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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Engadget News

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Engadget News

Borders files for bankruptcy, plans to keep operating but close 30 percent of its stores

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 09:47 AM PST

We heard the news was coming, and now it's official -- Borders, the second-biggest bookstore chain the U.S., has filed for bankruptcy. As expected, the company will continue to operate while it restructures, but it will hardly be the same company it once was. It's being forced to close around 200 (or 30 percent) of its stores, and it may need to close another 75 if it's not able to gain some concessions from landlords, according to Bloomberg. This is news on Engadget, of course, because Borders has also been trying to compete with Amazon and Barnes & Noble beyond its core brick-and-mortar bookselling business in recent years (and not exactly succeeding). While the company hasn't produced its own e-book reader, it has partnered with Kobo to sell its device, and it has established its own e-book store that's also used by its various e-reader apps for smartphones and tablets. There's no indication as of yet that the bankruptcy will affect those endeavors.

Huawei IDEOS S7 Pro tablet sneaks out, coming this spring

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 09:38 AM PST

Can you handle one more Android tablet? Let's find out. That one up there is Huawei's IDEOS S7 Pro, which is not to be confused with its new IDEOS S7 Slim. The Pro didn't get a formal introduction here at MWC 2011, but it was lounging around the Huawei booth with a placard revealing its specs. Unfortunately, this one won't be launching with Honeycomb -- it packs a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, Android 2.3, HSPA+, WiFi 802.11bgn, and two cameras. The metal model on display seemed to be just a mockup, and despite the LED buttons lighting up, it wouldn't actually boot. We overheard a company representative say that it would be launching this spring and our comrades at Engadget Spanish have also heard that it will launch at 10-inch version later in the year. You know what that means? Yep, even more Android tablets!
Huawei IDEOS S7 Pro hands-on

Intel's Otellini insists company is committed to MeeGo, says he 'understood' why Nokia moved to Microsoft

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 09:18 AM PST

We've already seen some evidence that Intel was still pushing strongly ahead with MeeGo despite Nokia's deal with Microsoft, and now CEO Paul Otellini has chimed in on the matter to reassure folks that the company is still committed to the mobile OS. Speaking with Bloomberg at Mobile World Congress this week, Otellini said that he doesn't see that "Nokia changing its strategy changes the industry strategy," and added that "operators still look for an open, operator-friendly operating system." Otellini further went on to say on a panel discussion that he "understood" why Nokia made the decision it did, and even said that if he were in the same position he would have made "the same or a similar call." That doesn't mean he wasn't disappointed by it though -- in fact, he revealed that he used a word that Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz "has often used" when he first received the news from Stephen Elop himself (we'll let you look that up if you don't know it).

Plex Media Center App comes to Android, Windows server available

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 08:59 AM PST

Everyone's other favorite spinoff from the XBMC family tree has some major news this week, as Plex has released a Media Center app for Android that mirrors most of the functions already available for iOS devices. Available now on the Android Market for $4.99, it brings local and streaming media to the phone over WiFi, or 3G from a Mac (and now, Windows PC) running the server software, but users will have to wait a few weeks for an upgrade adding remote functions (or use any of the 3rd party apps already on the Market.) With plugins for apps like Netflix, Hulu and BBC iPlayer it's a formidable competitor in the mediastreamer market out of the gate; throw in support for PCs plus integration into LG's 2011 HDTVs and Blu-ray players and we're ready to pick Plex as the platform to keep an eye on this year. Check out the details in the press release after the break, we'll toss in a link to the Windows server once we find it / it's posted. (Update: The link is down there but it's still delivering a dmg instead of an exe, we've been told it should be up later this afternoon. Thanks, Chris!)
Plex Media Center for Android


Show full PR text
PLEX RELEASES MEDIA CENTER APPLICATION FOR ANDROID; REACHES LARGEST GROWING MOBILE MARKET

Plex Enables Android Users to Easily Turn Mobile Devices into a Portable Media Center

San Francisco, CA – February 16, 2011 – Plex (www.plexapp.com), a leading three-screen media center (PC, TV and mobile) provider, today announced the availability of Plex for Android mobile devices. Plex is the only truly comprehensive mediasolution that spans personal, commercial and online content, designed to simplify and improve the way people experience media across a range of connected devices. Plex's Android application allows users to consume all of their Plex media server content on their Android device, providing many of the features already available via Plex's popular iOS application.

Plex's downloadable media center lets users view and organize all their personal and local media – movies, TV shows, videos, music, pictures and more. In addition, a rich variety of streaming content is available from online sources around the globe, such as Netflix, Revision3, YouTube, CNN, PBS and over 200 others in one place, using a standard interface. Android users will now be able to browse and consume media from multiple sources in a simple-to-use and intuitive way, ensuring that even novice users will easily be able to access their favorite content.

"Current media centertechnologies tend to be focused on a single device for managing and consuming content. Plex enables and encourages users to access their media in a unified fashion across a range of devices and multiple form factors. We started Plex in order to fill a need – making access to digital media fun and simple," said Cayce Ullman, CEO and co-founder, Plex. "Releasing the Android app is a crucial step to expanding the availability of the Plex platform to users worldwide via their existing devices."

Using Plex's open framework, third-party developers and content owners have the ability to develop Plex Channels, which can be available to Plex users across all devices. Currently, there are over 200 channels available through Plex's service, including iTunes, Netflix, CNN, Revision3, YouTube, and many others.

The Android application is available for $4.99. Users need to download the Mac media center or the server application for Windows (both free of charge) to deliver content to the mobile applications. The company also offers a fully featured mobile application for Apple iOS users and will be embedded in 2011 LG SmartTV™ enabled HDTVs, which will be available in stores in early 2011. For more information, please visit www.plexapp.com.

For screenshots and images of Plex on Android, go to: http://plexapp.com/android-press/

###

Visualized: Google's perpetual conveyor belt of Android

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 08:44 AM PST

You know those sushi places that have the pre-packaged rolls hypnotically scrolling by your face endlessly on a little conveyor belt? Well, picture exactly that... but with virtually every major Android device ever made instead of sushi. That was just one of the many visual treats we experienced at Google's Android booth at Mobile World Congress this year -- along with a dozen or so brightly-painted giant Android statues and a fully-functional slide from the second floor down to the first. We'd estimate there were perhaps 200 phones and tablets on the belt, ranging all the way from the original T-Mobile G1 up to prototype versions of the HTC Desire S and Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo. We'll admit, it was nigh impossible to resist grabbing at the clear acrylic capsules as they slid silently by, but fortunately, you won't have that problem when you check it out on video -- a safe distance from Barcelona -- after the break.
Visualized: Googles perpetual conveyor belt of Android

Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 08:22 AM PST

Hello, Moto -- no wait, Samsung... or is it LG? Three of the world's biggest smartphone makers have leapt at the opportunity to serve up Google's brand new Honeycomb build of Android, however their selection of menu items looks to be somewhat lacking in diversity. Motorola's Xoom matches Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in both screen size and resolution (1280 x 800), while LG's Optimus Pad / G-Slate offers only marginally smaller measurements with an 8.9-inch display spanning 1280 x 768. More than that, all three tablets run the bone-stock Honeycomb UI and are built around NVIDIA's 1GHz Tegra 2 system-on-chip, leaving little room for differentiation on the basis of user experience or internal performance (LG would have you believe its 3D camcorder is a big advantage for its slate, but we're not so sure). Most choices between the three, then, will come to things like brand loyalty, ergonomics and pure, basic aesthetic appeal. To help you judge the latter of those three points, we've prepared an exhaustive barrage of side-by-side photos below -- we expect you to view every last one of 'em... at least twice.
Xoom vs. Optimus Pad... fight!

Xoom vs. Galaxy Tab 10.1... fight!

Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. Optimus Pad... fight!

Exclusive: Sony 'S1' PlayStation tablet (updated)

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 08:10 AM PST

Think for a second, what major consumer electronics company doesn't have a tablet to show? Right, Sony. In fact, the rumor womb has been conspicuously barren of salacious Sony tablet tattle ever since Apple's iPad was announced back in 2010. Oh sure, Sony's owned-up to the development of prototypes that fill a "very important position" somewhere in between its own Vaio PC lineup and the Xperia Play byproduct of its Ericsson commingling. But beyond that: zilch, nada... until today.

We have a couple of tablets we'd like to tell you about, starting with a 9.4-inch honeypot of an Android 3.0 tablet. Details of which have been confirmed by two highly trusted and independent sources. Known by its "S1" codename internally, Sony is busy customizing Matias Duarte's Honeycomb interface to its own specification. Although, we're skeptical of Sony's software capabilities, we've been assured that Sony's work is cutting edge stuff created by a talented engineering team spanning Sony's VAIO, Reader, PlayStation, and Sony Ericsson product groups. The team is lead by the VAIO organization but will probably launch as a Sony product without VAIO branding, according to one source. Sony's custom-built transitions and UI elements have created a user experience that rivals and at times improves upon the iPad's renowned experience. The tablet itself, we're told, is 100 percent focused on Qriocity, Sony's music, games, ebooks, and videos on demand service that's just been launched in Europe. It comes preloaded with Sony PS One games, a Bravia Media Remote, and yes, PlayStation integration -- though it's unclear if that'll be limited to Remote Play or if the Android tablet will be PlayStation Suite certified. One source speculates that it could very well get the PlayStation gaming seal of approval by the time it ships -- but that's just an educated guess.

Update: We now have confirmation that the S1 is indeed PlayStation Certified making this a full-blown gaming tablet. We've also revised the image above to make the top less pronounced.

So what about that curvaceous mockup above? A design described to us as "beautiful, the best thing" one source has ever seen from Sony. Click through the break and we'll explain.

The tablet's "wrap" design is meant to remind the owner of something personal in the way that it mimics an open paperback stuffed into the back pocket, or a magazine folded backward upon itself such that only a single page is visible to read. A design that also gives the tablet's display enough angle to comfortably touch-type when placed on a table. It also makes one-handed operation a bit less taxing on the wrist by shifting the center of gravity to the bulbous edge of the device as in our mock-up above. A trick meant to reduce the torque that makes 10-inch tablets uncomfortable to hold one-handed for an extended length of time (when reading an ebook, for example). So even though the S1 is about the same size and weight as Apple's iPad, we're told that it feels lighter since most of the weight is shifted directly into the user's hand and over the wrist. Naturally, the screen UI rotates allowing for right- or left-handed use and we're told that it's still comfortable to hold in landscape mode where the bulging edge is typically held at the top.

Although the tablet looks like a hollow 9.4-inch capacitive touch panel sporting a 1,280 x 800 pixel resolution from the distance, the space between the the front and back wrapped panels is actually stuffed with a battery and circuitry including a Tegra 2 processor. As such, you won't be hanging it from the towel rack. It also features both front- and rear-facing cameras as well as a USB-A port that plays host to USB thumb drives or media devices. The only physical buttons -- volume and on / off -- are located on the edge of each indented side. There's also the possibility that the S1 will feature a "Q" (for Qriocity) button but that decision has not been finalized, according to one of our sources. Oh, and there's an IR port built-in allowing you to control devices other than your Bravia TV. The front face is finished in a high-gloss black that sits flush with the display and continues in one unobstructed sweep to the back of the tablet where a subtle dot matrix texture is applied to enhance the grip. The underside is a matte-silver color creating a nice contrast. All materials, we're told, feel very premium though it's unclear if we're talking plastic, aluminum, or something else.

So, price and ship date? We're told that the target price for the WiFi-only version of the S1 was meant to match the iPad but has recently been bumped to $599 (a $100 premium) with a planned September ship -- a date that has already slipped several times. Of course, any or all of this could change before then, or maybe the whole project gets canned. We don't know. What we can tell you, is that Sony has another Honeycomb tablet in the works which we'll reveal soon enough. Until then, this patent application is a hint of what's to come.

Skype happy to offer jobs to any Finns who might be in need

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 07:58 AM PST

Skype happy to offer jobs to any Finns who might be in needOver 1,000 disgruntled Nokistas walked off the job last week and, while presumably all of them showed up punctually on Monday morning, it remains to be seen how many will get proverbial pink slips as Elop starts making cuts. When that time comes Skype is happy to say that they'd like to hire as many as possible. CEO Tony Bates has no qualms about making the best of this situation, saying the following to Reuters:
There is going to be tremendous talent out there... "Our primary engineering focus just so happens to be somewhere between Finland, Estonia and Stockholm, so you can imagine that's a great opportunity and we're hiring.
Hear that, shunned Nokia elite? Now turn that frown upside down.

Motorola Xoom price official: $799 unsubsidized on Verizon, $600 for WiFi-only

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 07:41 AM PST

There you have it, folks -- the exhausting saga of the Xoom's pricing has finally been laid to rest by Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha. Reuters reports a $799 levy for the 32GB Honeycomb tablet when bought with 3G (which will be upgraded to 4G) connectivity from Verizon sans subsidies, while Jha is also quoted as saying that a WiFi-only version will set buyers back only $600. The latter price matches the 32GB iPad directly, however the 3G Xoom is $70 more expensive than the Apple alternative. Sanjay failed to say when said pricing or models will become available, but there have been strong indications that pre-orders or reservations will begin tomorrow (at least at Best Buy), with the tablet launching in full on Thursday next week.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Google announces One Pass payment system for online content (video)

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 07:39 AM PST

Thinking of wading into the fast paced world of publishing in the digital age, yet balking at the thirty percent cut Apple is taking for its in-app subscription model? Fret not, would-be Hearsts and Murdochs: Google One Pass is here. The PR-speak promises "an open and flexible platform" for "publishers, journalism and access to quality content." Sure, but what is it, exactly? A user authentication, payment processing, and administration system for folks who want to sell content on the web. Google only takes ten percent off the top, and you even get access to customer consumer data -- something Apple is unwilling to do. Intrigued? Check out the video after the break.

Update: Also worth noting is that One Pass works across multiple sites, and it offers payments within mobile apps as well.

[Thanks, John]

Microsoft Zune is dying, long live Microsoft Zune?

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 07:27 AM PST

In all the Microkia hub-bub of late, as the best of Redmond and the pride of Tampere hold hands and blaze a trail to smartphone domination, the word "Zune" never once came up. This didn't escape the notice of many, including MS guru Paul Thurrott and ZDNet's Mary-Jo Foley, who inquired to someone at Microsoft about just what's going on -- whether indeed the brand is indeed being killed off. This is the non-denial that came back:
We're not 'killing' any of the Zune services/features in any way. Microsoft remains committed to providing a great music and video experience from Zune on platforms such as Xbox LIVE, Windows-based PCs, Zune devices and Windows Phone 7, as well as integration with Bing and MSN.
It's unclear what exactly is happening, especially when it comes to dedicated Zune hardware and services like Zune Pass, but it certainly seems like "Zune" as a brand is on its last legs. Feel free to share your favorite memories below, and try not to cry, because our hearts... our hearts will go on.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

LG starts shipping new 'flicker free' 3D TVs with passive glasses

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 07:14 AM PST

LG announced at CES that it was breaking from other TV manufacturers to push its own FPR technology for 3DTVs and now they've started shipping in Korea including the LW5700 pictured above. LG's new approach means placing a special film over the LCD screen (no plasmas, although OLED versions are planned in the future) letting users use cheap "flicker free" passive 3D glasses instead of keeping a conventional display and using more expensive active shutter 3D glasses. LG's new TVs with the screens should start arriving in the US in March, although Vizio is already selling one Cinema 3D TV over here with the technology and plans to deliver a slew of new models soon. Of course, the main downside to this approach is that it halves the resolution delivered to each eye when wearing the glasses, but -- if you hadn't already guessed from its tablets and phones -- LG is betting big on 3D this year, we'll see if it pays off.

Show full PR text
LG'S NEW CINEMA 3D TV REWRITES THE RULES FOR 3D
With World's First "Flicker Free" Certification, LG CINEMA 3D TV Offers
the Ultimate in Smooth, Comfortable and Bright 3D Viewing

SEOUL, Feb. 16, 2011 – LG Electronics (LG) today announced the Korean release of its new CINEMA 3D TV, which boasts the first third-party endorsed "flicker free" 3D images, along with more comfortable glasses, a brighter picture and a wider viewing angle. Together, these features make it more comfortable than ever for viewers to enjoy 3D content in the company of family and friends.

"Having used our expertise in 3D to address consumer concerns about 3D, such as the sometime flickery picture and unwieldy glasses, today we're ready to unveil a real breakthrough in 3D with LG CINEMA 3D TV," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. "LG CINEMA 3D TV will be a real game changer in 3D TV, pushing 3D viewing to new heights of excitement and taking 3D technology firmly into the mainstream of home entertainment worldwide."

CINEMA 3D TV's outstanding 3D viewing experience begins with its Film Patterned Retarder (FPR) technology, which optimizes the separation of images for the left and right eye. Those images are then matched up with CINEMA 3D glasses specially designed to receive each image, creating an outstandingly smooth 3D picture.

The resulting picture has earned CINEMA 3D TV "flicker free" certification from Intertek and TÜV, two world-renowned certification agencies based in Europe, making it the world's first 3D TV to receive the designation. With such a smooth picture, the Cinema 3D TV practically eliminates the feelings of dizziness or eye fatigue that could occur with previous 3D TVs, meaning viewers can enjoy 3D content for longer and in greater comfort.

The Cinema 3D TV also comes with comfortable and inexpensive 3D glasses. Tipping the scales at just 16 grams, the glasses have no electrical parts, so they are free of electromagnetic waves and never need to be recharged. And because the CINEMA 3D TV's glasses don't need to be synced or shuttered, they ensure CINEMA 3D stays entirely free of onscreen flicker.

Further ramping up the picture quality is LG's 3D Light Boost, a thin film covering the CINEMA 3D TV's screen that ensures 3D images are shown at full brightness. By counteracting any dimness that can sometimes occur with 3D content, 3D Light Boost creates brighter, clearer images for a superior 3D viewing experience.

Thanks to its wider viewing angle, CINEMA 3D TV is ideal for watching 3D with big groups of friends or family, while sitting or lying down in practically any spot in front of the TV.

Besides superb picture quality in 2D and 3D, CINEMA 3D TV boasts all the advantages of LG's Smart TV technology. With its simple Home Dashboard and Magic Motion Remote Control, LG CINEMA 3D TV makes it easy to access a full array of premium content via top global providers, the best in locally sourced shows, and the growing range of LG Apps designed specifically for use on its Smart TVs.

Following its Korean release, LG CINEMA 3D TV will be rolled out globally from March.

LW5700 Specifications:

- Light and Comfortable Glasses
- 3D Light Boost
- Wide Viewing Angle
- Smart TV
- DLNA/WiFi/DVR ready
- 2D to 3D conversion
- LED Plus
- Local Dimming
- TruMotion 120(100)Hz
- DivX Plus/HD
- Smart Energy Saving Plus

# # #

Toshiba Satellite R830, R840, and R850 laptops unveiled at MWC

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 06:56 AM PST

There have been a lot of phone and tablet announcements here at MWC 2011, but laptops? Not so much. Toshiba's not following the crowd here, though. Instead, it's touched down in Barcelona with three fresh Satellites -- the 13.3-inch R830, 14-inch R840, and 15.6-inch R850. Aesthetically, they should look very familiar as Toshiba's basically refreshed its Portege R700 series with Intel's latest Core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge processors and enhanced its cooling system. The company was a bit vague on specific configuration details (though, we took some shots of the system properties in the gallery below), but its press release does list that the rigs will be available with up to 8GB of RAM and 640GB of hard disk storage, SSDs, and USB 3.0. The R830 (pictured above) is still one of our favorites, and like the R705, it is made of magnesium, only weighs 3.2 pounds, and still has a optical drive. The R840 and R850 have been slightly retooled with subtlety striped lids, which we are told of made of a high stiffness resin. Both models have chiclet keyboards and regular touchpads with two mouse buttons, though the 14- and 15-inchers have pointing sticks. All three models will be hitting in April, but Tosh is keeping quiet on pricing. Hit the first gallery for a few shots of the rigs and the second for a look at the special copper airflow cooling system Toshiba's cooked up.
Toshiba Satellite R830, R840, and R850 hands-on

Toshiba Airflow Cooling Technology


Show full PR text
Toshiba breaks barriers bringing highly mobile notebooks with a first class set of features to the masses
The new Satellite R800 series offers an attractive blend of mobility, power, configuration, durability and price

Neuss, Germany, 15th February 2011 – Toshiba Computer Systems, a division of Toshiba Europe GmbH, today announced the Satellite R800 series, a new range of slim, light and high-spec notebooks targeted at consumers. The series includes the 33.8cm (13.3") Satellite R830, the 35.6cm (14.0'') Satellite R840 and the 39.6cm (15.6'') Satellite R850. Thanks to a sophisticated heat management system Toshiba has managed to integrate Intel's latest full-performance CPUs into the slim casings. The Satellite R800 series models are estimated to be available during the second quarter 2011 throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Fully-featured, thin and lightweight at a very affordable price
"The new Satellite R800 series include slim, lightweight and fully-featured high-quality notebooks that are affordable for the masses," said Marco Perino, General Manager Digital Products Division, Toshiba Europe. "It offers an unparalleled blend of innovative technologies, the latest connectivity tools, high quality, durability, comprehensive configuration and a remarkable price performance ratio."

R800 gives users what they need
Featuring the most in-demand interfaces, the Satellite R800 series notebooks easily connect to the world. They come with a high-speed USB 3.0 port allowing data rates of up to 5GB. This allows back-ups of data-demanding files such as videos, high-quality photos or large music libraries on a USB 3.0 compatible storage device such as the Toshiba STOR.E ART 4 can now be done quickly within minutes. With fast wireless interfaces (WLAN 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0 + HS) but also an HDMI port the Satellite R800 notebooks meets all needs of a modern digital lifestyle. Despite their slim design all Satellite R800 models come with an optical disc drive as standard.

Technology made to differentiate
In order to pack such a powerful punch into such slim and light devices, Toshiba made use of various innovative technologies. A sophisticated cooling system optimises heat removal and allows using the latest powerful Intel CPUs while keeping fan noise at a minimum. The casing's honeycomb structure in certain areas of R830's and R840's casing and chassis pillars on the 35.6cm (14.0'') and 39.6cm (15.6'') devices embedded into the notebook's interior makes the Satellite R800 series devices highly robust. Protection of the electronic and mechanical components is supported by either a highly resistant magnesium alloy casing (R830) or a new High Stiffness Resin casing (R840 and R850).

Additional press materials and information
To download photos please visit the Image Library at the Toshiba Press Lounge at http://eu.press.toshiba.eu/en/lists/pr_list_image_library_products. A video news release visualising the technological innovations is available at http://eu.press.toshiba.eu/en/lists/pr_list_visual_press_releases.

About Toshiba Europe GmbH
Toshiba Europe GmbH (TEG) is a fully owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo, a global corporation with more than 130 years of company history. Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems, including nuclear energy; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances.

Headquartered in Neuss, Germany, TEG is comprised of four business divisions: Computer Systems, Storage Device Products, Consumer Products and Electronic Systems Operations. Together, these divisions provide product offerings including industry leading portable computers and other mobile products and solutions, HDDs, DVDs, LCDs, TVs and electronic office equipment. As the headquarters for the EMEA region, TEG provides support and assistance to its local branch offices. For more information on Toshiba laptops and accessories, visit the Toshiba Press Lounge: www.toshiba.eu/presslounge

Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 730 companies, with 204,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.2 trillion yen (US$75 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm.

Samsung Captivate on AT&T gets Android 2.2, all that Froyo hasn't melted yet (update: it's gone!)

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 06:36 AM PST

Samsung Captivate on AT&T gets Android 2.2, all that Froyo hasn't melted yetIt took about two months for Samsung to roll out the much-needed GPS fix for the Captivate, and now, a mere seven months after Google pulled a handle on the machine and twirled up a big cone of Froyo, that phone is finally getting a spoonful. Samsung has released an Android 2.2 update and the full instructions plus the download are on the other end of the source link below. Hopefully it isn't too frostbitten after all this time.

Update: Well now, we've just received a flurry of tips indicating that it's been pulled and, indeed, the page on the other end of the source link is now gone. We'll try to figure out what went wrong here.

[Thanks, Andy]

LG Revolution using 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655, not NVIDIA's Tegra 2

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 06:17 AM PST

Consider it a mystery solved. Throughout the week here in Barcelona, we've spent an inordinate amount of time chasing down suits from LG, Qualcomm, NVIDIA and Verizon Wireless to answer one simple question: "What's up with the processor in the Revolution?" If you'll recall, NVIDIA actually sent one of its own to Verizon's LTE press event at CES 2011, specifically to bust out a Revolution and gloat about the Tegra 2 chip within (video's after the break if you don't believe us). As it stood, it seemed as if the Thunderbolt and Revolution would be butting heads from a CPU standpoint, with the former definitively sporting a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655. And then, came the confusion. We showed up at Qualcomm's booth here at Mobile World Congress to see which phone it was using to demonstrate the recently unveiled Netflix-on-Android support -- lo and behold, LG's Revolution was the handset of choice. Obviously, there had to be a new Snapdragon processor within, as only the newest of the new will have the necessary DRM libraries at a hardware level that are necessary to pass muster with the MPAA.

After venturing over to LG's booth, we were also able to confirm that the only Revolution it knew of was boasting a Qualcomm CPU, and the shot above (which was sourced from there) proves it. We also confirmed with Verizon Wireless' paperwork that the version it's expecting in the next month or so will ship with Qualcomm inside. Finally, NVIDIA refused to comment on the matter, simply suggesting that we contact LG for more details. Put all of that together, and we're able to come to two main conclusions. First off, it seems as if LG yanked support for the Tegra 2 at some point between CES and MWC -- right around four weeks. Hard to say if there were reliability issues, an unsatisfactory amount of power drain, or just irreconcilable differences between the two CEOs (joking, of course). Secondly, it's reasonably safe to assume that Verizon's Revolution will be the first Android handset on Big Red to stream Netflix directly, which may please those who were planning on buying one but weren't looking forward to going without Netflix thanks to the Tegra 2 that was (presumably) slated for inclusion. Qualcomm 1, NVIDIA 0.

Update: NVIDIA finally saw fit to drop us a line and clarify a bit. Turns out, the confirmation in the video below was a gaff to begin with, as the Revolution was never going to be outfitted with NVIDIA innards. Go figure, right?

Vlad Savov contributed to this report.

See more video at our hub!

The Engadget Interview: Microsoft's Aaron Woodman talks Windows Phone 7 and Nokia

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 05:55 AM PST

We sat down for a few minutes with Aaron Woodman -- director of Microsoft's mobile communication business -- here at Mobile World Congress this week to talk about the past, present, and future of the Windows Phone platform. Of course, it was at this very event a year ago when Redmond first unveiled its next-gen smartphone play, so this marks a great opportunity to circle back and see where the company has been -- and naturally, the Nokia news casts a bright new light on the platform. Read on for the full interview!

Chris Ziegler: I wanted to talk a little bit about this issue of scale, because Stephen mentioned that a little bit the other night -- the fact that they bring so much scale to your platform that you have not had in the past. But that's interesting on a number of levels, because Samsung does have scale, right? Samsung has a lot of scale.

Aaron Woodman: Sure.

CZ: So I'm wondering first of all, what does this mean for the level of commitment that you're seeing from other OEMs, and what does it mean for the future of their levels of commitment? Because, you know, I'm thinking about it, and I'm sure that the way it's being spun is not this way, but it seems to me that if I were Samsung or HTC and all of a sudden I was selling phones that were infused with Nokia services, I would be really uncomfortable, right? So what's your take on that?

AW: Well, there's a couple of questions there. How important is scale, just generally -- and the second question is, I guess, does that scale that Nokia provides impact your current relationships for your OEMs. And then ultimately, the services and those types of things that they do provide that might be enabled by Nokia-based assets like Navteq. So is that fair?

CZ: Yeah, absolutely.

AW: So for me, I'll answer the first question -- scale is super critical. You know, in this business, it's one of the reasons that I think makes it so attractive to Microsoft. The requirement to compete in mobile phones today is enormous. The amount of assets, the amount of R&D you have to do, the competitive nature of the product features and functionality, the roadmaps people get, what consumers expect are incredibly high. And that actually makes it one of those businesses where very few people can compete. You know, it's not like you can come out of the woodwork and actually compete in this space -- I think it just requires too much in order to do that. So that's what makes it attractive, it's one of the things that ultimately... it's why Microsoft's in the business, and Nokia really helps us accelerate scale. And it's partially because of their commitment -- their desire to really make a bet and take the best of their innovation and apply it against the Windows Phone space. And I think that along with their natural market momentum will be very positive for Windows Phone.

I also think, when I think about how that impacts our other relationships... you know, I can't speak for Samsung, but what I can tell you is that Samsung wants to sell phones. And when I think about in today's market what's required to sell phones -- things like great services, or even apps -- if you just say "apps" as a basic category requirement today, the one thing that's going to pull, or like create a vacuum in for apps is scale. If you ask an ISV, they don't have any single passion about a platform, they have a passion to find customers. And that's what makes it so appealing. And so one of the benefits that everyone will get from the ecosystem is when you apply scale to the ecosystem, everyone that needs scale to create market opportunity will benefit once that's achieved. And so Samsung will have more apps on their phone because of scale Nokia provides. I think that's beneficial.

I also think that if you asked... you know, if you took one of the other ecosystems like Apple, which is a very exclusive ecosystem -- no one can make hardware. If someone approached another OEM like, say, Samsung or HTC or Motorola or whoever and said, "hey, we're open -- if you want to make an iPhone, go ahead," my bet is they would do it. And they would do it primarily because consumers have demand. And Samsung is an amazing company. I don't think they're shy to compete with Nokia -- they do it today. Alright? I don't think they're shy to compete with Apple on hardware design, they're an incredible company. So I don't think this shifts the boat in terms of their competitive buoyancy.

So I don't know how those relationships will work out, but we have a very good working relationship on both an engineering side and a marketing side with each of those OEMs, and I expect that to continue. And I really do expect them not in a hand-raising position, I think scale will benefit.

CZ: And just to make it crystal clear -- I don't think that anyone has really, at least in none of the answers I've heard this week, there haven't really been any head-on answers to this question -- there will be no preferential treatment given to Nokia in terms of the level of customization that they can apply to their devices. Is that correct, or no?

AW: So it's an interesting question -- you say, like, preferential treatment, so say more about that. Is that like oh, they can modify...

CZ: They can do more. They can do more than Samsung or HTC, for example.

AW: I don't think we know, to be honest. This is where, at the end of the day, there are some principles we believe in in the platform. You know, things like we don't want to fragment the platform. We believe that we have to be whole. We believe performance and quality have to be high, so we've done things like chassis strategies and really been specific about the spec. One of the things is that working so closely with Nokia against their innovation and our innovation roadmaps gives us an opportunity to line those up in a much more aggressive fashion.

And so, could we support new things that we don't support today because Nokia has some opportunity to push in a unique way? Yeah, you know, it's not clear whether we make that available to other OEMs in that case. I just don't think we're at a point where that's known. So I don't think it's a question of, like, you know, we're trying to spin ourselves out of it. I think it's, hey, we've been working on this deal for several months, we've agreed on a principle level where we think our business objectives are in alignment, that the complimentary nature of our skill sets and expertise is very, very high. Like, you look at Navteq. We have worldwide services. A place where we're weak worldwide is maps. We have an incredible -- we both have incredible brands, but not in competing ways. It's not like, people are like, where's that Microsoft phone?

But in terms of customization, how that plays out, I think it's really unclear. We actually allow for customizations today that are exclusives to each of our OEMs. Like we worked closely with LG on their DLNA application that's only available on an LG. So it's kind of unfair to say we don't do customizations with each of the OEMs to help them differentiate through software. And then the question is what we do with Nokia and if that's a build or not, I just don't think it's known.

CZ: Okay. So, just to phrase it a slightly different way -- and I might get the same answer -- but to take it in a different direction, would it be conceivable that you would offer specific chassis or versions of Windows Phone 7 designed to run on particular chassis only to certain OEMs, whether that be Nokia or someone else?

AW: Yeah, you know, I don't know. So you're saying, like, would we do something specific at a hardware level. Let's say, I don't know, a different aspect ratio or something?

CZ: Sure.

AW: Yeah, I don't know. I think that we're motivated to sell a lot of phones, I think Nokia is, I think all of our partners are. We have conversations on an ongoing basis about how do we make the chassis specs and strategy both meet our principles around what we care about consumers and help maximize both their ability to be differentiated as well as reach customers through price points. So it's an ongoing discussion. And so I don't know. I don't know if one of the things we would do with them or not would be, hey, I get access to this specific chassis feature. I don't think we know.

CZ: Okay. And one of the reasons I'm so interested in that is that, you know, I think Nokia was on the verge of making a real breakthrough with just how low they were able to push their bottom-end specs on Symbian devices and really commoditize the smartphone in a way it hasn't been commoditized yet. And with Symbian going away, the question becomes, are they going to lose that opportunity? And as Windows Phone stands today, the answer is yes.

AW: Hmm... it's not...

CZ: I mean, as it stands today, Snapdragon... with that one chassis.

First of all, S40 isn't going away any time soon... it's a great product.
AW: Yeah, so here's what I would say. First of all, S40 isn't going away any time soon. They're going to continue to make... it's a great product. So like, that's really where they're hitting those price points more than anything else. So you say, how many years will that continue? Well, I think a lot of that will be determined by the flexibility and changes and ultimately the cost curve that you see against hardware.

You know, one of the benefits of selling a lot of phones is you can also maximize your supply side value chain. You know, you can put pressure on suppliers that are actually providing chips and memory and those types of things. And it's in their best interest because overall they're going to make more money because of the volume. And so Nokia gives us that opportunity to apply pressure against supply chains -- specifically their supply chains -- in a way that we expect to have more flexibility in terms of price points. And we'll continue to work with them to help them do that. I think, you know, at the end of the day, we have the desire to make a really, really cheap phone that meets our quality. So, I think from a principle perspective we want to sell great phones at good prices, and Nokia shares that, and then they bring the ability to provide volume and work the supply side economics, and I think that'll be meaningful.

Do I think that tomorrow we'll have a $100 BOM smartphone? No. Do I think we can get there over some period of time? Yeah, you know, I think we can find ways to do that together by maximizing what we're both capable of doing within the ecosystem.

CZ: And price point aside, how much lower -- how much room do you have to reduce the minimum spec in Windows Phone 7? At MIX last year, you first mentioned the lower-res display that would happen at some point, but beyond that, are there any other places where you would definitely be willing to compromise or move down?

The idea is not to stay at this chassis, the idea is to stay at this quality and this experience, and so we're constantly evaluating our ability to do that.
AW: "Compromise" is an interesting statement, you know? We're constantly evaluating different chipsets and different speeds and different memory speeds and those types of things, and I think you'll see us continue to evaluate that. I would be surprised if we had news for that in this year. Not specifically to Nokia to be honest -- just working through OEMs, we haven't really finished taking feedback and taking action on that. The idea is not to stay at this chassis, the idea is to stay at this quality and this experience, and so we're constantly evaluating our ability to do that.

CZ: So that sort of leads into the other end of the spectrum, which is more modern chassis specs?

AW: Modern? Our specs are really high-end specs!

CZ: No, they are, they are. But when you talk about the "three-horse race..."

AW: I love that you've already said that.

CZ: You know, Android is... it might be in danger of burning itself out here. Well, that might be too strong of a statement, but what I mean is that it does feel like it's a pissing contest between manufacturers in some respects.

AW: Yeah.

CZ: And it's obvious that you're not playing that so far.

AW: Yeah.

CZ: And I know that you've mentioned on many occasions in the past that it's more about the experience than the actual line-item specs. But do you see specific areas where you're saying, yeah, you know, it's time to bump that. We can take advantage of this extra horsepower.

AW: Yeah, you know, I think that part of it is around maximizing -- I don't want to overuse the word "experience," but like I'll use the news that we announced today around IE9. Like, today we have a browser that's a pretty good browser based upon a number of facets within the company. But we announced today that we're bringing IE9 directly over, and we're going to leverage the local GPU to actually do some of the hardware acceleration within the browser. That's pretty powerful. We required the GPU though primarily to meet the requirements we had around games. Specifically XNA titles for Xbox Live. So we have those capabilities within the phone, and I think we can continue to maximize the current capabilities to get more production out of them, more performance out of them. So I look first and I say, you know, there are things we could do even today better and faster given the current chassis spec.

So you know, it's not "next year, we need X," it's more of a, "in five years we agree that we're here, in eight years we agree that we're here."
You know, in terms of, hey, what does the world offer in the future and how do we actually start to ingest those things... I don't know how fast we'll actually be against that. That's another area where you look at Nokia as having some much better hardware -- like we have no hardware planning expertise, so we're kind of working through with our partners in terms of what they want to do and Nokia has much more ability I think to have a better long range planning in terms of hardware capabilities and so we can do joint planning. So you know, it's not "next year, we need X," it's more of a, "in five years we agree that we're here, in eight years we agree that we're here." And that's the type of planning you need from a hardware perspective, and I think they'll bring that to the table and I think it'll actually help.

The stylus isn't dead: more pen-based tablets and apps coming this year

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 04:33 AM PST

HTC may have unleashed a completely unique Android tablet with an active digitizer and stylus yesterday, but more are on the way. At least that's the word from N-Trig, the company responsible for the screen and pen technology in HTC's Flyer as well as other convertible tablet PCs. According to the company's VP of Business Development Lenny Englehardt, 7-, 9.7-, and 10-inch pen-equipped Android slates are coming in the next year from major manufacturers (sadly, he couldn't share which ones). We went over a bit of the hardware technology yesterday and dug a bit into HTC's pen-optimized Scribe software, but the big question on our mind has been third party Android applications that take advantage of the stylus. Well, it turns out there are quite a few of them in the works from the likes of Adobe and others. And yes, one of them includes handwriting conversion! We got a look at three of those forthcoming apps on N-Trig's Tegra 2 development kit, which has the same screen / pen hardware as the Flyer -- hit the break for our impressions and a video demo.
Android pen-based apps

  • Adobe Journal - Adobe's got its Ideas app on the iPad right now, but it's experimenting with a similar app for Android. Journal is primarily for sketching and you can do it all -- change the size of the pen, the quill type, colors, etc. It's basically a doodler's paradise. We did notice that the software was a big laggy on the kit, but given its pre-release status that's totally understandable. The palm rejection seemed to be top notch, however.
  • Vision Objects - This French company has been making its MyScript software, which converts handwriting to text, for years, and its Android application is currently in the works. As you can see in the video below, you can open a new notebook, start taking notes, and watch your handwriting almost instantaneously converted to text. You can then export that text to other applications, like email or messaging, or just save it as a document. Within this app the conversion was pretty accurate (though it recognized "engadget" as "an gadget"). However, the Vision Objects plug-in for the PicSay app had some issues converting a few words correctly.
  • PicSay Pro - This one is quite similar to what we saw with HTC's Scribe software. You can open pictures and doodle on top of them as well as insert text boxes using that aforementioned MyScript Vision Objects field. It's actually available now in the Market, but there's no doubt that adding an extremely accurate stylus really enhances the experience of, you know, giving your friend a unibrow or red mustache.
We don't have any real details on when the Vision Objects or Adobe apps will be hitting the Market, but you'll want to hit the play button below to get an even better look at all three of these.


NEC uses active noise cancellation for quieter zooming into your future memories

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 04:13 AM PST

NEC just injected a little Bose up in some digital cameras, adding what it calls "noise suppression technologies" to Casio's new EX-ZR10 and promising that it will be deployed "throughout the digital camera and video camera markets" soon. The tech is designed to combat the evil intrusion of noise from optical zoom motors, working with a recording of what the zoom motor sounds like inside the camera. The shooter's internal circuitry then subtracts that noise from what's being recorded and, hey presto, silent zoomin'! NEC indicates a camera's microphone still captures other, desirable ambient noise without issue and that this tech allows the use of faster, more powerful motors for faster, more powerful zooming.

Show full PR text
NEC Noise Suppression Technologies Adopted by Digital Cameras

*** For immediate use February 16, 2011

Tokyo, February 16, 2011 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) announced today the development of technologies for digital cameras in movie mode that suppress the noise produced by motors and other mechanisms used for optical zooming (*1) and that these technologies are featured on system LSI (*2) for the EXILIM EX-ZR10 digital camera by Casio Computer Co., Ltd.

Conventionally, the sound generated by lens drivers for digital cameras in movie mode is recorded as noise by microphones. These new technologies suppress noise through a method that records and saves the core characteristics of sounds created by a camera lens' driving mechanisms, then subtracts this information from signals that are recorded by microphones. Furthermore, these technologies automatically adapt to lens and microphone characteristics among different products, which eliminates the need for customized product adjustment. Moreover, real-time processing is achieved while recording movies as a result of optimizing the number of calculations for noise suppression.

Use of these technologies also makes it possible to preserve ambient environmental sound, while only suppressing the noise generated by a camera's motor. Digital cameras equipped with these technologies can operate motors at a high speed, which achieves smoother zoom operation and creates a user friendly filming experience similar to the use of a dedicated video camera.

These newly developed technologies feature the following:

Effective zoom noise suppression without adjusting for individual microphone characteristics
In addition to existing technologies (*3) that suppress noise from cameras and lenses, these new technologies use microphones to record and process a range of additional noises. Furthermore, automatic noise correction for individual cameras is enabled by comparing reference noise, which is based on statistical analysis of incoming signals, to the noise suppression information saved on a user's camera. As a result, no adjustments are needed for individual microphones during production and shipment, and the suppression of zoom noise is optimized.

Real-time processing while shooting video and a reduced number of operations for noise suppression
As a result of reducing the number of operations to 80MIPS (Note *4, *5), processors are required to perform fewer operations and noise suppression takes place in real-time while shooting video. This specialized software is adopted on system LSI.
In order for conventional digital cameras to minimize noise levels while shooting video, such measures as expensive low noise level motors, motors with limited speed and filters that prevent the passage of strong motor noise frequencies were adopted. This gave rise to a number of problems that include a camera's lack of ability to take fast moving sports footage, and sound distortion due to filters that suppress ambient sound.

NEC's new technologies resolve these problems and have already been adopted by a popular commercial product.

Looking forward, NEC will continue to develop noise suppression technologies and to deploy them throughout the digital camera and video camera markets.

HTC Flyer tablet hits Amazon.de for 669 euros

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 03:56 AM PST

HTC Flyer tablet hits Amazon.de for 669 Euros
We're seeing some rather unattainable prices for many of the sexiest Android tablets to be unveiled at MWC and CES this year, but thankfully HTC's Flyer looks to be coming in a little lower than most. It's just popped up on Amazon.de at €669. Subtract the VAT and run that figure through a currency converter and you're looking at a price of around $730. A bargain? Hardly, but better than some others we've seen. Sadly it's still nicht verfügbar, but if you hurry you can jetzt vorbestellen.

[Thanks, Andrezj]

Game Gripper going Bluetooth, just needs a little funding (video)

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 03:39 AM PST

Game Gripper going Bluetooth, just needs a little funding
The Game Gripper is one of the smartest accessories we've seen in a long time, a cheap and squishy little controller that clips on over your phone's keyboard and enables proper gaming glory. But what if your phone doesn't have a keyboard? The iControlpad is finally shipping, but soon there'll be another option: a Bluetooth Game Gripper approaches. It acts just like a Bluetooth keyboard so should offer easy compatibility and, with its spring-loaded clamp, should hang on to just about any slab you stick in there. The only problem? You can't buy one yet. The device is going the Kickstarter route and is looking for a whopping $30,000 in funding before things get going. But, it is at least only a $47 pledge to get yourself one of the first Bluetooth Game Grippers that roll off the presses -- or stamps or molds or whatever it is these things roll from.

Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac OS goes gold, hits the Mac App Store

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 02:55 AM PST

It's been available since October in beta form, but Microsoft has just turned its Windows Phone 7 Connector product to a shiny shade of gold, giving Mac owners a solid (if not Zune-free) option for hooking up their Windows Phones without firing up Boot Camp. We're told there aren't any new features in the latest build worth noting, so you'll get the same options as before: media synchronization, iTunes compatibility, and support for Windows Phone firmware updates. A full Zune client would be choice, of course -- but we'll take it. And you can take it, too: it's now in the Mac App Store.

[Thanks, Hayden]

HTC Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab vs. iPad... fight!

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 02:19 AM PST

In a world of 10-inch dual-core Androids, HTC has opted to tread its own path by cranking up processor speeds, sticking to a 7-inch form factor and eschewing the latest Honeycomb build for a Gingerbread version it could customize more comprehensively with Sense. All that's well and good, but sometimes all it comes down to is how these gadgets look and feel. So to help you wrap your mind around the Flyer's new aluminum body, we present a couple of comparison galleries with it set against two devices that need no introduction. Get clicking!
Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab... fight!

Flyer vs. iPad... fight!

Motorola Droid X 2 leaks, more details emerge

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 01:51 AM PST

We've been hearing rumors of a Motorola Droid X 2 for a few days now from The Mobi Zone, complete with specs and pictures (above). Supposedly, it's the successor to the Droid X, with a similar appearance, Android 2.2 with MOTOBLUR, and the same 8 megapixel camera. Some of the leaked specs -- 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540) display, 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, 1GB RAM -- didn't sit well with us, since these closely match the upcoming LTE-equipped Droid Bionic. We did some digging around and one of our trusted sources confirmed that the Droid X 2 aka Droid X "squared" is indeed coming to Verizon in Q2 2011 without LTE. However, it appears to be a refreshed Droid X, with the same 4.3-inch WVGA (854 x 480) display, a 1.2GHz single-core CPU, and 768MB of RAM. It's not quite the powerhouse it was originally made out to be, but it now seems to be a better fit in the Droid family.

[Thanks, Ahmad]

Nokia shareholders and unions fight back against Microkia

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 01:02 AM PST

Nokia shareholders are not very happy right now with NOK taking a 25 percent hit since the announcement of the Microsoft marriage. Stephen Elop, Nokia's first foreign-born CEO, is taking heat on multiple fronts even as he prostrates himself to the media in hopes of getting his message out. Already, we've heard numerous conspiracies calling Elop a "trojan horse," sent by Steve Ballmer to sabotage Nokia from within. Conspiraloons are quick to point to records showing Elop holding a significant number of Microsoft shares -- a situation that Elop says is temporary (and outdated) having already sold a majority of his Microsoft position with plans to sell off the rest in favor of Nokia stock just as soon as he's free to do so under regulatory moratoriums meant to prevent insider trading. Nevertheless, Nokia will be facing at least two very real showdowns on its near-term horizon.

First, will be a battle with the Finnish trade union Pro which is demanding €100,000 (in addition to severance payments) for every Nokia employee that loses their job under Elop's new strategy -- money the unions says will be used for reeducation. The union estimates that Nokia could cut as many as 25% (5,000 people) of Nokia's 20,000 workers located in Finland. The second major hurdle facing Elop, and the board of directors that appointed him, will come at Nokia's Annual General Meeting for shareholders. Already, a cabal of nine frustrated shareholders have been grabbing attention with its "Nokia Plan B" proposal to oust Stephen Elop and return Nokia to a MeeGo focus giving Symbian a five-year minimum reprieve. The group has since disbanded after its plan was rejected by institutional investors. Nevertheless, we don't expect Symbian / MeeGo fans and developers to give up without a fight, and we expect Helsinki Fair Centre's Amfi Hall to be center-ring when the event kicks off on May 3rd in Helsinki.

RIM adding BBM app gifting to BlackBerry App World

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 12:12 AM PST

So you've got this hot new "super app" off BlackBerry App World, and want to share it with a friend? You could message them the name of the program, but that's so 2010. Soon, BlackBerry's going to have its very own "Gift This App" functionality through BBM, which will let you take advantage of that handy new carrier billing to debit the cost of the item and wing it to your recipient. RIM envisions the functionality used by parents who want to limit their children's access too, by taking full control of their purchases and subscriptions from their own remote handset. Now, we'll just sit back, relax and wait for RIM to ping us with a release date. PR after the break.
Show full PR text
RIM Announces Plans to Provide Carriers with new BBM Mobile Gifting Platform

February 14, 2011

New mobile gifting platform will integrate with BlackBerry App World and carrier billing systems to allow BlackBerry subscribers to instantly gift airtime, apps and other carrier services from one subscriber to another using BBM

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans for an innovative mobile gifting platform for carriers that will allow one authorized BlackBerry® subscriber to use their post-paid or pre-paid account to conveniently, securely and instantly approve and pay for airtime, apps or other carrier services requested by another BlackBerry subscriber.

The innovative BBM mobile gifting platform will integrate with BlackBerry App World™ and carrier billing systems and allow the gifting requests and approvals to be handled directly between the BlackBerry subscribers using BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger) with transactions that are secure, authenticated and non-repudiable. The platform will also allow carriers to more easily sell airtime to BlackBerry prepaid subscribers (for the subscriber's own use).

"RIM is committed to aligning with carrier business models to deliver innovative and relevant mobile commerce solutions," said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at RIM. "There will be many usage scenarios and circumstances that can be accommodated through the BBM mobile gifting platform around the world, but the easiest for many people to readily envision and appreciate is the simplified act of a parent approving their child's request for additional airtime minutes or an app purchase with a single click using BBM."

The introduction of such convenient and tightly integrated services based on the BBM mobile gifting platform will enhance mobile commerce and enable carriers to provide unique value to their customers. BlackBerry subscribers will be able to buy or gift airtime, apps and other carrier services and charge the purchases to their existing postpaid or prepaid account, or alternatively pay for the purchases through various other payment methods.

Dell employees arrested for poor decision making skills

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 11:25 PM PST

Round Rock police responded to multiple 911 calls of a suspicious man carrying two metallic objects inside a building at Dell's HQ campus. The "biker," dressed in all black and wearing a skull mask, was yelling at people to "go to the lobby," according to police reports. The ensuing panic resulted in the arrest of two Dell employees charged with interfering with public duties and deadly misconduct. Now get this: the incident was the result of a marketing stunt gone horribly wrong with the purpose of internally promoting a new product for the Dell Streak tablet "which can interface with Harley-Davidson motorcycles." Because really, leather-clad motorcyclists are constantly complaining about the lack of peripherals for their choppers.

Vodafone announces Webbox, gives internet access to the developing world

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 11:07 PM PST

While many of us are focused on the latest and greatest consumer tech, there are many parts of the globe still waiting for utilities we take for granted -- like electricity, running water, and access to the internet. Developing nations do have access to cellphones, however. Vodafone is keenly aware of this fact, and its latest product, the Webbox, will bring the internet to anyone with a TV and access to 2.5G or EDGE networks. The Webbox is essentially a QWERTY keyboard -- with the data hardware from a phone stuffed inside -- that connects to a TV through basic RCA cables and allows for a relatively speedy internet experience by compressing data by around 90 percent. It's dead simple to set up, as you simply plug in the RCA's and switch on the device -- an Opera Mini browser pops up on screen and allows users to start surfing the world wide web immediately. An app store, some games, and a text editor are baked into the portal, and the ability to send email and SMS messages is included is well. Vodafone is selling the device -- which comes with a 2GB SD card and 100MB of data -- in South Africa for 749 Rand ($102), with other markets and a two year contract plan to be added later this year. Check out the Webbox, and all its elegant simplicity, in the video after the break.

Kinect hack turns controlling the TV into light aerobic exercise (video)

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 10:11 PM PST

Why idly click away at the remote control when you can stop what you're doing, stand up in front of the television, and gesticulate wildly for the same effect? Because it's cool, that's why! Our man Harishankar recently uploaded a YouTube video of himself doing just that, and it's a pretty sweet deal: his Kinect is connected to a Mac mini, which uses OpenNI to detect his skeleton, read certain gestures (punch up to increase volume, punch right or left to change channels, etc.) and send the info to a USB-UIRT box. The latter device, which many of you might have used in your own HTPC projects, connects to your computer's USB port and lets it receive and transmit IR signals. In this case, the computer is sending the gesture controls to the TV. Practical? Maybe not for most of us, but lots of fun nonetheless. Hit the source link to try it for yourself, but not before you peep the video of the thing in action after the break.

Fuel cells get stronger, potentially cheaper with graphene, ITO

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 09:01 PM PST

As the sustainable Juggernaut of fuel cell vehicles (FCV) powers ever forward, a group of scientists are cooking up ways to make the alternative energy source more durable and even cheaper. By combining graphene -- think pencil lead -- and indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles, the team produced a catalytic material that is both stronger and more chemically active than the usual catalytic combo. Fuel cells typically use a chemical catalyst like platinum, sitting atop a base of black carbon or metal oxides, to break down oxygen and hydrogen gases, creating water in the process -- thing is, carbon is easily eroded by the resulting water, and metal oxides, while more stable, are less conductive. Using graphene -- which because of its porousness erodes less quickly -- in combination with the stable ITO and platinum nanoparticles, researchers have created what could be referred to as a super fuel cell -- a stronger, longer lasting, and potentially cheaper version of the alternative energy source. Unfortunately, without enough hydrogen filling stations, these super fuel cells won't come to anyone's rescue anytime soon.

AT&T also looking at Voice over LTE, paints a bullseye on 2013

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 07:58 PM PST

With great bandwidth comes great responsibility is a lesson not lost on AT&T, as the cellular carrier has revealed it will follow Verizon's lead in improving call quality with Voice over LTE. Following Verizon's impressive demo of the technology this morning, Forbes cornered AT&T CTO John Donovan at MWC, who confessed that AT&T is working on something similar for a tentative 2013 release. That may sound a bit far off, but remember that Verizon won't launch its service until 2012, and AT&T won't hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for LTE until later this year anyhow. In the meanwhile, you're welcome to use your occasionally unlimited data for all the Skype you want.

Pathpartner demos 720p HD Skype videocalling using Android and OMAP 4 (video)

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 07:27 PM PST

Putting Pathpartner and Ittiam right beside one another may not have been the best idea if these two were hot-headed, but shockingly, they were treating each other with a great deal of respect within Texas Instruments' MWC booth. All jesting aside, the former's 720p HD videocalling solution is aimed at an entirely different market than that of the latter. Rather than arranging for a four-way video conference, Pathpartner has concocted an Android app that enables 720p video calling over Skype -- you know, that VoIP application that you're already obsessed with. Currently, the company's working with Skype in hopes of getting it 'Skype-certified,' and like Ittiam, it's also chatting with a number of handset makers in hopes of getting it embedded on the phone's software stack from the get-go.

Alexy Mathew Joseph, the company's senior technical lead, was on hand to showcase a demo running on a pair of OMAP 4-based development boxes, and the low-bitrate technology that he has helped create enabled smooth, high-def streaming of the call. We should mention that this particular demo was done over an Ethernet network, but he affirmed that it would operate on 3G and 4G networks as well. Also of note, the new software is capable on running on more than just TI equipment, though he wouldn't elaborate other than saying that NVIDIA's Tegra 2 was a platform he hasn't tested on just yet. Just think -- 720p Skype videocalls could be hitting your phone prior to the dawn of 2012, and the carrier's have to be weeping at the mere mention. Vid's past the break, per usual.

See more video at our hub!

Clearwire wins initial round against Sony Ericsson in trademark bout

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 06:55 PM PST

Clearwire wins initial round against Sony Ericsson in trademark bout
The fight isn't over, but round one has certainly gone to Clearwire. Last month, Sony Ericsson sued the company for a logo that it thought to be too similar. And, indeed, they're both vaguely swirly green blobs (that's SE's orb on the left). However, Clearwire has issued a statement indicating that a federal court isn't so concerned, finding "insufficient evidence of likelihood of confusion and no irreparable harm," denying a motion for a preliminary injunction. It's unlikely that the case will go much further from here, but the final bell certainly hasn't rung just yet. The full statement is below.

Clearwire is pleased with the federal court's decision to deny Sony Ericsson's motion for a preliminary injunction against the use of the CLEAR marks at issue in the case. The judge's findings of insufficient evidence of likelihood of confusion and no irreparable harm further support our contention that the suit is without merit. We expect that the final disposition of the case will be in our favor and that it will demonstrate that the CLEAR branding is clearly differentiated from the Sony Ericsson brand.

Toshiba's nameless Honeycomb tablet flaunts its removable battery

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 06:27 PM PST

We've seen a lot of identically spec'd Honeycomb tablets in the past few weeks, and Toshiba's forthcoming Android 3.0 tablet has a lot of the same -- a 10.1-inch display, NVIDIA Tegra 2, and dual cameras -- except it boasts something the others don't... a removable battery. We don't know exactly why other tablet manufacturers, like Motorola, Samsung, and LG, aren't opting to include swappable cells, but Toshiba's tablet, which is still supposed to drop in April, will allow you to pull out that 2030mAH battery when it's drained and replace it with an extra if you so choose to buy one. Obviously, we're hoping the battery lasts long enough on a charge that you won't have to resort to that, but there's something to be said for knowing you've got back up. Need some visual proof of this one? Hit the break to witness the quick pull and don't mind the messy innards -- Toshiba assures us this is still a very early sample.

Note: We're assuming the actual capacity of the battery may change since we just pulled those 2030mAH / 23Wh numbers off the sample we saw.
Toshiba tablet with removable battery

Watson soundly beats the humans in first round of Jeopardy

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 05:57 PM PST

Well, there's one more round of Jeopardy to go, but the round that began yesterday and ended today was a major win for the silicon contingent. After starting the day tied with Brad, Watson barely let his opponents get in a word edgewise during Double Jeopardy, and broke the $36k mark before Final Jeopardy. Both Brad and Ken were able to double up on the Final Jeopardy question, at which Watson failed miserably, but he appended his answer (Toronto) with plenty of question marks, and bet less than a grand. The final result was Watson at $35,754, Brad at $10,000, and Ken Jennings with $4,800. This round's scores will be added to the scores of tomorrow's round to determine the overall winner, who will walk (or teraflop) away with $1 million in cash.

LG Optimus 3D's OMAP 4 benchmarked, pulls ahead of Exynos and Tegra 2

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 05:29 PM PST

Which dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 system-on-a-chip rules the roost? It's probably too early to tell, but if you're looking for a preliminary verdict, AnandTech has benchmarked all three of them now. Texas Instruments' OMAP 4430, NVIDIA's Tegra 2 and Samsung's Exynos 4210 went head to head in a gauntlet of browser and graphical benchmarks, and it looks like the LG Optimus 3D's OMAP 4 came out on top, boasting minor but significant improvements practically across the board. Good news for the BlackBerry PlayBook, no? Oh, and if you're wondering why the iPhone 4 and Atrix 4G fall behind their older brethren in the image above, remember that they both have to render images at a higher screen resolution. More graphs at our source link below.

Dell Streak 10 will run Honeycomb, may share a body with Windows

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 05:11 PM PST

Worried that Dell's Streak 10 might pull a Streak 5 and ship with a aging, smartphone-specific OS? Fear no more -- Dell told investors that the 10.1-inch Android tablet will arrive later this year with Honeycomb safely nestled inside. Also, it seems Dell may looking to consolidate the number of form factors and software platforms it supports, as an executive stated during today's Q4 earnings call that the company's other 10.1-inch tablet -- a Windows device -- could have the same shell. When asked broadly about the company's tablet strategy with regards to other operating systems, this was the answer Dell had on tap:
For tablets, it's Android Honeycomb and Windows, and we have customers with a preference for either one. We can create platforms that share a great degree of hardware commonality that can run both -- or either -- operating system, and we don't see any other options that are worthy of consideration.
Guess we shouldn't expect a MeeGo tablet out of Dell anytime soon.

Visualized: 37 years of Roland synths in one awesome animated GIF

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:59 PM PST

You know how much we love our vintage MIDI gear, and apparently our friend Ronny from Das Kraftfuttermischwerk is every bit as big a fan as we are. To that end, he's taken Music Radar's recent guide to all-things Roland and turned it into an awesome (and headache-inducing) animated GIF. Apparently the collection lacks the TR and TB series instruments, otherwise everything the company has produced between 1973 and 2010 should be there. What are you waiting for? Check it out after the break.

HP revamping webOS App Catalog for tablet use, adding carrier billing and magazine-like view

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:32 PM PST

If HP wants webOS to be a competitive mobile ecosystem, the platform's app store has an awful lot of catching up to do -- but in terms of raw features, it sounds like the company plans to get with the program soon. PreCentral attended a developer presentation at MWC 2011 where HP showed off a brand new version of the App Catalog specifically designed for the tablet-friendly webOS 3.0, and found it will come with a handful of features that should make it eminently more useful. As you can see in the image above, there are presently four tabs, but two of them are worth calling out: the "Browser" is said to be a magazine-like interface for browsing through apps, while the "Saved" tab lets you bookmark apps you're interested in to consider for purchase or download later on. Perhaps more importantly, the process of actually paying for programs should be streamlined quite soon: HP told attendees that carrier billing and promo codes would find their way into the webOS App Catalog by summer at the very latest, in time for a webOS 3.0 launch, which suggests that it could possibly hit smartphones even a mite sooner.

Ittiam shows off four-way 720p HD video conferencing using Android, OMAP 4 (video)

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:02 PM PST

Being Mobile World Congress, quite a few software vendors found themselves tucked into corners of bigger booths, eager and willing to showcase their latest work. Ittiam is one of those companies, relying on Texas Instruments' OMAP 4 platform to power its new HD video conferencing system. The demo shown here at MWC involved a foursome of TI development boxes, but the underlying platform was most certainly Android 2.2. Anil Kumar, the manager of Ittiam's video communications division, noted that the system would work just fine on Gingerbread and Honeycomb, enabling up to four devices (smartphones, tablets, whatever) to link up and enjoy a multi-faced call over a standard 3G network.

Of course, the demonstration that we were shown used an Ethernet network for maximum stability, but the low-bitrate technology would allow bearable results on 3G networks (and better-than-average results on a 4G network). We were told that the company is in talks with "numerous" phone makers, in hopes of getting their VCS software integrated onto Android devices by the year's end -- think Qik, but for video conferencing -- but he couldn't hand out any specifics. Head on past the jump if you'd like to see a demo (and hear an awful lot more).
Ittiam shows four-way 720p HD video conferencing using Android, OMAP 4


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