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Monday, February 7, 2011

AOL steps up news, ad push with Huffington Post (AP) : Technet

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AOL steps up news, ad push with Huffington Post (AP) : Technet

AOL steps up news, ad push with Huffington Post (AP)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 05:14 PM PST

By RACHEL METZ, AP Technology Writer Rachel Metz, Ap Technology Writer – Mon Feb 7, 8:14 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO – AOL Inc.'s $315 million deal to buy news hub Huffington Post signals that it is serious about building its profile as a media company as its legacy dial-up Internet business dies away.

The acquisition announced Monday is AOL CEO Tim Armstrong's most aggressive play so far as he tries to reshape a fallen Internet icon and boost efforts in news and online advertising. It is the largest purchase the company has made under Armstrong, a former Google advertising executive hired by AOL to engineer a turnaround.

The Huffington Post ranks as one of the top 10 current events and global news sites and draws 25 million U.S. visitors each month. It has built its popularity by compiling news from a wide selection of other media outlets, with links to articles and video on everything from politics to style to food. The site combines that type of aggregation with original work by its own small staff and blog posts from celebrity contributors who work for free in return for a platform to express their opinions. Bill Gates has written for Huffington Post, along with President Barack Obama, Robert Redford and several university presidents.

But just as important as gaining the site itself, the deal adds Huffington Post co-founder and media star Arianna Huffington to AOL's management team. Once the deal closes later this year, Huffington will run AOL's growing array of content, which includes popular technology sites Engadget and TechCrunch, local news site Patch.com and online mapping service MapQuest.

Although some analysts say that AOL is paying a lot for the Huffington Post brand, Benchmark Co. analyst Clayton Moran believes the price isn't a huge hit for the company in the short term, especially since it helps put to rest any question that AOL is now an online media company. Bringing Huffington Post to AOL gives it access to quality content and will drive new users to its site, replacing those the company has lost over time, he said. And the price is essentially "the hiring fee to get Arianna," technology analyst Rob Enderle says. Although he described the purchase as an "out-of-left-field" decision, he thinks the move "could put AOL back on the map."

Huffington Post grew quickly from startup to online colossus. Over time, it launched city-specific pages and developed a roster of sections such as food and books. The work of its 70-person paid staff is augmented by content from news outlets and 6,000 bloggers who write for free. Outsell Inc. analyst Ned May said the Huffington Post "has done a fantastic job of building content creation. And AOL can monetize it."

AOL sorely needs to. The company rose to fame in the '90s with its dial-up Internet service, managing to buy media company Time Warner Inc. in 2001 at the height of the dot-com boom. The corporate marriage never really worked, though, and AOL's main source of revenue began drying up as consumers flocked to speedier broadband Internet connections. After nearly a decade of attempts at integrating the two, Armstrong was brought in to prepare AOL to separate from Time Warner, and the companies split in Dec. 2009.

Although analysts say AOL's decision to buy Huffington Post is sound, Enderle warned that putting Arianna Huffington into a position of power could eventually threaten Armstrong's job security if AOL still struggles.

Gartner analyst Andrew Frank added that the deal is risky in the sense that media acquisitions are inherently risky these days.

"There is a lot of effort ahead for online media to recapture the glory days when media was booming business," he said. "Deals like this offer hope. On the other hand you can't really dismiss the somewhat uneven record AOL has had with acquisitions."

Beyond Time Warner, another of AOL's well-known failed acquisitions was social network Bebo, which AOL bought in 2008 for $850 million and then unloaded two years later to Criterion Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount thought to be a fraction of what it paid.

Regardless, both parties clearly feel optimistic about this deal. In an interview Monday, Arianna Huffington said it seemed like the right move because she and Armstrong share the same vision for online content. She first spoke with Armstrong at the Quadrangle Conference in New York in November, where they were nearly finishing each others' sentences when talking about where they saw their companies going.

"I see this as a real acceleration of the goals that Tim has had for AOL and I have had for the Huffington Post," she said.

In a separate interview, Armstrong said the deal is a "tremendous opportunity" for AOL that brings an influential audience that is attractive to advertisers. The site's visitors and many of its contributors include business leaders, doctors and university presidents, he said.

"Last year was about the turnaround; this year is about the comeback," he said.

Armstrong has been trying to turn AOL into a go-to place for a wide variety of news since he was hired to revamp the company in April 2009 while it was still a part of Time Warner. The makeover is designed to give people a reason to visit AOL's websites more frequently to help boost ad sales. AOL had just a 5.3 percent share of the U.S. display advertising revenue in 2010, down from 6.8 percent in 2009, according to eMarketer. Facebook, meanwhile, accounted for 13.6 percent of display revenue last year, up from 7.3 percent in 2009.

Armstrong also has reduced payroll by thousands of employees through layoffs and buyouts to try to boost AOL's financial performance and stock price. It has been a slog so far. AOL lost more than $780 million last year, largely because of accounting charges, and the company's stock is now worth slightly less than after it was spun off from Time Warner Inc. 14 months ago.

Founded in 2005, Huffington Post is owned by Huffington, Kenneth Lerer and other investors. They will get $300 million of the purchase price in cash. The remaining $15 million will be paid in AOL stock.

On a conference call with analysts, AOL Chief Financial Officer Arthur Minson said the company expects Huffington Post will generate $50 million in revenue this year, with a profit margin of 30 percent. By comparison, AOL drew $2.42 billion in revenue last year. About 53 percent came from ads, and most of the rest from its dwindling base of dial-up Internet subscribers. Minson said the deal will save AOL $20 million a year by allowing it to eliminate operations that overlap with Huffington Post.

If it wins regulatory approval as expected, the transaction would likely close in late March or early April.

Shares of AOL, which is based in New York, fell 75 cents, or 3.4 percent, to close Monday at $21.19.

__

AP Business Writer Andrew Vanacore in New York and Technology Writers Michael Liedtke in San Francisco and Barbara Ortutay in New York contributed to this report.

Mass. company draws fire for immigration game app (AP)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 03:20 PM PST

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated Press Russell Contreras, Associated Press – Mon Feb 7, 6:20 pm ET

BOSTON – A game developed by a Boston-based tech company that allows users to drive a truck full of immigrants through the desert and try not to have them tossed out is drawing fire from some immigrant advocates.

"Smuggle Truck: Operation Immigration," a proposed iPhone and iPad app by Owlchemy Labs targeted for release in March, lets players navigate through what appears to be the U.S.-Mexican border. As the truck drives over cliffs, mountains and dead animals, immigrants fall off the truck's bed. Scores are calculated by the number of immigrants helped crossing the U.S. border.

Developer Alex Schwartz said the idea for the satirical game came out of frustration friends faced while trying to immigrate to the U.S.

"We felt like this issue was kind of a bit taboo for games and popular media," said Schwartz. "So we wanted to build something . . . about this struggle that we could put into our work and our passion, which is making games."

Schwartz said the message that developers want to send out through the game — it's so tough to legally emigrate to the U.S. that it's almost easier to smuggle yourself over the border despite the dangers.

But Eva Millona, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrants & Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said the game is in poor taste and trivializes the seriousness of immigrants willing to risk their lives under a broken immigration system.

"Last year, 170 human beings died crossing the border," Millona said in statement. "It's disgraceful that anyone would try to make money out of this tragedy by making light of it in a game."

Patricia Montes, executive director of Centro Presente, a Somerville, Mass.-based Latino immigrant advocacy group, agreed.

"I don't think that people who are trying to emigrate into the U.S. think they are part of a game," Montes said. "They do it because they are desperate."

Schwartz said it wasn't the developers' intent to offend immigrants and their advocates. In fact, he said developers went out of their way to make sure the game's characters weren't stereotypical. "For example, one of the immigrants is a nerdy looking guy with a pocket protector," Schwartz said.

Schwartz said developers even have opened up the game to outside programmers for a contest to add suggestions and new levels. The winner gets to have his or her face on one of the immigrants in the game, he said.

The company also has been testing the game around Boston. "We'd go around to Starbucks in Boston and we'd kind of bring the game around our laptop and get feedback . . . from random strangers," said Schwartz. "The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive."

He compared "Smuggle Truck" to the popular game app "Angry Birds" — the extremely popular smart phone app where slingshot birds face battle with their enemy pigs.

Steve Kropper, co-director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform, a bipartisan group that seeks immigration restrictions, laughed when he heard about "Smuggle Truck" and thought the "Angry Birds" comparison was accurate.

"In America, we are used to trivializing everything," said Kropper. "I think 'Smuggle Truck' will do to the immigration debate what 'Angry Birds' did to ornithology."

___

Online:

Smuggle Truck: http://smuggletruck.com

License to Tweet? UK may restrict posts from court (AP)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 02:17 PM PST

– Mon Feb 7, 5:17 pm ET

LONDON – English courts may restrict the public's freedom to post Twitter updates from inside hearings to avoid the risk of prejudicing trials, the head of the judiciary in England and Wales said Monday.

In a consultation report on the use of smart phones and live, text-based communications from court, Justice Igor Judge's office said in some instances only members of the press — not the public — attending court may be permitted to use Twitter.

"The combination of instant reporting without the self-restraint presumed to be exercised by accredited members of the media might lead to a greater likelihood of prejudicial reporting," the report said.

It added that the risks of the public sending tweets may be amplified by their informal nature, as they "usually involve less measured remarks, which are presented in a manner which invites commentary and opinion from other users, and are posted in real time with no opportunity for review."

The report follows concern that members of the public don't have knowledge of media law and could post updates that fall foul of the rules. In Britain, television cameras are not permitted to broadcast criminal cases.

The report said that courts could restrict Twitter use to accredited reporters, or consider applications from the public on a case by case basis.

The consultation report is meant to gather public opinion after a judge issued interim guidance in December that there was no ban on using Twitter in court — but that users would have to seek the judge's permission first. Such permission could be refused in criminal trials if there is a risk that information posted on Twitter might influence witnesses or jurors.

In the U.S., federal courts tell jurors to avoid Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites, but deciding whether journalists can tweet or blog from court has generally been left up to judges. Relatively few federal courts have embraced Twitter, although last year a federal judge in Kansas allowed a reporter to use the microblogging service to provide updates from a gang trial.

Dual-display Echo smartphone: double the touchscreen, double the fun? (Ben Patterson)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 04:05 PM PST

By Ben Patterson ben Patterson – Mon Feb 7, 7:05 pm ET

Armed with a pair of 3.5-inch touchscreens, the Kyocera Echo will let you surf on one display while checking e-mail on the other—or you can combine both screens into a single, 4.7-inch panel, so long as you don't mind the gap in the middle.

Slated to arrive on Sprint this spring for $200 with a two-year contract, the Android 2.2-powered Echo comes with a 1GHz Snapdragon under the hood, along with those twin 3.5-inch, 800-by-480 LCD displays.

Using a special "pivot hinge," you can slide the phone closed for a standard single-display view or open it up to expose both screens, which together measure 4.7 inches diagonally. As you might expect, the dual-display design makes for a relatively thick, hefty handset, with the Echo measuring (according to Sprint's specs) 0.68 inches thick and tipping the scales at 6.8 ounces.

So, how will two 3.5-inch displays be better than one, exactly? According to Sprint and Kyocera, the Echo will arrive with four distinct modes: a regular single-screen mode for when the handset is closed; a "tablet" mode that lets you spread an app across both screens (with a space in the middle for the hinge, of course); an "optimized" mode that, for example, lets you view photos on one display and a thumbnailed gallery index on the other; and a "simultask" mode for running separate applications on each screen. Interesting.

Apps for messaging, Web browsing, photo viewing, watching YouTube videos, and contacts/calling have been tweaked for use with the Echo's "simultask" mode, says Sprint, while developers will be able to optimize their apps for the Echo's twin screens with an upcoming SDK.

The Echo will also boast a 5-megapixel camera with 720p video capture, according to Sprint—nice, but no sign of a front-facing lens for video chat.

And while the Echo supports Sprint's 3G network and lets you share its connection with up to five nearby Wi-Fi devices, the handset won't work with the carrier's speedy 4G WiMax network.

Also on board: 1GB of RAM and a slot for microSD memory expansion (an 8GB microSD card ships with the phone), stereo Bluetooth, GPS, a digital compass/accelerometer combo, and two removable 1370mAh batteries (a main battery plus a spare).

So, what do you think of the Echo—innovative? Gimmicky? Not sure 'till you try it? (Personally, I'm reserving judgement until I see the Echo in person.) Fire away below.

— Ben Patterson is a technology blogger for Yahoo! News.

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HP’s unveils new, sliding touchscreen PCs (Ben Patterson)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 06:52 AM PST

By Ben Patterson ben Patterson – Mon Feb 7, 9:52 am ET

HP has been cranking out its touch-enabled, all-in-one TouchSmart PCs for years now, but the latest model comes with a twist: a 23-inch display that slides almost all the way down, turning the system into something akin to a jumbo touch panel.

Slated to go on sale this week for $900, the TouchSmart 610 runs on Windows 7 and arrives with the latest version of HP's TouchSmart user interface, complete with touch-friendly versions of Hulu, Netflix, Rhapsody, Twitter, and even R.U.S.E., a popular real-time strategy game.

The revamped TouchSmart UI lets you post images, notes, and other content onto a multi-panel, swipeable home screen—and yes, there's an app store featuring more TouchSmart apps, some free and others for purchase.

Not bad, but the most arresting feature of the new all-in-one TouchSmart system is the display itself, which you can slide all the way down to a 60-degree angle. Doing so basically turns the PC into … well, a massive touch panel, albeit one that you can't plunk into your lap while you're lounging on the sofa.

I got a little hands-on time with the TouchSmart 610 during an HP press event last month, and yes, moving the largish display up and down is doable, although the spring-assisted sliding action is a bit on the stiff side.

One of the beauties of the new TouchSmart's design is that the screen slides down and out, meaning that the back of the display won't bang into anything behind it on the way down. The idea, HP reps told me, was to allow users to slide the screen up or down without making a big, desk-rearranging production out of it.

Of course, a sliding (or "reclining," as HP puts it) display is only as good as the touch-enabled applications that go with it, and HP clearly hopes that its "suite" of TouchSmart apps will do the trick. I only got a brief taste of the new TouchSmart interface during last month's demo, and I liked what I saw, but whether the TouchSmart App Store manages to take off remains to be seen.

The PC manufacturing giant is also pushing a business-oriented version of the new TouchSmart that hotels, retailers, and corporate customers could use as a touch-enabled kiosk—kind of a budget-minded version of Micorsoft's pricey Surface systems.

Specs for the TouchSmart 610 include a 3.2GHz Intel i3-550 processor, 4GB of RAM (upgradable to 16GB), a 750GB hard drive, a six-in-one memory card reader, seven USB ports, and HP's enhanced "Beats" audio system.

— Ben Patterson is a technology blogger for Yahoo! News.

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Cellphone security threats rise sharply - source (Reuters)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 09:10 PM PST

– 23 mins ago

LONDON (Reuters) – Cellphone security threats rose sharply last year as a proliferation of Internet-enabled mobile devices like smartphones and tablets provided new opportunities for cybercriminals, security software maker McAfee (MFE.N) said.

In its fourth-quarter threat report, released on Tuesday, McAfee said the number of pieces of new cellphone malware it found in 2010 rose 46 percent over 2009's level.

"As more users access the Internet from an ever-expanding pool of devices -- computer, tablet, smartphone or Internet TV -- web-based threats will continue to grow in size and sophistication," it said.

McAfee, which is being bought by Intel (INTC.O) for $7.68 billion, said it expected PDF and Flash maker Adobe (ADBE.O) to remain a favorite of cybercriminals this year, after it overtook Microsoft (MSFT.O) in popularity as a target in 2010.

It attributed the trend to Adobe's greater popularity in mobile devices and non-Microsoft environments, coupled with the ongoing widespread use of PDF document files to convey malware.

McAfee said Google's (GOOG.O) Android, which last quarter overtook Nokia (NOK1V.HE) as the maker of the world's most popular smartphone software, had been targeted by a trojan horse that buried itself in Android applications and games.

And politically motivated hacking was on the rise, it said, with the highest-profile protagonist being the "Anonymous" activist group that targeted the websites of organizations it perceived to be hostile to controversial site WikiLeaks.

Confirming a trend that other software security companies have reported, McAfee said spam levels had decreased sharply, especially in the second half of the fourth quarter, with 62 percent less by the end of the year than at the beginning.

The company said, however, that spam's hitting its lowest level for years simply represented a transition period with several botnets -- collections of computers harnessed to act in concert -- going dormant at an usually busy time of year.

(Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

Sprint to sell dual-screen Kyocera phone (Reuters)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 06:23 PM PST

By Sinead Carew Sinead Carew – Mon Feb 7, 9:23 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N) plans to sell a Kyocera Corp (6971.T) phone with two screens and Google Inc's (GOOG.O) software, in an effort stand out in a crowded U.S. smartphone field where Apple Inc (AAPL.O) gets much of the consumer attention.

Japan's Kyocera and Sprint Nextel, the No. 3 U.S. mobile provider, both said the device would likely be followed by other two-screen models as they look to cater to consumers who want to use two different applications at once.

The phone, which was unveiled at a New York event on Monday evening, will go on sale this Spring for $199.99 to consumers who sign a 2-year contract with Sprint, the companies said.

The event, which was kicked off by a performance from magician David Blaine, came days before Verizon Wireless starts sales of Apple's iPhone, which is seen drawing huge interest as it ends AT&T Inc's (T.N) three-year U.S. rights to the phone.

The Kyocera phone, to be called the Echo, is expected to mark a big step up from Kyocera's most recent U.S. offerings, which have typically more basic devices.

Along with Google's increasingly popular Android software, Echo will feature two 3.5-inch screens that are hinged together and can be used in tandem for doing different things such as surfing the Web and watching videos at the same time.

WIMAX DUAL SCREEN?

The phone can double the screen size available for using a single application such as email. For example, one screen could show the email inbox while the second screen shows the email text. Each can also run separate applications.

"I actually think it's going to be a huge market," Fared Adib, Sprint vice president for product development told Reuters on the sidelines of the event. "You're going to start to see these things become more prevalent."

Adib said the Echo was designed for the estimated 70 percent of people who tend to use two forms of entertainment at once, like surfing the web while also watching television.

One drawback from having such a big display, however, is a bigger than usual drain on the phone's battery. But to counter this Sprint is throwing in a spare battery, worth about $50, with the phone itself so that the spare can be attached to the device when power is running low.

With the spare battery, Adib estimated that the phone would last as long as typical smartphones, which tend to need to be recharged after a day or more.

Another drawback is that the phone runs on Sprint's slower CDMA network rather than its high-speed wireless service, which uses Clearwire's (CLWR.O) WiMax network. But Adib said the company would look at dual-screen WiMax phones.

"I wouldn't count out one for WiMax," he said.

Executives from Kyocera also indicated that Echo would not be a one-off device. Atsushi Kodera, a global sales executive for Kyocera, said the company has at least one more dual-screen phone in the pipeline besides Echo, which he described as "a new family, a new era."

Since WiMax is also being deployed in Japan, Kodera said Kyocera is investigating if it will bring out a phone based on that technology along with CDMA and LTE, a rival high-speed technology for which it plans to launch a phone this year.

CCS Insight analyst John Jackson said that, since many phones have taken on a shape similar to the iPhone, phone makers are looking for ways to distinguish themselves.

The next "new thing" for this year may be dual-screen devices, Jackson said.

Another avenue they have pursued is tablet computers, a market where Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc (MMI.N) have been following Apple's iPad lead.

"Most vendors are working on dual screen phones. It's similar to the tablet in that it's a speculative market, but it makes sense to experiment," Jackson said.

While the Echo raised fewer cheers than Blaine's under-water magic tricks, analysts said it could be popular among consumers who do not need high-speed data services.

"It should sell quite well for people in their late teens and mid twenties," said wireless industry analyst Roger Entner from Recon Analytics. "The downside is that you're not getting the very fastest network available."

Shares in Sprint, which reports earnings later this week, closed at $4.40 on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, unchanged from their Friday finish.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew; editing by Steve Orlofsky, Andre Grenon and Bernard Orr)

Nokia faces key test with strategy announcement (AFP)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 07:30 PM PST

by Aira-Katariina Vehaskari Aira-katariina Vehaskari – 2 hrs 2 mins ago

HELSINKI (AFP) – Finland's Nokia faces a key test this week when chief executive Stephen Elop finally unveils a long awaited plan to reverse a sharp slide in the fortunes of the world's number one mobile phone maker.

Nokia holds a strategy and financial briefing in London on Friday, two weeks after it reported a 21 percent slump in fourth quarter earnings and Elop promised: "The industry's changed and now it's time for Nokia to change faster."

"Their strategy renewal is crucial ... there really isn't any strategy at all in place now," Pohjola Bank analyst Hannu Rauhala said.

The company has given little away amid a flurry of rumours ranging from a possible deal with Nokia's biggest operating system rival Google Android to claims by German weekly WirtschaftsWoche that Elop, a Canadian and the the group's first foreign head, is about to sack half of the management board.

"At this point there are lots of rumours in the air but we'll see Friday if anything happens," said Rauhala, adding that if the company's strategy were to change dramatically, then its organisation might have to do the same.

Analysts agree that Nokia could be in for some radical re-thinking if it is to shake off the blight of delayed product launches, quality issues and the overall feeling that its ability to compete is dwindling.

The Finnish company was once the juggernaut of the mobile world, with a 40 percent share in the mobile device market as recently at the second quarter of 2008.

That figure has been sliding ever since, hitting just 31 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Although still the smartphone market leader, Nokia has lost significant ground in the past two years when Apple's iPhone, RIM's Blackberry and mobiles running Google's Android operating system burst onto the scene and were instantly embraced as faster, more user-friendly and just plain cooler.

"Personally, I want to see clearly how Nokia intends to go forward and answer these challenges," Rauhala says.

Of paramount importance is what the company will say about its operating system strategy.

Elop has already dismissed one rumour, making it clear the company has great hopes for Symbian3, the operating system Nokia packs into its smartphones, despite the rocky start in developing and implementing the software.

At the same time, he passed over in silence the company's newest platform, MeeGo during the results announcement.

"MeeGo is a big question mark still because the company doesn't have any products out now ... (and) Elop didn't even mention Meego, which is really interesting. So there may be changes related to MeeGo," Nordea Bank analyst Sami Sarkamies said.

Mobile software experts say that the Intel-based open source platform has tremendous potential.

"It has the potential to be used in a very wide range of implementations, for example, it's already been used in places like electronics where Android hasn't even been tried," said Jukka Heikkilae, the director for a mobile software programme at the University of Jyvaeskylae in central Finland.

Another big issue expected to come up on Friday is Nokia's strategy for the US market, where Elop admitted there was a "pattern of disappointments" despite the company's best efforts.

"They have to improve co-operation with US operators because they are such an important distribution point for handsets," said Rauhala, adding that Nokia has to work on giving operators services they want.

Elop also made references to the plethora of platform "ecosystems," presumably including Nokia's competitors, which "need to be considered."

That comment has analysts thinking that Nokia could choose some kind of co-operation with Android, which dethroned Symbian in December as the most-shipped mobile operating system, according to market research company Canalys.

"It doesn't necessarily mean that they will switch to Android or another system. It could mean ... that they will somehow build a bridge to the Android system, maybe by adding a compatibility layer so you can run Android programs without the Android operating system," said Sarkamies, noting that there are rumours that RIM is considering doing the same thing.

Rauhala, on the other hand, feels this would be a bad idea because it could regulate Nokia to being just another Android-phone maker and risk losing control over the Nokia identity.

Whatever the details, analysts said Friday will be the first time since his appointment late last year that Elop unveils his own personal strategy for the company.

"This means there will probably be elements that Nokia hasn't seen before," Rauhala said.

Ken and Barbie's fate put to Facebook vote (AFP)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 08:01 PM PST

– 1 hr 32 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Facebook users are being asked to vote on whether one of the most iconic US couples ever should be reunited after a seven-year split.

Barbie and Ken, two half-century-old dolls marketed by the world's biggest toy company, Mattel, split on Valentine's Day 2004 after 43 years together, and now the public is being asked to weigh in on whether they belong together.

After the big break-up, Barbie began a dalliance with an Australian surfer dude-doll called Blaine and Ken dumped his role as Barbie's eternal sidekick and "stepped out in a big way," Mattel says on the Facebook page for the two dolls.

Ken went on to win critical acclaim for his role in Toy Story 3, and also made appearances at Fashion Week in New York, the page says.

But even as he revelled in his new-found celebrity, Ken's aim was always to win back Barbie, Mattel says.

"Having explored the singles scene after his starring role in Toy Story 3, Ken now knows Barbie is the only doll for him," Mattel said in a statement outlining some of the "epic romantic gestures" the boy doll is making to win back his girl.

One of those gestures is by professing his love for Barbie on billboards in New York and Los Angeles, one of which reads: "Barbie, We May Be Plastic But Our Love is Real."

Mattel is now asking fans of the two dolls, who have retained their youthful good looks and seamlessly changed with the times, to vote on either doll's Facebook page or on barbieandken.com to determine if they should get back together.

Ken reportedly wants to win back Barbie by Valentine's Day, in a week's time.

There was no word Monday on how the poll was going or what Blaine's fate would be if Barbie goes back to Ken.

Samsung releases two new sub-$200 point-and-shoots (Macworld)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 06:00 PM PST

Sam Felsing Sam Felsing – Mon Feb 7, 9:00 pm ET

On Monday, Samsung added two new budget point-and-shoot cameras, the PL20 and the ES80, to its digital camera line-up. The PL20 will retail for $120 and be available in March, while the ES80 will cost $100 and hit shelves in April.

PL20: The essentials plus HD video

Though compact and only $120, Samsung has packed a decent set of features into the PL20 point-and-shoot. It has a 14 megapixel CCD sensor and a 27mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom and digital image stabilization. The PL20 can also shoot 720p HD video at 24 frames per second, and it runs off of a rechargeable Li-ion battery.

The camera software has some nice touches too. There is Samsung's Smart Auto feature that automatically adjusts the camera settings to fit the current lighting situation and shooting mode. Large group photos of 10 or more people are easier with the PL20̢۪s face detection tool, which can make sure that all the faces are in focus before taking the photo. And there are a few in-camera editing tools for adding special effects photos, including fish-eye and miniature effects.

ES80: Back to basics

The lower-end ES80 camera differentiates from the PL20 in just a few ways. It has a slightly larger body and a slightly smaller 12 megapixel sensor. It also pars back on other features to get down to that $100 price point: there is no video capability and no in-camera art filters.

The ES80 has the same 27mm wide-angle lens, digital image stabilization, Smart Auto mode, and face detection as the PL20, However, The ES80 does offer a self-portrait feature that its counterpart does not. When PL20's photographers turn on the camera's Self Portrait mode, they can step in front of the camera and it will wait until it detects a face before taking the picture. Blink and Smile Detection features make the camera take a series of photos until it captures one without blinking or with a smile.

Both cameras will come in Silver, Black, Pink and Tomato Red. The PL20 will be out in March, while the ES80 will drop in April.

Website on defensive over Tibet ad (AFP)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 05:39 PM PST

– Mon Feb 7, 8:39 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Internet start-up Groupon was on the defensive as it faced outrage for running a Super Bowl advertisement that highlighted Tibet's woes to promote the online bargain site.

A "Save the Money" ad campaign thought up by Crispin Porter & Bogusky was intended to bring attention to worthy causes while poking fun at the group deal service, Groupon chief executive Andrew Mason said in a blog post on Monday.

"We took this approach knowing that, if anything, they would bring more funding and support to the highlighted causes," Mason said.

"The last thing we wanted was to offend our customers -- it's bad business and it's not where our hearts are."

The commercial during Sunday evening's game, the most-watched time of the year on US television, opens with mountain scenes set to a melancholy flute and the words, "The people of Tibet are in trouble. Their culture is in jeopardy."

Actor Timothy Hutton then quips, "But they still whip up an amazing fish curry," and explains how he used Groupon for a discount at a Tibetan restaurant in Chicago.

The advertisement set off furious messages on Twitter.

"Groupon's Tibet commercial was so appalling it made me cancel their daily email; it turned a vague dislike into enmity," Tad Friend, a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine, wrote on the micro-blogging service.

Musician Paco Mahone of Pittsburgh tweeted: "Glad I never heard of Groupon and glad I will never use them after that horrible Super Bowl commercial."

An unscientific poll on The Huffington Post, a left-leaning news site, found that some 45 percent of viewers found the advertisement "completely inappropriate" and many more were somewhat taken aback.

Rohit Bhargava, who blogs about marketing, tweeted: "Groupon seems to have achieved the unique feat of paying $3 (million) to lose customers who previously loved them."

Groupon, a Chicago-based company that has grown rapidly since its inception in 2008, acknowledged a "peculiar taste in humor" but said it in fact supported Tibetan causes.

Mason posted a link to a greenpeace.org/usa website featuring another "Save the Money" video ad.

The ad endorsed by the environmental group opened with actor Cuba Gooding Jr. somberly describing the need to save whales from extinction then switched to him happily saying "but it's more fun watching them jumping, playing..."

Gooding then tells of a deal he and friends got at Groupon to go on a whale watching cruise.

"It was a pretty tongue-in-cheek message about over-the-top celebrity cause advertising, which is what the sponsors of the commercial, Groupon, were going for," Greenpeace said in a message posted under the video ad.

"The truth is that the campaign and the commercial are really helping us save the whales."

Groupon was matching donations to charities including Greenpeace and the Tibet Fund, which supports jobs for Tibetan refugees.

"We would never have run these ads if we thought they trivialized the causes," Mason said.

"If the ads affected you, we hope you'll head over to SaveTheMoney.org and make a donation (which we'll match) -- we're hoping to raise a lot of money."

Explaining the joke, the company said its founders started in the world of philanthropy but have "ended up selling coupons."

"We loved the idea of poking fun at ourselves by talking about discounts as a noble cause," the company said in a blog post.

Incidentally, despite the fish curry reference, Tibetans are not known for eating seafood as the Himalayan territory is far from the sea.

The Groupon advertisement came just days after fashion designer Kenneth Cole got a harsh dressing down for posting a message on Twitter that played on the turmoil in Egypt to promote his latest fashion line.

Cole later apologized for his "insensitive tweet about the situation in Egypt."

Keith Olbermann to Join Current TV [REPORT] (Mashable)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 01:59 PM PST

Ben Parr Ben Parr – Mon Feb 7, 4:59 pm ET

Keith Olbermann, the controversial liberal pundit and former host of MSNBC's Countdown With Keith Olbermann, will announce tomorrow that he's joining Current TV.

Olbermann made headliens last month when he abruptly announced his departure from MSNBC. Speculation has been rampant over his next move, with Olbermann teasing his Twitter followers about his plans.

According to The New York Times, Olbermann will not only get a prime spot in Current TV's lineup; he will also be receiving an equity stake in the company. As the channel unabashedly leans to the left of the political spectrum, Olbermann is likely to be more candid and off-the-cuff on any new show he may be hosting on the channel.

Current TV, founded in 2005, is owned primarily by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, businessman Joel Hyatt and Comcast (which has a 10% stake). It focuses on news and public affairs content, though it has added more entertainment content since former MTV Networks President Mark Rosenthal took over as CEO.

Olbermann is said to also be pursuing other ventures, including a potential Internet destination. It's no secret that he'd like to build a media empire of his own.

Olbermann will likely bring new energy and attention to the struggling TV channel. In 2009, it laid off 80 employees, about 20% of its staff at the time. It also doesn't have the distribution that MSNBC has on cable. The pairing of Olbermann and Current TV could give the channel the boost it needs to regain relevancy.

Sony Ericsson finally acknowledges PlayStation Phone (Appolicious)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 12:36 PM PST

Geek 101: Demystifying Custom Android ROMs (Part I) (PC World)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 04:20 PM PST

Brent Rose Brent Rose – Mon Feb 7, 7:20 pm ET

If you've sniffed around blogs or articles about mobile phones, you've probably seen mention of "custom ROMs" or "mods." What do they do for a phone? As with rooting, a ton of information is out there; it's far from cohesive, however, and it's spread out all over the Internet. But look no further: We'll walk you through everything you need to know about custom ROMs. Tomorrow, we'll run Part II, which covers kernals, choosing the right ROM, and custom themes.

What Is a Custom ROM/Mod?

Let's start with a quick definition: For the purposes of this article, "custom ROM" and "mod" are interchangeable. Both refer to an already-existing piece of software that a third party has customized, or modified. In this case, you could install a modified version of Android on your phone in place of the stock version of the mobile OS.

Rooting and Custom Recovery

jailbreaking) and have Superuser installed on it. For more, see "Rooting Your Android Phone: FAQ," and look for how-tos on your specific model and its current software version, as rooting methods vary greatly from device to device.

You will also need a custom recovery installed and working. A custom recovery is like the launching pad for the phone's OS. It's also where you can make a full backup of the phone (similar to Time Machine in OSX). If something messes up and you can't even get the phone to boot, usually you can still get back to the custom recovery and revert to one of your backups (more on that later). You likely installed a custom recovery when you rooted your phone, especially if you followed a how-to on a site for custom ROMs (such as Cyanogen); make sure that you have one, though, because this is a step you cannot skip.

Your New Best Friend: ROM Manager

Although you can find several ways to install custom ROMs on a phone, ROM Manager is my method of choice. ROM Manager will install Clockwork Recovery (a custom recovery that works quite well). More than that, though, the app has an extremely intuitive interface for downloading and installing ROMs, creating backups or restoring from them, and even installing themes and alternate kernels. It's an easy way to try out a bunch of different mods to see which one works best for your phone.

ROM Manager is free in the Android Market, but the creators also offer a premium version that has more options and lets you download more ROMs (such as Cyanogen's experimental Nightlies, or Liquid ROMs). You can do everything over the air, which is much more convenient than the manual methods mentioned below. Before you install a mod with ROM Manager, it will ask if you want to use Clockwork to make a full backup. Do so. Each backup will be dated, so you can always go back to older backups if you want. You can--and should--delete older backups if you start running low on space on your SD Card.

Again, it's not entirely cut-and-dried from device to device. To use ROM Manager, folks with the Droid X, Droid 2, or Droid Pro must first use the bootstrap utility (made by the same genius that made ROM Manager). Samsung users must first flash a kernel that is compatible with Clockwork, and so on (a search on the XDA Developers forum will get you headed in the right direction). Since every device is different, do your research on the exact steps for your handset.

Fix Permissions

In my opinion, one of the most helpful tools out there is the Fix Permissions utility in ROM Manager. Whenever you install a new ROM or update, it's always a good idea to use Fix Permissions. Wait until your apps are all downloaded again (if you've performed a larger upgrade and have wiped) and you're done syncing; then open ROM Manager, scroll down to Utilities, and click Fix Permissions. This procedure can help iron out a lot of force-close issues. It will take around 5 minutes to run, and then it will ask you to reboot the phone, which virtually all custom ROMs allow you to do simply by long-pressing the power button and then selecting Reboot. (No more battery pulls!)

Other Install Methods

You can also download custom ROMs to your computer via the Web, and then use a USB cable to transfer them to the root directory of your phone's SD Card. Afterward, you can boot the phone into recovery--that is, whatever custom recovery you have installed, be it Clockwork, SPRecovery (which was likely installed on your phone when you rooted it), or any other custom recovery. From there you can make a Nandroid backup (a full system/data backup, explained below), and install whatever .zip file you would like (which is how ROMs are packaged).

Note that different recoveries function differently. For example, in SPRecovery the file you are flashing must be named update.zip, which can create some confusion if you want to flash multiple files, whereas Clockwork is a little more flexible. Different phones also boot into recovery differently. For instance, on the Motorola Droid you power on the handset while holding the "x" key. For other devices, you may need to hold the volume-up key. Search forums for your specific device to learn how to put it into recovery before you start installing anything else (try checking the CyanogenMod Wiki's brief partial list, but be sure to dig deeper). You can switch between different recoveries in ROM Manager (by choosing Flash Alternate Recovery), but note that any backups you made in Clockwork won't be compatible with SPRecovery, and vice versa; it's best to pick one and stick with it (and Clockwork works best with ROM Manager).

ROM Manager also has an option labeled Install ROM from SD Card. Using it is very simple: Click that option, and it will take you to the root directory of the SD Card, where you can choose the file to install. It will give you the chance to make a backup and wipe your data and cache, and then it will boot into recovery and install the ROM.

Backing Up and Wiping Data

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Roseanne's Snickers Bowl spot tops with TiVo users (Reuters)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 02:55 PM PST

By Paul Bond Paul Bond – Mon Feb 7, 5:55 pm ET

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – As it turns out, TV viewers love watching whiny comedian Roseanne get knocked silly by a giant log.

A Snickers commercial featuring Roseanne and a similarly irritable Richard Lewis was the most popular Super Bowl ad Sunday based on the number of TiVo users who rewound it and watched it multiple times.

But, good news for the NFL, even a Roseanne beat-down was no match for an actual football play, as TiVo noted that the most-watched/paused/rewatched moment was the last-minute pass from Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to receiver Mike Wallace that fell incomplete and spelled victory for the Green Bay Packers.

TiVo also noted that its users were largely uninterested in viewing ads for movies more than once during the big game. None of 13 came close to cracking TiVo's Top 10 list of the "most engaging" ads based on user behavior.

But for what it's worth, among movies, Marvel/Paramount's "Captain America: The First Avenger" scored highest, followed by "Super 8" from writer-director J.J. Abrams, Columbia's "Just

Go With It," Paramount's "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and Universal's "Fast Five."

TiVo said that in determining how engaging the various moments of the Super Bowl telecast were, it looks at "trick play" activity -- pausing, rewinding, etc. -- relative to the surrounding 15 minutes of programing so that "engaging" moments aren't skewed by rising and falling audience numbers during the show.

The average TiVo user reached for their remote controls for the purpose of trick-plays 145 times during the Super Bowl.

After the Snickers "Logging" ad, the rest of the Top 10 most engaging ads were: Best Buy "Bieber and Ozzy," Pepsi Max "Love Hurts," Volkswagen Passat "The Force," Doritos "The Best Part," Teleflora "Help Me Faith," Doritos "House Sitting," E*Trade "Tailor," Cruze Eco "Misunderstanding" and Bridgestone "Carma."

TiVo noted that the Passat ad, which featured a child in a Darth Vader costume, scored the No. 4 slot even though it had already been viewed 14 million times online before its Super Bowl debut.

After the Roethlisberger incomplete pass that effectively ended the game, the next two biggest game moments were a third-and-goal incomplete pass from Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers followed by a Steelers two-point conversion.

As for the halftime show, TiVo said viewership of the Black Eyed Peas and guests Usher and Slash was about equal to that of previous performances by The Who last year, Bruce Springsteen in 2009 and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers in 2008.

Android tops iPhone in US: comScore (AFP)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 05:04 PM PST

– Mon Feb 7, 8:04 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Google's Android surged past Apple's iPhone last quarter and is closing in on the Blackberry as the most popular smartphone platform in the United States, market tracking firm comScore said.

According to comScore, 63.2 million Americans owned smartphones at the end of December, up 60 percent from a year earlier.

Blackberry maker Research in Motion was the US smartphone leader at the end of the fourth quarter with 31.6 percent of the market but its share fell from 37.3 percent the previous quarter, comScore said.

Google's Android mobile operating system was next with a 28.7 percent of the smartphone market at the end of December, up from 21.4 percent at the end of September.

Apple was third with 25.0 percent of the market, down from 24.3 percent the previous quarter, according to comScore.

Microsoft software was running on 8.4 percent of the smartphones in the United States, down from 9.9 percent the previous quarter, comScore said, and Palm, which is owned by Hewlett-Packard, saw its market share slip to 3.7 percent from 4.2 percent the previous quarter.

Kindle puts readers and friends on same page (AFP)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 03:12 PM PST

– Mon Feb 7, 6:12 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – Amazon on Monday released a preview version of a Kindle software update that puts electronic book readers on the same page with friends still clinging to ink and paper works.

Page numbers in tens of thousands of Kindle digital books, including bestsellers, have been matched with those in real-world copies of the titles.

"Our customers have told us they want real page numbers that match the page numbers in print books so they can easily reference and cite passages, and read alongside others in a book club or class," Amazon said.

"Rather than add page numbers that don't correspond to print books, which is how page numbers have been added to e-books in the past, we're adding real page numbers that correspond directly to a book's print edition," it said.

The update will also allow for more conceptual versions of being on the same page by letting readers share book notes or thoughts about titles online with select circles or the overall "Kindle community."

Amazon is also upgrading the Kindle layout for digital magazines and newspapers. An "early preview release" of the Kindle software was available on Monday at Amazon.com.

A final version will be sent as an automatic update to Kindles when it is available.

NASA twin probes let us view the sun in 3D (Digital Trends)

Posted: 07 Feb 2011 04:19 PM PST

Jeffrey Van Camp Jeffrey Van Camp – Mon Feb 7, 7:19 pm ET

nasa-first-ever-stereo-images-of-sun

Yesterday, NASA confirmed a very vital piece of information to all mankind: we now know that the sun is, without a doubt, a sphere. For the first time, the space agency is able to see both the front and back of the sun. Luckily, there were no surprises. NASA now has an uninterrupted feed of both sides of the sun, allowing it to monitor and gather invaluable information about its health and inner workings.

To obtain the 360 degree view, NASA launched twin STEREO probes into opposing orbits of the sun. Each satellite sends back high resolution pictures of half of the star and computers here on Earth combine the images to form a full view. The human eye is no match for these cameras though. The probes can actually take pictures of four wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet radiation, giving scientists even more important information on a consistent basis.

"With data like these, we can fly around the sun to see what's happening over the horizon—without ever leaving our desks," said STEREO program scientist Lika Guhathakurta. "I expect great advances in theoretical solar physics and space weather forecasting."

Like advances in weather forecasting, seeing the backside of the sun can help scientists see things like sunspots form before they are in view of Earth, giving us valuable time to prepare for events like flares and plasma clouds that could head toward our small planet. "With this nice global model, we can now track solar storms heading toward other planets, too," points out Guhathakurta. "This is important for NASA missions to Mercury, Mars, asteroids … you name it."

The STEREO probes left earth in Oct. 2006 and have been working toward alignment ever since. The two probes aligned on Feb. 6, 2011, which is when NASA received its first full view of the sun. The agency receives new photos every 10 minutes.

NASA has been busy lately. In the last few months it has discovered alien life on Earth and discovered several habitable planets outside of our solar system.

See the sun in 3D
at 9:43 PM

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