| iOS 4.3.1 released, fixes a few bugs Posted: 25 Mar 2011 10:48 AM PDT Apple's just dropped iOS 4.3.1 on iTunes users across the land, fixing a handful of issues related to enterprise apps, AV-out, iPod touch graphics problems, and cellular network connections; not the most exciting changelog, but it's better than a slap across the face. As usual, the update is available for pretty much the full suite of iOS products -- iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch alike. Go on, grab it! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Acer announces UK Iconia Tab pricing: Windows or Android starting at £449 Posted: 25 Mar 2011 10:22 AM PDT There's still no official word on pricing for the eventual US release, but Acer has now finally confirmed the UK pricing for its new Iconia Tab series of tablets. The WiFi-only versions of both the Windows 7-based Iconia Tab W500 and Android-based A500 will demand £449 apiece (or about $720) when they launch in the UK on April 8th, while the 3G-equipped W500 will set you back £529, or roughly $850 -- there's curiously no pricing for the 3G version of the A500 at the moment. Also available at the same time is a keyboard dock that will set you back £90 on its own or £529 in a bundle, and you can look for the smaller 7-inch A100 and W100 models to follow in May, or possibly later -- apparently with €349 price tag, if recent retailer pricing is any indication. |
| Verizon now selling original iPad for as little as $300 Posted: 25 Mar 2011 09:53 AM PDT We've yet to see any sort of official announcement, but folks have been flooding various deal sites with reports that Verizon is now selling the original iPad for just $299.99 in-store. That's for the 16GB WiFi-only model, of course, but the 32GB and 64GB models have also apparently been discounted to $399.99 and $499.99, respectively. As you might suspect, however, there's also plenty of reports of Verizon already being sold out, so you might not want to waste much time if you're thinking about taking the plunge. MiFi sold separately, of course. |
| TEROOS robotic avatar gives your long-distance girlfriend a tiny, googly-eyed face (video) Posted: 25 Mar 2011 09:26 AM PDT Do you pine for animatronic eyes and robots that whisper sweet nothings in your ear? Well, geeks with distant girlfriends rejoice, because TEROOS, the shoulder-mounted, remotely-controlled telepresence avatar has arrived. Created by researchers from Keio University in Japan, the little bot has a camera and mic so far away friends can see and hear what you do, while a directional speaker keeps your conversations private. Communication's courtesy of Skype, while some custom code lets users control the device's six-axis articulating head. It's not an independent system, however, as it relies upon a smartphone to relay commands from a PC to the avatar through Bluetooth. Users can also change the bot's facial expressions thanks to a couple of googly eyes and mechanical eyelids, though it doesn't have quite the emotional range of other androids from the land of the rising sun. Intrigued? Check the vid after the break. |
| Samsung starts baking 30nm 4Gb LPDDR2 chips, packaging 2GB mobile RAM in April Posted: 25 Mar 2011 08:57 AM PDT When it comes to mobile RAM, capacity is often what pops to mind first while we overlook speed and power consumption, but Samsung's latest delivery is worth the extra attention. Earlier this month, said Korean giant started producing 30nm 4Gb 1066Mbps LPDDR2 (or simply Mobile DDR2) chips, in order to phase out its 40nm ones that topped 2Gb at a 800Mbps transmission rate. To put it in perspective, a 40nm 1GB package consists of four 2Gb chips, whereas the new 30nm one will only need two 4Gb chips, thus reducing the package thickness by 20 percent (down to 0.8mm) and power consumption by 25 percent. It's hard to tell when we'll start seeing these bits of silicon entering the consumer market, but Samsung's already stamping out 1GB modules this month, with a 2GB version to follow next month. Oh yes, we're definitely liking the sound of 2GB RAM for mobile phones. |
| AT&T's HTC Inspire 4G gets FCC permission to enable HSUPA Posted: 25 Mar 2011 08:36 AM PDT AT&T's teased that some of its existing models will eventually have HSUPA enabled, which should help mitigate the flack they've been taking over branding a network with glacial uplink speeds "4G." The recently-launched HTC Inspire 4G is among the models with disabled HSUPA out of the box, but the good news is that it shouldn't be disabled for much longer: an FCC Class II Permissive Change -- which gets generated when a device's RF characteristics are modified -- has just hit, clearly stating that "HTC Corporation will enable HSUPA function of this product." There's no time frame for the switch, but at least we know it's going to happen at some point; just try not to turn your Inspire into an FTP server in the meantime, alright? |
| Xperia Play delayed by O2 UK due to software bugs, what are the other carriers doing? Posted: 25 Mar 2011 08:11 AM PDT Oh, woe is us. Or, to be more precise, woe is us if we wanted the Xperia Play on the UK's O2 network on the day of its release, April 1st. The British carrier has been candid in admitting it found software bugs on the Play and is holding back release of the gamer-friendly device until those have been ironed out. We appreciate its effort in "testing the phone non-stop for weeks" and its reluctance to grab a quick buck by releasing imperfectly baked goods, but a major question remains -- if this isn't an O2-specific software problem, and we've heard no peep of O2 customizing the Android 2.3 build on the Play, why are no other carriers signaling a similar delay? Vodafone is still aiming to deliver UK pre-orders by April 5th and there seems to be no indication of flawed software from others. Only thing we can think of, given that O2 has the white Xperia Play exclusive, is that the white phone curse has struck again. [Thanks, Ed] Update: Here's what Sony Ericsson has to say on the matter: "Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY will be launching on 1st April across all UK mobile operator partners except for O2, who have decided to prolong the testing period in order to ensure that the software meets the requirements of its procedures. Sony Ericsson will be workingwith O2 over the next couple of weeks to expedite the process and ensure that O2 customers can soon join consumers across the UK in being able to enjoy the world's first PlayStation certified smartphone." |
| DIY business card displays your info via persistance of vision, fails to impress Patrick Bateman (video) Posted: 25 Mar 2011 07:52 AM PDT Still fancy the age-old business card and enjoy outrageous DIY projects that may or may not make you look foolish? Continue on then, dear reader. The peeps over at Instructables have provided a lengthy and seemingly difficult set of directions on how to craft a persistence of vision business card. POV allows your eyes to see text or images generated by light waving back and forth -- in other words, your name is displayed by swinging your arm in a giant circle. If you're cool with this, hit the source link, build your own and be sure to let us know how many contacts you make. |
| The Engadget Show with HP's Jon Rubinstein tonight! Posted: 25 Mar 2011 07:31 AM PDT Attention humans, just a friendly reminder that the Engadget Show is taping tonight at 7:00pm with HP's Jon Rubinstein at The Times Center in New York City! Joshua Topolsky will be sitting down the former Palm CEO (current HP Senior VP) to get the inside scoop on everything from the TouchPad, new Pre 3, Veer, the state of WebOS, and much more! What's more, our very own Joanna Stern will be demoing the Samsung 9 Series laptop, we'll have the Nintendo 3DS on stage for a live demo, and special guests Nilay Patel and Paul Miller will be joining the roundtable! We'll also have the usual slew of insane giveaways (someone will be walking away with a brand new HP Envy 14 notebook) and rocking chiptunes music from Minusbaby with visuals from The C-Men, as well as some more surprises! Remember, giveaways happen at the live show only, so make the trek and join us at The Times Center in person! We'll also be streaming the show right here on Engadget, so stay tuned! The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). If you want to join us tonight, tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! - There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free
- The event is all ages
- Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:00PM on Friday, March 25th, doors will open for seating at 6:15PM, and the show begins at 7:00PM
- We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets -- and the Sprint text-to-win winners (you'll know you've won by a text message) -- will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed -- you won't have to get back in line to get a good seat.
- Ticketing will continue until all tickets are given away
- You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
- Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full
- The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break)
- The show length is around an hour
Subscribe to the Show: [ iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V). [ Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [ RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. |
| MSI ships Fusion-based CR650 laptop, Wind Top AE2050 all-in-one PC Posted: 25 Mar 2011 07:07 AM PDT  AMD's Zacate E-350 APU (better known to casual observers as a member of the Fusion platform) has been shocking critics since its long-awaiting introduction earlier in the year, finally giving people a real alternative to Intel's historically sluggish Atom lineup. In the event that you've been waiting for Fusion-based options from MSI, a couple of previously introduced machines are now making their way out to the shipping docks. First up, it's the 15.6-inch CR650, complete with a dual-core E-350 APU (which includes a Radeon HD 6310 discrete-class graphics chip), an HDMI port, 720p webcam and a downright luscious $499.99 starting price. For those looking for something a wee bit less portable, or for those looking to significantly increase their load, the Fusion-backed Wind Top AE2050 ($679.99) is also shipping to Earthlings in North America. Hit the links below to learn more on each. Show full PR text MSI Ships its First Notebook and All-in-One PC Powered by the AMD Accelerated Processor in North America
AMD's CPU and graphics on a single chip enable MSI CR650 media notebook to deliver extra long battery life while Wind Top AE2050 All-in-One sips power compared to traditional desktops
CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. – March 15, 2011 – MSI Computer Corp., a leading manufacturer of computer hardware products and solutions, today announced that it is now shipping its first wave of PCs powered by AMD's Accelerated Processing Unit: the 15.6-inch CR650 notebook computer and the 20-inch 16:9 widescreen Wind Top AE2050 All-in-One PC.
Multimedia Entertainment in a Portable 15.6 Inch Design
The MSI CR650 notebook delivers a superior multimedia experience in a small form factor with the newest generation AMD Dual Core Processor E-350 with AMD Radeon™ HD 6310 Discrete-Class graphics chip which supports Microsoft® DirectX® 11 for enhanced performance. The CR650 extends the life of each battery charge with MSI's Turbo Battery+ power-saving technology and offers shortcuts for shutting off the screen to extend standby time, giving you up to 6 hours of power on the go. The CR650 also comes with high quality, theater-class wrap around stereo courtesy of SRS PC Sound™.
Additional highlights of the CR650 include:
· HDMI out: To watch HD films on a screen larger than a computer, the CR650's HDMI slot lets you connect to LCD TVs of any size.
· Genuine 720p high-definition (HD) video: Enjoy a truly clear and smooth video and picture quality without jerkiness. In addition, the Built in 720P HD Webcam can be used with all kinds of social networking media, allowing optimum high-quality video communication.
· Cinema Pro: The MSI CR650 laptop comes equipped with MSI's own Cinema Pro technology to maximize its graphics performance. Depress the Cinema Pro hot key to switch to video mode for higher resolution and richer colors for a viewing experience so enjoyable that you'll find it hard to tear yourself away.
"AMD's newest generation platform is helping revolutionize MSI's product portfolio," noted Andy Tung, vice president of sales for MSI US. "Our customers want entertainment on the go, as well as products that are sensitive to power consumption, and the new VISION Technology from AMD gives us the ability to deliver cutting edge products at an appealing price point."
All-in-One PC that's Easy on the Wallet and the Planet
The AE2050 All-in-One PC is also equipped with the AMD Dual Core Processor E-350 with AMD Radeon HD 6310 Discrete-Class Graphics, to provide high quality HD images and audio effects, whether watching online streaming video, playing online games or sharing photos.
Additional highlights of the Wind Top AE2050 include:
· High power efficiency: MSI's application of the latest AMD Fusion platform delivers incredibly low level power consumption – only 65 watts per hour – without compromising performance. Compared with traditional desktop PCs, the Wind Top AE2050 is able to save nearly 74% in energy, thus significantly reducing power consumption and CO2 emissions. The Wind Top AE2050 is certified with the most stringent environmental standards, including Energy Star 5.0 and the European Union EuP specifications for energy consumption.
· Faster gadget charging and file transfers via USB 3.0: MSI's Super Charger technology allows you to charge a device even when the computer is turned off, and it reduces charging time by 40 percent. Two high speed USB 3.0 ports provide a transfer rate that is up to 5Gbps and ten times faster than USB 2.0, which means a 4.8G HD movie can be transferred in approximately 14 seconds.
· Advanced HD imaging: Whether watching video, playing games, or sharing photos, the sharp HD images and audio effects on the Wind Top AE2050's 16:9 cinematic wide-screen display deliver a brilliant experience. Furthermore, with the AMD Accelerated Processing Unit supporting Microsoft DirectX 11, now you can enjoy your games with more life-like details and enhanced graphics performance.
· Exclusive multi-touch software: The fourth generation of MSI Wind Touch offers a friendly and intuitive user interface that makes it easy to check the weather, world clocks, browse photo albums, and record video messages without the use of a mouse or keyboard.
The new CR650 has an MSRP of $499.99 and the AE2050 starts at MSRP $679.99. Both are available at Newegg.com and Amazon.com. For more information and purchasing options, please visit http://us.msi.com.
|
| US satellites successfully track ballistic missile from cradle to grave, don't pay for the flowers Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:46 AM PDT Lasers destroy missiles, missiles shoot down satellites, and soon, satellites may tell both where to aim, as the United States successfully managed to track an entire ballistic missile launch from "birth-to-death" with its prototype Space Tracking and Surveillance System. After a year and a half in orbit, two Northrop Grumman-built satellites managed the feat last week, in what the company's calling "the Holy Grail for missile defense." While we're not reading about any plans to mount any lasers on the satellite's... ahem... heads, Space News reports that the US Navy will attempt to relay the satellite tracking data to its Aegis ships with interceptor missiles on board, and hopefully obliterate incoming projectiles with the extra range and reaction time that satellite coordinates afford. The Navy has reportedly scheduled its first game of space-based Missile Command for next month. |
| Researchers produce cheaper, 'cooler' semiconductor nanowires Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:18 AM PDT Advances in nanowires may occur on a pretty regular basis these days, but this new development out of Germany's Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems could have a particularly big impact on one all-important area: cost. As PhysOrg reports, manufacturing semiconducter nanowires at an industrial scale is currently very expensive because they need to be produced at extremely high temperatures (600 to 900 degrees Celsius), and the process used to manufacture them generally uses pure gold as a catalyst, which obviously adds to the cost. This new process, however, can use inexpensive materials like aluminum as a catalyst, and it can produce crystalline semiconductor nanowires at temperatures of just 150 degrees Celsius. Of course, that's all still only being done in the lab at the moment, and there's no indication as to when it might actually be more widely used. |
| MSI's GX680 laptop gets GeForce GT 555M graphics, up to 16GB of DDR3 Posted: 25 Mar 2011 05:49 AM PDT Mobile gaming rigs don't tend to be particularly upgradeable, so it's important to get all the horsepower you can up front. With that in mind, MSI's latest is delivering a little more oomph than its last lap-warmer. It's the GX680 and it's rocking an Intel Core i7 2630QM processor paired with GeForce GT 555M graphics, NVIDIA's latest bid at laptop pixel-pushing supremacy. That card has 1GB of GDDR5 memory onboard, while the system itself can be configured with up to 16GB of DDR3 -- rather a lot for a laptop. A 15.6-inch, 1080p display is available, along with dual 750GB HDDs, which can be configured in RAID 0 if you like living dangerously. Blu-ray is also on offer, along with a THX certified Dynaudio sound system that is said to deliver audio "heretofore found only in cinemas." No price yet, but as always with MSI that kind of hyperbole comes for free. |
| Buffalo reveals slimline external BDXL burner for $275, affiliated media still makes your wallet weep Posted: 25 Mar 2011 05:20 AM PDT BDXL is the optical storage medium du jour, but the options for those wanting its capacious quad-layer burning capabilities in a tasty to-go form factor are fairly limited. Previous drives have lacked a certain... aesthetic appeal, but now Buffalo has unveiled its BRXL-PC6U2-BK, a slim and shiny external model that'll handle all of your BDXL disc-creation needs. The drive can run off a single USB 2.0 plug, though writing at 4x speeds requires a second USB connection to give it the juice required to do the deed. Slated for a release by the end of March, otherwise known as next week, this hot little onyx number will set you back ¥22,100 (about $275). Just don't go blowing all your cash on the drive -- BR-R XL discs ain't cheap, y'know. |
| Xperia X10 to get Android 2.3 this summer, makes us rub our eyes in disbelief Posted: 25 Mar 2011 04:39 AM PDT Who's in charge of Sony Ericsson today and what did they do with the old crew? Reversing a previous statement saying there'll be no Android updates for its Xperia X10 family beyond Eclair, SE has just announced that it'll bring Gingerbread to the X10 at the end of Q2 / start of Q3 this year. That's right around this summer, when we should expect a user experience roughly equivalent to that on the new Xperia Arc, Neo and Play devices, whose Gingerbread implementation looks to have served as the basis for the elder X10's upcoming update. Seriously, Gingerbread on the X10, we still can't believe it. P.S. - If you're wondering about the X10 Mini, X10 Mini Pro or X8, those are all stuck on Android 2.1. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Yosion's second-gen Apple Peel 520 arriving on March 28th, ready to cellularize your iPod touch Posted: 25 Mar 2011 04:31 AM PDT Remember the second-gen Apple Peel 520 we saw back in January? Yep, Yosion has now confirmed that this familiar-looking adapter will be available in China on March 28th, which happens to be this coming Monday. Like its predecessor, this new sleeve lets you send texts and make regular phone calls on a jailbroken iPod touch (including the latest FaceTime-loving model), but now Yosion's also thrown in GPRS data connectivity along with some extra battery juice, all for the price of just ¥520 ($79) for pre-orderers and possibly around ¥598 ($90) when it's out. Frankly, this isn't a bad value proposition for those already clinging onto an iPod touch -- just make sure El Jobs doesn't catch you holding this Peel. |
| Android in-app billing coming next week, starts developer testing today Posted: 25 Mar 2011 03:53 AM PDT Google promised us the ability to buy stuff while inside Android apps, and sure enough, it's now just about ready to deliver it. Eric Chu, responsible for the company's Android Developer Ecosystem, has announced app submissions are now being accepted from those wanting to offer up purchasable items within their software. He also points out there'll be about a week's worth of internal testing before the whole system opens up to the public, likely before the end of the month so that Google may stick to its word of rolling out the service in the first quarter of this year. Once that's done, you'll finally be able to buy your way to in-game glory instead of having to grind away at it like some unenlightened schmo. |
| iPad 2 gets a magnetic cherry cover to top off its delicious hardware cake (video) Posted: 25 Mar 2011 03:11 AM PDT Killing time until the iPad 2 finally becomes available across Europe later today? Well, now you can stoke the flames of anticipation by taking a gander at this here wood cover made specifically for the magnet-infused new Appletablet. It comes from a single piece of cherry wood and rolls up into a stand, providing a pair of landscape positions and a sturdy base for keeping the slate vertical should you wish to gaze upon it in portrait mode. Frankly, Apple should've been the one to come up with this refinement on its Smart Covers, though at least a small company like Miniot spares us the overblown rhetoric about life-changing gear purchases. Price isn't too bad, either, with orders starting at €50 later on today. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
|
| Samsung's CTIA press conference posted online, skinny new Galaxy Tabs shown off (video) Posted: 25 Mar 2011 02:28 AM PDT We were there, talking you through the entire thing in our liveblog, but if you want a more personal taste of what Samsung's CTIA Wireless 2011 keynote was like, the company's thoughtfully put it up on YouTube for general consumption. It features the introduction of the audacious new Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 models, both ever so slightly thinner than Apple's iPad 2, with the latter also claiming the title of being "the thinnest and lightest large-screen tablet in the industry." You can see it above, right alongside the Galaxy S II, which is in itself one of the skinniest smartphones you can hope to buy. Make your way past the break for the full presentation.
|
| BrandFinance declares Google the most valuable brand in the world Posted: 25 Mar 2011 01:52 AM PDT Well, it looks Eric Schmidt wasn't far off when he said recently that Microsoft is bigger competition than Facebook for Google -- at least when it comes to overall brand value, that is. According to BrandFinance's latest annual ranking, Google has just barely edged out Microsoft for the title of most valuable brand in the world, with the pair of them pushing Walmart out from the number one spot last year. As for Facebook, it just entered the top 500 for the first time at number 285, while Apple jumped twelve spots to make its first appearance in the top ten at number eight -- a shift that partly comes at the expense of usual suspect Coca Cola, which has dropped out of the top ten for the first time. The biggest loser? Nokia. It dropped all the way from number 21 last year to number 94 this year. Hit up the source link below for the complete list. Show full PR text Google grows as Coke goes flat and BP leaks brand value, according to the 2011 BrandFinance® Global 500
• The BrandFinance® Global 500 is the world's most comprehensive brand value league table, ranking the most valuable brands across all major markets
• Google is the most valuable brand in the world ($44.3bn), edging Microsoft ($42.8bn) into second place
• Coca-Cola drops out of the top ten for the first time ($25.8bn)
• BP suffered a $3.4bn loss and falls 53 places
• Facebook enters the table in 285th place with a brand value of $3.7bn
• The US continues to dominate the index; American brands constitute 13 of the top 20 and 26 from the top 500
Rise of the machines
Although the top tier of the BrandFinance® Global 500 contains many household names brands that have existed for decades – IBM, Bank of America, HSBC – the world's increasing dependence on the internet is reflected by Google's position at no. 1. Five of the top ten largest growers are technology-related companies, reinforcing the commercial importance of embracing technological innovation to give a seamless, value-enhancing brand experience for customers and consumers.
'Don't be evil' - Google's dominance of the search engine sector means it tops the 2011 table. The company has repeatedly undertaken ventures that are comparatively un-commercial but have a positive impact on its brand rating (AAA+) which is the highest in the table. These actions include developing services help rescue efforts following the natural disasters in New Zealand and Japan and its growing not-for- profit arm.
Apple's success continues as it moves up twelve places, supported by innovative design, a very loyal consumer base and well-executed marketing activities.
However, Coca Cola has dropped out of the top ten for the first time. This is underpinned by the consumer trend in developed markets to move towards healthier, non-carbonated drinks.
Walmart was one of the few brands to actually increase its brand value during the banking crisis due to its well defined, value-oriented proposition. Its value has dropped slightly but, due to its overall size, its marginal loss (12%) means it also becomes one of the largest losers for 2011.
BP suffered a torrid time in 2010 although, according to a Brand Finance study in August 2010, the brand value had dropped as low as $4.7bn. It has now rebounded to $8.8bn but is facing further problems relating to its partnership with Rosneft.
Nokia suffered the largest fall in brand value – $9.9bn. The company has struggled in the smartphone market, a victim of Apple's success, although the partnership with Microsoft may help to revive their fortunes.
Facebook enters the BrandFinance® Global 500 for the first time with a brand value of $3.7bn. Although monetisation of the world's largest social networking site remains contentious and its product diversification strategy remains relatively opaque, there is little doubt concerning the brand's huge popularity, its effectiveness in entering new markets and stratospheric levels of consumer usage.
David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, said: ''The rise of the technology brands has been expected for some time, although Nokia's fall shows that it is tough to stay at the forefront of such a dynamic industry. Over the last couple of years, we have found that, across many leading companies, senior management are increasingly using brand valuation dashboards to monitor the health of their brands throughout the year in order to make better informed strategic marketing decisions. This trend is likely to continue as the sheer size of these brand values becomes impossible to ignore.'' |
| Microsoft unites with former exec in building a 'smart city' in Portugal Posted: 25 Mar 2011 01:08 AM PDT  If you want better cities, goes the theory herein, you'll have to start at their very foundations. Steve Lewis, ex-Microsoftie and current CEO of Living PlanIT, has a vision for how to make our cities smarter and more sustainable, and it starts literally at ground level, with the installation of smart sensors into buildings as they're being built. The appeal of his company's ideas has already attracted some tech luminaries as partners, Cisco being among them, and now Microsoft has also been signed up -- to provide the cloud framework required to keep all those sensors talking with its Azure platform. Paredes, a Portuguese municipality, will play host to one of the first such projects, eventually providing homes for nearly a quarter of a million people and costing a staggering €10 billion ($14.1b) to complete. To understand the synergistic benefits of having your life monitored by an omniscient Urban Operating System sentinel, skip past the break for a press release and explanatory video. Show full PR text Microsoft and Living PlanIT Partner to Deliver Smart City Technology Via the Cloud
Microsoft Connected Government Framework to integrate with Living PlanIT's Urban Operating System
Brussels – March 22, 2011: Microsoft Corp today announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with Living PlanIT SA, one of the world's leading smart city and urban development technology providers. The partnership integrates Microsoft Connected Government Framework (CGF) with Living PlanIT's Urban Operating System (UOS), a real-time control platform that converges cloud computing, deep sensing, simulation, analytics and application services with the fabric of buildings and infrastructure.
This partnership will enable citizens to seamlessly access smart city technologies via the cloud so they can manage their everyday life events and data. It will provide a rich framework for the incorporation of partner technologies and will deliver a platform to enable a new generation of intelligent cities and urban development. Together, these technologies will help improve the quality of life for citizens and industry while preserving the environment and natural resources.
CGF empowers governments to deliver and manage public services in a way that encourages greater citizen engagement. This creates an excellent integration point for Living PlanIT's UOS, a middleware platform that is embedded in the fabric of buildings and infrastructure. It connects with underlying city hardware related to energy, water, waste, transport and logistics to provide an integrated urban control platform. Place- and context-aware applications - known as Place Apps - can easily make use of the extensive data, sensing and control capabilities embedded in the fabric of a city to enhance the productivity of inhabitants and efficiency of real estate.
"Working in collaboration with Living PlanIT and its partners, these technologies will become critical enablers to the solutions that harmonise economic and social development with the environment throughout the world," said Niels Soelberg, vice president, Public Sector Sales at Microsoft EMEA. "This partnership provides the opportunity to realise these ambitions and change how we view the connection between city, society and technology."
Because CGF is delivered via the cloud, it supports Living PlanIT's goal to create a single platform that is universally accessible and scalable, which reduces the time and cost of design, delivery and operations of real estate. UOS will be made available with CGF as part of the Windows Azure platform and will provide central and local government bodies with more flexibility and precision than before as they look to stimulate sustainable development and regeneration.
"We are delighted to be partnering with Microsoft. The combination of Microsoft's cloud computing platform and our market-leading partner ecosystem enables Living PlanIT to create exciting new solutions in the most effective manner," said Steve Lewis, co-founder and CEO, Living PlanIT. "As technologists, we innovate to create value and make a meaningful contribution, individually and collectively. We are in a race, ironically, against ourselves. Our population is growing and moving. Software has transformed industries - medicine, education, science, finance, manufacturing - and software will transform our cities to achieve their economic, social and environmental potential. The convergence of cloud computing, deep sensing and innovative software applications will contribute directly to the viability and sustainability of our cities."
The partnership was officially unveiled at the opening of the Microsoft Cloud Interoperability Center in Brussels. Present at the event were Jean-Philippe Courtois, president of Microsoft International, and Neelie Kroes, vice president of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda.
About Living PlanIT
Living PlanIT S.A. is a technology company enabling the development of innovative, intelligent sustainable urban-scale environments. The company brings together people, industry and educational institutions to create innovation cities where emerging technologies are developed, perfected and experienced. Information about Living PlanIT can be found at www.living-planit.com
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.
About Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Microsoft has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoft employs more than 16,000 people in over 64 subsidiaries, delivering products and services in more than 139 countries and territories.
This material is for informational purposes only. Microsoft Corp disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to use of the material for other purposes. Microsoft Corp shall not, at any time, be liable for any special, direct, indirect or consequential damages, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other action arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of the material. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting any kind of warranty. |
| ASUS rips off Big Bang Theory for Transformer promo, makes it just as unfunny as the real thing Posted: 25 Mar 2011 12:13 AM PDT ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer can alternate between being a tablet and a pseudo-laptop thanks to a keyboard / extended battery dock. It also has a Tegra 2 heart and a Honeycomb mind, but the company's opted to focus on its physical uniqueness in a video it's just released marking the new Pad's Taiwanese debut today. Only problem is, Jonney Shih went and listened to his son's idea (no joke!) to theme it around US comedy show Big Bang Theory, replete with Megatron jokes, bad haircuts, and gadget lust aplenty. We'll let you judge how well that worked out after the break.
|
| Aircell announces world's first 'airborne smartphone' Posted: 24 Mar 2011 11:39 PM PDT No, you won't be able to use it on your next flight, but if you're lucky enough to have your own business jet, you will soon be able to get Aircell's new Android-based smartphone designed for aircraft use. While the company's staying fairly mum on specifics at the moment, the phone is said to pack a 3.8-inch capacitive display, and it's designed to be backwards-compatible with all Aircell Axxess communications systems currently in production, as well as its forthcoming Gogo Biz Voice service. No word on pricing just yet, but Aircell is promising to reveal that sometime before the phone launches in "late 2011." Head on past the break for the full press release. Show full PR text Aircell Introduces the World's First Airborne Smartphone
RENO, NV [AEA International Convention & Trade Show] – March 23, 2011 – Aircell, the world's leading provider of inflight connectivity, today unveiled the Aircell® Smartphone, a next-generation cabin handset designed specifically for business aircraft. With intuitive, menu-driven features, the Aircell Smartphone allows passengers to place and receive voice calls aboard business aircraft as easily and conveniently as they do with mobile phones on the ground. In addition, its flexible Android OS platform sets the stage for a nearly unlimited set of rich-media features and functions in the future. First shipments are scheduled for late 2011.
Among a host of groundbreaking capabilities, the new Aircell Smartphone will provide the best voice quality in aviation through a number of embedded technologies and design features. At 3.8" diagonally, the Aircell Smartphone's bright, color touchscreen display is the largest the aviation industry has ever seen in a telephony device. It exceeds the size of most consumer smartphones on the market today.
"The result of extensive industrial design and human factors study, the Aircell Smartphone epitomizes the notion of next-generation inflight communications. It gives passengers exactly what they want – the best-sounding, best-looking and easiest-to-use handset in aviation," said John Wade, Aircell's Executive Vice President & General Manager, Business Aviation Services. "We've received extraordinary feedback from all corners of the industry on this achievement, and we look forward to bringing it to market later this year."
Key Benefits & Features
1. Designed specifically for aircraft use, from the ground up
2. Big, bright, 3.8" color touchscreen display – the largest in the industry
3. Flexible, future-minded Android OS platform
4. Bluetooth-compatible for hands-free operation
5. Ingenious design for interchangeable wireless or wired operation
6. High-touch design with expert use of colors, materials & finishes
7. So easy to operate, no user manual is required
8. Drop-in replacement for current Aircell Axxess flush-mount handsets
9. Integrated audio jack for wired headsets & earbuds
10. Fully certified
The Aircell Smartphone will be backward-compatible with all Aircell Axxess communications systems currently in production, and available as a drop-in replacement for the company's prolific Aircell Axxess flush-mount handset. It will also be fully compatible with the company's forthcoming Gogo Biz™ Voice service via the ATG 4000 and ATG 5000 systems. Shipments of the new Aircell Smartphone are scheduled to begin in late 2011 and pricing will be announced prior to that time.
About Aircell
Aircell is the world's leading provider of inflight connectivity and a single-source, turnkey provider of equipment, service, and technical support. With a global sales and support presence, its products are offered by virtually every fixed- and rotor-wing airframe manufacturer in business aviation, and are installed aboard the world's four largest fractional ownership fleets. As winner of an exclusive FCC frequency license in 2006, Aircell has built a revolutionary new mobile broadband network for commercial and business aviation. In 2008, the Aircell® Network and its inflight portal, known as Gogo®, revolutionized the commercial airline passenger flight experience by delivering a robust Internet experience at 35,000 feet. The Aircell Network provides airlines with connectivity to operations and a path to enhanced cabin services such as video, audio, television and more. A similar feature set is available to Business Aircraft operators. Aircell has facilities in Broomfield, Colorado, and Itasca, Illinois. Aircell's vision is to give everyone the ability to stay In Touch, In Flight®. For more information about Aircell, please visit www.aircell.com.
######
© 2011 Aircell. All rights reserved. Aircell, Gogo and Gogo Biz, and In Touch, In Flight are trademarks of Aircell Business Aviation Services LLC or its affiliates. Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
| Samsung's original Galaxy Tab 10.1 renamed the Tab 10.1V, thicker Galaxy Tab 8.9 no more than a trade show dummy Posted: 24 Mar 2011 10:59 PM PDT Samsung certainly stole the award for best tablet at CTIA this year, but it didn't do so without confusing us a bit. Sure, its new rail thin Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 are impressive and we're loving those price points, but the company also had its older and thicker Galaxy Tab 10.1 on display to show off its TouchWiz 4.0 software. On top of that, it also had a heftier versions of the 8.9 on display at its booth for similar demo purposes. So, what happens to those older models? Well, the 10.1 will still be hitting Vodafone overseas, and as such it's being renamed the 10.1V. In fact, Pocket-Lint has heard that the UK won't actually get the new thin version, although we're guessing that could always change in the future. As for the thicker 8.9-inch model pictured above, Samsung was making it quite clear at its booth that it wasn't planning to release that product to the public. It even had that nice little sign up there to make sure it crystal clear to any onlookers. Whether that 8.9-inch tablet was intended for release and then scrapped after the iPad launch, we'll never know, but we will always have the pictures and video of it below.
|
| Festo's SmartBird robot takes off with elegance, doesn't poop on you (video) Posted: 24 Mar 2011 10:16 PM PDT The geniuses at Festo's Bionic Learning Network are well known for their fascination with robotic animals, and their latest creation is no exception. Dubbed the SmartBird, this autonomous bionic bird -- modelled on herring gulls -- graces the sky with its sophisticated two meter-long wings, which utilize a bending torso for lifelike directional control. What's more, this robot is also capable of taking off and landing on its own, but it can also be controlled and monitored from afar using ZigBee radio. Amazingly, all of this round up to just one pound, meaning the SmartBird can happily float about with moderate flapping. Jump past the break for some agile in-flight action, accompanied by an animation detailing the inner workings.
|
| Styrofoam touches electrodes to create incredibly fast-charging wonderbatteries Posted: 24 Mar 2011 09:29 PM PDT  Elon Musk's heart may have already given up on the humble battery, lusting after capacitors, but researchers at the University of Illinois have think there's life in the 'ol cells yet, creating batteries that charge and discharge in seconds. They've found a way to create electrodes using polystyrene beads as a sort of substrate, tiny spheres helping to set the porosity of either the nickel-metal hydride or lithium-manganese capacitor material. By adjusting the size and density of the bean bag innards the team was able to create an electrode porosity of 94 percent, which is just a few ticks short of theoretically ideal for exposing the maximum surface area of the electrode to the battery material. This results in extremely fast charges and discharges, the NiMH cell hitting 90 percent capacity in just 20 seconds and discharging in as quickly as 2.7 seconds. While we don't know just what kind of charging system the team was using to achieve this, even assuming a high-amperage stream of electrons this is still a remarkable feat. But, like most major advances there's a drawback: similar to Toshiba's SCiB batts the capacity of these cells is only about three quarters what it would be using normal battery construction, meaning you'd need roughly 25 percent more mass to get the same range in your ultra-fast charging EV of the future. That might just be a worthy trade-off. |
| University of Twente's new lens reveals the sub-100nm level with visible light Posted: 24 Mar 2011 08:50 PM PDT Small is beautiful, but only when you can see it. Specifically, we're talking about nanostructures -- including cellular organelles and nanoelectronic circuits -- around the order of 100nm. The problem is with a microscope, visible light only takes us down to a resolution of 200nm at best, and it's not always ideal to use conventional methods to boost the resolution -- you'd either have to dope the subject with fluorescent dye or use highly delicate equipment. Thankfully, the University of Twente has come up with a new type of lens that would solve this problem: in a nutshell, a nanoparticle is placed on one side of the gallium phosphide lens, while the other side -- disorderedly etched with acid -- takes in a precisely modulated laser beam and scatters it into a focal point of your choice. Sure, this sounds bizarre and ironic, but apparently the modulation is controlled in such a way that the scattered beam focuses much tighter than an ordinary beam would using an ordinary lens. Have a look at the comparison shots of some gold nanoparticles after the break -- that's some sweet 97nm resolution right there for ya. |
| Nook Color getting Flash and apps in April update, according to Home Shopping Network (update: official) Posted: 24 Mar 2011 08:02 PM PDT The little e-reader that could is about to do even more -- according to a listing on the Home Shopping Network, the Nook Color will get an update next month that brings Flash support and additional apps to the platform. That suggests that we'll finally be seeing Android 2.2 and perhaps an app store of some sort, though HSN isn't spilling the beans right now -- the cable station wants you to tune in at 12AM, 5AM or 9AM (or 12PM, 5PM or 9PM) ET this Saturday to get an exclusive sneak peek at the goods. Yours for just four easy payments of $74.97... which must seem like a tremendous deal compared to HSN's "retail value" of $504. Update: Barnes & Noble has now made this completely official itself, and confirmed that the update will include email support among other "exciting new applications." Press release is after the break. Show full PR text Barnes & Noble's NOOK Color™ Reader's Tablet Keeps Getting Better With Great New Content for People Who Love to Read Everything
Customers Can Enjoy Multitudes of Newly Added Digital Books, Magazines, Children's Books, plus Exclusive Content in Barnes & Noble Stores
Exclusive: The King's Speech Digital Book Only Available for NOOK Customers
New York, New York – March 25, 2011 – NOOK Color, the award-winning, bestselling Reader's Tablet by Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) keeps getting better with additions to its expansive digital catalog including everything from interactive versions of Travel + Leisure and Food & Wine to exciting children's books featuring Barbie, Dora the Explorer and Mickey Mouse. Barnes & Noble, the world's largest bookseller, continues to enhance the NOOK Color reading experience, enabling customers to read even more of what they love in rich, beautiful color. The company offers one of the world's largest collections of digital content – which includes the only digital version of bestseller The King's Speech, an unmatched children's book collection, and more magazines and newspapers offered in color for subscription or single copy issue from one bookstore.
"We created NOOK Color for people who love to read everything – books, magazines, children's books and more – in rich, beautiful color, and are continually adding terrific new content our customers have asked for – from ESPN The Magazine and The Economist to children's stories featuring favorite Nickelodeon and Disney characters," said Jamie Iannone, President of Digital Products, Barnes & Noble. "With more than two million digital titles to browse, download and enjoy in seconds, NOOK Color customers repeatedly tell us how much they appreciate the ability to virtually turn the page on their favorite monthly, dive into a bestseller, and bring story time to life for their children – all using one device. And as always, Barnes & Noble will keep making NOOK Color better with new titles and featured enhancements for the best-in-class reading."
NOOK Color will get even better this Spring when a major update to the device's firmware will offer customers access to explore exciting new applications, email and many other requested features.
Having exceeded one million digital periodical subscription orders and single copy sales, NOOK Newsstand™ continues to grow with the addition of great titles in the last few weeks that include The Economist, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, ESPN The Magazine, Saveur and PC Gamer. Barnes & Noble customers can now enjoy more than 135 digital periodical titles including exciting full-color digital versions of their favorite print brands, all available by subscription and single copies. Current bestsellers in NOOK Magazines include US Weekly, Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, Reader's Digest and O, The Oprah Magazine.
There's also lots of new stories for Barnes & Noble's youngest customers. Recent NOOK Kids™ additions include titles featuring favorite characters like Barbie, Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob Squarepants, Disney favorites featuring Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Phineas & Ferb, Beauty & the Beast, Snow White and the fun, fast, four-wheeled friends from Cars. Kids continue to be enchanted by stories featuring Barnes & Noble's exclusive Read to Me™ feature, with Are You My Mother, Go Dog Go, I Saw an Ant on the Railroad Track and Little Red Hen the current category bestsellers. With NOOK Kids, Barnes & Noble customers can choose from more than 300 titles in the world's largest collection of digital children's picture books, and more than 12,000 children's chapter books on NOOK Color, as well as the free NOOK Kids for iPad™ application (www.nookkids.com/ipad and www.itunes.com/appstore).
And for book lovers, Barnes & Noble offers the largest number of The New York Times bestsellers, offering the Academy Award®-winning The King's Speech only for NOOK customers. Among the recent bestsellers are Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen, Toys by James Patterson and Neil McMahon, and Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult. NOOK customers will also find more than 75,000 independently published works through Barnes & Noble's PubIt!™ digital platform, which add even more exciting self-published selections including current PubIt! bestsellers Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, Daniel's Gift, Switched and Spying in High Heels.
More in Store for April
Barnes & Noble also announced its April More In Store™ content, exclusively available for NOOK Color and NOOK™ eReader customers in any of Barnes & Noble's more than 700 stores. In April, NOOK customers can connect to Barnes & Noble's free in-store Wi-Fi® service to access exclusive content – including essays, short stories and more – from authors including: Alexander McCall Smith, bestselling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency; Erin McKean, author of The Secret Lives of Dresses; multi-bestselling thriller author James Grippando and Paula McLain, author of the much-reviewed-and-lauded The Paris Wife. More In Store is updated weekly and each new feature is available for four weeks on a rolling basis. Once a customer downloads the content to their NOOK, it is saved to their digital locker and can be accessed at any time. NOOK customers can always check the recent content by visiting www.bn.com/moreinstore.
Barnes & Noble Review Welcomes Katherine A. Powers' A Reading Life
Barnes & Noble is also proud to announce that the literary column A Reading Life by Katherine A. Powers, formerly appearing in The Boston Globe, will now be featured exclusively in the online Barnes & Noble Review. The popular and acclaimed reviewer and essayist will offer her insightful contributions for Barnes & Noble customers through her bimonthly column beginning in April. Learn more by visiting http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/. |
| Ask Engadget: best ergonomic keyboard for a Mac? Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:24 PM PDT We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Andrew, who isn't interested in ever getting CTS. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I bought my first computer from Apple a few months ago (15-inch MacBook Pro) and I've been using it extensively around campus. I didn't give it too much notice at first, but the keyboard is making me develop wrist problems (possibly carpel tunnel?). My wrist has been hurting so much that I couldn't sleep because my wrist would keep twitching. I bought a Logitech Wave Pro, which helped my wrist problem a lot. Problem is, Logitech dropped OS X support for the Logitech Wave almost two years ago, and many of my buttons are mapped incorrectly.
Which ergonomic keyboard would you suggest? I'm open to anything. Bluetooth is a bonus so I don't have to worry about a receiver, but if that degrades the performance / speed of the keyboard then I don't want it. Thanks!" We know Andrew's not alone here. There simply aren't enough legitimate ergonomic keyboard options that work perfectly with OS X, but hopefully there are one or two that have really made you folks happy. Let us know in comments below, cool? |
| Bing for Mobile portal gets updated, brings HTML5-based fanciness Posted: 24 Mar 2011 06:40 PM PDT  Whatever Google (and Yahoo!) can do, Bing can do better? It doesn't exactly have that so-called ring to it, but Bing has proven to be a legitimate contender in the search wars -- particularly on the mobile side. This week, Microsoft launched a number of updates to the Bing for Mobile browse portal, giving users access to better and faster image search, real-time transit and directions, app search for the iPhone, and more. The new version relies on HTML5, and the company assures us that Windows Phone 7 support for the updates (and HTML5) will be available later in the year. On-the-go users will also see transit directions (real-time in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, and Los Angeles), a reorganized shopping experience, automated weather suggestions and app / movie searches. Head on down to the source link (on your phone, of course) to see if any of the new features have you sold. |
| Audible audiobooks now flying onto Kindles via WiFi Posted: 24 Mar 2011 05:56 PM PDT  Heads-up, Kindle owners -- digging into your next audiobook just got a lot less troublesome. Audible has just announced that over 50,000 of its audiobooks are now available to download directly onto Kindles everywhere through WiFi. Granted, that's still one step away (3G) from being as good as it could possibly get, but it's still a tremendous improvement over the tried-and-true USB sideloading method. For those looking to get started for the first time, the outfit's offering a 30-day free trial of AudibleListener Gold, detailed in the source link below. Happy listening, bookworms. |
| Copenhagen airport tracks your every move using WiFi signals Posted: 24 Mar 2011 05:17 PM PDT Hello, Big Brother! According to the New York Times, Copenhagen International Airport is currently testing a new program that monitors passengers based on WiFi data emitted from devices like laptops and smartphones. Airport officials observe travelers from a remote computer, and can tell, within 10 feet of accuracy, where they spend their time -- those arriving and departing are represented by different colored dots. The program, created by Geneva-based SITA, also gives visitors the option to download an iPhone app that provides location-based information, like promotions from nearby restaurants. SITA's VP said the software isn't intrusive, as it follows devices, not individuals, but we're not sure we want anyone to know how long our Android spends in the bathroom -- and you thought those naughty-bit scanners were creepy. |
| Samsung Vibrant passes FCC again with AT&T 3G bands: a pre-acquisition tester? (updated) Posted: 24 Mar 2011 04:38 PM PDT This is out of left field, but bear with us -- it all makes sense, in a creepy, business-y sort of way. First, the facts: a Samsung SGH-T959P just got FCC approval with 3G support on the 850 and 1900MHz bands (it might also support 2100MHz, but we can't tell from the documents we've skimmed in the filing -- and since it's not a US band, the FCC doesn't really care anyway). T-Mobile's original Samsung Vibrant was the SGH-T959, and the Galaxy S 4G was the SGH-T959V -- so you can imagine that this is another device in the same vein. Samsung SGH product codes that start with "T" and end with "9" are T-Mobile devices... but if this is for T-Mobile, where's the AWS 3G support? So here's our wild theory: T-Mobile and AT&T may have fast-tracked a T-Mobile-branded device -- in this case, an offshoot of the Galaxy S 4G -- with HSPA+ for AT&T's bands. AT&T has mentioned this week that one of the first fruits of its planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA will be a roaming agreement that allows T-Mobile customers to use AT&T's network, and naturally, that would require devices that support AT&T's spectrum; interestingly, this roaming agreement is going into effect whether the acquisition completes or not, so these guys have to deal with it. We'd doubt that either of these carriers would be keen on releasing yet another variant of the original Galaxy S as we move toward mid-2011 here, but it's entirely possible that T-Mobile and AT&T employees could be getting these to test the network integration over the course of the year. Crazy, yes... but just crazy enough to be plausible. Update: Here's another thought. This could be an HSPA+ device ( a la Galaxy S 4G) for a Canadian network, since several of those guys have also deployed Samsung devices that start with "T" and end with "9" -- the model number exclusivity to T-Mobile is strictly within American borders. We'll find out soon enough! |
| Researchers enable tactile feedback for e-readers using real paper, just like the olden days (video) Posted: 24 Mar 2011 04:12 PM PDT Brainiacs from Osaka University have created what they've called the Paranga -- a device that fulfills the lack of tactile feedback of page turns when using an e-reader. It's got a built in sensor that detects when the book is being bent and will rotate a roll of paper strips against your thumb. The force exerted against the device will control the speed of the paper roll. Although it's not accurate enough to turn one page at a time, the researches believe that if foil is used instead of paper, the voltage will be discharged as soon as a page is turned, ensuring single-page accuracy. If you want to see a video of the Paranga imitate page-turning, press play on the embed below the break. |
| Google Voice for Sprint hands-on (video) Posted: 24 Mar 2011 03:49 PM PDT Remember that Google Voice integration for Sprint we mentioned recently? Today at CTIA we got to see it in action, and it promises to take us one step closer to our robot overlords -- well, those of us who are Sprint customers, anyway. The most exciting feature is that the integration works with almost any Sprint number and device, and is not limited to just smartphones or the newly minted Nexus S 4G. Basically, you can pick your Sprint number or your Google Voice number to be your mobile number, and switch between them if necessary. Either way, this is the number that appears on other people's phones when you call them, and you still benefit from all the Google Voice perks. See it for yourself in our video after the break. Chad Mumm contributed to this report. |
| Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video) Posted: 24 Mar 2011 03:28 PM PDT We finally got our hands on the elusive Samsung Nexus S 4G for Sprint at CTIA here today and it's pretty much what you'd expect: a Nexus S with its GSM / HSPA radio swapped for a set of Sprint-compatible CDMA / EV-DO and WiMAX radios. While the Nexus S 4G lacks a SIM slot, it's actually 0.3mm thicker than the Nexus S -- that's the thickness of a business card, and is meaningless for all practical purposes. The phone also features a 4G signal indicator in the status bar, along with a 4G sub-menu in the wireless settings. Our demo unit was running Android 2.3.4 (!) -- a version we have not yet come across -- but we were told that neither the hardware nor the software are final at this point. So don't be surprised if the production model receives a few tweaks before launch. Perhaps a Sprint logo? Enjoy the gallery below, and hop past the break for our hands-on video. |
| Google keeping Honeycomb source code on ice, says it's not ready for other devices Posted: 24 Mar 2011 02:56 PM PDT Itching to put some sweet, crunchy AOSP Honeycomb on your hardware of choice? You might have quite a wait, as BusinessWeek reports that Google will not release the Android 3.0 source code in the near future, and we just received confirmation of the same. Google forwarded us the following statement, which pretty much says it all: Android 3.0, Honeycomb, was designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes and improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization. While we're excited to offer these new features to Android tablets, we have more work to do before we can deliver them to other device types including phones. Until then, we've decided not to release Honeycomb to open source. We're committed to providing Android as an open platform across many device types and will publish the source as soon as it's ready. It's fairly clear that the company's motivation here is the same as it's been all along -- Google wants to restrict Android to the devices it was designed for. Though the company long insisted that earlier versions of Android were not for tablets, manufacturers quickly adapted the source code to slates anyhow, and we can imagine the company wasn't thrilled some of the middling results. At that time, Google's only weapon was to deny access to Gmail, Maps and Android Market, which it did liberally (with a few exceptions to the rule) but this time it sounds like it's simply withholding the " entirely for tablet" source code instead of sending cease-and-desist letters out. Another explanation, however, could just be that Honeycomb's not ready for primetime without some OEM help -- last we checked, smartphone support was a far cry from final, and even the finished Motorola Xoom still has a few software kinks to work out. Here's hoping a nice cold bowl of Ice Cream will smooth things over with the open source community before long. |
| RIM deems BlackBerry OS 6.1 a 'major upgrade,' promises a spring release Posted: 24 Mar 2011 02:43 PM PDT We weren't expecting to hear too much about it, but RIM's year-end / Q4 fiscal 2011 earnings call uncovered a good bit of information surrounding BlackBerry OS 6.1. As you've likely learned by now, we weren't exactly throwing our iPhones and Droids into the nearest refuse bin after handling the Torch, and it seems as if quite a few bigwigs at RIM were equally disappointed. In response to a question about the rollout of BB OS 6.1, we were told that it would truly be a "major upgrade" over what's out there now, and rather than being an incremental update, it'll be more like "an overhaul." The company made no bones about its excitement for the release, and frankly, we're having a hard time keeping our expectations in check after listening in. Thankfully, we'll be able to get our paws on it at some point this spring, with a number of elements to be teased at BlackBerry World this May. Naturally, we'll be there to keep you up-to-date with how it's rolling along. |
| RIM adds Android app support to BlackBerry PlayBook via 'optional app player' Posted: 24 Mar 2011 02:12 PM PDT You read that right -- RIM just announced that its forthcoming BlackBerry PlayBook will support both BlackBerry Java and Android apps. That includes native C/C++ development support, HTML5, Flash and AIR support, not to mention game engines from Ideaworks Labs (AirPlay) and Unity Technologies (Unity 3). That means that you'll have access to over 200,000 Android apps should developers choose to "quickly and easily" port them over, and assuming you dive into one of two optional "app players" in order to do so. It's also worth noting that RIM's presser only focuses on Android "2.3 apps," and while we're assuming Honeycomb apps will eventually be supported, there's no mention of Android 3.0 just yet. Furthermore, devs can look forward to an imminent release of the native PlayBook SDK, which will specifically enable C/C++ application development on the BlackBerry Tablet OS. So, now that you can look forward to digging into the near-limitless Android Market via BlackBerry wizardry of some sort, are you actually considering picking up a PlayBook on April 19th? Let us know in comments below! Show full PR text RIM Expands Application Ecosystem for BlackBerry PlayBook
Research in Motion
RIMM | 3/24/2011 4:51:13 PM
- BlackBerry PlayBook to support BlackBerry Java and Android apps
- Native C/C++ development support added, in addition to HTML5, Flash and AIR support
- Support from leading game engines: Ideaworks Labs (AirPlay) and Unity Technologies (Unity 3)
- BlackBerry PlayBook becomes a new market opportunity for all the developers who have already created over 25,000 BlackBerry Java apps and more than 200,000 Android apps
WATERLOO, ONTARIO, Mar 24, 2011 (Marketwire via COMTEX News Network) --
Developers wanting to bring their new and existing apps to the highly anticipated BlackBerry(R) PlayBook(TM) tablet will soon have additional tools and options to enhance and expand their commercial opportunities. Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced plans to greatly expand the application ecosystem for the BlackBerry PlayBook. The BlackBerry PlayBook is scheduled to launch in the U.S. and Canada on April 19.
RIM will launch two optional "app players" that provide an application run-time environment for BlackBerry Java(R) apps and Android v2.3 apps. These new app players will allow users to download BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps from BlackBerry App World and run them on their BlackBerry PlayBook.
In addition, RIM will shortly release the native SDK for the BlackBerry PlayBook enabling C/C++ application development on the BlackBerry(R) Tablet OS. For game-specific developers, RIM is also announcing that it has gained support from two leading game development tooling companies, allowing developers to use the cross-platform game engines from Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to bring their games to the BlackBerry PlayBook.
Support for BlackBerry Java and Android Apps
"The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet. The power that we have embedded creates one of the most compelling app experiences available in a mobile computing device today," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "The upcoming addition of BlackBerry Java and Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook on BlackBerry App World will provide our users with an even greater choice of apps and will also showcase the versatility of the platform."
Developers currently building for the BlackBerry or Android platforms will be able to quickly and easily port their apps to run on the BlackBerry Tablet OS thanks to a high degree of API compatibility. The new optional app players will be available for download from BlackBerry App World and will be placed in a secure "sandbox" on the BlackBerry PlayBook where the BlackBerry Java or Android apps can be run.
Developers will simply repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to BlackBerry App World. Once approved, the apps will be distributed through BlackBerry App World, providing a new opportunity for many developers to reach BlackBerry PlayBook users. Users will be able to download both the app players and the BlackBerry Java and Android apps from BlackBerry App World.
The BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry Tablet OS are built on the QNX(R) Neutrino(R) microkernel architecture with a 1GHz dual core processor and a leading OpenGL solution, which allows RIM to make this incredibly broad platform support possible.
BlackBerry PlayBook users and developers who are interested in seeing the new app players for BlackBerry Java and Android apps can see demos at BlackBerry World in Orlando, Florida (May 3 to 5, 2011) (www.blackberryworld.com).
BlackBerry Tablet OS Development Tools
The BlackBerry Tablet OS already supports an incredibly robust platform with support for Web development standard HTML5, through the BlackBerry(R) WebWorks(TM) SDK for Tablet OS, and Adobe(R) AIR(R), through the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR. The BlackBerry Tablet OS is built from the ground up to run WebKit and Adobe(R) Flash(R) as well, giving developers a fast and true Web experience to leverage.
RIM is also announcing today that the BlackBerry Tablet OS Native Development Kit (NDK), which is currently in limited alpha release, will go into open Beta by this summer and be demonstrated at BlackBerry World. The BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will allow developers to build high-performance, multi-threaded, native C/C++ applications with industry standard GNU toolchains. Developers can create advanced 2D and 3D applications and special effects by leveraging programmable shaders available in hardware-accelerated OpenGL ES 2.0.
Other features of the BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will allow developers to:
-- Take advantage of the QNX POSIX library support and C/C++ compliance for
quick and easy application porting and for creating native extensions
for both BlackBerry and Android applications
-- Easily integrate device events like gesture swipes and touch screen
inputs
-- Integrate the BlackBerry Tablet OS environment into existing code
management and build systems using industry standard Eclipse CDT (C/C++
Development Tools)
-- Leverage work done in standard C/C++ to make it easier to bring
applications to the BlackBerry Tablet OS
-- Find and fix bugs quickly with provided debug and analysis tools
"The response to the BlackBerry PlayBook from the developer community has been exceptional. Our commitment to supporting HTML5 and Adobe AIR development has resonated and spurred developers to create fun and innovative applications for BlackBerry PlayBook users," said David Yach, Chief Technology Officer, Software at Research In Motion. "The upcoming BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK beta will add C/C++ tools to our repertoire and gives developers one of the broadest and deepest platforms to develop on."
Gaming Engines
Building on the power of the BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK, RIM is working with leading gaming and application development technology providers such as Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to implement their native engines and application development platforms. Developers will be able to take advantage of these engines when building games and other applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook.
The Ideaworks Labs Airplay SDK is expected to include support for the BlackBerry Tablet OS soon, making it easy for publishers and developers to use their existing code to bring their games and apps to the BlackBerry PlayBook.
"Supporting a new OS can be a challenge for developers," says Alex Caccia, President of Ideaworks Labs, "however, integration of the BlackBerry Tablet OS with the Airplay SDK makes this a non-issue. We think this is a far-sighted move by RIM: the BlackBerry PlayBook is a great device for games and applications, and combining this with content distribution via BlackBerry App World brings an exciting new ecosystem for developers."
RIM has also been working closely with Unity Technologies, providers of the highly popular, multi-platform Unity development platform and Union, the firm's games distribution service. Through Union, dozens of high-quality Unity-authored games are slated to make their way to BlackBerry App World for the BlackBerry Playbook.
"With a sharp focus on the multimedia experience, very powerful hardware, and fantastic games in the pipeline, the BlackBerry Playbook has all the right ingredients to be a mainstream hit," said Brett Seyler, GM of Union at Unity Technologies. "Through Union, Unity developers have an opportunity to reach a new audience and grow with another great new platform."
Availability
The new app players for the BlackBerry PlayBook are expected to be available from BlackBerry App World this summer. More information and demonstrations of the new app players will be shared at BlackBerry World. The BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will be available in beta later this year and will also be showcased at BlackBerry World.
Useful Links
For more information on the BlackBerry Tablet OS and BlackBerry PlayBook developing, visit http://us.blackberry.com/developers/tablet/
To see the BlackBerry Tablet OS in action running conceptual applications from The Astonishing Tribe, please visit http://www.youtube.com/blackberry#p/c/8D8C3A23664E6761/5/uH7NKhNyygw and http://www.youtube.com/blackberry#p/c/8D8C3A23664E6761/0/mWJG-sB7H4Y.
For RIM insights into developing for the BlackBerry Platform, visit http://devblog.blackberry.com or follow @BlackBerryDev on Twitter.
Visit the BlackBerry Developer Zone at www.blackberry.com/developers for the latest news, information and updates for BlackBerry developers.
Visit the BlackBerry Developer Video Library at www.blackberry.com/go/developervideolibrary to view a variety of instructional videos.
Sign up for the BlackBerry Developer Newsletter at http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/resources/newsletter.jsp.
For the latest news and information about the BlackBerry Developer Conference visit www.blackberrydeveloperconference.com. |
| RIM earnings show strong revenue and growth, but weak guidance for the months ahead Posted: 24 Mar 2011 02:04 PM PDT  Research in Motion just kicked out its year-end and Q4 earnings for fiscal 2011, and while things look fairly rosy for now, shares of the company have sunk around ten percent in after-hours trading. Why? Because even the greatest performance in the world can't ward off skeptical investors who are keyed in on guidance. The outfit reported expected revenues of around $5.2 billion and $5.6 billion, with earnings ranging from $1.47 billion to $1.55 per share. Sounds lovely, but not when you consider that analysts had expected those figures to be closer to $1.65 per share. That said, RIM did manage to ship 52.3 million BlackBerry smartphones, representing a 43 percent uptick over fiscal 2010. Furthermore, fiscal 2011 revenue shot up 33 percent over fiscal 2010 (landing at $19.9 billion), and we were given a confirmed ship date of April 19th for PlayBook. If you're looking for a breakdown in revenue for the quarter, you'll be interested in knowing that 81 percent was attributed to devices, 16 percent to service and just three percent to "software and other revenue." Based on what we've gathered from the earnings call, RIM understands that it'll be selling more lower-end devices going forward (during what it continually referred to as "a transitional period"), and it's expecting stronger revenue to come from software and services based around QNX. In fact, QNX (known as BlackBerry Table OS on the PlayBook) was pinpointed as being an OS for future "superphones," and while we heard a brief mention of the impending BlackBerry OS 6.1 release, it's fairly evident which platform the outfit is salivating over. If all goes well, we're told to expect some sort of RIM superphone in 2012, and while our instincts are telling us that just has to refer to a phone with a 4.3-inch display, no specifics whatsoever were given beyond the moniker. When referring specifically to the PlayBook, it was confirmed that WiMAX, LTE and HSPA+ versions were en route, and when asked about incoming 4G products, we were told that while no specific products could be spoken to (and that "no promises" could be made), there's a "super intense 4G effort" ongoing within the company. We also heard that BlackBerry OS 6.1 would be a "major upgrade," and even though no deets flowed from this call, we were assured that this "substantial" overhaul -- which will launch at some point this spring -- would be teased at BlackBerry World. |
No comments:
Post a Comment