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Thursday, January 27, 2011

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Nexus S coming in a new AT&T flavor?

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 10:31 AM PST

Up in Canada, Mobilicity's CEO made an odd comment recently that Bell, Telus, and Rogers will all be getting the Nexus S around the same time that his carrier does in March. Why is that odd? Well, as it stands, no variant of the Nexus S supports the 850 / 1900MHz WCDMA that would be necessary to run (at high speed, anyway) on those three networks. Circle back around to the Bluetooth SIG, where PocketNow has discovered an entry for a GT-i9020A; you might recall that the European version of the device is the i9020, while T-Mobile's AWS-compatible build is the i9020T, with "T" ostensibly standing for "T-Mobile." By extension, it's definitely conceivable that the "A" here is for "AT&T" -- which, again, would line up with the Mobilicity exec's verbiage. If this is true, it's theoretically possible that we could see AT&T and its similarly-equipped Canadian cousins get their own Nexus S as soon as five-odd weeks from now. Like the Nexus One before it, we've got a hard time picturing AT&T officially subsidizing this thing -- but hey, an unlocked full-price version is a solid start, we'd say.

Court grants Sony's temporary restraining order against Geohot, PS3 jailbreak still available everywhere

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 10:11 AM PST

It looked for a moment like Geohot and fail0verflow might beat Sony's DMCA lawsuit over the PS3 jailbreak on a jurisdictional technicality, but things didn't go their way: the US District Court for the Northern District of California granted Sony's request for a temporary restraining order forbidding Mr. Hotz and his merry men from distributing or linking to the jailbreak, helping or encouraging others to jailbreak, hacking into the PS3 or PSN, or distributing any information they've found while hacking. What's more, they've been ordered to turn over any computers or storage media used to create the jailbreak to Sony's lawyers -- although we've got a feeling Geohot's attorneys will raise a bit of a fuss about that.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Sony's won anything substantive -- it's just proven to the court that the jailbreak will cause it ongoing harm while the case continues, and it still has to actually win its formal lawsuit to collect any damages or a permanent injunction. And let's not forget that forcing Geohot to stop distributing it won't stop anyone else -- in almost an exact mirror of the deCSS case, we're already seeing the jailbreak mirrored all over the internet. Way to learn from history, Sony.

[Thanks, Henry]

O2 plans free and open WiFi network across the UK, Sky picks up The Cloud

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:57 AM PST

Only a handful of Muni-Fi projects ended in anything greater than eternal tears here in the States, but hopefully O2's up for the challenge across the pond. The UK carrier just announced its intentions to "refine the WiFi landscape" in its home nation by launching O2 WiFi, with a raft of "premium hotspots" to be rolled out and managed by key venue owners. As of now, it's hard to pinpoint who exactly will begin hosting O2's routers, but the key part is this: they'll be open for all customers to access for free, no matter which mobile or broadband provider they are with. Making no bones about who it's coming after, the operator has affirmed its intentions to "at least double the number of premium hotspots currently offered by BT Openzone and The Cloud combined by 2013," with the rollout to begin as early as today and continue for as long as it takes. 'Course, doubling up The Cloud may take a little more work given that Sky just picked it up for an undisclosed sum, but hey, we're sure every Briton in existence would just love to see these two duke it out for WiFi supremacy.
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O2 redefines Wi-Fi landscape with launch of O2 Wifi

26 Jan 2011 00:01

O2 outlines plans to offer seamless, fast and free internet for all, in venues across the country

O2 today announces its plans to deploy a market-changing public Wi-Fi platform in the UK, with the launch of O2 Wifi. O2's premium hotspots will be managed through partnerships with key venue owners and will be open for all customers to access for free, no matter which mobile or broadband provider they are with.

O2 is aiming to create a scaled Wi-Fi platform that will be at least double the number of premium hotspots currently offered by BT Openzone and The Cloud combined by 2013. It will begin rollout immediately by replacing its existing 450 Cloud hotspots in its retail and office estate. It will continue to extend the reach and scale of O2 Wifi through partnerships with strategic venues, to include shops, restaurants, retail outlets and outdoor and indoor locations across the UK.

The O2 Wifi service will address the many shortcomings of current public Wi-Fi offerings by being genuinely free to customers, simple, fast and secure. O2's mobile expertise and insight, allied with an enhanced quality of network connectivity and strong venue partnerships will now deliver a significantly enhanced user experience. O2 Wifi will introduce a new level of customer engagement, driving increased value for both the Wi-Fi hosting venue and the user by bringing together O2 Wifi with the capabilities of O2 Media and O2 Money to offer the potential to deliver relevant timely content that customers want in a format that suits them.

Access to the hotspots will be through a simple sign-up process and will be free to both O2 and non-O2 mobile customers, providing seamless connectivity to a high quality network. The sign up process will be auto provisioned for all O2 customers with Wi-Fi devices by the end of the year. All hotspots will be premium public hotspots, as opposed to using residential connections with limited bandwidth.

O2 has long been a market-leader in provision of public Wi-Fi services across mobile devices, introducing unlimited Wi-Fi access included in iPhone tariffs over three years ago. Through O2's partnerships with BT Openzone and The Cloud, adoption and growth of Wi-Fi services has been significant with customers seeing real usage benefits.

O2's New Business Development Director Tim Sefton said: "Building networks is a core capability. We have pioneered the explosion of mobile data over the last three years and know better than anyone where people are accessing data. O2 Wifi hotspots will bring high quality public Wi-fi access to the majority of mobile users.

"Only 20% of people who have access to free public Wi-Fi on O2 tariffs actively use it despite the majority of devices being Wi-Fi enabled. We know that Wi-Fi as a technology has great potential and can be a very fast service, however customers are discouraged by barriers which include complexity in activation, uncertainty of where Wi-Fi is free and the variable quality of the current experience.

"O2 is integrating new layers of technology into the existing network to enable a seamless and sustained customer experience. We are technology-agnostic and driven entirely by our customers' needs. We believe that services should be delivered in the best possible way, across multiple networks, supported by different technologies."

In addition, O2 is increasing investment in its mobile network by 25% in 2011. These investments will allow O2 to offer customers access to a suite of layered technologies, including 2G, EDGE, 3G, 4G, HSPA+ and Wi-Fi, seamlessly, simply and at speed. These technologies will enable customers to access a new range of 'smarter' services and experiences.

Skype 5.0 hits Mac with group video calling, streamlined interface

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:44 AM PST

Mac users have already been able to do some group video calling with recent beta versions of Skype, but the company has now finally brought things fully up to speed with its Windows counterpart and released the final version of Skype 5.0 for OS X. In addition to group video calling, the application sports a whole new interface that Skype says has been "slimmed down" (compared to the previous beta versions, at least) and allows you to see 30 percent more contacts at once. As with the Windows version, however, that group video calling feature has now been relegated to the premium package which, after a free seven-day trial, will run you $4.99 for a day pass or $8.99 a month for a subscription (though you can get 33 percent off if you sign up before February 28th). Head on past the break for quick video overview.

Sonos adds RDIO to its streaming music repertoire

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:30 AM PST

If you live in the US or Canada then you can add the RDIO social music service to the long list of streaming music options available to your Sonos whole-home wireless audio system. We're talking eight million tracks that you can search, browse, and play on-demand with an RDIO bonus that lets you follow the musical tastes of your friends and idols for $9.99 per month. Get back to us in 46 years and let us know if your $5,514.48 was well spent, ok?
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SONOS BRINGS RDIO TO EVERY ROOM OF THE HOME

SANTA BARBARA, CA – January 27, 2011 – Sonos, the leading developer of wireless multi-room music systems for the home, today announced that even more great music is now available on the award-winning Sonos Multi-Room Music System. Starting today, Sonos customers in the United States and Canada can enjoy unlimited, on-demand music courtesy of social music service Rdio.

"Our goal at Sonos is to provide music lovers with access to all the music on the planet," said John MacFarlane, CEO, Sonos, Inc. "By continually adding innovative services like Rdio to the experience, Sonos customers will be able to discover and enjoy unlimited music possibilities in any room of their home."

Rdio provides Sonos customers with a unique social music discovery experience at home. Search, browse and play anything from Rdio's more than 8 million song library, as often as you'd like, throughout your entire home. Plus, follow the musical tastes of friends and influencers, share your favorite songs and playlists, explore thousands of themed playlists, and even check out what's in "heavy rotation" by other Rdio listeners.

Starting today, you'll find Rdio on Sonos under the More Music menu on any Sonos Controller. Rdio on Sonos costs $9.99 per month. Not a Rdio subscriber? Try it for free with a 7-day trial at www.rdio.com/Sonos.

Rdio on Sonos adds to the broad choice of music services built directly into the Sonos music experience. On Sonos, you can tune in to more than 100,000 Internet radio stations, shows and podcasts - from around the world. You can also search and play songs, playlists and radio from the world's most popular music services like iheartradio, Last.fm, Napster, Pandora, Rdio, Rhapsody, SiriusXM Internet Radio, Spotify, Wolfgang's Vault, and more. And, Sonos can play your entire digital music library (like iTunes) stored on a computer or Network Attached storage drive in any or every room.

T-Mobile Sidekick 4G in the wild, made by Samsung?

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:20 AM PST

If these first in-the-wild shots of T-Mobile's upcoming Android-powered Sidekick 4G turn out to be legit -- and we've no reason to doubt them, especially considering TmoNews' track record -- then we'd say the carrier has done a reasonably good job porting the classic Sidekick design and pulling it into the modern age off the strength of a big display... and, of course, a modern operating system. Interestingly, word on the street is that the new model is made by Samsung, not Sharp; historically, Sharp has made all of the Sidekicks with the exception of the forgettable Slide, which was a Motorola one-off. Looks like the swivel display has been replaced by a tilt-slide, but most importantly, the device looks the same when open and closed, which should put a warm, fuzzy feeling in the hearts of old-school Sidekick users. Who's excited?

News Corp and Apple set date for The Daily launch: February 2nd

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:02 AM PST

The Daily, News Corp's iPad-specific news"paper," is living up to speculation about an early February inauguration with the announcement of a launch event on February 2nd. CEO Rupert Murdoch is explicitly mentioned on the invite, though Apple's presence will be fulfilled by Eddy Cue, presumably a late draft-in to substitute for his company's CEO, Steve Jobs, who's currently out on medical leave. Even without the great Apple orator, we expect the arrival of the first tablet-only news outlet to be a significant event, so we'll be strapping on our liveblogging gear and heading out to the Guggenheim Museum for a looksie. You'll join us in spirit, won't you?

Growing Up Geek: Tim Stevens

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 08:29 AM PST

Growing Up Geek: Tim Stevens
I didn't even really like Superman when that picture was taken. I think I was three or four and well on my way to being a fat kid. I mean, sure, the movies were boss, and Christopher Reeve was the man -- all suave and all-powerful -- but I didn't know Kal-El from a candy cane. I liked his costume, though, and of course I knew that he was super strong and could fly.

I was obviously super strong too. Just look at me hefting that huge mass of leaves all by myself! I thought I could fly too. According to Stevens family legend I tried to jump out of a second story window in those very Underoos. Thankfully I decided to get a good long running start and my sister, two years older, grabbed me before I flung myself into that particular adventure.

I've never quite believed this story because my sister and I would go on to spend the rest of our childhoods trying to kill each other. She really could have saved herself a lot of trouble over the ensuing years by just letting me take that flying leap. We're close now but, back then, we didn't get along too well. That's okay, I spent most of my time sitting in front of some sort of a computer anyway.

I have fondest memories of the Commodore 64, bought by my dad at a Babbage's in Holyoke Massachusetts, a two hour drive from our home in Vermont. On that computer I got my first taste of BASIC programming, spending weekends with my father going clickety clack on that giant brown keyboard writing GOTOs and other statements I would later learn to hate.

I always had a steady supply of proper games, Dad coming home from work almost every day with something scored from a friend, copied onto a Verbatim or Elephant 5.25-inch floppy. I didn't understand what typing "LOAD "*",8,1" meant, only that it made the games go, and I of course had no idea I was engaged in wholesale piracy.

There were plenty of other systems and consoles that would come and go through my childhood -- the world's worst keyboard on the Atari 400, invigorating Pac-Man matches on our an Atari 2600, the obligatory NES. In Jr. High I'd change my mind a few weeks before Christmas, deciding I wanted a Genesis instead of an SNES, which sent my poor mother scrambling to return the hard-won Nintendo system she'd scored to find me something I could play Sonic the Hedgehog on. A couple years later I'd scrounge money and beg family members to get me a Sega CD. Sonic CD remains one of my favorite platformers of all time.

When I was in high school my mother made an investment in the futures of my sister and I and bought a proper computer at Caldor, a 486 Packard Bell. It was the age of multimedia and this sucker was loaded, having not only speakers but a CD-ROM and a giant stack of shareware games on CD. Even with the OverDrive processor I later added it could barely run any of them, but thankfully a good friend had not one but two properly equipped rigs and even some Ethernet strung between them. Every day became Duke Nukem 3D day.

The Packard Bell wouldn't do much to support my gaming habit, but it did open the door to a few critical things. On it I learned something a little less BASIC, picking up C++ and getting my first taste of coding with semicolons. But, more importantly, that machine got me online, 14.4Kbps at a time. An account with Netcom scored me an e-mail address comprised of random characters, a copy of Netscape Navigator, and the app that would really change my life: mIRC.

I could look back shamefully on those many late nights at the keyboard, instead I'll take the positive angle. It's through IRC I learned to touch-type at 100wpm, it's in those hours chatting that I developed a writing voice, and really that was about the only way I felt comfortable communicating. I'm a chronic stutterer and sometimes in school it got so bad I couldn't talk. At all. So I rarely did. I have it more or less under control these days, but I'm still hardly a chatty person -- outside of a chat room, anyway.

In college I split my time between comp sci and writing. My love for gaming and my Saturn scored me my first paid writing gig, reviewer for Games Domain -- at that time one of the biggest gaming sites in the world. For my senior project I used connections at Sega to get a copy of the SDK for the Dreamcast. Well, the VMU part anyway. There was no documentation in English, only reams of raw assembler files, but I figured it out, writing a few games, including the first (and possibly only) two-player VMU game -- a type of Pong played vertically from one screen to the next.

I was destined for a job in the gaming industry, but when a dot com startup flush with cash made me a tasty offer suddenly consulting seemed like the way to go. Since then I've split my time between writing and coding.

And of course I can't sign off without at least mentioning my love of things that go fast. As a kid I didn't even want a car, just a motorcycle, but it would take me a long time to finally get one I could ride, a Yamaha Seca II, replaced with a Triumph Speed Triple a few years later. Buying a racing kart and hitting the track was a big step for me, but this time of year you'll find me getting my kicks in my Subaru, racing wheel-to-wheel on frozen Adirondack lakes.

So here I am, mixing my love for cars and bikes and gadgets and doing my best to turn you all into gearheads, even if it means strapping into the goofiest looking car known to man to show that riding around in something with a top speed under 30mph can be a total blast. Oh, and the Superman Underoos? Those have been lost to history.

Tim Stevens is Automotive Editor at Engadget and has been contributing to the site since 2008. On Twitter he is @Tim_Stevens, where he rarely swears and almost never stutters.

China builds a jet-propelled water cannon, just because it can (video)

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 08:11 AM PST

Just what does $456,000 buy you these days? Well, if you happen to run the fire department of China's Luoyang City, the answer is a jet-propelled water cannon capable of spraying four tons of water per minute. That pretty much qualifies it for a "terminal velocity" badge, as the water is said to move at such speed as to choke fires from the oxygen surrounding them. Maximum range for this blaze blaster is 120 meters (nearly 400 feet), though you'll need to only move a fraction of that distance to click past the break and watch the awesome video of it in action.

Ford's intelligent vehicles communicate wirelessly, shoot hula hoops out of tailpipes (video)

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 07:50 AM PST

Ford's intelligent vehicles communicate wirelessly, shoot hula hoops out of tailpipes (video)
Imagine how many accidents could be avoided if we all had perfect X-Ray vision -- assuming, of course, that everyone could refrain from being distracted by all the naked pedestrians. Drivers would never be surprised by rapidly slowing traffic, cars broken down around blind curves, or autos zooming into blind spots. No matter how many ads we respond to in the back of Mad Magazine we'll never have that, but Ford has an alternative with its Intelligent Vehicle Research: cars that simply rely on GPS and a wireless data connection to beam their location and speed to each other.

Autos alert their drivers when a car at the front of a convoy is rapidly decelerating or when there's a broken down rig right around the next bend. Interestingly the tech is using WiFi, not cellular data, so range is somewhat limited, but still far enough to warn drivers with blinking lights or trigger an automatic-braking system. It's all demonstrated in the video after the break and, while there are no crazy platooning stunts like Volvo recently showed off, we have to figure that's coming in version 2.0.


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FORD ACCELERATES INTELLIGENT VEHICLE RESEARCH, CREATING 'TALKING' VEHICLES TO MAKE ROADS SAFER


With this "intelligent vehicle" technology, drivers could be alerted at unsafe intersections where their view is compromised or where another vehicle is not stopping for a red light.
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Ford is rapidly expanding its commitment to intelligent vehicles that wirelessly talk to each other, warning of potential dangers to enhance safety and flag impending traffic congestion to help improve the environment
Intelligent vehicles could potentially help in 81 percent of all police-reported light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report
Ford is building the first-ever prototype intelligent vehicles that will tour the U.S. beginning this spring and will provide additional prototypes for the Department of Transportation's world-first research clinics expected to begin this summer
Ford is doubling its intelligent vehicle investment in 2011 and plans a new 20-member task force of scientists and engineers to explore the technology's broader possibilities
Visit the Intelligent Vehicles Media Site

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 26, 2011 – Ford is aggressively accelerating its commitment to wirelessly connected intelligent vehicles – known as vehicle-to-vehicle communications – becoming the first automaker to build prototype vehicles for demonstrations across the U.S., doubling its intelligent vehicle investment in 2011 and dedicating even more scientists to developing this technology.

"Ford believes intelligent vehicles that talk to each other through advanced Wi-Fi are the next frontier of collision avoidance innovations that could revolutionize the driving experience and hold the potential of helping reduce many crashes," said Sue Cischke, group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

An October National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report on the potential safety benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle communications estimates that intelligent vehicles could help in as many as 4,336,000 police-reported, light-vehicle crashes annually, or approximately 81 percent of all light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers. Experts say intelligent vehicles could be on the road in five to 10 years.

Ford's demonstration vehicles will hit the road this spring, starting at major technology hubs across the country.

How it works
Ford's vehicle communications research technology allows vehicles to talk wirelessly with one another using advanced Wi-Fi signals, or dedicated short-range communications, on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission. Unlike radar-based safety features, which identify hazards within a direct line of sight, the Wi-Fi-based radio system allows full-range, 360-degree detection of potentially dangerous situations, such as when a driver's vision is obstructed.

For example, drivers could be alerted if their vehicle is on path to collide with another vehicle at an intersection, when a vehicle ahead stops or slows suddenly or when a traffic pattern changes on a busy highway. The systems also could warn drivers if there is a risk of collision when changing lanes, approaching a stationary or parked vehicle, or if another driver loses control.

Ford hits the gas on vehicle communications
After a decade of research, Ford plans a new 20-member task force – consisting of company planners, engineers and scientists from around the world with expertise in safety, eco-mobility, infotainment and driver convenience – to accelerate development of intelligent vehicles with features that provide a range of benefits to consumers.

Ford also is doubling its intelligent vehicle research investment, building on the company's SYNC® and MyFord Touch™ innovations. The goal is to define the next 10 years of safety, convenience and driver assistance, and strengthen the company's position as the global industry leader in connected vehicle technology.

"While there are challenges ahead, the foundation of these smarter vehicles is advanced versions of technologies that are pervasive – Wi-Fi and crash avoidance systems that Ford has pioneered in mainstream vehicles today," said Paul Mascarenas, vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering and chief technical officer. "Intelligent vehicles could help warn drivers of numerous potential dangers such as a car running a red light but blocked from the view of a driver properly entering the intersection."

Speaking the same language
Ford is partnering with other automakers, the federal government, as well as local and county road commissions to create a common language that ensures all vehicles can talk to each other based on a common communication standard.

This public-private partnership will include the world's first government-sponsored driving clinics beginning in summer 2011, for which the company will contribute two prototype Ford Taurus sedans. The DOT's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) will head the research, continuing to coordinate with a coalition of automakers organized by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP), which is a joint research group headed by Ford and General Motors. The partnership is working to develop inter-operability standards in advance of completing the research phase in 2013.

"Ford has laid the groundwork to give vehicles a voice with SYNC and Wi-Fi technology," said Jim Vondale, director, Ford Automotive Safety Office. "Now we're working with other automakers and government leaders worldwide to develop common standards globally to bring intelligent vehicles to market quicker and more affordably."

Vondale has been appointed by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to represent automakers on the ITS Advisory Committee. Mike Shulman, technical leader, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering, leads the government-industry technical partnership as program manager for CAMP.

Beyond safety, endless possibilities
By reducing crashes, intelligent vehicles could ease traffic delays, which would save drivers both time and fuel costs. Congestion also could be avoided through a network of intelligent vehicles and infrastructure that would process real-time traffic and road information and allow drivers to choose less congested routes.

According to Texas Transportation Institute's (TTI) 2010 Urban Mobility Report, traffic congestion continues to worsen in American cities of all sizes, annually wasting nearly 3.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2009 and costing the average commuter $808 in additional fuel. Leading factors in traffic delays are caused by accidents, breakdowns and road debris, TTI maintains.

"The day is not far off when our vehicles will operate like mobile devices with four wheels, constantly exchanging information and communicating with our environment to do things like shorten commute times, improve fuel economy and generally help us more easily navigate life on the road," said Mascarenas.

Laying the connectivity groundwork
Many of Ford's current technologies show how intelligent vehicles will be able to help drivers. For example, features that alert drivers to approaching hazards, such as Ford's collision warning with brake support and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert rely on radar sensors to detect vehicles or objects close to the vehicle.

"Ford has pioneered connectivity in modern vehicles with SYNC," said Shulman. "We believe advanced Wi-Fi for intelligent vehicles could be added to smartphones or GPS systems and simply connect to SYNC like today's phones."

###

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 163,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

SoCal mall installs 'Find Your Car' kiosks in parking garage to help you find your car -- and others find you?

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 07:28 AM PST

Big Brother's watching us on public streets and in our homes, and now he's fixed his gaze on shopping malls -- under the guise of helping us find our cars in a mall parking garage. Santa Monica Place has installed Park Assist's M3 Camera Vision system with "Find Your Car" kiosks that allow wayward shoppers to punch in their license plate number to receive a picture of their auto and its whereabouts. It utilizes a network of cameras to capture each car's location and read the plate, and has a central control system that can dole out firmware upgrades as more (nefarious?) needs arise. A similar system is used at Heathrow Airport, though the British version snaps a photo of your plates upon entry and and tracks cars with infrared cameras -- as opposed to Park Assist's use of hi-res cameras to capture an image of your plate once you've parked. While helping people find their cars is an admirable goal, the system seems rife with opportunities for abuse because the footage is privately owned -- meaning the car location information could be sold to anyone, including that crazy ex-girlfriend of yours. As for us, we'd rather not exchange a walk-on part in the war to maintain our privacy for a lead role in another video cage. We're just fine remembering things the old-fashioned way, thanks.

Volvo set to unveil V60 Plug-in at Geneva, pledges to be slightly less naughty

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 07:07 AM PST

The new V60 is billed by its creators as being a "naughty Volvo," and while the reviews we've read of its sedan counterpart haven't exactly found it to be particularly uncouth, we're thinking the upcoming plug-in wagon version should be even more friendly. Volvo has announced it will unveil the PHEV V60 in Geneva in March before releasing it for sale in 2012. When fully charged it will offer 50km (31 miles) on pure electricity -- about the same as the Volt -- thanks to a 70hp electric motor mounted in the rear and driving the wheels out back courtesy of a 12kWh Li-ion battery pack. Up front, meanwhile, is a 215hp, 2.4 liter, five-cylinder turbodiesel. It remains to be seen whether there is any mechanical link between the disparate power systems or whether they remain alone, working together yet apart, but we should be getting all the details shortly.

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The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
- another world-first from Volvo Car Corporation

At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Volvo Cars will be unveiling the V60 Plug-in Hybrid - a virtually production-ready car with carbon dioxide emissions below 50 g/km, which translates into fuel consumption at 1.9 l/100 km.
In 2012 Volvo Cars will be the first manufacturer on the market with this new breed of hybrid - which is the result of close cooperation with the Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall.

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid features the very best properties from three different car types in one, single attractive sports wagon. This includes a possibility for the driver to drive up to 50 kilometres on pure electricity.
"This second-generation hybrid is the perfect choice for the uncompromising buyer who wants a superbly carbon dioxide-lean car packed with driving pleasure," says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

D5 engine and Electric Rear Axle Drive
The front wheels of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid will be driven by a five-cylinder 2.4-litre D5 turbodiesel, which produces 215 horsepower and maximum torque of 440 Nm. The rear axle features ERAD (Electric Rear Axle Drive) in the form of an electric motor producing 70 horsepower, which receives its power from a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The car features a six-speed automatic transmission.

"In order to get true car enthusiasts to think green, you have to offer them the opportunity to drive with low carbon dioxide emissions without taking away the adrenaline rush that promotes genuine driving pleasure. The V60 Plug-in Hybrid has all the traditional properties of a genuine sports wagon. What we've done is to spice it up with spearhead technology," says Stefan Jacoby.

The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid will be revealed at a press conference in Geneva on March 1st 2011.

Sony trots out MDR-XB1000, MDR-XB41EX and MDR-XB21EX headphones

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 06:46 AM PST

So, here's a refreshing change of pace. Rather than a new set of cans coming with a superstar's name on them, Sony's just fine with its four-lettered label. And given the success of the Walkman, we'd say it's still elite enough for now. The aforementioned outfit is debuting a trio of new headphones over in Japan, with the MDR-XB1000 cans offering enhanced bass and a certain level of street-cred to those who prefer over-the-ear styles. As for the other two? The MDR-XB41EX and MDR-XB21EX earbuds are both high-end affairs, with unique designs and a rainbow's worth of color choices. Pricing remains up the air, as does the chance for these to head stateside. But hey, there's always hope.

Google begins censoring autocomplete results for BitTorrent, RapidShare and other Big Media profanity

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 06:24 AM PST

Tried searching for "BitTorrent," "RapidShare," "uTorrent," "MegaUpload" or even "Ubuntu torrent" lately? Good luck finding a Google domain that'll autocomplete those results for you. Presumably caving to pleading from the MPAA and / or RIAA, El Goog has quietly begun to censor the results it shows when typing the above terms. Needless to say, the aforesaid companies aren't too keen on the new procedures, and strangely enough, a number of other sites that would typically be grouped into this same category -- MediaFire, 4shared and HotFile -- remain on the cleared list. Hit the source link if you're looking for loads of responses from companies angered with Google's move, and feel free to reset your homepage to Bing, Yahoo or any other search engine who has yet to bend. You know, if you're feeling rebellious.

Facebook puts the kibosh on branded HTC phone rumors, still plans to sweep the Oscars

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 06:02 AM PST

"The rumor got twenty-two hundred hits within two hours?"
"Thousand."
"I'm sorry?"
"Twenty-two thousand."
"Wow."
And so it was. Once again, the powers that be at Facebook have been forced to come forward and deny yet another rumor that a FB-branded handset was on the horizon, this time crushing hopes and dreams of an HTC device. Dan Rose, head of business development at the company, came forward with the following statement: "This is really just another example of a manufacturer who has taken our public APIs (application programming interfaces) and integrated them into their device in an interesting way. The rumours around there being something more to this HTC device are overblown." When asked whether or not the handset in question would be Facebook-branded, he followed with this: "No. There's no such thing as Harvard law. And there's no such thing as a Facebook phone."*

*Liberties taken with the quote.

LG posts Q4 results, 2010 profit down 93 percent, cellphone sales down 15 percent

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 05:43 AM PST

LG post Q4 results, 2010 profit down 93 percent, cellphone sales down 15 percent
Nokia isn't the only one with bad news today. LG has posted its Q4 results and is taking this time to look back on what can only be described as a dismal 2010 overall. Fourth-quarter revenues were up 9.4 percent over the third quarter, but still resulted in a 246.4 billion won loss -- that's about $226.3 million. LG Home Entertainment sales were actually up almost 16 percent but still posted a loss thanks to cut prices and stiff competition. LG Mobile, meanwhile, saw an eight percent increase in sales over previous quarter, thanks to "strong" performance of phones like the Optimus One, but compared to 2009 sales are down 14.7 percent, a 15.2 percent drop for handsets alone. Looking for some cooler news? Air conditioning sales are up 50 percent!

JVC's RD-R1 and RD-R2 boomboxes bring stereo recording capabilities, the studio to the streets

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 05:24 AM PST

Are you looking for a smaller, less conspicuous means to listen to your jams and a way to record your freestyle battles? JVC has you covered with its new RD-R1 and RD-R2 compact boomboxes that weigh a scant 450 grams (one pound, for those using Americanized measurements). The devices come equipped with dual omni-directional mics and a microSD slot (with an included 2GB card) to record your rhymes at bitrates up to 192Kbps. Both models also have five-second countdown and clapper-style start functionality -- so you have time to get your 'Vogue' on and strike a pose before the music starts. Additionally, the RD-R2 adds a metronome feature and a 6.3mm mono jack for those who want to add an electric guitar to the mix. JVC hasn't released the price for the RD-R1, but with the higher-end R2 model retailing for ¥37,800 ($460) when it goes on sale in February, it ain't cheap. However, it seems a paltry sum to pay for creative freedom. Say word, son!

HTC's buttonless slate spotted in the furry wilds

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 05:01 AM PST

A second HTC phone to escape the netherworld of disputed renders has just been discovered. This touchscreen slate for Verizon lacking a front-side camera was last seen in the Pocketnow leak but is now snuggled up with a Harrods bear in a Chinese user forum. How cozy. Better yet, we've now got a view of the Droid-Incrediblish backside showing a dual-LED flash. Again, no detail to confirm but we'll bet it's announced with Android at a Mobile World Congress press event in February.

[Thanks, LIMIX]

AT&T posts Q4 financials, 2.8 million subscribers added, revenue up 2.1 percent year-over-year

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 04:43 AM PST

AT&T posts Q4 financials, 2.8 million subscribers added, revenues up 2.1 percent year-over-year
AT&T's numbers are up, and they're good: $31.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, $653 million more than Q4 the previous year. 4.1 million iPhones and 442,000 tablets were put online by the company that quarter, helping to drive 2.8 million new wireless subscribers, 95.5 million total, and a boost in revenue per subscriber of 2.2 percent. That's $62.88 average per month per subscriber -- maybe ditching unlimited data is paying off. Additionally, the company posted its best ever Q4 wireless churn (subscribers switching carriers) of just 1.32 percent (1.15 percent postpaid), but we're thinking the launch of a certain smartphone on a certain competitor could possibly have that number increasing ever so slightly this quarter. We'll circle back in three months and see where things stand.

Hulu looking to become more like cable, at risk of losing some ABC and Fox content?

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 04:21 AM PST

Hulu looking to become more like cable, at risk of losing some ABC and Fox content?
We're still waiting to see just what the fallout for Hulu is going to be from the recent Comcast acquisition of NBC, and while many have feared that the cable company would try to kneecap Hulu to protect its market, a Wall Street Journal article has us wondering if maybe things could go a rather different way. The article, coming hot on the heels of Netflix posting promising Q4 results, suggests that Hulu management is considering transforming the purely on-demand service into more of a traditional cable network, offering "live" TV content in addition to the current archive of episodes. That could certainly give Comcast new life.

Meanwhile, NBC, Disney, and News Corp., three companies that recently teamed up to speak out against FCC stipulations to the Comcast buyout, are apparently at odds regarding how much of what Hulu offers should be available to non-subscribers. There's talk that Disney may pull some ABC content and News Corp. may pull some Fox content from Hulu's free offerings, offering it instead on Netflix and other premium competitors. It all sounds a bit speculative at this point but, with cable subscriptions declining for the first time in years and online content viewership skyrocketing, it's obvious that some changes are afoot.

Navigon rolls out iPhone Car Kit for $50

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 04:00 AM PST

The turn-by-turn navigation specialists at Navigon are pairing up their MobileNavigator iPhone app with an official Car Kit today, debuting at MacWorld out in San Francisco. As you might expect, said kit includes the usual array of car-mount necessities -- a USB car charger, an Apple-approved 5-foot iPhone cable, and the suction-style mount itself, which the company describes as "a stylish example of German tech design" featuring a "barely there look" that won't detract from your car's sumptuous, indulgent interior. The Kit is available now for $49.99 -- $44.99 through February 3rd. Follow the break for the full press release.

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NAVIGON Launches iPhone Car Kit at Macworld Expo 2011

Includes Design Mount that is Easy Fix to the Windshield, Car Charger and Extra-Long Connection Cable

Macworld Expo, Moscone Center, San Francisco, California, Booth #943 (January 27, 2011) —NAVIGON AG, a leading provider of mobile phone on-board navigation, today announced the launch of a design focused car kit for the iPhone at the Macworld Expo 2011. The NAVIGON Car Kit consists of an iPhone mounting device and designer suction pad holder, an Apple-certified connection cord and a car charger, which powers the iPhone while on the road.
"The iPhone is the most elegant smartphone available, therefore a mount should never get in the way of showcasing the design," said Gerhard Mayr, vice-president worldwide mobile phones & new markets, NAVIGON. "The new NAVIGON car kit is a stylish example of German tech design with its "barely there" look, letting iPhone users navigate in style." The mount is easy to fix to the windshield, reduces driver distraction and positions the iPhone for optimal GPS signal. The included car charger and the five foot long connection cable (combined $25 value) make sure the iPhone battery doesn't drain. The NAVIGON Car Kit is now available for the iPhone 3G/S and 4 and sells for $49.99 with free shipping (introductory price of $44.99 until Feb 3, 2011) from www.bringmobi.com.

At the Macworld Expo, NAVIGON is located at booth #943. The company will give away 30 licenses for the award winning MobileNavigator app via a Twitter wall among attendees stopping by the booth. All that is necessary to enter the contest is to include a defined hashtag (#) (revealed at the show) in a tweet. Winners are announced each day at 4pm on Twitter.

NAVIGON MobileNavigator* is the first universal navigation app of a major GPS company that runs natively on the iPhone and the iPad. Users with MobileNavigator installed can use the app on both devices without extra charges. It utilizes the iPad's large display and user interface with a higher resolution, and new menus. Route planning is convenient on the iPad, showing a large scrollable, multi-touch map to select destinations in simple taps. Users can plan their routes at home on the iPad and then send them to their iPhone for navigation on the go.

At the NAVIGON booth, attendees can also check out the NAVIGON help2park app, the first in a series of free single-feature apps for the iPhone that NAVIGON will release throughout 2011, marking the company's 20th anniversary. help2park assists drivers with finding a parking spot nearby. A clean and easy to use interface helps to find parking options within a defined area – including addresses and distances from the current location. If NAVIGON's MobileNavigator is installed on the iPhone, drivers are guided directly to the parking space of choice.

*MobileNavigator 1.7.0 is compatible with iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G and iPad 3G. The app also runs on first generation iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad WLAN, but third party accessories for GPS reception are required for these devices. *iOS4 multitasking is supported by the iPhone 4 and 3GS only.

For more information, please visit: www.navigon.com/iphone.

Microsoft's Surface becomes the world's biggest remote control for the AR.Drone (video)

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 03:42 AM PST

Whether it's sheer boredom or the pursuit for something awesome, we really don't care -- the motivation behind writing software to allow Microsoft's Surface to control Parrot's AR.Drone is as immaterial as the wireless connection between the two devices. Jump past the break for video of this pair of much-loved niche machines getting their groove on.

Qualcomm has best quarter ever, teases a host of Snapdragon tablets

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 03:35 AM PST

If you've got a speedy Snapdragon in your smartphone, Qualcomm's the one to thank -- but considering the raw earnings figures shared yesterday, your dollars have applauded the firm enough already. Qualcomm reported record earnings of $3.35 billion for its first fiscal quarter of the year, up 25 percent since Q1 2010, and it raked in a nice fat $1.17 billion of that in profit, 39 percent more than last year. That's thanks to shipping 118 million of those Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chips that power mobile devices, as well as other ventures, and the company expects revenues to continue their upward bent as 2011 progresses -- thanks to new devices on the way.

Qualcomm EVP Steve Mollenkopf told investors that "we currently have more than 150 Snapdragon devices in development, including more than 20 tablets," and that the dual-core 1.2GHz MSM8660 in particular was picking up steam, with over 60 devices slated to use the dual-mode chipset with HSPA+ and EV-DO Rev. B. What of a groundbreaking deal with Apple to power new iPhones and iPads? CEO Paul Jacobs wouldn't say: "We're happy to see the Verizon iPhone announcement since it's been the subject of intense speculation, but we have no other comments on that topic." Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Lenovo and NEC partner up to become Japan's biggest PC vendor

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 03:06 AM PST

Lenovo's insatiable ambition for growth has taken another boost today with the news that China's best-known computer maker is partnering up with NEC for a "strategic alliance" in Japan, the world's third biggest PC market. Under the terms of the deal, a new NEC Lenovo Japan Group will be formed, wherein Lenovo will benefit from 51 percent of the shares and NEC will own 49 percent plus the choice of first CEO, for which it's selected its own Hideyo Takasu. Lenovo will also pad NEC's pockets with $175 million of change and contractual formalities are expected to be completed by the end of June this year. Sadly, specifics on how this will benefit consumers are light on the ground -- both companies will continue to sell products under their respective brands and there's only general talk of collaboration, economies of scale, harnessing operational synergies, and leveraging each company's strengths. At least you'll know your computer's been made in the spirit of fraternal cooperation. Full PR after the break.
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LENOVO AND NEC FORM JOINT VENTURE TO CREATE JAPAN's LARGEST PC GROUP

- Companies also exploring strategic cooperation in other areas -

Beijing and Tokyo, January 27, 2011: Lenovo and NEC Corporation (NEC) today announced a strategic relationship that creates a joint venture between the two companies and forms the largest PC group in Japan. The agreement aligns NEC, Japan's number one PC company, with Lenovo, the fastest growing top-five PC maker in the world*. The new joint venture gives both Lenovo and NEC a unique opportunity to grow their commercial and consumer PC businesses in Japan, the third largest PC market in the world, through a stronger market position, enhanced product portfolios, and expanded distribution channels.

The new joint venture combines NEC's market reputation, product development capabilities, well-regarded customer service and knowledge of customer needs in Japan with Lenovo's heritage of technology expertise, strong global business momentum, and global supply chain reach. It will give customers in Japan more innovative products that are faster to market, more attuned to their needs, and competitively priced.

Lenovo and NEC will form NEC Lenovo Japan Group, and under this group, Lenovo and NEC will establish a new organization known as Lenovo NEC Holdings B.V., registered in the Netherlands. Under the terms of the agreement, Lenovo will hold a 51 percent stake in the new joint venture, while NEC will hold a 49 percent stake. Hideyo Takasu, currently President, NEC Personal Products, Ltd., will become President and CEO of the new joint venture, while Roderick Lappin, currently Representative Director and President, Lenovo (Japan) Ltd., will become Executive Chairman. Lenovo (Japan) Ltd. and NEC Personal Computers, Ltd., a new company formed as a result of separating NEC's PC business from NEC Personal Products, Ltd. will both become 100 percent subsidiary companies of the new joint venture. As the result of this transaction and upon closing, NEC will receive from Lenovo US$175million through an issue of Lenovo shares.

NEC has long been the leading PC company in Japan with widespread sales, marketing and distribution capabilities. Lenovo, the fourth-largest PC maker in the world* currently has a major research center, known as the Yamato Lab, in Yokohama, Japan, and a main sales office in Tokyo. Combining the operations of both companies in Japan will commence immediately with cooperation and collaboration in manufacturing, development and sales. The transaction is expected to close by June 30, 2011.

"The agreement with NEC is a perfect fit for our strategy. It reinforces our commitment to our core PC business while, at the same time, providing important new opportunities for growth in Japan," said Yang Yuanqing, CEO, Lenovo. "We have a long history of innovation in Japan and a firm commitment to the Japanese market. Now, we are combining our global strength and momentum with NEC's market leadership. It is the perfect partnership for us and for our customers."

"Lenovo is the right partner at the right time for NEC, and we believe that we are creating a strategic relationship today that will benefit NEC and our customers for many years to come, said Nobuhiro Endo, President, NEC. "We believe this alliance will further reinforce and expand our PC business in Japan, upholding the NEC brand name and will continue to provide Japanese PC users with products supported by high quality and service. Taking this strategic relationship as a first step, NEC will accelerate expansion of our IT business worldwide."

During and after the transition from independent operations to the joint venture, both companies expect that all their existing PC operations, including customer service, product delivery and warranty fulfillment, will continue as usual. The current product brand names of both NEC and Lenovo will continue, and the joint venture will leverage each company's strength, such as NEC's product development capabilities and Lenovo's procurement resources to develop and to provide the most suitable products to all users in Japan. For consumer products, NEC and Lenovo will continue to maintain their own brands, and provide sales and support through existing routes. For commercial PCs, NEC will continue to market products and support customers through NEC's current channels.

As part of this strategic alignment, Lenovo and NEC have also agreed to discuss further cooperation in other areas, including selling PCs and providing global support to Japanese companies operating outside of Japan (JOCs); developing, producing, and selling devices such as tablets; and selling additional IT platform products such as servers.


About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs. Lenovo's business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the Company develops manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure, and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, see www.lenovo.com.

In its fiscal year closing March 31, 2010, Lenovo recorded US$16.6 billion in revenue and last year reached a record high global market share at 10.4%*. Lenovo, the fastest growing top five consumer PC maker in the world, and the third largest commercial laptop manufacturer globally, has grown faster than the PC industry six quarters in a row worldwide, and Lenovo Japan has been the fastest growing PC company five quarters in a row in Japan.

About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation (TSE:6701) is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross utilize the company's experience and global resources, NEC's advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society. For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.

Nokia smartphone market share shrinks to 31 percent, operating profit takes a beating too

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 02:28 AM PST

Stephen Elop's first quarterly results as Nokia CEO have just come out, and while the company's still growing, others seem to be speeding ahead of it. Nokia's reporting its converged mobile devices (smartphones, to you and us) reached volumes of 28.3 million during Q4 2010, which is a neat bump from 20.8 million at the same time last year and 26.5 million in the previous quarter. However, in the context of the broader smartphone marketplace, that figure now amounts to only a 31 percent share, according to Nokia's own estimates, which is a major dip relative to its 40 percent slice in Q4 2009 and 38 percent in Q3 2010. Elop's perspective on the matter is as follows:
"In Q4 we delivered solid performance across all three of our businesses, and generated outstanding cash flow. Additionally, growth trends in the mobile devices market continue to be encouraging. Yet, Nokia faces some significant challenges in our competitiveness and our execution. In short, the industry changed, and now it's time for Nokia to change faster."
When your operating profit goes from €1.47b (€950m net) a year ago to €1.09b (€745m net) this year, the response should indeed be to change and to change fast. Nokia's still not disclosing sales figures of the N8, but given that this was the first full reporting period where the company's Symbian flagship has been on sale, it doesn't seem to have had quite the impact Espoo will have hoped for. Wanna try again with the N9?

Update: Nokia's investor relations call has borne a few more interesting tidbits from the new man in charge. Elop is quoted as saying Nokia must "build or join a competitive ecosystem," with the latter verb in that sentence sure to renew discussions of why the Finnish company should / shouldn't switch to an OS such as Android or Windows Phone 7. We still think that'll be the very last resort over in Espoo, but Elop apparently thinks Nokia has the brand recognition and operator relationships to make such a move if it wanted to. Which of course it doesn't. Or does it? Let's wait for Nokia's Strategy and Financial Briefing in London on February 11th -- Mr. Elop's expected to be a lot more specific about his company's roadmap going forward on that day.

HTC's newest Android flagship phone revealed

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 01:54 AM PST

Why bother waiting for its official Mobile World Congress reveal in February when you can view the newest HTC flagship today? The touchscreen slate prototype (notice the serial number stamped along the bottom of the handset's face) you're looking at above matches the leaked Pocketnow render exactly including the arcing earpiece and isolated front-facing camera with chrome ring. It was just spotted by an eagle-eyed tipster while waiting for a Taipei metro system. Sorry Windows Phone 7 fans, this baby is Android through and through. And seeing it in the wild lends credence to all of the HTC devices pictured in that leak. A couple more snaps after the break.

Update: Seems our tipster might have taken these images (without attribution) from the same Mobile01 forum as the other leaked HTC.

[Thanks, LIMIX]





Google adds HTML5 Gmail and Gtalk notifications for the desktop, makes you envy Chrome users

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 01:09 AM PST

Oh, come on, Google! If you're going to give us desktop notifiers for our favorite email and chat clients, you've got to play nice and let us have them on more than your own browser, right? To be fair to the Chrome maker, it's standardizing the code it's used in its new HTML5 alerts so that other browsers can soon use it too, but as of today, you'll need to use the Google-sanctioned webscape navigator if you want its sweet new pop-ups on your desktop. We gave them a quick try and they're delightfully quick, with Gtalk message alerts updating themselves to the latest one received instead of stacking up and threatening your sanity. Hit the source link to learn how to enable the new notifications.

Ricoh unveils CX5 with hybrid AF, continues tradition of subtle improvements

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 12:27 AM PST

The folks at Ricoh have dependable predictability down pat, and the CX5's specs are, for the most part, nothing new. We've talked up the CX line of compact superzooms since the release of the CX1 almost two years ago, and we've watched the company fine-tune the already impressive camera with each new edition. Every incarnation of the CX series is just a tad better than the last: you might recall the CX4 didn't make any big changes, either. The CX5 offers few marked signs of improvement (at least on paper) over its predecessor, but it does sport a hybrid AF that combines a distance sensor with contrast detection to bring focus rates down to two-tenths of a second: twice as fast as the CX4. Other than that -- you guessed it -- the CX5 sports the same specs as its predecessor (unless you count the addition of a "continuous golf swing" mode). So, if you're looking for a big step up from your CX4, you might want to wait for the next generation. Then again, we can't guarantee Ricoh will break with tradition.
Show full PR text
Offering High-speed Focus with a Hybrid AF System
Compact digital camera with 10.7× optical zoom (28-300 mm)
Introducing the new CX5

RICOH COMPANY, LTD. (helmed by president and CEO Shiro Kondo) will be releasing its newly developed CX5 digital camera model with its wide-angle, high magnification 10.7× optical zoom (28–300 mm) lens, which has a higher autofocus speed due to the use of Ricoh's new hybrid AF system.

With the new CX5 model, AF focusing times are decreased to as low as 0.2 sec. for both wide-angle 28 mm and telephoto 300 mm, up to half as short compared to the CX4, using Ricoh's unique new hybrid AF system. This ensures that you reliably capture the image you were waiting for, never to miss another good shot again.

Using super-resolution technology, the CX5 also allows (1) recording of images with improved resolution using the "Super-resolution" setting and (2) telephoto shooting at up to 600 mm equivalent with minimal degradation in image quality using "Super-resolution Zoom."

Furthermore, in addition to the new Cooking, Fireworks, and Continuous Golf Swing scene modes, the CX5 has improved features that make shooting photographs even more fun through the use of super-resolution zoom during Zoom Macro mode shooting and other functions. The CX5 is an even more enhanced compact digital camera that was designed based on the concept of it being "a tool that you will find yourself wanting to use every day."

Available in three colors: Black, Silver, and Pink.

Main Features of the New CX5 Model
1. High-speed autofocus using the unique hybrid AF system developed by Ricoh
* Equipped with Ricoh's unique new hybrid AF system in combination with a passive AF sensor that continuously measures the distance between the camera and subject using an area sensor together with Contrast AF (a system in which the imaging elements search for the peak location for contrast on the subject and focus on that location).
* Enables AF focusing times to be shortened to as low as 0.2 sec. for both wide-angle 28 mm and telephoto 300 mm, up to half as short compared to the CX4 model. Ensures that you capture the image you were waiting for over the entire zoom range so that you never miss another good shot again.

2. Improved image resolution through use of super-resolution technology
* Enables amazing photographs with high resolution to be produced using the CX5's new super-resolution technology, which discerns outlines, details, and gradations in the image automatically and processes the image based on the optimal settings for each. The level of super-resolution can be set to OFF, Weak, or Strong.

3. Super-resolution zoom equivalent to up to 600 mm in addition to the 10.7× 28–300 mm optical zoom
* Allows a wide-angle, high-magnification 10.7× optical zoom lens to fit into a compact body with a thickness of 29.4 mm using Ricoh's unique retracting lens system.
* Equipped with super-resolution zoom that enables magnification of up to 2.0×. Enables telephoto shooting at up to 600 mm equivalent with minimal degradation in image quality.
* Enables even greater magnification of the subject from super-resolution zoom with use of digital zoom. Allows photographs to be taken with ultra-telephoto zoom at up to 2880 mm.

4. High-quality photography that widens the range of image expression
* Offering reduced loss of detail in highlights using an output pixel interpolation algorithm residing in dedicated logic circuits in the Smooth Imaging Engine IV imaging engine to allow high-contrast scenes to be reproduced more faithfully, exactly as they appear to the naked eye.
* Reduces noise without affecting resolution, tone characteristics, or color using a noise reduction algorithm to process the image signal as it is output from the CMOS image sensor. Enables sophisticated variance-estimation type noise reduction processing in which the sensor image data's noise variance is analyzed and the optimum processing is done for each region when the noise reduction level is set to MAX.
* Equipped with a back-illuminated 10.00 million-pixel CMOS sensor. Ensures that beautiful images can be captured even in dark scenes.

5. 14 different types of Scene Modes providing easy access to whole suites of photographic techniques specifically adapted to the subject
* Comes with a new Cooking mode that is perfect for shooting photographs of food. The new Cooking mode setting enables the brightness and color tone of the scene to be adjusted while the subject is checked.
* Includes a new Fireworks mode that works great for taking shots of fireworks as they flash across the sky.
* Comes with a new Golf Swing Continuous mode that displays grid lines during shooting and playback. Perfect to use for checking your golf swing.
* Enables super-resolution zoom to be used in Zoom Macro mode, which optimizes the zoom position automatically to allow the subject to be shot even larger than with normal macro shooting. Allows the subject to be shot even larger without any degradation of image quality as with normal zoom.

6. Creative shooting modes that allow you to enjoy shooting creative images
* Comes with six different types including Soft Focus, Cross Process, Toy Camera, and Miniaturize that can be selected to fit the subject and type of scene. Allows you to enjoy shooting images with a variety of effects.

7. High-definition 3.0-inch, 920,000-dot LCD monitor
* Equipped with a large, high-definition LCD monitor that has a wide viewing angle and high contrast. With a fluorine coat to prevent soiling, a hard coat to prevent scratches, and an anti-reflection (AR) coat designed to protect the screen against dirt and damage and guarantee excellent visibility even outdoors in direct sunlight.
* Reproduces image colors vividly with sRGB comparison of 100% for the color reproduction range.

8. A wide variety of functions based on the concept of the CX5 being "a tool that you will find yourself wanting to use every day"
* Equipped with new HDMI terminals. Allows high-definition (HD) movies with a frame size of 1280×720 pixels to be viewed on an HD TV using an HDMI cable (sold separately).
* Comes equipped with macro shooting functions that allow you to get as close to the subject as 1 cm for wide-angle (*) and 28 cm for telephoto. (*) Equivalent to 31 mm for 35-mm film equivalents.
* Enables high-speed continuous shooting at speeds of up to approx. 5 frames/sec.
* Equipped with Scene Auto Mode, which automatically switches to the optimal shooting settings for the scene when the camera is merely pointed at a scene.
* Comes with Subject-tracking AF, which continuously tracks and focuses on the subject automatically.
* The CX5 is compatible with Eye-Fi cards (X2 Series), SD memory cards with built-in wireless LAN functionality, which enables captured images to be transferred wirelessly to a computer or online image sharing service automatically. An icon will appear while an Eye-Fi card is being used to display the communications status.

Nintendo Q3 profits down 46 percent, slashes console sales projections

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 11:30 PM PST

Call it an unfortunate coincidence but Nintendo just announced its quarterly numbers only minutes after Sony announced its new quad-core Cortex-A9 pumping PSP (codenamed NGP) and new PlayStation Suite for gaming on Android tablets and cellphones. So what's the damage? Well, to start with, Nintendo's Q3 (October to December) operating profits were down 46 percent (104.6 billion yen ($1.3 billion) compared with 192.3 billion last year) on account of weaker Wii and DS sales coupled with a continued strong yen. The house of Mario also slashed its annual sales expectations projecting 16 million Wii consoles (down from 17.5 million units) and 22.5 million DS handhelds (down from 23.5 million) sold through March. It wasn't all bad news though as Ninty maintained its annual operating profit forecast of 210 billion yen assisted by a projected 25% increase in Wii software shipments. Mind you, that's not chump change, but gone are the days of the Wii / DS one-two knockout punch on the competition. And with a full quarter to go before the 3DS is launched globally, we're not expecting any improvement to the bottom line until the next fiscal year.

Sony's next PSP (codename NGP): a closer look

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 11:09 PM PST

Following the unveil of its bodacious next generation portable (NGP) PlayStation device, Sony let a swarm of journalists (including us) on stage to get a closer look at the PSP's dual-stick, quad-core successor. No touching, but we were able to direct our lens mighty close and compare the NXP with a PSP and PSP Go before the on-hand staff shooed us away. Enjoy the pictures!

Update: And now we've got video for you as well! You know where it's at.
Sony NGP eyes-on

Sony NGP vs. PSP and PSP Go... fight!

Sony's next-gen PSP (NGP) has a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, quad-core GPU as well

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 10:48 PM PST

You know that crazy next-gen PSP (NGP) with multiple touchpads, dual analog sticks, and quadrupled resolution that Sony just trotted out? Yeah, it's got a quad-core Cortex-A9 and a quad-core Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU doing the grunt work within. We've never seen a handheld this powerful. Then again, considering the darn thing won't be launching until this holiday season, maybe quad-core parts will be the least Sony will need in order to match up to the "super phones" coming up this year. We're just wondering how long any of these souped-up portables will last on a charge. Full spec sheet after the break.

Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 09:27 PM PST

Betcha didn't think this day would come, but it finally has. Sony has just come clean with its next-generation PlayStation Portable. It's actually codenamed NGP and will revolve around five key concepts: Revolutionary User Interface, Social Connectivity, Location-based Entertainment, Converging Real and Virtual (augmented) Reality. It will be compatible with the PlayStation Suite and is backwards-compatible with downloadable PSP games and content from Sony's PlayStation Store.

Specs include a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, 5-inch touchscreen OLED display with 960 x 544 resolution, dual analog sticks (not nubs as on the current generation), 3G, WiFi, GPS, a rear-mounted touchpad, the same accelerometer / gyroscope motion sensing as in the PlayStation Move, an electronic compass, and cameras on both the front and back. Available this holiday season. Wait... what?!
Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP

Games will come on "new media," not UMD anymore, but we're unclear on what sort of flash memory is being used. Sony's rather proud of the fact it's offering the world's first dual analog stick combo on a portable device, though we're more geeked about the quadrupling of pixel count from the original PSP.

Sony's live event has been graced by demos of some pretty popular games, including Killzone, Resistance, Little Big Planet, and Uncharted -- with the latter serving as a demo platform to show off how the NGP's rear touchpad can be used to more intuitively climb up some vines. That touch panel on the back is the same size and positioned directly under the front OLED touchscreen, which allows for some pretty sophisticated controls when using the two simultaneously.

The new console's UI will be called LiveArea, which has a bunch of vertically navigable home screens and built-in social networking through PlayStation Network. You can jump between games and the LiveArea without losing your progress and comment on your buddies' great feats of mobile gaming.
Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP games and UI

In closing its presentation, Sony trotted out Hideo Kojima to show off a cutscene from MGS 4 rendered in real time on the NGP. It was pulled directly from the PS3 version of the game and ran at 20fps, which looked very smooth indeed to our liveblogging eyes. Videos and Sony's full PR are now available below.
Sony's next PSP, codenamed NGP press shots

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SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES ITS NEXT GENERATION PORTABLE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM

Ultimate Portable Entertainment System Makes Its Debut This Year,
Further Expanding the PlayStation® Business in the Portable Gaming Market

Tokyo, January 27, 2011– Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced its next generation portable entertainment system (codename: NGP), which delivers the ultimate portable entertainment experience. NGP will make its debut at the end of the year 2011.

NGP is designed to offer unparalleled interactive entertainment that is only possible on PlayStation®. This new system offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context, made possible by leveraging SCE's experience from both PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®3 (PS3®) entertainment systems.

Deep and immersive gaming is at the core of PlayStation's DNA, and NGP is the latest embodiment of this vision. By having both Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity, together with various applications, NGP will enable infinite possibilities for users to "encounter," "connect," "discover," "share" and "play" with friends wherever they are. Within the device are a range of features that provide a genuinely cutting-edge, next generation ultimate portable entertainment experience.
・Stunning OLED and Revolutionary User Interface

NGP incorporates a beautiful multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display. A high-performance CPU / GPU combined with OLED enables rich, visually striking graphics never seen before on a portable entertainment system, for both games and other digital entertainment content. The new system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, and together with the front touch display, NGP offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through "touch, grab, trace, push and pull" moves of the fingers.
・Super Oval Design and Dual Analog Sticks

While succeeding the basic design philosophy of PSP, NGP adopts the Super Oval Design form factor, created to fit comfortably in users' hands. For the first time, a portable entertainment system will feature two analog sticks, which enable a wider range of game genres to be brought into the portable experience.
・LiveArea™

Every game title for NGP will be provided with a space called "LiveArea™" where users can share the fun and excitement with other players. Users will have access to the latest information of games provided from SCE and 3rd party developers and publishers through PlayStation®Network. Additionally, NGP users will be able to view an "Activity" log that is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users.
・Near

SCE will also provide location-based services on NGP as part of the basic features utilizing PlayStation Network. The new application called "Near," developed specifically for this service and the network, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.
・New Game Medium

NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles. Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games.

NGP will also come equipped with two cameras on its front and rear, as well as three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass, all of which are designed to enable users to enjoy the world of entertainment that is linked with real life experiences.

PlayStation®Suite (PS Suite), announced today, will also closely coordinate with NGP. The newly developed and released game content for Android™ based portable devices can also be enjoyed on NGP. As a result, users will have access to not only the most leading-edge content, but also some of the more casual experiences that typify the mobile market place.

SCE will vigorously promote NGP towards the launch as the next generation portable entertainment platform and deploy various measures to further expand the portable gaming market.

Sony reveals PlayStation Suite framework, store for Android gaming

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 09:21 PM PST

Sony just dropped a bomb on the Japanese stage -- not a single PlayStation Phone, but a PlayStation Phone experience for everybody. The company unveiled a cross-platform software framework called PlayStation Suite, which sounds rather boring in those words, but what it amounts to is an official PlayStation Store filled with games for your Android tablets and cellphones. Sony's starting with an emulator for existing PSOne titles and is promising an Android game store later this year, but soon it might be much, much more: the company's calling PlayStation Suite a "hardware-neutral" development framework to make games portable for all sorts of handhelds, and says that "new and exciting content" is also on the way.

Sony will sponsor a first-party licensing and quality-assurance scheme called PlayStation Certified, and provide the marketplace as well, likely hoping to attract major game developers to build top-tier titles for mobile and get a piece of the action too. If your device doesn't have have a pop-out gamepad handy, it looks like PlayStation Suite will emulate touchscreen controls, and you won't necessarily need a phone to get in on the action, as Sony says the next-generation PlayStation Portable will be compatible with games developed for PlayStation Suite right off the bat. Doesn't look like we're getting any details on game prices or compatible devices, but we imagine one particular phone will change all that at Mobile World Congress next month.

Update: Looks like PlayStation Suite requires Android 2.3 at a minimum, and it's PSOne, not PlayStation Portable titles that will be emulated here, despite Kaz Hirai's quote during the festivities. PR after the break!
Sony reveals PlayStation Suite
Show full PR text
SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT TO UNVEIL "PLAYSTATION®SUITE," DELIVERING THE WORLD OF PLAYSTATION® TO ANDROID™ BASED PORTABLE DEVICES

Simultaneously Launching "PlayStation®Certified" License Program to Provide PlayStation® Content and Development Support for Android™ Based Portable Devices

Tokyo, January 27, 2011– Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today unveiled "PlayStation®Suite" (PS Suite), delivering the PlayStation® experience to Android™ based portable devices*1. Through this entirely new initiative, users will be able to enjoy PlayStation content on an open operating system for the first time in PlayStation history. In the dramatically evolving and diversifying mobile market, the number of users who enjoy games casually on a variety of devices including mobile phones, smart-phones and tablet PCs, has been increasing significantly. By offering "PlayStation quality" content to this rapidly growing market, SCE will not only deliver the PlayStation experience to a wider base of users around the globe, but will also be able to offer game developers and publishers the potential to further expand their business opportunities to these devices.

In providing the PlayStation experience on Android based portable devices, SCE will commence a "PlayStation®Certified" license program for hardware manufacturers. Through this program, SCE will offer necessary support, including development support as well as logo licensing, to ensure the delivery of PlayStation quality experience across various devices.

On the software front, SCE plans to provide PS Suite content within this calendar year, starting with original PlayStation games*2 (PS one® classics) that will allow users to enjoy "PlayStation quality" gameplay on their Android based portable devices. SCE also plans to open PlayStation®Store where users will be able to download content in an easy to use environment, directly via the Android based portable devices. Moreover, SCE will provide a new game development environment in an effort to ensure new and compelling content is delivered on PS Suite, which will also offer opportunities for a wider base of developers and publishers to further expand their business on various portable devices.

Newly developed content for PS Suite can also be enjoyed on the next generation portable entertainment system (codename: NGP), which SCE announced today. Users who have never experienced PlayStation content can get a taste of the PlayStation experience through PS Suite and from there, they can enjoy the ultimate portable entertainment experience that is only possible on NGP.

SCE will vigorously enhance the entertainment world delivering the PlayStation experience to a wider base of users.

*1 Android™ 2.3 or beyond is required.
*2 PS one game console software title. We will announce the tiles when ready.

Live from Sony's Tokyo event

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 09:05 PM PST



7:45AM Kaz just showed off a huge list of developers that are also onboard. No surprise, but we're a little hurt that none of them spilled the beans.



7:42AM He doesn't have anything to show, sadly, and he's gone with a whimper.

7:42AM "When you consider [insert all of NGP's features here], the possibilites are endless."


7:41AM "I'm delighted to announce that Call of Duty will be coming to NGP." Surprise!


7:40AM Now Philip Earl from Activision.

7:39AM Seems like Epic is just adding NGP interface to its existing mobile strategy, which makes a lot of sense.


7:38AM He's also showing of Dungeon Defenders, which currently is on Android.

7:37AM It looks about iPhone 4 quality, but obviously there's a bit more going on in the scene.


7:36AM Showing Unreal Engine 3. Starting with the same Citadel demo from the iPhone, but taking it a step further, with a full living environment and realtime-rendered characters.


7:36AM Now Tim Sweeney from Epic Games. He says "thank you very much" in our mother tongue! We're near tears.


7:34AM Hideo envisions using the exact same game on the PS3 and the NGP. You play the game on your PS3 at home, and out and about you play the same game and same save on your NGP. A beautiful dream, indeed. "This dream is going to come true in the near future, and right now I'm working on this project. I'm sorry right now I can't disclose further information, but I'd like to present what we're doing at E3."

7:33AM Hideo caveats that the clip was actually pulled straight from the PS3 version and rendered on the NGP, which is rendering it at 20 fps. Naturally some graphical reductions will happen for any actual title on the NGP, but it's still pretty impressive.



7:30AM If this level of graphics can actually be pulled off in gameplay we'll be very, very impressed.



7:29AM It's Old Man Snake and his adorable robo friend from MGS 4.

7:29AM It's a cutscene rendered in realtime, but it looks pretty amazing. By far the best so far.


7:28AM Now we've got Metal Gear Solid test video.

7:28AM Now, Hideo Kojima from Konami!

7:27AM Kaz is back, and none to soon.

7:27AM He's working on a new series, but also might go back to old series and add in NGP features.

7:27AM You can select an enemy, you can select multiple enemies, and you can select enemies in the distance. "Using the innovative touchpad I'm sure we can develop a new title that looks and feels different than what we've had in the past."

7:25AM This UI looks really bad. Maybe they should've stuck to those cutscenes like Capcom and Sega? At least the graphics look great.

7:24AM He's showing off a Dynasty Warrior game. Still have a ton of enemies, but now you touch them to kill them instead of button mashing. We've come so far!





7:23AM Next! Akihiro Suzuki from Tecmo Koei.

7:22AM It's the zombie version of Yakuza. It's just a demo for now.

7:22AM And now Zombies bust in!



7:21AM Really great quality, showing full facial animation in the cutscene. Seems like he's spending more NGP power on polygons and a little less on shaders, contrary to Capcom.



7:20AM Now showing a demo video.

7:19AM "When we have new hardware, developers think about three things. Capability of the hardware, interface, communications infrastructure."



7:18AM Next up: Toshihiro Nagoshi from Sega.

7:18AM It looked pretty good, but certainly a lot of jaggies.


7:17AM The Lost Planet demo was done in just a few weeks.

7:17AM Not announcing any new titles today, but will announce some soon.

7:17AM "Just like the PS3. Only difference is the geometry capabilities. The same lighting shaders, same physics as the PS3."

7:16AM So, that was emulation, "the first part." But we're getting ready for NGP as well. Showing simulated images for NGP: a realtime cutscene for Lost Planet 2.


7:14AM He's controlling it with dual analog sticks. "I must say, the stick feels great! You can quote me, that's my first impression of this."

7:13AM This is actually his first time playing it on an actual NGP, he's only seen developer devices before now. "I'm a little nervous."



7:13AM Now here's Monster Hunter Third, the download version, running on the NGP.

7:12AM "Two things I would like to convey to you today... But first, Monster Hunter." New version of Monster Hunter sold 4 million copies, and a portable version is coming.


7:10AM Here's Jun Takeuchi with Capcom.

7:10AM So that's first party demos, but of course third parties are on board with the NGP as well.

7:09AM Alright, place your bets now: is the Xperia Play a PS Suite device, or a full PlayStation with all these fancy NGP-style games? We're guessing the former.

7:08AM Kaz hopes PS Suite content on phones will stimulate users into getting an actual NGP for the full-on experience.



7:08AM NGP and PlayStation Suite. "Content that operates on smartphones will operate on PlayStation.

7:06AM Same gyro sensor and accelerometer as the PlayStation Move.

7:06AM Getting a demo of Hot Shots Golf. Very touch-centric UI. Tap the avatar to get a hello. Tap into the "eye" view and you can get a view from the avatar's point of view, which can be moved around as if the NGP is a camera, thanks to the gyroscope. You even look down and place the golf ball with your finger.




7:02AM Okay, now for "Converging Real and Virtual."


7:02AM This reminds us of some of the Ovi Store stuff Nokia was trying to do.

7:01AM You can also rate games from the Near app.


7:01AM Sounds like this might be Sony's solution to game discovery... instead of putting it all in the store, you just see what's popular in your area, learn more about it, and get funneled into the PS Store for a purchase.


7:00AM Showing the "Near" app, which does the tracking. For each area you've been, it shows the most popular game in that area. You can also look over a history of who was nearby at each location, based on a map of avatars. Tap onto an avatar and you can see what other games that user plays.







6:59AM NGP tracks your location over time and creates of map of where you've been. That's not creepy at all!



6:57AM "Wouldn't you like to know the very titles that are being played in your area?"

6:57AM Now for Location-based Entertainment.

6:57AM Now, the 3G connection. Realtime updates. No mention of multiplayer just yet, however.

6:56AM As far as wel can tell LiveArea refers to everything UI-wise in NGP, including the home screen, but also each game gets its own LiveArea.

6:55AM You can hop in and out of a game from LiveArea. There's also a friend feed, showing achievements and purchases of your friends in the particular game.





6:54AM LiveArea UI is the main UI of the whole device. Think of the Android home screens, just turned on their side. Swipe up or down to see more screenfuls of games or apps.





6:52AM Next, "LiveArea," a "Game-oriented communication platform."



6:51AM Now, front and touchpad simultaneously, using the thumb and index finger of one hand, to grab Deviants and fling them.

6:51AM Now we're checking out a demo of "Little Deviants." You touch the back touchpad to lift the ground under the Deviants to move them around, or tap the pad to make them jump. Two fingers just lifts more of the ground into bigger hills.


6:48AM Actual UI of the device is being shown. Touch, Grab, Trace, Push, Pull are potential interactions with the front and rear touchpad.


6:48AM Now Kaz is talking the UI in general. Another rehash: dual analog, front and rear cameras, front and rear touchpad.


6:47AM That's it for the demo. Seems to combine everything a PSP or PS3 controller can do, with very iPhone-like interface elements.


6:46AM Now he's using the touchscreen to select different parts of the cliff to climb up, instead of analog stick + button to progress. Now he drew a line up the cliff and Nathan follows that route. Uses the gyro sensor for aiming.



6:44AM Now he's using the back touchpad with two fingers to simulate a hand-over-hand climb up another vine.

6:44AM The Uncharted gameplay uses the sticks and buttons, but you can also touch the screen to go over an obstacle, or tilt the device to control the swinging on a vine.

6:43AM The dual analog sticks are a new "micro" design that is apparently more like the DualShock design.


6:42AM They showed off the great viewing angle abilities of the OLED screen. "Great for people like me who like to play games laying down."

6:41AM "It's overwhelming."


6:41AM It looks really nice. Not quite PS3 level, but there are still plenty of polygons and lighting effects.

6:41AM Now we're getting a demo of Uncharted, running live on an NGP.


6:40AM Also showed off Little Big Planet, Resistance, and Uncharted. Looks like they're really going all out.


6:40AM Showing off some upcoming games. Including Killzone! A "Reality Fighters" title looks hilarious, putting fighters in an augmented reality setting.




6:38AM Also supports social user interaction adding the fun of social gaming in the portable world.

6:37AM "The ultimate entertainment experience." Advantages include the large screen, first dual analog sticks in the history of portable gaming. Front and rear touchpads.


6:37AM Shuhei Yoshida, president of worldwide studios, is out to talk about the potential of new games.

6:36AM Man, this is really great.


6:36AM It will be released this holiday season.

6:36AM 3G and WiFi.

6:36AM Uses flash cards for games -- it looks like an SD card, but there's a curve to it that might suggest it's proprietary.



6:35AM "The most advanced CPU int its class. There are also motion sensors, and front and rear cameras.


6:35AM That screen is a 5-inch OLED, with 960 x 544 resolution. That's 4x a PSP.

6:34AM Hard to tell how slim it is, but it's not exactly paper thin. Again, very PSP-like.

6:34AM The touch back is probably the biggest surprise, lots of opportunity for new interaction there.


6:33AM Kaz has one in hand! It really does look like a PSP, perhaps a bit taller, due to the screen.


6:33AM 3G data.

6:33AM Dual analog sticks, front and back touchpads. High-res screen.


6:32AM It looks like the PSP!

6:32AM Our goal for NGP is to transform every aspect of the user's life into entertainment.



6:31AM "The power is now in your hands."

6:31AM No device is being shown, but there are a ton of social features. The tag line is "Play Life." Leaderboards, messaging, avatars.





6:29AM "Ultimate Portable Entertainment." Now we're getting a video.

6:29AM Five new concepts. Revolutionary User Interface. Social Connectivity. Location-based Entertainment. Converging Real and Virtual (augmented reality). PlayStation Suite Compatibility.



6:28AM Sony is also dedicated to creating in the ultimate of handheld gaming. Announcing the "Next Generation Portable," the successor to the PSP.


6:28AM Alright, next! Portable.

6:28AM PlayStation Suite is due to be available by the end of this calendar year.


6:27AM "The possibilities to create new kinds of entertainment are virtually limitless."

6:27AM "What would happen if numerous devices that exist around the world that support our platform were added to the PlayStation family?"

6:26AM "We envision PlayStation Suite as an initiative that is essential to the world of portable entertainment."

6:25AM Sony will also launch PlayStation Store for Android devices.


6:25AM "Hardware agnostic framework that simplifies the content development process." Existing partners will have access, but Sony is also looking to reach out to more developers.



6:24AM PlayStation Suite also has a new development framework for developing mobile-specific titles. "Hardware-neutral Game Framework."

6:24AM He's showing a screenshot with screen overlay controls on top of a PSP game.




6:23AM "We will first emulate the first generation PSP titles to be available on PS Suite devices."

6:23AM "We will perform content quality testing on devices to ensure the quality of playback."


6:22AM "We also launch a new licensing program called 'PlayStation Certified.'"


6:22AM "A new development framework for the development of entirely new content."

6:22AM Cross Platform, Cross Device. For Android phones and tablets.


6:21AM "PlayStation Suite extends the PlayStation experience beyond the PSP, by providing PlayStation content to other devices."


6:21AM "Today we are announcing PlayStation Suite."

6:21AM "We also see it as our mission to help the content creators to reach the users."

6:20AM "These phone devices are finally technically ready for PSP-like performance."


6:20AM Now the smartphones are competing, and Sony seems interested in playing ball. Oh really?

6:19AM "There was a time that the only way to play a game outside was to carry a portable gaming console like the PSP."


6:19AM "Now, the environment surrounding the world of portable gaming has undergone a radical transformation since the launch of the PSP five or six years ago."

6:18AM Now, outside the home. "Games are nearer to you than ever, and are accessible at any time."


6:18AM So, that's "Home." Now it's "Cross Platform." The graphic also shows "Portable" in our slideshow future.




6:17AM PlayStation Network launched in 2006, and today over 80 percent of PS3 consoles are connected to the internet. PS Network has 69 million accounts all over the world, with 1.4 billion content downloads.

6:16AM First up? The home. A PS3 is equipped with a Cell processor, Blu-ray, HDMI outputs. A new slim design, a 3D firmware update. "With these technological innovations, the PS3 became significantly different than its precessors."




6:14AM But today... "I'd like to speak about a whole new world. The future will one day become reality, which is why we must keep on coming up with new visions of the future, and making them come true."


6:14AM He sees the PlayStation 3 as the primary application of that 2005 vision, though he admits it hasn't all arrived yet.


6:13AM "A lot of what we envisioned back then has materialized in the daily lives of our users."



6:12AM A city in 3D, a car in 3D, golf in 3D. Kaz is back. "When reality is digitized into data, it becomes your own version of reality, over which you have complete control."

6:12AM "We wanted to start by showing a vision of the future that we had back in 2005." The video is kicking off. It's pretty thrilling. About linking live camera information with 3D data. "When images are linked to digital information, reality can be controlled." "Reality becomes data."





6:10AM "Let me start with showing you some video footage, it's the same clip we showed at E3 five and a half years ago."

6:10AM "At CES I asked you to look forward to new products and services... and today I'm excited to share with you the first of those announcements from SCE."

6:09AM "It's been a while since we've had a PlayStation Meeting."

6:09AM Kaz Hirai is out!

6:08AM Jams are starting to get loud! This could be a good sign.

6:08AM Starting to get the munchies... maybe they'll announce an edible PSP? Or they could just start! "The meeting will start momentarily." They've been saying that all hour, and we're starting to lose hope. Even though it's only seven minutes past. Damn our American impatience.

6:05AM The presser will be conducted in Japanese, and we're wired in with an earpiece for live English translation. If the service breaks down on us we'll probably just spam these updates with "PSP2 PSP2 PSP2 PSP2" etc.

3:01PM We just switched our timestamps over to Tokyo local time for the sake of not confusing / confusing you.

0:55AM Remind us to call the Sony execs while they're on stage: we're sure all of them are rocking the Xperia Play in pocket. What, do you think they'd settle for any of SE's other recent phones?


0:50AM About 15 minutes to go before we start. We're getting some bilingual announcements: smoking is not allowed. Woah, we've got a white balance lady! Very pro.

0:24AM There's a shot of the ballroom. We'd pay $5 if Kaz descends to the stage on one of those chandeliers.


0:17AM The projector screen reads "PlayStation Meeting 2011," which sounds more like an informal parent / teacher chat than a press conference. When walking past a door on our way in we're pretty sure we spied a slide in its place that read "revolutionizing user interface." That sounds like a touchscreen PSP 2 to us. Right? Please?

0:12AM We just got a seat in the cavernous hotel ballroom Sony is hosting this event at. Some jazzy dance beats are keeping our thoughts positive, but if we don't get a PSP2 announcement we're not sure if sweet jams can keep us from a spiral of depression.
We're gonna level with you, we're not entirely sure what (if anything) Sony will show off at its Tokyo meeting today -- other than "business [overview] and strategy," of course. All the same, with the rumor mill in high gear about a possible PSP2 debut, we decided to take a chance and fly halfway across the world. Will it end up a worthy excursion with momentous payoff? Some fiscal and corporate chatter? A new Japanese ad campaign featuring a terribly dubbed Kevin Butler? Follow along!

Mediaroom rumors could put Microsoft IPTV on the fast track to success

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 08:31 PM PST

We're hearing rumors today that Microsoft's already hardworking Mediaroom could be putting in overtime in the near future. According to ZDNet, not only is Microsoft working on a Mediaroom client for Windows Phone (aka Rome), but it's also got a Silverlight-for-Mediaroom project (aka Taos) in the pipeline, with a possible Silverlight-for-Mediaroom STB (aka Santa Fe) also on the way. As if it didn't already have a heavy workload, the platform is also up for a possible tie-in with Windows Media Center (aka Monaco). All this comes on the heels of chatter that the software giant is considering a new Xbox 360 TV service, incorporating Mediaroom, and news of a Silverlight SOC that could be worked into an STB like Santa Fe. All code names and acronyms aside, it looks like Microsoft is gearing up to give Apple and Google some serious internet TV competition, which means Mediaroom's going to have say goodbye to happy hour and hello to some serious all-nighters.

Sony about to issue PS3 update with 'minor,' mysterious security patch (update)

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 07:13 PM PST

Sony just mentioned on its official PlayStation blog that the PS3 is about to get a "minor" update, v3.56. With Sony about to host a press event in Tokyo, it would be nice if we were getting some new functionality for our update timeout, but apparently all it adds is a security patch (just like 3.55), and for some reason we get the impression that this "security patch" is less about defense against baddies and more about trying to shore up the PS3 jailbreak that's currently running rampant. Of course, there are some serious security concerns when it comes to jailbroken PS3s, like the fact that they allow some serious cheating in select multiplayer games, so a truly competent, non-user-hostile security patch wouldn't be all bad. We guess we'll see what we get when the update lands, presumably later today.

Update: That didn't take long. It's out -- and members of the PS3 hack community already allege that it breaks custom firmware.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Facebook phone rumors resurface: cloud-based, HTC-built?

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 06:29 PM PST

Ah, the Facebook phone. Despite statements by the company that it is flat out not making a phone, the rumors persist, and not one but two separate stories have now cropped up on the same day that a mysterious "call" button has appeared on some folks' Facebook pages. The first of those comes courtesy of BGR, which says it has heard from someone involved in a recent focus group that supposedly centered on a Facebook phone. As the story goes, the phone (which apparently wasn't actually referred to as a "Facebook phone") would have an always-on GPS service, no or very little local storage, a camera (with images stored in the cloud), a "news ticker-style message notification system" with all messages funneled into one "mass inbox" and, last but not least, some sort of location-aware coupon service that's described as "Facebook Deals on steroids."

Joining that is a report from the London-based City A.M. financial newspaper, which says it has learned from unnamed sources that HTC will debut two Facebook-branded phones at Mobile World Congress next month. Details on those are otherwise expectedly light, but the paper says the phones will run a "tweaked version" of Android and sport Facebook's colors -- supposedly, Facebook's Joe Hewitt and Matthew Papakipos (formerly of Firefox and Google, respectively) are largely responsible for the launch. Of course, the paper also says HTC is responsible for "Google's Nexus range," which doesn't exactly help its case, and leads us to suspect that we may simply be dealing with one big game of telephone here.

Deutsche Bank ditches BlackBerry for iPhone, Apple puts chink in RIM's enterprise armor

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 05:45 PM PST

For years, suit-and-tie circles have bowed to BlackBerry as the king of corporate communication, but iOS has been creeping in on enterprise territory, calling into question RIM's sovereignty in the boardroom. The folks at Deutsche Bank Equity Research struck the most recent blow to RIM's enterprise dominance with the announcement that they'll buck BlackBerry for iPhone, following a trial using Good Technology's secure email app. The company tested the app in conjunction with Microsoft Exchange Server, delivering AES 192-encrypted email and calendar data to employees, and, according to the firm's research analyst, the iPhone proved an easier and faster solution to BlackBerry. Last summer, AT&T announced that 40 percent of iPhone sales are enterprise, and we just reported on RIM's possible move to devices beyond the BlackBerry. We're not saying it's off to the guillotine with the old standard bearer, but it definitely looks like there are new contenders for the enterprise crown.

Mission R electric sportbike drops its fairings, shows us its billet birthday suit

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 05:05 PM PST

141 horses is a good amount of power for an average sized car. On a motorcycle that equates to one heck of a ride. That's what the Mission Motors Mission R electric superbike is putting down in a package that's the size of a 600cc road bike -- the sort of bike that might match that rating but only when you ride it like you stole it. An electric bike, naturally, gives you all that power right from 0 RPM, and after first seeing it in the flesh back in December we're now getting a glimpse under the fairing, at the trellis frame that bolts to the MissionEVT drivetrain ahead of the swingarm. There's naturally a big hole ahead of that, where the battery slots. The aluminum plate you see is part of that, left in place here but normally yanked from the top with the rest of the cell pack. Lots more tech details like that on the other end of the source link, and a bunch more pictures over at Autoblog Green. As to when you can get one, sadly right now it's just for racing.

Visualized: Giorgio Armani Galaxy S

Posted: 26 Jan 2011 04:33 PM PST

In front of the sculpted jaw and haunting eyes of this ridiculously-good-looking man, there is a phone. And it says: "Thanks for the cash, sucker."
at 11:55 AM

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