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• Twitter suspends UberTwitter and Twidroyd for 'violating' its policies
• Acer's Aspire One D257 attempts to send ripples through MWC
• Google, Best Buy, Sony and others form alliance to defend FCC's proposed 'AllVid' standard
• inPulse smartwatch turns programmable, and it can almost play Doom (video)
• Thrustmaster T500 RS review
• Latest Android Gingerbread release brings NFC and Bluetooth together for tappable sharing
• House of Representatives votes to block net neutrality
• Huawei IDEOS X3 hands-on (video)
• Caption Contest: Obama has dinner with tech industry CEOs
• NoteSlate teased with new product shots, moves one step away from vaporware status
• Nissan ESFLOW pictured in the flesh ahead of Geneva unveil
• Sony Ericsson breaks out white Xperia Play, makes it an O2 exclusive in the UK
• Netgear unveils a pair of 42Mbps HSPA+ routers, and one for LTE
• Google's MWC 2011 Android booth tour
• Adéu, Barcelona: Mobile World Congress 2011 is over
• United States gets a National Broadband Map, finds much of its nation doesn't have broadband
• Green Energy will replace fossil fuels by 2050 if you really really want to
• Nokia giving developers free E7 and Nokia WP7 handsets
• Apple maintains lead in mobile app store revenues, but its share is shrinking fast
• HP CEO says company is taking 'too long to get to market' with innovations, we wholeheartedly agree
• 'Stanford gurus enable two-way radio communications. Over.'
• Acer jumping on the Windows Phone 7 bandwagon this fall?
• Australia's Jetstar Airways takes the training wheels off iPad rental program, wants the tablet 'on every aircraft'
• Audi starts calling its vehicular broadband plans 'Audi connect,' partners with Alcatel for LTE internet
• Fujitsu's HOAP-2 robot wipes whiteboards clean -- humankind next in line? (video)
• Google Reader Android app gets updated with unread count widget and more
• Lenovo LePad set for a global June LeLaunch
• Ask Engadget: what's the thinnest, lightest, sleekest 17-inch laptop?
• Imagination Technologies unveils Series 6 PowerVR GPUs -- promises desktop caliber graphics in mobile devices (update)
• US Justice Department and FTC looking into Apple's new subscription policy
• The Met's upcoming opera to boast glasses-free 3D effects that nobody requested
• Comcast launches its own 24/7 Xfinity 3D channel, crosses 1 million 3D VOD views
• Dell Rosemount tablet will have Intel's Oak Trail inside, stylus, removable battery and remote wipe
• New York DOT now adding 2-point driver's license penalty for talking on the phone while driving
• Motorola Xoom manual now available for download, ready to expose the ins and outs of Honeycomb
• Verizon makes Home Phone Connect service available nationwide
• NYT: Apple considering a cheaper iPhone, but not a smaller one right now
• RadioShack offers Atrix 4G for $150 on launch day, undercutting AT&T?
• Chevrolet launches MyLink smartphone integration for 2012 Volt and Equinox
• The Engadget Show Live! with GM Volt engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products and much more!

Twitter suspends UberTwitter and Twidroyd for 'violating' its policies Posted: 18 Feb 2011 10:21 AM PST Without elaborating, Twitter has just posted a help document titled "I'm Having Problems Logging In to UberTwitter or twidroyd" that gives little hope for an immediate fix: turns out the company has outright suspended both apps -- among the most popular Twitter apps for the BlackBerry / iPhone and Android platforms, respectively -- for "violating [its] policies." They go on to say that they suspend "hundreds" of apps on a daily basis for policy violations, but decided to call out these two in particular because of the high number of users potentially affected. Considering the popularity factor, we imagine this'll be solved one way or another before too long -- but in the meantime, you might want to fall back to the official apps for both platforms. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Acer's Aspire One D257 attempts to send ripples through MWC Posted: 18 Feb 2011 10:14 AM PST Despite its variety of new tablets, Acer's already told us of its plans to continue on with its Aspire One netbooks, and the new D257 is all the proof we need of that. At this point, we don't know much about the latest 10.1-inch laptop, except that it does have one funky lid. It looks like a stone was dropped smack in the middle of the O in the Aspire One logo to create a ripple-like effect, and it's more than just an interesting paint job -- the plastic has actually been molded. It's a noteworthy design move, but we've never really been big fans of the huge logo in the first place. We were actually hoping Acer would nix it after the AO521. Spec-wise, Notebook Italia is reporting it will be powered by Intel's dual-core Atom N570 or N550 processors and the placard on display at MWC said that it will dual-boot Windows 7 Starter and Android. Ironically, the model on hand wouldn't boot at all, but we'll be listening out for an official announcement on this one. Acer's Aspire One D257 hands-on

Google, Best Buy, Sony and others form alliance to defend FCC's proposed 'AllVid' standard Posted: 18 Feb 2011 09:54 AM PST We've already seen Sony, TiVo and others come out in support of the FCC's proposed CableCard replacement, known as AllVid, but it looks like they're now stepping up their game considerably. In a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, the group -- which also includes Google, Best Buy, Mitsubishi and others -- has announced that they've formed the "AllVid Tech Company Alliance" in a concerted effort to defend the proposed AllVid standard, and counter arguments from those opposed to it -- namely, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (or NCTA) and the cable companies that are a part of it. As you might expect, the Alliance isn't making a lot of new arguments, but it is stating its position pretty frankly, telling the FCC that "it is essential for the Commission to break down the wall separating the home network from MVPD [or pay TV] networks – not just poke a few holes in it, or rely on progress on the peripheries." You can find the complete letter (in PDF form) at the source link below.

inPulse smartwatch turns programmable, and it can almost play Doom (video) Posted: 18 Feb 2011 09:33 AM PST Once upon a time the inPulse was a BlackBerry peripheral, but no more -- now, it's a fully programmable device-agnostic Bluetooth wrist computer. That's because its manufacturer Allerta released an SDK this week, which lets the 52Mhz ARM7 processor and 8Kb of RAM within display whatever you'd like on the 1.3-inch, 96 x 128 pixel screen. Like the time of day... or this tiny, practically unplayable 3D game. Yours for $149.

Thrustmaster T500 RS review Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:58 AM PST For a long time -- a long, long time -- Logitech and Gran Turismo have gone together like rubber and asphalt. Like carbon fiber and fender flares. Like drivers' privates and their Nomex underpants. The two were tight, but with GT5 came a changing of the guard. Thrustmaster, a company world-renowned for its high-end flight controls and its giggle-inducing name, stepped in and bought the license. The purpose? To release the decidedly high-end T500 RS wheel, the controller designed to abolish memories of all the plasticy racing controllers that have come before from the company. Does it succeed, and is it worth the pucker-inducing price of $599? These questions and more answered below. Thrustmaster T500RS The hardware You don't even need to take the T500 RS wheel and pedal set out of the box to know you're dealing with a serious piece of kit. The weight stamped on the side, 18KG or 40lbs, should be required by law to come with a warning about lifting with your knees. Those with weak lower backs be advised. Strip away the shipping tape, gaze inside, and you'll see where that weight comes from. The pedal set is wrapped in diamond plate steel, the petals are made of metal, pedal box is made of metal -- in fact just about everything save the cord sticking out the back is made of metal. The wheel assembly itself is not made of metal -- a good thing because it'd make heaving it up onto a desk more of a challenge. Even with its plastic construction it's still not an easy process, the wheel assembly itself being a full 13 inches deep and far bigger than the Logitech G27 or the Fanatec GT2 we just reviewed. Suffice to say it's sizeable, the power brick alone being nearly as big as the one that new Xbox 360 owners gape in horror at upon first unboxing their console. Cabling is a bit more simple than with those two wheels mentioned above, but that's only because there's no separate H-pattern shifter available here. You get only big chrome paddles mounted behind the steering wheel, but not to the wheel itself. They don't turn, staying fixed in place. So, there's a cable running from pedals to wheel, another cable running up from the power brick, and naturally a USB cord running from the wheel on down to a PC or PS3. It's only compatible with those two devices, and if you want it on your PS3 you'll need the latest system update from Sony. Even then it has only limited compatibility with games. Gran Turismo 5 is quite naturally on the list, and the upcoming Dirt 3 is as well, but that's it for now. That said, the wheel will work with just about any game you like on the PS3 -- but not with force feedback. On the PC you'll need drivers as well and, thankfully, compatibility is more or less assured with everything from there on out. Mounting and testing The wheel mounts to a desk or table with a single, two-pronged clamp extending from underneath that giant plastic box. To clamp it down you simply spin a screw and it squeezes in place. Once clamped we found we were still able to tilt it slightly forward if we pulled, not quite as much as on the Fanatec GT2, but more so than the G27, which is still king for ease and stability for temporary mounting. Indeed this is a wheel that's better held in place with bolts, and there are threaded holes in the bottom for just that purpose. It's so huge it's hard to fit on your average computer desk without moving some monitors and unwieldy enough to make mounting and dismounting a chore. Not a wheel for sometimes simmers. Plug it in and connect it and it sweeps through its full range of motion to self-calibrate, 1,080 degrees. That's 180 more than most other wheels on the market and, really, 180 more than are seemingly needed. It's rare that racing games even make proper use of 900 degrees at this point -- the polygonal hands on the wheel in GT5 can't even shuffle-steer. GT5 quite naturally works well with the wheel, offering a picture of the thing to help you assign controls to the buttons that are scattered throughout the wheel stalks and base. Every button on a PS3 controller is here, but you'll have to hunt to find them. Almost all are well out of thumb reach so you'll need to take a hand off the wheel. And yes, taking your hands off the wheel while driving is not a good idea. Speaking of thumbs, we found ours not fitting comfortably in the narrow area where the spokes meet the wheel, and none of our fingers enjoyed the rubberized coating the wheel uses. It is effective enough at being grippy, but when the much cheaper competition are offering leather and Alcantara, well, rubber is disappointing. We did extensive testing in GT5 on the PS3 and on the iRacing on the PC, both of which did a great job of highlighting the wheel's main asset: its force feedback. The 65 watt, belt-driven motor inside is strong, certainly having enough power to make your forearms burn and to rattle everything off of whatever desk you've mounted this to. It's impressively quiet, too, but most important is it's precision, offering extremely sharp and sensitive renditions of bumps and pavement creases. The feel is fantastic and, with 16 bit resolution, responsiveness is high as well. The wheel uses a hall effect sensor to detect position magnetically, which should mean that precision will be maintained through the life of the wheel. The pedals, however, use rather more traditional potentiometers. They offer a good feel but pale in comparison to the Fanatec Clubsport pedals. Sure, Thrustmaster's floor jewelry is bigger, heavier, and more customizable, but all that weight just feels excessive. You can flip 'em upside down to replicate the layout of a formula or GT car but there's really not much difference in the experience. And, given how long it takes to un-screw the base plate and move everything about it's certainly not worth it if you'll be jumping from one type of car to another frequently. Finally, the brake pedal here is not a load cell, just a potentiometer with a bunch of adjustable springs. It offers a better feel than that in the middle stomper on the Logitech G27 but again doesn't compare to the Clubsports. And then there are the fixed shift paddles on the wheel, which some will deal with and others will hate. They don't rotate as you turn the wheel so up- and downshifting can be a bit interesting while turning. Their static position means they need to be very large, which makes it even more difficult to get your fingers behind. Their chrome finish looks and feels nice but it's more sticky than the matte paddles on most other wheels, grabbing your fingers a bit when you shift, creating a non-conducive environment for shifting while counter-steering. But, it must be said that the paddles' feel is quite good when it comes to the actual business of shifting. There's a surprisingly long throw here but a very positive clicky engagement that means accidental shifting is unlikely. Wrap-up At $599 it's awfully hard to recommend this wheel and pedal combination. The wheel itself has a magnificent feel that's beginning to knock on the door of much more expensive offerings like a Frex or ECCI, and the number of inputs makes managing button-happy cars easier. But, those buttons are hard to find while driving and the rubber coating feels unfortunately low-rent. The massive size of the thing makes it best suited for semi-permanent installations and the limited PS3 compatibility is, for the moment at least, a disappointment. Meanwhile the pedals are overkill yet underwhelming. They're heavy and won't go anywhere but all that weight feels excessive, unnecessary, and adorned with rubber feet that kept falling off. Not exactly what you'd expect for $599. Ultimately either the Logitech G27 or the Fanatec line of wheels offer nearly as good performance at a much more palatable cost -- and with designs less likely to give you a hernia when hauling about the house.

Latest Android Gingerbread release brings NFC and Bluetooth together for tappable sharing Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:29 AM PST Sending a webpage from an HP Pre 3 to a Touchpad is as easy as tapping them together, a technique we've not previously seen -- but something that's now possible in the latest flavor of Gingerbread: Android 2.3.3. This adds some expanded functionality for working with the NFC chip found in the Nexus S (and, presumably, others soon) enabling, among other things, NFC to work with Bluetooth. As demonstrated a few weeks ago, the NFC chip can be used to send networking and establish a connection when the two phones touch, so no more manual pairing required, just sweet tapping and sharing.

House of Representatives votes to block net neutrality Posted: 18 Feb 2011 08:12 AM PST The net neutrality debate was sadly destined to be swallowed up by left-right posturing once the FCC voted 3-2 to impose a compromise set of access rules on the ISP industry, and it appears the ensuing political theater is nearing its zenith: the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted yesterday to block funding for the FCC's proposed rules. We call it theater only because it's largely for show -- in order to take effect, the budget amendment would have to pass the Democratically-controlled Senate and be signed by the President, and neither of those things is likely to happen. What's more, the actual rules passed by the FCC have already been challenged in the courtroom by Verizon and MetroPCS, so it's not like the industry needs any additional help at the moment. Still, there's a part of us that's happy this issue is even being talked about at the highest levels, rather than being left to languish in administrative rulemaking hell like so many other FCC initiatives -- and we have a feeling we'll be talking about this for a long time to come.

Huawei IDEOS X3 hands-on (video) Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:53 AM PST Yesterday at MWC we got our hands on the Huawei IDEOS X3, an Android 2.3 phone slotted right between the IDEOS / Comet we reviewed recently and the X5 we saw at CES. While the original IDEOS took Android significantly downmarket, and the X5 is looking to bring high-end features to the mid-end, the X3 is aimed squarely at bread-and-butter devices like the LG Optimus T. Spec-wise, you'll find a 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen, Qualcomm MSM7227 CPU (likely 600 MHz), 256MB of RAM, 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, front-facing camera, WiFi b / g / n, and dualband HSPA plus quadband EDGE radios, all powered by a 1200mAh battery. Contrary to its siblings, the X3 is not a Google Experience device, and runs a custom skin on top of Gingerbread. See our pictures in the gallery below and jump the break for our first impressions and hands-on video. Huawei IDEOS X3 hands-on (video) We were rather impressed with the X3. It's light, thin, small, and looks surprisingly attractive. Build quality was top notch on the pre-production unit we handled, despite the materials not being completely final. The back is made of a pleasant black soft-touch plastic, and the display glass curves seamlessly into the silver-accented sides of the phone. Huawei chose to adorn Android 2.3 with a custom skin that blatantly copies LG's S-Class UI and Samsung's TouchWiz application tray. The X3 feels quite snappy considering it's powered by a humble MSM7227. Likewise, loading Engadget was drama free, complete with Flash support. We presume this stems from optimizations in Gingerbread. The X3 will be launching in Japan in March for $200 unsubsidized, with other markets to follow. No word yet on a North American variant with the appropriate 3G bands.

Caption Contest: Obama has dinner with tech industry CEOs Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:30 AM PST Barack Obama is a president well known for being in touch with technology, so it's no surprise to see him wining and dining the industry's biggest decision makers. Larry Ellison, Eric Schmidt, Carol Bartz, Mark Zuckerberg, and yes, even Steve Jobs joined el presidente for an informal dinner on Thursday to discuss important things like jobs, education, and research spending. We're not here for that, though, we're here to drop zingers about one all-powerful dude and his big-time CEO buddies. Thomas: "Here's to project Soylent Green." Joe: "This sure beats the Four Loko Summit we held last summer on the White House lawn." Chris: "So let's just jam through this dinner real quick." Josh T: "I hope no one authorizes a 'kill switch' on this party." Paul: "At this very moment we're millions of miles from a doomed planet Earth!" Nilay: "Gentlemen, Ballmer has neutralized the Finnish threat." Richard Lai: "Drink up, kids -- it's Dance Central time!" Tim: "Zuck, it's like Final Club, except with the President."

NoteSlate teased with new product shots, moves one step away from vaporware status Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:16 AM PST Look, you can't say no to a $99 electronic ink drawing tablet, but to believe that that his here NoteSlate has any chance of retailing at that price you'd also need the naiveté of a child who accepts free candies from strangers. While we remain skeptical, said tablet's website has just been updated with a new stash of product shots and an in-depth walkthrough, which are kinda convincing if you ignore the price tag. The mono-color models are here to stay as well, though we should point out that there's a $30 alternative, already available, from Improv Electronics for those who need nothing more than just doodling. Otherwise, keep an eye out for the NoteSlate come June. [Thanks, Eddie]

Nissan ESFLOW pictured in the flesh ahead of Geneva unveil Posted: 18 Feb 2011 06:52 AM PST Rendery concept images not doing enough to pique your interest in the future-Z concept ESFLOW from Nissan? Maybe you'd be into some honest to gosh pictures of the real thing sitting pretty on a white-walled photo stage, prepping for its glamour shoot. All Cars Electric has a suite of photos of the inside, highlighting its sweeping lines and decidedly fanciful interior. The car is said to manage the 0 - 60 sprint in under five seconds while also delivering 150 miles of range from its Li-ion battery pack, helped by a lightweight composite body and aluminum chassis. Whether the car ever hits production remains to be seen, but there's no doubt it's looking good already.

Sony Ericsson breaks out white Xperia Play, makes it an O2 exclusive in the UK Posted: 18 Feb 2011 06:34 AM PST We'll confess, we did see Sony Ericsson execs flashing white Xperia Play handsets during the company's MWC 2011 press event, but curiously enough none of those made their way to the demo areas. Now we've finally got ourselves some fully fleshed out press shots, along with the news that O2 will be the sole carrier for this alabaster gaming smartphone in the UK. Other markets have yet to announce availability of the white Xperia Play, but you'll know more just as soon as we do. Skip past the break to see how the front end looks. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Netgear unveils a pair of 42Mbps HSPA+ routers, and one for LTE Posted: 18 Feb 2011 06:14 AM PST We're not sure how they feel in lands where fiber optic connections flow like wine, but in most of the developed world a up to 42 megabit per second internet connection feels mighty fine. Fine enough, in fact, that it can make sense to share it with your peers, and that's why Netgear's new MBR1310 and MBR2000 routers are here. They're quad-band DC-HSPA+ units that dole out that precious 3G data over 802.11n WiFi or via four 10/100 wired ethernet ports, with the MBR2000 adding ADSL2+ for a wired backup option. If you're lucky enough to be working with LTE in Europe, there's the MBR1517 as well, virtually identical to the model announced for Verizon but presumably with different carrier support. No word on when, where, or how much any of these fallback connectivity options will cost. PR after the break. Show full PR text NETGEAR Announces New 3G / LTE Mobile Broadband Router Lineup New Mobile Broadband Router Series Offers Internet Access Performance Rivaling Wired Broadband Performance BARCELONA, Spain – February 14, 2011 - NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers, today announced four new products for mobile network operators at the 2011 Mobile World Congress (MWC). The new line-up of mobile broadband routers is designed to take mobile broadband to the next level of performance. Built on NETGEAR's expertise in mobile networking, these new routers integrate features from its popular line of wired broadband devices together with the speed and high-performance provided by European 3G and LTE (4G) mobile networks. The four new models all offer either 3G or LTE connection, failover to wired 10/100 Fast Ethernet (FE) WAN, FE LAN & 802.11N WiFi for multiple user sharing. The lineup includes: MBR1200: Quadband 3G HSPA+ (21Mbps x 5.76Mbps) with HSPA fallback and failover to wired FE WAN MBR1310: Quadband 3G DC-HSPA+ (42Mbps x 5.7Mbps) with HSPA+/HSPA fallback and failover to wired FE WAN MBR1517: Euro LTE (100Mbps x 50Mbps) with HSPA+/HSPA fallback and failover to wired FE WAN MBR2000: Quadband 3G DC-HSPA+ (42Mbps x 5.7Mbps) with HSPA+/HSPA fallback and failover to ADSL2+ All of the new mobile broadband routers are ideal for residential and business customers. These devices can be located in city or rural locations using the internal high gain antenna or optional external antenna for poor signal areas. Auto failover from wired to mobile broadband enables operators to deliver service level agreements (SLAs) to business customers where the cost of network outages is high. "With this round of high performance mobile plus wired dual WAN routers, NETGEAR moves into new business applications, and brings high quality features from our core expertise in wired broadband gateways to mobile network operators" said Michael Clegg, vice president and general manager, Service Provider Business Unit, NETGEAR. "As mobile broadband coverage areas expand, these new products have the potential to bring in new revenue for mobile operators due to the excellent performance of the routers, which rivals wired Internet access." For more information on these products, please visit: http://www.netgear.com/service-provider/products/mobile-broadband/

Google's MWC 2011 Android booth tour Posted: 18 Feb 2011 05:32 AM PST It'd be no exaggeration to say that Google's Android booth here at MWC 2011 has been the most popular of them all. The Mountain View secret to this preeminence has been some combination of putting cutesy costumes on its now iconic robot logo, installing a slide for weary geeks to reconnect to their childhood with, and operating a fully fledged smoothie bar that offered up free Honeycomb elixirs. In short, Ye Olde Google has aimed to be fun first and foremost and the crowds have responded by keeping its booth constantly busy. Heck, we even saw our buddy Stephen Elop walking by, though his panther-like quickness was too much for our cameras to document the moment. Never mind, we've still got a ton of photos and video for you below, so why not dig into those while they're still hot? Google's MWC 2011 Android booth tour

Adéu, Barcelona: Mobile World Congress 2011 is over Posted: 18 Feb 2011 05:00 AM PST We've still got a handful of posts in the pipeline, but with the gates closed and everyone in the air heading back to their respective homes, our adventures at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona have come to a close. The good news is we can return to our regular four of hours of sleep each night (a figure that was cut in half this week). The bad news is the heartache of leaving behind gorgeous scenery and delicious paella. Take a look at some of our highlights below! Microsoft Microsoft shows off WP7's future with multitasking, Twitter integration, and IE9, all coming this year Windows Phone 7's multitasking uses zoomed-out cards to check on your apps Microsoft Rally Ball demo shows Windows Phone 7, Kinect, Xbox Live living in perfect harmony (video) Windows Phone 7 update with copy and paste, CDMA support coming in 'early March' See the new Windows Phone 7 features in motion (video) Live from Steve Ballmer's MWC 2011 keynote! Nokia The Engadget Interview: Nokia CEO Stephen Elop talks Microsoft, Symbian, MeeGo, and Windows Phone Debunk: Elop never said Microsoft is paying Nokia billions of dollars to use Windows Phone The Engadget Interview: Microsoft's Aaron Woodman talks Windows Phone 7 and Nokia Nokia: 'Our first priority is beating Android' Nokia hints we'll see first Windows Phone 7 device this year Live from 'An Evening With Nokia' at MWC 2011! HTC HTC launches 1.5GHz, 7-inch Android 2.4 Flyer into the tablet wars (update: hands-on video!) HTC Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab vs. iPad... fight! A closer look at the HTC Flyer's screen, stylus, and Scribe HTC refreshes Android lineup with Incredible S, Desire S and Wildfire S (update: hands-on) HTC Incredible S, Desire S, and Wildfire S video hands-on HTC Salsa and Chacha bring the dedicated Facebook button to Android (update: eyes-on) Samsung Samsung Galaxy S II official: dual-core 1GHz CPU, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus, coming this month (hands-on with video) Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 official: Tegra 2, Honeycomb, dual cameras (hands-on with video) T-Mobile Galaxy S 4G hands-on Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 preview (video) Samsung Galaxy Ace, Gio, Fit, and mini gather for a mega hands-on Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets Google Eric Schmidt: 'We certainly tried' to get Nokia to use Android Next version of Android will combine Gingerbread and Honeycomb, arrive on a six-month cycle Google demos Android Movie Studio for Honeycomb Live from Eric Schmidt's MWC 2011 keynote Google's MWC 2011 Android booth tour LG LG Optimus Pad first hands-on! (video) LG Optimus 3D hands-on Android-powered LG Revolution caught streaming Netflix at MWC (video) Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia family portrait at MWC 2011 Sony Ericsson Xperia Play MWC 2011 hands-on! (updated with video) Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro first hands-on! (updated with video) Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc preview (video) Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo first hands-on! (updated with video) Live from Sony Ericsson's MWC 2011 press event!

United States gets a National Broadband Map, finds much of its nation doesn't have broadband Posted: 18 Feb 2011 04:44 AM PST The FCC of the Obama administration has been very keen to highlight the fact that many Americans today still aren't riding the information superhighway, a mission of awareness-spreading that was advanced a little more yesterday with the introduction of the National Broadband Map. Mostly the work of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, this $200 million project provides broadband data for thousands of providers with over 25 million searchable records -- all of which can be visualized in map form, categorized by connectivity type, or downloaded in full to your computer. APIs have been made available for anyone interested in remixing / using the NBM elsewhere, while information updates are promised every six months. In terms of the maps' content, we're still seeing unsatisfactorily wide swathes of broadband-free countryside, but we suppose the first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one.

Green Energy will replace fossil fuels by 2050 if you really really want to Posted: 18 Feb 2011 04:17 AM PST The year 2050 is what the year 2000 was to futuristic thinkers like Walt Disney and Arthur C. Clarke. It's the new year that everything will change: robots will outperform us on the field of play, computers will outwit us in matters of reason, and nerds will never be lonely again. It's also the year that 100 percent green energy will be possible according to a bunch of neo-maxi zoomdweebies from Stanford and the University of California-Davis. That's right, in 40 years we could be saying goodbye to fossil fuels in favor of renewables like solar and wind power. The biggest challenge to achieving the goal, say researchers, isn't related to the underlying technologies or the economics required to fuel the change, rather, it's whether we earthlings have the collective will and political gumption to make it happen. Interesting... we'll look into that claim just as soon as we're done with our Nero fiddling and telling all our friends about this amaaazing story we just read in the National Enquirer.

Nokia giving developers free E7 and Nokia WP7 handsets Posted: 18 Feb 2011 03:52 AM PST Nokia's fighting an uphill battle to retain its community of developers as it switches focus to Windows Phone and Microsoft's Windows Phone Developer Tools from what was a joint Symbian / MeeGo smartphone strategy unified under the Qt development framework. As such, Espoo just notified its Launchpad members that they'll be receiving about $1,000 in free hardware in the form of Nokia's new flagship E7 QWERTY slider and a "Nokia WP7 device" just as soon as it's available. Nokia's also tossing in a few other incentives like free access to the next Nokia World / Nokia Developer Summit, three months free tech support for all Nokia technologies (limited to 10 tickets), a free User Experience evaluation for one app, business development assistance, and help publishing apps on the Ovi store. This is also great news for us as the chance of seeing leaked pics of that first Nokia WP7 device have just increased dramatically.

Apple maintains lead in mobile app store revenues, but its share is shrinking fast Posted: 18 Feb 2011 03:21 AM PST Growth. You don't have to be Gordon Gekko to recognize that exponential growth in revenues is the mark of both a buoyant industry and, on an individual level, a healthy participant within it. Kudos must, therefore, be handed out to all the top four app stores globally, as each one expended its total revenues by over 130 percent between 2009 and 2010. Interestingly, Apple's growth looks to be slowing down as the App Store begins to reach a saturation point on smartphones, while Nokia's Ovi Store and Google's Android Market blossomed during 2010 by multiples of 7.2 and 8.6 times their 2009 size. Apple's share at the top has shrunken as a consequence, a trend that looks likely to continue when Windows Phone 7's Marketplace and the Ovi Store are melded into one through this year and beyond.

HP CEO says company is taking 'too long to get to market' with innovations, we wholeheartedly agree Posted: 18 Feb 2011 02:54 AM PST Leo Apotheker, HP's successor to the infamous Mark Hurd, has sat down for a chat with the Wall Street Journal recently, and while most of it is innocuous corporate-speak -- "we need to fire up our innovation engine" -- there was one quote that piqued our interest. The new chief believes HP needs to get its products to market faster, rejecting Sam Palmisano's suggestion that HP has lost its innovative touch and insisting that his company's weakness has been in just not getting the products out to store shelves quickly enough. Of course, you could say that that's an error HP is repeating again with the launch of its new webOS devices -- the TouchPad, the Pre 3 and the Veer -- none of which are expected to arrive before this spring. However, to be fair to Apotheker, he's still relatively new to the job and these words from him could well signal a change for the better in future product cycles. Full interview at the source.

'Stanford gurus enable two-way radio communications. Over.' Posted: 18 Feb 2011 02:26 AM PST Call it the holy grail of radio transmissions if you must, but even if you're not about to toss that label on it, there's no question that the work being done in Stanford's engineering labs could destroy quite a few preconceived notions about wireless interference. Demoed as a concept last year, a newfangled wireless technology developed in Palo Alto is proving that signals can indeed be sent and received at the same time. Outside of the cellular telephony world, this seemingly simple occurrence doesn't really happen -- typical wireless signals have to take turns when it comes to listening and transmitting. As an example, it's impossible for a WiFi router to "shout" out signals while also being intelligent enough to quiet its own voice in order to hear "whispers" from a connected device. The breakthrough came when researchers found that radios could be tweaked to filter out the signal from its own transmitter, something that already happens within noise-canceling headphones. If this can be packaged into a commercially viable platform, it could instantly double the amount of information sent over existing networks, and on an even grander scale, it could allow airplanes to radio into control towers simultaneously (a feat that's shockingly impossible with today's physics bearing down). Head on past the break for a downright enlightening video on the matter.

Acer jumping on the Windows Phone 7 bandwagon this fall? Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:48 AM PST One manufacturer who has not boarded on the Windows Phone train to commerceville is Acer, who is certainly all over when it comes to Android. Why no WP7 love? No word on that front, but we're told that may be changing this fall. The company is reportedly looking at releasing one or more handsets for the platform to coincide with the first major Windows Phone update, currently given the saucy nom de guerre "Mango." That's right about when we're expecting our first Nokia WP7 handsets, which means things could be getting interesting in Microsoftia this September.

Australia's Jetstar Airways takes the training wheels off iPad rental program, wants the tablet 'on every aircraft' Posted: 18 Feb 2011 01:06 AM PST Here's a quick and easy way to escape the mediocrity of those tiny low-res LCDs embedded in the seat in front of you: slap down 10 Australian dollars and upgrade to the iPad's IPS goodness for the duration of your Jetstar Airways flight. This rental option has been available on the Australian airline's flights since June, but only in pilot form (insert your own jokes here), and the feedback has been good enough for the company to make it a fleet-wide policy. "Movies, music, magazines, books and games" will all come preloaded, so you shouldn't fret about having to shell out extra hunting around for content. Licensing agreements are expected to be finalized shortly, with the rental program rolling out in full this April.

Audi starts calling its vehicular broadband plans 'Audi connect,' partners with Alcatel for LTE internet Posted: 18 Feb 2011 12:43 AM PST Audi's had grand designs on the connected car for years now, and is presently looking to upgrade to LTE, but first it's time to address the most important consideration -- marketing the stuff effectively. To that end, Audi's unifying its infotainment initiatives under the brand Audi Connect, so it will be absolutely clear how you can pimp your ride with tech when you walk into an Audi dealership. That is, if you don't already have Audi Connect, because the company claims it's already present in the A8, A7 and A6. Those three automobiles can presently add an optional UMTS modem for online apps, though Audi's also working with Alcatel-Lucent to bring faster LTE connectivity by 2014. Expect a software update sooner than that: this summer, Audi hopes to add live traffic data and voice commands to control a suite of Google services as well. Find more details at our source links.

Fujitsu's HOAP-2 robot wipes whiteboards clean -- humankind next in line? (video) Posted: 18 Feb 2011 12:02 AM PST They've taught them how to flip pancakes and shoot arrows, and now they're teaching humanoids to erase your whiteboard. That's right, the same folks who brought you iCub in a feathery headdress are back at it with Fujitsu's HOAP-2, a humanoid robot that looks like it's related to the Jetsons' maid, and can wipe a dry erase board clean via upper-body kinesthetic learning. While scientists force the robot's arm through a number of erasing movements, an attached force-torque sensor records the patterns, allowing HOAP-2 to mimic its previous actions, and voilà! You've got a blank slate. Sure, this little guy looks perfectly harmless in comparison with the bow-and-arrow-wielding iCub, but replace that eraser with a switchblade and the human race is in a whole world of hurt.

Google Reader Android app gets updated with unread count widget and more Posted: 17 Feb 2011 11:14 PM PST Lookie here, digital bookworms -- Google has just refreshed its Google Reader app for Android, adding a couple of "your most-requested features" along the way. Things like a unread count widget and news ticker widget are coming to those with Android 2.2+, while a 'Mark Previous As Read' is making its way back to all users with v1.6 or higher. Oh, and if you're into reading Russian feeds, there's now official support for Russian translation. Head on down to the Market below to get the install going, and do your best not to be ashamed when the number in your unread count stretches three home screen panels.

Lenovo LePad set for a global June LeLaunch Posted: 17 Feb 2011 10:32 PM PST Lenovo's ready to get specific with dates now that Google's got itself an honest to goodness tablet OS. A company spokesman said that its LePad tablet -- first announced by that name back in June 2010 but previewed at CES all the way back in January 2010 -- will ship in its home country of China in March before making its way to the global stage in June. Unfortunately, Lenovo isn't saying anything about final specs or which countries are first on its list -- we already knew it was coming to the US in 2011. The company's also not talking price. Last time we saw LePad in January it was sporting Android 2.2 with a custom "LeOS" skin riding a 1.3GHz Snapdragon processor and 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel display with a price just north of $500. Question is: will Lenny set it free with vanilla Honeycomb or will it feel compelled to apply the LeOS skin in order to avoid becoming just another Android tablet?

Ask Engadget: what's the thinnest, lightest, sleekest 17-inch laptop? Posted: 17 Feb 2011 10:07 PM PST We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Shimon, who clearly longs for the best of both worlds. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I am looking to replace my 17-inch MacBook Pro. I am looking for a 17-inch ultraportable laptop, or as close as I can get to one. Key features: light, thin, good battery life, high resolution screen, no lap burn, no noisy fan and doesn't break the bank. Thanks!" Seems as if Mac / PC isn't an issue, so we're assuming they're all on the table. Considering that he's leaving a 17-inch MBP, what else out there can compare given the needs? Any suggestions from 17-inch laptop owners out there? Go on, answer away in comments below -- you've got the time (and screen real estate) to spare.

Imagination Technologies unveils Series 6 PowerVR GPUs -- promises desktop caliber graphics in mobile devices (update) Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:20 PM PST Imagination Technologies may not be a household name, but they created the PowerVR GPUs that are the gold standard in mobile graphics, and are a part of the ARM SoCs you find in mobile devices like the iPhone 4, Galaxy S, and the Droid 2. Not one to rest on its laurels, the company unveiled its new Series 6 PowerVR chips -- affectionately known as "Rogue" -- that are 20 to 100 times more powerful than its previous handheld offerings. That's right, these GPUs will have the same horsepower as today's desktop computers while needing only a milliwatt of juice to deliver face-melting graphics -- the catch is that this bit of black magic won't be showing up in devices for a few years. Guess we'll just have to settle for the Series 5 chips -- like the quad core beast found in the Sony NGP and the upcoming OMAP 5 platform -- which the company promises will make their way into select smartphones "within three months." Be still, our gaming hearts. Update: Three months? Hardly, ST-Ericsson has announced a series of new SoC processors, including the Nova 9600 that has "Rogue" baked in. The chip delivers HD video at 120 frames per second and can pull off pro-quality 3D video recording as well. Press release is after the break. [Thanks, Rich] Show full PR text CHANGING THE GAME: ST-ERICSSON UNVEILS NOVATHOR™ FAMILY OF SMARTPHONE PLATFORMS COMBINING ITS MOST ADVANCED APPLICATION PROCESSORS WITH THE LATEST GENERATION OF MODEMS February 15, 2011 Complete solutions bring unprecedented computing and graphics performance to smartphones and tablets, at lowest power consumption Barcelona, February 15, 2011 – ST-Ericsson, a world leader in wireless platforms and semiconductors, is raising the bar for smartphone and tablet platform performance with its new Nova™ application processors, its new Thor™ advanced modems and its range of NovaThor™ complete integrated platform solutions. "By offering the most advanced application processors combined with our latest generation of thin HSPA+ and LTE modems, ST-Ericsson is setting new performance standards for our industry." said Gilles Delfassy, president and CEO of ST-Ericsson. "Our approach will accelerate innovation in the smartphone and tablet markets enabling consumers to experience human-machine interfaces based on gesture, voice and image recognition, 3D cameras and life-like augmented reality." ST-Ericsson's NovaThor platforms, based on a scalable architecture, combine application engines, modems and connectivity chipsets into fully-integrated and tested solutions, which device manufacturers can use to quickly roll out a new wave of advanced smartphones and tablets with trailblazing multimedia capabilities across all segments. At the high end, the NovaThor platforms offer device makers the opportunity to bring leading-edge smartphones to market swiftly by combining ST-Ericsson's very latest modems and application processors. In the mainstream smartphone segment, manufacturers can benefit by using ST-Ericsson's highly-integrated platforms, in which modems and application processors are built into a single piece of silicon, to produce compact and affordable devices. The scalable architecture enables reuse of manufacturers' R&D investment across the entire range of their smartphone and tablet portfolios. ST-Ericsson today announced three new application processors, the Nova A9600, A9540, A9500 together with two next generation modems the Thor M7400 and M7300 as well as two additions to its complete highly integrated smartphone platforms the NovaThor T5008 and U4500. ST-Ericsson's new Nova A9600 brings over 200 percent more mobile computing performance compared to the U8500 platform. It features the industry's best and most efficient low-power implementation known today of a dual ARM® Cortex- A15 MPCore™ with each core running up to 2.5GHz thanks to very innovative power saving techniques to be disclosed later this year. "As the selection of advanced smartphones and tablets increases we see the need for a wider range of performance points to be addressed," said Mike Inglis, EVP and general manager of the ARM Processor Division, "This announcement shows the performance that can be achieved by combining the Cortex-A15 processor with integrated LTE modems." The Nova A9600 will be the first platform announced to incorporate Imagination Technologies next generation of graphics processors, codenamed Rogue, which will set a new performance bar for GPUs at mobile power consumption levels. The Nova A9600 will bring more than a 20-fold improvement in graphics performance compared with the U8500 platform. "POWERVR Series6, codenamed 'Rogue', moves the goalposts in terms of graphics performance and efficiency at low power consumption for next generation mobile." said Hossein Yassaie, CEO of Imagination Technologies. "We are delighted to be working with ST-Ericsson on such a groundbreaking product." The Nova A9600 will also be able to play full HD video at 120 frames per second, supporting professional camcorder-quality recording in 3D, as well as high definition videoconferencing and tele-presence. ST-Ericsson also unveiled the Nova A9540, a dual-core ARM Cortex- A9-based processor, with each core operating at up to1.8 GHz, and the Nova A9500, a dual-core ARM Cortex- A9-based processor, running at 1.2 GHz. The Nova A9540 delivers a four times improvement in graphics performance compared with the current generation, while the A9500 delivers state-of-the-art graphic capabilities on mobile devices. ST-Ericsson's new Thor modems, the Thor M7400 and the Thor M7300, support the latest LTE and HSPA+ dual carrier technologies, while preserving backward compatibility with existing 3G/2G networks, in a small and highly-integrated radio solution that supports up to eight LTE/WCDMA/GSM frequency bands. These modems enable the development of truly global smartphones, tablets and many other mobile broadband-enabled devices. The Thor modems and Nova application processors will be offered as combined NovaThor solutions which match the most advanced application processors with the latest modem technologies. Finally ST-Ericsson introduced the NovaThor T5008 and U4500 platforms which combine application processor and modem in a single die delivering all the benefits of integration, including size, power and bill-of-material advantages. Notes to Editors The Nova A9600, built in 28nm, will deliver groundbreaking multimedia and graphics performance, featuring a dual-core ARM Cortex- A15-based processor running up to up to 2.5 GHz breaking the 20k DMIPS barrier, and a POWERVR Rogue GPU that delivers in excess of 210 GFLOPS. The graphics performance of the A9600 will exceed 350 million 'real' polygons per second and more than 5 gigapixels per second visible fill rate (which given POWERVR's deferred rendering architecture results in more than 13 gigapixels per second effective fill rate). Thanks to Rogue Nova will support all existing APIs such as OpenGL, OpenGL ES 2.0/1.1, OpenVG and OpenCL as well as the next generation of OpenGL ES, codenamed 'Halti' and Microsoft DirectX. The Nova A9600 is sampling in 2011. The Nova A9540, built in 32nm, uses a dual-core Cortex-A9 running at up to 1.8 GHz and delivers graphics performance up to four times that of the U8500 and is sampling H2 2011. The Nova A9500, built in 45 nm, uses a dual-core Cortex-A9 running at clock speeds of up to 1.2GHz, with Mali™ 400 improving graphics performance up to 20 percent, supporting full HD camcorder capabilities and up to 20 megapixel cameras. It is sampling and in design with ST-Ericsson customers today. The Thor M7400 can connect to 2G, 3G, TD-SCDMA, HSPA, HSPA+ dual carrier and LTE FDD/TDD networks. It offers peak download speeds of up to 100Mbps in LTE networks. The Thor M7400 supports voice calls via fallback to circuit-switched networks and via the VoLTE (Voice over LTE) standard, it is sampling Q2 2011. The Thor M7300 is a multimode HSPA+ modem supporting speeds of up to 84Mbps and is sampling Q2 2011. The NovaThor U9500 is a complete platform combining Thor M5730 with A9500 and is sampling now. The NovaThor T5008 platform combines a TD-HSPA+ modem with dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 and Mali 400 graphics. It supports full HD camcorder capabilities and up to 20 megapixel cameras and is sampling Q2 2011. The NovaThor U4500 platform combines a powerful Cortex-A9 application processor with a HSPA+ modem. It supports DVD-quality camcorder capabilities and 8 megapixel cameras and samples in 1H 2011. About ST-Ericsson ST-Ericsson is a world leader in developing and delivering a complete portfolio of innovative mobile platforms and cutting-edge wireless semiconductor solutions across the broad spectrum of mobile technologies. The company is a leading supplier to the top handset manufacturers and ST-Ericsson's products and technologies enable more than half of all phones in use today. The company generated sales of about USD 2.3 billion in 2010. ST-Ericsson was established as a 50/50 joint venture by STMicroelectronics and Ericsson in February 2009, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. www.stericsson.com www.twitter.com/STEricssonForum Nova, Thor and NovaThor are trademarked by ST-Ericsson.

US Justice Department and FTC looking into Apple's new subscription policy Posted: 17 Feb 2011 08:20 PM PST Apple unveiled its new app store subscriptions earlier this week with a decent amount of controversy and even an official statement from Rhapsody saying it would not comply with the new regulations. The new policy requires any company offering subscription services to offer the same service, at the same price (or less) through Apple, with Apple skimming 30 percent off the top. It also no longer allows apps to have links to external sites where purchases can be made. Now, reports the Wall Street Journal, antitrust enforcers in the US are having a preliminary look into the new arrangement. So, what does that mean? Well, these kinds of pre-investigations are pretty common, so it could mean nothing at all. Or, it could lead to a more formal investigation into if the policy violates antitrust laws. When asked for comment on the story, unsurprisingly, no one at Apple, the FTC, or the Justice Department would comment. We'll keep our eyes on this one and let you know if anything more exciting happens.

The Met's upcoming opera to boast glasses-free 3D effects that nobody requested Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:41 PM PST We don't mean to sound negative or anything, and we're not 3D naysayers by any means. But the news that the Metropolitan Opera's upcoming production of Siegfried will include mind-blowing 3D background effects is, well, mind-blowing. While you're undoubtedly familiar with 3D effects, you may not be acquainted with Wagner's 1876 opera which portrays the story of Sigurd, a hero of Norse mythology. Robert Lepage, the director of the operation, expects theater-goers to find themselves engulfed in a three-dimensional world of his creation, which will be projected on the 45-ton set. Lepage, who is directing Wagner's entire Ring cycle at the Met, worked with Geodezik -- famous for the stage shows of famed opera performers Pink and Justin Timberlake -- to create the show's effects. The 3D you'll be seeing if you hit the theater won't be like the technology you're familiar with, however, as it makes use of fractals, and the moving parts of the set to 'trick' your eyes into seeing in three dimensions. We don't want to say this sounds like a bad idea until we've seen if of course, but we've got our reservations. Hit up the New York Times link to see one rather small image of the set. [Image: Lincoln Center]

Comcast launches its own 24/7 Xfinity 3D channel, crosses 1 million 3D VOD views Posted: 17 Feb 2011 07:09 PM PST After DirecTV, Comcast has been among the most aggressive in pushing 3D programming, so it's no surprise to receive word it's begun scheduling round-the-clock 3D content on the Xfinity 3D channel just days after DirecTV launched 3net alongside ESPN 3D and its own n3D network. While viewers can tune in to see what's playing (mostly some documentaries and varied computer animated content) right now, the official kick off comes this weekend on February 20th when it airs the 2011 Tim Horton's Classic outdoor NHL game between the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames, followed closely by a Kings of Leon concert in Germany presented from MTV's library. After early 2010 featured a sparse lineup of one-off 3D events it looks like the channel guide is at least starting to fill up -- as to whether or not anyone is watching, Comcast also announced it's served up over 1 million views of 3D shows and movies over video on-demand with more sports, music and movies to come. Show full PR text KINGS OF LEON CONCERT FROM MTV WORLD STAGE AND 2011 NHL HERITAGE CLASSIC KICK OFF COMCAST'S 24-HOUR, NEXT-GENERATION XFINITY 3D CHANNEL Comcast Also Announces One Million+ Next-Generation 3D Views On Demand PHILADELPHIA, PA – February 17, 2011 – Comcast announced the launch of Xfinity 3D*, its new 24-hour, next-generation 3D channel, which will make its official debut with the 2011 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic and a MTV World Stage concert by the GRAMMY Award-winning rock band, Kings of Leon, in 3D on February 20. The channel will bring customers concerts from top-tier artists, sporting events, more than a dozen movies and original 3D programming. Comcast also announced that there have been more than one million 3D views On Demand since the Masters Golf Tournament in April 2010. "Whether it is a concert, sporting event or movie, Xfinity 3D brings the best seats in the house right to customers' living rooms," said Marcien Jenckes, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Video Services for Comcast. "As the leader in 3D, we will continue to bring our customers the best 3D content available today." On February 20 at 6:00 p.m. ET, Comcast customers can watch the 2011Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, the much-anticipated outdoor match-up between the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, on Xfinity 3D. The 2011Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic will be the second regular season outdoor game to be played in the 2010-11 NHL season. The 2011Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic will also be available in 3D On Demand on February 21. Immediately following the 2011Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at approximately 8:00 p.m. ET, customers will also have access to a MTV World Stage Kings of Leon concert from the O2 World in Hamburg, Germany on Xfinity 3D. The concert features the 2009 GRAMMY Award-winning group for "Record of the Year" performing their smash hit singles Sex On Fire, Use Somebody and Notion. Xfinity 3D will continue to bring customers concerts in 3D that feature top-performing bands and artists at world renowned music festivals and concert venues. In addition, Xfinity 3D will bring customers movies documenting African safaris, haunted castles, the depths of the ocean, the surface of the sun, the age of dinosaurs and more, along with original programming that gives customers unique perspectives of events such as Chinese dragon dancing and rhythmic gymnastics. The launch of Xfinity 3D is the latest in a series of 3D programming offered by Comcast. Last month, Comcast launched HBO 3D On Demand providing customers access to movies such as Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Monsters vs. Aliens and Coraline. Through a partnership with Augusta National Golf Club, Comcast also delivered the first live national next-generation 3D sporting event with the Masters Golf Tournament last year. Comcast has brought customers 3D programming around sporting events such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ semi-finals and finals, NASCAR's Coke Zero 400, basketball's Old Spice Classic and college football games along with hit movies including Bolt, Clash of the Titans, Despicable Me, Chicken Little, The Last Airbender and others. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services. Comcast is principally involved in the operation of cable systems through Comcast Cable and in the development, production and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential and business customers. Comcast is the majority owner and manager of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television production operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks. *Check local listings.

Dell Rosemount tablet will have Intel's Oak Trail inside, stylus, removable battery and remote wipe Posted: 17 Feb 2011 06:31 PM PST Dell means business with its upcoming Windows 7 slate, if the whispers we're hearing are true -- we have it on good authority that the recently-leaked Rosemount will be a Latitude. An inside source says that the 10-inch tablet will not only sport Dell's storied business brand but will be geared towards enterprise through and through, with features like serviceable components (including a removable battery), software encryption and the ability to perform a remote wipe, and that it'll have a dual-digitizer to support both touch input and a stylus for fine details. We don't know about performance or battery life quite yet, but the slate will reportedly use an Atom chip, specifically Intel's Oak Trail, so we'll let you imagine the possibilities. [Thanks, Anonymous]

New York DOT now adding 2-point driver's license penalty for talking on the phone while driving Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:50 PM PST It has been illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving in New York for years now, but the state has just steeply upped the penalties associated. The $100 fine which is currently imposed has been joined by a 2-point penalty on the driver's record -- which should serve as a real deterrent for most. The DMV has estimated that one in five crashes now involve so-called distracted drivers, resulting in about 5,000 deaths last year. So please, keep your eyes on the road.

Motorola Xoom manual now available for download, ready to expose the ins and outs of Honeycomb Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:10 PM PST Wish you had your Xoom tablet already? Yeah, us too. We can't get you there, but thanks to Droid Live you can at least pore over every page of the thing's manual. 64 pages, actually, covering everything from how to turn it on to, well, how to turn it off again. Looking for other excitement? You'll find a hipster on a bench on page 10, what appears to be Joanna Newsom on page 30, and a disgustingly happy couple on page 33. Oh, and lots and lots of details bout Honeycomb too. Check it out! [Thanks, Andy]

Verizon makes Home Phone Connect service available nationwide Posted: 17 Feb 2011 04:41 PM PST Verizon just began trials of its Home Phone Connect service in New York and Connecticut in December, but it looks like it's already ironed out any kinks there might have been, as it's now made the service available across the entire U.S. As with the trial, it will run you $19.99 a month for unlimited domestic calling or $9.99 a month to share minutes on your existing family plan, each option of which will let you make calls using any old landline phone that's connected to the Home Phone Connect base station (included for free with a two-year contract). You'll also, of course, get all the usual features you'd expect from a phone service, including caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding, three-way calling, voice mail, and 911 service. Hit up the source link below for all of the fine print.

NYT: Apple considering a cheaper iPhone, but not a smaller one right now Posted: 17 Feb 2011 04:20 PM PST Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal seemed pretty sure that an iPhone nano was inbound, but the New York Times' anonymous sources dispute that tale -- the paper writes that "Apple is not currently developing a smaller iPhone," and that the company is "not planning to introduce a smaller iPhone anytime soon." While the publication doesn't outright deny the existence of such a device at any point in the story, it does quote an anonymous Apple executive as saying that it doesn't make sense for the company to create multiple iPhone form factors at any given time, and an anonymous Apple engineer as saying that cheaper components, not a smaller size, would make for a cheaper overall price. One thing's for sure: either Apple's making one, or it's not. In related news, the Times' sources corroborate the idea that Apple will make MobileMe free, and say that the next full-sized iPhone is nearly complete. Woo!

RadioShack offers Atrix 4G for $150 on launch day, undercutting AT&T? Posted: 17 Feb 2011 04:02 PM PST We'd heard rumors that Motorola's Atrix 4G would cost $150, but after AT&T priced the handset at $200 we figured they were all for naught. The Shack begs to differ: it's just revealed it will sell the modular Tegra 2 superphone on Feburary 22nd for that original $150 price. That's with a two-year contract, of course, and a data plan on top, but that means you'll shave $50 off the sum AT&T is asking, or $20 off the combo deal with the (somewhat disappointing) laptop dock. Still, if history's any judge, we don't expect savings like this to be exclusive to RadioShack for long. [Thanks, Andrew F.]

Chevrolet launches MyLink smartphone integration for 2012 Volt and Equinox Posted: 17 Feb 2011 03:25 PM PST Welcome to the wonderful world of smartphones, Chevrolet. The company has just announced (on our very show, no less) a system it calls MyLink. It's a definite competitor to things like Ford's AppLink and the recently unveiled Toyota Entune system. Offering compatibility with iOS, BlackBerry, and Android it allows for a driver to interact with apps running on their smartphones using controls in their car. Connectivity is totally wireless for the last two, with data going over Bluetooth, but as of the current version iOS devices need to be physically tethered to the car. That's a bit of a bummer. Currently there are only two compatible apps: Stitcher and Pandora, the latter maintaining its status of the world's most popular infotainment app. Naturally, more are coming. Drivers can interact with the apps using voice, courtesy of Nuance, or using the touchscreen displays found in the Volt and Equinox, the first cars that will offer this system and which will also offer PowerMat charging, meaning you can not only stream tunes wirelessly but also charge your device. No word yet on cost or what option packages this system will be available in, but we'll be bringing that to you as soon as we can. Until then, enjoy the video demo after the break. Chevrolet MyLink show Chevy MyLink official pictures Show full PR text Chevrolet MyLink Creates Smart Phones on Wheels Smart interface design allows drivers to take advantage of mobile communications technology while the phone remains safely stowed NEW YORK – Consumers who seek a higher level of in-vehicle wireless connectivity and customized infotainment options, plus the unmatched safety and security of OnStar need look no further than the 2012 Chevy Volt and Equinox. When these vehicles go on sale later this year, they will be the first to offer Chevy MyLink – an in-car infotainment package that builds on the safety and security of OnStar and seamlessly integrates online services like Pandora® internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio® using hands-free voice and touch-screen controls via Bluetooth device connectivity. "There is a new generation of car buyers who don't want to settle for mass market radio," said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. "They want to create their own individual stations and have access to them wherever they are. Chevrolet vehicles have offered customers the ability to use portable media devices since 2006 and the introduction of MyLink takes media personalization to a new level. " MyLink adds stereo audio streaming and wireless control of smart phones, building on the voice-activated Bluetooth hands-free calling capability already offered in most Chevy vehicles. MyLink also includes a seven-inch, high-resolution, full-color touch screen display that makes media selection easy to navigate. "Chevrolet MyLink is the next logical step for in-vehicle connectivity," said Karl Stracke, vice president for Global Product Engineering. "MyLink leverages the mobile broadband capability and the sophisticated, online services made possible by today's smart phones." MyLink retains all the capabilities of today's entertainment units, including AM/FM/XM tuners, CD player with MP3 playback, auxiliary and USB inputs. But, Stracke says, "These are the essentials and we're building from there." Among the new benefits provided by MyLink: - Enhanced hands-free voice control system powered by Nuance®, which allows simple voice commands to initiate phone calls and select radio stations or media from portable MP3 players and smartphones. A tap of a button on the steering wheel enables intuitive verbal control of smartphone applications like "play (artist name)" or "call (name of contact)" to keep the driver's hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. - Pandora® internet radio allows users to create personalized radio stations based on favorite artists or genres and Stitcher SmartRadio® enables access to thousands of audio programming choices allowing customers to build a personalized listening experience. MyLink integrates control of both of these apps for a driver directed listening experience. - Gracenote®: identifies the music collection on the driver's smartphone or MP3 player and presents information such artist name, genres and album cover art on the MyLink screen and enables users to select similar music to the tunes they love. Gracenote also improves the accuracy of MyLink's voice activation system by allowing users to access music using artist nicknames, such as "The Boss," "G.N.R," or "The Fab Four" simply by using MyLink's touch-screen or steering wheel buttons and voice control interfaces. - Upgraded USB connectivity: While Chevrolet has offered auxiliary device connectivity since 2006, MyLink adds flash memory capability to its USB device connections. This provides users with the ability to access approved applications that will make their MyLink system even more functional, while assuring that driver's maintain eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. The debut of Chevy MyLink extends the OnStar experience from safety and security to information and entertainment by seamlessly integrating the capability of a smartphone into the vehicle so that hand-held phones may be safely stowed while driving. . When OnStar debuted in 1996, it pioneered in-vehicle connectivity with the auto industry's first embedded telematics system. It has grown from primarily offering automatic crash notification and security features to include remote vehicle diagnostics, turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to slow down stolen vehicles. In November 2010, OnStar released a smartphone application for all 2011 Chevy vehicles that incorporated remote start, lock/unlock, and vehicle status checks as well as battery management functions for Volt owners. Volt owners also have the MyVolt.com website to provide those remote management features and other Chevy owners soon will have access to similar web-based OnStar services. The combination of MyLink and OnStar will soon be joined by the integration of the Powermat® charging system – eliminating the need for charging cords. Chevrolet MyLink will be available beginning with the 2012 Chevrolet Volt and Equinox this fall before expanding to other vehicles in the Chevy lineup over the next 18 months. About Chevrolet Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com About OnStar OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the leading global provider of connected safety and security solutions, value-added mobility services and advanced information technology. Currently available on more than 40 MY 2011 GM models, OnStar soon will be available for installation on most other vehicles already on the road through local electronics retailers, including Best Buy. OnStar safely connects its more than six million subscribers, in the U.S., Canada and China, in ways never thought possible. OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown is a recipient of the 2010 Edison Award for Best New Product in the technology category. More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.

The Engadget Show Live! with GM Volt engineer Micky Bly, Watson's creators, new products and much more! Posted: 17 Feb 2011 02:45 PM PST Humans, keep your eyes tuned to this post -- because at 7:00 PM ET, we'll be starting The Engadget Show live, with GM's head engineer Micky Bly (the man responsible for the Volt) and a never-before-seen GM announcement exclusive to the Engadget Show! We'll also have Engadget auto editor Tim Stevens, a very special guest from IBM's Watson team, hot new devices, crazy giveaways, and much more! We've also got amazing chiptune music from Note! and visuals from Batsly Adams. You seriously don't want to miss it. Update: That's all, folks! Update 2: We're sorry about the poor quality stream some people saw; we had some network issues that slowed it down.

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