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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

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Motorola to begin beta testing rugged Android tablet, steps up enterprise efforts

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 11:41 AM PDT

We've been keeping our eyes on Motorola's plans to sink its claws into the enterprise market for at least the past couple of months, and it looks like the company is ramping up its efforts with a rugged Android tablet fit for the workplace. A presentation provided to us by a helpful tipster outlines Moto's plans to be the "first physical embodiment defining Android for the Enterprise," with a Gingerbread-equipped tablet entering beta testing this October. As you can see from the slide above, the slate will sport both a 1.3MP front-facing camera and an 8MP rear-facing camera "with illumination and aiming" for barcode scanning. It's also carrying a dual-core 1GHz OMAP 4 CPU, 1GB RAM, 8GB NAND, a 7-inch LCD display, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, and USB connectivity. It should also pack enough juice to supply five and a half hours of streaming video, and should be able to withstand a four foot drop, extreme temperatures, excessive dust, and splashing water. From the look of things, this tablet's going to be more at home in the workshop than the boardroom, but we'll just have to wait and see what becomes of it once the thing makes it out of beta.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Sony Ericsson's Android bootloader unlocking site goes live, modders rejoice

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 11:22 AM PDT

As promised, Sony Ericsson has just flipped the switch for its Android bootloader unlocking service, meaning those with an unbranded Xperia device from 2011 and onwards -- Play, Arc, Neo, and Pro so far -- will be able to try out custom ROMs and other dirty mods with ease. All that's required here is your phone's IMEI number, which in return gives you the unlocking key to go with the Android SDK's fastboot program -- all will be clear once you've read the instructions at the source link. But remember: SE does warn that this service may void your warranty if all goes pear-shaped, so just be careful, won't ya?

RIM's BlackBerry Torch 9860 makes blurry video debut

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 10:59 AM PDT

BlackBerry Torch 9860
Storm 3? Torch 9860? Touch 9860? Monza? Monaco? The latest all-touchscreen BlackBerry has more names than RIM has leaks, as evidenced by this hands-on video out of Thailand. We're not sure what the handler's impressions are of the, as yet, unannounced device (but if you speak Thai, please, feel free to enlighten us in the comments). It seems that 1.2GHz Snapdragon delivers some snappy performance, at least. It's tough to tell, thanks to predictably out of focus camera work, but it also appears that the Torch 9860 (we're sticking with that for now) is using Comic Sans. We hope that's not by default. Vid's after the break, per usual.

Elitegroup Elitepad S10 Windows tablet graces the FCC, could still use a makeover

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 10:36 AM PDT

Little-known Taiwanese manufacturer Elitegroup managed to make our friends at Engadget Spanish do a double-take at CeBIT, where the company was showing off the fast (and chintzy-looking) Elitepad S10. Now the 10-inch Windows slate has reared its highly reflective head in FCC documents and -- what do you know? -- it still boasts that 1.5GHz Intel Atom Z670 processor (not the Z760, as being reported elsewhere). Other specs include 1GB of RAM, flash storage, a 1.3 megapixel camera, WiFi, HDMI-out, and Bluetooth 3.0. Alas, though, that Oak Trail CPU might not be enough to solve the Windows tablet battery life conundrum -- it promises a max of six hours of juice, if you're lucky.

Grace Digital's rugged Eco Terra iPhone dock: because nature's too quiet for you

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 10:10 AM PDT

"I'm on a boat."
Show full PR text
Grace Digital Audio: Eco Terra

World's first 100% waterproof iPod/iPhone dock, provides rugged protection for your iPhone, Blackberry, MP3 player, keys, and other personal items

-Water and dirt resistant design protects your mobile phone, MP3 player, and personal items from the outdoor elements
-All iPhone/iPod functions can be controlled while waterproof case is closed, providing full protection even during use
-Fully submersible and floats - IPX7 Approved (International Weatherproofing Standard)
-High impact shock proof casing withstands drops, falls and spills
-Protective casing charges iPhone/iPod while docked
-3.5mm audio jack works with any mobile phone or MP3 player, with two high-quality full range forward firing speakers
-AC or battery powered, making it ideal for camping, beach trips, and backyard bbq's

Price: TBD

The product will be announced and scheduled availability for August.

Microsoft wants you to help set a Guinness world record for the biggest ever virtual sprint

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 09:59 AM PDT

Microsoft's Kinect has already claimed one Guinness world record, and the company's now asking for your help in setting another -- don't worry, though, you don't have to buy anything else. It's asking folks to take a bit of time during the free Xbox Live Gold preview weekend later this month to set a record for the "most people running a virtual 100m dash at one time." To take part, all you have to do is download a free Xbox Nations gamer pic that will automatically register you for the record attempt, and then load up the sprint mini-game in Kinect Sports and start running at the time specified below. Everyone that takes part will get the snazzy Guinness World Records avatar tee pictured above for their trouble -- actual Guinness certificates still have to be earned the hard way.
The Guinness World Record attempt will take place at:
• 6pm UK Saturday 23/04
• 7pm CET Saturday 23/04
• 10am PDT Saturday 23/04
• 1pm EDT Saturday 23/04

Microsoft details Kinect SDK for Windows PC, promises 'robust skeletal tracking' (update)

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 09:54 AM PDT

Sure, a lack of first-party tools never kept you from bending the Kinect to your diabolical whim, but Microsoft's taking some time out at MIX 11 to talk about the official Kinect SDK for Windows and show off a few demos. Mind you, all of that's going to happen on stage over the course of the next hour, so we don't have many details for you right now, but Redmond says devs will have access to not only the basic color and infrared depth cameras, but "robust skeletal tracking" of two simultaneous individuals as well, and perhaps most excitingly, full access to the Kinect's array of four microphones for noise canceling and voice recognition complete with API support. Hate to say it, Kinect hackers, but the bar's about to be bumped up. Keep it locked right here and we'll let you know if the Microsofties reveal anything else fun!

Update: Yep, we're getting some Kinect SDK details now -- Microsoft says you'll be able to write Kinect apps for PC in Visual Basic, C#, and C++, and they're showing off basic coding now... with just a few minutes of work in Visual Studio, they had a program that could draw lines using the wave of a hand.

Update 2: Okay, we just saw some straight-up Minority Report fun here -- a guided astronomical tour of the universe controlled by Kinect, and a motorized lounge chair! Connection permitting, we'll have video up soon.

Microsoft's Joe Belfiore confirms: Skype coming to Windows Phone 7 'this fall'

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 09:41 AM PDT

You heard right -- Skype just went from "nowhere near" Windows Phone 7, to "on the roadmap," to "definitely coming this fall." That last tidbit is courtesy of Microsoft's own Joe Belfiore, stating that "Skype will be coming to the Windows Phone 7 platform this fall" while speaking live at MIX 11. We hesitate to act surprised, but given the prior reports that it may be a pipe dream, we're most certainly breathing a bit easier hearing this. Now, if only a WP7 phone would ship with a legitimate front-facing camera...

Windows Phone adds multitasking, deeper OS integration, and sensor access to dev platform

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 09:21 AM PDT

We knew it was coming, and today at MIX 11, Microsoft showed off its developer platform for the next version of Windows Phone, which developers will be able to get their hands on for free in May. The new application platform adds:
  • Multitasking for background processing, audio and file transfer, and fast app switching, including background audio playback for HTML5 webpages
  • Deeper integration of apps into the OS, allowing programs to leverage Live Tiles, including push notifications via Live Agents running in the background
  • Raw access to the camera and sensors (gyro and compass) via the Motion Sensor library, letting apps to control device hardware
Microsoft hopes this will allow developers to make even more creative and engaging apps. To get our juices flowing, it showed off demos of new app concepts from Skype, Spotify, Layar, Qantas, Amazon Shopping, and Kik Messenger. Check out our gallery below and hit the break for the details.
Windows Phone 7 platform updates from MIX 11

After briefly touching on the recent Windows Phone update issues, Joe Belfiore welcomed Nokia's Symbian developers (!) and demoed accelerated HTML5 webpage rendering vs. iOS and Android. The Amazon app showed off barcode scanning via raw camera access, while the Qantas app used Live Tiles and Live Agents to update flight status in real time.

The developer tools also received some updates including GPS simulation to help when coding on the emulator, as well as a profiler which allows developers to pinpoint and fix performance bottlenecks. Scrolling and touch input, image decoding, garbage collection, and memory usage all received bumps in performance allowing apps to run smoother without any code changes. Overall, Microsoft added 1500+ new APIs, including local SQLite database support.

We'll have some video up for you soon, but in the meantime, take a look at the press release below.
Show full PR text
Windows Phone, Kinect Exemplify New Usage Scenarios and Device Capabilities at MIX11

Today's keynote put a devices spotlight on Windows Phone, the forthcoming Kinect for Windows Beta SDK and the availability of Microsoft Silverlight 5 beta.

LAS VEGAS - April 13, 2011 - Microsoft Corp. executives today showcased the next version of the Windows Phone operating system and other powerful next-generation applications that span phones, PCs and other devices. Building on Tuesday's keynote, Microsoft demonstrated the value of developing for HTML5 and the standards-based Web with Internet Explorer 9 on PCs running Windows and Internet Explorer 9 on Windows Phone. With the forthcoming release of Windows Phone, coming later this year, Microsoft is providing developers with more hardware capabilities, better browsing and improved tooling, as well as expanded opportunities and Windows Phone Marketplace options. Together, these technologies create a richer application environment that expands mobile usage scenarios.

"The next release of Windows Phone represents the evolution of our strategy for ensuring that developers are at the forefront of 'what's next' by investing in even richer customer experiences, a powerful application platform and a thriving ecosystem," said Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president, Windows Phone Program Management. "We will soon deliver a new set of Windows Phone Developer Tools that will enable developers to create a new generation of apps that are even faster, more capable and better integrated with Windows Phone."

New Opportunities and Capabilities for Windows Phone

Today, Microsoft provided the first deep look at the development platform for the next version of Windows Phone, arriving on new and existing handsets later this year. Developers will soon have updated Windows Phone Developer Tools. Improved tools include a performance profiler and sensor simulation, enabling developers to build more integrated and high-performing applications. The new application platform enables developers to take advantage of the following:
• Application multitasking for background processing, audio and file transfer, and fast application switching
• Deeper phone integration so apps can, for example, take better advantage of the versatility of Live Tiles
• Access to the camera and Motion Sensor library so developers can build apps that incorporate device hardware and build augmented reality experiences

Developers will be able to take advantage of these new capabilities to create even more creative and engaging Windows Phone apps and games.

The free Windows Phone Developer Tools for the new Windows Phone OS will be available to developers in May. With 38,000 registered developers, more than 13,000 available apps and 1.5 million downloads of the original Windows Phone Developer Tools, developers are the foundation of the fast-growing Windows Phone ecosystem.

Today, Microsoft also provided an early glimpse of app concepts for the next version of Windows Phone OS with new experiences from Skype, Spotify, Layar, Qantas, Amazon Shopping and Kik Messenger.

"Windows Phone is an incredibly fun and easy platform for developers to work with, and Kik was thrilled to have the chance to create a concept with the phone's next-generation developer tools," said Ted Livingston, CEO, Kik Messenger. "In only two weeks, we had an amazing new app that looks and feels like an extension of the phone itself, creating a customer experience like nothing we've seen before."

Kinect for Windows Beta SDK Opens Doors for Enthusiasts and Academics

Kinect for Xbox 360, recently recognized by Guinness World Records as the fastest-selling consumer device in 60 days, allows users to enjoy games and entertainment with their whole body and voice - no controller required. Since Kinect launched in November 2010, enthusiasts have been exploring the potential of Kinect in a number of unexpected, nongaming scenarios. Today at MIX, Microsoft detailed some of the features in the Kinect for Windows Beta SDK from Microsoft Research coming in the spring, including the following:
• Robust Skeletal Tracking for high-performance capabilities that track the skeleton image of one or two persons moving within the Kinect field of view
• Advanced Audio Capabilities, including four-element microphone array with sophisticated acoustic noise and echo cancellation for great audio; beam formation to identify the current sound source and integration with the Windows speech recognition API also included
• XYZ depth camera for standard color camera stream access and depth data that indicates the distance of the object from the Kinect camera

Developers can sign up to be notified of the release at http://research.microsoft.com/kinectsdk.

Onstage, Microsoft showcased compelling examples of what is possible using the SDK, including WorldWide Telescope and several community projects. Frog design inc. created a Kinect-powered "Wall Panic" PC game, in which players contort their bodies until they match a shape descending on a large screen. This work typifies the creative groundswell of Kinect usage scenarios being delivered by enthusiasts, developers and academics.

"Microsoft's support for Kinect beyond the Xbox platform will increase opportunities for developers to explore new ideas and deliver innovative Kinect applications and experiences. A richer Kinect for Windows API will enable the creativity of these development communities to really come to life," said Robert Tuttle, chief architect, frog design.

Microsoft Silverlight 5 Beta Delivered

Microsoft also announced the immediate availability of the beta for Microsoft Silverlight 5, which provides advances in rich media and application development. New capabilities include Hardware Video Decode, for enhanced video quality and performance, and "Trickplay," which provides variable-rate video playback with audio pitch correction. The Microsoft Silverlight 5 beta also offers a new Microsoft XNA-based interface for delivering stunning 3-D visualizations within applications, along with a host of new features that are designed to enhance developer productivity and end-user experiences. More information and a download of the beta are available at http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight.

At MIX, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels demonstrated a dynamic new site that uses HTML5 to make the site's core content engaging and wide-reaching while using Silverlight for streaming a never-before-seen, HD video experience from inside the cockpit and a high-performance, interactive, 3-D representation of a Blue Angels aircraft.

"The Blue Angels are excited to launch a new, state-of-the-art website that will allow us to more effectively accomplish our mission of enhancing Navy recruiting and credibly representing Navy and Marine Corps aviation to the United States and its Armed Forces," said Lt. Katie Kelly, U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

Lenovo's metallic IdeaPad Z570 finally goes on sale, starts at $699

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 09:21 AM PDT

Of the nearly 20 consumer laptops Lenovo unleashed upon the world at CES, the IdeaPad Z570 was billed as the multimedia notebook with the least flashy design. (Okay, we're paraphrasing a little.) Curiously, the company didn't say at the time how much its metallic wonder would cost nor when it would be available. Three months later we're finally getting our answer: it's on sale now starting at $699, already taking a gentle tumble from $999. To refresh your saturated noggins, the 15.6-inch Z570 moves to a chiclet keyboard, as many other Lenovo laptops have, and packs a Core i3-2310M processor, 4GB of RAM, and 500GB 5,400RPM hard drive at its lowest price point. Those willing to spend more can step up to a $999 version that includes a Core i5-2520M CPU and 6GB of RAM. Either way, they come with DVD burners and relatively low-res 1366 x 768 screens, and the graphics top out with Intel's integrated HD 3000 chipset. That's all fine for everyday use, but deserving of that "multimedia machine" moniker? We'll leave that to you and your wallet.


[Thanks, Tim]

FRIDA 'concept' robot will solve all of Foxconn's problems by replacing its workers (video)

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 08:47 AM PDT

Don't be fooled by the "concept" label that ABB has affixed to its new robot. There can be only one logical conclusion to this endeavor: FRIDA and its ilk will one day replace the millions of young Chinese workers assembling our gadgets. It's no coincidence that this uniquely agile, dual-arm robot is compact enough to "fit into spaces ergonomically designed for human workers" and can be carried around "easily" to begin work with a minimum of installation requirements. In fact, ABB admits that several prototypes are already being piloted. The obvious advantage for Foxconn and friends is that FRIDA doesn't require a swimming pool, cafeteria, housing, or professional counseling to keep out of the dormitory nets. Watch FRIDA obey the first law of robotics at the 44 second mark of the video posted after the break as assembly line workers everywhere lament their lack of a handle.

[Thanks, Johannes]

Guitar Hero said to not be dead yet, will continue to rock from beyond the grave

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 08:25 AM PDT

Guitar Hero said to not be dead yet, will continue to rock from beyond the grave
It was with heavy heart that we reported in February the Guitar Hero franchise was dead, done in by an addiction to half-baked sequels and a growing tolerance of commercialization. It felt like the series being put out to pasture was for the best, but maybe this old rocker still has some life in its leopard-print pants yet. Dan Winters at Activision sat down with gamesindustry.biz and clarified that "the brand won't go away," that the company just isn't going to release a new one this year. You know what that means: next year you'd better be ready to dust off those flimsy guitars and rock once again like it's 2009.

Velve OLED lighting panels cover a broader spectrum (video)

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 08:03 AM PDT



The University of Michigan may boast the best blue, but Mitsubishi subsidiary Verbatim is showing off OLED lighting of a different color; several of them, actually. Demonstrated this week at the Fuori Salone show in Milan, these 14 x 14 cm Velve-branded lighting panels are amongst the first color tunable OLED light panels, giving off what Verbatim calls "colourful lighting with a luxurious feel; as smooth and as rich as velvet." Velve. Velvet. See what they did there? Sample Kits will be available in Japan later this month for ¥90,000 ($1,063), and Verbatim hopes to see the technology put to use in consumer products by the end of the year. Suddenly white light OLEDs look positively old hat -- here's hoping the price comes down before we burn through our incandescent stockpile.

Addonics SATA adapter turns six CF / CFast cards into one SSD

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 07:45 AM PDT

This isn't the first time we've seen a CF-to-SATA hard drive adapter, but Addonics' CF / CFast Drive is definitely the biggest. The thing sports six separate slots, which means you can use it to turn your memory cards into six different drives, or combine them in a RAID configuration to form a high capacity SSD. What's more, the whole thing fits comfortably in a standard 5.25-inch drive bay. If you've got a stack of CF cards collecting dust somewhere, you can get your hands on one of these bad boys starting at $135 at the source link below. Full PR after the break.

Show full PR text
New Addonics Storage Device Lets You Install Six CF or CFast Cards in One 5 1/4-inch Drive Bay

San Jose - Addonics Technologies today announced the CF/CFast Drive, which lets you create a solid state drive with a high speed SATA interface by simply using any CF card or a high speed CFast card.

The CF/CFast Drive can be installed into a standard 5 1/4" drive bay of a desktop or rack mounted system to accommodate up to six CF/CFast media. The media can be configured as six independent drives or combined into a RAID group to form a large capacity, high performing solid state drive.

Any of the six media slots can be used as an internal storage application so that the media cannot be accessible from outside the system. This flexibility enables the CF/CFast drive to be used as a bootable storage device, as six removable drives or as a combination of a boot drive and removable storage -- all inside a 5 1/4" drive bay.

The six media slots in CF/CFast drive are highly customizable. The CF or CFast media can be mixed and matched and any of the slots can be converted into an internal flash drive slot to prevent the media from being accessible outside the system.

Four models are available. One is for CF media and the other for CFast media. The other two have a built-in hardware port multiplier for either CF or CFast, which supports RAID 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, JBOD, Clone Mode (N-Way Mirror) or individual drives.

Prices range from $135-$199.

The new Addonics products are a complete solution for adding solid state storage for better performance, lower power consumption and improving the durability in computing environments with frequent shocks and vibrations. The company also sells Addonics-brand CFast media in 4-8-16-32 MB capacities.

iRobot agrees to provide US Navy with bomb disposal and recon bots in a deal worth up to $230 million

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 07:24 AM PDT

iRobot may still be best known as the creator of the homely Roomba vacuum-cleaning drone, but savvy readers will know the company's endeavors span a pretty broad range of robot-related activities. One of those has now borne fruit in the shape of a multiyear agreement with the US Navy for the provision of "portable robotic systems" that can identify and dispose of explosives while also performing a bit of reconnaissance work in their spare time. The announcement doesn't tell us the particular model(s) or number of bots that will be provided, but there is clarification to say that iRobot will be responsible for providing spares, repairs, training, and accessories along with the hardware, with the total revenue for the company potentially swelling to $230 million over the full course of the contract, which lasts through 2015. Our guess is that the "throwable" robot shown off a couple of weeks back would be a good candidate for this task, though we doubt it'll be thanking us for endorsing it for such perilous work.

External batteries benchmarked, the portable juice is loose

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 06:59 AM PDT

A lot of portable PC power cells last for only four or five hours, after which you'll find yourself chained to a wall socket. Good thing there are external batteries to keep us in current when a plug's nowhere to be found, and Tom's Hardware has done some benchmarking on a slew of such devices so you'll know which one's suited for you. A Dell Vostro 3300 and an Inspiron Mini 10 running Windows 7 were used to put packs from Amstron, Brunton, Digipower, Electrovaya, Energizer, Lenmar, PowerTraveller and Tekkeon through some real-world paces -- we're talking word processing and web surfing, not fragging and film editing. So if you're in the market for a mobile power unit, hit the source link and get the down and dirty on which external battery's best.

HP rolls out EliteBook 8460w, 8560w and 8760w laptops for the business-minded

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 06:31 AM PDT

It's still not saying anything about the lightweight EliteBook 2560p and 2760p models that leaked out last month, but HP has now gotten official with three new slightly less portable laptops: the 14-inch EliteBook 8460w, 15.6-inch 8560w and 17.3-inch 8760w. The latter is expectedly on the top end when it comes to specs, with it boasting your choice of Sandy Bridge processors up to a Core i7-2920XM, either AMD FirePro or NVIDIA Quadro graphics with up to 4GB of memory, and up to three hard drives with RAID 5 support. The other two EliteBooks each dial things down a bit across the board, but you can still get up to a Core i7-2820QM on each of them, and there's not even an option for integrated graphics. Look for all three to be available next month with base prices starting at $1,299, $1,349 and $1,899 -- full press release is after the break.
Show full PR text
HP Unveils Mobile Workstation Portfolio for Ultimate Performance, Design and Durability

LAS VEGAS, April 12, 2011

HP today announced a new lineup of powerful mobile workstations, ideal for engineering, power-computing and content-creation customers who need the performance of a workstation with the portability and convenience of a notebook.

HP also unveiled the HP Z210 Workstation, demonstrating its continued investment in the desktop and mobile workstations market, where it holds leading market share.(1)

Building on HP's "FORGE"#8221; design framework, the HP EliteBook w-series embodies a timeless construction, with precision-engineered durability features that are designed for maximum reliability and with the environment in mind. The new products showcase HP's first-ever industrial design specific to mobile workstations, with distinctive features including a radial-brushed gunmetal finish, backlit jewel logo and orange-colored accents.

The mobile workstations also are certified by independent software vendors to run the most demanding professional applications, helping ensure reliable performance for mobile power users.

* HP's most powerful mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8760w offers a 17.3-inch diagonal, high-definition (HD) screen,(2) a choice of high-performing AMD FirePro(3) or NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics and up to 4 gigabytes (GB) of video memory.(4) The EliteBook 8760w also can be configured with three hard drives and RAID 5 support – a first for HP mobile workstations.
* The HP EliteBook 8560w features a15.6-inch diagonal HD display and supports AMD FirePro graphics for 1 GB of video memory or NVIDIA Quadro graphics for 2 GB of video memory. The optional HP DreamColor display on the EliteBook 8560w and 8760w(5) also allows for more than 1 billion active color possibilities.
* HP's smallest and lightest mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8460w, starts at only 4.9 pounds and includes a 14.0-inch diagonal HD panel, in addition to an AMD FirePro 1 GB video memory professional graphics card for true on-the-road video performance.

"As the fastest growing segment of the workstation market, mobile workstations continue to provide value to our most demanding design, animation and engineering customers," said Efrain Rovira, director, Mobile Workstations, Notebook Business Unit, HP. "The new EliteBook mobile workstations announced today combine innovative design with trusted, workstation-class technology to fuel creativity."

Durable design and color-critical display

The HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w include precision aluminum-alloy hinges and cast titanium-alloy display latches for enhanced durability. Sporting a radial-brushed display cover in a new gunmetal color, the portfolio boasts an aerospace design inspired HP DuraCase and is MIL STD 810G tested for drop, vibration, dust and altitude that might arise during on-the-go computing.(6) The HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w also feature a backlit keyboard for workstation-caliber productivity, day or night.

Additionally, the HP DreamColor display option on the HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w(5) allows for more than 1 billion active color combinations – 64 times the capabilities of a traditional display – and uses a 30-bit notebook LCD panel to provide a level of color control exclusive to the EliteBook w-series for consistent color appearance from concept, to design, to production. The HP Mobile Display Assistant and optional HP Advanced Profiling Solution enable more precise control, adjustment and alignment of the DreamColor notebook display to ensure predictable color.

On-the-go workstation-caliber computing

Built to deliver optimized workstation-class processing and support migration to 3-D professional applications, the HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w feature second-generation Intel® Core™ i7 and i5 dual- and quad-core processors,(7) offer premium performance and responsiveness with vPro compatibility,(8) and support up to 32 GB of RAM.

With video memory options from 1 GB to 4 GB, the new w-series delivers superior, ISV-certified professional graphics solutions from NVIDIA and AMD for the 8760w and 8560w and from AMD for the 8460w. When equipped with an AMD discrete graphics solution and an optional HP Advanced Docking Station, the HP mobile workstations support AMD Eyefinity Technology for simultaneous support for up to five independent displays.(9)

HP EliteBook mobile workstations also offer a variety of storage capacity options, including SMART SATA, Self Encrypting or Solid State Drives, with up to RAID 5 capability. The mobile workstations are also equipped with a variety of ports, including USB 3.0, eSATA and USB 2.0 charging ports.

Now available on HP mobile workstations, HP Performance Advisor, an intuitive user interface, helps keep applications running smoothly, while optimizing configuration and graphics performance.

The HP EliteBook 8760w and 8560w offer an 8-cell primary battery, while the HP EliteBook 8460w offers 6- and 9-cell options for extended battery run time. All models include an HP Long Life Battery option. The mobile workstations also are compatible with the new HP Extended Life Notebook Battery and HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook Battery, which offer external battery supplies for additional run time.

Productivity tools and components

The new mobile workstations offer HP Professional Innovations, including HP QuickWeb 3,(10) HP Power Assistant,(11) HP Connection Manager and HP ProtectTools,(12) which includes standard drive encryption for data protection. SRS Premium Sound also provides optimized audio settings for voice and multimedia applications and delivers an audio experience for digital content creators or users listening to media-rich content and presenting multimedia-heavy presentations.

Pricing and availability(13)

The HP EliteBook 8760w, 8560w and 8460w start at $1,899, $1,349 and $1,299 respectively, and are expected to be available in the United States in May.

More information about the products, including product specifications and images, is available at www.hp.com/personal.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world's largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure at the convergence of the cloud and connectivity, creating seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

Lenovo hoping to launch 23-inch tablet this year (update: debunked)

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 05:57 AM PDT

Lenovo hoping to launch 23-inch tablet this year, your lap may never be the same
Dual 14-inch touchscreens not big enough? 21-inches of touch sensitivity still failing to sate your fingers' need to roam wild and free? Maybe the 23-inch behemoth of a tablet that Lenovo is planning on unleashing this year will make those digits dance with delight. The plan is, apparently, to take one of the company's Windows-powered all-in-one machines, delete the stand, put it on a crash diet, slap a big 'ol battery on there, and then watch the eyes of pixel junkies around the world light up with glee. William Cai from Lenovo said "It's obviously not for full mobility use, but it could be moved from room to room in the house... you could lay it on a table top and use it for family games." Never mind that -- with the addition of just a few legs this 23-inch slab could be a table.

Update: Lenovo just pinged us back when reaching out for a comment, and unfortunately for those with big (big!) aspirations, it seems that something was taken out of context. "We have no plans to introduce a 23-inch tablet," says the PC maker. Bummer.

Sony Ericsson sets up its own channel in Android Market, relegates 'My apps' link to a menu item

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 05:22 AM PDT

Open up Android Market on your Android device today and (most of) you will see a familiar set of three headings -- Apps, Games and My apps -- bidding you welcome. Do the same on your Sony Ericsson Android phone, however, and the last item in that list might no longer be there. That's because SE has decided to introduce its own "channel" to the Market, wherein you'll find a load of Xperia handset-specific junk software and other specially curated bits that your smartphone is adjudged to be in need of. The change means you'll need to open up your menu to get at your own apps, but that shouldn't be an entirely unfamiliar activity for Android users. Sony Ericsson may be the first manufacturer to pull this switcheroo, but it's following in the well-worn footsteps of Verizon and T-Mobile in the US. And speaking of carriers, Sony Ericsson says this change is operator-dependent, so if you're nice and lucky, your operator won't bother to roll this out. Sadly, our Xperia Arc has already been infected.

Beta 1 for webOS 3.0 leaks, lets you touch the TouchPad a little early (video)

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 04:52 AM PDT

Beta 1 for webOS 3.0 leaks, lets you touch the TouchPad a little early (video)
You don't have to be a coder to appreciate the wonders that a software development kit can contain, especially when there's a nice emulator tucked in there to give an early taste of things to come. That's exactly what can be found within the webOS 3.0 SDK, and that SDK is exactly what's been leaked to the world, giving anyone who wants it the ability to play with the OS that'll make the HP TouchPad tick. PreCentral.net took the emulator within for a heck of a test drive, providing a lengthy textual overview of everything from keyboards to calendars, along with the video that's embedded below. Sure, clicking and dragging in an early emulator isn't nearly as much fun as tapping and swiping on some beautiful hardware, but it sure does cut down on the smudgy fingerprints. It's cheaper, too.

Windows 8 leaked, caught looking a lot like Windows 7

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 04:08 AM PDT

Windows 8 leaked, caught looking a lot like Windows 7
You had to know it was a matter of time before Windows 8 showed up on these great internets for all to download -- illegitimately. An early version (6.1.7850) has been making the rounds at manufacturers and it's finally escaped the confines of beta labs. We haven't braved the torrent sites ourselves to download this, and we certainly wouldn't recommend that you do, but the screenshots we've seen definitely peg this particular revision as a slight evolution of Windows 7, seemingly not including all the revolutionary tweaks to come. It's still early days, remember. Plenty of time left for the magic to happen.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Motorola Xoom sees MicroSD card support enabled in latest version of Tiamat kernel

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 03:23 AM PDT

Aside from shipping without Adobe Flash Player preloaded, the Motorola Xoom also has the ignoble distinction of having a non-functioning MicroSD card slot. We're assured by the company's reps that the update to make storage expansion work is imminent, but if you have to have it right this very minute, there's now a kernel for you. It goes by the name of Tiamat, originating on xda-developers (as most good things do), and has recently stepped up to support MicroSD card storage. You'll find download links and instructions for Tiamat at the source link, plus a few happy reports of it working as advertised.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Razer Switchblade headed to China with help from Intel and Tencent

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 02:58 AM PDT

Remember the Razer Switchblade? It's that 7-inch multitouch gaming device with a fully tactile and adaptive keyboard. It first stole our attention as a Windows 7 concept on the way to wowing us with a hands-on in January. Well, we've now got the first official launch country: China, with the help of Tencent Holdings, China's largest internet service portal. Unfortunately, we still don't have final specs on the Oak Trail clamshell, a price, or even a date. Fear not rest of world -- China's just the first market announced in what appears to be an attempt to highlight a new partnership between Intel and Tencent. Today the two companies announced plans to staff a new research center with 60 engineers (expected to grow to 200, eventually) who'll work together on products and services for tablets and gaming in the Chinese market. Good luck guys, we hear the Chintendo Vii is fiercely competitive.

Fujitsu to build 1Gbps fiber optic broadband network in the UK, but needs BT to play fair first

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 02:21 AM PDT

Good news for anyone feeling left behind by the broadband revolution just because of their post code: Fujitsu has just announced a joint venture to deliver fiber optic connectivity to neglected rural homes in the UK. Built on hardware provided by Cisco and supported by Virgin Media and TalkTalk, this network will focus on channeling fiber directly to the home, which is said to provide symmetrical 1Gbps bandwidth with up to 10Gbps speeds considered possible down the line. Best news of all, perhaps, is that the cabling will be available on a wholesale basis to all ISPs, not just the ones involved in the project, so the UK may finally get a decent taste of what competition in the internet service space feels like. Alas, there's a key line in the press release that notes the new venture is dependent on BT providing "access to its underground ducts and telegraph poles on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms," which it apparently isn't doing at the moment. Ah well, we're sure they'll sort things out like the mature professionals that they are. Full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
Fujitsu unveils plans to bring fibre to 5 million homes and businesses in rural Britain

London, 13 April 2011 – Fujitsu, one of the world's largest technology and communications companies, today announced plans to work in collaboration with Virgin Media, TalkTalk and Cisco to deliver next generation internet services to 5 million homes in rural Britain.

The collaboration and subsequent Fujitsu build of a new superfast, fibre optic broadband network is a ground breaking and innovative alternative to BT Openreach and provides an opportunity for any community or local authority looking to access a proportion of the £530 million earmarked by the UK Government to drive investment in superfast broadband in rural communities.

The Fujitsu open access wholesale network will be underpinned by Cisco's world leading technology. Virgin Media and TalkTalk intend to access wholesale products via this network in order to retail next generation services to customers in remote parts of the UK. The network will also be open to other service providers on wholesale terms.

Fujitsu's vision builds on the company's extensive experience in both managing telecommunications networks and in building next generation "Fibre to the Home" (FTTH) networks.

The proposals will provide future-proofed connectivity to 5 million households and beyond that would otherwise be unlikely to benefit from commercial investment in next generation digital networks. In particular, the collaboration has the potential to transform rural broadband in the UK in a number of important ways:

In the vast majority of areas, Fujitsu will run fibre optic cabling directly to the home (FTTH), rather than to the local street cabinet. As a result, the Fujitsu network will be one gigabit (1Gbps) symmetric capable from day one with potential to go to 10Gbps and beyond.

Fujitsu's network will be truly open access to all ISPs offering the end customer an unrivalled choice of services over a single physical network connection.

Deployment across a wide range of underground and overhead infrastructure means that the Fujitsu network architecture is entirely independent of existing street cabinets. This model enables public investment to be targeted in areas where broadband provision is poorest.

The collaboration will actively support the involvement of local community broadband groups, enabling dynamic and flexible solutions in rural communities for the first time.

Superfast upload and download speeds can enable entertainment, remote healthcare, education and future government services without the need to travel. This future-proof infrastructure will shrink distances and will bring to rural Britain the services that the rest of the UK can enjoy today.

The plans rely on the remedy imposed by the regulator Ofcom, on BT Openreach, to provide access to its underground ducts and telegraph poles on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.

Communication Minister Ed Vaizey said: "Superfast broadband is already helping businesses grow and improving the lives of those able to access it. But many rural and hard to reach areas are missing out. The whole of the UK should be able to share in the benefits of broadband and we are determined to make that happen by the end of the Parliament. That is why the Government is investing over £500m in taking superfast broadband to everyone.

"I am delighted that Fujitsu along with Virgin Media, TalkTalk and Cisco share the Government's vision. The collaboration between these companies was exactly the sort of ambition and innovation the Government wanted to stimulate by removing barriers to broadband rollout. Fujitsu and their industry partners are pledging a substantial investment in the UK and it represents a deep commitment to the future success of this country.

"Creating this superfast broadband network will help improve the economic and social prospects of the homes and businesses where high-speed internet access remains just a dream."

Duncan Tait, CEO of Fujitsu UK and Ireland said: "There is a unique opportunity for the UK to re-establish itself as a world leader by having the world's most advanced fibre network. If done correctly this can be a key vehicle to accelerate recovery in the UK and bring genuine choice to generations of communities starved of participating fully in the UK economy. We believe our approach, in collaboration with these major industry leaders, will provide a future proofed network for at least the next 20 to 30 years."

Virgin Media's CEO, Neil Berkett, said: "Virgin Media's involvement in this ground breaking project is part of our on-going drive to rapidly create a step change in the UK's digital evolution. Fujitsu's vision and global expertise provides an opportunity to change the game in terms of broadband provision in parts of the UK that are otherwise being left behind. We now have a once in a lifetime opportunity to make the ambition of a digitally-enabled society a reality beyond the country's cities and towns."

Dido Harding, CEO, TalkTalk Group said: "TalkTalk believes that high-speed internet access must not become the preserve of the few. Fujitsu's investment will stimulate competition and allow us to deliver affordable products to the widest possible range of families and small businesses in all parts of the UK. Furthermore, accessing a Fujitsu network will allow us to extend our superfast broadband footprint while complementing our existing FTTC strategy."

Cisco UK & Ireland's CEO, Phil Smith, said: "Cisco is focused on driving the best superfast broadband in Europe to communities, towns and cities. We are committed to economic development, digital inclusion and improved public services such as health care and education. Fujitsu's approach to building an open-access wholesale platform promotes innovation and competition across the UK. Underpinned by Cisco's next-generation technology, this partnership has the opportunity to revolutionise the digital agenda for rural Britain."

Intel Thunderbolt dev kits coming this quarter, hopefully ushering in more 10Gbps-capable devices

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 01:39 AM PDT

Intel has just announced it will soon be making development kits available for its new Thunderbolt interconnect. The cable that can carry 10Gbps (in both directions!) has so far only seen itself installed in Apple's MacBook Pro computers, but storage and other peripheral manufacturers are starting to unveil their lightning-scorched offerings this week at NAB and this announcement is sure to give Thunderbolt an extra spur of momentum. What's going to be intriguing going forward is to see whether manufacturers take it up instead of USB 3.0 or install the DisplayPort lookalike alongside the latest and greatest from the USB camp. If you ask us, we can never have enough high-speed interconnects... how does SuperSpeed Thunderbolt sound?

Four Grammy Awards renamed to include 'video games music,' underline its growing importance

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 12:41 AM PDT

Video games have never had a problem sitting alongside movie DVDs and music CDs (back when such things were distributed physically) in stores, so it's frankly overdue to see them pop up in a mainstream awards show like the Grammys. The US Recording Academy has finally deigned to address video games and their aural landscapes as a separate class of entertainment, and has now amended four of its awards to spell that out. What was formerly known as "Motion, Television, or Other Visual Media" is now reclassified as "Motion, Television, Video Games Music, or Other Visual Media," leading to there now being four awards that explicitly recognize excellence in video game music scores. Guess that was inevitable after Christopher Tin's Baba Yetu won a Grammy this February, ostensibly because of its inclusion as one of the marquee songs on Civilization 4, but in a category entirely unrelated to gaming. Skip past the break to hear it for yourself, along with a couple of other favorites of ours.





Show full PR text
THE RECORDING ACADEMY CONTINUES EVOLUTION OF GRAMMY AWARDS PROCESS

Restructuring of Categories Across All Genres Brings Total Number of Categories to be Recognized at the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2012 to 78; All Fields Remain Intact
Minimum Number of Entries Per Category Will Now Be 40, Up from 25

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 06, 2011) - In an effort to continuously evolve its GRAMMY® Awards process, The Recording Academy® (www.grammy.com) announced today that it has restructured the GRAMMY Categories across all genres and Fields, bringing the total number of Categories to be recognized at the 54th GRAMMY Awards in 2012, to 78 (from 109). All Fields remain the same. The announcement was made this morning at The Academy's headquarters by President/CEO Neil Portnow, Academy Board Chair Emeritus and five-time GRAMMY winner Jimmy Jam, and Vice President of Awards Bill Freimuth. Additionally, a minimum of 40 distinct artist entries will be required in each Category (up from 25). Detailed information on these and other recent changes may be found at www.grammy.com/announcement. For updates and breaking news, please visit The Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook: www.twitter.com/thegrammys, www.facebook.com/thegrammys.

"Every year, we diligently examine our Awards structure to develop an overall guiding vision and ensure that it remains a balanced and viable process," said Portnow. "After careful and extensive review and analysis of all Categories and Fields, it was objectively determined that our GRAMMY Categories be restructured to the continued competition and prestige of the highest and only peer-recognized award in music. Our Board of Trustees continues to demonstrate its dedication to keeping The Recording Academy a pertinent and responsive organization in our dynamic music community."

For 53 years, The Recording Academy has recognized musical excellence with the GRAMMY Awards - the most prestigious and only peer-recognized award in music - and the awards have grown from 28 Categories in 1959, to awards in 109 Categories for the most recent 53rd GRAMMYs. This growth springs from a tradition of honoring specific genres and/or subgenres within a Field, and it has basically been approached one Category at a time without a current overall guiding vision and without consistency across the various genre Fields. In 2009, The Academy initiated a first-ever comprehensive evaluation of its Awards process, which led to a desire for change. A transformation of the entire Awards structure would ensure that all Fields would be treated with parity. Diligent research, careful analysis, and thoughtful discussion of all Fields resulted in an overarching framework and a restructuring of Categories to 78, and ensures that every submission continues to have a home.

In addition to the restructuring of Categories, two rule changes have been established and four Fields have been renamed. It is now expected that each Category shall have at least 40 distinct artist entries, up from 25. If a Category receives between 25 – 39 entries, only three recordings would receive nominations that year. Should there be fewer than 25 entries in a Category, that Category would immediately go on hiatus for the current year - no award given - and entries would be screened into the next most logical Category. If a Category receives fewer than 25 entries for three consecutive years, the Category would be discontinued, and submissions would be entered in the next most appropriate Category.

The second rule change is regarding voting. Previously, voting members were allowed to vote in up to nine genre Fields plus the General Field on the first ballot and eight genre Fields plus the General Field on the second ballot, including every category within each chosen Field. Now, on each ballot, voters may vote in up to 20 Categories in the genre Fields plus the four Categories of the General Field - which includes Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist.

Additionally, there are name changes to four Fields: Musical Show is now Musical Theater; the Film/ Television/Other Visual Media Field is now called Music For Visual Media; the Gospel Field has been renamed the Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Field; and the Dance Field has been renamed the Dance/Electronica Field.

The Awards restructuring proposal was presented by The Recording Academy's Awards & Nominations (A&N) Committee - comprised of elected Academy leaders from across the country representing various genres of the music community - and was voted on and passed by The Academy's Board of Trustees - made up of musicians, producers, engineers, songwriters, and other music professionals. The A&N Committee spent more than a year reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating the GRAMMY Awards process and Categories with great objectivity and fair-mindedness, before presenting its recommendations to the Board of Trustees for ratification. While at times incredibly challenging for each member of the committee to restructure Categories in their own respective genres, the greater purpose of promoting unity within the music community and ensuring that all Fields be treated with parity outweighed natural inclinations to resist change.

Please visit www.grammy.com/announcement for the following resources and detailed information:

A Category Comparison Chart (comparing Categories from the 53rd GRAMMYs to the upcoming 54th GRAMMYs)
An Explanation of Category Restructuring across all genres
A Category Mapper (an interactive feature that will show where to enter submissions under the new structure)
Frequently Asked Questions
Upcoming dates and deadlines for the 54th GRAMMY Awards online entry period

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards - the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music - The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks as a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/thegrammys, a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/thegrammys, and a YouTube channel subscriber at www.youtube.com/thegrammys.

Zoom H4n audio recorder goes mainstream, now available at Best Buy

Posted: 13 Apr 2011 12:09 AM PDT

Until now, Samson's Zoom H4n digital recorder has been a staple in niche music equipment stores like Sam Ash, Musician's Friend, and Sweetwater, but a no-show in more mainstream retailers. Now the two year-old handheld is on sale at Best Buy, making it much easier to walk into a brick-and-mortar store and handle the thing a bit before deciding to shell out $299. The H4n's undergone some minor upgrades since its debut, with the current model sporting built-in X/Y stereo condenser mics, a rubberized, shock-proof design, an improved UI, a new digitally controlled mic preamp, and the ability to use internal and external mics for four-channel recording. It comes with a 1GB SDHC card, but you can swap it for one as large as 32GB. Last but not least, there's a tripod mount, making it easier to pair the device with a DSLR that could use some oomph in the audio department -- you know, when you film your next My World 2.0 fan video next week.
Show full PR text
Zoom Announces H4n Handheld Recorder, Now Available at All Best Buy Locations

With 4-channel high resolution audio recording and variable recording pattern capability, H4n represents the next level of recording performance

Hauppauge, NY – (April 11, 2011) – Zoom's H4n Handy Video Recorder is now available at all Best Buy locations. Focusing on improving the user experience at every level, H4n is Zoom's most sophisticated handheld recorder to date. Available now at all Best Buy stores for $299.

H4n offers built-in X/Y stereo condenser mics that allow variable recording patterns at either 90° or 120°. Audio quality is improved through its new digitally controlled, high-quality mic preamp and the ability to use internal and external mics simultaneously for 4-channel recording. A large LCD screen, a more intuitive interface and onboard reference speaker will take the user's recording experience to the next level.

In addition to musicians and songwriters, H4n has become the "go to" audio solution for filmmakers and video professionals looking to record high-quality audio while filming HD video with their DSLR cameras. H4n is the only recorder that makes it possible to capture audio with its two XLR inputs and get incredible stereo imaging with its onboard mics, all at once.

The H4n is also the most robust recorder from Zoom, with a rubberized, shock resistant body for improved chassis protection, all-metal microphone design and a built-in mounting joint for tripod and microphone stand use. H4n also includes a 1 GB SD card, wind screen, mic clip adapter, AC adapter, USB cable, protective case and Cubase LE recording software. An optional remote control is also available.

"We are extremely excited to be partnering with Best Buy for the Zoom H4n nationwide launch," says James Tsaptsinos, Vice President of Sales with Zoom. "After years entrenched in the industry, we have learned a great deal from singers, songwriters, and filmmakers. The Zoom H4n combines years of knowledge into one universal solution for all forms of high- quality audio recording."

Hannspree SN10T1 tablet hits Europe, SN10T2 and SN10T3 to follow later this year

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 11:29 PM PDT

We haven't heard much about Hannspree's 10.1-inch HSG1164 tablet since it turned up at the FCC back in December, but a seemingly identical SN10T1 model has now surfaced in Italy, and it's apparently available right now for €399 (contrary to what the roadmap pictured above would have you believe). What's more, it looks like Hannspree will also be releasing two more tablets before the end of the year, including a cheaper 8GB model that will run just €299 (or about $430), and a Honeycomb-based model that packs a higher resolution 1280 x 600 display, 16GB of storage and a price tag of €449, or just under $650 -- look for those to be available sometime in the second and third quarter, respectively.

[Thanks, Laura]

PCTV's Broadway 2T streams TV to your iPad when you're outside the Old Country

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:45 PM PDT

We've seen apps that ensure you don't miss the next episode of Jersey Shore, but with the exception of Sling's, there aren't many that stream TV to a mobile device. PCTV's new Broadway 2T does that -- but with a boatload of caveats. The box's built-in Freeview tuner will let you watch your shows over WiFi or 3G from anywhere in the world, but it'll only pick up over-the-air broadcasts from regions using the DVB-T standard (read: not in the US). It also comes with composite cables, which are perfect for setting up a security camera rig, but a deal-breaker for the majority of geeks who own a high-def set. The 2T streams video through the browser, so it works over Wi-Fi and 3G with Mac, PC, and Apple's mobile Safari browser, with Android support coming sometime in the second quarter. No word yet on availability, though it's up for preorder on PCTV's site for €199 ($287.14) if you can't live without your EPL matches while traveling away from your European villa.
Show full PR text
Access your favourite TV shows LIVE through your iPhone and iPad, from anywhere in the world

Special offers available exclusively at Scan Computers' Stand No. G1 at The Gadget Show LIVE 2011

London 12 April 2011- PCTV Systems, a division of Hauppauge Digital Inc, will be launching its new Broadway 2T at the Gadget Show LIVE in Birmingham (April 13th to 17th).

The Broadway allows you to redirect your home TV and personal video content to your iPhone, iPad, netbook, notebook or Mac computer anywhere in the world. When mobile, your TV and content is accessed via your web browser. No third party apps or additional purchases are needed.

Yehia Oweiss, Hauppauge Digital's Vice President of Sales EMEA says: "We have designed the Broadway 2T to be easy to use. It directs your home TV or other connected video signals LIVE from YOUR home to your iPhone or iPad device that can access an internet browser, anywhere in the world," continued Oweiss. "Connect the Broadway to a good TV source at your home and take that digital picture quality anywhere (via 3G or WiFi). Whether you are in a café in Paris or in the departure hall in Las Vegas, your home TV is always with you. This brings a whole new dimension to the personal TV experience."

The Broadway 2T offers an environmental advantage, because it does not need to be connected to a PC. The Broadway is 802.11n wireless and features two built-in Dual DVB-T tuners to provide direct access to the device from your iPhone, iPad or mobile device via the web browser. In addition, the latest H.264 codecs ensure it is less demanding on the battery life of your mobile device.

The Broadway 2T has an SRP of £229 inc. VAT but can be purchased exclusively from Scan Computers, Stand No. G1, at the Gadget Show LIVE for a special show price of £159.99 inc. VAT. Limited stock available.

Bridging the Gap between TV and the Internet

Connect wirelessly.
Send Live-TV or video signal feeds via internet to host device.
Sophisticated MPEG-4 H.264 hardware compression.
Integrated 802.11n WLAN for wireless streaming of television signals to host device.
No additional software (app) required – including iPod and iPad.
Control your home content; schedule recordings, play pre-recorded content.
Audio/Video input to turn iPad or iPhone into remote surveillance solution by connecting analog camera.
Android Smart Phones and Tablet support in Q2 2011.

Visualized: the National Ignition Facility in a pannable, spherical panorama

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 10:02 PM PDT

Hopefully your brain has recouped from the explosion it endured when you first laid eyes on some glorious shots of the NIF out in Nor-Cal. Now, xRez Studio's imaging gurus have provided the common folk the ability to virtually stand in front of a 500-trillion watt laser experiment at ultra high resolution. Better yet, the interactive, detailed look at an attempt at nuclear fusion allows for zooming and a full, 360-degree pan-around experience. Since this might be closest in proximity you'll get to the NIF, hit the source link to truly get a feel for what we're yapping about, and -- if you're feeling audacious -- be sure to check out the BBC video tour after the break.

Kyocera Echo review

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 09:01 PM PDT

It's not exactly difficult to put into words what the Kyocera Echo is -- it's a dual-screened Android phone, after all -- but it's a wee bit more challenging to wrap your head around who exactly it's for. The hardcore gaming contingent already has Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, and those obsessed with screen real estate have options spanning the gamut -- everything from Dell's 5-inch Streak to a veritable cornucopia of choices in the 4- to 4.3-inch range. So, where exactly does this oddball fit in? Quite frankly, we get the impression that it's doing its darnedest to carve out a market of its own, a thought that's reinforced by Kyocera's dedicated app development space and two-faced Simul-Task mode. Early critics (read: us) railed on the fact that double the screens meant double the trouble in terms of battery life, and there's no question that a second cell was included with our test unit. But are the advantages of having a second 3.5-inch WVGA touchpanel enough to overshadow the obvious pitfalls? Join us as we do a little soul-searching in our full review, hosted up just past the break.
Kyocera Echo review hands-on

Design
There's no arguing that Sprint has a soft spot for Sanyo / Kyocera. In the carrier's eyes, Sanyo-built phones have shown to be both durable and reliable in the utterly unpredictable hands of end-users, and fewer RMAs mean fewer FOFs in Overland Park. During a sit-down with the operator, we were told that the Echo is a project that has been in motion for over a year now, and that oodles of pivoting mechanisms were tested before the (now patent-pending) tilting / locking hinge was settled upon. Naturally, we spent a lot of time opening and closing this thing just to get a feel for its sturdiness, and while a week in the city is hardly a year in the R&D lab, we're just as confident in its ability to open / close now as the day we first touched it.


It's also impossible to ignore the Echo's girth. Without qualification, this is one of the thicker modern-day smartphones on the market, but it's easy to excuse when you realize that you're effectively getting two phones in one. From a display standpoint, anyway. We said it back in February, and we'll say it again -- the Echo's no looker, but what it lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for in raw utility. If you're looking for a phone that oozes style, there's hardly a need to give this guy even a second of consideration, but if you're willing to overlook a somewhat unsightly exterior for one of the most unique phone experiences on the market, we think you'll find a lot to like underneath.

While feeling solid (as a rock, even), the Echo wasn't burdensome from a weight standpoint. In fact, we found that it slipped into our pockets even easier than most other phones due to how skinny it was from a width perspective. The volume rocker and microSD card slots were both positioned perfectly, and thoughtful packers will be elated to know that no proprietary charging cable is needed -- micro-USB does the trick. The pair of panels are decidedly glossy, but equally crisp and bright in use. We didn't manage a single scuff or scratch during our testing, despite a barrage of unadvised attempts.

The hinge
Oh, sure -- technically the patent-pending hinge is a part of the design, but given that it's what makes this phone, we couldn't resist the urge to break it out. For starters, you're probably wondering how exactly it works. That's best shown in the video just below, but the gist of it is this: A simple thumb push from left to right (one-handed) is enough to slide the top panel back, and a continued thrust will flatten 'em out beside one another. From there, a simple shove closes the gap in the middle, locking it into "tablet mode." If you'd rather mimic a laptop, you can raise the top panel up a notch, though we didn't find much use for this situation.


The hinge itself is a rather simple affair, only having a lock / unlock setting, a lie-flat setting, and a single tilt setting (for use in the aforementioned laptop mode). Once locked into place, the phone practically demands both hands to use, but at least multitouch is in full effect and works shockingly well with one finger on one screen and one on the other. It's quick to open, easy to adjust, and difficult to knock out of place without obvious intent. There's also a healthy and unmistakable "click" with each and every movement, ushering in a level of confidence with each movement. It became abundantly clear to us that Kyocera put an awful lot of work into the hinge; it's one of the more solid pieces we've seen in recent memory, and there's precisely no wobble to be found anywhere. Frankly, only a robust and rigid hinge would lead to an experience worthy of laud, and that's exactly what we found after a week of abusing it.

Software
As with any other smartphone, it's truly the software that makes or shatters the experience. Nothing could be closer to the truth with the Echo. Kyocera had no choice but to equip the Echo with Froyo (Android 2.2), given that it took months upon months to figure out a satisfactory solution to using the OS on a pair of panels. The upside here is that it's 2.2, rather than 2.1. While Gingerbread would've certainly been nice, the heavy-hitters of 2.x are all included with Froyo: Flash support, Mobile Hotspot / tethering, Move to SD and a vastly improved V8 browser engine. We were told that updates are definitely in the pipeline for the Echo, but got the impression that the v2.3 update would happen closer to the fall than the summer -- it takes awhile to retool a significantly tweaked version of Android, you know.

The good news here is that, for all intents and purposes, the Froyo build loaded on here looks and acts like a vanilla (read: untainted) copy of Android 2.2. There's no question that Kyocera has cooked up something fancy to make two panels work in conjunction, and the Tablet Mode Extension app is largely to thank, but outside of seeing Android work across two screens, you aren't apt to notice any irregularities. And that, friends, is impressive. There's a 1GHz Qualcomm QSD 8650 Snapdragon CPU planted inside, right alongside 1GB ROM and 512MB of RAM. As far as flagship phones go, this one's about as well-equipped as it gets; 'course, that won't be as easy to say come May 1st, but hey, we're taking things a day at a time here.
Kyocera Echo software screenshots

Why digress into specifications? Simple. We'd like to point out just how fluidly Froyo cruises along on the Echo, regardless of how many applications we've opened or how many times we've forced it to change orientation. In fact, we were consistently amazed by how well the Echo managed to handle our orientation-altering abuse, not to mention the daily chores of hopping in and out of our email, gaming and handling an influx of TweetDeck updates. If we're being candid (and really, why wouldn't we?), the Echo felt snappier than our Nexus One (with Android 2.3) in all instances, be it in single- or dual-screen use.

We've voiced our concerns recently that overhauls of Android could be leading to poor(er) user experiences, and we're no doubt enthused by Sprint and Kyocera's decision to leave the Echo fairly untouched. At a glance, this is stock Froyo through and through, with only a faint trace of Sprint's pre-installed software; you'll find Sprint Football Live, Sprint Radio (free with a Simply Everything plan), Sprint TV & Movies (likewise) and Sprint Zone (a Sprint account portal), but that's the extent of it. We fell instantly in love with Football Live and TV & Movies, but there's one troubling issue that we just can't overlook. For whatever reason, Sprint won't allow you to enjoy these services over WiFi, instead forcing you to rely on whatever 3G signal you can manage to grab.


This is illogical on a number of fronts. For one, why wouldn't Sprint encourage users to offload data usage onto a WiFi network? Secondly, does Sprint not realize that the user experience is apt to be superior if allowed to stream this content in over a faster connection? We're guessing this protocol is in place due to licensing issues (i.e. a cellular connection is needed to establish that you're streaming on a qualified account), but this is a serious problem in our mind. The phone literally instructs us to disable WiFi to enjoy these apps, which seems unacceptable regardless of how you spin it. We don't get the greatest Sprint coverage at Engadget HQ, and having the ability to enjoy the differentiating services over WiFi would be a huge boon. For those that do get solid Sprint signal, we still maintain that having live access to ESPN (amongst other channels) is a great reason to choose The Now Network over rivals -- if it's something you're into, of course.

As for other specialized apps that you'll find only on the Echo? Web shortcuts to "Echo Top Apps," "Get Namco Games," and "HD Games," as well as the all-important Tablet Mode Extension app. Kyocera made quite a fuss about its dedicated SDK, and the folks from Namco have loaded Pac-Man and Pool Pro 3 Online here in order to give you a taste of what dual-screen gaming can offer. We're told that the Top Apps portal should begin to populate with even more dedicated dual-screen apps in due time, and that you'll need to head there (read: not the Android Market) to get your fix. These particular titles are custom written to support the full 960 x 800 resolution pane, and particularly with the billiards game, it honestly adds quite a bit to the experience. Just as an example, you're given two different viewpoints and double the amount of touch controls, and a quick shift to playing in single-screen mode has it feeling cramped in no time flat. We also managed to lose ourselves for a bit within The Sims 3, a feat that'd be nigh impossible on a conventional smartphone.


Thankfully, it's not just the specially designed apps that take advantage of the newly realized real estate. The aforementioned Tablet Mode Extension app allows pretty much anything to span both screens, and honestly, we were shocked at just how intelligently it handled the myriad applications we threw at it.

The extended 960 x 800 screen resolution isn't too far off from the 1024 x 600 found on the Galaxy Tab (or the 1024 x 768 on the iPad), so you definitely encroach "tablet" territory when viewing these programs across two panes.
Angry Birds Rio spanned beautifully, and given that the points of importance sit on the left and right side of the screen, the obvious line in the center has no real impact on gameplay.

Our own Engadget app adapted beautifully, providing two to three more articles beneath the Top 5 than on a standard smartphone, and both TweetDeck and Facebook became infinitely more usable (and enjoyable) with the additional screen space. Truth be told, the extended 960 x 800 screen resolution isn't too far off from the 1024 x 600 found on the Galaxy Tab (or the 1024 x 768 on the iPad), so you definitely encroach "tablet" territory when viewing these programs across two panes. To say it's a refreshing new look would be understating it; after a week of use, peeking TweetCaster on our Nexus One felt like a true step back from a visibility standpoint. This was felt even more drastically when using Google Maps Navigation; having two 3.5-inch panels worth of streets at our disposal definitely gave us a better look at our surroundings.

Simul-Task and user experience
Without Kyocera's Simul-Task app (and arguably the Tablet Mode Extension), you'd never actually get to enjoy the spoils of using Android across two screens. One of the bigger selling points here is the inclusion of the former, a custom tweak that allows a two-finger tap to pull up an app drawer on both panels. From there, a single tap switches the panes, and a couple of 'em can pull one of seven predetermined programs into either of the displays. Therein lies the problem. As elegant as this solution is (it actually works swimmingly), the fact that only seven applications are supported is a huge downer. To add insult to injury, the lackluster "Email" app is one of the seven, not Google's own Gmail app.

All told, you'll find Browser, Contacts, Email, Gallery, Messaging, Phone and VueQue. That final one is a custom-built YouTube viewer, which enables the playback of one video while you sift through others on the side. It's actually quite intuitive, but we're still never going to get over the omission of Gmail. We should also point out that while it's theoretically possible to stream a YouTube video on one screen while pecking out an email on the other, the virtual keyboard covers up said video if you try and do it. The audio continues, mind you, but it's far from a perfect experience. In practice, Simul-Task performs admirably, and we only managed to crash it once; too many changes in too short a windows of time, we surmise.



In short, Simul-Task is a well executed program, but it falls flat in terms of utility. Rather than only being able to have the Browser open in one window, we'd prefer two "tabs" -- one on the left pane, one on the right. We'd also love a certain level of customization. We know that's easier said than done, but it's somewhat painful to think that these seven apps will only blossom into more if Kyocera deems it doable in a software update. We're holding out hope that said updates come; in our discussions with Sprint, they seemed to think that more apps would be enabled down the road, but as these things tend to go, it's more of a guessing game than anything else.

Camera
There's honestly not much to say when it comes to the rear-facing camera. It's a 5 megapixel affair with flash, autofocus and a 2x digital zoom, and it'll also capture video in 720p should you ask it to. Does it work? Sure, and it actually fires off quicker than a lot of the Android phones we've toyed with lately. But there's no excusing the quality; a 5 megapixel sensor doesn't go far these days, and the quality on our test shots were average at best. Naturally, the outdoor images were markedly superior to those taken inside on a beautifully sunny day, but the flash at least makes things "usable" while in poor lighting. Would we suggest the Echo as a point-and-shoot replacement? Hardly, but it'll at least capture the moment in some regard when called upon. Have a look at the samples below to get a better idea of what you can expect.
Kyocera Echo camera sample shots

Battery Life
Without question, this is the aspect that a lot of people will focus on. There's no skirting the question: "What impact does two screens have on the battery life?" Let's just say this -- "enough of an impact for Kyocera and Sprint to include a second one." For whatever reason, the Echo only has room for a 1370mAh battery; just to put that into perspective, the iPhone 4 and HTC Thunderbolt have a 1400mAh battery, while the Dell Streak steps up to a 1530mAh cell. Sprint's documentation asserts that one could expect up to seven hours of talk time, but if you haven't considered it, "talking" on the Echo only requires one screen to be lit.

We took a different approach. We charged the phone fully and then went about using it as we normally would for an entire day -- checking emails, browsing through TweetDeck, zoning out on a conference call for an hour or so, watching a bit of Sprint TV and playing entirely too much full-screen Pac-Man. We'd say 70 percent of our usage had both panels open, which is likely far greater than what you'd see after the novelty wears off. That said, we managed around 15 hours of use before it petered out, and on a second try -- one that involved far less dual-screen action -- we squeezed out 22 total hours. Truthfully, neither of those results are awful, but it's fairly obvious that an avid user could kill this thing in under a dozen hours, hence, the additional battery. Is it a deal-breaker? Depends on how difficult it is for you to keep your handset plugged in and charging at work, we'd argue.

Wrap-up
Is the Echo for everyone? Certainly not. But then again, neither is the expansive Thunderbolt, the larger-than-life Streak or the close-minded iPhone 4. What the Echo delivers is an entirely new approach to Android, and somehow, Kyocera has managed to add a second screen to the experience without flubbing the execution. The phone was as zippy as any Android phone in recent memory, and we never once felt that it was struggling to calculate for double the displays. The screens themselves were sharp and lovely to peer at, and thanks to the Tablet Mode Extension app, even everyday titles like TweetDeck and Facebook were given new life. If and when developers begin to embrace Kyocera's dual-screen SDK, we could see a whole host of applications that make this layout even more appealing, but thankfully, shoehorned programs make great use of the extra real estate as-is.

On the downside, there's no WiMAX support, and the battery life leaves quite a bit to be desired. We're also troubled by the fact that Sprint TV and Football Live cannot be used over WiFi, and the seven Simul-Task apps -- while appreciated -- just aren't numerous and robust enough to truly praise. We're guessing that the Echo is just the first of many twin-screen phones that we'll see over the next dozen months or so, and there's no question that this is a tremendous first effort. It's certainly not the phone to recommend for speed-craving power users, but we're guessing that quite a few average consumers will find it easy to overlook the negatives when peering at an otherwise astounding 960 x 800 slate of pixels.

DARPA's next-gen wearable display: augmented-reality, holographic sunglasses

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:39 PM PDT

The US military seems to adore the idea of wearable displays, hence its continued efforts to make them a reality. We know it seems like just yesterday that DARPA tapped Lockheed Martin to build low-power, lightweight augmented-reality eyewear, and it was actually four full years ago when the wild and wonderous dream was to craft HMDs as small and light as "high-fashion sunglasses." Well, that dream lives on, this time with holograms: the lenscrafters at Vuzix just received a cool million to develop goggles that holographically overlay battlefield data on the wearer's vision. It all sounds very Dead Space (or, you know, like a Top Secret version of Recon-Zeal's Transcend goggles), promising realtime analysis of anything within sight. The company believes the finished product will be no more than 3mm thick and completely transparent when turned off. If all goes well, expect this to trickle down to consumers in short order; soon you'll have full "situational awareness" -- including relationship status -- of that mysterious stranger you've been eyeballing from across the room.

IBM touts new Power7 systems, still no mass market Watson

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:57 PM PDT

IBM's latest announcement probably won't get us any closer to securing our very own in-house version of Watson, but the firm is boasting a new line of Power7 products that includes an upgraded version of the supercomputer's server. First up are the BladeCenter PS703 and PS704, sporting 16 cores and 32 cores, respectively -- the PS704 touts a 60 percent increase in speed over its predecessors. The Power 750, the same system that gave Watson the stuff to slaughter those humans on Jeopardy!, is getting an upgrade that supports as many as 32 cores and can run up to 128 simultaneous threads, while the Power 755 offers up high-performance computing with 32 cores of its own. The cheapest version of the Power 750 Express rings in at about $30,000. So, no, we won't be battling Watson in a Jeopardy! Home Edition showdown anytime soon, but we're happy to see that our favorite supercomputer could be even smarter -- or at the very least, faster -- the next time it shows up on the boob tube. Full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
IBM to Deliver New Optimized POWER7 Products, Inspired by Watson Technology
New blades, upgraded servers built to handle world's most demanding emerging applications

ARMONK, N.Y., April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced new workload-optimized POWER7® systems, including a performance boost to the Power 750 -- the same server used in Watson, the Jeopardy! winner -- that provides even faster processing capability than each machine used in the computer genius.

The new Power blades and upgraded Power servers are built to manage the world's most demanding emerging applications, used in healthcare management, financial services, scientific research and more. The specialized demands of these new applications rely on processing an enormous number of concurrent transactions and data while analyzing that information in real time.

For instance, the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth is using two IBM POWER7 blades to study the effect of disturbances, called gravitational waves, on black holes in space. Increased knowledge of gravitational waves will help physicists and astronomers to understand some of the most fundamental laws of physics. They will provide new information about the dynamics of large-scale events in the Universe, like the death of stars and the birth of black holes.

"We are running billions of intense calculations based on Einstein's theory of relativity on the POWER7 blades," said Gaurav Khanna, professor of physics at UMass-Dartmouth. "Running POWER7, I'm able to get results as much as eight times faster than running the same calculations on an Intel Xeon processor. Calculations that used to take a month to run are now finished in less than a week. This means that I can do eight times more science in the same timeframe than I could do before."

In addition, the new POWER7 systems can provide clients with very high levels of server virtualization and consolidation, which can lead to improved price performance, improved energy efficiency and reduced footprint size in the data center.


RPM Technologies provides enterprise class wealth management software to some of the largest banks and financial services companies in Canada.

"RPM has always been an early adapter of IBM technology and the POWER7 chips along with AIX 6.1 provided a big boost to the batch and threading speed of our products," said Allan Grossman, chief architect at RPM Technologies. "With POWER7 chips, batch jobs runtimes improved by upwards of 35 percent and less resources were used. As part of our upgrade, RPM also moved to a full virtualized environment across two POWER7 16-core P750 machines. This change reduced the time and effort to manage the boxes."

Market research studies show that more and more clients are choosing to run their businesses on IBM Power Systems™. According to IDC, IBM extended its lead in the UNIX® servers in the fourth quarter of 2010 by capturing 53.9 percent revenue share of that segment, gaining 5.9 points of share over competitors and leading the second-place vendor by more than 30 percent.

"Our strategy appears to be paying off as more and more customers choose Power Systems," said Tom Rosamilia, general manager of IBM Power and z Systems. "Today's Power announcements demonstrate IBM's ongoing investment in workload-optimized servers. Just two short months after publically demonstrating the future of computing with Watson and its advanced analytical and learning capabilities, IBM is upping the ante with a performance bump in the underlying system."

New and enhanced Power Systems products include:

The new 16-core, single-wide IBM BladeCenter® PS703 and 32-core, double-wide IBM BladeCenter PS704 blade servers, which give clients an alternative to sprawling racks. The PS704 delivers 60-percent faster performance with twice the number of cores while using the same amount and space and energy as previous POWER7 blades. The new POWER7 blades support massive server consolidation with energy-efficient economics.
The enhanced IBM Power 750 Express, the same system that powers Watson, now further optimized for the most challenging analytics workloads. The Power 750 has been upgraded with several options, including a faster POWER7 processor that offers more than three times the performance of comparable 32-core servers, such as Oracle's SPARC T3-2 server, and more than twice the performance of HP's Integrity BL890c i2. (2)
The enhanced IBM Power 755, a high-performance computing cluster node with 32 POWER7 cores and a faster processor.


IBM also introduced a new Systems Director Management Console appliance that allows data center administrators to operate both Power servers and blades with a unified, intuitive interface for physical and virtualized system resource management.

IBM is extending technology from the acquisition of BLADE Network Technologies (BNT) across its portfolio of workload-optimized systems, including high performance top-of-rack BNT switches with VMready network virtualization and BLADEHarmony management software. These IBM BNT RackSwitch products will, for the first time, be closely integrated with IBM Power servers to support workloads such as cloud computing, financial services, Web 2.0, streaming video, medical and scientific research and business analytics. According to a recent report by The Tolly Group, the newest IBM BNT switch demonstrated significant performance and energy efficiency advantages over comparable switches, including an average of 55 percent better price and performance. (3)

IBM also announced additions to its Intelligent Cluster line of energy-efficient, high-performance computing platforms -- pre-integrated solutions that build upon its rack servers including BladeCenter or iDataPlex platforms. These new offerings allow customers -- in segments such as financial services and energy exploration, for example -- to build HPC configurations that can reduce power and cooling costs by up to 50 percent. The new Intelligent Cluster offerings include:

New platforms updated with the latest Intel Xeon processor E7 family;
New 10Gb Ethernet solutions that can enhance performance of HPC workloads by leveraging up to 11 times lower latency (3);
A new InfiniBand solution for Intelligent Cluster that features integrated ethernet gateway to eliminate the need for a separate ethernet switch to help optimize workloads such as high-frequency trading.

Apple announces Final Cut Pro X, rebuilt from ground up with 64-bit support (update: $299 in June)

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:16 PM PDT

Apple's just announced Final Cut Pro X at NAB, and Chief Architect of Video Applications Randy Ubillos is demonstrating a beta release as we speak. The "rebuilt from ground up" video editing suite -- which now shares a similar look and feel with iMovie -- will be shipped with 64-bit support to finally make use of more than 4GB of RAM, as well as handling 4K clips on 8-core editing rigs (by way of the Grand Central Dispatch feature on OS X Snow Leopard). Most notably, though, is that this new FCP will always be rendering instantly in the background, meaning you can edit on the fly much like you do on iMovie! There's also a whole stash of other new features: editing before media ingest, magnetic timeline, people detection, instant color matching between clips, smart collection of media based on custom keywords and people, auto image stabilization on import, and many more. Itching to get your hands dirty with Cupertino's new video tool? You'll be able to download it from the Mac App Store in June for just $299.

Update: @robimbs has just posted a video of Randy Ubillos' wrap-up at the show. We've got it after the break.

Researchers use GPS, accelerometers to boost smartphone data rates

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 06:56 PM PDT

Well, this might be a good reason for The Powers That Be to know your exact whereabouts. According to a team of MIT researchers, speeding up data rates on mobile devices could be as easy as tapping the various motion sensors found in run-of-the-mill smartphones. The scientists believe our wireless infrastructure is at the root of bottlenecks, with a handful of weak transmitters clumsily "handing off" data to one another as you move out of range. The solution: use GPS radios, accelerometers, and even gyroscopes to infer where you're headed, and then choose an access point near where you're likely to end up. The difference, they report, is dramatic: a 50 percent boost in throughput, along with improved success in choosing the best bit rate. To boot, if a base station is armed with location-based info, it can better predict when the devices connected to it are on the verge of losing contact. That's all good news, but sadly we doubt any amount of promising science is enough to make the pink lady go away.

Nintendo cutting Wii price to $150 on May 15th?

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 06:12 PM PDT

Nintendo's miniature white monolith has sold like gangbusters for long enough that we're wary it'll ever get cheap, but a trusted source tells us a price cut is indeed headed our way -- and that the Nintendo Wii will cost just $150 starting May 15th. The timing would make some sense, given how Nintendo's profits have tanked for a while due to flagging hardware sales, and just last month Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime hinted that the Wii's price might be a potential variable to change that in an interview with Gamasutra. Still, we're not fully convinced that Nintendo would announce a price cut then, rather than, say, at the Electronics Entertainment Expo in June, and it's not like the company to let this sort of announcement leak out. Still, if you find a shiny new copy of Mario Kart Wii in a $150 console bundle this time next month, don't say we didn't warn you.

Korg Wavedrum Mini makes music from your nervous tics (video)

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 05:35 PM PDT

Korg Wavedrum Mini
Can't stop banging out Rebecca Black's oh-so-infectious jams on your knickerbockers? Korg's Wavedrum Mini won't make Friday any less awful, but it could make your inexcusable actions a wee bit less annoying. The Q3-bound Mini crams the company's digital drum pad tech into a portable package with a built in speaker, and its myriad buttons let you choose from 100 different sounds including strings, synth tones, and a gaggle of percussion instruments. You'll also get 100 preset rhythms for those who prefer their instruments play themselves, but surely that's not you... right? Heck, there's even a loop function so you can build layer upon layer (upon layer!) of cacophonous noise. The best part, however, is the included sensor, which can be clipped to almost anything, turning your ceaseless toe tapping into bass hits. If you can't wait to see it in action, take a gander at the exceedingly long demo video after the break.

Korg Wavedrum Mini 2

iTable iPhone dock looks like a smartphone, acts like a stereo (video)

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 04:59 PM PDT

We've seen enough iPhone docking stations to last a lifetime -- we've even seen our fair share of tables that take style cues from the smartphone -- but we have to admit, Kyle Buckner's iTable is in a league of its own. This rather involved docking solution combines the aesthetics of the iPhone 4 with a little bachelor-pad-of-the-future flair, allowing its user to summon a set of eight recessed speakers with a simple swipe of the hand. It's also packing a set of four aluminum-trimmed cup holders, complete with LED lights to give your drinks a little mood lighting of their own. The thing's all hand-crafted, and while it was designed with the iPhone 4 in mind, it can be built to fit your smartphone of choice. If you're actually considering purchasing one of these things, may we also suggest a floating bed? Of course, you could always just hop on past the jump and check out a video of the table in action instead.

Chumby 8 gets reviewed, dubbed 'best and biggest Chumby yet'

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 04:21 PM PDT

The Chumby has never exactly been a device for everyone, and that's not likely to change with the new Chumby 8 that's recently started shipping. Those that do want a Chumby, however, aren't likely to be disappointed by the new 8-inch model. According to CNET's review of the device, the Chumby 8 is simply the "best and biggest Chumby yet," with the larger display and additional USB ports making it better suited for use as a photo frame or media player, while the plethora of apps available make it as versatile as ever. Of course, it is still a Chumby, which CNET notes makes for an increasingly difficult sell in a world filled with tablets, smartphones, and widget-filled TVs. Hit up the source link below for the full review.

T-Mobile's new plans get official: starting at $60 for unlimited everything, throttling included

Posted: 12 Apr 2011 03:49 PM PDT

T-Mobile's just gone official with the new unlimited plans we caught wind of a few days ago, and while they are truly unlimited by numbers, they're not completely unlimited in functionality. The plans cost $79.99 for Even More customers (buy a subsidized device on contract) and $59.99 for Even More Plus subscribers (bring your own phone commitment-free). Either way this gets you unlimited data, domestic calling, and domestic messaging, with a $5 surcharge for BlackBerry users. Unlike Sprint's similar offering, once you pass the 2GB bandwidth mark, "data speeds will be reduced for the remainder of that bill cycle," essentially informing users that throttling will most certainly take place. In all, we're pleased to see the compromise T-Mo's put in place for data (whereas most other carriers are simply axing the unlimited option altogether), and we hope some of the competition takes heed. It does sound like a pretty sweet deal for those of you not grandfathered in on unlimited data plans. Still, for those of you interested, we suggest getting a jump on, as the (potentially leaked) press release reveals that these plans might only be available for a limited time.

Update: And now it's all official. Huzzah!
Show full PR text
T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced that new, single-line unlimited plans are available starting tomorrow for just $79.99 per month, with an Even More™ plan and a two-year contract, or $59.99 per month, with an Even More Plus™plan with no annual contract required. Available for a limited time, the new plans offer great value for new and existing customers with unlimited nationwide calling, texting and data on America's Largest 4G Network™.

"Consumers today are looking for even more value and flexibility from their wireless plans," said John Clelland, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. "While data plans for many of our competitors continue to be very expensive, T-Mobile is lowering the price of our unlimited plans and offering more options, making it easier than ever for customers to step up to a richer mobile data experience on our 4G network."

Combined with an extensive lineup of affordable smartphones, T-Mobile's new Even More unlimited plan allows customers to save more than $350 per year on an unlimited smartphone plan, compared to similar plans from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint1. Customers have the flexibility to purchase any phone in T-Mobile's lineup and sign up for an unlimited rate plan - with or without a contract term commitment.

In contrast to some competing offerings, T-Mobile's new Even More unlimited and Even More Plus unlimited plans enable customers to use mobile data on their smartphones without incurring any overage charges. Consumers exceeding 2GB of usage in a billing month will still have access to unlimited data at reduced speeds until their new billing cycle starts. On average, T-Mobile 4G smartphone customers consume about 1 GB of data per billing month.

In addition to its unlimited plans, T-Mobile continues to offer one of the industry's most affordable entry-level data plans, starting at just $10 for 200 MB per billing month. The company also strives to help customers on these data plans avoid surprise bills with SMS alerts when they are reaching their data limit.

The new $79.99 Even More unlimited and $59.99 Even More Plus unlimited plans are available starting tomorrow for qualifying customers. To find the T-Mobile plan that best fits their needs, customers can visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

T-Mobile's HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at T-Mobile.com.
at 11:58 AM

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