| Next PS3 update rumored to add 'Online Saving' for PlayStation Plus users Posted: 29 Jan 2011 09:10 AM PST Say it with us, finally a PS3 firmware update that actually does something useful! We've grown so accustomed to Sony refreshing the software on its console just to spite jailbreakers that we almost started to believe that's all the word "update" entailed. But, here comes Kotaku with word that v3.6 of the PS3's firmware will come with a neat little addition: saving games to the cloud. This seems a very logical step toward delivering Sony's overall goal of giving users a holistic, integrated experience. Indeed, during the NGP presentation, guest speaker Hideo Kojima specifically referred to saving your PS3 game on the console and resuming it on the Next Generation Portable. "Online Saving," as Sony's reputed to be calling it, would be the conduit through which that can be realized, though it doesn't appear like it'll come for free. Kotaku's sources indicate it'll be part of the PlayStation Plus subscription, at least initially. Still, we like cloud storage, and if it means never having to see another hard drive again, we're all for it. |
| German researchers prototype 6mm thick pico projector Posted: 29 Jan 2011 08:31 AM PST Pico projectors just keep shrinking, and a new prototype developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Engineering is helping said shrinking along pretty strikingly. The team has developed a prototype pico which is just 6mm thick, making it the world's slimmest ever. Better yet, the projected image is 10 times brighter than a pico projector of its size would have previously been -- had it existed. The new lens on the projector is so small that it could potentially be integrated into smart phones without boosting size or weight. The new prototype is made of 45 red, green or blue microlenses, each with a 200 x 200 pixel LCD, inspired by a microlens array called a fly's eye condenser. The resulting resolution is nearly, but not quite, WVGA with 11 lumens of brightness. The prototype will be shown off at Nano Tech 2011 in Tokyo. [Image credit: Fraunhofer Institute] |
| Android 2.3 security bug shows microSD access vulnerability Posted: 29 Jan 2011 06:57 AM PST A researcher at North Carolina State University is warning of an Android 2.3 security vulnerability that gives attackers access to your personal information, further proof that Gingerbread isn't all sugar and spice (to be fair, that SMS issue has since been remedied). According to Xuxian Jiang, the bug allows malicious websites to access and upload the contents of a user's microSD card, including voicemails, photos, and online banking information to a remote server. The flaw apparently resembles a similar bug in previous version of Android, thought to have been addressed with Gingerbread. However, as Jiang points out, that fix is easily bypassed. Apart from removing the microSD card, disabling JavaScript, or switching to a third-party browser, Android 2.3 users have little recourse in squashing the bug. The folks at eWeek reported that Google is working on a solution to the problem, but there's no word on when we can expect to see an update. |
| Sony's official NGP announcement video hits the web Posted: 29 Jan 2011 05:30 AM PST Sure, you followed along with our Tokyo liveblog and breathless posts announcing Sony's Next Generation Portable (codename: NGP, get it?) successor to the PSP. But nothing's quite like viewing a video posted 48-hours after the event to get a true feel for the historic occasion... historic to nerds like us anyway. The power is now in your hands -- use it wisely to watch a thrilling three-part trilogy after the break. More videos at the source link below.
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| Layar Player lets AR loose on iPhone apps Posted: 29 Jan 2011 04:52 AM PST Layar's been the go-to platform for augmented reality on Android since 2009, bringing you the useful, the creepy, and the just plain weird -- and now it's unleashing the beast on iOS, again (it's already available as a dedicated app). The Netherlands-based company just launched Layar Player, a free tool that allows anyone -- with a little developer know-how -- to create their very own AR iPhone app. Accompanying the announcement are three brand new Layar Player-enabled apps: the Bing-sponsored Snowboard Hero, which incorporates a special AR mode for collecting points; a contractor locator called Layer Trade; and VerbeterdeBuurt, an app that acts as an AR community bulletin board. The company's press release touts the "democratization of augmented reality," and while we can get behind their AR-for-alll message, we've already seen Layar used in ways that give us the willies. Don't get us wrong, we're still excited about the endless AR possibilities, but we're hoping, at least for now, that iPhone app developers can keep the AR monsters at bay. Show full PR text Layar Player Released Today with the Launch of Three Player-Enabled iPhone Apps
AMSTERDAM, January 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Layar, the largest open platform in mobile augmented reality (AR), announced today that the Layar Player is out of beta. The Player is now available to all agencies, brands and developers to include AR for free in their own iPhone applications (apps) andr each over a million active users on the Layar platform.
The beta period concludes with the launch of three Layar Player enabled iPhone apps - Bing sponsored Snowboard Hero, an augmented reality extension in the popular game that allows players to earn more points; Layar Trade, an application helping people view recent projects and work from local builders; and VerbeterdeBuurt, an application to improve your neighborhood, letting neighbors post their issues and ideas for the public space on the map.
"This year is about the democratization of augmented reality as we work to find ways to make it easier for everyone to create and publish AR content," said Claire Boonstra, co-founder and VP of platform and community. "The Player availability is the first of many activities Layar will be announcing this year to make this democratization happen."
"At Bing, we aim to bring information into people's lives that is visually organized, simple and easy to digest. Augmented reality on mobile devices provides more opportunities to overlap reality with digital information that informs, educates and creates new ways to play within your environment," said Wibe Wigenmans, Bing for Mobile. "The mobile experience for Bing users continues to evolve as we constantly look for ways to create visually engaging experiences."
NEW iPHONE APPS USING LAYAR PLAYER
Bing Sponsored Snowboard Hero
Created By: Fishlabs and MUZAR
Available: United States
Hit the powder year round! For all of those gamers who just can't get enough of the action, you can now open Snowboard Hero and play directly in your reality. This Bing sponsored game gives you the opportunity to collect extra credits by using augmented reality based on GPS position. To start playing, a user goes outside into an open area and fires up the game. The goal is to collect as many credits as possible within five minutes.
VerbeterdeBuurt
Created By: TAB Worldmedia in cooperation with The Saints
Available: Netherlands
Take control of your community. VerbeterdeBuurt is a tool for citizens to report any disturbance within their neighborhood directly to their municipality. It is the natural way to see reported issues as well as the submitted ideas for improvements within your own community.
Trade Vision
Created By: AYR Communications
Available: United Kingdom
When hiring a contractor, don't just take their word for it - see for yourself. Trade Vision provides a unique way to seek out work from a local tradesman. By viewing what's around you using augmented reality, you will be presented with icons representing the different types of work recently undertaken by tradesmen in your area. |
| Study shocker! Mobile users piddle around on the internet while watching TV Posted: 29 Jan 2011 03:19 AM PST Shocker of shockers, folks: people do more than just watch TV when they're watching TV. A study of over 8,000 willing individuals from Nielsen and Yahoo recently discovered that some 86 percent of mobile internet users tinker around on their devices while situated in front of the tube. It seems that Googling random facts, checking their Facebook news feed and seeing who has tweeted in the past 30 seconds were atop the list of activities to do while watching, but strangely, a full 20 percent confessed to search for more information about a commercial they recently saw. Hit the source link below (PDF) to be instantly bombarded with facts and figures, but first, refresh that TweetCaster feed. Ah, so much better. |
| LG Optimus 2X and Optimus Black priced at €499 by Amazon Germany, not yet available to buy Posted: 29 Jan 2011 01:52 AM PST Amazon's German outlet has started listing LG's two latest and undoubtedly greatest phones: the Optimus 2X (seemingly renamed the Optimus Speed here) and the Optimus Black. Both run Android 2.2 on 4-inch screens, with the former offering a dual-core Tegra 2 processor capable of 1080p video recording and HDMI output, and the latter cranking up the display brightness to a quite unreasonable 700 nits. The Optimus Black also has one of the thinnest profiles on a smartphone of its class at 9.2mm, and will be one of the first phones to offer WiFi Direct connectivity. Intriguingly, Amazon's Optimus Speed / 2X listing also shows a brown color option for the handset, though only its black SKU is subject to a neat €50 discount bringing its price to €499, the same as the cost of the Optimus Black. We don't know when either one will drop, but you can go and reserve yourself one (or a dozen) at the links below. [Thanks, Julian] |
| Callaway Upro mx offers touchscreen GPS to golfers, we long for a Caddyshack edition (video) Posted: 29 Jan 2011 12:24 AM PST The folks at Callaway just announced the Upro mx, a followup to the device they so humbly referred to as the " iPhone of golf GPS technology." PNDs for golfers aren't exactly rare, but the new Upro claims to be the only one packing "hi-resolution actual aerial photography" of 25,000 different courses. It also boasts a multi-gesture touchscreen and optical finger navigation, as well a slew of viewing modes: Virtual Green offers exact putting distances, Smart View displays the best angle for each shot, and ProMode features video flyovers. Who knows, if they could land a Bill Murray tie-in we might actually be enticed to pick up a club and ... Oh, who are we kidding? The Upro mx hits stores in May at $199, and you can check out a video of the device in action after the jump -- that is, if you swing that way. |
| Verizon turns on iPhone 4 pre-order countdown, existing customers can order on February 3rd at 3AM Posted: 28 Jan 2011 09:22 PM PST The grapevine did already hint at the timing of the Verizon iPhone 4 pre-orders, but now, to be absolutely sure nobody misses them, we have a countdown! Eager iPhone bandwagon jumpers will have to stay up till 3AM EST on February 3rd to get their orders in from a "reserved quantity" of handsets, which will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis -- presumably to be delivered on that February 10th launch date everyone's been anticipating for so long. Sadly for Verizon newcomers, a contract with the network will be a prerequisite for signing up when the countdown expires. [Thanks, Jarrett and Anthony]
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| Plantronics Calisto 800 speakerphone and Voyager Pro UC headset make concalls cool again Posted: 28 Jan 2011 06:47 PM PST We'd all rather be flown to some exotic, Caribbean location for our next corporate get-together, but in these hard economic times sometimes a good 'ol audio bridge makes the most sense. Increasingly those concalls are happening via some sort of VOIP bridge, and Plantronics' latest are ready for it. First up is the Calisto 800 series "multi speakerphone" devices, which offer connectivity to an analog phone line, a mobile phone over Bluetooth, and even a PC over USB. This lets you easily dial in to just about anything and naturally offers a full duplex speakerphone with noise cancellation and an LCD with caller ID. There's even an optional wireless microphone that you can plunk down on the table so the lamentations of the entire QA team will be picked up loud and clear.  Also new is a revised version of the Voyager Pro UC, a rather more traditional Bluetooth headset with an extended boom for better voice pickup and the ability to pair to a mobile phone and a PC (via a tiny USB adapter) simultaneously. It'll even do A2DP so you hold music won't be the only tunes you hear. Both appear to be available now, and both start at $199.95, putting them out of reach for most non-corporate attendees. Show full PR text Plantronics Launches the Calisto 800 Series of Multi-device Speakerphones to Simplify Communication for Today's Increasingly Distributed Workforce
New Speakerphones Intelligently Streamline Audio Communication across PC-Based Softphones, Mobile Phones, and even Home Landlines in a Single, Smart Hands-free Solution.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Jan. 26, 2011 - Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today announced the Calisto® 800 Series, the first speakerphones in its unified communications product portfolio that combine multi-device hands-free connectivity with intuitive visual call management. Optimized for use with Microsoft® Office Communicator and LyncTM, these products were designed for private and home office workers who depend on multiple communication devices to collaborate effectively. The Calisto 800 Series includes the Calisto 825, which manages calls between a PC and a mobile phone. The Calisto 825 also features a unique wireless microphone that provides unparalleled speakerphone audio quality and freedom of movement.
The Calisto 825 simplifies PC and mobile phone call management through its intuitive visual display. Device setup is effortless and fast - in less than five minutes users are up and running and able to switch between mobile and PC calls, dial, and mute across devices at the touch of a button. Professionals are afforded the choice to move around freely while on a conference call using the wireless lapel microphone or connect a Bluetooth® or corded headset to the speakerphone when privacy is desired. Additionally, the unit features unmatched audio quality and premium sound through echo and advanced noise cancellation technology.
"Extensive research exploring the collaboration habits of today's dispersed workforce went into the development of the Calisto 800 series," said Bill Loewenthal, vice president of unified communications at Plantronics. "Today's office has moved beyond the cubicle environment. Whether work is conducted from a private or a home office, people want devices that simplify hands-free communication. The Calisto 800 Series simply unites modern professionals' most critical communication platforms."
Simply Smarter CommunicationsTM
Calisto 800 Series
The Calisto 800 series of unified communications products provide premium sound and unparalleled audio quality thanks to full duplex wideband audio and advanced noise cancellation. In addition to the Calisto 825, the portfolio includes the Calisto 820 and the Calisto 830. The Calisto 800 series also offers a range of hands-free options including wireless connectivity with Bluetooth headsets or corded connectivity with 3.5mm headsets/headphones when privacy is desired.
Pricing and Availability
The Calisto 825 is a two-way speakerphone for the PC and mobile phone. It includes the PA50TM wireless lapel microphone, and charging base. It has an MSRP of $259.95.
The Calisto 820 is a two-way speakerphone for the PC and mobile phone. It has an MSRP of $179.95.
The Calisto 830 is a three-way speakerphone for PC, mobile phone and analog landlines. It includes a USB cable, analog/landline port, RJ11 cable and AC adapter and has an MSRP of $199.95.
The PA50 is a wireless Bluetooth lapel microphone and can be purchased for either the Calisto 820 or 830 as an accessory. It comes with a charging base and has an MSRP of $79.95.
The Calisto 800 Series is Optimized for Microsoft Office Communicator and Lync and is available through authorized Plantronics resellers and at www.plantronics.com/calisto UC standard versions of the Calisto 825, 820 and 830 that will support a variety of leading softphones including those from Avaya®, Cisco®, IBM® and Skype® will be available in Spring of 2011.
Please visit www.plantronics.com/calisto to learn more.
Safe Harbor
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements relating to Unified Communications ("UC") and our Calisto 800 series products, including timing of product availability. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated are: (i) UC solutions may not be adopted with the breadth and speed in the marketplace that we currently anticipate; (ii) manufacturing or other production delays (iii) our plans are dependent upon adoption of our UC solution by major platform providers such as Microsoft, Cisco, Avaya, Alcatel, and IBM, and we have a limited ability to influence such providers with respect to the functionality of their platforms, their rate of deployment, and their willingness to integrate their platforms with our solutions. For more information concerning these and other possible risks, please refer to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 1, 2010, quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q, particularly the sections entitled "Risk Factors," "Certain Forward-Looking Information" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations", and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as recent press releases. Plantronics undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date they were made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Show full PR text Plantronics Unveils Award-Winning Next Generation Voyager PRO UC Headset
The First and Only Intelligent Headset System to Combine Smart Sensors with Exceptional Audio Technology and Enable Intuitive Communication across Devices
SANTA CRUZ, CA - January 26, 2010 - Plantronics, Inc. (NYSE: PLT) today extended its 50-year legacy of developing breakthrough communication innovations with the introduction of the next generation award-winning VoyagerTM PRO UC Bluetooth® headset. Voyager PRO UC revolutionizes mobile phone and PC communications through smart sensor technology. It uses advanced hardware and software that seamlessly eliminate communication complexity by detecting presence, integrating with your PC applications, and dramatically enhancing the headset experience.
"Unified communications is bringing together different communications modalities and devices. We will move between our PCs, mobile phones, and deskphones seamlessly," said Bob Hafner, managing vice president of Mobile and Client Computing, Gartner. "Just as the introduction of email revolutionized enterprise communication 40 years ago, unified communications is revolutionizing communications and collaboration today and unifying the PC, mobile phone, and deskphone. Today, no one would be expected to work for a company without email and seven to ten years from now business professionals won't want to work for a company without unified communications."
Simply Smarter CommunicationsTM
Sensors
Plantronics' smart sensor technology in the Voyager PRO UC headset transforms the end-user experience for mobile phone and PC communications.
Auto Answer: Easily answer mobile phone and PC calls simply by placing the headset on your ear - no buttons to press, applications to open or voice commands required.
Smart Call Transfer: With the smart sensor technology, the headset now knows when it is being worn and routes the call appropriately: when a call comes in and the headset is not easy to access, the audio is automatically routed to the phone so there is no fumbling with the phone and missing calls. Calls are automatically transferred to the headset when it is put on.
Auto Call Button Lock: The Voyager PRO UC eliminates accidental dialing by locking the call button when the headset is not being worn.
Auto Pause for Streaming Media: The Voyager PRO UC supports listening to streaming media, including music, podcasts and turn-by-turn navigation, as well as recorded webinars via A2DP technology. The smart sensor technology automatically pauses streamed media from mobile phones and PCs when the headset is taken off and automatically resumes the stream when the headset is put back on.
Simply Smarter CommunicationsTM
Software
Plantronics has developed intelligent software that further integrates the mobile and PC communications experience through the new Voyager PRO UC. The software is customizable, so users can easily set personal preferences for their PC-based communications.
Smart Presence: Voyager PRO UC brings a new level of intelligence across PC and mobile phone communications by integrating with PC softphone clients. For example, when you're on a mobile phone conversation, Voyager PRO UC automatically informs applications such as Skype® or Microsoft® LyncTM, you are busy and changes your presence status to busy, so contacts know to not interrupt you. Similarly, if you are on a Skype call, Voyager PRO UC updates your status on Microsoft Lync.
Escalate IM to Voice: Voyager PRO UC enables you to effortlessly switch from an instant message chat to a voice conversation by simply placing the headset on your ear.
"For years, mobile calling and computer-based communication services like Skype or Microsoft Lync have existed in silos," said Renee Niemi, senior vice president of Communications Solutions at Plantronics. "The Plantronics Voyager Pro UC unifies and simplifies communications for today's connected and increasingly distributed workforce by enabling accurate availability information and delivering intuitive features like smart call transfer. For 50 years, Plantronics has revolutionized the way we communicate and today's announcement represents our longstanding commitment to innovation and making smarter communications a reality."
The Plantronics Voyager PRO UC includes a new ultra-portable mini-USB Bluetooth® adaptor which provides wideband audio for PC conversations and software that enables interaction between the PC and the mobile phone.
Industry Leading Audio Quality
The Plantronics Voyager PRO UC headset delivers world-class noise-cancellation with AudioIQ2 technology, its award-winning digital signal processing technology is enhanced by a unique adjustable dual-microphone boom. Plantronics Voyager PRO features three layers of WindSmart® technology to minimize wind distortion.
Voyager PRO also delivers unmatched inbound audio quality to ensure every word is heard on both sides of a conversation. It features a custom speaker that delivers full-spectrum audio so conversations are richer and more vibrant. The adaptive 20-band equalizer delivers distortion-free audio and works with AudioIQ2 technology to automatically adjust sound to comfortable levels based on the noise level around you to ensure maximum audibility.
Voyager PRO UC delivers wideband audio during PC-based conversations for heightened speech clarity for fuller, richer conversations.
Broad Compatibility
Plantronics Voyager PRO UC offers compatibility with leading communication clients from Avaya®, Cisco®, IBM® and Skype® and is available in a version Optimized for Microsoft Lync and Office Communicator.
Pricing and Availability
The Plantronics Voyager PRO UC, including the new mini-USB Bluetooth adapter for maximum portability and software that enables interaction between the PC and mobile phone has an MSRP of $199.95 and is available in the US starting today and in Europe and Asia in February 2011.
Please visit www.plantronics.com/voyagerprouc to learn more.
Safe Harbor
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements relating to Unified Communications ("UC") and our Voyager Pro UC products, including timing of product availability. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated are: (i) UC solutions may not be adopted with the breadth and speed in the marketplace that we currently anticipate; (ii) manufacturing or other production delays and (iii) our plans are dependent upon adoption of our UC solution by major platform providers such as Microsoft, Cisco, Avaya, Alcatel, and IBM, and we have a limited ability to influence such providers with respect to the functionality of their platforms, their rate of deployment, and their willingness to integrate their platforms with our solutions. For more information concerning these and other possible risks, please refer to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 1, 2010, quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q, particularly the sections entitled "Risk Factors," "Certain Forward-Looking Information" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations", and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as recent press releases. Plantronics undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date they were made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. |
| Panasonic adds Sandy Bridge to Let's Note J10, N10, S10 and B10 laptops Posted: 28 Jan 2011 04:43 PM PST  You can rest assured that hundreds -- if not trillions -- of new laptops will be rolling off of production lines this quarter with Intel's Sandy Bridge platform inside, and those looking for a little love over in Japan won't have to wait much longer. Panasonic has just updated its Let's Note line with four new Sandy Bridge models: the B10, S10, N10 and J10 have all been blessed with new silicon. The B10 in particular ships with a Core i5-2520M, 4GB of memory, a 15.6-inch 1080p display, HDMI output, Blu-ray drive, SDXC card slot and 802.11b/g/n WiFi. The N10 and S10 are outfitted in similar fashion, while the J10 goes diminutive with a 10.1-inch panel. There's also a higher-end J10Q variant that steps up to a Core i5, 128GB SSD, 2GB of RAM, WiFi, HDMI output, inbuilt WiMAX model and an SDXC slot, with the craziest aspect being the claimed 12 hours of battery life. Hit the links below if you're hungry for pricing clues and ship dates, but it looks as if the whole gang should be out and about by the close of March. |
| Cella Energy says its hydrogen microbeads could fuel your car, cost $1.50 per gallon Posted: 28 Jan 2011 03:44 PM PST Your average hydrogen-powered car is a marvel of modern science -- fuel cell sifting electrons out of pure H2 and emitting nothing but water -- powered by big, heavy, high-pressure tanks of gas. Cella Energy is here to ditch the tank, having first developed a means of storing hydrogen in microfibers that could greatly simplify the design of these vehicles. But, perhaps even more impressive is a "synthetic fuel" the company is working on which is, essentially, pure hydrogen captured into microbeads. You know, like the kind that float in your shampoo and give your hair that extra lustre, but explosive. According to Cella these beads can be poured into the gas tank of a car with an internal combustion engine (presumably suspended in some sort of liquid) and, with no modification, that car will run just fine. Best news is that this concoction costs just $1.50 per gallon -- or will, eventually. Supposedly. Maybe? |
| Moovida's new media center software has great looks, so-so personality Posted: 28 Jan 2011 03:13 PM PST With Microsoft planning a move away from the HTPC space and a shift to Windows Media Center embedded products, perhaps the gang at Moovida is looking to take Redmond's place in the home theater geek segment. The company has unleashed a beautiful new media browsing UI called 'Immersed' that's powered by a 3D game engine, a fact which makes its media center brethren look dowdy in comparison. There is a steep price to pay for this digital eye candy, however, as the current version lacks the ability to stream content -- so no Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube for you. Moovida's software also packs an underlying desktop-optimized UI, 'Core', that provides automated media backup and cataloging, syncs your music and video with peripherals, and plays any non-DRM content known to man. Presently in beta, Moovida promises greater functionality in future releases and we can only hope that means streaming capability is coming soon, as in immediately. |
| Watch Pro Bowl practice through Michael Vick's eyes -- and his ContourHD 1080p helmet cam Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:44 PM PST This weekend's NFL Pro Bowl might be one of the more useless spectacles in American sport, but since there's nothing at stake, the NFC coaches allowed Michael Vick to strap a ContourHD 1080p camera to his helmet during practice -- and the resulting few moments of footage are pretty awesome, if you're a football fan. We gave the 1080p a pretty decent review, and it certainly delivers here: you get to watch Vick break the huddle, fire off a pass to Jason Witten, hand off to Adrian Peterson, and run a play-action to Witten, all the while exchanging some friendly banter with Matt Ryan and Drew Brees. It might actually be more interesting than the Pro Bowl itself, actually. Now if only the NFL would let Aaron Rodgers wear one of these during the Packers' inevitable Super Bowl victory, we'd be happy as clams. Update: We hate to remind everyone, but this is a gadget blog, and as such we like to keep the conversation on topic and geared towards that. Since most people can't seem to stay on topic, we're closing threads on this one. |
| Google announces Android event for February 2nd Posted: 28 Jan 2011 02:21 PM PST Had enough Honeycomb this week? Perhaps -- but next week is a whole new week, and Google's got your back. Mountain View has selected Wednesday, February 2nd for an event that'll include "an in-depth look at Honeycomb, Android ecosystem news and hands-on demos," so by all accounts this seems to be more than a mere wrap-up of everything they've announced in the past few weeks. New tablets? Honeycomb for smartphones? Android 2.4? Something else entirely? We'll be there to find out, of course. |
| Nook Color earns its very early, very unofficial Android 3.0 Honeycomb wings Posted: 28 Jan 2011 01:47 PM PST One of the first things that happens after a new platform emulator breaks loose is that a bunch of hackers far smarter than ourselves get hold of it, tear it apart, and port it to whatever's convenient. In the case of this week's Android 3.0 Honeycomb preview, "whatever's convenient" would be the Nook Color, which reigns as perhaps the cheapest decent-quality Android tablet money can currently buy. Naturally, xda-developers has a thread going on the subject as we speak; the current port is said to be really slow and mostly broken -- but then again, that kind of describes the current state of the emulator itself. Good news is that the developer says he plans on working on graphics acceleration to improve performance over the weekend, so with any luck, the Xoom might have some unofficial competition before too long. Follow the break for another shot. [Thanks, s30zgt] |
| UN: worldwide internet users hit two billion, cellphone subscriptions top five billion Posted: 28 Jan 2011 01:15 PM PST The UN's International Telecommunication Union predicted last fall that the number of internet users worldwide would hit two billion by the end of 2010, and it's now issued its full report that confirms just that -- 2.08 billion, to be specific. As the ITU's Hamadoun Toure notes, that number represents a huge leap from the mere 250 million internet users that existed a decade ago, and it means that roughly one third of the world's population now has internet access of some sort -- of those, 555 million have a fixed broadband subscription, and 950 million have mobile broadband. Just as impressive as that (if not moreso), are the number of cellphone subscriptions worldwide, which has now crossed the five billion mark. That's up from 500 million at the beginning of the year 2000, although the agency notes that it's only accounted for "subscriptions," and not individual users. Any way you slice it, however, that's quite a record of growth for the first decade of the 21st century. |
| White House backs plan to reserve 700MHz 'D Block' for public safety network Posted: 28 Jan 2011 12:48 PM PST  Public safety agencies in the US have been pushing for some time to have the so-called ' D Block' portion of the 700MHz wireless spectrum all to themselves, and it looks like they can now officially count on the support of the White House in that effort. The Obama administration announced today that it's backing plans to reserve the airwaves -- estimated to be worth $3 billion if they were auctioned off -- for a new national public safety network, and it also plans to ask Congress to approve the additional spending needed to actually build out the network, which the FCC estimates could cost as much as $15 billion. As The Wall Street Journal notes, the fate of the proposed network is now largely in the hands of House Republicans, who remain divided on the plan -- although some key members have come out in support of it in recent days. |
| Android 3.0 Honeycomb emulator has traces of smartphone support Posted: 28 Jan 2011 12:19 PM PST Thought Honeycomb was just for tablets? Well, it's not! Sure, tablets might be Google's main thrust with the release, but we've been able to dig up enough evidence in the preview SDK's emulator released yesterday to suggest that these guys are still keeping their eyes on the smartphone prize. Here's how it works: the emulator can be set to load at an arbitrary screen resolution. By default, that's WXGA, 1280 x 768 -- perfect for tablets, but obviously a wee bit large for even the biggest smartphones. Well, it turns out that setting the emulator to WVGA (like you might find on a modern mid- to high-end smartphone) triggers a moderately different shell UI that lacks most of the whiz-bang home screen stuff Google's shown on the Honeycomb tablets. In fact, the default launcher crashes out entirely, which means you need to install a replacement (Launcher Pro works nicely) just to play around. Once you get in, it's pretty raw, but you immediately notice that the emulator's got some traces of smartphone support. Notably, the status bar reverts to a more smartphone-friendly form, albeit one with pre- Gingerbread background coloration and incorrectly-inverted font colors. The lock screen (pictured above) is back to its old form, not the webOS-esque circular lock in the Honeycomb tablet UI. The browser -- which has been completely revamped in Honeycomb -- works, though without visible tabs; Google might be thinking that they'd take up too much real estate on a screen this small. Again, you can't glean much here, but it's interesting primarily because the emulator knows to revert to a smartphone UI layout at the lower resolution -- a possible sign that Honeycomb will be a true dual-mode, dual-purpose platform from day one. And even if it isn't, it looks like they're setting themselves up for a two-UI strategy down the road. [Thanks, Andrew] |
| The Engadget Show returns this Sunday with Steve Wozniak! Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:49 AM PST Clear your calendars everybody, because this Sunday, January 30th, the inimitable co-founder of Apple Steve Wozniak will be joining us for the first Engadget Show of 2011! It will be a night to remember as Woz joins us for an evening of frank, eye-opening, and all-around awesome conversation. We'll be streaming live at 6:00PM from Cooper Union's Rose Auditorium and we've got about 200 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis if you want to join us in person. We'll also have music from the talented Zen Albatross and the usual crazy giveaways. Trust us when we say that this episode is going to be epic. REMINDER: The Show will be taking place in a lovely new venue, the Rose Auditorium in Cooper Union's New Academic Building (ie. not the TimesCenter), located in Manhattan at 41 Cooper Square. Seating is extremely limited, so get there early! Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know: - There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free
- The event is all ages
- Ticketing will begin at the Cooper Union New Academic Building at 2:00PM on Sunday, January 30th, doors will open for seating at 5:15PM, and the show begins at 6:00PM
- We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed -- you won't have to get back in line to get a good seat.
- You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
- Seating capacity is limited (only about 200 seats in the theatre), and once we're full, we're full
- The venue is located at 41 Cooper Square New York, NY 10003 (map after the break)
- The show length is around an hour
Unfortunately, we won't be running the usual text-to-win sweepstakes for this episode (we know it sucks, but it's out of our hands), so if you want a seat you'll have to show up in person. If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com. Subscribe to the Show: [ iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [ Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [ RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. |
| Flip Mino HD with 802.11n WiFi hits the FCC Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:30 AM PST We'd been hearing rumors that a next-gen Flip camera with WiFi would hit sometime in the first half of the year, and what's this? A new Flip video camera with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11n WiFi just popped up in the FCC database. Based on the shape of the FCC label, the location of the HDMI port, and the M3260 model number, it definitely looks like a member of the Mino family, but that's really all we know -- although if we had to bet, the 5GHz support is there so it can beam movies to the FlipShare TV. We'll see, we'll see. |
| Twelve South's BookArc for Air stand cozies up around your MacBook Air Posted: 28 Jan 2011 11:07 AM PST Twelve South's made somewhat of a name for itself by crafting unexpected (and generally visually pleasing) accessories for everything Apple, but the ouftit's latest just seems particularly superfluous. The BookAir for Air is described as a vertical stand for the MacBook Air, enabling you to hoist your new ultraportable upright for use with a desktop monitor and keyboard. 'Course, we have to believe that only a smattering of individuals have any real interest in using their MBA as a desktop replacement, but hey, at least there's now a stand should you fit into that category. She'll be on sale soon for $39.99, with initial shipments to head out next month. Show full PR text Twelve South debuts BookArc for MacBook Air, turning the tiny MacBook into a ultra-thin desktop
Charleston, SC, January 28, 2011 -- Twelve South introduces a new version of its popular BookArc, designed exclusively for Apple® MacBook Air (Late 2010 models). The latest BookArc firmly grips the thin MacBook Air and includes a convenient built-in cable management system to keep cables in place for grab and go use. When BookArc is paired with a MacBook Air and external monitor, it offers a noticeable boost in power for graphics-intensive programs. BookArc for MacBook Air begins shipping next month (Feb) for $39.99. More information and images can be found at www.twelvesouth.com.
Like previous versions of BookArc, the MacBook Air model is fashioned from heavy gauge steel for stylish looks and a sturdy footprint. One convenient addition is built-in cable management. Since MacBook Air has inputs on both sides, the BookArc cable housing routes power, external display, USB and other cables behind the MacBook for a clean workspace. These cables stay tethered to the stand so you can easily get your Mac in and out quicker than ever.
For those who use MacBook Air with an external display, a key benefit for BookArc is the performance boost it gives your Mac. If you connect MacBook Air to an external monitor and leave the MacBook open, video memory is split between the two displays. When working with MacBook Air in the closed position, resting in BookArc, 100% of the video memory is dedicated to powering the external monitor. This provides a notable boost in power when working with Aperture, Photoshop and other graphics- intensive programs.
"BookArc has been one of our most popular products, so it was only natural to create one for the thin new MacBook Air," said Creative Director Andrew Green of Twelve South. "Some insightful feedback from customers led to some design tweaks, including the cable manager, making this the strongest BookArc to date."
The arc-shaped stand elevates MacBook for a less cluttered workspace. A soft silicone insert firmly grips the second generation, 11 and 13-inch MacBook Air. Padded rubber feet keep the stand from leaving any marks on your work surface.
BookArc for MacBook Air begins shipping next month with a price of $39.99. An email list is available to alert customers when the BookArc for MacBook Air begins shipping. |
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