| Verizon tweaking low-end data plans, using '3G' distinction to upcharge for LTE Posted: 24 Jan 2011 10:43 AM PST Well, that didn't last very long at all: looks like Verizon is killing off its $15 150MB data plan for smartphones altogether, instead corralling folks into the $30 unlimited option. Of course, with the proliferation of data-hungry smartphone apps on Android ( and soon, the iPhone), 250MB per month of usage is becoming less and less reasonable by the day, so we can't say we're terribly surprised. Meanwhile, the $9.99 25MB feature phone data option is getting a bump up to 75MB with $10 per 75MB overage, a slight drop from the 20 cent / MB overage that those customers deal with currently. Finally, you'll notice that the $30 unlimited plan is now qualified as applying to "feature phones and 3G smartphones," not merely "smartphones" as they were before -- a nod to the fact that Verizon's upcoming LTE handsets won't be eligible for the same pricing. What, did you think you were going to be blazing on your ThunderBolt at 20 or 30Mbps without a care in the world? [Thanks, anonymous tipster] |
| Chrome and Firefox adding new opt-out features to prevent third-party cookies from snooping on you Posted: 24 Jan 2011 10:24 AM PST Ever been freaked out by an online ad that seemed to know you that little bit too well? It's the result of good old advertisers tracking your net-navigating habits and delivering targeted commercials to your eyeballs, but it can be prevented. Both Google and Mozilla have stepped up (or perhaps been pushed by the FTC) to try and tackle this issue of pernicious tracking cookies, but they've gone about it in different ways. The Chrome solution is a Keep My Opt-Outs browser extension that remembers the sites you don't want personalized information from, while Firefox will start beaming out a Do Not Track HTTP header that should be respected by advertisers and result in you receiving generic, repetitive ads. The important commonality between the two is that they don't rely on you preparing a cookie file with all your anti-advertiser bile contained within it (which was the FTC's original, somewhat impractical idea). Google intends to open-source its extension and bring it to other browsers as well, though obviously it's taking care of Chrome first, which can benefit from the add-on right now. |
| Electric Mazda2 coming to Japan in 2012, no you can't drive it Posted: 24 Jan 2011 10:01 AM PST Mazda has been toying with an electrified version of its Demio compact (known as the Mazda2 'round these parts) since at least last year, and now it's announcing plans to start some serious production of the 200 kilometer (125mile) range autos, putting them up for lease by spring of 2012. There are a couple of catches, though: these are only for the Japanese market and, if that weren't bad enough, they'll only be available for fleet sales. So, unless you're looking to buy a couple-dozen for Bob's Heavy Industries you're out of luck. For now, at least. Show full PR text Mazda to Lease Electric Vehicles in Japan
HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation is independently developing an electric vehicle (EV) with plans to commence leasing in Japan in spring 2012. The new EV, based on its Demio subcompact, is expected to have a driving range of 200 kilometers and will be leased mainly to local government bodies and fleet customers.
Mazda is currently advancing its Building Block Strategy, which prioritizes the improvement of base technologies by developing more efficient engines and transmissions and reducing vehicle weight. Building on this, Mazda will progressively introduce electric devices such as regenerative braking and hybrid systems. The initial results of the strategy – products featuring Mazda's new, eco-friendly SKYACTIV technologies – will begin rolling out to markets this year. In parallel with the Building Block Strategy, Mazda is also continuing its research and development efforts into EVs designed for customers with short city commutes. Through this EV lease program, Mazda hopes to enhance its knowledge of EV usage requirements and electric drive technologies.
The internal combustion engine is expected to remain the heart of the automobile for the near future. Going forward, Mazda will continue to improve its base technologies that are centered on internal combustion. At the same time, it will advance development of various future eco-friendly technologies in order to offer all its customers driving pleasure as well as outstanding environmental and safety performance. |
| Digital Storm's slim Enix desktop takes Sandy Bridge to 4.7GHz Posted: 24 Jan 2011 09:38 AM PST Overclocked, custom-built PCs are nothing new, and neither is 4.7GHz from the factory. But Digital Storm has managed to take one of Intel's newest Sandy Bridge chips to that height, and it's doing so in a case that's far sleeker than most of the towers out there. The all-new Enix relies on a Micro-ATX system board, vertical heat dissipation and a mobo that's rotating 90 degrees -- a move that's being made in order to "take advantage of heat's natural tendency to rise." Consumers can order one starting today, with the $1,132 base unit boasting a Core i3-2100, 4GB of DDR3-1600 memory, NVIDIA's 1GB GeForce GT 220, a 1TB hard drive and a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium. The high-end model tops out at just north of two large, with each model offering a hot-swap bay and a pair of USB 3.0 ports. Eye candy is below, and the source link shouldn't be ventured to unless you're fairly immune to impulse buys. Show full PR text Digital Storm's Enix Merges Minimalist Aesthetics with Brute Force Computing Power
Sandy Bridge architecture, vertical heat dissipation, efficient internal structure and above 4.7GHz overclocks, create a powerful gaming system unlike any other
Fremont, Calif. - (January 24, 2011) – Digital Storm, the predominant name in computer system integration and engineering, proudly debuts it's most innovative and efficient PC design to date - Enix.
The Enix from Digital Storm shatters the status quo by delivering bleeding edge performance while maintaining the minimalistic footprint of modern desktop computers. By disregarding the common wisdom that bigger is better, the Enix's small profile takes full advantage of the Micro ATX format. Overclocks of 4.7GHz and above are easily achieved thanks to the Enix's vertically cooled chassis and Intel's new powerful Sandy Bridge architecture. In addition, the motherboard is rotated 90 degrees taking full advantage of heat's natural tendency to rise. The Enix can also be customized to fit a dual GTX 580 configuration, giving it the versatility of being an elite gaming machine or a high performance workstation.
The Enix looks like no other desktop computer because it isn't one; it foregoes the inherited inefficiencies to be born anew in a bold sleek design. At its center is a computing engine capable of delivering the type of staggering performance most users thought wasn't possible with a modern desktop computer of similar size.
The design of the Enix's internal structure gives it numerous advantages over conventional desktop computers. The Enix's 90 degree motherboard rotation offers easy access to ports at the top of the chassis, eliminating the need to reach behind the computer to connect peripherals. Also, located at the top of the Enix is a hot-swap bay and two USB 3.0 ports. The hot-swap bay makes it easy to take your data on the go and the USB 3.0 ports provide blazing fast data transfer speeds. Additionally, the hard-drives in the Enix are all installed on the side of the chassis so that they can be passively cooled, minimizing noise for a silent user experience
"Enix's design is a dramatic departure from any system we've ever built in the past.
By rethinking conventional PC design the Enix provides our customers with every imaginable advantage over other machines," remarked Rajeev Kuruppu, Digital Storm's Director of Product Development. "Accessibility to all the components is unparalleled and the vertically designed chassis keeps everything cool and quiet. Couple that with an outrageously overclocked Sandy Bridge chip and you have one of the most efficient and powerful machines on the market."
Digital Storm's Enix is available for purchase at http://www.digitalstormonline.com/compblackops.asp with a base configuration starting at $1,132. |
| White iPhone 4 in AT&T's account management system now, too Posted: 24 Jan 2011 09:16 AM PST Hot on the heels of cameos in various Vodafone Germany and Best Buy systems, the mythical white iPhone 4 is showing up somewhere else -- and for many of you, this one hits particularly close to home. Turns out any AT&T subscriber can now log in to their account and see both 16GB and 32GB versions of the phone listed in the model picker, which could definitely suggest that these guys are getting ready to finally make them available along with everyone else. Then again, we've also heard that the white iPhone 4 never even left some of AT&T's inventory systems in the first place, so this might mean very little -- but for now, we're going with the "where there's smoke, there's fire" angle. Verizon, your turn. |
| HP / Palm's 9.7-inch Topaz tablet to use 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8660, Adreno 220 GPU Posted: 24 Jan 2011 08:55 AM PST Looks like those whispers we heard about HP's Topaz having a 1.2GHz Qualcomm CPU were true. The folks over at Pre Central just scored an internal document detailing presumed specifications of HP's forthcoming 9.7-inch tablet, and it looks like the aforesaid CPU will be joined by an integrated Adreno 220 GPU, 512MB of DDR2 memory, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and dual-band 802.11b/g/n WiFi. We're told to expect an oleophobic Gorilla Glass screen with a standard XGA (1024 x 768) resolution, options for 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage, optional WWAN, an accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, microphone and a battery that'll last for around eight hours in ideal circumstances. Naturally, webOS will be onboard, and we're hearing that a WiFi-only model will indeed hit the market at some point. As for the connected versions? HSPA, LTE and CDMA variants are rumored, with the former two likely to be SIM-locked while all three carry A-GPS. It should be noted that these documents were apparently fresh as of last fall, so everything is clearly subject to change. That said, we're digging the reports that HP will be doing everything it can to fully support Flash on this here slate, and it may also consider a partnership with Blio for the digital bookworms in attendance. Naturally, cloud services is shaping up to be a huge deal, and it'll definitely support inductive charging via the Touchstone v2. These docs also affirm what we'd heard about integrated Beats Audio technology and Tap to Share, with the second-gen Touchstone to also handle wireless picture sharing, cordless audio streaming and tether-free video beaming (just to name a few). Hit the source link the full skinny, and feel free to pressure HP to move February 9th a little closer to today. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Robo-guitar shocker! Gibson opening Firebird X platform to third party developers, app store imminent Posted: 24 Jan 2011 08:31 AM PST We've seen the future of guitars, and it's an app store. At least that's what Gibson would have us believe, as it announces that it's opening the Pure-Analog Engine and the whole Firebird X platform to third party devs. Didn't know it was a platform, did you? Thought that it was an over-priced guitar with features that we didn't need (and a headstock we didn't particularly care for)? Same here. Apparently the company will soon be unleashing all sorts of Pure-Analog guitars upon the world, at all different price points. We don't know what this means for rock'n'roll, although we are fairly certain that the guy from Muse already owns three of these. Hit the source link for all the awesome deets. |
| Windows Phone 7 jailbreak devs 'genuinely excited' by Microsoft's roadmap Posted: 24 Jan 2011 08:08 AM PST Microsoft's been playing it really cool with the nascent Windows Phone 7 hacker community so far, which is winning them friends in all sorts of important places -- not the least of which is the ChevronWP7 team itself. The first guys to split the platform open for homebrew apps were recently invited up to Redmond for a powwow with the guys in charge, and it seems the meetings were fruitful to say the least; though much of what they saw was under NDA, they say they're "genuinely excited" by what Microsoft has in the works. Furthermore, Microsoft was kind enough to give the team a heads-up that an upcoming platform update would break the existing ChevronWP7 tool, though they say they're "collaborating with Microsoft on an interim solution that will continue to support homebrew developments after the update." Considering that they've already reached out to jailbreaker extraordinaire Geohot as well, it's clear that Microsoft doesn't believe this is a black-and-white situation -- the ChevronWP7 guys seem to think homebrew has a place somewhere in the platform's future, it just remains to be seen how that's going to play out. |
| Elon Musk: all cars sold in 2030 will be electric, boogie woogie woogie optional Posted: 24 Jan 2011 07:45 AM PST  Apparently when Elon Musk was talking last week at the Cleantech Investors Summit, the Tesla CEO's prognosticating extended far past 2015. He reiterated that there's an electric Model X SUV coming soon and a sub-$30k Tesla within four years. However, in 20 years Mr. Musk thinks that everything will be EV -- well, everything in the US, anyway. He believes that every car sold in America in 2030 will be electric and that within a few decades after that they'll take over worldwide. Of course, this is someone who believes he'll be living on Mars in 2030, naturally sent thither astride one of his SpaceX rockets. Obviously not a man short on optimism. |
| DARWINmachine Hammerhead HMR989 gaming rig looks ferocious, can attack your desk for $2,900 Posted: 24 Jan 2011 07:23 AM PST The giant PC gaming rigs of the last decade are so passé. Hot this year are sleeker, more cut models, models like the DARWINmachine Hammerhead HMR989. It looks like a crazy casemod but it's actually a custom-built rig you can order, priced at $2,899 and sporting a vertically mounted NVIDIA GTX460 graphics accelerator, a 2.8Ghz Core i7-860 processor, a combination of SSD and platter-based storage, and a power supply left hanging on the side. It's all aluminum and resin sheets and lovely, though we could probably do without the blue LEDs. |
| Engadget Podcast 230 - 01.24.2011 Posted: 24 Jan 2011 07:01 AM PST This week in consumer electronics was full of culture. Or maybe it was full of color -- we're not quite sure what the difference might be, but there was a lot of weird / cool news in the CEO, handheld gaming, and tablet worlds. The point is, we've got another weird / cool podcast on our hands that you haven't listened to yet and you need to take care of that, like, five minutes ago. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, #1 Digitimes bestselling author Paul Miller Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Superstition 00:04:15 - Steve Jobs takes medical leave from Apple, Tim Cook taking over daily operations in his absence 00:10:22 - Apple turns in record Q1: $6b profit on $26.7b revenue, 16.2m iPhones sold 00:23:20 - Apple's invested in a 'very strategic' $3.9b component supply agreement, but what is it? 00:25:10 - Asahi Glass introduces Dragontrail for consumer electronics, puts the Gorilla on notice (video) 00:25:48 - Larry Page taking over as Google CEO, Eric Schmidt will remain as Executive Chairman 00:35:30 - Google Voice now lets you port your own phone number, maybe (update) 00:44:53 - Exclusive: HP / Palm's webOS tablets -- pictures, plans, and more 00:45:42 - HP / Palm tablet to feature Touchstone dock, cloud storage, Beats audio and Tap-to-Share smartphone integration 00:49:30 - HP calls us out, implies it's got even better scoops at February webOS event 00:53:20 - HP's first webOS tablet may start shipping in March, fulfill longstanding promise 01:06:00 - Motorola Xoom launching February 17th at Best Buy (update: priced at $700) 01:06:22 - Motorola Xoom priced at $800 at a minimum, according to Verizon leak 01:14:52 - Nintendo 3DS coming to US March 27th for $249.99, Europe first on March 25th (video) 01:19:10 - Live from Nintendo's 3DS preview with Reggie Fils-Aime 01:23:22 - Bloomberg: Sony PSP2 to debut next week, PlayStation Phone at MWC 01:23:47 - This fan-made PSP redesign is sexy 01:25:15 - PSP2 to be based on iPhone-esque PowerVR GPU, rival original Xbox in power? 01:27:52 - The Engadget Show returns next Sunday with Steve Wozniak! Hear the podcast
Subscribe to the podcast [ iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [ RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [ RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [ Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3)
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Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com. Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @engadget @recklessThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Monome Arc OSC controller is simple, elegant, and expensive Posted: 24 Jan 2011 06:39 AM PST If you're not familiar with Monome, the company designs and builds unique, minimalist controllers in limited editions for the discriminating music maker with deep pockets. The company's latest, Arc, features two anodized milled aluminum knobs, an enclosure made of black walnut (sustainably harvested in central Pennsylvania, of course), lead free printed circuit boards and circuitry, a felt slip mat made from wool purchased from small farms in the US, and -- well, that's pretty much it. Hand assembled on a farm in upstate New York, this device sends OSC data to a computer via USB. Each knob is circled by a ring of 64 LEDs, and each knob can be configured for whatever your musician's heart desires. On the video (after the break) it is paired with a Series Sixty Four controller to make a sample looper. Looks like fun! Too bad it costs more than our rent for the month. Available on February 18 in two knob ($500) and four knob ($800) configurations. [Thanks, Zack] |
| Bloom Electrons' pay-what-you-consume service thinks outside the Box Posted: 24 Jan 2011 06:14 AM PST Bloom Energy's aptly-titled Bloom Box made a splash last year with much hooplah, bringing the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Colin Powell to its unveiling. But while the promise of efficient fuel cell technology is great for the eco-minded and even the long-term penny-pincher, the mid-to-high six-figure upfront cost limits the potential customer base to only the upper echelon of the environmentally conscious. Cue Bloom Electrons -- instead of paying for the Bloom Boxes and owning them outright, you can lease a 2MW installation for no money down and pay only for the electrons you use. A 10-year contract is required, which yes does put your smartphone commitment to shame, but Bloom hopes this Credit Suisse / Silicon Valley Bank-backed plan opens the door for educational institutions and non-profits to join in on the phone. Press release after the break. Show full PR text Bloom Energy Announces Bloom Electronsâ„ .
Clean, Reliable, Affordable Energy Without the Initial Expense
Over 20MW (200 Bloom Boxes) of 24/7 Electricity Service Secured; Customers Benefit from Immediate Cost Savings, Carbon Reduction, and Energy Security
Pasadena, CA – January 20, 2011- Bloom Energy®, today announced Bloom Electronsâ„ , a service that allows customers the flexibility to purchase electricity provided by the Bloom Box without incurring any other costs. The new Bloom Electrons service has generated tremendous interest with existing and new customers.
The Bloom Electrons service allows customers to lock in their electricity rates for 10 years, delivering fixed predictable costs and significant savings versus the grid. Bloom manages and maintains the systems on the customers' sites and the customers pay only for the electricity consumed. This allows immediate cost savings with no initial investment, making onsite clean, reliable, affordable energy more accessible.
In today's economy, the ability for companies to have the freedom of choice to either purchase the Bloom Box or utilize the Bloom Electrons service while achieving savings under either program is very appealing. Under the Bloom Electrons service, customers can immediately save up to 20% on their energy bills. New Bloom Energy customers such as California Institute of Technology, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), and Kaiser Permanente will see immediate benefits from this program, as will repeat customers such as Walmart, The Coca-Cola Company and Staples Inc. as Bloom Electrons allows them to quickly scale their deployments. This coupled with the opportunity to have cleaner, more reliable on-site electricity makes Bloom Electrons a compelling economic and environmental choice.
"Bloom Electrons is about providing universal access to clean, reliable, affordable energy. Empowering our customers to buy energy on their terms is another significant step on our journey to change the way energy is generated and consumed in the world," said KR Sridhar, principal co-founder and CEO of Bloom Energy. "We are thrilled to welcome new customers and take special pride in our repeat customers."
Bloom Electrons is a service that opens the door to new types of customers such as non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and utilities. The California Institute of Technology, one of the world's most highly regarded scientific and technology universities, is one of the first to benefit from the Bloom Electrons with a 2MW installation.
"Bloom Energy enables Caltech to more effectively carry out its core mission of research and education by providing cleaner, more economical and predictable power which ultimately helps us achieve our strategic infrastructure and sustainability goals" said Dean Currie, vice president for Business & Finance at Caltech.
Fuel choices such as natural or biogas allow customers to manage their carbon footprint and Bloom Box modularity enables the solution to be scaled for specific sites. Now Bloom Electrons gives customers financial flexibility as well. Customers can continue to buy Bloom Boxes as a capital purchase or choose to sign up for the Bloom Electrons service. Bloom Energy created this program in collaboration with Credit Suisse and Silicon Valley Bank.
"We are very pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Bloom Energy to structure Bloom Electrons, a unique service to secure baseload electricity. Bloom Energy has developed a technology that can transform the energy landscape and we look forward to supporting Bloom throughout its growth," said Jerry L. Smith, managing director at Credit Suisse.
To date, the Bloom Energy fleet has provided customers over 40 million kilowatt-hours and eliminated approximately 45 million pounds of CO2 emissions. Today's announcement of Bloom Electrons and the 200 new systems that will initially be deployed, represent the next step on the path to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy to everyone in the world.
About Bloom Energy
Bloom Energy is a provider of breakthrough solid oxide fuel cell technology that generates clean, highly-efficient power onsite from virtually any fuel source. Bloom Energy's mission is to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world. The Bloom Energy Server is currently producing power for several Fortune 500 companies. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA. For more information, visit www.BloomEnergy.com. |
| LED headlights can add up to six miles of electric vehicle range Posted: 24 Jan 2011 05:46 AM PST We've been charting the progression of in-home lighting, CFLs replacing incandescents but themselves slowly walking the path obsolescence as LED bulbs get cheaper and more common. It's much the same on the vehicle lighting front, with LEDs taking over more and more automotive lighting, and now OSRAM Sylvania is giving us another reason to make that happen sooner. LED bulbs can provide the same amount of light as traditional incandescent car bulbs with less than 25 percent the energy draw. On a gas-powered auto that's not such a big deal, where LEDs are being used primarily because of benefits like cooler temps, longer life, and greater stylistic freedom, but on an EV that reduction in current draw can offer as much as a six mile boost in range on a single charge. That may not sound like much, but if you ever run out of juice five miles from home you might just change your mind. Show full PR text Improved Energy Efficiency from High Tech Lighting to Help Extend Range of Electrics
HILLSBORO, N.H., Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- When the travel range of electric vehicles determines who makes it home to re-charge their batteries and who is stranded by the side of the road, every watt saved and every additional mile counts.
So suggests Jonathan Dunlap, an automotive lighting engineer and product marketing manager with OSRAM SYLVANIA, the world's leading manufacturer of automotive lighting, in reference to an SAE paper regarding LED and power consumption of exterior vehicle lighting. Though the paper was written in 2008, the trend is now taking hold, he says.
OSRAM believes that "micro-hybrids" or mild hybrids, which feature engine stop/start mechanisms to boost the efficiency of conventional vehicles, will benefit greatly from LED lighting by reducing power draw and battery drain, as well as increasing light output during low power mode and startups.
"Just like going from a 75 watt incandescent light bulb down to a 18 watt compact fluorescent has made a significant difference to reduce the nation's energy consumption in the home, so too can LED lighting make a difference in automobiles, especially once alternators and generators in the cars are right-sized for higher efficiency," says David Hulick, marketing director for Automotive Solid State Lighting for OSRAM SYLVANIA.
The benefits are most notable in electric vehicles, which rely completely on stored electricity from batteries. "An efficient LED headlamp system can extend vehicle range by nearly six miles (9.5 km). Even with conventional vehicles, a 28 watt LED system emits only 196 grams of carbon dioxide per 100 kilometers compared to 768 grams of carbon dioxide per 100 kilometers from conventional 110 watt H7 halogen bulbs. Whether the goal is reduced fuel consumption or reduced carbon emissions, LED lighting is the best technology available," said Hulick.
Most people are aware of this surge in electric vehicles, but few realize that their headlights may soon have no light bulb to speak of. "Automakers are considering LED systems for forward and other lighting needs as one of the measures to achieve energy savings," says Dunlap.
But not only will electric vehicles benefit. The race is on to reinvent the automobile to meet ambitious new fuel economy standards. Vehicles are or will be receiving a super high-efficiency makeover in the form of downsized turbocharged engines, hybrid powertrains, low-rolling resistance tires and more efficient lighting systems.
Dunlap points out that lighting changes will make a significant contribution to fuel efficiency and carbon emission reduction goals both in the U.S. and abroad.
Traditional halogen bulbs can draw 240 watts in high beam mode, whereas OSRAM's JOULE® LED lights draw only 56 watts. While this may seem small, with more than 240 million vehicles on the road driving millions of miles every year, the energy and fuel savings will be significant.
OSRAM's LED lights are already featured on popular cars such as the tail lamps on the Ford Mustang.
The data mentioned above is from a 2008 Society of Automotive Engineering study submitted by the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), which can be found at http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/61187. More information about OSRAM lighting can be found online at www.sylvania.com/auto.
About OSRAM SYLVANIA
OSRAM SYLVANIA, together with OSRAM GmbH, is the world leader in automotive lighting for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the aftermarket. The company's global automotive lighting division has its principal North American operations in Hillsboro, N.H., with nearly 700 employees. In addition to TS 16949, this facility has also achieved ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications. Automotive Lighting designs, develops, manufactures and markets state-of-the-art automotive light sources, including auxiliary, advanced halogen, LED and high-intensity discharge lighting for interior, exterior and forward lighting applications. Over 400 lamp types are produced for cars, trucks, and electronics in facilities throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Automotive applications for OEMs are marketed under the OSRAM brand while products for the aftermarket are sold under the SYLVANIA brand.
OSRAM SYLVANIA is a leader in lighting solutions and specialty products that feature innovative design and energy saving technology. The company sells products for homes, businesses and vehicles primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, and also under the OSRAM brand. Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American operation of OSRAM GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. For more information, visit www.sylvania.com. |
| WP7 Game Boy emulator demoed, soon you can show your Pokemans in Silverlight (video) Posted: 24 Jan 2011 05:17 AM PST Classic gaming on the go is more or less old-hat for many smartphone platforms, but Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 is still playing catch-up. Latest addition is this Game Boy emulator, running in Silverlight courtesy of Samuel Blanchard, who created the video below and then triple-letterboxed it for your squinting pleasure. Right now it is still a work in progress, unable to save your in-game progress and needing some further polish, but it certainly looks like it runs well enough -- though hopefully he gets that aspect ratio fixed before offering this up for download. |
| Daimler and BYD's GOLF electric car getting closer to completion? Posted: 24 Jan 2011 04:43 AM PST Daimler AG is of course best known as the producer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, cars that usually sit toward the higher end of their respective classes. BYD, on the other hand, makes batteries, cellphones, and inexpensive cars that often look an awful, awful lot like other, rather more expensive ones. Strange bedfellows, these, but according to a "knowledgeable individual" quoted by The Wall Street Journal the two are getting closer to finalizing plans for an electric vehicle, freezing the design ahead of production to begin toward the end of 2012. The car is said to be called the GOLF, standing for Green, Oxygen, Light, and Friendship -- though that L could also double for Lawsuit given VW already sells its Golf in China. This partnership is similar to what BMW is doing, working with Brilliance China Automotive to get a foothold into the potentially Chinese EV market, which is already starting to heat up and should only continue to do so over the coming years. |
| Neverware's Juicebox 100 squeezes new life into aging school computers (video) Posted: 24 Jan 2011 04:16 AM PST Your typical school computer is probably not a machine you'd like to use on a daily basis -- perennially behind the curve in terms of technology, since educators can't afford smokin' hot video cards and primo processors year after year. Budgets and the resulting reluctance inevitably lead to stale hardware which then goes obsolete... but a tiny startup called Neverware thinks it can end the cycle of woe with virtualization technology. Its single product, the Juicebox a100, can serve up one hundred Windows 7 virtual desktops to existing hardware, pretty much regardless of its age -- all computers need is a working LAN jack, a 500MHz processor and 128MB of memory, so schools could keep their beige boxes and just upgrade the Juicebox instead. Founder Jonathan Hefter doesn't have pricing worked out yet -- and his tiny company only has three of the boxes working at present -- but he's piloted the technology in a pair of schools and is planning a beta soon -- all the while dreaming about how our mountains of e-waste could be transformed into useful computers for the poorer nations of the world. Good luck, dude! Video after the break. |
| Holocube scales up with life-sized, 70-inch, HC70 holographic projector (video) Posted: 24 Jan 2011 03:48 AM PST First they were little, then they added touchability, now Holocube's holograms in a box are going big time -- in that the company's latest model is physically much larger than the others. It's the HC70, a new version with a 70-inch transparent screen that can be viewed from both sides. It's powered by a Windows 7 Embedded machine with 40GB of flash storage from which it can loop between eight and 18 hours of video, displayed via 1080p projector. You can see it in action below showing a... slightly mesmerizing collection of random bits of footage. Let us know if you can find the hidden meaning. |
| NVIDIA Tegra 3, equipped with 1.5GHz quad-core madness, teased by a familar slide Posted: 24 Jan 2011 03:06 AM PST How aggressive can NVIDIA get? That's the question puzzling our brainboxes right now as we gaze upon the complete version of the slide that let us know about a potential Tegra 2 3D chip over the weekend. It's not every day you hear of a 1.5GHz quad-core mobile SOC, but our discovery of corroborating evidence for the T25 module sitting alongside it makes us more willing to credit the possibility of a Blu-ray-crunching, 13,800 MIPS-capable, multicore Cortex-A9 Tegra 3. Moreover, the roadmap of production samples in Q4 of 2010 fits perfectly with NVIDIA's claim that Tegra 3 was " almost done" in September of that year. The ULP designation on this listing stands for Ultra Low Power in NVIDIA parlance, which would indicate an aggressively tuned power management system -- the only way we can envision a quad-core anything operating within a tablet. Fall 2011 is when we should know for sure. |
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc subjected to a thorough video preview Posted: 24 Jan 2011 02:22 AM PST This won't be the first (or by any means last) video you'll see the Xperia Arc starring in, but it is the most comprehensive look we've had so far at this finely crafted Android Gingerbread handset. The guys over at HDBlog.it have somehow sourced both the silver and black variants of Sony Ericsson's upcoming 4.2-incher and they've given the pair a nice and thorough video overview. They happily report that Timescape and Mediascape, Sony Ericsson's pervasive features in the earlier X10, have been scaled down to mere widgets, making them "far less intrusive" and resulting in the rest of the UI being "faster and easier to use." Make the leap past the break to get the full dish on SE's latest and greatest.
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| McDonald's to start accepting contactless Visa payments in all UK restaurants by this summer Posted: 24 Jan 2011 01:57 AM PST The UK already has a big old investment in contactless technology with London's rather successful Oystercard travel scheme, but now the whole Kingdom can get a taste for airborne payments thanks to a new initiative from McDonald's and Visa. The two giants of commerce are uniting to bring NFC tech to all of the former's 1,200 fast food restaurants within the UK, allowing hungry Brits to pay for meals costing up to £15 by simply waving their credit card in front of the till Obi-wan-style. Of course, the real excitement of such large-scale NFC proliferation is in the potential to use those automated tills with your Nexus S (which has an NFC chip built right in) and other devices coming up this year that look set to feature the technology. So yeah, Visa had better be working hard on putting together some mobile apps. [Thanks, Steve] |
| Genovation G2 aims to be the greenest thing you can drive, will be made from renewable and recycled parts Posted: 24 Jan 2011 01:15 AM PST One big sticking point for those still unwilling to embrace the eco-friendly credentials of electric vehicles is the undeniable fact that building an EV costs plenty in terms of resource and energy use. Hoping to counter this concern, Genovation is working on developing a new G2 electric car (the G1 was a Ford Focus modified with off-the-shelf parts to run on batteries), which will try to maximize the use of renewable and recycled materials in its construction. It's just completed the first phase of its development, where quarter-size models have been built by Tata Technologies and a bunch of simulations, analyses, and performance tests have been run. Phases two and three will involve the building of functional prototypes and pre-production road vehicles, with phase four presumably being the onset of our sustainable living utopia. Show full PR text Genovation Cars Announces Completion of Phase I of Development of G2 Electric Car
Tata Technologies is Prime Contractor on Full Vehicle Program
Genovation Inc. (www.genovationcars.com), a Maryland designer and custom builder of environmentally friendly automobiles, announced the completion of Phase I of development of its G2 electric car model.
Phase I, managed and delivered by Tata Technologies, which serves as the prime contractor on the full vehicle project, included the completion of design details critical to a comprehensive business strategy, including cost analyses, performance simulations, crash simulations, computational fluid dynamics analyses and two quarter scale models.
Subcontractors on the G2 project include Metalsa, which recently acquired Dana Holding Corporation's structural product business, for the structural design and manufacturing; and Dana Thermal Products for the car's thermal operations (engine cooling, battery management and cabin climate control).
"We are very pleased to have completed this first phase in developing an efficient and reliable electric car," said Andrew Saul, Genovation CEO. "This is an excellent first step in providing customers with safe, sustainable automobiles that do not compromise driving independence; and at the same time, help us become one of the premier providers of green automobiles in the U.S."
"The Tata Technologies team is excited to be playing this pivotal role in the design and development of the G2," said Kevin Fisher, Tata Technologies President - Global Delivery. "We share the Genovation vision for the future of EV technology."
"Working with Genovation and the selected sub-contractors, we completed Phase 1 meeting all expectations with an innovative approach to engineering. To achieve these results, within the designated timeframe, was a tremendous accomplishment for the whole team," Fisher added.
Leopoldo Cedillo, Metalsa CEO, said, "We are very excited to have supported Genovation's accomplishment of completing this Phase 1 for the G2 electric car project. The development of design and manufacturing towards quality structural products becomes key to achieving an affordable, efficient, and reliable vehicle. Metalsa is committed to innovatively working with the necessary talent and resources, especially on material and weight, to assist Genovation in reaching their vision."
The completion of the first phase is a crucial milestone. The company now has key information relating to materials, weights, and associated costs to produce the vehicle. The G2 model that Tata Technologies is developing will incorporate Genovation's research and development that went into its G1 model, an electric conversion of a Ford Focus. The conversion included the installation of an electric motor, battery string, controller, instrumentation and generator; using off the shelf items.
Phase II of the G2 development has commenced. It will include the design of a G2 working prototype. Phase III includes building preproduction prototypes for road testing and crash tests. It will also include the design and building of a production facility. Long term, it is Genovation's goal to operate from a business plan that envisions building 1,000 units at a time through manufacturing "pods" that require just a few robots and relies more heavily on teams of skilled workers.
"For us to be successful, we need to be a market driven company. With this model, we can be nimble and react to where there is strong demand for our product," said Saul. Genovation was founded in 2007 by Mr. Saul. Other top company executives include Robert Irby, Senior Executive for Manufacturing and Operations, and Steven Rogers, President and Chief Technology Officer.
"The G2 is designed to be easily maintained at the dealership level; as opposed to the many sophisticated hybrid cars available today from major manufacturers that require highly-trained factory supported teams to maintain certain parts of the technology," said Saul. Genovation plans to differentiate itself from its competition by better understanding and anticipating the requirements of its clientele; be it the suburban family, green-conscious state/local government agencies, or corporations desiring a fleet of electric cars or plug-in hybrids. |
| HTC HD2 can now dual-boot Windows Phone 7 and Android, promises to love them equally Posted: 24 Jan 2011 12:21 AM PST You've seen Windows Phone 7 and Android both ported to the stately HTC HD2, now how about having them on the same device at the same time? Well, not literally at the same time, that'd be all sorts of confusing, but the restless souls over at xda-developers have figured out multiple ways to install both WP7 and Android on the HD2 while using the same SD card. We've looked at them and none of the methods seem particularly trivial or, you know, easy, but then what would be the point of a dual-boot solution if everyone could just up and do it? Detailed instructions await at the source link. [Thanks, engadgeteer]
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| Is this Nokia's tablet-shaped MeeGo device? Posted: 23 Jan 2011 11:26 PM PST Consider this little slice of photography uncorroborated for now, but we just couldn't ignore a device that's ostensibly running MeeGo software while sporting a bold Nokia logo front and center on its shell. This mysterious slate has cropped up over at the mobile-review forums, where amateur sleuthing has already noted that the landscape centering of the Nokia logo is atypical -- both the N97 and N900 have it off-center -- which may well suggest this is a landscape-centric tablet first and a phone second (if at all!). Assuming the brand name imprint is the same size as on the N8 (Nokia loves to standardize those), we could be looking at a 4.5-inch screen on what is either an internal test device, or, more optimistically, a prototype for actual hardware. It's worth noting that the MeeGo seen on board is of the stock variety, whereas Nokia intends to ship its new flagship device(s) with an as-yet-unseen set of UI customizations collectively known as Harmattan. So we're certainly not looking at anything close to a final hardware / software pairing, but we are looking at something. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Phase One straps 80 megapixels to your camera, USB 3.0 for ginormous image transfers Posted: 23 Jan 2011 10:22 PM PST We're still trying to wrap our brains around the idea that a 80 megapixel camera sensor exists at all, but there's already a second light-devouring digital back on the way -- the Phase One IQ180, which technically hails from the very same company as the Leaf Aptus-II 12. That doesn't mean the company simply rebranded its subsidiary's giant CCD, as this unit's got an extra half-stop of dynamic range, captures a tenth of a second quicker at full resolution, and supplements the standard FireWire 800 connector with USB 3.0. There's also a 3.2-inch, 1.15 megapixel touchscreen with a pseudo-Live View for easy framing and 1GB of RAM to buffer the gigantic images you'll be pumping out. Improvements don't come cheap, though, as you'll drop $43,990 in April at launch. If you can settle for a slightly lower resolution, though, there's no need to sell your Lexus quite yet -- the summer months will bring lesser models with 60.5 megapixels and 40 megapixels respectively. |
| TankChair deemed too heavy to use on UK streets, disabled man becomes marketing boon (video) Posted: 23 Jan 2011 08:37 PM PST While we figure that giant, tread-wielding wheelchairs have no trouble selling themselves, a disabled man named Jim Starr is helping them along their merry way -- a story about his TankChair being rejected for street use by UK authorities is giving the company plenty of free advertising. That's not to say that we don't feel for the disabled father of two, and hope he gets to use his snow-crushing, beach-mashing wheelchair in peace -- it's just not particularly surprising that a non-standard vehicle would be illegal to use on public roadways, and as you'll see in the video after the break (at roughly 5:30) the law doesn't seem to be restraining him any. |
| Zelrix electronic anti-migraine patch heads to the FDA for review Posted: 23 Jan 2011 07:22 PM PST We've seen some electronic devices that promise to cure migraines in the past, but NuPathe's Zelrix patch certainly seems to be among the most practical, and it's just gotten one step closer to the US market. The company recently announced that the FDA has accepted its filing for a New Drug Application, and it says it now has a target date of August 29, 2011 for the FDA to complete its review. As for the patch itself, it's a single-use patch that relies on a mild electrical current to "actively transport" the anti-migraine drug sumatriptan through the skin using a process called iontophoresis. That, NuPathe says, not only allows for a more consistent and controlled delivery of the drug, but it also circumvents the nausea and vomiting that can occur when taking the medication orally -- which the company notes can be enough to cause some folks to avoid taking the medication altogether. Head on past the break for the complete press release. Show full PR text NuPathe Announces FDA Acceptance of Zelrix NDA for Filing
CONSHOHOCKEN, PA--(Marketwire - January 10, 2011) - NuPathe Inc. (NASDAQ: PATH), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of branded therapeutics for diseases of the central nervous system, including neurological and psychiatric disorders, today announced that its New Drug Application (NDA) for Zelrix has been accepted for filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). NuPathe submitted the Zelrix NDA on October 29, 2010. The Company expects to receive a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date, the target date for the FDA to complete its review of the NDA, of August 29, 2011. Zelrix is the first ever submission to the FDA of a transdermal patch for the treatment of migraine.
"The FDA's acceptance of our NDA brings us one step closer to providing an attractive treatment option to the millions of underserved migraine patients," said Jane Hollingsworth, chief executive officer of NuPathe. "By avoiding oral administration and controlling the delivery of sumatriptan with our SmartRelief™ technology, we believe Zelrix overcomes the limitations of current migraine medications."
About Zelrix
Zelrix is an active, single-use, transdermal sumatriptan patch in development for the treatment of migraine. Zelrix is designed to provide migraine patients fast onset and sustained relief through a tolerable, non-oral route of administration. Zelrix may provide an attractive treatment option for many migraine patients because it avoids the need for oral administration and does not depend upon gastrointestinal absorption. Many migraine patients delay or avoid treatment with oral migraine medications as a result of underlying nausea and fear of vomiting. In addition, the reduced gastric motility experienced during migraine may affect the efficacy of oral medications. Zelrix is powered by SmartRelief, NuPathe's proprietary transdermal delivery technology. SmartRelief consists of a controlled delivery technology that uses a mild electrical current to actively transport medication through the skin using a process called iontophoresis.
About Migraine
Migraine is a neurological disorder that affects approximately 31 million adults in the U.S. In addition to a debilitating headache, most migraine patients suffer from one or more significant gastrointestinal problems, including nausea, vomiting and a compromised ability to digest, known as decreased gastric motility. The nausea and vomiting associated with a migraine makes it difficult for many patients to take oral medications, while reduced gastric motility can affect the efficacy of oral medications.
The most prescribed treatments for acute migraine in the U.S. are triptans, accounting for 94% of the 13 million prescriptions filled for acute migraine therapies for the 12 months ending November 2010. Yet, triptan-related adverse events, including chest tightness, chest heaviness, paresthesias, and panic, can lead some patients to avoid or delay treatment with triptans.
About NuPathe
NuPathe Inc. (www.nupathe.com) is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of branded therapeutics for diseases of the central nervous system, including neurological and psychiatric disorders. NuPathe's most advanced product candidate, Zelrix, is a single-use, transdermal sumatriptan patch being developed for the treatment of acute migraine. In addition to Zelrix, NuPathe has two proprietary product candidates in preclinical development: NP201 for the continuous symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease, and NP202 for the long-term treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements that are not historical facts are hereby identified as forward-looking statements for this purpose and include, among others, statements relating to: the expected PUDFA date for the Zelrix NDA; the ability of Zelrix to overcome the limitations of current migraine medications and be an attractive treatment option for migraine patients; the potential for Zelrix to be the first FDA approved patch for migraine; and NuPathe's plans to develop and commercialize Zelrix and its other product candidates.
Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release including, among others: NuPathe's ability to obtain marketing approval for and commercialize Zelrix; serious adverse events or other safety risks that could require NuPathe to abandon or delay development of, or preclude or limit approval of, Zelrix or its other product candidates; varying interpretations of clinical results; and the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in NuPathe's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2010 under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in such report, which is available on the Company's website at www.nupathe.com in the "Investor Relations - SEC Filings" section. As a result, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.
Additionally, the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon management's views as of the date of this press release. While NuPathe may update certain forward-looking statements from time to time, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. |
| HTC Arrive and Kyocera Echo bow for Sprint? Posted: 23 Jan 2011 06:10 PM PST Okay, armchair sleuths, this one's for you -- we've got two very legit-looking logos here, but not a lot of proof. Our tipster tells us that both of these high-quality vector graphics are the names of upcoming devices for Sprint, with the HTC Arrive (née Ruby) allegedly an upcoming Windows Phone 7 device, while Kyocera Echo is apparently the retail name for the phone internally known as the Sanyo Orange. It just so happens that the trademark for "HTC Arrive" was registered the very same day we received this logo, so we think we're onto something here, but the truth of the matter is that all of these codenames are falling on virgin ears. [Thanks, anonymous] |
| Inhabitat's Week in Green: self-sustaining airships, turbine base jumpers, and the Sahara's solar oasis Posted: 23 Jan 2011 05:00 PM PST |
| Switched On: When Gadgets Talk in Their Sleep Posted: 23 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. The Nintendo 3DS stands to democratize stereoscopy in a way society hasn't experienced since the View-Master craze, by offering 3D hardware more affordable than the current crop of televisions and PCs, and without requiring special glasses to see images pop out of the handheld's screen. But when it comes to innovation, the 3DS could represent a two-way street, for even as its 3D screen is focused on enhancing the handheld gaming experience, its "Pass" network technologies -- SpotPass and particularly StreetPass -- could have broader implications for the way we discover the world around us. SpotPass is Nintendo's new background WiFi hotspot locator, sniffing for connectivity even while the device is asleep, in an attempt to download updates automatically and possibly also prevent piracy. Mainly, it is a stopgap in a world with expensive mobile broadband that is impractical to deliver in a $249 device used extensively by kids. We'll soon see if or how the 3DS can distinguish between open hotspots, those that require a simple acceptance of terms, or truly private hotspots. Regardless, in Nintendo's new world of unattended functionality, SpotPass is but a means to an end. StreetPass, on the other hand, represents what the 3DS can do with ad hoc connectivity as it continues its low-powered slumber. Nintendo videos show pairs of Nintendo 3DS's passively exchanging Mii profiles as people pass by each other on the street, but that's just the beginning. Nintendo 3DS games such as Capcom's Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition can, with the owners' permissions, create entire battles, crown victors, and deliver rewards all without any intervention from the players. You can imagine the possibilities. Consider the potential impact of a Google service that would let hundreds of millions of Android phone users exchange profiles around their Google Places. | Still, the 3DS is a controlled ecosystem with little room for software development freedom, and even if its sales far exceeded Nintendo's expectations, it would still be dwarfed by the install base of cellular handsets. But what if one took the concept of StreetPass and put it into smartphones that are always carried with us and always connected to the internet? It could open up new worlds of passive information gathering to create or augment location-based services, for dating and social networking, and opt-in advertising. Check-in services such as Foursquare could, for example, be automated via an identifying token at a location. And if you wonder why mobile is such a strategic area for Facebook, consider the potential impact of a Google service that would let hundreds of millions of Android phone users create and exchange profiles around their Google Places. A network of metropolitan or even zip code-level Craigslists could be grown very quickly, and ones that might never need a Missed Connections section. As with any medium that might seek to balance free consumer expression and unwanted communication, one of the biggest challenges for such a service would be around filtering and feedback. Assuming the results of passive interactions could be checked immediately after they were conducted, messages or profiles might need to be pre-screened to assure they are represented appropriately before they are allowed to be recklessly beamed to urban masses. Or perhaps to avoid the encouraging of stalking, collected information might require a time delay of a few hours or occur only once at the end of the day. There is a long history of Web sites and services connecting both friends and strangers for mutual benefit. These include eBay, LinkedIn, Twitter, Craigslist, Facebook, Match.com, various directories, and countless special interest forums that have their roots in the days of dial-up bulletin board systems.. A significant slice of what they offer, though, could be adapted to passive proximity-based exchange. If a handset powerhouse or plucky startup can leverage this potential new mode of communication, the rewards could include achievements well worth unlocking.
Ross Rubin is executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own. |
| Sony's Music Unlimited service infiltrates France, Germany, Italy and Spain, offers streaming tunes Posted: 23 Jan 2011 03:07 PM PST See this message? You no longer have to if you live in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, as Sony's rolled out its Music Unlimited subscription streaming service in each aforementioned nation just yesterday. Basically, it's the same deal that launched in the UK last month, but at a slightly cheaper price given the exchange rate: €3.99 a month buys you a virtual radio station that streams millions of songs to your Sony TVs, Blu-ray players or PS3 -- with portable devices and phones on the way -- while €9.99 upgrades to a premium plan that lets you select tunes on demand and generate playlists. Next stop: North America. PR after the break. Show full PR text Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™' Expands to Global Markets
TOKYO and CANNES, France, Jan. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Corporation ("Sony") announces the immediate availability of "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™," in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
http://www.qmusic.com
"Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™," which debuted in the U.K. and Ireland in December 2010, is a new, cloud-based, digital music service which gives music lovers access at any time to a constantly growing catalogue of millions of songs from major labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music as well as leading independent labels and major publishers worldwide.
Users can play music any time through "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" on a wide variety of Internet-connected Sony devices including Sony's 2010 and 2011 models of network-enabled BRAVIA® TV, Blu-ray Disc™ player, Blu-ray Disc Home Theater system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system as well as VAIO and other personal computers. All existing PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems in these countries will have access to the service. It will also become available on a wide range of Sony's portable devices, as well as on Sony and third-party Android-based mobile devices and other portable devices.
"'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' will not only enhance customers' Sony devices by unifying their music experiences and content, but will further open up access, create music discovery opportunities and spawn new listening possibilities for customers," said Kazuo Hirai, President of Networked Products & Services Group, Sony Corporation. "We will continue to develop services 'powered by Qriocity,' in order to provide a greater value proposition to our customers around the world."
"'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' represents the next step in the digital music experience, providing consumers with a dynamic and innovative way to enjoy their music library wherever they are in the world and across a number of integrated devices," stated Rob Wells, President of Global Digital Business for Universal Music Group. "We're delighted to be partnering with them and welcome their progressive approach."
"Sony Music is pleased to be partnering with Sony Corp. to further grow the reach of our rich catalog of artists in the global digital marketplace," said Thomas Hesse, President, Global Digital Business, U.S. Sales and Corporate Strategy, Sony Music Entertainment. "With its support for a significant and continuously expanding platform of Sony Internet connected devices, including televisions, gaming systems, portable players and phones, 'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity,' offers fans in multiple territories around the world an innovative and extensive new cloud based solution for accessing premium digital music in virtually any room in the home, as well as on-the-go."
"Well designed for distribution via Sony's vast footprint of connected hardware, 'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' is an exciting new service for consumers that provides an important new outlet for our artists," said Michael Nash, Executive Vice President, Digital Strategy and Business Development, Warner Music Group. "The service can help broaden the audience for digital music by reaching those fans primarily enjoying music through living-room technology such as TVs, Blu-ray players and PlayStation 3 consoles. 'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' serves as a showcase for the innovative integration of content offerings with hardware platforms."
"'Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity' offers our artists a powerful new platform to reach their fans across multiple devices," said Mark Piibe, Executive Vice President, Global Business Development, EMI Music. "As the service expands its reach internationally, more and more consumers now have the opportunity to enjoy their favorite tracks and discover new music from our great artists."
"Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" Features
With Basic (3.99 Euros) and Premium (9.99 Euros) monthly subscription plans, "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" offers breadth of content and easy music discovery features cited as most important by music enthusiasts.
The Basic plan works as an infinite ad-free radio station and subscribers can listen to dozens of personalized channels – categorized by genre, era as well as mood through SensMe™ (*1) – without the requirement to download or manage their music files. Additionally, the Premium subscription plan offers a one-time 30 day Premium free trial enabling users to listen in full to every song on demand, create personal playlists of favorites, and gain access to premium Top 100 channels which are regularly updated with the latest hits."
By studying users' listening habits, incorporating their 'like/dislike' song ratings, analyzing their existing music collections and more, "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" adapts to users' music preferences and constantly tailors music channels to offer the most compatible and enjoyable list of songs. Therefore, the more you listen, the more uniquely personalized your music channels become.
"Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" is the next extension of services 'powered by Qriocity.' Sony debuted "Video On Demand powered by Qriocity™," a premium video streaming service, in the U.S. in April 2010 and expanded the service to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. in November 2010. It will also become available in Japan on January 26. Through "Video on Demand powered by Qriocity" customers can instantly rent from a growing library of thousands of Hollywood blockbuster movies across Sony's 2010 and 2011 models of network-enabled BRAVIA TV, Blu-ray Disc player and Blu-ray Disc Home Theater system.
(*1) SensMe™ is Sony's proprietary 12 Tone Analysis technology to evaluate music tracks
"Qriocity™" is a trademark of Sony Corporation
"PlayStation®" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. |
| Grace Digital punts WiFi radio into a wireless bookshelf speaker system, can't escape Reciva's ghost Posted: 23 Jan 2011 02:09 PM PST Just when we thought Grace Digital Audio had turned over a new, touch-friendly leaf, the company's back with another WiFi internet radio that uses the frustrating Reciva interface. We can't say we're pleased, but the firm's new $250 Wireless Stereo Micro System does have one new feature that might be worth checking out -- it comes with a pair of handsome bookshelf speakers that connect over the ether as well. This time, you can not only connect to your home wireless network (or auxiliary media player) and pull down loads of tunes from the typical array of services -- including Pandora, Live365 and Sirius XM -- but listen in stereo too, while hopefully hiding that ugly four-line LCD and its irksome nests of menus from ever disturbing your view. Show full PR text Grace Digital Audio Announces the Wi-Fi Bookshelf Music System, the First Ever Internet Radio Bookshelf System with 802.11n Connectivity
Unique micro-system features two high quality bookshelf speakers providing radio content from all over the world.
San Diego, Calif. - (January 20, 2011) – Grace Digital Audio, a leading brand of Wi-Fi internet radios and home audio solutions, is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the Wi-Fi Bookshelf Music System. Grace's micro-system is the world's first internet radio system to incorporate two bookshelf speakers and 802.11n connectivity. Grace's micro-system is available now at www.GraceDigitalAudio.com for $249.99.
Ideal for your apartment, den, or office, Grace Digital's Wi-Fi Bookshelf Music System is the perfect solution for someone looking for a powerful concert feel without the hassle, set up, and cost of a full home audio system. Grace's micro-system includes two large bookshelf speakers featuring 3.5" full range drivers, 1" tweeters, and a 16 watt RMS Class D digital amplifier. The compact micro-system delivers a superior audio quality unmatched by smaller tabletop units, providing an inexpensive way to bring a home stereo experience to your internet radio.
The Wi-Fi Bookshelf Music System provides access to over 17,000 radio stations, 20,000 plus on-demand programs, and over 35,000 podcasts. Compatible with Pandora, Sirius XM Internet Radio, CBS Radio, iheartradio, Live365.com, MP3Tunes, NPR, National Weather Service, and new for 2011, WeatherBug and Rhapsody the number-one premium on-demand music service that provides access to 11 million songs for less that the price of an average CD. With RCA inputs and a USB connection, users can connect their iPod, CD player, PC or any additional audio source giving you access to all your music files.
Wi-Fi Bookshelf Music System features include:
• Two speakers equipped with 3.5" woofers and 1" tweeters
• Class D digital amplifier and rear ported full range speaker provides superior audio quality
• 10 station presets, up to 100 saved favorites, displays song/artist info, alarm clock radio, and remote control with Pandora controls
• Wirelessly stream music and stored audio files from your PC or Mac
• Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11n card connects directly to any 802.11 b/g/n wireless router
• RCA input/output, headphone connection, and USB port
Now shipping, the Wi-Fi Bookshelf Music System is available for $249.99 at GraceDigitalAudio.com, Amazon.com, and various retailers throughout the U.S.
"We've had many request from our customers that don't have space for a home stereo, but want a little more sound than a tabletop," says Grace Digital Audio's Chief Marketing Officer, Greg Fadul. "We are pleased to offer them the new Wi-Fi Bookshelf Music System. The micro-system provides a home stereo experience at a fraction of the size and cost!" |
| Toshiba NB550D with AMD Ontario denied entry to the US Posted: 23 Jan 2011 01:03 PM PST  So, this sort of sucks. Remember the AMD Fusion Toshiba NB550D with its Harman Kardon speakers? Well, according to Toshiba it won't be landing in the US anytime soon. According to Liliputing, Tosh has no plans to release the Ontario-powered 10-inch laptop on this side of the pond. Yep, it seems that Toshiba US would prefer to keep Intel's Atom powering its 10-inch NB520 and NB505 netbooks and save AMD's higher end Zacate E-Series for larger systems like its 15.6-inch Satellite C655D. Of course, there's always the Acer Aspire One 522 for those seeking AMD's Bobcat core and ATI Radeon 6250 graphics in a 10-inch chassis, but there's just something about those HK speaker grills that have us wishin' Toshiba would change its mind about this one. |
| 1.2GHz Tegra 2 3D chips suggested by leaked slide, coming 'spring 2011' Posted: 23 Jan 2011 11:55 AM PST Darn, we've barely started getting acquainted with Tegra 2, yet NVIDIA seems to already be preparing the stage for a sort of Tegra 2.5 -- a 1.2GHz dual-core chip that'll be marketed as a 3D-capable mobile processor. This T25 silicon is apparently set for mass production in the first quarter of this year, with availability coming up in the spring. Given the noises we keep hearing about 3D going mobile, this is one rumor that makes a lot of sense -- and even if you're a staunch supporter of the 2D creed, you can't deny that a sped-up Tegra 2 CPU sounds pretty delicious. We've managed to also track down some technical chatter about adding support to Chromium OS for a 1.2GHz T25 from NVIDIA, seemingly corroborating the leaked image above. Oh boy, it's gonna be a hot summer for mobile computing this year! |
| Nikkei: PSP2 will have 3G cellular data, OLED touchscreen Posted: 23 Jan 2011 10:54 AM PST We're only four days away from a supposed January 27th unveiling, but apparently there are still more juicy PSP2 rumors left to dole out -- Japan's often-reliable Nikkei newspaper reports that the handheld machine will sport a crisp OLED touchscreen and 3G data from NTT DoCoMo when it arrives later this year, with the latter enabling multiplayer action and even full video and game downloads over the Japanese cellular network. What's more, the paper confirms that the screen will be physically larger and powered by some potent new silicon. So, how will Sony differentiate this PSP2 from the PlayStation Phone and tempt you to buy both? The game system won't make calls. Note: In case you're not familiar, the image above is a relatively ancient reader mockup, and likely not representative of the final product. It is pretty sexy, though. |
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