience on Android. The introduction of Kongregate Arcade signals another strategic step by Kongregate to allow gamers to access and play hundreds of games anytime, anywhere from their desktop or on their mobile device, and gives game developers yet another viable platform to design and showcase their games. Kongregate Arcade will also be promoted in parent company GameStop's, (NYSE: GME), 4,600 stores in the US. Games are increasingly dominating America's growing appetite for mobile Apps. Given that Android OS is the fastest growing smartphone operating system, making a move into the Android Marketplace is the next logical step for the rapidly growing Kongregate. "In creating the Kongregate Arcade, we wanted to solve the game discovery problem that all Android owners have shared," said Jim Greer, CEO of Kongregate. "It was important to reinforce our mission to provide gamers with great free games anytime, anywhere, and to broaden the reach of the Kongregate community across multiple platforms. The arrival of Kongregate Arcade is the perfect next step in that strategy." Initially launching with more than 300 free Flash based games – one of the largest libraries of mobile games in the industry – new titles will be added to the App weekly with selection based on compatibility with the mobile platform and the ability to play on a touch screen device. In addition, Kongregate is actively looking to identify opportunities to work with its community of more than 8,500 developers to create new Flash based game content exclusively for the Kongregate Arcade library which should further jumpstart Android as a viable gaming platform. Top Kongregate Arcade Features Include: · World's largest collection of free mobile Flash games · One app install includes 300+ games, with more added each week · Best game-discovery tools on Android · Available on any device running Android 2.2 (Froyo) or higher, with Flash 10.1 · Fully integrated with Kongregate web accounts · Gamers can share and review game ratings, achievements and comments with community · Ability to collect exclusive, mobile-only badges on top titles · Select games can also be downloaded for offline play With the launch of Kongregate Arcade, the company -- voted one of TIME Magazine's "50 Best Websites 2010" -- brings some of its most popular free Flash based games to the Android Marketplace, with top titles including mobile versions of Vector Runner, Assembler, Perfect Balance 2, Barry Lost His Marbles, Billy's Hill, Gem Grab, Pel Plus and G-Switch. Games featured on Kongregate Arcade span all of the top categories currently on Kongregate.com, including action, adventure, RPG, MMO, strategy, defense, and puzzle games, with all featured content rated PG-13. About Kongregate Kongregate is a leading browser-based game site with over 13 million monthly unique visitors who spend more than 23 million hours playing per month. As part of the GameStop Corporation network, the site features a unique community and social platform including achievements, profiles, chat, messaging, forums, and levels, which unifies over 35,000 games into a cohesive and addicting experience. Kongregate shares revenue from advertising and virtual goods directly with over 8,500 developers who have uploaded games to the site. Advertisers include brands like Electronic Arts, Sony Pictures, Sprint, Frito Lay, Axe, Xbox 360, Nokia, and Toyota. While all games on Kongregate are free, the site also features a virtual currency called kreds, which can be used to unlock additional features in some games. Based in San Francisco, CA, the company was founded in 2006 by brother-and-sister team Jim Greer, a game industry veteran, and Emily Greer, an interactive marketing executive.

Bloodhound SuperSonic Car begins construction: 1,000mph on Intel Atom processors (video) Posted: 18 Jan 2011 07:01 AM PST We saw the mockup back in July and, soon, we'll be seeing the real thing. Construction of the Bloodhound SSC is underway, with a planned top speed of over 1,000mph courtesy of a jet engine borrowed from a Typhoon jet fighter sitting in the back -- and a trio of Intel Atom processors in the cockpit that will run a number of onboard diagnostics and telemetry systems. Sure, they won't be adding to the overall thrust of the thing but neither will they be putting much of a drain on the electrical system. If all goes according to plan the car will be completed by the end of this year and will start speed runs by the beginning of 2012. Maybe by then Intel will have something a little quicker to slap in there.

$99 concept NoteSlate tablet does electronic ink in color, but only one at a time Posted: 18 Jan 2011 06:37 AM PST E-readers could use a little color in their lives -- and getting a little cheaper wouldn't hurt either. The NoteSlate has color, but not certainly not all colors. It's a touchable slate with a 13-inch diagonal, 750 x 1080 display that's said to be "eInk" -- which may or may not mean "E Ink," the company behind the displays used in the Kindle, Sony Reader, and others. When it's produced, supposedly by June, you'll be able to select from the traditional white background and black foreground or go with a black background with white. Other colors, including green, blue, or red text, or a "4 colour edition" that does all of them at once, are due sometime down the road. The tablet works with touch or pen input, will offer 180 hours of battery life, and is to be fully open-source, with the initial software release supporting simple drawing, storing of notes, and MP3 playback. Version 1.5 will add PDF and text viewing, while version 2.0 will be rocking OCR handwriting recognition. The best news? It's said to be just $99, though surely the multi-color edition will cost more. Right now it exists only as renders but with, a release mere months away and a decidedly attractive price point, we're intrigued. Skeptical, but intrigued. NoteSlate

Sonos recounts its successes, dishes on future plans but not Android support Posted: 18 Jan 2011 06:13 AM PST Amid the doom and gloom of the economic... whatever it is we're stuck in at the moment, it's nice to look at a success story. Sonos is such a tale and GigaOm has taken the time to profile the upstart, which started in 2002 and has gone on to produce a series of high-end docks, networked audio players, and an iOS controller app that ties it all together. Sadly, users of non-Apple devices have been left out in the cold and, while Sonos VP of Sales Tom Cullen wouldn't say when other versions are coming, he did at least say "We can see a handful of other potential platforms, and we want to see which one has the biggest concentration of music lovers." We say why choose one? Plenty of music lovers exist on them all. Moving back to hardware, Cullen indicated that a person's music largely moves with them these days, and so the company is looking to moving into the car and personal audio areas, meaning we could see some Sonos-branded headphones and head units in the not too distant future. This could be in addition to what looked to be a potential move into proper home theater. These are crowded spaces compared to the world of wireless audio that the company currently plays, but another quality option is certainly not a bad thing. Update: Just got a note from Sonos indicating that "at no point in the near future does Sonos plan on moving into cars." So, it looks like you're stuck with any of the dozens of other alternatives for now.

Harvard University controls worm with laser, we wait for choreographed dance moves (video) Posted: 18 Jan 2011 05:47 AM PST Researchers at Harvard University's Center For Brain Science have successful manipulated nematode C. elegans worms by genetically modifying a select few of their 302 neurons. Not to be confused with magnetically controlled invertebrate, these creepy-crawlies are controlled by the CoLBeRT system (a nod to the comedian but no other relation), controlling locomotion and behavior in real time. The scientists can manipulate movement of the worms, induce paralysis, and even cause them to lay eggs all by shining a laser that turns on and off the modified cells at will. The laser hits the worm and causes it to react as if it were being touched. According to the researchers, the reaction is similar to when light is shined in a human eye -- the protein found in the worm and eyes are sensitive to different variations of rays and will respond based on the color shined. Peep past the break for some squiggly mind- er, light-controlled action.

Sprint increasing 3G data plan pricing by $10/mo, calling it 'premium data' Posted: 18 Jan 2011 05:14 AM PST Oh, Sprint, you sneaky devil. The nation's third-largest carrier just announced that it's tacking on an extra monthly $10 "premium data" charge to its 3G Everything data plans -- in effect, charging 3G phone owners the same total price that Evo and Epic owners pay now for 4G service. It's especially weird because Sprint's hidden the price increase in a press release entitled "Smartphones Drive Wireless Data Explosion" that initially appears to be about increased use of data before shifting abruptly into a defense of the additional charge and potshots at tiered data plans -- we know no one wants to talk price increases, but let's have some gumption, guys. Existing 3G Everything plan holders won't see their rates go up until they "upgrade or activate another smartphone," which doesn't sound great for family plans, but we'll get some clarification on that and let you know. Either way, we'd say picking up a non-4G Sprint phone just got real silly. PR after the break. Show full PR text Smartphones Drive Wireless Data Explosion Sprint takes step to ensure customers continue to enjoy unlimited data while on the Sprint Network, without overages Smartphone penetration is expected to double during the next four years. Market share for Google's Android operating system grew by 23 percent last year alone. Mobile data traffic is forecast to double worldwide each year through 2014. OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today's ability to do more things on the go – such as watching videos, sharing pictures or checking directions – is not only changing the way we live; it is driving exponential growth of mobile data traffic. Sprint (NYSE: S) is committed to providing its customers a great wireless experience now and in the future. From its packed portfolio of innovative phones and devices to its leadership in introducing 4G services, to its consumer-friendly Everything Data plans, featuring unlimited text, Web and calling to any mobile phone, Sprint offers the best value in wireless. Sprint will increase its postpaid rates by applying a $10 per month Premium Data add-on charge to activations of smartphones beginning Jan. 30. The charge will assist Sprint in offering simple and affordable unlimited plans for its customers while maintaining a wireless network able to meet the growing appetite for a richer mobile experience. Subscribers with smartphones will still receive the best value in wireless, including the Any Mobile, Anytime feature offered nationwide only by Sprint. Sprint also offers a full range of traditional feature phones, including popular eco-friendly or touch-screen handsets that do not require the Premium Data add-on charge but still have a great range of capabilities with voice, text and data access. Existing Sprint smartphone customers are not affected unless they upgrade to or activate another smartphone. "Sprint wants its customers to experience the range of entertainment and productivity possibilities available with today's wireless technology," said Bob H. Johnson, president of Sprint's consumer business. "While some of our competitors impose overage charges and complex plans, Sprint continues to provide a worry-free, unlimited data experience while on the Sprint network. This is responsible, sustainable and reflects our commitment to simplicity and value." "Sprint's decision to apply the Premium Data add-on charge to activations of smartphones going forward recognizes the enhanced user experience that today's smartphones deliver, which, in turn, drives substantially higher data usage and cost," said Roger Entner, analyst and founder of Recon Analytics. "Building, maintaining and expanding wireless data networks isn't free – there are real costs involved. In effect, Sprint has chosen to increase the price of its unlimited Everything Data plans, which is still below that of its major competitors, for the segment of customers – smartphone users – who are using wireless data the most and are driving up costs. Consumers have many choices. They can choose unlimited, worry-free data plans on the Sprint network or they can have tiered, metered plans and overage charges with other wireless carriers." Smartphone customers use, on average, 10 times more data than users of traditional feature phones. Smartphone users have access to more data capabilities, applications and other functionality than traditional feature phones. Examples include access to thousands of applications and games through online marketplaces and full HTML Web browsing with Adobe Flash technology that allows users to browse the Internet on their devices just like they can at home or in the office. Sprint defines smartphones as devices with robust operating systems that deliver a rich wireless experience by bringing the full function of mobile applications and programs to life, including Blackberry, Android, Windows Mobile, Palm, and the Instinct family of devices. The Premium Data add-on charge previously applied to HTC EVO 4G, HTC EVO Shift 4G and Samsung Epic 4G devices. "Sprint continues to be the carrier for people who want to do more than just talk with their wireless devices," said Johnson. "Customer growth on our 3G and 4G networks, exponential increases in the use of mobile data applications, and the growing use of smartphones is proof that consumers are getting the message. "Sprint's unlimited data plans, with or without the $10 charge, continue to beat the offerings of our top national competitors, who cap users' data, charge data overages, and do not offer the unique functionality of Any Mobile, Anytime, which gives subscribers on the Sprint network unlimited calling to any other wireless user in America regardless of carrier."

JVC KW-NT30HD / 50HDT navigation systems offer iPhone-controlled HD radio Posted: 18 Jan 2011 04:44 AM PST JVC's new in-dash GPS navigation systems won't whisper soothing reassurances in your ear when traffic gets bad, but they can offer some easy listening (if you're into that sort of thing) for your daily commute. The KW-NT50HDT and KW-NT30HD, which JVC debuted at CES 2011, sport 6.1-inch displays and come equipped with HD radio and iPhone connectivity via USB. Using ClearChannel's iheartradio app, you can view song and artist information and scan channels from either the navigation device or the iPhone. The NT50HDT also comes with a free lifetime subscription to the Total Traffic HD+ Network, which provides data like traffic reports, news, and weather information. Both devices come equipped with WAAS navigation, map coverage of all 50 US states, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico, and voice guidance in English, French, and Spanish. The musically inclined navigators hit the market in March, with the NT30HD running $1,000 and the NT50HDT coming in at $1,200.

Lenovo setting up a specialist unit for tablets and smartphones Posted: 18 Jan 2011 04:15 AM PST How far we've come. It was only a couple of years ago that Lenovo was closing a deal to sell its mobile phone business, but a quick re-acquisition in late 2009 and some recent heavy flirtation with the tablet form factor have led to the creation of a whole new unit in the company's hierarchy, one dedicated to the development of smartphones, tablets, TVs, and other internet-connected devices. Headed up by Liu Jun and working out of Beijing, this squad of designers and engineers will focus on harnessing the "tremendous growth potential of the mobile internet." Cloud computing will be a major feature of Lenovo's plans moving forward, which places its goals for the future right in line with just about everyone else's. Still, it's good to see one of the big desktop computing players diversifying its portfolio with gusto.

Griffin StompBox pedal board brings authenticity to iPad rocking Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:41 AM PST Users of the iShred Live iOS app (no relation to this thing) now have a pedal board to do the job of, well, a pedal board. Up until recently, the app allowed players to connect their electric guitars to an iPhone or iPad, and use said device as an amplifier, with a near endless array of pedal effects at their fingertips. Looking for a way to make the experience more authentic, Griffin teamed with the folks at Frontier Design Group to create the StompBox, which, according to Griffin's website, "effectively recreates the experience of an actual pedal board." It features four separate foot switches, which can be assigned particular effects by the user, and connects to the iPad or iPhone with a 1-meter-long dock connector cable -- guitar connection cables are sold separately. Now the future Peter Framptons of the world can scale back on setup time and concentrate on making their guitars talk.

AIRPrint performs ranged fingerprint scanning, won't let the terrorists win Posted: 18 Jan 2011 03:12 AM PST While ears may be the new biometric du jour, Advanced Optical Systems (AOS) is doing its best to keep fingerprints as the preferred method for identifying enemies of the state. The company has built a fingerprint scanner with the ability to accurately read a print up to two meters away, and our military views the system as a means to reduce the risk to soldiers at security checkpoints all over the world. The AIRPrint system is a significant upgrade over previous biometric security systems because it allows a person's identity to be confirmed by military personnel from behind the safety of a blast wall or armored vehicle, which keeps our serviceman out of harm's way. AIRPrint uses a source of polarized light and two 1.3 megapixel cameras (one to receive vertically polarized light and another to receive horizontally polarized light) in order to produce an accurate fingerprint. The prototype is able to scan and verify a print in under five seconds, but the device can presently only process one finger at a time, and that finger must stay a fixed distance from the cameras to get a precise reading. Despite these current limitations, AOS claims that soon the equipment will be capable of reading five prints simultaneously while a person is moving toward or away from the device. The system will be ready for market in the third quarter of this year, which is bad news for terrorists and soccer hooligans, but a windfall for Big Brother.

Acer building Sandy Bridge tablets for Android, will use them to 'phase out' netbooks Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:34 AM PST You'd be forgiven for expecting that the dual-core Tegra 2 that swept all before it at CES would be the king of tablet processors for a good while, but Acer is already plotting ways to overthrow it. Admittedly, Acer is kind of cheating by jumping into x86 land and snatching some unspecified Intel Sandy Bridge silicon, but are you really going to complain about getting multi-core grunt under the hood of your well-lubricated Android machine? An official from the company has promised two to three new tablets, sized at either 7 or 10 inches diagonally, for the first half of this year -- a tasty morsel of information, which he garnishes with the forecast that netbooks will eventually be phased out in favor of such touchy-feely slate devices. If you can fit a full second-gen Core CPU inside a tablet, why the heck not?

Moneual DSPC puts a monitor on your computer case, welcomes your widgets Posted: 18 Jan 2011 02:08 AM PST CES is a big place, way bigger than your first apartment, so hopefully you'll forgive us for missing the Moneual Lab DSPC on the show floor. That stands for Dual Screen PC, a case sporting a decidedly tall display that could make for a useful desktop extension despite subscribing to no aspect ratios heretofore known by man. Unfortunately no specs were provided for resolution or size, but we could see throwing your image editor's toolbox over there, maybe a chat window, or just loading it up with widgets as in this picture. However, with an anticipated cost of $1,500, we're thinking you could instead buy a properly large second monitor -- and a new desk to put it on.

SanDisk SDHC UHS-I cards are so Extreme they went Pro Posted: 18 Jan 2011 01:14 AM PST Let's get this out of the way right up front: Sandisk's new UHS-I SDHC cards are fast but not that fast. So for all the talk of "extreme" and "pro" just remember that the claimed 45MB/s read and write performance pales in comparison to Toshiba's own UHS-I cards announced back in September with staggering 95MB/s read and 80MB/s write speeds. Still, they're fast enough to capture HD video from the latest DSLRs and certainly faster than anything touting a Class 10 SDXC rating. Now for the best part, gadget masochists, they'll range in 8GB to 32GB capacities with retail pricing set somewhere between $109.99 to $349.99. Just be sure your camera supports UHS-I before making the plunge, ok? Show full PR text SANDISK ANNOUNCES SDHC CARD FEATURING UHS-I TECHNOLOGY- IDEAL FOR CAPTURING HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOS AND FULL HD VIDEOS SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-I Card Offers Photography Enthusiasts the Performance, Reliability and Durability They Need to Shoot Like the Pros Milpitas, Calif., January 17, 2011 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the global leader in flash memory cards, today introduced the SanDisk Extreme® Pro™ SDHC™ UHS-I card. The card features Ultra High Speed (UHS) technology from the newly released SD 3.0 specification and achieves up to 45MB/sec* read and write performance with long-term reliability by distributing data rapidly and efficiently using SanDisk's proprietary Power Core™ Controller. "SanDisk has a long history of developing fast, highly reliable cards for photography enthusiasts and professionals," said Susan Park, director, retail product marketing, SanDisk. "Our new SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card lets consumers take their skills to the next level by capturing high-resolution still images, fast-moving action shots and HD videos of the highest quality." Designed for the latest cameras As DSLRs offer increasingly sophisticated features such as high megapixel continuous burst shooting and high-definition (HD) video capture, photographers need advanced memory cards capable of unlocking their cameras' full potential. The card achieves high performance and efficient power consumption in UHS-enabled cameras such as the Nikon D7000. Performance The SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card's write speed of up to 45 MB/sec delivers improved shot to shot performance of RAW images using continuous burst mode. The card also adheres to the new UHS Speed Class 1 video class rating, offering 10MB/sec* minimum sustained write speed capable of recording HD 1080p videos or even 3D content**. In addition, the card's fast read speeds of up to 45 MB/sec let users avoid lengthy wait times when transferring content from the card to a computer. SanDisk develops its flash controllers and memory chips together, allowing the company to perfectly match and fine-tune the two technologies throughout the testing process. The SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card uses an intelligent Power Core controller to achieve its speed. The controller's data prediction and binary caching features allow for improved overall performance. Reliability Featuring an automatic error-code correction (ECC) engine, the SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card offers long-term reliability that comes from the brand trusted by professional photographers. Advanced wear leveling extends card endurance by distributing data evenly throughout the card. For added protection, the card includes one year of RescuePRO® media recovery software, which lets photographers recover their images in case of accidental deletion. Durability Designed to withstand the most extreme conditions, the new card offers photographers peace of mind knowing that their photos are stored on one of the most rugged cards in the world. Able to withstand punishment, the SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC card is water proof, temperature proof, shock and vibration proof, x-ray and magnet proof***. The card is backed by a lifetime limited warranty.**** Availability and Pricing The card is shipping to major retailers worldwide and is available immediately at www.sandisk.com. The card comes in 8GB1 to 32GB capacities carrying suggested retail prices ranging from $109.99 to $349.99. The SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-I SDHC card is fully compatible with any camera, card reader or other device that supports SDHC cards. The SanDisk Extreme Pro ExpressCard™ Adapter, designed for high performance SDHC and SDXC UHS-I cards, is available at www.sandisk.com for $49.99. About SanDisk SanDisk Corporation is the global leader in flash memory cards - from research, manufacturing and product design to consumer branding and retail distribution. SanDisk's product portfolio includes flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders; digital audio/video players; USB flash drives for consumers and the enterprise; embedded memory for mobile devices; and solid state drives for computers. SanDisk is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States. 11 gigabyte (GB) = 1 billion bytes. 1 megabyte = 1 million bytes. * Based on SanDisk internal testing; performance may vary depending upon host device. ** Full HD (1920X1080X30fps). HD & 3D video support may vary based upon host device, file size, resolution, compression, bit rate, content and other factors. See www.sandisk.com/HD. *** SDHC™ cards up to 32 GB; see www.Sandisk.com/proof for additional information. **** 30 year warranty in Germany & regions not recognizing lifetime limited. SanDisk's product and executive images can be downloaded from /corporate/media.asp

Plastic Logic receives massive $700 million Russian investment Posted: 18 Jan 2011 12:26 AM PST Who can forget the Plastic Logic Que proReader -- a textbook study on the vaporous gadget. Start with an incredible (but truthful) claim to have developed plastic semiconductors that could be used to fabricate flexible e-reader displays. Then follow up the breakthrough with the all-important consumer tease: an amazing (for the time) 8.5 x 11-inch e-reader with a gesture-based UI that would launch in the first half of 2009. Unfortunately, the Que never shipped and was ultimately canceled, partly because of reliability issues associated with manufacturing those early Que displays and partly because of the launch of a rather disruptive Apple tablet you might have read about. Fast forward to today and we've got the state-owned Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (Rusnano) announcing a $700 million investment in the US-based Plastic Logic Inc. Why? Are you listening? Plastics. Here's how this "unprecedented" investment was described by Georgy Kolpachev, Rusnano's managing director: "Flexible plastic electronic displays will provide another major milestone in how people process information. Entering this new disruptive segment at the stage of its inception gives Russia a chance to win a leading position in global market of future electronics." The investment will be used to pay off Plastic Logic's debt including a $50 million loan the company took out after approaching financial collapse. The rest will be used for a second plastic electronics factory in Russia (a sister to the Dresden Germany plant) which is expected to start production in 2013 or 2014. Update: Press release added after the break offering more details on the "world's largest commercial plastic electronics factory" that will be capable of producing hundreds of thousands of "next-generation plastic electronics displays" per month. Show full PR text RUSNANO Finalizes Investment in Plastic Logic: $700 Million Total Investment Project Will Include Building World's Largest Commercial Plastic Electronics Factory in Zelenograd Moscow, Russia and Mountain View, California – January 18, 2011– The Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO) and Plastic Logic today announced they have finalized details of RUSNANO's investment in the company, which is the global leader in the emerging field of plastic electronics. The investment project, which will total $700 million, includes building the world's largest volume production factory for Plastic Logic's next-generation plastic displays in Zelenograd, and aims to establish a commercial plastic electronics industry in Russia. Plastic Logic has received an initial investment package of $300 million: Under the final agreement, RUSNANO is providing an initial investment of $150 million into the equity of Plastic Logic. Plastic Logic's lead investor, Oak Investment Partners, a multi-stage venture capital firm, is investing an additional $50 million as part of the project investment plan. In addition to the equity investments, RUSNANO will provide partial guarantees for debt financing in the amount of $100 million. Over the next few years, additional equity and debt will be raised totaling approximately $400 million. "We evaluated multiple locations and potential partners across the globe for our second factory. We determined Russia with RUSNANO as an investment partner was the best fit for our business," said Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta. "RUSNANO has demonstrated it is fully invested in our goal to commercialize plastic electronics. We are gratified by the RUSNANO investment package and the continued commitment of Oak Investment Partners in bringing this disruptive technology to market." "Plastic Logic is one of the most promising new technology companies in Silicon Valley," said RUSNANO Managing Director Georgy Kolpachev. "This is an unprecedented investment of close to a billion dollars in the future of plastic electronics to help create one of the largest commercial centers for it in Russia. This investment signifies the potential that we see in the future of plastic electronics across a variety of commercial and consumer products: Flexible plastic electronic displays will provide another major milestone in how people process information. Entering this new disruptive segment at the stage of its inception gives Russia a chance to win a leading position in global market of future electronics." Plastic electronics technology has the potential to revolutionize the design and production of electronic devices. This technology has many economic, manufacturing, form factor and environmental benefits, assuring that it will replace silicon in a variety of devices in the future. Plastic Logic is the leader in the development of this technology for commercial purposes and has developed broad and deep intellectual property in the technology and is actively advancing this technology in its labs and in manufacturing facilities. Plastic Logic's first application of the technology makes possible an amazingly thin, lightweight, robust and flexible active matrix display that is unmatched in the marketplace. The display is at the core of Plastic Logic's first commercial consumer electronics product, a next-generation electronic reader for business that is currently under development. The Zelenograd factory, scheduled for production starting in 2013/2014, will have the capacity to produce hundreds of thousands of units of next-generation plastic electronics displays per month. Plastic Logic said it plans to employ 300-plus at the new Zelenograd facility. Zelenograd was a natural choice for the home of the company's second and largest commercial plastic electronics display factory, according to Konrad Herre, Plastic Logic vice president for manufacturing, who led the site selection process. "Zelenograd is at the center of the electronics, microelectronics and computer industry and is the equivalent of Silicon Valley in Russia. Zelenograd has invested in the development of a Special Economic Zone with an excellent infrastructure for high tech industry, and is home to the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology (MIET), which gives us access to a highly educated and trained workforce." At the same time, Plastic Logic plans the continued investment in its first high-volume, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Dresden, Germany, which opened in 2008, as well as its technology R&D center in Cambridge, England.

Visualized: the glamorous lifestyles of WP7 jailbreakers Posted: 17 Jan 2011 11:29 PM PST To be a jailbreaker means different things depending on the device that you're busy hacking preinstalled walls from. If you're fiddling with consoles, a legal team would come highly recommended, but if you're tweaking mobile code, at least Windows Phone mobile code, you're in for a much sweeter ride. The ChevronWP7 guys that brought us the first jailbreak of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 are currently in Redmond having a sitdown and a frank exchange of views with WP7 dev experience director Brandon Watson, and the amicable nature of their discourse has been evidenced by the image above. Microsoft is clearly taking a light-hearted and community-friendly approach to handling the (now inevitable) efforts at disabling limitations to its software and we can only congratulate its mobile team for doing so. [Thanks, Tasos]

iPad 2 cases surface, rekindle SD card slot fire and add a pinch of mystery with topside cutout Posted: 17 Jan 2011 10:37 PM PST There's usually as much fun to be had before an Apple product launch as there is after, and this upcoming iPad 2 device is no exception. The latest scuttlebutt it has succumbed to comes courtesy of some cases that have cropped up in China -- AppleInsider and MIC Gadget have independently found iPad 2 shells that feature nearly identical cutouts -- with the resulting allegations pointing toward a rear-facing camera, an SD card slot, and perhaps even a Mini DisplayPort receptacle. Our own sources have confirmed the former two, but the latter, a miniaturized video output already featured in MacBooks, is a new development and less of a certainty. Then again, looking at the size of the hole leaves few alternative options (and a USB slot is extremely unlikely), so we're willing to believe that a Mini DisplayPort will be an inclusion Apple makes for the sake of offering choice -- even if it prefers you to send your video streams over an untethered AirPlay connection.

T-Mobile G2 free on contract for a limited time, Android buyers have never had it so good Posted: 17 Jan 2011 09:36 PM PST Want one of the best Android handsets around, equipped with a dandy keyboard and some pseudo-4G internet connectivity? Taking the leap into Google's mobile world just became that little bit easier as T-Mobile has decided to strip off the last remaining $50 on its G2 contract price and set it loose for free on two-year deals. This will be a quite familiar sight to our European readers, but premier Android handsets rarely, if ever, occupy such sweet price points in the US. Let's hope it's a harbinger of happy things to come. [Thanks, Dani S] Update: This pricing is only valid between now and January 20th, so if you want in, better do it soon.

14-year-old dev's first game tops iOS free apps list (we'll just say it: aww...) Posted: 17 Jan 2011 08:58 PM PST Eighth graders of the world: you're not overachieving enough. Meet Robert Nay, the subject of today's feel-good story. The 14-year old Utah native designed a simple-and-fun mobile game and managed to rack up a million downloads within two weeks of its December 29th launch. Which thrust his game to the top of the iTunes Free Apps list (and subsequently netted another 400,000 downloads, according to AllThingsD). Bubble Ball's the game, also available in the Android Market. Give it a shot, and then do more with yourself, k?

App Review: TiVo Premiere for iPad Posted: 17 Jan 2011 08:01 PM PST We're not sure what it is about the home theater, but one screen just isn't enough. So we've tried for years to find another screen suitable to join our HDTV to enhance our viewing pleasure, but everything comes up short. The latest in the long line of touch screen remotes, tablet PCs, PDAs and smart phones is the iPad. Of course this device isn't exactly designed to be a home theater device, so a little software is necessary to make it suitable. The latest attempt at said software is from TiVo which is designed to be a companion app for the TiVo Premier. It doesn't let you stream video from your TiVo to your iPad, but it does have a few tricks we think you might find more useful, so go ahead and click on through to find out what those are. TiVo Premiere App for iPad review So there you are sitting, on your couch with your favorite person, watching your favorite shows and when you wonder, where do I know that guest star from? You grab your iPad stuffed between the cushions of your couch and launch the TiVo Premier App, which syncs over WiFi and opens automatically to the current show. You browse a bit and discover every single show the actor in question has ever been in and can quickly schedule future recordings featuring him without ever interrupting the others in the room. The app is good for more than just avoiding a few internet searches on your laptop though. You can also use it as a remote and even to search your TiVo for new shows without resorting to the on-screen keyboard. The idea is a great one and honestly TiVo's attempt is one of the best we've seen. One of TiVo's biggest wins for this app is the gesture controls. They are completely optional and include an easily-accessible cheat sheet to help you learn or remember how to use 'em. Ultimately, it succeeds where many other touch screen remotes fail by making it easy to control the action on your HDTV without looking at the remote. Fast forward, skip, navigation, all the basics are there and implemented in a way that makes sense. You don't have to use the gestures if you don't want to, but one we thing you will want to use is the touch screen scrub bar. We really enjoyed being able to slide a scrub bar with our finger to find just the spot we were looking for, and this one one of the things the touch screen remote can truly do better than its hard button cousin. The other thing it clearly does better is search and browse. Some really like the TiVo Slide Remote, which is nice if you want to drop the extra cash on it, but having the full-screen keyboard available for searching is very convenient. One thing we couldn't search for, though, was a TV channel. Not a big deal for fans of dramas and sitcoms, but sports fans will need to figure out which channel their team is on some other way since the iPad app will only let you find future events. Speaking of search, it isn't fast; in fact, it's nowhere near as fast as search is on the TiVo itself, but as a plus the results are delivered more clearly and can quickly be turned into a WishList recording or lead to browsing and discovering of new content. It's very obvious that TiVo was trying to build on its Discovery Bar in its iPad app and for the most part it's a success. You can quickly get lost and forget where you started because you become engrossed in the content. You can start with a show, actor, or whatever and quickly find yourself seven degrees in any direction, including a Netflix or Amazon VOD selection. We really appreciate the new way to find a show we'd like, but sadly the traditional approach is a bit neglected. The TiVo Live Guide is great, but it isn't perfect, and it's not a complete replacement for the old fashioned grid guide, which is completely omitted from the app. This combined with the lag in the population of the guide, makes it a bit of a drag to use. You can filter out the channels you don't receive or only show your favorites though, and while you can easily go straight to any time you'd like, there's no shortcuts to prime time, the time when new shows usually come on. Speaking of time, when you do choose to jump into the future and Explore the actors etc, when you go back to the guide, you leave the future and return to the here and now, which isn't what we'd expect. Besides being a great way to discover new content and control the TiVo from the same device, our favorite feature is being able to manage our ToDo List and Season Pass priorities without preoccupying the TV with something other than HD content. You can drag and drop the shows into any priority you'd like -- it stil takes forever to commit, but at least you can watch TV while it does it now -- and quickly / simply cancel recordings or clean up recorded shows you'll never watch. The day-to-day maintenance is the best we've experienced on a TiVo, and the only time we've ever been close is in the old TiVoWebPlus days, many years ago. All that being said, the conflict resolution when scheduling new recordings is exactly the same as it is on the TiVo, and that's not a good thing. With the touch screen interface, it seems TiVo could find a better way to make hard decisions than just asking you simple yes or no questions. This isn't the only time we thought to ourselves, "there must be a better way," with the other being while watching sports and looking for an easy way to jump around to different games. Controlling the dual-live buffers is exactly the same as the physical remote, which is a shame since it is kinda hidden there and its just a big missed opportunity. We guess what we're saying is that we wish the thought that went into enhancing viewing of regular TV, also went into the viewing of sports programming. While we're complaining, we might as well get the biggest gripe off our chest. We've had connection problems from the very beginning, and while the latest version of the app is better, it never could find our TiVo the first time we've launched it. A quick out-and-back-in usually does the trick, but even when it does find it, there's nothing fast about the process. It isn't a total exercise in patience, but what's worse is the app doesn't resume when you use fast app switching. You can see from the video that the re-launch time isn't unbearable, but TiVo most certainly has some work left to do in this area. Our final gripe is that, unlike the typical TiVo remote, you can't control your TV's power and volume. Now, obviously the iPad doesn't have an IR emitter and that isn't TiVo's fault, but we know TiVo knows a thing or two about IR blasters and would love to see the app leverage an IR blaster or IP control in the future to cut down on the back and forth between the old school remote and the iPad. Wrap-up After all the good times and bad times, we must say that the TiVo Premiere App for iPad is a great couch companion. It adds value beyond just replacing the traditional remote, without sacrificing much. Other than a few functions, you can completely throw away the original remote and have a single point of contact between you and your content. Sure, it's a bit slow at times, but even with the wait times, it can still accomplish many tasks quicker than you can via the traditional TiVo user interface. The bottom line is it's the best iPad App for controlling home theater gear that we've ever used, and it totally shows that TiVo "gets" what we mean when we say we want a couch companion. It's far from perfect -- no content streaming, for example -- but for a free app, it's a no-brainer to download for TiVo Premier owners and maybe even the final straw that breaks the inhibitions of those waiting for a reason to upgrade.

Lag-free Wii on PSP episode II: Mario Kart strikes back Posted: 17 Jan 2011 06:47 PM PST It looks like our favorite PSP Fanboy, Obiwan222222, is up to his old tricks once again, and his latest video shows that he has finally eliminated the lag problem that plagued his first attempt to play Wii on a PSP four years ago. Using a Wii emulator on a PC, some custom firmware, and a program called PSPDisplay, he has managed to stream video and sound to his PSP Go in real time. He also mapped the Wii controls (Wiimote waving excluded, we presume) to the handheld to complete the full Wii-on-PSP gameplaying experience. To see the slick mod in action, check the video after the break.

Samsung Vibrant 4G for T-Mobile in the wild? (Update) Posted: 17 Jan 2011 06:03 PM PST Perhaps Samsung's Vibrant 4G won't be tied to Froyo, after all. Although the initial leak suggested Android 2.2, Boy Genius Report's managed to obtain what it suggests is an in-the-wild shot with a lock screen that looks remarkably reminiscent of the aesthetic touches from Android 2.3 Gingerbread. No TouchWiz UI here, but word on the street (i.e. from its source) is Sammy's hard at work to remedy that disconnect and make the skin jibe with the new version. And if that's not enough, TmoNews is claiming a leaked document that indicates Vibrant 4G will launch February 23rd. Back to the picture, though: if that timestamp is at all accurate, and this is really just hours fresh, perhaps that lucky right-handed gent can snap a few more convincing shots while it charges. Update: As a number of readers have pointed out, there's some odd discrepancies between this image and the Gingerbread lock screen we all know, chief among them the inclusion of AM / PM in the top bar (that option doesn't exist in actual 2.3. we just checked to be sure). Brief Mobile's got a more nuanced breakdown, but the point is, this looks to be either a half-baked ROM or the work of a certain Robin Goodfellow.

FastMac U-Socket now shipping out to the world, making it a better place Posted: 17 Jan 2011 05:31 PM PST Celebrate, oh U-Socket faithful, for thy object of convenient desire has finally started shipping. FastMac's wall socket that serves up a pair of standard 110V power outlets alongside two USB juice ports is today taking the final steps to reaching its expectant owners' homes. Confirmation emails have been sent out to those who ordered earliest (we've got one for your perusal after the break) and the retail site promises a three- to four-week delivery time for orders placed today. The price is still just under $20, while the utility of being able to plug your USB device directly into the wall has probably never been higher. [Thanks, Gareth] Show full PR text Thank you for placing an order with us! Your order is being processed by TrackVantage, our Sales and Service tracking system. The current status of your order is: Shipped Your order was shipped via USPS on 1/17/2011 with tracking number 9101nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn You can track the status of this order by logging in to the shipper's web site. Please note that tracking information may not be available immediately. Thank you again for shopping with us. FastMac

Disney to sell Android phone in Japan, apparently Apple doesn't care Posted: 17 Jan 2011 04:44 PM PST Disney has decided to debut a new smartphone in Japan, and given Steve Jobs' presence on the company's board of directors, we are surprised to find that the handset will run Android instead of iOS. The phone is essentially a Sharp Galapagos 003SH with a Disney-fied version of Froyo that comes with a Disney email address, exclusive content, and optional custom Disney-themed cases for users who wish to broadcast their allegiance to Mickey Mouse and company. The device is slated for release next month at an undisclosed price, but is only available to our friends in Japan. There's no scheduled US release, so stateside fans will have to look elsewhere for their Disney fix.

Pentax K-7 and K-x firmware upgrades pack SDXC compatibility Posted: 17 Jan 2011 03:59 PM PST Last November Pentax's mid-range front runner, the K-5 DSLR, got an upgrade, now the K-7 and K-x are following suit. New firmware updates for both cameras tout SDXC card compatibility, increasing memory, but failing to follow through on speed -- Pentax notes transfer rates won't hit UHS. Despite the company's Japanese website listing the K-7 as a discontinued product, the camera also gets increased video editing functions in playback mode, as well as improved image sharpening settings. Now, follow the source links below, and let Pentax upgrade you.

Nook Color gets overclocked, further blurs the line between tablet and e-reader Posted: 17 Jan 2011 03:26 PM PST First, they ported Ubuntu to the Nook Color, and now the intrepid hackers at the XDA Developers Forum have overclocked its stock 800MHz processor to run at speeds up to 1GHz. The mod allows users to have their cake and eat it too, as the custom kernel ups the speed of the CPU while running it at a lower voltage, which means longer battery life -- though we don't know exactly how much longer. Apparently, the developer who wrote the code found that the system became unstable at the 1GHz level, but there were no such problems at 950MHz and below. Hit the source link to download the kernel and see for yourself what a supercharged Nook Color can do.

Sony Ericsson sues Clearwire for trademark infringement Posted: 17 Jan 2011 02:53 PM PST Quick, can you tell these two swirling orbs apart? That's Sony Ericsson's logo on the left, and Clearwire's on the right -- and SE thinks they're confusingly similar enough to have filed a federal trademark lawsuit in Virginia. The situation is pretty basic: Sony Ericsson holds trademark registrations on the various iterations of its sphere logos, and the company thinks Clearwire is confusing the mobile market with its version -- and it definitely doesn't want Clearwire to stamp the logo on phones, which Clearwire is eventually planning to do, money problems or no. SE's asked the court to forbid Clearwire from using the logo and for a host of monetary damages, which seems like a big risk for a company that's having cashflow problems to begin with -- we'll see what happens. [Thanks, Alex]

RIM: PlayBook is a 'great standalone tablet,' not 'reliant on a BlackBerry' Posted: 17 Jan 2011 02:22 PM PST We're sure RIM would still prefer that you own both a BlackBerry smartphone and a PlayBook, but it looks like it's now going some way to address the potential misconception that you actually need a BlackBerry for the tablet to be of any use. Speaking with Forbes, RIM senior product manager Ryan Bidan insisted that "on its own, this is a great standalone tablet," and that "this is not a device that is reliant on a BlackBerry." As Forbes notes, however, it is true that the PlayBook needs to be tied to a BlackBerry for most PIM functions like contacts and calendar management, but Bidan says those features will come to the PlayBook separately "as the platform evolves" -- he didn't get much more specific than that, unfortunately.

iPad 2 Retina Display evidence mounts, this time a .png of wood is to blame Posted: 17 Jan 2011 01:50 PM PST So, we heard from our source that the iPad 2 would have a "super high resolution" Retina Display, we heard from AppleInsider that the iPad 2 is getting around 4X the graphics performance of the iPad, and of course there's the fact that the iPhone 4's Retina Display offered a pretty impressively painless upgrade path for developers -- an iPad 2 with a 2048 x 1536 screen is starting to sound less and less like the crazy dream of naive fanboys. But wait, there's more! A .png has been found in the iBooks 1.2 source files, dubbed Wood Tile@2x.png. It's sized at 1536 x 800, while the old and busted Wood Tile.png in iBooks 1.1 was 768 x 400 -- that's 2X in each direction, or 4X the pixels, for anyone who's counting. Incontrovertible evidence? No, but we want to believe.

ECOtality teams with Sprint to connect Blink EV charging network Posted: 17 Jan 2011 01:21 PM PST ECOtality teamed up with Best Buy a few months back to expand its network of Blink EV chargers, and it's now finally announced which company will actually be connecting that network. ECOtality will be relying on Sprint's Command Center M2M solution, which will handle things like monitoring and electronic payments, and allow ECOtality to display digital content for advertising or other information, among a host of other network-related things. From an end-user perspective, that also means that folks will be able to keep watch on the Blink network from various devices, find chargers near them with GPS, and receive notifications of a charge interruption or completion. Head on past the break for the complete press release. Show full PR text Sprint Command Center Connects ECOtality's Blink Network ECOtality's Nationwide Blink Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Secure Connectivity and Network Capabilities with Sprint's M2M Solution SAN FRANCISCO – January 14, 2011 – ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies with a full range of products for charging electric vehicles (EV), has partnered with Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) to ensure connectivity on the Company's Blink™ electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to guarantee customer satisfaction. ECOtality will utilize the Sprint Command Center, across its nationwide system of residential, commercial, and public charging stations to control Machine-to-Machine (M2M) provisioning, billing, device, service management, and to run the Blink Network. "We will continue to partner with leading, innovative companies like Sprint," said Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality. "With the Sprint Command Center technology, our Blink EV charging stations are provided with the reliable wireless connectivity necessary to power the advanced capabilities of the Blink Network and ensure customer satisfaction. In addition, we are able to conduct a variety of business services, from monitoring to electronic payments. EV drivers will be able to depend on our chargers for smart operation, intuitive features, and reliable connectivity." ECOtality's Commercial EV Charging Stations will conduct a variety of business services, utilizing the Sprint Command Center, including; monitoring, electronic payments, and displaying digital content for advertising and information. ECOtality's Commercial EV Charging Stations will conduct a variety of business services, utilizing the Sprint Command Center, including; monitoring, electronic payments, and displaying digital content for advertising and information. ECOtality will install the company's Blink electric vehicle charging stations across the country, and will install nearly 15,000 Level 2 chargers at residential and commercial locations, and over 300 DC Fast Charging ports at public and commercial sites now, and throughout 2011. Through ECOtality's new partnership, Sprint will provide the wireless network that will allow ECOtality to monitor and manage the Blink Network, an infrastructure of electric vehicle chargers across the United States, for use by consumers as well as commercial hosts. In addition, the Blink Network will prove access to a web-portal containing a wealth of information about consumer's electric vehicles, and charging habits. "Sprint is proud to provide advanced wireless network services that will allow ECOtality to monitor and manage their Blink Network," said Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint. "In addition, our wireless data network will help process a variety of electronic payments and deliver digital content for advertising and information." The Blink Network is accessible from any Blink charging station, over the internet, and on your Smartphone. Additionally, because every Blink charging station is capable of communicating through a variety of methods, information is also available by wireless cellular, LAN/Ethernet, and Zigbee SEP 1.0 capable devices. From within the Blink Network, consumers will be able to locate Blink charging stations complete with GPS navigation, check charging station availability, and receive notifications of charge interruption and completion. ECOtality's Blink EV Home Charging Station gain wireless connectivity, through use of the Sprint Command Center, necessary to power the advanced capabilities of the Blink Network and ensure customer satisfaction. ECOtality's Blink EV Home Charging Stations (approved for outdoor or indoor installation) gains wireless connectivity, through use of the Sprint Command Center, necessary to power the advanced capabilities of the Blink Network and ensure customer satisfaction. Businesses can take advantage of the advertising opportunities available through the Blink Ad Network, providing ad space on the Blink Pedestal Chargers and Blink DC Fast Chargers. Each Blink DC Fast Charger is equipped with a stunning, daylight readable, 42-inch color LCD display, and a 7-inch LCD touchscreen display on the Pedestal unit. Media content can be both tailored to specific markets and broadcast nationally across Blink Network charger locations. Additionally, the chargers offer retailers the ability to develop coordinated campaigns to display relevant content and promotions, extending the consumer experience from the charging station into their business. As part of The EV Project, the largest rollout of EV infrastructure in history, ECOtality will monitor the energy usage and output of charging stations, to determine a viable method for mass adoption of electric vehicles and empower the smart grid. For ECOtality's commercial charging stations, Sprint's data network will also help to process a variety of electronic payments, and even deliver digital content for advertising and information. ECOtality is project manager of The EV Project and will oversee the installation of 15,000 commercial and residential charging stations in 16 cities and major metropolitan areas in six states and the District of Columbia. The project will provide an EV infrastructure to support the deployment of 8,300 EVs. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant of $114.8 million, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The grants are matched by private investment, bringing the total value of the project to approximately $230 million. ECOtality About ECOtality, Inc. ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels. For more information about ECOtality, Inc., please visit www.ecotality.com. About Sprint Nextel Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 48.8 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

BenQ debuts high-end EW2430, EW2430V LED monitors Posted: 17 Jan 2011 12:52 PM PST BenQ's monitors may have all come from the same glossy black plastic mold as of late, but the company's stepped things up a bit for its new 24-inch EW2430 and EW2430V "Vertical Alignment" LED monitors, which pack some high-end specs and some more refined looks to match. Chief among those specs is the VA LED panel used in each monitor, which promises a native 3,000:1 contrast ratio, minimal light leaking, an improved viewing angle, and a true 8-bit color range, among other benefits. You'll also get a full range of ports (including two HDMI and four USB on each), a pair of 2W speakers, and some added features like "Smart Focus," "Super Resolution," and "3D Noise Reduction" on the EW2430V model. Still no word on pricing, but you can look for both monitors to hit Europe and the Asia Pacific region this month, with a worldwide release set to follow sometime thereafter.

Pac-Man reality TV show coming, and not a moment too soon Posted: 17 Jan 2011 12:23 PM PST Not since Hollywood Reporter told us about a possible Asteroids bio-pic have we been excited about a film or TV show: Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Merv Griffin Entertainment has hammered out a deal with Namco Bandai to develop a reality TV show based on Pac-Man. Envisioned by Merv Griffin Entertainment's president of TV Roy Bank as something "big" and "crazy" like Wipeout or Fear Factor, the company wants "to take what Pac-Man is and bring it to life, to bring what is essentially the world's biggest game of tag to television." If this doesn't sound like the definition of a mid-season replacement, we don't know what is.

White iPhone 4 shows up in Vodafone Germany's inventory system Posted: 17 Jan 2011 11:52 AM PST Could it be that Apple and Foxconn engineers have finally found a way to harness and contain the raw, blinding power of the color white? Last we'd heard, the rarest member of the iPhone 4 clan was tracking for a spring '11 launch -- and that'd line up pretty nicely with shots we've received from a trusted source today showing new entries in Vodafone Germany's inventory system for weiß (white) iPhone 4s in both 16 and 32GB flavors. Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean Vodafone has any idea when these phones are showing up on their doorstep -- maybe they're just preparing (and hoping) that it materializes before too long -- but for what it's worth, the source says to expect a launch "soon." If you've got a few hundred euro lying around, we suppose it'll be a good way to bide your time while you wait for an iPhone 5 launch in a few months, right? White iPhone 4 shows up in Vodafone Germany's inventory system

Princeton study shows that easy fonts make things harder to remember Posted: 17 Jan 2011 11:24 AM PST Clicking your way through Ulysses and having a hard time remembering just what it is Bloom ate for breakfast or, indeed, just what he did on the beach? Don't blame James Joyce, blame your Kindle! A Princeton study entitled "Fortune favors the bold (and the Italicized)" (their emphasis) has shown that readers retain information more reliably when they are challenged with so-called "disfluent" fonts (like the top one above). This flies in the face of the belief that easy to read text is easier to remember and should give typographical titans something else to ponder when placing text upon a page character by character. Now, what does this have to do with e-readers? Most are stuck with standard fonts that cannot be changed and fall squarely in the "fluent" category -- they're so easy to read your brain spins down. The solution is, of course, to add more and broader font support to the devices, something we'd love to see regardless of scientific merit. Until that comes to pass try holding your Kindle at odd angles or squinting. Maybe that'll help. Or, you could just put down the Proust and pick up some Clancy.

Universal Music and Sony releasing singles same day they hit the radio, will anyone buy them? Posted: 17 Jan 2011 10:53 AM PST The humble single has been given a new shot at life, an extension to the lease on its breathing machine, a little more food in its tube. Universal Music and Sony have begun a new policy called "On Air, On Sale" that makes music singles available the same day they hit the airwaves, in theory stemming the tide of piracy by making music available legally more quickly. Of course, the number of people actually listening to those radio stations is also dwindling, and whether or not people really want to buy singles vs. entire albums these days remains to be seen. But, hey, earlier is usually better than later, right?

You are subscribed to email updates from Engadget News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610