| Android 3.0 Honeycomb SDK preview goes live Posted: 26 Jan 2011 10:43 AM PST It's still going to be a little bit before you can get your hands on a Xoom, but if you'd like to start playing with the Honeycomb SDK right now -- and hey, developers, we'd encourage you to do just that -- Google's now made it possible. A version of the Android 3.0 SDK billed as a "preview" is now available for download, featuring "non-final" APIs and system images that will help would-be Android tablet devs get their feet wet as they prepare for an inevitable onslaught of these things over the next few months. So go on, get it while the gettin's good. [Thanks, D] |
| Editorial: bugs on unreleased phones don't matter Posted: 26 Jan 2011 10:36 AM PST  There's a story going around today about an alleged problem in the power management unit affecting Motorola's first two dual-core smartphones -- AT&T's Atrix 4G and Verizon's Droid Bionic -- that leads to a hodgepodge of issues: overheating, weird RF fluctuation, the list goes on. Sounds like a tragedy in the making, doesn't it? Worst yet, the PMU problem is said to be a "major unfixable flaw that will plaque [sic] it forever." Bummer! But let's back up and consider the facts here. First, as best we can tell, the sources are two posters in a HowardForums thread, one of which doesn't even have the information firsthand -- he was allegedly given the news "by someone who is testing the devices." Furthermore, there's really no such thing as an "unfixable" bug; you might need to peel away several layers of software and hardware to fix an issue depending on how fundamental the flaw turns out to be, but engineers have proven time and time again that "unfixable" isn't really in their vocabulary ( white paint aside, of course). None of this really matters, though. The problem -- the reason we're not reporting this as a straight rumor -- is because bugs on unreleased phones, whether they turn out to be real or not, don't matter. This device isn't in your hands, and the manufacturer doesn't intend to let it ship with a fundamental flaw that makes the phone unusable. This holds particularly true for Motorola Mobility, a company that just won its independence and is still in the throes of trying to claw its way back into the big leagues after years of mismanagement -- the Atrix 4G and Droid Bionic are Big Deals for Moto, and the company undoubtedly intends to get them right. Or, at the very least, right "enough" to make you want them. My frustration is intensified by the fact that neither of these phones have announced ship dates, so -- again, assuming this problem is even real and needs to be solved -- there's not even anything to slip yet! This is why manufacturers and carriers give launch windows measured in quarters, halves or seasons of the year: things are fluid. It depends on how testing goes. There are many, many pieces in the puzzle to get a marvel of modern engineering like a cellphone to ship, and each of those pieces has some wiggle room. My point? Let's give Motorola (and everyone else) a break. If this was leading to a missed launch date, sure, it'd absolutely be news. If Motorola said "sorry guys, there's a fundamental flaw in these devices and we can't ship them," then yes, we'd be all over it. But a rumor of a bug in a device that Motorola knows isn't ready for consumers -- and has no material effect on any official launch date -- simply doesn't matter. |
| BGR: BlackBerry PlayBook to possibly use Android's Dalvik virtual machine, might run Android apps Posted: 26 Jan 2011 10:14 AM PST RIM's been hyping AIR apps and web apps for the PlayBook for a while now, but there's a chance much bigger things are in the works: BGR says the company wants to add in Java compatibility for legacy BlackBerry apps, and that among other options it's considering using the Dalvik virtual machine found in Android to get there. That makes a lot of sense -- Dalvik is one of the most advanced Java(ish) virtual machines out there, and it's open-source, so RIM could conceivably take it and tweak it to work with existing BlackBerry apps, which are built in Java. Clever, clever. But that's not all: BGR goes on to speculate that using Dalvik will also allow the PlayBook and future QNX devices to straight-up run regular Android apps, which is obviously a much bigger deal than simply using the same virtual machine. Exactly how or why BGR's making that leap is unclear, since running Android apps on the PlayBook would require porting much more than just Dalvik, but it's out there. In fact, it's been out there since December 7, when Fortune picked up a note from Gleacher & Company analyst Mark McKechnie suggesting that RIM was planning to offer Android compatibility, so we're curious if this rumor's just taking another trip through the internet meat grinder. Honestly, our bet is that RIM is far too proud to offer Android compatibility and that it's just investigating Dalvik as a Java environment, but we'd love to be proven wrong -- we'll see what happens. |
| AppToyz iPhone-controlled RC car and copter are more reasons to have fun with your phone (video) Posted: 26 Jan 2011 09:51 AM PST We, like you, have looked longingly at the Parrot AR.Drone. We've had a lot of fun experimenting with its augmented reality gaming ways and spent a lot of time sighing at its $299 price. Thankfully there's now a much cheaper option -- much less sophisticated, but one that is nevertheless cheaper. It's the AppToyz helicopter, coming to retail soon and costing a (relatively) affordable £50, or about $80. It looks to be evolved from the standard, tiny, IR-controlled helicopters that are everywhere now, but this one's controlled by your iPhone or iPod touch courtesy of an attachment that clips into the headphone port, much like the suite of universal remote iPhone dongles we've seen over the years. There's also an RC car coming, somewhat more affordable at £30, though only the copter is demonstrated in the video embedded below. Go ahead and watch, and then start eagerly awaiting their release, currently slated for April. |
| Microsoft: 'over 2 million' Windows Phone 7 licenses sold to manufacturers so far Posted: 26 Jan 2011 09:30 AM PST  Microsoft just dropped a few tidbits of knowledge on us regarding Windows Phone 7's performance in the marketplace so far. Here's what we've got: - 'Early research' says 93 percent of WP7 customers are 'satisfied' and 90 percent would recommend the platform to others. We don't know details about the research, though -- number of customers polled, time frame, so on.
- Average of 100 new apps in the Marketplace per day, and over 6,500 total are available right now.
- Most importantly, "over 2 million" licenses have been sold to OEMs around the world.
What does that tell us? Well, let's get the elephant in the room out of the way: the iPhone 4 sold 3 million units in a little under a month after its launch, so Microsoft clearly has plenty of room to catch up -- but that comes as no surprise to us, analysts, or Microsoft itself. Furthermore, selling a license to an OEM isn't the same as selling a phone to a customer, since many of these manufactured devices are sitting on store shelves; it's unclear exactly how many WP7 devices are actually in users' pockets right now, but the number is certainly less than "over 2 million." Microsoft's earnings call is tomorrow where we expect to get more detail on the platform's performance, but the company is saying today that it sees plenty of reasons to be "bullish about the foundation for long-term success" here -- and considering that they simply can't afford to fail in the mobile game, we hope they're right. |
| Korean researchers demonstrate LTE-Advanced in a custom RV, score 600Mbps downloads Posted: 26 Jan 2011 09:19 AM PST We're just giddy like kids on the way to Disney World at the prospect of LTE and WiMAX sweeping like wildfire across the country, yet someone always has to come along and be a downer by showing off something even cooler. Those kids are the players at Korea's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, the same folks who brought us a Body Area Network back in 2006 and this creepy looking koala. Now they're working on LTE-Advanced, the real true 4G that delivers 600Mbps downloads. That's six times what you can ever hope to expect from LTE and 40 times faster than 3G -- enough to download a 700MB file in 9.3 seconds or stream 3D HD footage on the go, a feat those crazy cats did in their rolling man cave shown above. Sadly we have no pictures of the thing on the outside, but we're seeing antennas. Lots of antennas. [Thanks, Andy] |
| Exclusive: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (PlayStation Phone) preview Posted: 26 Jan 2011 08:03 AM PST Oh yes. After all the unbearable teasing since we unveiled the first ever photos of the PlayStation Phone, we've finally managed to get hold of the real deal for an in-depth preview. Honestly, we couldn't wait any longer with this thing floating around in China; we'd otherwise have to wait until MWC, where we expect the phone to be launched as the " Xperia Play" (and we shall refer to this name henceforth). Before you pop the cork for us, do bear in mind that what we're seeing here is subject to changes, so don't be alarmed by any missing features or exposed cables in our preview. When you're ready, head right past the break to find out what Sony Ericsson's cooking up. Hardware In case you haven't been keeping your eyes peeled open for news about this intriguing device, here's a little roundup of what we know so far: various screenshots have revealed the codenames "Zeus" plus "R800i," and it's now clear that this HSDPA phone with Gingerbread will be marketed under the Xperia brand, with a hint of PlayStation here and there. In terms of specs, we can confirm that the Xperia Play has a 4-inch multitouch 854 x 480 LCD, which is what the X10 has as well. In fact, the LCDs on both phones have similarly good color performance and viewing angles, but upon closer inspection we noticed that the Xperia Play's LCD is brought closer to the glass, which may be why it produces a slightly darker black. Rumor from the Far East also has it that, like the Xperia Arc, the Xperia Play's screen is powered by a Bravia engine for improved video playback.  Even though we have the actual device with us, we're still unable to verify our original tipster's claim that it's powered by a Qualcomm MSM8655 chipset; even the Chinese teardown struggled to get past the chip's shield cage to check its ID. Anyhow, both Quadrant and Android System Info indicate that there's a single-core processor inside that clocks from 122.88MHz to 1GHz (and note that the MSM8655 can even go up to 1.2GHz), and it's coupled with an Adreno 205 GPU. This combo, along with Gingerbread and the generous 512MB of RAM, scored a chart-topping 1,689 on Quadrant and an impressive 59fps on Neocore. Other benchmark scores include: about 35 MFLOPS on Linpack, and around 43fps on NenaMark (tying with the Tegra 2-packing LG Star). Sadly, these numbers fail to reflect one major flaw on our Xperia Play: WiFi doesn't work. Hopefully this is simply to do with a faulty driver for the Broadcom BCM4329 wireless chip (capable of 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, and FM receiver plus transmitter) rather than the prototype being physically faulty. Touch wood. Before revealing the gamepad underneath the screen, you'd probably first notice the four shiny Android soft keys below the screen. Yep, all four of them -- back, menu, home, and search -- are there, although for some reason the middle two buttons are swapped around in the OS. It could well be a last minute firmware change that occurred after the device was manufactured, or maybe SE is still toying with the layout. Speaking of which, the label in the battery bay indicates that this device was manufactured in the third week of 2011, but turns out this is all fake -- even the FCC ID on the back label actually led us to a filing for the X10, so there's no telling how recent this prototype is. The remaining physical buttons on the outside include the tiny power button at the top right corner, and the volume rocker right between the two gamepad triggers on the right. Both buttons will take some getting used to: the former being a tad too small, and the latter being in an awkward location for our right thumb or left index and middle fingers, depending on which hand you hold the phone with. Also, if you're not careful when snapping shut the battery door, a slight dislocation may cause the power button to recess. We had a little panic when that happened to us yesterday, but the problem disappeared after we put the door back on properly. Users will just have to watch the small tolerance there, but hey, this might get fixed before launch so who knows.  Despite the aforementioned design flaw, the only other real build quality issue lies on the glossy battery door itself -- it's very flimsy, so removal requires popping up one end of the door, and then running our fingernail along the seam. This certainly isn't a problem on the X10, as its matte gray door simply pops out in its entirety when you lift it up from its bottom slit. On a less serious but potentially annoying matter, after just a few days of careful usage we're already seeing a lot of light scratches on the outside of the door, and it'll only get worse since the back is curved -- good for your hand, but also good money for case makers. Putting the battery door aside, what you see underneath is a compartment for the phone's 1500mAh battery (interchangeable with the X10), which can provide a full day's worth of relatively active 3G connection and plenty of snapshots. Further up you get the slots for your SIM card and microSD card, meaning you can change them without taking out the battery. You'll also notice that the camera lens pokes out of the battery door to avoid an overlay that could potentially distort images, as we've seen on the Dell Venue recently -- we'll come back to the camera later. What caught our attention is the little hole that's labeled as "2nd mic" above the LED flash -- it could very well be for noise cancellation à la Nexus One, but it didn't seem to be enabled in our noise test. Still, call quality is decent on both ends of the line, although the stereo loudspeakers on the USB port side could use a little boost for phone calls -- they're definitely louder when playing music. You can, of course, just plug in your earphones to actually enjoy the music, although strangely all of our iPhone-compatible handsfree kits failed to work as even just earphones on the Xperia Play; it's the same with the X10 series handsets, so be warned. It's time to cut into the meat. Push the screen upwards to about half way and the spring mechanism will take over, thus uncovering the PlayStation DualShock-style gamepad, except there is only one pair of shoulder buttons instead of two, plus we've yet to see if the touchpads can substitute the DualShock mechanical sticks -- they are no doubt reserved for games that are made specifically for the Xperia Play. We should point out that the D-pad also works on Android natively, which is good news for those who are accustomed to optical trackpads or trackballs. Since we have little experience with the PSP Go, we asked a good friend of ours to compare his experience on our Xperia Play with his 50 to 100 hours of play time on his PSP Go. Interestingly, one of his first reactions was that the phone is less well balanced than the bottom-heavy PSP Go, and then he noted that the shoulder buttons could do with more depth, but this would obviously require a thicker body. That said, we both agree that the Xperia Play is still comfortable to hold, and also it has a better build quality than the PSP Go. We also noticed that the screen can be wiggled gently when closed (such phenomenon is commonly known as the "oreo effect" amongst Palm Pre users), but it's nothing major. Software We've been using this Xperia Play as our main phone for a few days now, and to our surprise, it's been very snappy and fairly stable for the majority of the time -- we've only seen one reboot max per day, and removing the resource-intensive Timescape widget certainly helps, too. On a similar note, Mediascape is no longer an app; instead, it's been split into several widgets -- music player, gallery browser, and media shortcuts -- that can prompt their corresponding multimedia apps. Considering what a nightmare the X10 is, this prototype's performance is a big surprise yet also looking promising. As with the Nexus S, our Xperia Play also got the same bunch of Gingerbread goodies, notably the good old mobile WiFi hotspot, new status icons, new text selection tool, and glowing visual aid when you hit the top or bottom of scroll menus. No major change for the keyboard -- it appears to be the same as the X10's but with sharper graphics. The stock music app is replaced by SE's own version, whereas the stock gallery app is good to stay. We tested the latter for video playback capability and turns out the phone can easily handle 720p H.264 video clips, provided that their AVC profiles don't exceed level 3.1 (you can use a free desktop utility called MediaInfo to check your video files' AVC profiles). Sadly, AVI or MKV files are not natively recognised. Having learned from its painful lesson from the X10, SE's shifted its focus from just adding apps to actually improving Android's usability. For the Xperia Play as well as the Xperia Arc, SE's added a homescreen feature that's very similar to HTC Leap but more cunning: pinch anywhere on any homescreen and the phone will bring all the widgets onto one screen; tap on a widget and you'll be taken to its corresponding homescreen. Pretty nifty, huh? Except right now it can get rather laggy even with the Timescape widget removed, so hopefully we'll see something slicker at MWC. Another nice SE feature is the sort filter in the horizontal-scrolling apps menu, which allows custom sorting, sort by alphabets, sort by usage frequency, and sort by installation time. There's also a quick release button at the bottom right of the menu that floats your icons, so that you can drag them around to rearrange the list (very much like how you move icons in iOS). Of course, we didn't have many interesting apps to fiddle with earlier on -- the only interesting app preloaded is the mysterious PlayStation Pocket, which appears to be a simple managing tool for downloaded games. And where would one obtain such games? We're guessing there'll be a separate market app for that, a bit like how the X10 has the PlayNow store that no one uses. To quench our gaming thirst, we went ahead and installed a couple of emulators: one for the original PlayStation, and one for GameBoy Advance (oh, the irony). Discounting the touchpads, we were able to map all of the gamepad controls in both apps, and guess what? The handful of games we tried -- Ridge Racer Revolution, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, Gundam Battle Assault 2, and Super Mario Bros. 4 -- all ran pretty well. Have a look in the video above, but do excuse our rusty gaming skills. Note: for some reason all the screenshots came out with weird colors, and it looks like the Chinese sites had the same problem. A quick peek in Photoshop indicates that the red channel is missing. And no, the screenshot apps don't work either, as the phone isn't rooted. We've therefore changed most of them to a more eye-friendly black and white for the time being. Camera We've already heard the bells and whistles of the Xperia Arc's 8 megapixel Exmor sensor, but with no sample photos on hand for comparison, it's difficult for us to judge whether the Xperia Play's 5 megapixel camera benefits from the same technology. Regardless, we're impressed by most of what we got: sharp pictures, vibrant colors (although red might be a big strong), and fine macro shots. That said, we did have to kill a few night shots, as the lack of tap-to-focus feature in the stock camera app meant we had to take multiple shots to ensure the autofocusing was right; and then there was also this weird bug where the viewfinder is actually showing a cropped area instead of the entire capture space. More annoyingly, there's no 720p video recording -- the best we get is 800 x 480, but we bet SE will eventually slap on its own camera software which will fill the gap, as well as potentially further improving picture quality to suit its taste. Wrap-up Well, having touched the actual gamepad on an Xperia Play, we'd be lying if we say we're not further tempted by it. That said, there are still many questions left unanswered: how will the games be billed and delivered? How much will they cost? And most importantly, how much will the phone itself cost? Well, that's what MWC's for, and hopefully by then the Xperia Play will have a well polished OS as well as a sturdier battery cover. Meanwhile, we'll continue to work on our combo tricks on Tony Hawks' Pro Skater 4. |
| Nokia chairman wanted Vanjoki for CEO, American investors forced him to pick Elop? (update: Nokia says it's false) Posted: 26 Jan 2011 07:43 AM PST We love us some corporate intrigue, and there's some intrigue of the highest order coming out of Finland today: local rag Kauppalehti claims that Nokia chairman Jorma Ollila had wanted the outspoken Anssi Vanjoki to step up, but was instead forced to endorse Microsoft executive Stephen Elop as Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo's successor to lead the embattled company by a team of American investors who demanded a CEO from the left side of the Atlantic. How "forced," exactly? Ollila was allegedly in line to be ousted if he didn't throw his weight behind Elop, which -- as IntoMobile points out -- is a bit odd considering that Ollila himself is leaving next year. All told, something seems fishy here; it's possible that Ollila is simply trying to save face with Finns (and / or Vanjoki himself) as he prepares to leave Nokia... or it's possible that hordes of vicious Americans with skin in the game collectively tightened the vice grips. Either way, Elop seems to be cleaning house in light of the Symbian move, so it'll be interesting to see whether he can steer the ship back on course here in 2011. Update: We've just received a statement from a Nokia spokesperson that basically calls the story a total fabrication: "The story is totally unfounded speculation. There were three candidates for Nokia CEO position in the final selection and Stephen was chosen on merit without any external interference. We are very disappointed that this story was published just prior to the financial results." So there you have it -- three candidates, Elop won, so says Nokia. |
| Kindle Singles available now on Amazon Posted: 26 Jan 2011 07:19 AM PST Hey, kids! Kindle Singles -- Amazon's really, really short books for people with short attentions spans -- have finally gone live. And you know what that means? You can finally get a copy of Mark Greif's Octomom and the Politics of Babies delivered to your e-reader via Amazon Whispernet for the low, low price of $2. Even if you're not keen on hearing some academic sound off on a certain Ms. Nadya Suleman (at least, that's the impression we get from the description) it looks like they have quite a selection of essays, articles, and memoirs on the Singles site. Hit the source link to check 'em out or, if you're still not convinced, peep the PR after the break. Show full PR text Kindle Singles-Compelling Ideas Expressed at Their Natural Length-Now Available in the Kindle Store
Launch of Kindle Singles includes never before released content from popular writers such as Ian Ayres and Jodi Picoult, as well as the first-ever written works published by TED
January 26, 2011 09:15 AM Eastern Time SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ:AMZN)- Before the advent of digital reading, writers often had to choose between making their work short enough for a magazine article or long enough to deliver the "heft" required for book marketing and distribution. Three months ago, Amazon made a call to serious writers, thinkers, scientists, business leaders, historians, politicians and publishers to join Kindle in making a new kind of content available to readers-Kindle Singles. Typically between 5,000 and 30,000 words, each Kindle Single is intended to allow a single killer idea -- well researched, well argued and well illustrated -- to be expressed at its natural length. Today, Amazon is introducing the first set of Kindle Singles to the Kindle Store (www.amazon.com/kindlesingles).
"The response to our announcement of Singles has been great," said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President of Kindle Content. "This first set of Singles was selected by our team of editors, and includes works by Rich Cohen, Darin Strauss, Ian Ayres, and the first-ever books published by TED. We think customers will be riveted by these stories that can take them to a Swedish bank heist or to the Mexican border town of Juarez, or to consider a new way to think about happiness."
The new Kindle Singles section of the Kindle Store is now available at www.amazon.com/kindlesingles. Available to both Kindle device and app users, and priced between $0.99 and $4.99, the first set of Kindle Singles include original reporting, essays, memoirs and fiction. Amazon plans to frequently launch many more Kindle Singles over time.
The first set of Kindle Singles includes:
"Lifted" by Evan Ratliff (34 pages, $1.99): The thieves had a handpicked crew, a stolen helicopter, a cache of explosives, and a plan to rob a $150 million cash repository. The Stockholm police had a tip-off. Wired and New Yorker writer Evan Ratliff recounts the inside story of an audacious 2009 bank heist, and the race to solve it. This is an inaugural title from publisher The Atavist.
"The Happiness Manifesto" by Nic Marks (40 pages, $2.99): Modern research proves the ancient wisdom that "money can't buy you happiness." But then why do our governments see their main task as simply growing GDP? Marks, founder of the London-based Centre for Well-Being, sets out an ingenious new way of defining national goals-and in the process reveals five ways people can nurture their own happiness. One of the inaugural TEDBooks.
"Piano Demon" by Brendan I. Koerner (37 pages, $1.99): At age six, Teddy Weatherford was working in a Virginia coal mine. Two decades later, he was the jazz king of Asia. Koerner, a Wired contributing editor and author of "Now The Hell Will Start," tells how a piano legend in a sharkskin suit lived the American Dream by leaving it behind.
"Leaving Home" by Jodi Picoult (43 pages, $2.99): The deep pains and powerful pleasures of parenting: those are the extremes explored here by the extraordinary novelist Jodi Picoult. In three short pieces that display her wide emotional range, Picoult weaves together stories of love and loss with heartbreaking simplicity.
"The Dead Women of Juarez" by Robert Andrew Powell (31 pages, $1.99): It sounded like one of the great murder mysteries of our time: who was killing the women of Juarez? Journalist Robert Andrew Powell went to the Mexican border town to investigate, and separates fact from myth in a saga that eerily echoes the plot of Roberto Bolaño's epic novel "2666".
"Pakistan and the Mumbai Attacks" by Sebastian Rotella/ProPublica (38 pages, $.99): The U.S. investigation of the 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai provides a detailed picture of the ties between Pakistan's intelligence service and a leading militant group. The latest reporting from ProPublica, the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom.
"The $500 Diet" by Ian Ayres (39 pages, $2.99): When Yale law professor Ayres vowed to drop his weight from 205 pounds to 180 pounds, he put his money where his mouth was -- literally. It was either lose the weight, or pay the price. A look into Ayres' weight-loss method through simple financial incentive.
"Darkstar" by Christopher R. Howard (44 pages, $2.99): A pre-apocalyptic love story. Sailor, a homeless Irish teenager who's haunted by a diabolical voice, seeks to reunite with a soulmate he hasn't seen since boyhood, as a cosmic event threatens to extinguish life on Earth. Howard's fiction has appeared in McSweeney's, and his first novel, "Tea of Ulaanbaatar," comes out this May.
"Homo Evolutis" by Juan Enriquez and Steve Gullans (58 pages, $2.99): Enriquez and Gullans--two eminent authors, researchers, and entrepreneurs--explore a world where humans increasingly shape their environment, their own selves and other species. They envision a future in which humankind becomes a new species -- one which directly and deliberately controls its own evolution and that of many other species. One of the inaugural TEDBooks.
"Kindles Singles has given me the freedom to write a piece that doesn't need to be cut for a magazine article or expanded for a book," said Ayres. "It lets me more quickly and directly speak to the reader unhindered by page numbers or ad space. And I love the reach of the Kindle platform. Nowadays just about anyone can read a Kindle book on their phone or their laptop, or, of course, just on a Kindle."
Like all Kindle books, these books are "Buy Once, Read Everywhere"-Kindle customers can purchase these books and read them on the $139 third-generation Kindle device with new high-contrast Pearl e-Ink, on iPads, iPod touches, iPhones, Macs, PCs, BlackBerrys, Windows Phones and Android-based devices. Amazon's Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off. In addition, with the Kindle Worry-Free Archive, Kindle Singles will be automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon where they can be re-downloaded wirelessly for free, anytime.
The call remains open for serious writers, thinkers, scientists, business leaders, historians, politicians and publishers to submit works for Kindle Singles. To be considered for Kindle Singles, interested parties should contact digital-publications@amazon.com.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon's developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon's own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle, Kindle 3G and Kindle DX are the revolutionary portable readers that wirelessly download books, magazines, newspapers, blogs and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle 3G and Kindle DX utilize the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so users never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot. Kindle is the #1 bestselling product across the millions of items sold on Amazon.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, and www.amazon.it. As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings. |
| UrRobot's Robii hides a multitouch projector in his circus tent (video) Posted: 26 Jan 2011 06:56 AM PST This cute, bearmonkey-like creature with animatronic head and arms perched atop a rotating, but otherwise fixed torso is called Robii. He's built by Compal Communications, the ODM more often associated with handsets, and will be sold under the new UrRobot brand in Taiwan. The 16,900 NTD (about $582) toy robot features an interactive projector tucked away inside of Robii's circus tent. When extended, it projects interactive video for gaming and infotainment -- very similar to the projected multitouch display we saw demonstrated by Light Blue Optics at CES 2010. Robii can track moving objects using its built-in cameras and comes equipped with an ambient light sensor, and voice and image recognition. It's also capable of barking commands at children with the appropriate visage (from a catalog of 100 facial expressions) to ensure dutiful compliance. Quick demo after the break.
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| Ubiquisys unveils Attocell: personal femtocell designed to work internationally, make dreams come true Posted: 26 Jan 2011 06:34 AM PST  It's definitely one of the first things we thought of trying with AT&T's 3G MicroCell back in 2009, but our dreams were quickly dashed after finding that said device was hard-wired to only operate when receiving a GPS lock within the United States of America. Thankfully, it looks as if at least a few engineers at Ubiquisys are riding our same train of thought, and come Mobile World Congress, it'll be debuting the device of our dreams. The Attocell is described as a personal femtocell for use with 3G smartphones, and best of all, it's designed for use internationally. In essence, this would allow a smartphone from one country to use their international web connection to tunnel a cell call through -- presumably free of charge -- and definitely bypassing those nasty roaming fees that are incurred when ringing through an overseas cellular network. The company admits that it has been tested with the iPhone, BlackBerry handsets, a few Nokia phones and a gaggle of Android handsets, and we're guessing that Windows Phone 7 and webOS users won't have any issues, either. The idea is fairly simple: connect the Attocell to your laptop via USB, which provides power and an internet connection. From there, it'll analyze the IP address and radio environment to determine which country it is in, and sets its 3G radio power accordingly to below the licensed level. In some countries its range will be just five millimeters, in other countries, it could cover a whole room. For those in the former, you'll need to place your phone atop the dongle and use a Bluetooth headset to make a call, but hey, it's still better than paying AT&T two arms and the vast majority of a leg just to phone home from wherever you may be. Crazier still, Ubiquisys thinks that the device's low power output -- coupled with its ability to "continuously monitor its radio environment to ensure that there is zero impact on existing mobile networks" -- will make the Attocell exempt from regulatory controls and the requirement for type approval. Here's hoping it flies through just as the company hopes, and we'll be hitting the floor in Barcelona to pry out a price point, release date any carrier deals they've managed to land. |
| Double USB concept ends your fear of USB plug rejection Posted: 26 Jan 2011 06:12 AM PST Maybe there are greater aggravations in your life, but the symmetrical-on-the-outside, asymmetrical-on-the-inside USB connector has been a source of frustration since its introduction. To combat the problem of USB plug rejection, Ma Xi Xuan has developed the Double USB connector that works right side up or upside down thanks to twin spring-loaded plastic connectors on its interior. The design seems more robust than previous solutions we've seen, but sadly the switch-hitting plug is only a design exercise at this point. We can only hope that company will exercise some common sense and make these plugs a reality. Tomorrow works for us. |
| Dell to begin fixing busted M11x in March -- or thereabouts Posted: 26 Jan 2011 05:49 AM PST Creaky or cracking hinge up in your Alienware lappy? Its days are numbered -- though exactly what that number is remains to be seen. Dell Forum Liaison Chris Mixon posted that the company is working on getting a hinge replacement program going for the M11x laptop with "an ETA around March," but cautions that start date is "dependent on a 3rd party vendor and other details so it is not concrete." In other words, April or May might not be a bad month to keep in mind if you hate being disappointed, but know that the hinges will be repaired regardless of when your warranty expires. So, hopefully no fears for disappointment there. [Thanks, Esteef] |
| NYC crowns Rachel Sterne as Chief Digital Officer, we question her analog existence Posted: 26 Jan 2011 05:24 AM PST CEO, COO, CIO, CFO -- all TLAs that most folks would be proud to see blooming on their business cards. Get ready for a new one. It's CDO, Chief Digital Officer, a position recently created in New York City and now occupied by one Rachel Sterne. She's something of a social media maven and is the founder of GroundReport, an aggregator of user-created news stories. She'll now be tasked with improving the city's ability to leverage social networks and the internet as a whole to communicate with its residents. We're not sure if this will actually entail the digitization of Rachel herself, but we're wondering if maybe that's already been taken care of. See for yourself after the break. [Image credit: meyers] |
| Visualized: the HP Slate's new job Posted: 26 Jan 2011 04:56 AM PST Wondering where your HP Slate has been all these weeks since you ordered it? Well, at least one of those precious Windows 7 tablets has taken a little detour from its supposedly enterprise-centric destiny to make a cameo appearance... as a dashboard infotainment system. HP, in its inimitable wisdom, has decided to grace the opening of its Vancouver store last month with a customized GMC Yukon Denali truck, which is where we find the company's Slate casually showing off its Acrobat Reader and other big boy OS advantages. We wouldn't really say embedding the Slate into your dash is the worst idea in the world, though the rest of the characterful customizations to this Denali just might be. [Thanks, lmwong] |
| Samsung takes aim at Apple's notebook crown, projects 60 percent increase in laptop sales in 2011 Posted: 26 Jan 2011 04:27 AM PST Samsung has sought to take market share from all manner of iProducts over the years, and it seems the company is now shooting to steal Apple's MacBook thunder in 2011. Sammy sold ten million laptops in 2010 -- only 150,000 less than Jobs & Co. through the first nine months of the year -- and purportedly plans to move between sixteen and seventeen million portable machines in 2011. That is a massive increase in sales, but if the Korean company's 9 Series is an indication of what's to come, we can't say it's a completely unrealistic goal. Whether they move more product than Apple is still to be determined, but given its record Q4 earnings, there's no indication that the Cupertino crowd will be slowing down any time soon. Game on, fellas. |
| Cirago launches CMC3200 media player, NUS2000 USB network storage link Posted: 26 Jan 2011 03:48 AM PST The media streamer waters are awfully crowded, but Cirago's paying no mind to that. The company has this month introduced its new CMC3200 media player, hailed as the only 1080p system to offer 2TB of built-in storage, a WiFi adapter and a full year of PlayOn goodness. It's priced at $299.99 with the hard drive included, and it'll sport all of the basic functions already found on the 500GB and 1TB CiragoTV Platinum devices. In related news, the outfit's also dishing out its NUS2000 Link+ adapter, which provides remote access capabilities to up to four USB-connected storage devices. It's a compact device that's obviously set to rival Pogoplug's stable of NAS enablers, boasting a $100 price point and a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets. Moving on, Cirago's also announcing that its NUS1000 USB Network Storage Link features remote access, so there goes your excuse to upgrade. Hit the source link for the whole schpeel. |
| AMD Radeon HD 6990 shows up in its metallic flesh, looking larger than life Posted: 26 Jan 2011 03:09 AM PST What does the next great superpower of desktop graphics look like? Well, it shares an unmistakable family resemblance to the current champ, but its dimensions have somehow been made even larger. Yes, we're talking about AMD's Radeon HD 6990 -- a dual-GPU monstrosity that's set to serve as the company's 2011 flagship -- which has just been shown off at an Asia Pacific Fusion Tech Day gathering. Aside from the crazy imagery (one more after the break and a gallery at the source), we've found a promise that this polygon deliverator will be available in late Q1 2011. Which gives us just enough time to rent out a room big enough to house it. Now, when's Crysis 2 coming out? [Thanks, Christopher] |
| Google 'not happy' with Android Market purchase rates, many changes coming Posted: 26 Jan 2011 02:51 AM PST Having a Market full of apps is a very good thing for owners of Android handsets, but those owners buying few premium apps is a bad thing for developers who keep that Market full. That, of course, is also bad news for Google, which is making a variety of changes to appease devs, some of which Android Platform Manager Eric Chu outlined at the Inside Social Apps conference yesterday. After already nuking the 24 hour trial period Google is now working on an in-app payment system, which would enable the direct-selling of add-ons, costumes, and enough other bits and bobs to ensure you'll never buy a fully-featured app again. Google is also negotiating with more carriers to allow users to have app purchases appear on their bill, rather than using a separate payment system, as is already possible on AT&T. Finally, a team of honest to gosh humans is working on helping to weed out apps that violate the company's terms of service, sifting through the Market to find bogus downloads, perhaps an admission that the " open and unobstructed environment" ideal isn't working out. We wonder if they'll also be looking for free apps that quite capably provide the functionality of premium ones. Those, it seems, are the greatest threat to the paid apps -- and perhaps the greatest asset of the Market itself. |
| MSI CR650 scores an AMD E-350 Zacate APU Posted: 26 Jan 2011 02:32 AM PST There's no question that AMD's new Fusion Zacate platform is pretty killer when it comes to ultraportables or notbooks (as we like to call 'em), but there's no reason the affordable, solid-performing APU couldn't power a budget 15.6-inch system, right? Well, that's certainly the way a few laptop manufacturers see it. Following in the footsteps of Toshiba's Satellite C655D, MSI's decided to cram its 15.6-inch CR650 with AMD's latest Fusion APU. Equipped with a Zacate E-350 CPU with Radeon HD 6310 graphics on the same die (the same chip in the HP dm1 we just reviewed), there's no doubt the rig can handle full HD and light games without a hiccup. We're not exactly drooling over the design, but it does have the basics, including a DVD drive, six-cell battery, HD webcam, and speakers that claim superior SRS sound. It will also be configurable with 250, 320, or 500GB hard drive and DDR3 RAM. There's no word on the price just yet, but our guess it should ring up at under $600 when it finally hits shelves. |
| Vint Cerf on IPv4 depletion: 'Who the hell knew how much address space we needed?' Posted: 26 Jan 2011 01:59 AM PST Father of the internet, Vint Cerf, is taking one on the knuckles this week for the inevitable diminution of the world's IPv4 addresses. Last Friday, The Sydney Morning Herald ran a sensational story titled, "Internet Armageddon all my fault: Google chief," in which Cerf warned of an end to unique IP addresses "within weeks." The story was, of course, a bit tongue-in-cheek, considering the industry has long anticipated and prepared for said Armageddon. Back in 1977, Cerf led a team of DARPA researchers in creating IPv4, which limits IP addresses to four 8-bit numbers or 32-bits total, providing for 4.3 billion addresses: not nearly enough by today's standards. In the article, Cerf said he never expected his protocol to take off, adding, "Who the hell knew how much address space we needed?" The IPv4's successor, IPv6, which enlists four 32-bit numbers or 128 bits total, was developed soon after Cerf's protocol and is now getting attention from internet giants like Google and Facebook, who will launch World IPv6 Day this June. Considering IPv6 makes for 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456 unique addresses, we probably won't be hearing of an IP apocalypse anytime soon. |
| Apple's 'PC' shipments grow by 241 percent in iPad-inclusive Canalys stats Posted: 26 Jan 2011 01:20 AM PST Canalys is a pretty well respected global stat-keeper and now it seems to be relying on that reputation to push through a pretty controversial message: tablets, such as Apple's iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Tab, are PCs. "Accept new market realities," urges its polemic press release, before laying out global quarterly shipments that peg Apple as the world's third most prolific PC vendor (without tablets, Apple doens't even break the top 5 according to IDC and Gartner). The company that was laboring with a mere 3.8 percent market share in 2009 has shot up to 10.8 with the aid of its 10-inch touchscreen device. Canalys' stance will inevitably be controversial, but then it's kind of hard to deny that machines like Samsung's Sliding PC and ASUS' Eee Slate make the distinguishing lines between tablets and netbooks look like a particularly technical form of bokeh. Show full PR text Canalys reports global PC market growth of 19% in Q4 2010 - Apple climbs to third place worldwide
Palo Alto, Singapore and Reading (UK) – Wednesday, 26 January 2011
For immediate release
Canalys today announced strong PC industry growth of 19% in Q4 2010, with Apple climbing to third place in the market, thanks to impressive iPad and Mac sales, as well as fast growth in Asia Pacific. The analyst company attributes the majority of Q4 market growth to the rising demand for pads, a new product category.
'Pads gave consumers increased product choice over the holiday season,' said Canalys Analyst Tim Coulling. 'While they do not appeal to first-time buyers or low-income households, they are proving extremely popular as additional computing devices.'
Canalys urges vendors to accept new market realities, by recognizing pads as an integral new component of the overall PC landscape. Unlike other analyst companies, Canalys incorporates pad shipments, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Apple's iPad, in its total PC market report.
'Pads gave the market momentum in 2010, just as netbooks did the year before,' said Canalys Senior Analyst Daryl Chiam. 'We are encouraging vendors to plan for the future and not to remain stuck in the past.'
'Any argument that a pad is not a PC is simply out of sync,' said Chiam. 'With screen sizes of seven inches or above, ample processing power, and a growing number of applications, pads offer a computing experience comparable to netbooks. They compete for the same customers and will happily coexist. As with smart phones, some users will require a physical keyboard, while others will do without.'
'Each new product category typically causes a significant shift in market shares,' said Chiam. 'Apple is benefiting from pads, just as Acer, Samsung and Asus previously did with netbooks. The PC industry has always evolved this way, starting when Toshiba and Compaq rode high on the original notebook wave.'
At a regional level, Asia, especially China and India, continued to outperform most of the other global markets, to the benefit of Lenovo and Dell. In the United States, sales recovered somewhat, while Europe, the Middle East and Africa remained an ongoing concern due to substantial consumer inventory build-up. Moving forward, inventory issues will be exacerbated by rising VAT levels across five countries – Poland, Latvia, Slovakia, Switzerland and the UK – as well as the urgency created by the upcoming Intel refresh. As a result, Canalys predicts significant retail discounting in this region during the first quarter.
Other bright spots for the PC industry included accelerating corporate refresh programmes, as Windows 7 became an accepted operating system. This trend favoured vendors with a solid presence in B2B, notably HP, Dell and Lenovo. Canalys also noted strong demand for servers and storage, driven by substantial investment in data centre infrastructure.
'Recessionary budgets are over for most companies, and IT expenditure is again being used as a catalyst for growth,' said Coulling. 'The performance of the corporate market, however, contrasts starkly with the decline in public sector expenditure in most Western countries. The big service-led companies, which profited greatly from huge government-led contracts, are in for a tough 2011.' |
| XCM's F-1 Converter lets XBox 360 players get behind G25, G27 racing wheels (video) Posted: 26 Jan 2011 12:43 AM PST We've never been shy about our affection for Logitech's G25 and G27 steering wheels, and now we can share our love with our friends of the Xbox 360 persuasion. With the brand new F-1 converter from XCM, die hard Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Slim fans can get behind the same wheels we've been behind since 2006. If that wasn't reward enough, the F-1 also sports a built-in combo-attack memory function for fighting games, and rumble support is baked in for good measure. So go ahead, ye of the XBox 360 ilk, plug her in, caress the contours of her beautiful leather-wrapped curves, feel the way she kicks -- we'll try not to get jealous. Video game voyeurs can check out the F-1 in action after the jump. [Thanks, Roadography] |
| Harman Kardon's SB 16 soundbar ships with a subwoofer, $600 price tag Posted: 25 Jan 2011 11:56 PM PST  Regardless of whether you're stuck in an abode with no room, or you're simply too lazy preoccupied to run eight miles of cabling to six separates in your home cinema room, soundbars are definitely a preferred alternative to in-home surround home here at Engadget HQ. Harman Kardon's got a new option in the mix, with the classy SB 16 offering two-way, dual-driver, left and right soundbar speaker channels, each with two 3-inch midrange drivers and a 3/4-inch dome tweeter. $599.99 also gets you a wireless 100-watt ported subwoofer, while the soundbar itself gets pushed by a 25-watt x 2 amp. Head on past the break for the full release, and feel free to grab one prior to hosting your Super Bowl party. You are hosting one, right? Show full PR text Big Sound, Great Ease, Fewer Wires: New
harman kardon® SB 16 Connects Home Cinema Sound Directly to Your TV
The home theater soundbar system features single speaker bar and wireless subwoofer for an elegant, simple setup process at home
For more information: www.harmankardon.com/SB16
STAMFORD, Conn. – HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NSYE: HAR), today announced the release of the new harman kardon® SB 16 2.1-channel soundbar home theater speaker system.
Home theater installations typically involve five loudspeakers, a subwoofer or two, and lots of speaker wire. Not every room can accommodate so many components, and not every homeowner wants to live with them. The harman kardon home cinema soundbar system offers an elegant and far simpler alternative: a single amplified loudspeaker unit connected directly to your television, DVD player or game console, and a single wireless subwoofer that you may place anywhere in the room.
Offering traditional stereo playback or realistic 3-D surround-sound processing, the SB 16 delivers true harman kardon performance with the absolute minimum number of components, and with no wires in (or out of) sight.
The SB 16 delivers exceptional sonic performance that can flood a room with a completely rich surround-sound experience from just one speaker. The soundbar features two-way, dual-driver, left and right soundbar speaker channels, each with two 3-inch (75mm) midrange drivers and a 3/4-inch (19mm) dome tweeter. The sleek and glossy wireless subwoofer is driven by 100 watts of power and boasts a 10-inch (250mm) driver within a ported enclosure. The soundbar amplifier power boasts 25W x 2 into 8 ohms, 20Hz to 20kHz, at <0.07% THD, when both channels are driven simultaneously. State-of-the-art harman kardon sound-processing technology includes a 3-D virtual speaker surround mode that creates a complete surround-sound experience without any extra speakers or wires.
"To design an elegant technological solution that is convenient to use and can operate seamlessly within its environment is one of the biggest goals that drive us here at HARMAN," said David Slump, president, HARMAN Consumer Division. "The brand-new harman kardon SB 16 is proof of our continual passion for this goal."
The SB 16 also includes key features that make it more convenient when instruction manuals, cords and remotes constantly fill up our living rooms. For example, the new soundbar is programmable so that it can obey your TV remote's volume, power and source commands, enabling a single remote to control your whole home theater system. An EQ switch lets you adjust the soundbar's bass for wall mounting or table mounting to deliver the most natural-sounding bass performance in any installation. And last but not least, an auto turn-on circuit automatically switches the subwoofer from "standby" to "on" when an audio signal is present.
Pricing and Availability
The harman kardon SB 16 is available in black and has a suggested retail price of $599.99. For additional information or to purchase, visit www.harmankardon.com/SB16. |
| Samsung Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Gio and Galaxy mini fill out our Android universe Posted: 25 Jan 2011 11:19 PM PST Samsung's decided that 10 million Galaxy S devices just aren't enough for us, so it's trickling down the brand name, Android OS and TouchWiz UI into some more affordable form factors. In order from left to right, the Galaxy Ace is a 3.5-incher that most closely resembles the S patriarch, though it makes do with an 800MHz processor and HVGA screen resolution. It's said to be available immediately in Russia, to be followed by Europe, India and China soon. The Fit takes us into lower spec territory, with a 3.3-inch QVGA screen and 600MHz speed, while the Gio packs an even smaller display but raises resolution back up to HVGA. The Galaxy mini has to go down as a blatant LG Optimus T KIRF, which might be its sole notable feature, given the 3.1-inch QVGA display and 600MHz capabilities. All three are targeting the same territories as the Ace, meaning the US will likely be spared from this affordable Android whimsy. Show full PR text Share the Joy of Your Life with the new Samsung GALAXY Smartphones
(SEOUL=Korea Newswire) January 26, 2011 -- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the Samsung GALAXY family: the Samsung GALAXY Ace, the Samsung GALAXY Fit, the Samsung GALAXY Gio and the Samsung GALAXY mini. All offer a unique take on the smartphone experience, expanding the Android™-powered Samsung GALAXY smartphone line-up to the broader consumer market.
Following the phenomenal global success of the Samsung GALAXY S, the new Samsung GALAXY smartphones will meet the diverse demands of current and potential smartphone users. The Samsung GALAXY family shows that smartphones can cater to any lifestyle, with enhanced multimedia and application capabilities as well as a social hub keeping users in touch with friends and family. Each device in the Samsung GALAXY family has been created to meet unique needs and allow users to share the fun and excitement in their lives with friends and family.
Users have access to limitless entertainment possibilities through over 100,000 applications from Android Market™ and Samsung Apps, while quick communication is enabled via QuickType by SWYPE text input. The Samsung GALAXY family comes equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity and Social Hub which lets users view their contacts, SNS, IM and email together in an integrated one-page layout, keeping them constantly connected.
JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business, said, "In creating the Samsung GALAXY smartphone line-up, we wanted to expand on the things that made the Samsung GALAXY S such a runaway success whilst diversifying our product range. Each device delivers something different, with the idea that each user is an individual and wants their mobile experience to be easy and fun. With these four Samsung GALAXY smartphones we help them share the joy they have in their lives and bring their experiences to their friends and family."
The Samsung GALAXY family was inspired by the success of the original Samsung GALAXY S, which has sold an astonishing 10 million devices in just seven months. In designing this family of devices, Samsung has taken the award-winning Samsung GALAXY S and tailored it to meet the diverse and growing needs of consumers. The Samsung GALAXY family will be showcased at the Mobile World Congress from February 14th to 17th in Barcelona. |
| Maingear throws Sandy Bridge, GTX 485M into eX-L 15 laptop Posted: 25 Jan 2011 10:31 PM PST Here's hoping you don't mind having your existing laptop made antiquated by this one. Just months after Maingear introduced its Clutch-15 and Alt-15 machines, along comes yet another 15.6-incher... and this one's claiming to be the world's fastest in its category. The eX-L 15 packs a 1920 x 1080 screen resolution (with glossy or matte options!), a variety of new Sandy Bridge chips (with the Core i7 2920XM capping things off), NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 460M (1.5GB) / GTX 485M (2GB), up to 16GB of DDR3-1333 memory, a 2x Blu-ray reader, HDMI / DVI outputs, gigabit Ethernet, two USB 3.0 ports and a pair of USB 2.0 sockets to round things off. The starting tag of $1,579 certainly isn't easy to swallow, but where else are you getting a powerhouse like this with a Full HD matte display? Exactly. Show full PR text THE NEW MAINGEAR EX-L 15 IS THE FASTEST 15" NOTEBOOK AVAILABLE FEATURING
NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 485M AND INTEL 2ND GENERATION MOBILE PROCESSORS
The eX-L 15 provides exceptional performance for realistic games and advanced multi-threaded applications
Kenilworth, New Jersey – January 25, 2011 - MAINGEAR, an award-winning PC system builder offering custom built desktops, notebooks, workstations and media centers, is one of the first to offer the new NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 485M mobile graphics solution to their updated eX-L 15 notebook along with the latest Intel ® 2nd generation mobile processors. The winning combination update on this notebook offers PC enthusiasts, gamers as well as business user the fastest 15" notebook available to take on any task.
The MAINGEAR eX-L 15 is packed with the fastest mobile graphics on the planet. NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 485M notebook GPUs offers revolutionary DirectX 11 performance that gives PC games an adrenaline shot with the fastest performance and visually-stunning graphics. With a dedicated tessellation engine that delivers up to 6x more performance than any other notebook GPU, users will experience twice the performance of dynamic game effects as well as interactive environment with NVIDIA® PhysX® technology. If you are into 3D, you can bring it up a notch with NVIDIA 3D Vision™ for an immersive 3D gaming experience on your 3D monitor or 3D TV.
The eX-L 15 also harnesses the power of Intel's 2nd generation mobile processors. With the power of the next generation Intel® Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 processor family, MAINGEAR notebooks will be able to take advantage of the new and improved chipset features that offers a new architecture with shared cache delivering more performance and energy efficiency. The mobile processor integrates CPU, graphics, memory controller, PCI Express all on a single chip. This allows end users to have extreme gaming, amazing multimedia, and flexible overclocking.
In addition to the cutting edge processor and graphics technology, the eX-L 15 also features a breath-taking full 1080p HD LED display that comes with optional matte or glossy screen panel. The notebook also offers SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, eSATA & IEEE-1394a ports, 2.0 Megapixel high resolution video camera and a fingerprint reader for added security. This accompanied by a rubberized matte surface that is unique and soft to the touch that matches MAINGEAR's style. All of MAINGEAR products are supported with lifetime labor and phone support with one to three year hardware warranty.
MAINGEAR eX-L 15 Highlights:
Chassis: eX-L 15 Performance chassis with matte rubberized finish
Display: 15.6" HD+ 16:9 LED Display (1920x1080)
(panel comes in matte (460m only) or glossy (460m or 485m)
Processor: Up to Intel® Core™ i7 2920XM
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 460M 1.5GB GDDR5 or the GTX 485M 2.0GB GDDR5
Memory: Up to 16GB DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM
Hard drive: Up to 750GB 7200rpm SATA 2.5" drive or 1TB 5400rpm SATA 2.5" drive
Optical Drive: 2x Blu-ray Reader/ 8x Super Multi combo Drive
Ports: 1 HDMI output Port, 1 DVI-I output Port, 2 USB 3.0 Ports, 2 USB 2.0 Ports (one with Power Share) 1 eSATA Port (USB combo), 1 IEEE-1394a Fire Wire, 1 Headphone Jack, 1 Microphone Jack, 1 Line-In Jack, 1 S/PDIF output Jack, 1 RJ-45 LAN (10/100/1000Mbps)
Starting at price: $1,579
"We continually strive to push our system's performance over the edge. With Intel and NVIDIA's latest mobile technology, we are giving our customers a notebook that will really plow through anything they try throwing at it." said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. "It will be no surprise that any PC enthusiast will want to get their hands on our eX-L 15."
"Visually-stunning graphics and the fastest mobile performance available - that is what you get with an NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 485M-powered eX-L 15 notebook from MAINGEAR," said David Ragones, Director of Product Marketing, NVIDIA. "The GTX 485M brings cinema quality effects to notebook gaming with the combined power of GeForce with DirectX 11 and NVIDIA® PhysX® technologies."
About MAINGEAR
MAINGEAR is an innovative high performance PC system builder that offers custom desktops, notebooks, workstations and media centers. Each system is hand crafted for precision performance and uncompromised quality, and has won multiple Editors' Choice awards from publications such as Hot Hardware, PC World, Maximum PC, Computer Shopper and more. With a passion to build the best high performance computers, MAINGEAR will continue to set the standard among system builders. MAINGEAR's expert team custom builds and supports all products in the United States. For more information visit: http://www.maingear.com/ |
| White iPhone 4 rumored as Apple Store goes down globally (update: nope) Posted: 25 Jan 2011 09:54 PM PST It was bound to happen sometime, and today is as good as any other post-holiday day to launch the mythical white iPhone 4. While normally we'd consider a Wednesday night shuttering of the global Apple store to be maintenance-related, a tweet identifying a pair of supposed white iPhone part numbers -- MC604X/A (16GB) and MC606X/A (32GB) -- has surfaced, attributed to an established last-minute Apple insider known only as " Mr. X" in various tech forums. Mind you, " spring " was the last official timeframe for a white iPhone release. But please, we beg you... don't say that it's early if it does appear when the Apple Store returns to business later today -- we don't want anyone to get hurt in the comments. Update: Apple.com has undergone a subtle redesign, with the navigation bar up top taking on a shinier new look, though the Store remains down. A little bit of web-based multitasking, eh Apple? Update 2: Store is back and we're not seeing anything new. You? |
| Sony VAIO SA and SB show up at European e-tailers with 13-inch screens, Core i5 / i7 CPUs, SSD options Posted: 25 Jan 2011 09:53 PM PST Looks like Sony is preparing to freshen up the top end of its laptop range with a pair of new VAIO series, the SA and SB. An Intel Core i7-2620M is found populating a listing for an SA1X9E/XI model, alongside 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 128GB of SSD storage, AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics, and a 1600 x 900 resolution squeezed into a 13.3-inch screen. All that for a measly £1,571 (nearly $2,500). What's intriguing about that 2.7GHz dual-core CPU is that Intel lists a February 20th launch date for it, potentially giving us a hint as to when Sony will put the trigger with its refresh. The VAIO SB laptops are set to be the tamer offering, being built around the latest Core i5 chips, though we've yet to know for certain what any of these new machines will actually look like. So, for your speculative pleasure, we've embedded a video after the break with some prototypes spotted at CES that could end up slapped with the SA / SB labels.
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| Visualized: the Power Mac G4 clock Posted: 25 Jan 2011 09:36 PM PST What do you do with that once state of the art Power Mac? Well, you could always empty the case and add a "cheap clock mechanism," in the words of our friend Justin -- who emailed us some pictures of his latest creation this morning. But don't forget the Mighty Mouse pendulum: that's what really won us over. Hit the source link for more glamor shots. |
| T-Mobile expected to cut Galaxy Tab pricing to $249.99 (update: drop is official!) Posted: 25 Jan 2011 09:02 PM PST After initiating the first on-contract Galaxy Tab price cascade back in December that quickly led Sprint to respond, T-Mobile may chop subsidy prices again today for the 7-inch tablet to just under $250 (after a pesky $50 mail-in rebate). Together, that's only $62 more than the bargain bin CherryPad, which should infuriate early adopters who paid double that only a few months ago, not to mention sober up Samsung. However, when you consider that pseudo-4G tablets like the Dell Streak 7 and LG G-Slate will join Magenta's lineup soon, it is a viable strategy for extending the Tab's consumer appeal in this viciously competitive Android tablet world we live in. Then again, if the dual-core processors teased for the Tab's successor actually pan out, we doubt Samsung will need any assistance getting back to its smug position on top of the Android heap. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled on T-Mobile's site today and be sure to update should the price change actually materialize. Update: A recent peek at T-Mobile's site shows the price drop is now official. If you're in the UK and prefer buying the Tab unsubsidized, Amazon and Tesco have also chopped their prices to a palatable £341.24 ($542) and £359.20 ($571), respectively. Thanks, Raphael and Rupert! |
| Intel hires Will-i-am as 'director of creative innovation,' whole world is nonplussed Posted: 25 Jan 2011 08:25 PM PST You know a job title is tenuous when even the guys who announce it have to put it in quotation marks -- Intel's just signed up the Black Eyed Peas' Will.i.am as a "director of creative innovation." The hip hop star responsible for flooding CES 2010 and every BlackBerry event since with an irritatingly cheery tune (which we're sure we don't have to name) is about to commence a long-term, "hands-on" collaboration with Intel on its development of "new technologies, music and tech advocacy." Basically, it sounds like he'll act as an ambassador for the chip company, who'll in turn pretend to listen to his zany ideas about mega-giga-bass. Then again, Lady Gaga's similar partnership with Polaroid produced these glasses, so what the hell do we know? Show full PR text Intel Teams with will.i.am, Black Eyed Peas Front Man
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
* will.i.am joins Intel as "director of creative innovation."
* Unique collaboration entails the development of new technologies, music and tech advocacy.
* Intel and will.i.am "share a strong interest in innovation around music, art and lifestyle."
ANAHEIM, Calif., Jan. 25, 2011 – He's best known for being a multi-platinum music artist, producer and front man for The Black Eyed Peas, but will.i.am is also an innovator, technology fan, entrepreneur and philanthropist. With today's announcement at the Anaheim Convention Center, the seven-time Grammy winner has added another title to his multi-faceted resume: "director of creative innovation."
As an extension of his insatiable fascination with technology, which plays a significant role in his professional and personal lives, will.i.am will engage in a multi-year, hands-on creative and technology collaboration with Intel Corporation. He already sports an Intel ID badge, which he proudly showed off at a news conference in Anaheim, where Intel is holding an internal sales and marketing conference.
"Nearly everything I do involves processors and computers, and when I see an Intel chip I think of all the creative minds involved that help to amplify my own creativity," said will.i.am. "Teaming up with the scientists, researchers and computer programmers at Intel to collaborate and co-develop new ways to communicate, create, inform and entertain is going to be amazing."
Added Deborah Conrad, Intel vice president and chief marketing officer: "We're thrilled to tap into the limitless creativity will.i.am brings to the table. He's not only a brilliant artist and producer, but also an innovator pushing the bounds of technology professionally and personally. We share a strong interest in innovation around music, art and lifestyle, and are excited to join forces to establish an authentic, emotional connection with consumers.
The relationship ties in with Intel's "compute continuum" vision, in which more and more devices will compute and connect to the Internet, and the company's "visual life" initiative that explores how visual experiences such as photos, videos and movies are redefining the relationship consumers have with laptops, smart phones, tablets and other devices.
In his unique role, will.i.am will collaborate with Intel on many creative and technology endeavors across the "compute continuum" that may include such devices as laptops, smart phones and tablets. Complementing his visionary role as the front man for The Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am is also already working on music expressly for Intel.
Specifics haven't been disclosed, but Conrad said that the partnership between will.i.am and Intel is the marrying of two worlds -- entertainment and technology -- in order to create what she calls "the ultimate experience."
"Intel is in the midst of transforming the way we communicate with people," Conrad said. "Our partnership with will.i.am is a prime example of how we want to convey and deliver the Intel experience. It's imperative that Intel and our innovations are kept in front of the global youth culture that embraces new devices and new forms of communication and entertainment." |
| Compulab makes a tiny Tegra 2 computer for the lilliputian community Posted: 25 Jan 2011 07:51 PM PST It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that you can fit a Tegra 2 in your pocket -- how else could we have these phones? -- but it's still impressive to see the dual-core ARM Cortex A9 and GeForce ULP chip find its way into a bona fide fanless nettop that sips just three watts under load. This Compulab Trim Slice isn't nearly as powerful as the AMD Fusion model we saw last week, but it sure is svelte, with a die-cast metal case just six-tenths of an inch thick despite cramming in a SATA SSD, 1GB of RAM and most every I/O port you could want. You're looking at four USB 2.0 sockets, SD and microSD slots, HDMI, DVI, RS-232, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth, a pair of 3.5mm audio jacks and S/PDIF out for sound, not to mention JTAG, UART and SPI interfaces for extending the system on your own terms -- and analog video-in, for crying out loud. Look for it in April, priced "higher than a streamer, but lower than a tablet." Sound about right? Find another picture and the full PR after the break, while you make up your mind.  Show full PR text CompuLab is Introducing Trim-Slice – the first NVIDIA® TegraTM 2 based desktop
Haifa, Israel – 24-Jan-11 – CompuLab is introducing Trim-Slice – a miniature desktop computer powered by NVIDIA Tegra 2. With 0.6" thick all-metal housing, Trim-Slice is CompuLab's smallest and most energy-efficient computer to-date.
NVIDIA Tegra 2 integrates a 1 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 and an ultra-low power GeForce GPU onto the same chip, making it the most powerful ARM based system-on-chip available today.
"Trim-Slice is designed to unleash the full potential of NVIDIA Tegra 2" said Irad Stavi, Director of Business Development at CompuLab. "Trim-Slice feeds the Tegra 2 with all the ingredients for supporting high performance CPU: 1 GB RAM, SATA SSD and dual SDHC for storage and GbE networking. Users can experience the outstanding multimedia capabilities of the Tegra 2 through full-HD HDMI, dual-head display and 5.1 channels digital audio."
"CompuLab demonstrated many times over its expertise in power-efficient system design." said Igor Vaisbein, Trim-Slice Project Manager at CompuLab. "The ultra-low power of NVIDIA Tegra 2 enabled designing Trim-Slice into a miniature form-factor with unprecedentedly low-power envelope while providing rich multimedia capabilities and PC-like user experience".
High performance, low-power, rich I/O and miniature rugged design, position Trim-Slice as an attractive solution for a variety of applications – media player, IPTV, infotainment system, signage, gaming or even desktop replacement to name a few.
Trim-Slice differs from most other ARM based solutions by being a commercially available open platform for software developers.
"The software eco-system on ARM is evolving quickly" said Mike Rapoport, Director of SW Development at CompuLab. "The open-source community and ISVs need an ARM development platform that is versatile, open and powerful. Trim-Slice meets that by incorporating PC-like performance, memory, storage, display, I/O and networking in an open platform that allows installation of any supported OS and application. CompuLab will offer more than one OS working on Trim-Slice out-of-the-box."
CompuLab will cooperate with ISVs that select Trim-Slice as a reference platform.
Specifications
CPU: NVIDIA® TegraTM 2 Dual Core ARM Cortex A9 1GHz with integrated ultra-low power GeForce GPU
Memory: 1 GB DDR2-800 Storage :
Full size SD (SDHC)
Micro SD (SDHC)
SATA SSD (up to 64GB)Networking: 1 GbE
WiFi 802.11n + BT
Display :HDMI 1.3 full-HD + DVI (dual head)
Audio: Stereo line-out, line-in, 5.1 digital S/PDIF
Video in: PAL/NTSC
I/O:
4 USB2 ports (480 MBps)
1 USB device
RS232 Serial port
Extension: JTAG, 2 UARTs, SPI
Housing: Fanless all-metal nickel-plated die-cast
Dimensions: 130mm x 95mm x 15mm – 5.1" x 3.7" x 0.6"
Power: 8-16V DC, 3W average
Availability
CompuLab expects to start accepting orders from Trim-Slice in April. "Trim-Slice pricing is yet to be finalized" said Mr. Stavi. "It will be priced higher than a streamer, but lower than a tablet".
Trim-Slice is guaranteed for long term availability of 5 years. It will be available in several configurations and will be offered to OEMs looking to re-brand the product.
About CompuLab
CompuLab is a leading designer and manufacturer of embedded computing products since 1992. CompuLab's fit-PC line of miniature, fanless PCs - introduced in 2007 – positioned CompuLab as an industry leader in the field of miniature, fanless industrial PCs. CompuLab headquarters are located in Haifa, Israel with offices in St. Petersburg, FL. |
| Volkswagen's XL1 concept plug-in diesel hybrid has 313MPG fuel efficiency, questionable aesthetics Posted: 25 Jan 2011 07:09 PM PST Steaming down the autobahn could be about to get a whole lot more efficient. Volkswagen has carted out its newly updated Super Efficient Vehicle concept, now dubbed the XL1, which -- after a great deal of fuzzy math, we're sure -- is rated at a 313MPG fuel efficiency and produces only 24g of CO2 per kilometer traveled. There's an electric motor and a TDI diesel engine making all the buzzing and roaring noises inside, while the overall body design is focused on making the car as light and as aerodynamic as possible. Volkswagen has achieved a 795kg curb weight by using carbon fiber, magnesium, ceramics, and aluminum to shave down any excess portliness from the XL1, while wind-tunnel testing and optimizations have resulted in a rather exemplary 0.186 drag coefficient. It's rare to see such attributes on anything outside the supercar realm, but then there's a reason why this PHEV is still only a concept. FOF.  Show full PR text Volkswagen unveils the XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle in Qatar
The new Volkswagen XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV) has been unveiled at the Qatar Motor Show. Pioneering construction techniques, an advanced plug-in hybrid drivetrain and innovative packaging all play a part in allowing the XL1 to return 313 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting 24 g/km of CO2 to set a new benchmark for vehicle efficiency.
Powering the XL1 is a compact 800 cc TDI two-cylinder common rail diesel engine developing 48 PS. It's linked to an electric motor producing 27 PS, resulting in a total of 75 PS – a modest output yet more than enough when the low kerb weight (795 kg) of the vehicle is taken into account.
The TDI engine is linked to an electric motor and a seven-speed DSG gearbox with an automatic clutch mounted between each unit. The electric motor can either work independently of the TDI engine or in tandem when accelerating. In pure electric mode the XL1 can travel up to 35 km before the diesel engine cuts in. Accelerating from rest to 62 mph can be achieved in 11.9 seconds; the electronically limited top speed is 99 mph.
In both its styling and packaging the XL1 draws on lessons learned from the 1-Litre car (2002) and the L1 concept (2009). The XL1 has evolved to feature staggered seating with the driver and passenger placed next to each other in a body structure made from advanced new materials providing immense strength yet weighing just 230 kg.
To make such weight savings possible, and yet viable for series production, Volkswagen developed and patented a new system for the manufacture of the Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) parts on the car called the Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) process.
In total the XL1 weighs 795 kg. In addition to the body structure, the weight is accounted for by the drivetrain (227 kg), the running gear (153 kg), the interior including a pair of bucket seats (80 kg) and the electrical system (105 kg). In total just 23.2 per cent of the car (184 kg) is made out of either steel or iron.
Further savings are made through the extensive use of lightweight materials including magnesium (wheels), ceramics (brake discs) and aluminium (dampers, steering system, brake calipers).
The styling of the XL1 is borne out of functional requirements – easy access to the interior is granted via a pair of elegant scissor doors that hinge on the A-pillar while the profile of the car has been honed in the wind tunnel, the result being a remarkable coefficient of drag figure of 0.186. The XL1's overall length (3,970 mm) and width (1,682 mm) are similar to those of a Volkswagen Polo yet its height (1,184 mm) is more akin to that of a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder.
Although the XL1 is still very much a concept, its unveiling marks the next step towards the birth of a new class of Super Efficient Vehicles, while the advent of a process such as RTM is a significant milestone. |
| 'Robot' marks its 90th anniversary as a word Posted: 25 Jan 2011 06:35 PM PST It's not often we mark the anniversary of a single word around here, but this one's particularly close to our cold, electronic hearts -- it was ninety years ago today that the word " robot" was introduced to the public in Karel Capek's play "R.U.R." (Rossum's Universal Robots), which first premiered in Prague in its original Czech language in 1921, and came to New York a year later in English. As Gearlog notes, however, Capek actually gives credit for the origin of the word to his brother Josef, who suggested the term "roboti" that he derived from the Czech word "robota," which literally means "serf labor," and can refer to drudgery or hard work. Of course, robots themselves have evolved quite a bit over those ninety years, and -- given the pace of development as of late -- we're a bit hesitant to guess what things might be like when the 100th anniversary of the word comes around. |
| FCC unanimously approves LTE standard for nationwide public safety network Posted: 25 Jan 2011 06:04 PM PST  The FCC's been looking to establish a nationwide public safety network since the early days of the infamous 700MHz spectrum auction, and while it never quite accomplished that task, the commission has made a small but important step -- it's unanimously decided that Long Term Evolution (LTE) will be the one ring that binds all future chunks of public safety radio band. Of course, this wasn't a terribly hard decision for the FCC to make, as major commercial cellular carriers and a number of regional public safety agencies have already invested in LTE equipment for the 700MHz band... and the decision doesn't yet specify a voice standard. All that's been decided upon is how those countless packets of data will float over the air. How will disparate groups of first responders communicate with one another in the event of a national emergency? That's what the organization is asking you right now -- feel free to contact the FCC anytime within the next 45 days with your proposal. Show full PR text FCC TAKES ACTION TO ADVANCE NATIONWIDE BROADBAND COMMUNICATIONS FOR AMERICA'S FIRST RESPONDERS
FCC Takes Significant Steps toward Solving Problems Identified by 9/11 Commission
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission today adopted a Third Report and Order (Order) and Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) that will significantly advance communications interoperability for our Nation's first responders. The rules adopted and proposed in today's Order and FNPRM support the build out of robust, dedicated and secure mobile broadband networks that will enable public safety broadband users to share information, videos, photos and emails across departments and jurisdictions nationwide for day-to-day operations and during large-scale emergencies.
The Order and FNPRM requires all 700 MHz public safety mobile broadband networks to use a common air interface, specifically Long Term Evolution (LTE), to support roaming and interoperable communications and seeks comment on additional rules to enable nationwide interoperability. The FCC's actions today build on the technical requirements that state and local 700 MHz broadband waiver recipients are already subject to in the early buildout of their regional public safety broadband networks.
The FNPRM seeks public comment on, among other things:
The architectural vision of the network;
The effectiveness of open standards;
Interconnectivity between networks;
Network robustness and resiliency;
Security and encryption;Coverage and coverage reliability requirements;
Roaming and priority access between public safety broadband networks; and
Interference coordination and protection.
The deadlines for public comments and reply comments on the FNPRM are 45 days and 75 days, respectively, after publication in the Federal Registry.
Action by the Commission January 25, 2011, by Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 11-6). Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners Copps, McDowell, Clyburn, and Baker. Separate statements issued by Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners Copps, McDowell, Clyburn, and Baker.
For additional information, please contact Jennifer Manner, Deputy Bureau Chief, PSHSB, at (202) 418-3619 or Jennifer.Manner@fcc.gov; or David Furth, Deputy Bureau Chief, PSHSB, at (202) 418-0632 or David.Furth@fcc.gov. |
| Google I/O includes Google TV app development session; software speedup in the works Posted: 25 Jan 2011 05:28 PM PST Take this for what it's worth, but the schedule for Google's 2011 I/O conference includes a little session called "Building Android Apps for Google TV," as well as "Building Web Apps for Google TV." That's certainly interesting, as Google's reportedly asked TV manufacturers to delay (or at least downplay) their smart TV products at CES until the core software is revamped, and we're hearing that the relaunch will focus heavily on apps. We're also told by a trusted source that there's a big performance boost coming as things get more optimized, comparable to the jump from Android 1.6 to Android 2.3 on phones, and that future input devices will be more streamlined and simpler to use than the current Logitech and Sony affairs. That's all good news, but, um, I/O isn't until May, so we're hoping all this stuff comes true much, much sooner than that. [Thanks, D.] |
| Soundfreaq's SFQ-01R Sound Platform goes red and black for Valentine's Day Posted: 25 Jan 2011 04:39 PM PST Remember that SFQ-01 Bluetooth audio system you were swooning over late last year? If you twiddled your thumbs on buying one, here's a shot at redemption: Soundfreaq has just pushed out a limited edition red and black version just in time for Valentine's Day, and outside of the color change, everything else remains the same. It's up for pre-order now at Amazon for a penny under $200, and trust us, your significant other will love it. Even if said SO is... you.  Show full PR text Soundfreaq's Limited Edition Red & Black Sound Platform Only on Amazon.com
Just in Time for Valentine's Day
WHAT: Soundfreaq is adding a little color to its popular hi-fi audio dock with its new and limited edition Red & Black Sound Platform.
Just in time for Valentine's Day, the Red & Black edition offers the same Bluetooth capabilities and impressive functionality as the original dock, in a chic red and black design, making it the perfect gift for any music lover in your life.
The Sound Platform is compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled device, allowing you to keep your iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Android or any smart device in your hands rather than stuck in the dock.
Soundfreaq's Red & Black Sound Platform will only be sold for a limited time for $199.99 on Amazon.com.
WHERE: Available for pre-order now only at Amazon.com.
ABOUT SOUNDFREAQ (www.Soundfreaq.com)
Soundfreaq is a global co-op of craftsmen – designers and engineers with deep expertise in consumer electronics and a passion for great sound. By working outside the limitations of a traditional corporate structure, we are able to develop products from the ground up that deliver premium sound for a wireless world. |
| German robot hand takes a licking, apparently keeps on ticking (video) Posted: 25 Jan 2011 03:58 PM PST Sadists at the German Aerospace Center's (DLR) Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics are showing off their latest development in anthropomorphic appendages: a robotic hand that can take a beating from a baseball bat and still give you the middle finger (or a thumbs-up, we suppose). Researchers apparently designed the limb to function like only a human hand can, and it seems they've done a decent job: it's got five independently functioning fingers, sports 19 degrees of freedom (one less than the real deal), and can even snap them phalanges -- oh no they didn't! It's also got the ability to exert a force of 30 newtons from its fingertips. So what makes it so resilient? The robo-hand has a built-in web of 38 tendons, which allow it to adapt its stiffness under different circumstances: a step away, its creators say, from rigid appendages of the past. There's a video of the hand taking a beating after the jump, but honestly, we'd prefer to see what happens when the hand fights back. |
| Kongregate makes triumphant return to Android Market after a few tweaks Posted: 25 Jan 2011 03:16 PM PST  After Google's uncharacteristic (and swift) action against Flash game clearinghouse Kongregate when its Android app went live a few days ago, it wasn't clear what was going to have to happen to get it back in the Market -- but they're giving it a shot today by making a few key tweaks and republishing. Most notably, version 1.1 no longer dumps Flash games that you download to SD storage; instead, the phone's browser cache is used just as for any other website you visit, which would seem to be a definitive step toward giving the app less of an "app store" feel -- precisely the thing that Google's concerned about. We'll have to wait and see whether this puppy stays deployed... but for now, you can grab it from the Market. |
| Verizon's 4G LTE dongles get Mac support in February Posted: 25 Jan 2011 02:41 PM PST Verizon's LG VL600 LTE modem received a software update today, but there's no need to wake your MacBook from its peaceful slumber -- there still aren't any drivers for Apple computers, over a month after we were promised a relatively imminent update. That said, Verizon told PhoneScoop today that the carrier's LTE dongles will indeed support Apple at some point next month, which is itself only days away. Pantech UML290 owners can bide their time with a workaround, but we LG users will take what we can get, eh? |
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