| Boxee 1.5 bringing 'huge browser update' by end of March Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:37 AM PDT There's still not a ton of specifics on this one just yet, but Boxee's VP of Marketing, Andrew Kippen, has confirmed on the TechWebcast podcast that the Boxee 1.5 update will be rolling out by the end of March -- which, last we checked, wasn't that far away. The big news there is that it will boast a "huge browser update" that will not only speed up the browser considerably, but add compatibly with far more video-minded websites. Kippen also mentioned the iPad app we first saw back at CES, which will let you stream content from your iPad to your Boxee Box, and adds some social features like the ability to see what your friends are watching. Still no word on an exact release date for it, but it will apparently only be compatible with the iPad 2 for reasons unknown. |
| Visualized: XKCD explains radiation Posted: 21 Mar 2011 10:14 AM PDT This radiation infographic is too small to read. There's a reason for that. Technically, it's because we constrain images to 600 pixels wide. Stylistically, it's because we'd like to point out that all things are relative. Head on over to XKCD to see just how much ionizing radiation you're likely to be exposed to performing radioactive activities (or just sitting still) and how that compares to the amount that researchers presently believe is capable of having an ill effect. Then, decide whether you should enlarge or reduce the size of your tinfoil hat accordingly. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| New MacBook Pros freezing under heavy load? Posted: 21 Mar 2011 09:53 AM PDT Apple may have dodged the big Sandy Bridge problem with its new MacBook Pros, but it looks like it may now be experiencing some growing pains of an another sort. As evidenced by a 44-page and growing thread on Apple's official support forums, a number of users have been seeing their 15-inch and 17-inch MacBooks freeze up when they're under a heavy load -- encoding a large video file, for instance. That problem seems to be related to the laptops' new AMD graphics, as switching them to integrated-only seems to "fix" the problem for most users, although obviously at some considerably expense to performance. While Apple isn't offering much publicly at the moment, a user that spoke with customer service said that Apple seemed to be aware of the issue, and that they suggested it was a firmware or driver-related problem, and not an actual hardware issue. Unfortunately, there's still no indication as to when it might be fixed. Let us know in comments if you've run into some similar issues. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| We're live from CTIA Wireless 2011! Posted: 21 Mar 2011 09:36 AM PDT |
| HTC Incredible S review Posted: 21 Mar 2011 09:00 AM PDT The Incredible S is a beguiling little beast. Looking at its name, familiar rump, and mostly run of the Android mill specs, you'd think it little more than an incremental update. And yet, pick it up and play with it for even the briefest of instances and you'll realize that it's somehow a lot more than that. Seemingly slight changes to the screen, in moving from 3.7 to 4 inches and from an imperfect AMOLED panel to a crisp and clear Super LCD, have earned our eyes' approbation, while an upgraded Snapdragon under the hood, equipped with Adreno 205 graphics, infuses it with a fresh breath of firepower for those demanding HD videos and increasingly sophisticated Android games. Notably, the chip combo inside the Incredible S is the same as that contained within Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, foretelling perhaps of a PlayStation Certified future for this handset. But that's the future -- right now, there's a big juicy review for you to dig into, so skip past the break to get started. Hardware Staring down the Incredible S' visage while it's turned off, the only word that comes to mind is "featureless." This was the phone previously known as HTC's buttonless flagship, a nickname earned by virtue of its unconventional capacitive buttons. They only light up while the phone is activated and, moreover, rotate into a landscape orientation when you're using a landscape-capable application on the handset. They don't roll all the way around, basically they've got one 90-degree turn in their arsenal of tricks, but they make us smile every time they do it.
HTC's true exhibition of flair on this phone can be found around the back, where the much-loved / -loathed Incredible back cover makes a return. It's not identical to the original, but the industrial theme is still there. The cover itself has a rubbery feel to it and is made of a highly malleable matte plastic. It provides a reassuringly durable feel, and even if you succeed in scratching it up, it looks like it'll wear its bumps and bruises well.
N.B. - In the above video we speculate about the golden connectors inside the back cover being used for some form of inductive charging. HTC just got back to us to say they hook the phone up to its antenna which is built into the rear casing. A frugal apportionment of just two buttons frames the sides of the phone: a volume toggle mounted on the left and a power button at the familiar top right location. Beyond those, you'll find a MicroUSB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a mic port around the device's countours, while its front gets a mesh-covered earpiece compartment that also houses a status LED and sits alongside a 1.3 megapixel camera. For real photos, however, you'll be wanting to use the 8 megapixel imager on the back, which is kept company by a dual-LED flash / flashlight and a single loudspeaker. Unlike the Thunderbolt, the single-bar volume button works well and has a pleasingly clicky feel to it -- though its sheer size and positioning mean that you'll occasionally find yourself lowering the handset's volume just by gripping it naturally. Internals Delving a little deeper, you'll find a 1450mAh battery, which is responsible for powering the same component set as was found in the Desire HD -- namely, a Qualcomm MSM8255 system-on-chip, 768MB of RAM, and an Adreno 205 GPU. Much as we noted with the Desire HD, this combination of hardware simply makes Android sing. You'll read more about that below, but rest assured that in spite of lacking a second core -- which is the trendy new addition nowadays -- the Incredible S has exquisite performance for the smartphone category. Watching it do its work feels little different from observing a thoroughbred horse trotting home to the finish. HTC has thrown in an added bonus for those looking to enjoy multimedia on the Incredible S with the inclusion of virtual surround sound courtesy of SRS WOW HD technology. It adds a tangible improvement to the phone's audio, with a multidimensional sound that's far richer and better defined than HTC's default output. It's geared specifically for getting the best out of headphones, so you'll obviously be wanting to plug in a pair if you want to get the most of it. That last note would be true even in the absence of the SRS stuff, however, as the loudspeaker on the back of the Incredible S is pretty mediocre. It can get loud, that's for sure, but it's tinny, there's almost no bass to speak of, and we didn't enjoy using it much to carry out handsfree conversations, either. Then again, the smartphones with legitimately useful speakers on them are few and far between. One thing the Incredible S is missing, though, is an HDMI output. Those little plugs are growing ever more widespread among modern handsets and the Incredible S certainly has the credentials to serve your HDTV with some gorgeous visuals, so we're a bit bummed not to see it included here. HTC isn't leaving you hanging completely, as it's added DLNA capabilities for communicating with your TV wirelessly, but that does tax the battery a lot more. Display  The screen was a major highlight for us. Its vivid, punchy colors remain faithful even at oblique viewing angles and the pixel density of 800 x 480 dots within a 4-inch diagonal feels just sumptuous. In day-to-day use, you'll struggle mightily to tell a difference between this and Apple's Retina Display or Samsung's Super AMOLED stuff, the pair of whom represent the supreme panel technologies of our day. Leaving brightness to automate itself actually gave us a slightly higher setting than was strictly necessary, but it was testament to the Incredible S' battery stamina that we didn't care to readjust that setting ourselves. The one shortcoming of this panel was outdoor use. We've yet to come across a smartphone display that can really stand up to the vitality of almighty Sol, however seeing the Incredible S struggle in the sunlight stood out to us, perhaps because of its excellence in other conditions. It's not unreadable by any means, you'll just have to crank up the brightness and tolerate a certain loss of detail on sunny afternoons. Nothing anyone can really do about that until we get color E Ink displays capable of 60fps video. Battery life Returning to the aforementioned battery life on the Incredible S, it's pretty darn impressive. In one rundown test, we managed to pass the 12-hour mark with 10 percent of juice left in spite of watching a two-hour movie ( Star Trek II, thanks for asking), handling our contraband gadget emails, testing out in-browser Flash playback, and setting aside a few minutes for Angry Birds. There were, of course, periods of the phone just sitting idle ( mostly idle, Gmails never stopped coming in), but it's undeniable that the Incredible S leaves predecessors like the Desire and Desire HD looking at the ground in shame. That 1450mAh cell seems to be used judiciously as well, as we noticed the vast majority of power was being consumed by the screen or the apps we had running in the foreground -- exactly the way it ought to be. Should you be content with a slightly lower screen brightness and a little less multimedia action, we can imagine getting a couple of days out of the Incredible S on a regular basis. Camera Both cameras go a little heavy on the noise-reducing blur, but on a smartphone targeted at the mainstream consumer, that seems to have been a sound choice for HTC to make. Overall image quality is still among the finest the company has produced, arguably besting the output from the Thunderbolt, which scored some pretty high praise in our recent review. Tap-to-focus functionality is available in both camera and camcorder mode, and in another departure from the Thunderbolt, light metering is done relative to where you choose your focus point. Ergo, in a shot where you have both sunlit and shaded areas, choosing to focus on one balances the camera's light intake specifically for that spot. Humorously enough, that most often results in either a washed-out sunny patch or overly dark shadows -- the camera lacks the dynamic range to conquer such contrasts in lighting -- but the ability to choose is much appreciated. A final, and perhaps conclusive, advantage over the Thunderbolt is that macro shots worked out rather beautifully on the new Incredible. It too lacks a dedicated macro mode, but as you can see in our galleries, shoving it up close to subjects produced highly respectable results. Focusing speed is generally fast and the time taken between shots is delightfully quick. HTC's camera software looks to have been optimized to the high heavens, as we could get from a locked phone to our first snapshot or video within mere seconds. And that still mostly involved the system waiting on us rather than vice versa. Very impressive processing speeds all around, another feather in the Snapdragon's hat. HTC bundles a set of moderately useful filters with its software -- nothing new here, they've been part of Sense for a good long while -- which can be quickly accessed by a menu item, previewed, and slapped down immediately upon your photographic victim. You can check them out above. Other options you can tweak include ISO adjustments (up to 800), white balance. geotagging, aspect ratio, exposure, contrast, saturation, sharpness, and, of course, resolution. There's even a two- or 10-second timer for those who manage to somehow perch the Incredible S in a position where it can take a photo.
480p daytime video sample
We also liked what we saw on the video front, although the ever-present rolling shutter effect made itself apparent in the video above (see the bus passing by at the 1:14 mark) and some artifacting started showing up in our evening shots below. Notably, HTC's sepia and grayscale filters really pay off when used on nighttime video recording, as they help control the color difficulties the camera has at that hour and lend a more cinematic feel to your output. For a perfect example of what we mean, check out the black and white sequence at the end of the vid below -- London's 234 bus has never looked so glamorous.
720p nighttime video sample
Software Performance  You want the difference between the old and new Incredibles? There it is in benchmark form for you. The Nexus One is basically an Incredible inside a less bodacious shell, so you can see that in general performance terms the Incredible S is about 15 percent better equipped to ride the lightning. That number really doesn't begin to tell the whole story, though. The Incredible S comes with HTC's ever-present Sense UI loaded atop Android 2.2 (yes, it's Froyo, stop grimacing!) and what strikes us about it, first and foremost, is just how awesomely responsive it is. There can be differing opinions on the value that such a tricked-out skin adds to a phone, but there's no questioning HTC's execution. Froyo has been around for a solid nine months now and HTC's familiarity with the source code is evident throughout the Incredible S user experience. For once, we're actually happy to see an Android device shipping without the latest version of the OS on board -- if only to experience the joys of a (nearly) lag-free smartphone. And worry not, this handset should be rocking Gingerbread by the end of June, anyhow.
The general theme of snappy performance was evident throughout our use of the Incredible S, whether we were shooting photos, messaging, browsing media files, playing games, using the iPlayer app, or Gooogling to see if we have the top result for our surnames. Navigating around Google Maps was also a pretty spectacular affair. Almost no time was taken to refresh the map when we were zooming in and out and the whole experience was faultlessly fluid. Browser  The browser is fast, very fast. Feed it with a WiFi connection and the only delay you'll experience is in figuring out where you want to go next. Pinch-to-zoom and scrolling smoothness were also good, however not quite up to the iPhone 4's gold standard. Mind you, we had to put the two devices side by side to discover that, so the margin of difference we're talking about here isn't exactly overwhelming. A less excusable, though still somewhat minor, issue we encountered related to rendering of zoomed-out pages and content in motion. You'll find aliasing cropping up when you scroll through pages, which disappears as soon as you've settled down on a position and the browser's had a chance to essentially re-render the scene. It seems to be a little trick to permit faster scrolling at the expense of perfect aesthetics. Being the greedy types that we are, we'd rather have both. We also found zooming out from a page brought the jagged lines back, but again at a level that can't really be described as deal-breaking. While we're having a whinge about software foibles, we also came across some dropped frames when playing back video. Flash playback in the browser was typically flawless, however on occasion we'd get a video stuttering along at not-enough frames per second. We also encountered this issue with video files we loaded onto the device and while playing back content from the BBC's iPlayer app. The odd thing about it was that it was an intermittent problem, telling us that the hardware is surely capable of churning through the workload but the software is holding it back on occasion. We shook off the missing frames by plugging the Incredible S into a charger, so this could potentially be an example of over-aggressive power management or something of the sort. Worth noting, but probably innocuous in the long run. Sense additions You'll have noticed above that we mentioned Google Maps and not HTC's own Locations app -- we very much prefer Google's default software, even though Locations does preload full maps to your MicroSD storage and thereby avoids leaving you stranded when out of range for wireless communications. Basically, our choice would be to use Google Maps first and HTC's mapping solution for when we no longer have that option.  The rest of HTC's Sense-hancements are similarly hit and miss. The FriendStream app that might have been innovative a year ago is nowadays obviated by mature dedicated apps for both Twitter and Facebook, and things like Peep should really just be set aside. Moreover, while third-party skins like the excellent LauncherPro will let you stuff your homescreen with a ton of apps, HTC still only gives you a 16-icon grid that's supposed to accommodate both your apps and any widgets you might want to use. It's kind of unacceptable that the HTC Hero from mid-2009 can fit the exact same jumbo weather + clock widget and eight icons as the far better specced and higher-res Incredible S.  HTC has made an effort to move things forward with the introduction of HTCSense.com -- a sort of MobileMe for HTC Androids -- and the addition of a couple of intelligent features when receiving calls. Looking at the latter grouping first, you're able to set the phone to ring louder when it's in an enclosed space such as a bag (using its proximity sensor to detect such circumstances), to reduce its ringing volume when you move it around (calling the accelerometer in for help), and entirely muting the ringtone when you turn it upside own (accelerometer again). Once you finally decide to pick up a call, turning the phone onto its screen automatically turns on the loudspeaker. Or it's supposed to turn on the loudspeaker -- we only got this to work twice out of a couple dozen attempts. The general point with these additions -- which were first introduced alongside HTCSense.com with the launch of the Desire HD and Desire Z about six months ago -- is that they're harnessing hardware that is already at the phone's disposal and, when they work, they're adding legitimate, albeit small, sprinklings of value. Unfortunately, we couldn't test HTCSense.com because the necessary menu item for us to log in to the service via our phone ... wasn't on our phone. Another little trip-up for HTC with this service, which was quite a disaster when we first gave it a shot during our Desire HD testing. Not the most awesome attention to detail there, and the whole service should ideally have been perfected by now, but we can't gripe too much at HTC when this happens to be an added functionality that no other Android manufacturer is endeavoring to provide at the moment. Wrap-up  Android, an operating system that has heretofore been characterized by constantly striving forward and pushing boundaries -- whether in terms of hardware specifications or the introduction of features wholly new to mobile devices -- has finally settled down and given rise to a truly mature product. Froyo has been with us for a good while, but that hasn't really tarnished its enduring excellence and HTC looks to have spent the time well in tightening up and optimizing its user experience. What's resulted is one of the most thoroughly refined Android handsets to date, whose case is enhanced by some dashing good looks, rock solid build quality, and a camera to be proud of. The Incredible S serves as a sterling exhibit of what can be achieved when devs and designers are given the time to polish up their work instead of having to reinvent the wheel with each and every new iteration. Of course, the flipside of that coin is that familiarity will inevitably breed some level of contempt, and this handset offers a compendium of good ideas from HTC's past rather than any revolutionary innovations of its own. Still, for those who disregard novelty in favor of a very well thought-out and produced device, the Incredible S delivers. |
| Xbox Kinect on PS3 is Kevin Butler's worst nightmare come true (video) Posted: 21 Mar 2011 08:37 AM PDT  So here's a dilemma that some gamers may have faced: do you want a console with great processing power but coupled with some glowing lollipops, or one with futuristic controller-free motion gaming at the cost of Blu-ray playback? Well, for us mere mortals it's either one or the other, but Shantanu Goel went ahead to combine the best of both worlds: Xbox Kinect on a PS3. The video above is our man demonstrating his early software mod, which can currently recognize basic gestures like quickly pushing your hand towards the screen twice to activate the X button, as well as the usual waving around for navigation. While it's obvious that this project is still at its infancy, Goel's already working on beefing it up by adding full game profiles and skeletal tracking support, so with a bit of help from the community, hopefully it won't be long before we get to liberally throw grenades in Killzone 3 without having to worry about damaging the TV. Maybe Kevin Butler will also see the lighter side of things, too. |
| France fines Google €100,000 for Street View privacy violations, then mulls striking for no apparent reason Posted: 21 Mar 2011 08:15 AM PDT Ah, France. Land of beautiful beaches, a respectable railway system, and more unexplained delays and work stoppages than anywhere else in the developed world. Oh, and a primary airport that forces you to use "tickets" to buy food from certain vendors and refuses to complete a CDG -> JFK flight on schedule. Gripes aside, it seems that at least one thing is getting done today over in The country of the Human Rights, with France's data protection regulator confirming a record €100,000 fine sent over to Google in relation to improper data collection during its Street View sweeps. Granted, El Le Goog has run into privacy issues before on this very matter, but none quite as ginormous as these. The National Commission for Computing and Civil Liberties claims that the company's infractions include "collecting passwords and email transferred wirelessly," and its highest ever fined has been levied due to the "economic advantages Google gained from these violations." We're told that the company has two months to appeal the penalty, but as of now, it seems as if Google's frightened to make any comment at all in English. Thank heavens for Translate, right? |
| IBM settles with SEC, pays $10 million for accusations of bribery Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:52 AM PDT Hey, look, it's a major international corporation getting in trouble for bribery, and it isn't Samsung! This time it's home grown Big Blue, choosing to settle with SEC over allegations that its employees have spent the last 15 years or so illegally bribing and wooing foreign officials to score themselves bigger contracts. This includes $207,000 in cash bribes paid to South Korean representatives between 1998 and 2003 plus more in the form of gifts and trips to those willing and able to sign over big contracts, even paying for the personal vacations of Chinese officials. Ultimately $10 million is little more than a slap on the wrist for a company the size of IBM, which has not admitted fault and now will never have to, but we were glad to see that Watson has not been implicated in any of these nefarious misdeeds. His record remains squeaky clean. |
| AT&T launches HTC HD7S with WP7 and LG's 3D-enabled Thrill 4G Android phone Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:30 AM PDT Who says CTIA is going to be overshadowed by news that actually broke prior to the event starting? Okay, so it's entirely possible that the AT&T / T-Mobile buzz will be impossible to ignore here in Orlando, but that's not stopping Ma Bell from rolling out two new (er, rebadged) handsets for those looking for iPhone alternatives. First up is the LG Thrill 4G (available in the "coming months"), an unpriced 4.3-inch superphone that features a glasses-free 3D display, dual 5-megapixel stereoscopic camera, 16GB of preloaded memory (8GB onboard, 8GB microSD card), access to Google's Android Market and a special 3D marketplace coined LG 3D Space. The camera's capable to snagging video clips at 1080p when shooting 2D, or 720p when opting for 3D. You'll also get a dual-core 1GHz processor, HDMI output, DLNA streaming support and pretty much anything else you'd expect to find in a run-of-the-mill Optimus 3D -- you know, considering this is that very phone, albeit with an AT&T logo on it. Moving on, there's the HTC HD7S, which is essentially an AT&Tified version of the HD7 that has been on T-Mobile USA for quite some time now. In other words, you'll get a 4.3-inch WVGA Super LCD, 1GHz CPU, 5-megapixel camera, Windows Phone 7 (with copy and paste functionality baked right in) and a preloaded U-Verse Mobile application that enables "qualifying AT&T U-verse customers to download and watch TV shows" so long as they pony up an extra $9.99 per month. AT&T claims that its version of the HD7 will be the first in the US with an "improved Super LCD display," but as with the Thrill 4G above, no specific pricing is mentioned. That said, it should be popping up online and in retail locations "within the coming weeks," so you shouldn't have to wait too terribly long for those details to emerge. Show full PR text AT&T Takes Smartphone Customers Into a New Dimension
Pair of 4.3-inch Smartphones For Best-in-Class Portfolio Include the LG Thrill 4G With Glasses-free 3D Experience, in Addition to the HTC HD7S, an Exciting Addition to the Windows Phone Portfolio
DALLAS, March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
Key Facts
* AT&T* announced two new leading-edge smartphones, the LG Thrill 4G and the HTC HD7S, will be added to the industry's best portfolio of mobile phones.
* The LG Thrill 4G is the first U.S. smartphone that will feature a "glasses-free" 4.3-inch stereoscopic 3D display plus 4G speed capability on the nation's fastest mobile broadband network.
* Beyond its 3D screen, the LG Thrill 4G features a dual-core, 1 GHz processor, and a 5-megapixel dual-camera that allows you to shoot and share high definition videos and images in 3D.
* The HTC HD7S adds to the best portfolio of Windows Phones with its 4.3-inch, WVGA, super LCD display, 1 GHz processor and 5-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash.
LG Thrill 4G
The LG Thrill 4G will be exclusive to AT&T customers and reach AT&T stores in the coming months. Running the first dual-core, dual-channel 1 GHz processor in the U.S. and based on the Android 2.2 platform, LG Thrill 4G will be among the first to deliver a glasses-free 3D experience to U.S. customers and will allow users to shoot 3D video and 3D stills with the dual 5-megapixel stereoscopic camera. In addition to apps and games from Android Market, LG Thrill 4G will offer 3D content via the "LG 3D Space," which houses 3D games, video clips and images for quick, convenient access.
Preloaded with 16 GB of memory (8 GB onboard plus an 8 GB MicroSD card), the LG Thrill 4G will record 3D video at 720p resolution and 2D at 1080p quality. The smartphone will be able to play video back in high definition through the HDMI-out port on the device or stream content wirelessly through DLNA technology.
HTC HD7S
The HTC HD7S will be the largest screen on a Windows Phone from AT&T and will include the latest version of Windows Phone software that offers many new benefits including the ability to copy and paste text. A powerful 1 GHz processor will power the unique Windows Phone experience and any of the more than 10,000 applications available for download or purchase from Windows Marketplace. In addition, with the preloaded U-verse® Mobile application, qualifying AT&T U-verse customers can download and watch hit TV shows on their Windows Phone. Non-U-verse customers can subscribe to U-verse Mobile for $9.99 a month and choose from a broad selection of programming to watch on their Windows Phone. This new AT&T smartphone will be the first HD7 model from HTC in the U.S. with an improved super LCD high resolution display. The HTC HD7S will be available in company-owned AT&T retail locations and online at www.wireless.att.com in the coming weeks. |
| Nintendo Virtual Boy review Posted: 21 Mar 2011 07:01 AM PDT The 3DS is not Nintendo's first foray into the world of 3D gaming. In fact, it's not even the company's second. First up was a 3D headset for the good 'ol Famicom ( NES in the US), but that never saw American shores and it wasn't anything more fancy than a set of active shutter glasses anyway -- the same sort HDTV manufacturers are trying to sell you today. However, the company's second 3D offering did make it to the US, where it landed with a spectacular thud. It was the Virtual Boy, a 32-bit portable console powered by six whole AA batteries and remembered by many for its ability to inspire more headaches than excitement in the gamers who tried it. It was released in the US in August of 1995 for $180 and was discontinued less than a year later. With the 3DS sitting now in back rooms of videogame and electronics stores nation-wide, waiting to spring into availability on March 27th, we thought this would be a good time to look back and give the Virtual Boy the full review it has always deserved but has never received. Hardware The Virtual Boy is a bit of an odd bird, a fact immediately apparent as soon as it springs from its garishly colored box, cardboard that is perhaps compensating for what's to come. We've unboxed a number of classic consoles in our time, but none have looked quite like this. The system apes the design of the virtual reality headsets that were all the rage in the mid-'90s, but once you mount the thing onto its two-legged stand any aspirations of a truly immersive experience are obviously out the window. Any notions of shame will follow as soon as you stick your face in the thing.  It has a red and black plastic design, some cheeky foreshadowing for players to be, and on the back is a foam-rubber shroud that ensures you'll be seeing nothing but what's coming out of the red-hued eye ports. There are two separate screens inside the Virtual Boy, one for each eye, but they're rather unlike your average display, starting with their resolution: 1 x 224. Yes, the displays are 224 pixels high and only one pixel wide. With a 90 degree rotation they'd be perfect for playing that Wolfenstein 1D port that came out a few months back, but obviously that's not how things are perceived by the human eye. A pair of oscilating mirrors scan back and forth, working much like the gun in a CRT to construct a full, 2D image. To make things more odd, each of those pixels can manage 32 shades but only one color: red. That's because each pixel is actually just an LED, and as it happens red LEDs were the brightest and cheapest color available at the time. (We'll let you decide which of those two factors was more important to Nintendo.) Since there are two of those odd displays, each with a different perspective, your eye puts them together to create a 3D effect. The ultimate resolution is 384 x 224, less than VGA but quite a bit better than the 256 x 192 the DS, DSi, and DSi XL make do with. These displays are powered by a 20MHz 32-bit NEC processor, the same one that powered the PC-FX, the successor to the TurboGrafx-16. That processor got by with a whopping 320KB of total memory, game data coming on 16mb cartridges that slotted in beneath the unit. It's enough oomph to create graphics that are slightly better than your average SNES title, but not nearly up to par with the N64 that was, ultimately, just about a year away. Controller The Virtual Boy ships with a six-button controller offering dual D-pads. The idea was that these two would enable full 3D interaction but, in reality, they rarely did anything but mirror each other. It's a boon for lefties and ultimately appropriate given most of the games available for the system were simply 2D titles played on a couple of different planes. On the right you have A and B, on the left Select and Start, and then on the back are L and R buttons. It's a design that, in the hand, feels more like a GameCube pad than the one the N64 would receive. That's especially true thanks to its WaveBird-like backpack, but this one is much bigger, much heavier, and serves a totally different purpose. Six AA batteries slot in here, powering the entire system. Why Nintendo decided to slot all the batteries into the controller itself rather than the system is a mystery -- perhaps reducing weight so people could strap the system right to their head -- but either way your six cells are good for only about five hours of gameplay. Nintendo did offer an AC adapter, but it wasn't included, and it too attached directly to the controller. You kids today think having any cords on your controller is a drag. This thing has two! Games In our tireless effort to bring you the most comprehensive Virtual Boy review ever we acquired a library containing nearly a third of all Virtual Boy titles that ever saw release in the US. Unfortunately, to hit that figure we needed only four games, as a mere 14 carts hit US stores before promptly being relegated to the bargain bin, followed not long after by the system itself. - Mario's Tennis - This is it. This is the game that launched the epic Mario Tennis series, a franchise that would go on to decimate the competition on the N64, GBC, GBA, and Game Cube in straight sets. It was also included right in the box, making it one of the last of the fabled pack-in games. A suite of familiar Nintendo characters lace up their tennis shoes, with Bowser being notable in his absence. It's fun enough to play, but the graphics are plain and hitting the ball ball seems to take more luck than skill, despite the 3D effect here. This game was meant to be two-player, but so few systems were sold that Nintendo never bothered to release a link cable. Doubles play, then, is right out.
- Galactic Pinball - This game greets you by saying, with an actual voice: "Welcome to Space World, let's go!" Digital voice was still somewhat novel in these days, what with only 16mbits of storage available. It's possible that one clip was enough to displace most of the other sound effects, because the pinball here emits nary a sound as it bounces around. Or, it could be because we're playing pinball in space, and in space nobody can hear your flippers. That also might go a long way toward explaining the decidedly other-worldly ball physics here.
- Vertical Force - This is a generally typical vertical shooter with a generally predictable catch: it can be played on two separate planes. You control a little ship that shoots lots of lasers and you must slice through wave after wave of enemy forces, which either appear on the higher or lower plane. You tap a button to cycle from one to the next, sometimes chasing bosses up and down and up and down. There's nothing earth-shattering here but, still, this is one of the more entertaining titles. Shame you can save neither progress nor high scores, though.
- Virtual Boy Wario Land - If there's a premiere title for this console, this is it. The Virtual Boy would be the only full-fat Nintendo console to never see a proper Mario title, this being as close as it would get. This basically a more aggro version of your average side-view platformer, with fish with chainsaws for noses and a viscious shoulder attack that sends enemies flying. Through the course of the game Wario has to wear a number of different hats, literally, one that gives him stronger attacks and one that puts a fire-breathing dragon on his head -- which looks rather too much like a sea horse to be very menacing. Naturally there's plenty of 3D parallax action here but you'll also face enemies and obstacles that attack from deep within the screen, and you'll occasionally need to send Wario back there too to find keys or open doors.
It's worth noting that all of these games feature some sort of automatic pausing, a system that basically tells you to take a break after some period of gameplay. That's ostensibly to give your eyes a break, and it's a good idea to follow those recommendations. The Virtual Boy got quite a reputation as a headache-inducing machine but, while we certainly wouldn't say that our brains were completely immune to its effects, we didn't find playing games on the system to be all that bad. Of course, getting the mirrors aligned and focused properly is hugely important to the health and well-being of your occipital lobe. Wrap-up So, has history been kind to the Virtual Boy? No, but even compared to its mid-'90s alternatives the system just couldn't compete. It's a bulky thing, something that you have to hunch over a table to use and, while console gaming is rarely a social experience, you might as well put a sign that says "Kiss off!" on your back when your face is stuffed within this shroud. Of course, the real problem here is what's going on inside that shroud and, while the games themselves don't look particularly bad, the red and black displays just don't cut it. Remember, this console released four years after the SNES and, by the time it shipped, gamers were already gazing at tiny pictures of early N64 games in the latest issue of Nintendo Power. The simple, two-color displays here simply weren't good enough, and the 3D gimmick certainly didn't make up for it. And of course there were the games, the majority of which were forgettable fare. It could be said that the system didn't live long enough for third-party developers to get up to speed, but there's really no point in pursuing that avenue of debate. The Virtual Boy is a poorly-designed console that was rushed to market and then rushed to obscurity. Its place in history as one of Nintendo's biggest failures is well deserved, but as a novel addition to a retro gaming collection its position is well secured. |
| Sprint Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab get Sprint ID this week, Epic's Froyo update makes triumphant return Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:31 AM PDT Rumors about this started swirling last week, but Sprint and Samsung have just made it official that the Epic 4G and Galaxy Tab will both be getting firmware updates this week that add Sprint ID, the carrier's Android skin / theme platform first introduced on the Transform, Optimus S, and Zio last year. For the Epic, the update will also mark the return of Android 2.2 -- Froyo had already made a brief official appearance for Epic owners several weeks back, but bug woes led to a quick pull and a temporary return to Eclair. Looks like the updates start rolling out today, with all current owners having access to the updates by this Thursday, the 24th. Follow the break for the full press release. Show full PR text Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Galaxy Tab Now Sprint ID-Enabled, Bringing Unique Mobile Experience to 4G and Tablets for First Time
Sprint ID quickly customizes device with apps, widgets, ringtones and more in a single download, based on customers' interests or favorite brands; Most popular Sprint ID pack downloads include Yahoo!, MTV Music ID and ESPN ID
Software update delivering Sprint ID will also include Android 2.2 (Froyo)
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – March 21, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced that its award-winning Samsung Epic™ 4G* and Samsung Galaxy Tab™ will be Sprint ID-enabled, beginning March 21, allowing customers who own these devices to download a complete mobile experience, called an "ID pack" – including apps, widgets, ringtones, wallpapers, shortcuts and more – tailored to their specific interests, business needs or favorite brands in a single download.
All existing Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Galaxy Tab owners will be prompted this week to accept the over-the-air software update in their device's notification tab. Once the update is installed, the user can find the Sprint ID icon in their Applications Menu and begin experiencing Sprint ID. All users should have access to this new software update by March 24.
The software update for Samsung Epic 4G will also include the Android 2.2 (Froyo) operating system update. This update will add numerous capabilities, including Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Bluetooth dialing and allows app installation to external storage.
Customers who purchase a new Samsung Epic 4G or Samsung Galaxy Tab can access Sprint ID from their Applications Menu when they turn it on for the first time. Customers can learn more about how to use Sprint ID on their device by visiting www.sprint.com/epicsupport or www.sprint.com/galaxytabsupport.
Sprint ID launched in October 2010 on three devices – LG Optimus S™, Sanyo Zio™ and Samsung Transform™ – with 16 consumer lifestyle ID packs targeting specific interests including Home Base, Health & Fitness, Fashion & Beauty, Socially Connected, Business Pro, Golf Enthusiast, Auto Enthusiast, The Big Apple and Entertainment, as well as branded ID packs from Yahoo!, WHERE and Lo2Yo by LatCel. Since launch, brands that have deployed Sprint ID packs include MTV, ESPN and HSN. Select ID packs will be available for download onto Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Customers with Sprint ID-capable devices can download up to five ID packs onto their phone and easily switch back and forth between them or swap them out for new ones. Sprint customers currently are downloading an average of two ID packs per device. Sprint ID packs are free to download with an Everything Data plan.
"We are very pleased with the success of Sprint ID and excited to expand this rich mobile experience to customers with these two popular devices – Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Galaxy Tab," said John Carney, senior vice president consumer marketing at Sprint. "Sprint ID handset sales have exceeded our expectations, which is proof that customers, especially those new to smartphones, want an easier way to get apps they'll enjoy rather than searching through thousands of apps in Android Market™. As this data about ID pack downloads shows, customers are passionate about certain brands, such as MTV, Yahoo! and ESPN, and are eager to download a complete mobile experience developed by that brand. We expect to see the same excitement from our customers about recently launched ID packs as well as branded packs from other partners we have in the pipeline."
Since Sprint ID launched, the most popular Sprint ID packs include:
· Entertainment: Features games, music, photo and celebrity news apps to keep users entertained no matter where they go. Apps include Shazam (identify any song), WikiMobile (mobile encyclopedia) and Poynt (local search app that lets users connect with businesses, restaurants and people near them).
· Yahoo!: Gives users access to their favorite Yahoo! services in one simple download including Yahoo! Finance, Mail, News, Sports, Messenger, Fantasy Football and Flickr.
· MTV Music ID: MTV Music ID allows fans to quickly download a package of apps, widgets and other content, including MTV News, MTV Photos, MTV Twitter and streaming music apps.
· Socially Connected: Delivers a customized experience for keeping users connected with friends while on the go. Features Facebook, TweetCaster and more, creating the ultimate starting point for their own multi-tasking, socially connected mobile package.
· ESPN ID: Instant access to scores right on the device's home screen, as well as one-tap access to sports news, fantasy teams and the user's favorite ESPN programs, including more than 900 live events per year on ESPN Mobile TV.
· WHERE: Enables people to discover the world around them by recommending local information, places and events; also helps people save money by providing location based coupons and cheapest gas stations. Allows users to find everything from weather, news and restaurant reviews to the closest coffee shop, traffic updates, movie show times and offers from local merchants.
· Fashion & Beauty: Delivers a customized experience for keeping users connected and up-to-date on the latest fashion trends, celebrity gossip, beauty and style. Apps include TrendTracker (keep track of the latest runway looks, fashion news, trend ideas); TMZ & E! Online (breaking celeb news); and ShopSavvy (scan the barcode of any product and it will search for all the best prices from local and online retailers).
· Health & Fitness: Healthy eating on the go is made easier with the Health & Fitness ID Pack. Apps include Fast Food Calorie Counter; Cardio Trainer (training partner for running, cycling, hiking, and other fitness activities); Yoga Trainer Lite; and iTriage (find closest health care providers and more).
· Home Base: A great solution for those running a modern household. Apps include Big Oven (featuring 170,000+ recipes); E! Online (get celebrity gossip fix); Pandora (listen to your favorite tunes wherever you are); Grocery Smart (create shopping lists); and Springpad (save notes, tasks or lists).
· Lo2yo Latino: Lo2Yo Latino ID brings users the best of their Latino world from news and entertainment to sports, soap operas and much more, all in Spanish.
For more information about Sprint ID and to see all Sprint ID packs, visit www.sprint.com/sprintid.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 49.9 million customers at the end of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint. |
| Google patches Flash vulnerability in Chrome, leaves other browsers hanging Posted: 21 Mar 2011 06:04 AM PDT Remember that massive security vulnerability that Adobe identified in its Flash Player, Acrobat and Reader software? Well, shockingly enough, it hasn't yet taken over the internet and ground productivity to a halt, but Google's been proactive about it and patched the flaw by itself. Of course, the fix applies only to its own Chrome web browser, Firefoxes and Internet Explorer types will have to wait for Adobe's fix, which is expected any minute now. Still, it's good to know someone's looking out for the security of our data, even if that someone already has access to most of it anyway. |
| Sony: every NGP game will be available to download, some might not even make it to physical release Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:39 AM PDT We're filling the time between now and the NGP's holiday season release the best way we know how: by hunting down yet more information about it. Andrew House, the man in charge of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, has delivered the latest tidbit in an interview with MCV, where he states unequivocally that every game on the next PlayStation Portable will be available to buy as a download. Notably, he also expresses Sony's desire to have simultaneous distribution in both digital and physical channels, but that sounds a lot less concrete than his promise that every game will be downloadable. Digital-only games also figure prominently in Andrew's vision of the NGP's future, as he expects them to diversify choice for consumers alongside the big time titles like Uncharted. To learn more about Sony's replacement of UMDs with flash memory and the reasoning behind the PlayStation Suite, follow the source link below for the full interview. |
| Confirmed: AT&T wants to use T-Mobile's AWS spectrum for LTE buildout Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:17 AM PDT Flipping through the slide deck accompanying a hastily-arranged press conference this morning to talk up AT&T's planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA, it's now clear that the company is interested in augmenting its 700MHz LTE spectrum with T-Mobile's 1700MHz AWS airwaves -- a move that it says would help it deploy LTE to 95 percent of the American population. AWS is currently used by T-Mobile for its 3G services, but running LTE there isn't without precedent -- that's where MetroPCS is already set up, so there's some potential for consumer hardware and infrastructure synergy there. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has said that the purchase would help the FCC achieve the National Broadband Plan's goal of ubiquitous (read: rural) broadband availability -- clearly a nudge at the feds to push approval in the right direction. General counsel Wayne Watts says they've "studied the law, studied the facts" and believe that the transaction can and should go through -- but be that as it may, they're still anticipating "focused divestitures," probably not unlike the markets Verizon had to flip in order to win approval of its Alltel buy. |
| Sprint, Google Voice getting tight integration, will let you use your number without porting it Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:03 AM PDT If the Nexus S 4G wasn't enough to get you excited, Sprint and Google have one more trick up their collective sleeves this morning: an unprecedented new level of integration with Google Voice. Basically, you'll be able to use your existing Sprint number in Google Voice, but through some custom-brewed sorcery and magicks, you won't have to port it to Google Voice -- your number, and your account, still belong to Sprint so that you won't get an ugly early termination fee. And if you like your current Google Voice number more than your Sprint one, that's cool, too -- you'll be able to set it up so that your GV number shows when you make calls or send texts on your Sprint phone. Either way, you'll use Google Voice for voicemail (as many folks already do) instead of Sprint's voicemail service. No word on when the feature will launch ("soon" is all they're saying), but live demos will be on display at CTIA this week -- on Nexus S 4Gs, we're willing to bet. Follow the break for video! |
| Google Nexus S 4G with WiMAX announced for Sprint: coming this spring for $200 Posted: 21 Mar 2011 05:01 AM PDT For a while, it seemed like the 850 / 1900MHz 3G version of the Nexus S that'd work on AT&T, Bell, Telus, and Rogers would be the next one to show up, but Sprint ended up emerging as the frontrunner more recently -- and now it's official. The Nexus S 4G stays true to the T-Mobile-flavored original, offering an unfettered stock Gingerbread experience; it's fractions of a millimeter thicker and a couple grams heavier, but the real change is inside where you'll find both CDMA / EV-DO and WiMAX radios -- hence the "4G" in the name. There'll be a menu option for turning WiMAX on and off -- good for those times when you value battery life over breakneck browsing speeds -- and considering Sammy's prior experience rolling the Epic 4G for Sprint, we're cautiously optimistic that the Nexus S hardware will make the transition from GSM with minimum pain. The new version will be available "this spring" for $199.99; follow the break for Samsung's full press release. Show full PR text First Pure Google 4G Device with Android 2.3 in the U.S., Nexus S 4G from Google and Samsung, Coming to Sprint this Spring
First 4G device powered by Android 2.3 boasts pure Google experience, Google Voice integration, Super AMOLED display and Mobile Hotspot capability is Sprint's 20th 4G device and fourth 4G phone announced to date
Visit www.sprint.com/nexus to register to receive more information
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – March 21, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) extends its 4G device innovation lead once again with the upcoming availability of the 20th 4G device and fourth 4G phone, Nexus S™ 4G1 from Google™. Coming to Sprint this spring, it will also be able to take advantage of the unprecedented controls and services enabled by Google Voice™ integration built into the Sprint Network.
Manufactured by Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), a leading global mobile phone provider and the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States2, Nexus S 4G comes packed with a pure Google experience using Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread, the fastest version of Android available for smartphones. It is powered by a 1GHz Samsung application processor that produces rich 3D-like graphics, faster upload and download times and supports HD-like multimedia content along with a dedicated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to make playing mobile games, browsing the Web and watching videos a fast, fluid and smooth experience.
"Nexus S 4G shows the strong commitment Sprint has to Android, and when combined with our 4G network capabilities, it gives customers the option of a pure Google experience," said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. "As the first 4G smartphone with Android 2.3, Nexus S 4G delivers on the promise of the advanced data capabilities of 4G to deliver an incredible Web browsing experience, offers quick and easy access to future Android updates and access to the services built into Google Voice."
It is designed with Samsung's brilliant Super AMOLED™ touchscreen technology providing a premium viewing experience. The 4-inch Contour Display features a curved design for a more comfortable look and feel in the user's hand or along the side of the face. It also offers a screen that is bright with higher color contrast, meaning colors are incredibly vibrant and text is crisp at any size and produces less glare than on other smartphone displays when outdoors, so videos, pictures and games look their best and the sun won't wash them out.
Sprint Nexus S 4G customers will be among the first to receive Android software upgrades and new Google mobile apps. In many cases, the device will get the updates and new apps as soon as they are available.
"We're excited to partner with Sprint on Nexus S 4G, which brings innovative hardware by Samsung and innovations on the Android platform, to create a powerful smartphone experience," said Andy Rubin, vice president of Engineering at Google.
Nexus S 4G features a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and camcorder and front-facing VGA camera. In addition, Nexus S 4G features a gyroscope sensor to provide a smooth, fluid gaming experience when the user tilts the device up or down or pans the phone to the left or right.
Additional key features include:
3G/4G Mobile Hotspot capability, supporting up to six Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously
Android Market™ for access to more than 150,000 applications, widgets and games available for download to customize the experience
Google mobile services such as Google Search™, Gmail™, Google Maps™ with Navigation, syncing with Google Calendar™, Voice Actions and YouTube™
Corporate email (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®), personal (POP & IMAP) email and instant messaging
Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows the device to read information from everyday objects, like stickers and posters embedded with NFC chips
16GB Internal Memory (ROM)/512MB (RAM)
Wi-Fi® – 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR
Integrated GPS
1500 mAh Lithium-ion battery
"Samsung is thrilled to work with Google and Sprint to create the next generation Nexus S. Adding 4G capabilities takes this iconic device to the next level," said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile. "Nexus S 4G integrates Samsung's best-in-class hardware and the exciting features of the Android 2.3 platform with the impressive speed and connectivity of Sprint's 4G network."
Nexus S 4G from Google will be available exclusively from Sprint this spring for $199.99 with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade (taxes not included) in all Sprint retail channels, including the Web (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1), as well as select national retailers.
Sprint Nexus S customers also will be able to easily use their current Sprint wireless phone number as their Google Voice number without having to port their number, avoiding porting charges and potential service disruptions. Google Voice makes it easy for people to manage and access most of their voice-based communication. It lets users manage up to six different phones through one number with intelligent call routing and advanced features like call screening, blocking and recording.
Now Sprint subscribers can use their Sprint number across their office, home and wireless phones, and personalize settings so calls from friends ring their wireless device and home phone, while calls from the boss only ring at the office. Google Voice users can receive transcribed voicemails and read or listen to them online. They can also read, send and search text messages and call logs online at www.google.com/voice.
Nexus S 4G requires activation on one of Sprint's Everything Data plans, plus a required $10 Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones. Sprint's Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $69.99 per month plus required $10 Premium Data add-on charge – a savings of $39.99 per month versus Verizon's comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and Web (excluding Verizon's Southern California plan; pricing excludes surcharges and taxes).
Sprint customers get more with unlimited data plans on the Sprint Network. Sprint offers real simplicity, value and savings versus competitors, making it easy for customers to get the most out of their phones without using a calculator to tally up costs or worrying about how much data they've used.
Sprint Everything Data plans qualify for automatic enrollment in the Sprint PremierSM loyalty program3. Existing Sprint customers can switch to an Everything Data plan without extending their service agreement. New lines of service require a two-year service agreement.
As the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology, Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. As the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology, Sprint is America's Favorite 4G Network4. Sprint currently offers 4G service in 71 markets in 28 states. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/4G.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 49.9 million customers at the end of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
About Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC
Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2008 consolidated sales of US$96 billion. Employing approximately 164,600 people in 179 offices across 61 countries, the company is recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands. Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com. |
| Kinect keeps surgeons on task, Nintendo 3DS might assist optometrists with diagnoses Posted: 21 Mar 2011 04:34 AM PDT The latest generation of gaming gadgets do some nifty tricks, and one of the niftiest they might perform is assisting the realm of medicine. Microsoft's Kinect sounded like a candidate for surgery, and this month real-life surgeons have actually put it to use -- Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Canada rigged the Xbox 360 depth camera to its medical imaging computer. Now, doctors don't have to scrub out to manipulate an MRI scan, or even appoint a peon to the task -- rather, they simply raise their bloodied glove, and dive into the digital imagery with a wave of a dextrous hand. Meanwhile, the American Optometric Association has expanded upon its initial praise of Nintendo's 3DS, saying the autostereoscopic 3D handheld "could be a godsend for identifying kids under 6 who need vision therapy." Though Nintendo's warning labels had originally incited a bit of fear among parents, the organization says that kids who can't experience the 3DS to its full potential may have amblyopia (or other vision disorders) that can be more easily treated the earlier it's caught, though one doctor interviewed by the Associated Press contends that kids with amblyopia may not know what they're missing to begin with -- so don't necessarily expect a panacea, folks. |
| ASUS to debut Eee Pad Transformer in Taiwan this Friday, Honeycomb confirmed (updated: coming to US in early April) Posted: 21 Mar 2011 04:02 AM PDT While we've yet to see other Honeycomb tablets materialize in the shops after the Xoom, news has it that ASUS is about to debut its Eee Pad Transformer back in its home country this Friday. There's still no final pricing to be seen for this Tegra 2 device, but some of our watchful readers have already spotted the stricken-through $799 label -- in US dollars, oddly enough -- on ASUS' Transformer countdown page on Facebook, and hopefully this price tag will cover the docking kit as well. Anyhow, anxious Android fans will be able to order this peculiar 10.1-inch slate -- in 16GB or 32GB flavor -- later this week, so that Taiwanese pen pal of yours will finally come in handy. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: We just heard from our ASUS rep here in the US and it looks like the Transformer will be hitting the US market in early April. No word on pricing yet, but we will keep you updated. |
| Porsche opens 918 Spyder plug-in supercar pre-orders, $845,000 gets you a ticket to ride Posted: 21 Mar 2011 03:34 AM PDT It isn't quite as hot as the 918 RSR, but it is at least street legal. Or, will be, anyway. It's the 918 Spyder, one of the hottest hybrids we've ever seen, and Porsche has now opened the doors for those who want to order them. $845,000 gets you a car with a mid-mounted V8 putting down "at least" 500HP. That's paired with two electric motors, one front and one rear, which provide an additional 218 horsepower and AWD handling to boot. Unlike the RSR these motors will be powered by a Li-ion battery pack that will offer 16 miles of purely electric range when charged for about seven hours on a standard 110 outlet. More impressively, this carbon-fiber convertible will get to 60MPH in 3.1 seconds (matching the 911 Turbo S we played with last month) yet deliver 78MPG. That's not quite up to the levels Volvo's promising for its V60 plug-in diesel, but we're thinking this bad boy might be a little more fun to drive. What won't be fun is the wait: the 918 isn't expected to start shipping until the end of 2013. That gives you plenty of time to build your dream garage -- and practice your pronunciation of "Doppelkupplung." Show full PR text Porsche's Plug-in Hybrid 918 Spyder Goes From Dream to Reality
The latest rendering of Porsche's plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder super sports car.
Now available for ordering, the 918 Spyder will feature cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology and stunning performance, forever changing the future of the super sports car
ATLANTA – March 21, 2011 --- After outstanding customer response to the concept car first shown at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Porsche today announced that dealers around the world will begin taking 918 Spyder customer orders. This is a significant step toward actual production of the company's next super sports car, a Porsche that marries unique plug-in hybrid technology and outstanding performance in a visually stunning and purely Porsche package.
The 918 Spyder will feature a high revving 500-plus horsepower V8 engine assisted by two electric motors with a total of at least 218 horsepower, yet Porsche estimates it will consume only 3.0 L/100 km based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Official EPA fuel economy figures or estimates will be announced just before the first customer cars begin arriving in the United States near the end of 2013.
To ensure the 918 Spyder's worldwide exclusivity, Porsche will produce no more than 918 examples. Start of production at Porsche's famed factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen is planned for Sept. 18, 2013 (9/18), and the U.S. base manufacturer's suggested retail price is $845,000 (excluding destination and handling charges).
With its design inspired by past Porsches like the Carrera GT super sports car and the legendary 917 and highly successful RS Spyder race cars, the 918 Spyder remains faithful to the 2010 concept car. Unlike the concept car, the two-seat production version, based on a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque, will feature a manual roof system with removable panels that can be stored in the front luggage compartment.
Super high performance with very low fuel consumption and emissions
The 918 Spyder will be powered by a unique plug-in hybrid system that will include a high-revving, mid-mounted V8 engine with capacity of more than 4.0 liters and producing at least 500 horsepower. The engine will be based on the Porsche RS Spyder racing engine that demonstrated its impressive performance and efficiency through multiple Michelin Green X Challenge victories in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Power will be transferred to the rear wheels via Porsche's compact, seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK) double-clutch gearbox.
Two electric motors – one each on the front and rear axles – together will provide approximately 218 additional horsepower. This configuration also will offer an innovative, variable all-wheel drive system with independent control of the drive forces on both axles. Electrical energy will be stored in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that can be recharged from a standard household outlet. Electric-only driving range is expected to be more than 16 miles on the NEDC. Recharge time will depend on each country's electrical power network, but charging is expected to take about seven hours at 110V/10A in the United States. A quick-charge option is being evaluated to further reduce charging times.
With anticipated combined fuel consumption of just 3.0 L/100 km on the NEDC, this equates to CO2 emissions of only 70 g/km or 112 g/mile. On the other hand, the Porsche 918 Spyder will deliver super sports car performance. It is estimated that the final production version will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about 3.1 seconds on its way to an estimated top track speed of 199 mph. It should also tackle Germany's famed Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds, two seconds faster than the Porsche Carrera GT. Under the right conditions, the 918 Spyder will be able to drive on electric power alone at speeds up to 94 mph for limited distances.
Customers who order the 918 Spyder also have the opportunity to acquire a special-edition 911 Turbo S Coupe or Cabriolet. Also limited to no more than 918 units, the 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder will have exterior and interior design elements echoing the plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder supercar's styling. It features similar exterior colors, carbon-fiber elements inside and out, enhanced leather equipment and numerous acid-green accents on items such as the brake calipers, illuminated sill plates, interior stitching and instrument cluster needles. A limited-edition badge on the glove compartment door will feature the same production number as the customer's 918 Spyder.
Worldwide 918 Spyder customers can begin ordering this special edition 911 Turbo S sports car today, and customer deliveries will start later in 2011. The U.S. base manufacturer's suggested retail prices for the Coupe and Cabriolet versions are the same as the standard 911 Turbo S models, $160,700 and $172,100 respectively, excluding destination.
About Porsche Cars North America
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., is the exclusive importer of Porsche vehicles in the United States. It is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for some 195 dealers. From its inception in 1948, Porsche has been a leader in advancing vehicle performance, improving automotive safety and developing ever more fuel efficient technologies in its high-performance models. At the core of this success is Porsche's proud racing heritage that dates back to its beginnings. Today, with some 30,000 motorsport wins, Porsche is recognized as the most successful marquee in sports car racing. PCNA, which imports the iconic 911 series, the Boxster and Cayman sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera Gran Turismo strives to maintain a standard of excellence, commitment and distinction synonymous with this historic brand |
| Google and China clash again, this time over Gmail access Posted: 21 Mar 2011 02:51 AM PDT Last week we noted, with a growing sense of disquiet, how China was busying itself with locking out VPN access within its borders and, seemingly, preventing people from using their Gmail accounts. Google has now given a public voice to those concerns, noting that "there is no issue on our side. We have checked extensively. This is a government blockage carefully designed to look like the problem is with Gmail." Other Google tools, like the Person Finder for Japanese tsunami survivors, have also exhibited intermittent issues. China's goal in these attacks is reportedly to stifle online revolutionary chatter inspired by Egypt's successful democratic revolt, though the nation's said to be taking a more clandestine approach than previously by making its alleged sabotage appear like a software problem instead. Guess it's time to prepare ourselves for another battle of wits between these two. |
| Game developers want DirectX to 'go away,' says AMD man Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:59 AM PDT Like a pesky video game villain that just won't go away, Microsoft's DirectX has been a mainstay of mainstream PC gaming pretty much since the inception. Its existence hasn't been without its tensions, however, with notable graphics guru John Carmack of id Software ignoring it in favor of OpenGL -- until last week when he finally acknowledged that Direct3D had outgrown its cross-platform alternative and was now the preferable API for PC game development. That's all well and good, but plenty of game devs, says Richard Huddy, head of AMD's developer relations team, don't want any API at all. Huddy points out the sadly obvious fact that modern graphics cards can pretty much stomp any console hardware into the dirt in a straight fight and yet fail to show the full extent of their superiority in actual game visuals. He'd prefer to see developers given direct low-level access to the hardware, so they can maximize their own talents and really push things forward. Of course, the beauty of DirectX is that it's a standard that every Windows game designer can code to, leading to predictable and more widely compatible (if not necessarily spectacular) results. For more on how the future's shaping up, hit the links below. |
| Nexus S 4G confirmed by Sprint's own website, first 'fully integrated' Google Voice smartphone Posted: 21 Mar 2011 01:03 AM PDT in case we didn't leak this thoroughly enough for your tastes, here's Sprint spoiling its own surprise: the Nexus S is coming to the Now Network in a 4G flavor. Touted as "Pure Google," this WiMAX-toting device will be the very first to feature "fully integrated" Google Voice -- which we're told means using only one number for all your calls and permits for things like web calling and voicemail transcription. Pretty snazzy, if you ask us, and potentially even more important than the mere addition of 4G networking. All it took to discover this bit of intel was a casual search for "nexus" on Sprint's web portal, not exactly the hardest snooping job ever, but we appreciate our eagle-eyed tipster for doing it all the same. Now it's just a matter of waiting a few more hours until Sprint's CTIA event to hear the full details of its collaboration with Google. [Thanks, MTW] Update: What do you know, Sprint must read Engadget. The offending search topic has now disappeared from its public servers. Update 2: And now it's official. $200 on a two-year contract, arriving this spring. |
| Samsung, Novatel LTE mobile hotspots said to be hitting Verizon any day now Posted: 21 Mar 2011 12:13 AM PDT We haven't heard much about these since Verizon first showed them off way back at CES, but Phone Arena is reporting that a launch of Samsung and Novatel's new LTE mobile hotspots is now finally "imminent." That includes Novatel's USB551L LTE dongle in addition to the 4510L MiFi, both of which will be Mac-compatible out of the box (unlike Verizon's first pair of LTE modems), although that functionality has yet to be confirmed for Samsung's SCH-L11 hotspot. Still no word on pricing for any of them either, but Phone Arena says all three will be receiving a $50 rebate, so a price in line with Verizon's current, similarly-discounted $99 modems seems likely. [Thanks, Valentin] |
| Cricket Wireless launches LG Optimus C for $130 off-contract Posted: 20 Mar 2011 11:04 PM PDT Just about every other carrier has its own variant of LG's fast-selling Optimus One smartphone, and you can now even count Cricket Wireless among that group. It recently launched the LG Optimus C, which offers yet another oh-so-slightly-different design along with all the same specs we've seen before -- a capacitive 3.2-inch HVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, a 600MHz processor, and Android 2.2 with some minor LG customizations. That may not sound like much, but we've found the other versions of the phone to be surprisingly snappy and solid for such a budget-priced smartphone. That budget pricing of course continues on Cricket, which is offering the phone for just $130 after a $20 web discount and $50 mail-in rebated -- and, yes, that's without a longt-term contract, although you will apparently have to sign up for Cricket's $55 a month unlimited Android plan to start with. [Thanks, PHug] |
| Sprint critiques proposed AT&T / T-Mobile deal, says buyout would 'dramatically alter' telecom industry Posted: 20 Mar 2011 08:42 PM PDT This afternoon, AT&T and T-Mobile dedicated a twenty-eight page PDF to convincing regulators that their $39 billion aquisition wouldn't violate antitrust law, using images like the one above. Well, as you can imagine, Sprint had something to say about that, and you can read it immediately below. The combination of AT&T and T-Mobile USA, if approved by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), would alter dramatically the structure of the communications industry. AT&T and Verizon are already by far the largest wireless providers. A combined AT&T and T-Mobile would be almost three times the size of Sprint, the third largest wireless competitor. If approved, the merger would result in a wireless industry dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically-integrated companies that control almost 80% of the US wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete. The DOJ and the FCC must decide if this transaction is in the best interest of consumers and the US economy overall, and determine if innovation and robust competition would be impacted adversely and by this dramatic change in the structure of the industry. Last week, rumors flew that Sprint, not AT&T, would be the one to join T-Mobile and create a vast wireless network, and while we haven't heard any proof of that so far, it probably wouldn't be terribly happy to settle for "number 1 spectrum position" if the tables were indeed turned. |
| Hawaii funding deployment of up to 320 public EV chargers, islander Leafs say 'mahalo' Posted: 20 Mar 2011 07:26 PM PDT If you don't have far to go, an electric car can make a lot of sense. You know what group of people doesn't have far to go? People who live on an island, that's who. For this reason we're feeling some synergistic love as the State of Hawaii partners with AeroVironment, a company that also makes some goofy looking UAVs for DARPA, to deploy up to 320 public EV charging stations plugs across Kauai, Hawaii Island, Maui, and Oahu. All will be 240v Level 2 units that can charge an average EV in between four to eight hours. That's plenty of time to grab your board and get worked on some swell -- or to work on your tan if you're feeling a little less aggro. Update: Dan wrote in to let us know that Better Place is also getting a piece of this pie, securing $854,000 for "charging stations on all islands and the introduction of EVs to a rental car fleet." Show full PR text State of Hawaii Selects AeroVironment to Deploy up to 320 Public Electric Vehicle Charging Docks in Support of Clean Energy Goal
MARCH 18 2011
AV to partner with Hawaiian Electric Company, University of Hawaii at Manoa and Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association
Program includes deploying electric vehicle infrastructure statewide, collecting and analyzing charging data to study impact on electricity distribution and providing public outreach and educational programs to promote EV growth
HONOLULU, First Hawaiian International Auto Show, March 18, 2011 – Hawaii Lt. Governor Brian Schatz today announced that AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) has been selected to help lead the way to a cleaner transportation future through an $820,000 contract from the Hawaii EV Ready Grants Program. The contract will fund the deployment of up to 320 AeroVironment 240-volt electric vehicle (EV) charging docks throughout the islands. Once deployment is completed, Hawaii will have one of the nation's first statewide public charging networks supporting electric vehicle drivers.
AeroVironment (AV), the official home charging-dock provider for the Nissan LEAF and co-developer of the first modern-day electric vehicle, the GM Impact, will partner with Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) to design and build public and semi-private charging stations at convenient locations for electric vehicle owners, including high-rise buildings, resorts and rental car facilities.
AeroVironment's charging docks, including the two-port or four-port EVSE-RS+ and EVSE-CS (commercial) dock, will be strategically located throughout Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai to offer drivers a practical, safe and reliable EV charging experience. AeroVironment has installed more than 1,000 charging docks in more than 300 communities across 18 states since November 2010.
The State of Hawaii is offering a rebate of up to $500 for installing charging docks through its Hawaii EV Ready Rebate Program. Customers who purchase an EV are also eligible for a state rebate of up to $4,500. In combination with the Hawaii EV Ready Grant Program and other development efforts, the rebates aim to establish the state as a leader in the clean transportation movement.
"We look forward to working with AeroVironment to help reduce the use of oil for transportation," said Robbie Alm, Hawaiian Electric executive vice president. "Wide use of electric vehicles will not only help reduce our fossil fuel dependence, it will make it easier to increase our use of renewable energy sources such as wind power and others, all contributing to our energy, economic and environmental security."
Alm added, "AeroVironment shares this vision and is an outstanding example of a supplier with a comprehensive solution for the EV market, a history in Hawaii, experience working with leading auto manufacturers and consistent high quality customer support."
The Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), University of Hawaii at Manoa will work with AeroVironment and Hawaiian Electric to collect data from chargers to analyze the impact of EVs and associated infrastructure on the power distribution grid.
"AeroVironment's team focuses on the entire user experience from the start by providing the right tools and a full range of practical, groundbreaking solutions," said Richard Rocheleau, director of the HNEI. "As a result, we'll have the unique ability to collect and analyze usage patterns that will help us project the increased demand on Hawaii's utilities as EV adoption accelerates."
AeroVironment has been working on clean transportation programs in Hawaii for more than a decade, beginning with deployment of fast charging stations for passenger EVs in the early 2000s. AeroVironment also established world altitude records with its solar-electric, unmanned aircraft systems at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands on Kauai.
"AeroVironment and the state of Hawaii are pioneers in the EV movement and have a long partnership focused on introducing clean transportation solutions," said Mike Bissonette, senior vice president of Efficient Energy Systems for AeroVironment. "Together, we're deploying practical solutions for a game-changing electric transportation ecosystem that will dramatically alter the vehicle refueling paradigm for drivers in Hawaii, the United States and the world.
# # #
About AeroVironment, Inc.
AV is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops, produces and supports an advanced portfolio of electric transportation solutions and electric-powered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). AV's comprehensive EV charging solutions include EV home charging, public charging, fast charging, data collection, grid-integrated communications and complete installation, training and support services for consumers, automakers, utilities, government agencies and businesses. AV's industrial fast charging systems support thousands of electric materials handling vehicles in mission-critical supply chains for Fortune 500 enterprises. AV's power cycling and test systems provide EV developers and EV battery manufacturers with market-leading simulation and cycling capabilities. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company's battery-powered, hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance and communication. More information is available at www.avinc.com. |
| Inhabitat's Week in Green: shifting towers, hydrogen beads, and the shockwave engine for fuel efficiency Posted: 20 Mar 2011 05:30 PM PDT Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. It was a big week for alternative energy as Inhabitat showcased a range of green fuel innovations that cut costs while bringing clean energy to the forefront. We looked at hydrogen 'Micro Beads' that could fuel cars for $1.50 per gallon, and we saw Michigan State University unveil a new shock wave engine that could triple fuel the efficiency of hybrid vehicles. XL Hybrids also got in on the action by releasing an add-on kit that can transform any gas-guzzler into a hybrid, and Google made waves by announcing their investment in biofuels startup CoolPlanetBiofuels and adding EV charging stations to Google Maps. Finally, to round out or green automotive news this week we also have to give a special shout out to Artega, who introduced their hot new SE Electric Sports Car - we can already hear the honks and catcalls! Off the road and out into the ocean, we showcased a design for underwater kite turbines that harvest energy from ocean waves, and we were wowed by Kinetura's shape-shifting Kinetower. In other architecture news, construction finally commenced on MVRDV's massive Amanora Vertical City Apartments in Pune, India -- a mixed use development totaling over 4.3 million square feet. We also saw several new developments on the solar power front - scientists in the United Kingdom are working on a solar-powered kit that could lighten the load of soldiers-and, more important, increase their mobility-by up to 50 percent. That seems like the perfect complement to OS' amazing GSR 110B - a retractable solar power system that delivers 40 watts on the spot with a combined solar and battery backup. Lightweight and easy to pack, the solar unit is easily deployed in emergency situations as long as the weather permits. |
| T-Mobile answers its customers' most Frequently Asked Question: no iPhone Posted: 20 Mar 2011 04:16 PM PDT Never mind the practicalities of T-Mobile and AT&T using different 3G bands, Apple not having approved any deal for extended distribution of its phone, or the fact AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile isn't set to complete for another year. The immediate reaction to AT&T agreeing to buy T-Mobile USA was to ask, "so that means the iPhone's coming to T-Mo, right?" Well, wrong. T-Mobile has delivered an FAQ on its site informing customers about the forthcoming transition, including the unequivocal notice regarding the iPhone: "T-Mobile USA remains an independent company. The acquisition is expected to be completed in approximately 12 months. We do not offer the iPhone. We offer cutting edge devices like the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and coming soon our new Sidekick 4G." So that settles that (for a year, anyway). In other news, service and billing won't be changing, and there's a promise that T-Mobile devices will continue to operate as they do now even after the acquisition is complete. Ominously, however, the company fails to answer its own question about pricing changes, stating only that it'll honor "all contracted plans that are entered into before the change of ownership." |
| Mr. Blurrycam bags a silvery striped smartphone -- is this the HTC Pyramid? Posted: 20 Mar 2011 03:52 PM PDT Looks like our favorite anonymous globetrotting photographer's spotted something sweet -- it's that alleged HTC Pyramid, comfortably chilling with the 4.3-inch HTC Desire HD. Unfortunately, Mr. Blurrycam only had time to snap this single shot before vanishing to parts unknown, so all we can tell is that that it's sporting a flush, off-center camera with a twin-LED flash, a headset jack up top, and that it's a fairly large, curvy phone. Don't be disappointed, though -- we imagine we'll see a good bit more of the handset this week at a little Florida show. |
| Creative's 7-inch ZiiO tablet gets Froyo this Friday, 10-inch model to follow suit Posted: 20 Mar 2011 03:05 PM PDT If you happen to be one of the handful of Creative ZiiO tablet users, then we have good news for you: come Friday, the 7-incher will be the first of the Ziio duo to receive its Froyo update, whereas its 10-inch sibling's expected to follow suit by April. So what's new? Well, the list includes greater language support, new passcode options, the ability to install apps onto external storage, and a text-to-speech engine. Once available, you can obtain the update from either Creative's website or the tablets' ZiiO Space portal; but by all means, feel free to butter up the folks over at xda-developers to slap some Honeycomb onto these ZiiOs instead. Show full PR text Android 2.2 OS Upgrade Now Available on Creative ZiiO™ 7" Tablet
Free Web Upgrades for Current Users Will Start 25 March 2011
Creative Technology Ltd has upgraded its Creative ZiiO 7" Android-based tablets to Android 2.2. Current Creative ZiiO 7" owners will be able to enjoy a free upgrade via support.creative.com or the ZiiO Space portal found on their tablets, beginning 25 March 2011.
In addition, the Creative ZiiO 7" with Android 2.2 will begin shipping on 18 March 2011*, while the Creative ZiiO 10" is expected to ship with Android 2.2 by April 2011*.
Users of the Creative ZiiO tablets with Android 2.2 can look forward to enjoying these enhancements:
• Flexibility to install apps using either on-board memory or external storage media
• Flexibility of viewing pages in both desktop and mobile formats – which means that pages can now be seen in their original lay-out without truncation
• Improved security with the addition of numeric pin or alpha-numeric password options to unlock device
• Greater localised language support added
• Text-to-Speech Engine
For more information on the Creative ZiiO tablets, please visit www.creative.com/purewireless.
* For full details on in-country availability, please visit www.creative.com. Purchasers who have bought Creative ZiiO 7" tablets with Android 2.1 at local stores can easily upgrade to Android 2.2 free of charge by visiting support.creative.com. |
| Ebook sales in the US double year-on-year, paper books suffer double-digit losses Posted: 20 Mar 2011 02:01 PM PDT We doubt the world will ever get to a stage where it'll completely ditch ye olde paper books, but the US consumer market seems to clearly have its heart set on the electronic kind right now. Net ebook sales in January were this week reported to have accumulated $69.9 million in revenue for their publishers, which amounts to a 116 percent jump from last year's total for the month. During the same period, adult hardcovers were down 11.3 percent to $49.1 million and paperbacks faced a similar reduction in demand and fell to $83.6 million, a precipitous drop of 19.7 percent year-on-year. Educational and children's books weren't spared from this cull of the physical tome, either -- skip past the break to see the full statistical breakdown. Show full PR text E-Books, Downloadable Audio Books Continue Growth Based on AAP Publishers January 2011 Sales Report
March 17, 2011, New York, NY– E-books and downloadable audio books continue to grow in popularity according to the January 2011 sales report of the Association of American Publishers. Figures for the first month of the new year show that E-book net sales increased by 115.8% vs January 2010 (from $32.4 Million to $69.9M). Sales of Downloadable Audio Books also rose by 8.8% vs the previous year ($6.0M to $6.5M). As AAP reported last month in its December 2010 monthly report and full 2010 analysis, E-book sales have increased annually and significantly in all nine years of tracking the category.
Among the other highlights of the January 2011 report:
Total books sales on all platforms, in all categories, hit $805.7 Million for January. This was a slight drop from January 2010's $821.5M sales (-1.9%).
Adult Hardcover category fell from $55.4M to $49.1M (-11.3%), Adult Paperback dropped from $104.2M to $83.6 (-19.7%) and Adult Mass Market declined from $56.4M to $39.0 (-30.9%)
In the Children's/Young Adult category, Hardcover sales were $31.2M in January 2011 vs $31.8M in January 2010 (-1.9%) while Paperbacks were $25.4M, down 17.7% from $30.9M in January 2010.
Physical Audio Books sales were $7.3M vs $7.9M the previous year (-6.7%).
Sales of Religious Books grew by 5.6%, from $49.8M to $52.6M.
Sales in the Higher Education category were $382.0M for January 2011, a slight drop (-1.4%) from $387.6M the previous year. K-12 sales hit $82.6M for the month vs $97.0M for the previous year (-14.9%).
In Professional and Scholarly Books, sales grew 1.3%, from $51.2M to $51.8M. Sales of University Press Hardcovers were $3.9M in January 2011 vs $4.5M the previous year (-14.0%) while University Press Paperbacks were $6.2M vs $6.7M (-7.8%).
All figures cited represent domestic net sales for U.S. book publishers.
About AAP
The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry. Its 300 members include most of the major commercial, education and professional publishers as well as smaller and non-profit publishers, university presses and scholarly societies. They publish content on every platform for a global audience. |
| Samsung Galaxy S II Mini leaks out for Three, plus Nokia X7, Flyer and PlayBook release dates in UK Posted: 20 Mar 2011 01:04 PM PDT No, not the Galaxy Mini, that low-end Android sprout -- this looks like Samsung's smaller alternative to the upcoming Galaxy S II superphone. We just got handed UK carrier Three's entire spring-summer lineup, and the Android 2.3 handset certainly stands out, pretending to be miniature in spite of a 3.7-inch screen (think Droid), a 1.4GHz processor (think Pre 3) and 21Mbps HSPA+ connectivity. But that's the tip of the iceberg compared to what's in store for Three -- it looks like the Nokia X7 is alive, well, and tracking for a June release (not to mention the LG Optimus 3D), and tablets will drop too, with May bringing the HTC Flyer and the WiFi-only BlackBerry PlayBook launching in June. See specs and slated launch windows in our gallery below, and join us in hoping these documents portend a rapid US release. [Thanks, Anonymous] |
| AT&T agrees to buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion (update) Posted: 20 Mar 2011 11:27 AM PDT Wowzers! AT&T and Deutsche Telekom have entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of T-Mobile USA for $39 billion in cash and stocks. The combined customer base of this upcoming behemoth will be 130 million humans, though the agreed deal will have to pass the usual regulatory and closing hurdles before becoming complete. The two companies estimate it'll take them 12 months to get through all the bureaucracy -- if they get through, the proposed network merger will create a de facto GSM monopoly within the United States -- but we don't have to wait that long to start discussing life with only three major US carriers. AT&T envisions it as a rosy garden of "straightforward synergies" thanks to a set of "complementary network technologies, spectrum positions and operations." One of the other big benefits AT&T is claiming here is a significantly expanded LTE footprint -- 95 percent of Americans, or 294 million pops -- which works out to 46.5 million more than AT&T was claiming had it gone LTE alone. Of course, T-Mobile has never put forth a clear strategy for migrating to LTE, suggesting that AT&T plans on using the company's AWS spectrum to complement its own 700MHz licenses as it moves to 4G. You might be groaning at the thought of yet another LTE band, but it's not as bad as you might think: MetroPCS already has a live LTE network functioning on AWS, so there's precedent for it. For further details, hit up the gallery below, the Mobilize Everything site, or the official press release after the break. In the event of the deal failing to receive regulatory approval, AT&T will be on the hook for $3 billion to T-Mobile -- a breakup fee, they call it -- along with transferring over some AWS spectrum it doesn't need for its LTE rollout, and granting T-Mo a roaming agreement at a value agreeable to both parties. Update: TmoNews obtained a copy of Deutsche Telekom's press release regarding the deal -- it looks like the German company will be getting $25 billion in cash and $14 billion in stock, giving it an 8 percent stake in AT&T when all is said and done. Read the full document after the break. Show full PR text AT&T to Acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom
Provides Fast, Efficient and Certain Solution to Impending Spectrum Exhaust Challenges Facing AT&T and T-Mobile USA in Key Markets Due to Explosive Demand for Mobile Broadband
Enhances Network Capacity, Output and Quality in Near Term for Both Companies' Customers
AT&T Commits to Expand 4G LTE Deployment to an Additional 46.5 Million Americans, Including in Rural, Smaller Communities, for a Total of 294 Million or 95% of the U.S. Population
Provides 4G LTE Service for T-Mobile USA's 34 Million Subscribers
More Than $8 Billion in Incremental Infrastructure Spend by a U.S. Company over Seven Years, Enabling Nation's High-Tech Industry, Innovation and Economic Growth
Creates Substantial Value for AT&T Shareholders Through Large, Straightforward Synergies
DALLAS & BONN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Deutsche Telekom AG (FWB: DTE) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which AT&T will acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom in a cash-and-stock transaction currently valued at approximately $39 billion. The agreement has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.
"This transaction represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure for our nation's future."
AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile USA provides an optimal combination of network assets to add capacity sooner than any alternative, and it provides an opportunity to improve network quality in the near term for both companies' customers. In addition, it provides a fast, efficient and certain solution to the impending exhaustion of wireless spectrum in some markets, which limits both companies' ability to meet the ongoing explosive demand for mobile broadband.
With this transaction, AT&T commits to a significant expansion of robust 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) deployment to 95 percent of the U.S. population to reach an additional 46.5 million Americans beyond current plans – including rural communities and small towns. This helps achieve the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and President Obama's goals to connect "every part of America to the digital age." T-Mobile USA does not have a clear path to delivering LTE.
"This transaction represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure for our nation's future," said Randall Stephenson, AT&T Chairman and CEO. "It will improve network quality, and it will bring advanced LTE capabilities to more than 294 million people. Mobile broadband networks drive economic opportunity everywhere, and they enable the expanding high-tech ecosystem that includes device makers, cloud and content providers, app developers, customers, and more. During the past few years, America's high-tech industry has delivered innovation at unprecedented speed, and this combination will accelerate its continued growth."
Stephenson continued, "This transaction delivers significant customer, shareowner and public benefits that are available at this level only from the combination of these two companies with complementary network technologies, spectrum positions and operations. We are confident in our ability to execute a seamless integration, and with additional spectrum and network capabilities, we can better meet our customers' current demands, build for the future and help achieve the President's goals for a high-speed, wirelessly connected America."
Deutsche Telekom Chairman and CEO René Obermann said, "After evaluating strategic options for T-Mobile USA, I am confident that AT&T is the best partner for our customers, shareholders and the mobile broadband ecosystem. Our common network technology makes this a logical combination and provides an efficient path to gaining the spectrum and network assets needed to provide T-Mobile customers with 4G LTE and the best devices. Also, the transaction returns significant value to Deutsche Telekom shareholders and allows us to retain exposure to the U.S. market."
As part of the transaction, Deutsche Telekom will receive an equity stake in AT&T that, based on the terms of the agreement, would give Deutsche Telekom an ownership interest in AT&T of approximately 8 percent. A Deutsche Telekom representative will join the AT&T Board of Directors.
Competition and Pricing
The U.S. wireless industry is one of the most fiercely competitive markets in the world and will remain so after this deal. The U.S. is one of the few countries in the world where a large majority of consumers can choose from five or more wireless providers in their local market. For example, in 18 of the top 20 U.S. local markets, there are five or more providers. Local market competition is escalating among larger carriers, low-cost carriers and several regional wireless players with nationwide service plans. This intense competition is only increasing with the build-out of new 4G networks and the emergence of new market entrants.
The competitiveness of the market has directly benefited consumers. A 2010 report from the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) states the overall average price (adjusted for inflation) for wireless services declined 50 percent from 1999 to 2009, during a period which saw five major wireless mergers.
Addresses wireless spectrum challenges facing AT&T, T-Mobile USA, their customers, and U.S. policymakers
This transaction quickly provides the spectrum and network efficiencies necessary for AT&T to address impending spectrum exhaust in key markets driven by the exponential growth in mobile broadband traffic on its network. AT&T's mobile data traffic grew 8,000 percent over the past four years and by 2015 it is expected to be eight to 10 times what it was in 2010. Put another way, all of the mobile traffic volume AT&T carried during 2010 is estimated to be carried in just the first six to seven weeks of 2015. Because AT&T has led the U.S. in smartphones, tablets and e-readers – and as a result, mobile broadband – it requires additional spectrum before new spectrum will become available. In the long term, the entire industry will need additional spectrum to address the explosive growth in demand for mobile broadband.
Improves service quality for U.S. wireless customers
AT&T and T-Mobile USA customers will see service improvements - including improved voice quality - as a result of additional spectrum, increased cell tower density and broader network infrastructure. At closing, AT&T will immediately gain cell sites equivalent to what would have taken on average five years to build without the transaction, and double that in some markets. The combination will increase AT&T's network density by approximately 30 percent in some of its most populated areas, while avoiding the need to construct additional cell towers. This transaction will increase spectrum efficiency to increase capacity and output, which not only improves service, but is also the best way to ensure competitive prices and services in a market where demand is extremely high and spectrum is in short supply.
Expands 4G LTE deployment to 95 percent of U.S. population – urban and rural areas
This transaction will directly benefit an additional 46.5 million Americans – equivalent to the combined populations of the states of New York and Texas – who will, as a result of this combination, have access to AT&T's latest 4G LTE technology. In terms of area covered, the transaction enables 4G LTE deployment to an additional 1.2 million square miles, equivalent to 4.5 times the size of the state of Texas. Rural and smaller communities will substantially benefit from the expansion of 4G LTE deployment, increasing the competitiveness of the businesses and entrepreneurs in these areas.
Increases AT&T's investment in the U.S.
The acquisition will increase AT&T's infrastructure investment in the U.S. by more than $8 billion over seven years. Expansion of AT&T's 4G LTE network is an important foundation for the next wave of innovation and growth in mobile broadband, ensuring the U.S. continues to lead the world in wireless technology and availability. It makes T-Mobile USA, currently a German-owned U.S. telecom network, part of a U.S.-based company.
An impressive, combined workforce
Bringing AT&T and T-Mobile USA together will create an impressive workforce that is best positioned to compete in today's global economy. Post-closing, AT&T intends to tap into the significant knowledge and expertise held by employees of both AT&T and T-Mobile USA to succeed. AT&T is the only major U.S. wireless company with a union workforce, offering leading wages, benefits, training and development for employees. The combined company will continue to have a strong employee and operations base in the Seattle area.
Consistent with AT&T's track record of value-enhancing acquisitions
AT&T has a strong track record of executing value-enhancing acquisitions and expects to create substantial value for shareholders through large, straightforward synergies with a run rate of more than $3 billion, three years after closing onward (excluding integration costs). The value of the synergies is expected to exceed the purchase price of $39 billion. Revenue synergies come from opportunities to increase smartphone penetration and data average revenue per user, with cost savings coming from network efficiencies, subscriber and support savings, reduced churn and avoided capital and spectrum expenditures.
The transaction will enhance margin potential and improve the company's long-term revenue growth potential as it benefits from a more robust mobile broadband platform for new services.
Additional financial information
The $39 billion purchase price will include a cash payment of $25 billion with the balance to be paid using AT&T common stock, subject to adjustment. AT&T has the right to increase the cash portion of the purchase price by up to $4.2 billion with a corresponding reduction in the stock component, so long as Deutsche Telekom receives at least a 5 percent equity ownership interest in AT&T.
The number of AT&T shares issued will be based on the AT&T share price during the 30-day period prior to closing, subject to a 7.5 percent collar; there is a one-year lock-up period during which Deutsche Telekom cannot sell shares.
The cash portion of the purchase price will be financed with new debt and cash on AT&T's balance sheet. AT&T has an 18-month commitment for a one-year unsecured bridge term facility underwritten by J.P. Morgan for $20 billion. AT&T assumes no debt from T-Mobile USA or Deutsche Telekom and continues to have a strong balance sheet.
The transaction is expected to be earnings (excluding non-cash amortization and integration costs) accretive in the third year after closing. Pro-forma for 2010, this transaction increases AT&T's total wireless revenues from $58.5 billion to nearly $80 billion, and increases the percentage of AT&T's total revenues from wireless, wireline data and managed services to approximately 80 percent.
This transaction will allow for sufficient cash flow to support AT&T's dividend. AT&T has increased its dividend for 27 consecutive years, a matter decided by AT&T's Board of Directors.
Conditions
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals, a reverse breakup fee in certain circumstances, and other customary regulatory and other closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in approximately 12 months.
Advisors
Greenhill & Co., J.P. Morgan and Evercore Partners acted as financial advisors and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Arnold & Porter, and Crowell & Moring provided legal advice to AT&T.
Conference Call/Webcast
On Monday, March 21, 2011, at 8 a.m. ET, AT&T Inc. will host a live video and audio webcast presentation regarding its announcement to acquire T-Mobile USA. Links to the webcast and accompanying documents will be available on AT&T's Investor Relations website. Please log in 15 minutes ahead of time to test your browser and register for the call.
For dial-in access, please dial +1 (888) 517-2464 within the U.S. or +1 (630) 827-6816 outside the U.S. after 7:30 a.m. ET. Enter passcode 8442095# to join or ask the conference call operator for the AT&T Investor Relations event.
The webcast will be available for replay on AT&T's Investor Relations website on March 21, 2011, starting at 12:30 p.m. ET through April 21, 2011. An archive of the conference call will also be available during this time period. To access the recording, please dial +1 (877) 870-5176 within the U.S. or +1 (858) 384-5517 outside the U.S. and enter reservation code 29362481#.
Transaction Website
For more information on the transaction, including background information and factsheets, visit www.MobilizeEverything.com. Show full PR text Bonn/ Dallas, March 20th 2011
Deutsche Telekom: US Deal accelerates own transformation
Deutsche Telekom to receive 39 billion USD for US-business  Deutsche Telekom to have up to 8 percent stake in the leading US
telecommunications company
AT&T takes over US mobile business from Deutsche Telekom
- Deutsche Telekom will receive 25 billion USD in cash and 14 billion USD in AT&T shares
- Attractive multiple of 7.1 times 2010 adjusted EBITDA
- Deutsche Telekom plans to use approximately 5 billion EUR for sharebuybacks
- Deutsche Telekom net debt is planned to be reduced by approximately 13 billion EUR or 31 percent
Deutsche Telekom will take an approximately 8 percent stake in US telecommunication company AT&T. At the same time Deutsche Telekom will hand over 100 percent ownership of T-Mobile USA to AT&T. This has been agreed by the boards of the two companies today. AT&T will pay 25 billion USD in cash for T- Mobile USA, in addition to 14 billion USD in AT&T shares. AT&T has the right to increase the portion of the purchase price paid in cash by up to 4.2 billion USD with a corresponding reduction in the stock component. The value of the transaction will be 39 billion USD. This will amount to an attractive multiple of approximately 7 times 2010 adjusted EBITDA. The merger still needs US regulatory approval. The closing of the transaction is expected to be completed in first half of 2012.
1René Obermann, CEO Deutsche Telekom: "We have achieved the best solution for our company, our customers and shareholders. This will strengthen our position in Europe, whilst we are still participating in the rapidly growing business of mobile data. We will be able to focus more on the opportunities of a modern infrastructure in Germany and Europe, as well as in Internet products that accompanies to our strategy "fix, transform and innovate". Following our initiatives of finding a solution for our activities both in the United Kingdom and Poland, we have with this transaction nearly accomplished the "fix" part of our strategy. We will now focus our resources more on the "transform" and "innovate" blocks of our strategy in order to accelerate the transformation of Deutsche Telekom."
Timotheus Höttges, CFO Deutsche Telekom: "As the biggest single share holder of AT&T we will also significantly benefit from their strong dividend. With the excellent result of this transaction we will be able to continue to develop our company. At the same time we will be able to reduce our debts and initiate one of the biggest share buy back programs in both Germany as well as in the European telecommunication industry."
Deutsche Telekom is planning to reduce its debt by approximately 13 billion EUR. Approximately 5 billion EUR are planned to be used for share buybacks after closing and required resolutions in accordance with the legal requirements .
Randall Stephenson, CEO and Chairman AT&T: "This transaction delivers significant customer, shareowner and public benefits that are available at this level only from the combination of these two companies with complementary network technologies, spectrum positions and operations. We are confident in our ability to execute a seamless integration, and with additional spectrum and network capabilities, we can better meet our customers' current demands, build for the future and help achieve the President's goals for a high-speed wirelessly connected America."
For Deutsche Telekom the transaction after closure will provide amongst others a consolidation of the balance sheet. Pro forma the ratio for net debt to adjusted EBITDA in 2010 will be reduced to 1.9x from 2.2x, a reduction of 31 percent.
2
There will be no change regarding the shareholder remuneration policy which has been set for three years. As has been provided within the legal guidelines, Deutsche Telekom will continue with its plans to pay out 3.4 billion EUR on an annual basis consisting of a minimum dividend of 70 cents plus share-buybacks. The share buybacks amounting to approximately 5 billion EUR, which are planned after the closure of the transaction, will come on top of this.
The Guidance for 2011 remains unchanged. For the financial year 2011 Deutsche Telekom expects an adjusted EBITDA of around 19.1 billion EUR. The free cash flow is expected to be stable to slightly growing from the 2010 level of 6.5 billion EUR.
Deutsche Telekom is to receive one seat on AT&T's Board of Directors.
Morgan Stanley acted as lead financial advisor and issued a fairness opinion to the supervisory board of Deutsche Telekom. Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse acted as financial advisors for Deutsche Telekom.
Deutsche Telekom was advised by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (M & A, N.Y.C) as well as Cleary Gottlieb and Wiley Rein (antitrust and regulatory law, Washington D.C.).
About Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom is one of the world's leading integrated telecommunications companies with around 129 million mobile customers, approximately 36 million fixed- network lines and more than 16 million broadband lines (as of December 31, 2010). The Group provides products and services for the fixed network, mobile communications, the Internet and IPTV for consumers, and ICT solutions for business customers and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in over 50 countries and has around 247,000 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenues of EUR 62.4 billion in the 2010 financial year – more than half of it outside Germany (as of December 31, 2010). For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.com/media
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T â"‚DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com |
| HTC Arrive now available for $200 from Sprint (update: $50 at Amazon) Posted: 20 Mar 2011 11:24 AM PDT It's March 20th and, right on schedule, Sprint has started taking orders for its first Windows Phone 7 handset. The HTC 7 Pro, renamed the Arrive on the Now Network, can now be had for $200 after rebate when bought with the customary two-year contract. Amazon's doing its usual thing of undercutting carriers' own pricing by offering it up for 50 greenbacks less at $150, and we suspect other online retailers will follow suit. So affordability shouldn't be a problem, but if you're still wondering if the investment will be worth it, we'll have our review of this handset early next week -- just before Sprint makes it irrelevant by blowing the doors off CTIA. [Thanks, Justin] Update: That was quick, Amazon's dropped its price to just $50. |
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