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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

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AT&T affirms: Windows Phone 7 NoDo rollouts start today for Focus and Quantum owners

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 11:15 AM PDT

What's this, a rollout hitting as planned? Believe it or not, the leaked memo we spotted a few days back has now proven true, with Microsoft's long-awaited NoDo update (complete with copy-and-paste) being pushed out today for select LG Quantum and Samsung Focus users. The update itself has been looping around for some time, but this marks the first launch of it on AT&T's airwaves. We've confirmed with the carrier that the folks in Redmond are indeed pushing it out as we speak, but there's no word yet on how long it'll take for everyone to get served. Let us know how the new build's treating you in comments below... should you be lucky enough to get it, that is.

USB iHub is the perfect knockoff accessory for your Apple-centric existence

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 10:54 AM PDT

iHub
So, you waited in line for an iPad 2, snatched up an iPhone 4, and even bought one of those unofficial white conversion kits. You work all day on a MacBook Air with a Steve Job figurine sitting next to it on your desk -- you're exactly the person that the $9.99 iHub was created for. It's not an official Apple product but, as far as knockoffs go, this is one of the more accurate facsimiles we've ever seen. This four-port USB hub looks quite a bit like an Apple TV, has a glowing logo up top, and comes in your choice of white or black. Even the packaging is convincingly Apple thanks to the clear plastic lid that lets you peek the wares within. Glimpse the glamor shots and the video below -- we promise they're 100-percent authentic, even if the iHub is not.

The iHub 2

Alienware M18x and M14x first hands-on!

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 10:26 AM PDT

Now that Alienware's latest gaming notebooks have broken free from their classified captivity, perhaps you'd like to know how their form factors stack up? Well, we just so happen to have gotten our grubby paws on the extraterrestrials, and they're looking mighty fine. We'll warn you though, that the chart-topping M18x is a beast in more ways than one -- it may not be a literal 600-pound gorilla, but after one heft of its 16-pound frame we started wondering if luggables were back in vogue.

While the M18x's factory-overclocked 4GHz processor and HDMI-input sorely tempted us, we were rather more taken with the Alienware M14x's svelte frame, which should prove quite tempting for those who dig its more petite profile. While it doesn't have the anodized aluminum shell of its big brother the M18x, its red matte plastic exterior has a high-quality feel to it, though we spotted an unsightly seam along the right edge of the prototype unit. It's also unfortunately got a super-glossy screen, though all the reflections nicely hid the unit's sizable bezel. We briefly played Call of Duty: Black Ops on the M14x, and found the keys to have plenty of travel and provided a satisfying click with each press as we wandered Cuban streets, and the touchpad was quite responsive as well (though we didn't have a chance to test its multitouch capabilities). It's heavier than other laptops with similar screen real-estate, but it's still an totally totable PC -- and the heft is a welcome tradeoff in exchange for the added horsepower under the hood as compared to its Jenny Craig competition.
Alienware M14x, M18x and M11x R3 hands-on


Sean Hollister contributed to this report.

Sprint to pay at least $1 billion to use Clearwire's 4G network through 2012

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 09:59 AM PDT

Although it might not make a difference to consumers, the 4G network ripping through Sprint-branded devices such as the EVO 4G doesn't actually belong to the carrier. Rather, Sprint rents use of Clearwire's network, and the two have been duking it out for months over just how much that service is worth. That battle finally came to an end today when Sprint, which happens to be Clearwire's majority owner, agreed to pay at least $1.03 billion this year and next to run its WiMAX devices on the network. The two companies also agreed to mutual wholesale rights, meaning they can sell access to each other's 3G and 4G networks to other providers. And they reached a pricing agreement for phones that offer both 3G and 4G connectivity -- a bone of contention for Sprint, whose customers can't all take advantage of 4G speeds, depending on where they live. Then again, Clearwire needs those billions precisely so that it can expand its network. As for Sprint, it can now blow less cash on legal fees -- and instead gird itself for a potential three-horse race against Verizon and AT&T&T.

[Image courtesy of Mobiledia]
Show full PR text
April 19, 2011
SPRINT AND CLEARWIRE ANNOUNCE KEY ENHANCEMENTS TO THEIR LONG-TERM WHOLESALE REVENUE AGREEMENTS
Companies Amend Long-Term Agreement for Wholesale Pricing for Sprint's 4G Smartphones and All Other 4G Services, Including a Minimum Cash Commitment Totaling at Least $1 Billion to be Paid to Clearwire During 2011 and 2012

Overland Park, Kan. and Kirkland, Wash., April 19, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR) today announced an amendment to their long-term agreement that establishes new wholesale pricing terms and provides Clearwire a minimum of $1 billion from Sprint to be paid during 2011 and 2012 for 4G wholesale services comprised of minimum usage commitments of $300 million in 2011, $550 million in 2012 and $175 million in pre-payments for 4G wholesale services to be used in 2011, 2012 and beyond. The parties expect the agreement to continue to drive the growth and collaboration of both companies' strategic 4G initiatives.

"We are pleased to reach this wholesale pricing agreement with Clearwire," said Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO. "We look forward to working with them under this new agreement to provide an expanded offering of 4G capabilities and solutions for Sprint customers."

"Sprint has been our biggest and most important customer and partner since we launched 4G services in the U.S. more than two years ago," said John Stanton, Clearwire's interim CEO. "Today's agreement further aligns Sprint and Clearwire's interests and lays the foundation for a continued, constructive relationship. We are pleased to have the resources and partnerships necessary to maintain our 4G leadership and leverage our significant spectrum and capacity for delivering mobile broadband services."

4G PRICING AND REVENUE COMMITMENTS

In addition to Sprint's commitment of $300 million in 2011, $550 million in 2012, and the prepayment of $175 million, the companies reached an agreement regarding wholesale pricing for Sprint devices that operate on both Sprint's 3G network and Clearwire's 4G network. This includes smart phones such as the award-winning HTC EVO™ 4G and Samsung Epic™ 4G and other dual-mode devices like the newly introduced Novatel Wireless MiFi® 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot 4082.

The agreement includes usage based pricing and volume discounts and is aimed at aligning the interests of both companies to enable growth for customers using smart phones and dual-mode devices. The agreement also includes minimum payments per 4G device.

Clearwire and Sprint also plan further collaboration to expand Sprint's capability to offer customized solutions using 4G technology. This is expected to allow Sprint to better serve its target enterprise and government customers with mission critical wireless broadband solutions both for mobility and local area network applications and expand its Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions for large and small businesses.

The agreement also expands the mutual re-wholesaling rights whereby both companies can resell the other's respective 3G and 4G networks to other parties. The agreement is expected to open up new market segments for both Sprint and Clearwire to both jointly and independently pursue.

HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP

The long-term partnership between Sprint and Clearwire has been one of the most productive in the U.S. wireless market. Together, the two companies deployed the first true 4G network in North America, leading the wireless industry's rapid progression to a mobile broadband future while making 4G a household word. The Clearwire 4G network is backed by some of the leading companies in telecommunications and technology, including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Intel, Google and Bright House Networks.

With flexible all-IP network architecture and substantial wireless spectrum depth, the Clearwire 4G network is well positioned to continue serving the company's customers and wholesale partners' demands for fast, reliable, high-capacity mobile broadband service across the U.S.

Acer's Jim Wong named Corporate President, will head new Touch Business Group

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 09:39 AM PDT

The changes just keep on coming at Acer these days -- following a shakeup at the top and a new, friendlier logo, the company has now announced that longtime company exec Jim Wong will be stepping up to the role of Corporate President. What's more, he'll also be heading up Acer's brand new Touch Business Group, which combines the company's former tablet PC and smartphone teams, and promises to help Acer "make significant inroads" in the mobile device business -- or so it hopes, at least. Elsewhere in the company, Acer's traditional PC Global Operations business will be led by the former VP of its handheld business unit, Campbell Kan, while a number of other Acer execs have also been appointed to some new positions, including Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Technology Officer. Head on past the break for the official word from Acer itself.
Show full PR text
Acer appoints Jim Wong as Corporate President

Through teamwork, company to face challenges and embrace opportunities of the new ICT industry

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (April 19, 2011) – Acer Inc.'s board of directors has approved the candidacy of Jim Wong as the new Corporate President, with immediate effect. Wong previously held the positions of corporate senior vice president and president of IT Products Group (ITGO). Together with Chairman and CEO, J.T. Wang, they will lead the company forward to embrace new challenges and opportunities in the new ICT age.

Acer Chairman and CEO, J.T. Wang, states, "For the past ten years Jim has led Acer's global IT operations, including product development and logistics. In that time he has shown outstanding leadership and made important contribution to the company. He has also worked closely with our regional operations to thoroughly understand the needs of our marketing and channels at the front end operations. Therefore, we regard Jim as a well-qualified candidate to step into the role of Acer corporate president."

Wang continues, "The presidential candidacy must fulfill company's needs for future development, and show capability to lead the company forward. As the ICT industry shifts from single to multiple operating system platforms, it opens up new challenges as well as new opportunities. Acer needs a leader who is familiar with technology, as well as understands the market. We reviewed Jim's potential and agreed he would fit well in the role."
The rapid growth from data-creation to data-consumption devices is increasing the ICT market scale and opening up new prospects. Acer will aggressively yet cautiously develop data-consumption products, tablet PCs and smartphones based on the solid foundation of the main PC business.

Jim Wong, new corporate president of Acer states, "The IT industry is encountering a profound change. I foresee many new opportunities and am ready to face the challenges ahead. I will encourage teamwork throughout the company and work closely with the new management team. We are ready with a clear set of goals and action plans."

In the PC business, Acer will continue to seek volume/shipment growth, but we must optimize our multi-brand strategy by having clear differentiation of the brands' positioning and create value for our customers. Concurrently, Acer shall focus on developing selective models for mobile devices to lay a solid foundation for the future.

Three key principles have been defined by Acer's new management to ensure successful decision making:

Promote the spirit of teamwork to enhance company's overall competitiveness, and encourage closer communication between front-end and back-end management teams for better mutual understanding.

Simplify operational systems and processes to boost effectiveness and speed.
Strengthen corporate governance and enhance company sustainability.
Wong joined Acer in 1986, with experience in sales, product marketing, product development, with a keen understanding of ODM supplier operations and the brand business. In 2001 when he took charge of the ITGO, he has been one of the core members of Acer's top management team. In 2005 he was promoted to corporate senior vice president.

Born in 1958, Wong holds a bachelor degree, majoring in mathematics from Soochow University in Taiwan, and an MBA from Emory University, Georgia, USA. In 1999 he received Taiwan's 17th Annual Management of Excellency Award.


Acer establishes Touch Business Group to enhance development of new mobile devices

Acer Corporate President Jim Wong to lead Touch Business Group

Campbell Kan to lead PC Global Operations

Walter Deppeler to lead Chief Marketing Office

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (April 19, 2011) – Acer Inc. announces organizational adjustments in separating the back-end product-line operations into two independent entities: Touch Business Group (Touch BG) and PC Global Operations (PCGO) lead by new Acer corporate president, Jim Wong, and Campbell Kan, former VP of the smart handheld business unit, respectively. In addition, Acer announces new functions for mid- and long-term business planning and operation analysis.

To make significant inroads in the mobile device business, Acer has reorganized the former IT product global operations into two independent entities. The newly founded Touch BG comprises of the former tablet PC and smartphone teams, while the PCGO consists of the main PC product lines.

The Touch BG shall be led by new Acer corporate president, Jim Wong, and president of Eten Information Systems, Simon Hwang, concurrently appointed deputy president of Touch BG.

Acer president, Jim Wong, states, "Touch/mobile devices open up a host of new opportunities. They form Acer's new business and growth engine for the future. To focus on this market, we saw the need to allocate sufficient resources, and devise a new management structure different from the PC business specifically for this line of business."

New Functions
Acer also creates three new functions deemed necessary for company's competitive development, they are: Chief Marketing Office (CMO) – responsible for brand position and marketing strategy; Chief Technology Office (CTO) – responsible for mid to long term planning and integration of technologies; and Operation Analysis Office (OAO) – for studying and analyzing company business models and financial affairs.

Senior corporate VP and EMEA president, Walter Deppeler, shall concurrently serve as CMO, while Tiffany Huang, AVP of supply chain operations will concurrently oversee the OAO. The CTO will be jointly led by former VP of quality and service, Jackson Lin, former CTO of products development, R.C. Chang, and former VP of technology center, Arif Maskatia.

Microsoft's Ashley Highfield says no dedicated tablet OS until the time is right

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 09:19 AM PDT

In an interview with Pocket-lint, Microsoft UK's Ashley Highfield said the company won't be delivering a dedicated OS for tablets anytime soon. "We won't do anything in the tablet market unless we can be distinctive," he said. Given, we've already seen a number of slates rocking Windows 7, but Highfield was apparently tight-lipped about any solid plans to move into the tablet market in any substantial way, saying Microsoft sees itself as an underdog in certain areas. As far as we know, Highfield made no mention of how this relates to Windows Compact 7, which we've seen in prototype form in the past. Of course, all of this is coming from the guy who warned of the impending death of television as we know it, but we're inclined to believe him on this one. On another note, Microsoft's UK managing director said he gets his tablet fix on a Dell Inspiron Duo -- we suppose it's a good sign he's not rocking an Android or iOS tab.

Maxell's Vibrabone HP-VBC40 earbuds can rattle your skull, if you'd like

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 08:59 AM PDT

Maxell has taken a slightly different approach to the bone conduction trope with its new Vibrabone HP-VBC40 earbuds – headphones that combine standard stereo drivers with the same bone-rattling, vibration-based technology we've all come to know and love. According to Maxell, the Vibrabone's hybrid system enhances the bass that would be coursing its way through your cranium, while its dual volume control allows users to fine tune that bass flow. Apparently, this bass adjustment mechanism puts less stress on your eardrums, which might make the entire bone conduction concept seem slightly less creepy. The earbuds come in black, blue and white, and will be available in Japan toward the end of April, for a little under ¥4,000 or about $50.

Otomata sequencer creates generative music for the melodically challenged (video)

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 08:32 AM PDT

It won't bring you the success or adoration that Brian Eno's enjoyed, but the Otomata sequencer could have you making noise like the Roxy Music alum in seconds. Way back in 1996, Eno espoused the idea of generative music, which is a non-repetitive form of music created, in this case, anyway, by a piece of software. Otomata takes that idea and puts it to use in a cellular automaton, consisting of a simple grid of cells in different states. With Otomata, each selected cell has four states: up, down, left, and right. When activated, the cells move in the direction of their given state, and when they encounter an obstacle, like a wall, a pitched sound is created. After each collision, the cells turn around and head in the opposite direction until they hit another obstacle, and the process continues indefinitely. The result is a chaotic but somehow lulling symphony of electronic sounds, a la Mr. Eno, that anyone with a mouse can muster. Head on past the break to see for yourself.

Alienware M18x, M14x and M11x R3 finally official, world can now move on

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 08:20 AM PDT

Last week, we received a top-secret communique from Dell's Alienware division, bidding us attend a San Francisco event -- where, we were told, we'd be privy to some highly classified announcements. Of course, this being Dell and not the CIA, we already knew more or less what we'd see: Alienware's latest batch of powerhouse gaming machine. Today, the aliens have landed with two new notebook computers -- the Alienware M18x and M14x -- and a hefty spec bump for the littlest alien in the form of the M11x R3. Each brings Intel's new Sandy Bridge processors and NVIDIA Optimus switchable graphics to the fore, as well as some oh-so-slightly tweaked frames, and the M14x and M18x bring WirelessHD tech to sling images to your screen.

The M11x and M14x are available now on Dell's site starting at $999 and $1,199, respectively. For your cash, you'll get 8 hours of battery life in the M11x and 6 hours in its chunkier sibling. Scheduled to land in May, the M18x weighs a scale-tipping 16 pounds, and adds an HDMI input (because PC gamers own consoles, too), and the factory overclocked 4Ghz processor and five programmable keys with up to fifteen different macros for your customizing delight. We're off to get some hands-on time with Dell's new little green (and blue and red) extra terrestrials, so stay tuned... PR after the break.
Alienware M11x R3, M14x and M18x, eyes-on
Alienware M18x, M14x and M11x R3 press shots
Show full PR text
ALIENWARE REDEFINES MOBILE GAMING WITH THREE NEW ALL-POWERFUL LAPTOPS
• Dual-Graphics Technology for Visually Stunning Experiences
• Wireless HD for Latency-Free HD Video Streaming to Larger Screens
• HDMI Connections for Lifelike 3D Gaming

ROUND ROCK, Texas, April 19, 2011 – Alienware is redefining mobile gaming – again – with three new, all-powerful laptops, including the soon to be released M18x, which lays claim to the title of "most powerful 18-inch gaming laptop in the universe;" the M14x, which delivers unprecedented performance and portability; and an enhanced M11x, already a favorite among gaming enthusiasts, and the most-powerful sub-14-inch notebook in the universe.

The two new faces in the Alienware laptop family, the upcoming M18x and the M14x, along with the new M11x, deliver unprecedented power to the gamer on the go. All three platforms offer the latest in gaming technology, and feature second-generation Intel Core i processors to deliver the most immersive high-performance gaming experience imaginable. In particular:

• The M18x will offer dual-graphics technology and an the industry's only Intel Core i7 Extreme CPU option factory overclocked to 4GHz;
• The M18x and the M14x offer optional wireless HD audio and video for latency-free streaming to larger screens; and
• All three laptops also offer HDMI 1.4 for connection to 3D-capable HDTVs for incredible, lifelike 3D gaming and SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports for up to 10x the speed of USB 2.0 connections for a new level in data transfer.

Alienware has a rich history of innovation and delivering solutions that delight gamers and performance enthusiasts around the world. These laptops, along with the m17x announced and launched in January, represent the most-significant expansion in Alienware's portfolio in several years and arrive as the company celebrates its five-year anniversary as part of the Dell family. Since its acquisition by Dell, Alienware has expanded to provide award-winning gaming systems to a global fan base. The brand is also available at major retailers worldwide and has spawned a community site, Alienware Arena (www.alienwarearena.com), where gamers everywhere can interact socially and compete with one another.

"If you're a gamer, you're going to love our new family of laptops, which deliver on the features gamers care most about – uncompromised graphics performance, latency-free wireless HD streaming to HDTVs, and lifelike 3D gaming," said Arthur Lewis, general manager of Alienware. "We are committed to delivering the best gaming systems for enthusiasts everywhere and we take great pride in helping them 'pwn', no matter where they are in the world."

As Alienware's flagship laptop, the M18x – which is also dubbed the "Most Powerful 18-inch Gaming Laptop in the Universe" – will be a true desktop replacement. It is perfect for gamers who want to compromise nothing for blistering frame rates and full immersion in the gaming experience. With Wireless HD and 3D options, as well as HDMI-in, the M18x allows gamers a no-holds-barred gaming machine capable of meeting even the most grueling demands of today's gamer, delivering gaming content when and where gamers need it.

For gamers seeking a mobile HD gaming experience who want a balance of performance and mobility, the new 14-inch M14x offers the best of both worlds. Weighing in at less than 6.5lbs, the M14x features full-voltage Second-generation four- and two-core Intel Core i CPUs, discrete graphics and an optical disk drive. For the gaming enthusiast or anyone who needs mobile computing performance, the M14x is a mobile yet powerful option. The M14x offers updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with up to 3GB of graphics memory, and for the gamer on the go, optional Intel WiMAX technology to enable internet connectivity virtually anywhere.

For the truly mobile gamer, the M11x has long been a favorite, but now it's even better! New improvements to the popular M11x include second-generation Intel Core i processors with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M, and like the larger M14x, optional Intel WiMAX technology. The latest M11x also features a soft touch finish with a new Nebula Red option.

Blistering Performance
The M18x, M14x and M11x each offer blistering performance on the go. Highlights of the new M18x include:
• An 18.4-inch FHD WLED 1080p display for the best visuals possible
• Powerful Dual GPU options with the fastest graphics memory (GDDR5) on all graphics options
• Both AMD and NVIDIA graphics options, in Crossfire X and SLI, respectively
• New Intel "Huron River" Architecture with a new factoryoverclocked Intel Core i7 Extreme Quad Core processor up to 4GHz
• Upgradeable to up to 32GB 1333MHz memory
• HDMI/Display Port output & HDMI-in
• Wireless HD & 3D output options, delivering low-latency high-def content wirelessly or output to 3D displays

Highlights of the new M14x include:
• 14-inch WLED HD (720p) display standard (1366x768) or optional 14-inch WLED HD+ (900p) display (1600x900)
• Second-generation Overclockable Intel Core i CPUs with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
• Updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with up to 3GB of VRAM
• NVIDIA Optimus technology to extend battery life
• Up to 8GB of 1600MHz Extreme-Performance system memory
• HDMI 1.4 to support connectivity on HDTVs and 7.1 digital audio
• Audio powered by Klipsch (onboard speakers)
• Optional Intel WiMAX technology

And the refreshed M11x includes:
• An 11.6-inch WLED HD (720p) display (WXGA 1366x768)
• Second-generation Overclockable Intel Core i CPUs with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0
• Updated graphics featuring the NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M
• Up to 16GB of 1333MHz high-performance system memory
• HDMI 1.4 to support connectivity on HDTVs and 7.1 digital audio
• Audio powered by Klipsch (onboard speakers)
• Optional Intel WiMAX technology



Links:
www.alienware.com
www.dell.com

About Dell
Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to its customers and uses that insight to make technology simpler and create innovative solutions that simplify daily activities and help people stay, entertained, connected and in touch. Learn more at www.dell.com.

BlackBerry Bridge not available for PlayBook users on AT&T, unofficial workaround available

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 08:04 AM PDT

We're not sure why this was never mentioned before the BlackBerry Playbook launch, but it looks like AT&T customers opting for RIM's new tablet won't be able to take advantage of one key feature, at least officially. For reasons yet unknown, AT&T appears to be blocking folks from downloading BlackBerry Bridge to their BlackBerry smartphones, with the speculation being that it doesn't like the free tethering the Playbook enables. As the folks at CrackBerry have discovered, however, AT&T is only blocking the Bridge app, not the actual Bridge process -- which means you can still download the app though unofficial means and Bridge your AT&T BlackBerry to your Playbook. Here's hoping AT&T figures out a workaround of its own sooner rather than later.

Update: We just heard back from AT&T, and it's looking like you'll need to have a bit of patience here as the kinks are worked out. Here's the direct quote from a company spokesperson: "AT&T is working with RIM to make the BlackBerry Bridge app available for AT&T customers. We have just received the app for testing and before it's made available to AT&T customers we want to ensure it delivers a quality experience for our customers."

Bang & Olfusen's BeoVision 4-85 TV combines 3D and Full HD with superfluous sleekness

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 07:42 AM PDT

Bang & Olfusen's new BeoVision 4-85 isn't just another run-of-the-mill 3D TV for the unwashed masses. It's a really pretty 3D TV, for the refined and the opulent. The 85-inch plasma screen comes encased in a high-grade aluminum frame, and combines anti-reflection coating with automated image controls, to guarantee crystal clear, Full HD viewing at any time of day. B&O's first foray into the 3D/Full HD realm also features a BeoLab 10 central loudspeaker, which uses Acoustic Lens Technology to deliver consistently high-frequency sounds, regardless of where you're sitting in relation to the speaker. And, much like its 103-inch brethren, this 85-incher comes with a motorized stand, which automatically elevates and tilts the screen to ideal viewing position whenever the system is turned on. Once you've finished marveling at the BeoVision 4-85's robust design, you can turn it off and watch in awe, as the display magically lowers itself to "within inches" of the floor (where, incidentally, you'll also be able to find your jaw). No word yet on the price of this experience, but we're gonna go out on a limb and assume that it's pretty steep. The beast is set to be unleashed in Moscow tomorrow, but you can check out an appropriately slick car commercial video on the BeoVision 4 family, after the break.

Amazon beats Dell to the punch, quietly ships WiFi-only Streak 7 in the US

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 07:19 AM PDT

If you've been impatiently waiting for that $380 WiFi-only Dell Streak 7 you pre-ordered, you can stop your fidgeting because it looks like Amazon, at least, has quietly started to ship them out to eager US customers -- the second market to get the Android tablet this week. Just to refresh your memories, it offers a dual-core 1GHz Tegra T20 processor, 16GB of storage, dual cameras, and, eventually, an upgrade to Android Honeycomb (3.0), something Samsung's 7-inch Galaxy Tab isn't guaranteed to get. But is that worth the Streak's higher price and shorter endurance? We'll let you and your wallet be the judge.

Lenovo ThinkPad X220 and X220T now shipping, starting at $849

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 06:54 AM PDT

Laptop makers seem to enjoy making our lives difficult by sneaking "buy now" labels onto their latest products and Lenovo has kept up that tradition by making its 12.5-inch ThinkPad X220 available without telling anyone. It's now ready to purchase at the company's online store, starting at $849 with a Core i3-2310M processor, and its convertible tablet sibling, the X220T, is also eager to be snatched up, though its starting price is $1,249 with the same CPU on board. Eight business days will be required for delivery to reach you, but we'd wait a whole lot longer than that for the gorgeous IPS display and extreme battery life on offer. Sadly, you can't upgrade beyond the 1366 x 768 resolution nor away from the Intel HD Graphics 3000 "option," but then we hear that PowerPoint presentations should be blindingly fast on these machines anyhow. Hit the source links to see just how high you can raise the price by maxing out the rest of the specs.

[Thanks, Dave]

Sony's MDR-DS6500 wireless headphones serve up surround sound in style

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 06:34 AM PDT

We've seen some rather homely cans in our time -- wireless and otherwise -- which is why we were delighted to see that Sony's latest set of 7.1 channel headphones doesn't sacrifice form for function -- at least not on paper. The MDR-DS6500 setup offers up a slew of surround sound modes, including Dolby Digital, Sony's Virtualphones Technology, a 100-meter (330-foot) operating range, and automatic tuning. Sony's also promising 20 hours of listening for every three hours the things spend on their charging dock. We're not sure how much they'll set you back, but they are set for release sometime this May. Of course, we'll hold our judgment until we actually hear how they stack up. Full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
Immerse yourself in the ultimate 3D listening experience: MDR-DS6500 wireless headphones by Sony with 7.1ch digital surround sound

18 April 2011

Digital wireless headphones with 7.1ch surround sound
Interference-free CD-quality audio with long 100m range
7.1ch Virtualphones Technology (VPT) places headphone sound 'behind and beyond' the TV screen
Quick, easy wireless charging – 3 hrs charge gives approx. 20 hrs playback
Stylish monolithic design

Now you can experience a rich, 3-dimensional world of crystal-clear sound with your headphones – with no interference and no wires.

The new MDR-DS6500 digital surround headphone system from Sony gives TV programmes, movies on Blu-ray Disc™/DVD and PLAYSTATION®3 games the soundtrack they deserve.

Exclusive to Sony, Virtualphones Technology (VPT) reproduces the soundstage of multi-channel speakers to create an immersive acoustic space. Even if you're listening to a stereo 2ch or 5.1 channel programme, VPT builds a virtual 7.1 channel soundstage that stretches 'behind and beyond' the screen. There's also a choice of selectable surround sound modes to optimise listening for movies, gaming or speech.

With a generous operating range of up to 100m (approx.), the MDR-DS6500 lets you wander freely around the house while enjoying uncompressed CD-quality sound.

All-digital wireless transmission resists noise and interference from other devices in the home. Automatic tuning switches seamlessly between RF channels to optimise signal reception at all times, with no glitches or drop-outs.

Aside from superb audio quality, the MDR-DS6500 is beautifully easy to use. Just connect the headphone's processing unit to any multi-channel source and enjoy an immersive, 3D listening experience.

The sleek, monolithic design of the charging cradle makes a dramatic match for your BRAVIA home theatre system. When it's not being used, just rest the MDRâ€'DS6500 on its elegant wireless charging dock. 3 hours charging time provides power for a generous 20 hours (approx.) listening time.

The new MDR-DS6500 digital wireless headphone system by Sony is available from May 2011.

White iPhone 4 used to demo new multitasking, Spotlight search in 'test version' of iOS? (video)

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 06:12 AM PDT

We've just laid eyes on a video from the prolific leaksters over at Tinhte, who claim they not only have a white iPhone 4 from Apple, but it's one with a "test version" of iOS that nobody else has yet seen. It's difficult to ascertain how legitimate this software is -- it could just be a neatly done jailbreak mod -- but that site has a track record of getting its hands on Apple gear ahead of the pack. With that said, the multitasking menu shown here substitutes the current use of apps' icons to represent them with a visual of each app's open window. You can tap on a window to expand it (replete with animation) to fill the screen or long-press on it to bring up the familiar "x" button for shutting it down. This is all accompanied by a new "Search iPhone" dialog at the very top, which sends you into Spotlight search that looks very much the way it currently does (though it seems to no longer be accessible with a left swipe from the first homescreen as on previous versions of iOS). Jump past the break for the video.

Update: A second video has been uncovered, this one showing that we're looking at a prototype unit and taking us on a tour around its body. A visit to the Settings menu shows a 64GB storage capacity, while app folder creation is also handled a little differently from iOS 4. The presence of the Touch Fighter app on this phone, which Apple built to show off the capabilities of earlier versions of the handset, and other internal-looking software seems to point to this indeed being some form of iOS beta build. Of course, it might not be iOS 5 at all, but simply a never-released version of iOS 4. All we know for sure is that the video's after the break.

Update 2: All indications are that this is indeed an early, unreleased version of iOS 4. Interesting, but probably not something to get your hopes up about.



Sonos adds AirPlay support as Android Controller app hits the Market

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 06:00 AM PDT

For months we've been wondering aloud how Sonos would respond to Apple's September AirPlay announcement. After all, Apple's promise to "stream music throughout your entire house" steps all over Sonos' reason to exist. Would Sonos start building its systems with BridgeCo chips? As it turns out: no. Instead, Sonos is opting for a rather ingenious solution, at a cost of $99. Rather than licensing BridgeCo technology at additional expense atop Sonos' already costly components, the company has instead devised an approach that links Apple's own AirPlay-compliant AirPort Express into Sonos' proprietary wireless mesh network. The solution (illustrated after the break) works by first shutting off the WiFi on the AirPort Express base station and then stringing a cable between its audio-out and the line-in jack on any Sonos ZonePlayer, including the S5 all-in-one speaker. You then run an ethernet patch cable between the two and you've just enabled your iOS devices to play AirPlay audio to any (or all) Sonos device in the home from any compatible AirPlay app. Naturally, the Sonos solution does not integrate with AirPlay speakers like those from iHome, JBL, B&W, Klipsch, or Philips and the AirPlay audio won't be synced with video; but it's a start. The new functionality requires a software update to your system in the form of Sonos System Software version 3.4 -- available now -- which also adds iOS multitasking amongst a few other goodies.

Today also marks the official release of the free Sonos Controller for Android app in the Android Market making it a pretty good day to be a Sonos owner.


Show full PR text
NOW PLAYING ALL OVER THE HOME:
APPLE AIRPLAY MUSIC SOURCES ON SONOS
Sonos offers the only true, multi-room Apple AirPlay experience
with an Apple AirPort Express

SANTA BARBARA, CA – April 19, 2011 – Sonos, the leading developer of wireless multi-room music systems for the home, today introduced Sonos System Software 3.4, a free software update that adds more music and more features to the Sonos music experience. Sonos 3.4 makes it easy to play Apple AirPlay® music sources all over the home, and adds support for Apple iPad™ and Apple iPhone® multitasking and Sonos Controller for Android™.

"The cool AirPlay feature for music is sending a song from an iOS device to a speaker or receiver," said John MacFarlane, founder and CEO, Sonos, Inc. "Today Sonos improves the AirPlay experience with party mode so a music lover can send a song from his iPhone or iPad to all the rooms in a home with perfect synchronization."

Apple AirPlay Music Sources on Sonos
Now you can stream songs from your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch® all over your home on Sonos. Connect an Apple Airport Express® via line-in to any Sonos ZonePlayer and enjoy the only true, multi-room Apple AirPlay experience.
• Party Mode: Only on Sonos can you send a song from your iOS device to multiple ZonePlayers throughout your home and enjoy that song in every room, simultaneously.
• Different songs in different rooms, Sonos-style: Only on Sonos can you play different music from your iTunes® library in different rooms of the home. And it's been that way since 2005.
For more information about how to play Apple AirPlay music sources on Sonos, recommended setup and more, please visit www.sonos.com/AirPlay.

Other Sonos 3.4 features include:
Faster wireless control on your iPhone and iPad with iOS multitasking support. Find and play your music even faster with multitasking updates available on the free Sonos Controller for iPhone and Sonos Controller for iPad. Both are available for download from the iTunes App Store.

More control with support for Sonos Controller for Android. Transform your favorite Android smartphone into a full-fledged Sonos Controller with a free app you can download from Android Market™ today. Sonos Controller for Android features innovative music voice search so you can find any artist, album or track by simply speaking into your phone. For more details, see additional press release at http://pr.sonos.com or visit www.sonos.com/android.

Full details of the Sonos 3.4 software release can be found here: http://sonos.com/support/software_update.aspx
Show full PR text
SONOS CONTROLLER FOR ANDROID NOW AVAILABLE ON ANDROID MARKET

Sonos Gives Android Fans Amazing Sound, Unlimited Music and
Incredible Wireless Control in Every Room of the Home

SANTA BARBARA, CA – April 19, 2011 – Sonos, the leading developer of wireless multi-room music systems for the home, today announced that the Sonos Controller for Android™ is now available for download as a free app on Android Market™. Sonos Controller for Android transforms most Android™ smartphones into a wireless music controller for the award-winning Sonos Multi-Room Music System. To see a video of how you can use an Android smartphone to control music all over the home with Sonos, please visit www.sonos.com/android.

"We're pleased to deliver a great new way for music lovers to tap into all the music on earth," said John MacFarlane, founder and CEO, Sonos, Inc. "Now Android owners can pull out their phones and bring music home with Sonos."

With the award-winning Sonos S5 in any room and an Android smartphone in hand, music fans can now enjoy an unmatched wireless music experience in the home. Access and play all the music on earth-from the Internet and your personal music library-throughout the home, wirelessly. Play the same song in every room of the house – perfectly synchronized. Or mix it up and play different songs in different rooms. Use the free Sonos Controller for Android to control all your music and rooms, all from the palm of your hand.

Search for songs and stations by typing or speaking, thanks to the new Sonos music voice search feature. Also, turn the hard buttons on your Android smartphone into volume control. And because your Android phone is controlling the music--not the source of it--when a text comes in or you need to make a phone call, the music doesn't stop.

The Sonos Controller for Android works on any Android smartphone running Android 2.1+ with a screen size of HVGA 320 x 480, WVGA 480 x 800 or WVGA 480 x 854. Sonos Controller for Android joins the family of Sonos Controllers which includes free apps for iPhone and iPad, a dedicated touchscreen controller, the Sonos Controller 200, and free software for your Mac or PC, which is included with every ZonePlayer. All controllers work together seamlessly.
In conjunction with today's Sonos Controller for Android availability, Sonos has released Sonos System Software v3.4 which features support for Apple AirPlay music sources, iOS multi-tasking and more. For more details, see additional press release or visit http://sonos.com/support/software_update.aspx

For high resolution photography and additional media information, please visit http://pr.sonos.com. For more information about Sonos or to locate an authorized Sonos dealer in your area, please visit www.sonos.com or call 877.80.SONOS.

Dish Network takes over 500 Blockbuster locations for some reason

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 05:40 AM PDT

Earlier this month, when Dish Network announced that it would be taking over Blockbuster's remaining assets, we openly wondered about what the deal would mean for the thousands of (mostly) empty rental stores still scattered across the country. Shuttering all of them seemed like a very real possibility, but it now looks like Dish has plans for at least a few of Blockbuster's old stomping grounds. On Saturday, the company agreed to assume the leases for about 500 of the 1,700 Blockbuster locations still in operation, according to papers filed with a New York Bankruptcy Court. Of course, it's still unclear what Dish plans to actually do with these stores -- or, for that matter, with the Blockbuster brand, as a whole. But it certainly looks like its long-term vision may incorporate at least some of Blockbuster's brick-and-mortar roots.

Samsung Galaxy S Gingerbread update pulled 'by Google,' needs a little more work

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 05:20 AM PDT

Come on, this is Samsung we're talking about here -- you didn't think a software update from Korea's leading smartphone maker would go without a hitch, did you? The Gingerbread build that made its way out to European Galaxy S handsets over the weekend has now been halted, on account of an unspecified issue that has been identified after release. Vodafone reports that it's Google who's actually responsible for temporarily suspending the Android 2.3 delivery over Kies, although the problem is apparently not universal -- Voda's Galaxy S devices are said to be unaffected, which is why the carrier's working hard to get things rolling again as soon as possible. Oh Samsung, when will it end?

[Thanks, Jake]

Sony said to have stopped PSP Go production, curiously fails to deny it

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 04:31 AM PDT

Oh, what tangled webs of non-denials we all weave. A Japanese blogger working for an official Sony retail partner has reported intel from the PlayStation maker that production of its PSP Go handheld has been halted. Moreover, the Sony Style Japan online store no longer lists the portable and searching for it provides no results. You can only access its product page via a direct link (provided below), but even that shows it as out of stock. So, what has Sony got to say on the matter to allay fears that its troubled console lives on? Well, demand for "current generation PSPs" will continue to be met, apparently, and the NGP is going be really, really awesome when it launches at the end of the year. Hey, if there's zero demand for the PSP Go and you produce zero PSP Go units, then you are technically matching supply to demand. Well played, Sony, well played.

Philippines launches electric tricycles, reignites your infatuation with Big Wheels

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 04:21 AM PDT

The lowly tricycle: occupying some hazy middle ground between car and bicycle, all too often it's dismissed as a novelty, a lark suitable only for children and dedicated iconoclasts – see, for example, T3 Motion's R3. But some places recognize the tricycle's usefulness, and one of those places is the Philippines, where the three-wheeled wonders are a keystone of public transit. Now the country is taking another step forward by upgrading its gasoline-powered trikes to electric. Obviously not designed to compete with, say, electric motorcycles on speed or style, they do have a certain yellow-school-bus charm. More important than aesthetic concerns, the new electric models will have one-quarter the carbon footprint of their gas-burning predecessors; in a nation where tricycles burn nearly five billion dollars worth of fuel each year, emitting ten million tons of carbon dioxide, that's a huge impact. The government also hopes to save tens of millions of dollars by upgrading; it's already committed to 20,000 trikes for the capital, with more to follow nationwide. If electric tricycles succeed in the Philippines, maybe we'll all be one step closer to eliminating the stigma of the third wheel – at least when it comes to transportation.

Ziiiro Aurora and Orbit watches tell time with color, orbs of wonder

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 03:47 AM PDT

Time: how does it work? Well, the physicists are still trying to figure that out. And while they're tinkering with bosons and quarks and dark matter, the designers at Ziiiro are working on an equally important task: how to represent time, preferably in wrist-compatible form. Now they've got two new attempts, dubbed "Aurora" and "Orbit," that show time as a mix of colors or as a pair of circling orbs, respectively. They have about the same learning curve as earlier Ziiiro watches, and the company's website helpfully walks you through how to read them – "It's no rocket science at all!" If the designs are too minimalist for you, you can always treat yourself to Harry Winston's Opus Eleven. Otherwise, these will ship in late May and set you back €129 (about $184).

Erase a CD like a boss (video)

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 03:03 AM PDT

And here we thought that electricity was only good for reanimating monsters.



HBO Go app set to stream its way to iPhones, iPads and Android devices

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 02:41 AM PDT

Are you familiar with the HBO Go online streaming service that lets subscribers catch up on HBO's award-winning and ass-kicking TV content? Well, 'appy news for you, dear reader, for it's about to hit smartphones and tablets early next month. Android and iOS HBO Go apps have been teased by a new video on HBO's YouTube channel, with promises of "instant and unlimited access" to "every episode of every season" of your favorite shows, garnished with a selection of hit movies. The apps and streaming will be free to HBO subscribers, who'll be able to get their Sopranos nostalgia on over 3G as well as WiFi. May 2nd is the date on which the teaser video ends, though it doesn't explicitly say that the service will be enlivened then. We'll just have to wait and see.

[Thanks, Joe]

Samsung sells HDD division to Seagate for $1.375 billion

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 02:04 AM PDT

We're firmly of the belief that SSDs are our future and Samsung would seem to agree. The Korean electronics giant has just announced that it's selling its hard disk drive-manufacturing arm to Seagate Technology for a neat $1.375 billion in equal measures of cash and stocks. As a result, Samsung Electronics will own approximately 9.6 percent of Seagate and get to nominate one new member to join Seagate's Board of Directors, while the two companies have further agreed to deepen their strategic relationship with related cross-licensing and supply stipulations. Samsung will provision Seagate's solid state drives with NAND flash memory, whereas Seagate will furnish Samsung's PCs and consumer electronics products with hard disk storage. The deal is expected to complete in full by year's end and you can read all about it in Seagate's press release after the break.

[Thanks, Pavel]
Show full PR text
Seagate and Samsung Announce Broad Strategic Alignment

Samsung to Combine Hard Disk Drive Operations into Seagate

Companies to Enter Into Extensive Supply and Cross-Licensing Agreements

Samsung to Receive Significant Equity Ownership in Seagate

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. - April 19, 2011 - Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ: STX), the world leader in hard disk drives and storage solutions, and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in digital consumer electronics and information technology, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Seagate and Samsung will significantly expand and strengthen their strategic relationship by further aligning their respective ownership, investments and key technologies. Major elements of the agreement include:

Samsung combining its hard disk drive (HDD) operations into Seagate

Extending and enhancing the existing patent cross-license agreement between the companies

A NAND flash memory supply agreement under which Samsung will provide Seagate with its market-leading semiconductor products for use in Seagate's enterprise solid state drives (SSDs), solid state hybrid drives and other products

A disk drive supply agreement under which Seagate will supply disk drives to Samsung for PCs, notebooks and consumer electronics

Expanded cooperation between the companies to co-develop enterprise storage solutions

Samsung receiving significant equity ownership in Seagate

A shareholder agreement under which an executive of Samsung will be nominated to join Seagate's Board of Directors

The combined value of these transactions and agreements is approximately $1.375 billion USD, which will be paid by Seagate to Samsung in the form of 50% stock and 50% cash.

These transactions and related strategic agreements will enable both companies to better align their current and future product development efforts and roadmaps, accelerate time-to-market for new products and position the companies to better address rapidly evolving opportunities in markets including, but not limited to, mobile computing, cloud computing and solid state storage. In connection with its strategic alliance with Samsung, Seagate expects also to strengthen its relationship with TDK Corporation/SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd. Together, these transactions and agreements broaden a strategic relationship between Seagate and Samsung that began with a joint development agreement announced in August 2010.

"We are pleased to strengthen our strategic relationship with Samsung in a way that better aligns both companies around technologies and products," said Steve Luczo, Seagate chairman, president and CEO. "With these agreements, we expect to achieve greater scale and deliver a broader range of innovative storage products and solutions to our customers, while facilitating our long-term relationship with Samsung."

Seagate expects these transactions and agreements to be meaningfully accretive to non-GAAP diluted earnings per share and cash flow within the first full year following the closing, and Seagate does not expect any material restructuring costs in connection with them.

"Delivering value to the market and consumers is the primary goal of the extensive agreement announced today. Samsung looks forward to extending our existing strategic ties with Seagate, to deliver creative technology solutions for a broad diversity of consumer, business and industrial applications," said Oh-hyun, Kwon, president of the semiconductor business of Samsung Electronics.

The transactions and agreements significantly expand Seagate's customer access in China and Southeast Asia. In addition, the mutual supply agreements enable Seagate to secure an important source of leading-edge NAND flash supply as the company expands its SSD and solid state hybrid product offerings, and position Seagate to be a more significant supplier of disk drives to Samsung. The agreement also gives Samsung a significant ownership position in Seagate.

Under the terms of the agreement, Samsung will receive consideration consisting of 50% Seagate ordinary shares and 50% cash. Upon closing, Samsung will receive Seagate ordinary shares valued at $687.5 million (45.2 million shares, or approximately 9.6% ownership of Seagate, which is based on Seagate's 30-day volume weighted average stock price prior to signing), plus $687.5 million in cash. Samsung will have a right to designate a nominee to join Seagate's Board of Directors following closing.

The agreement has no financing contingencies, and is subject to customary closing conditions, including review by U.S. and international regulators. The transactions are expected to close by the end of calendar year 2011.

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated served as financial advisor and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation served as legal advisor to Seagate in connection with the transaction. Allen & Company LLC served as financial advisor and Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP served as legal advisor to Samsung.

Conference Call

Seagate will host a conference call at 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time to discuss the transaction. In addition, Seagate will discuss its third quarter 2011 financial results on the same call.

Panasonic chains Toughbook to a snowmobile, shows signs of life post-torture (video)

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 01:58 AM PDT


We've never questioned the rigidity of Panasonic's Toughbook line -- after all, we've been shown just how rugged these things are time and time again -- but a new video from the company is just too clever to pass over. Sure, it hardly makes any clearer what's already clear, but just in case you were still having doubts, Panny's Toughbook line is mighty tough. As in, tough enough to survive being towed behind a snowmobile in bitterly cold conditions. Unfortunately, the company only shows the screen lighting up after the ride's done, so there's still the possibility that the keyboard is totally shot -- but hey, props for being alive at all, right? Have a look yourself in the video above.

[Thanks, Tsuyoshi]

Apple spent nearly $5.7b on Samsung parts in 2010, faces 'strong' response to its patent suit

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 01:06 AM PDT

Want some numerical context to last night's revelation that Apple is suing Samsung Electronics for copying the iPhone and iPad? How does $5.7 billion sound? That's how much Apple spent on buying up parts from Samsung last year, according to the AFP, which cites the Cupertino company as Samsung's second-biggest client after Sony. Given the breadth of Samsung's component manufacturing, these expenditures can and probably do span everything from flash storage and RAM to processing chips to displays. What's fascinating here -- and illustrative of the psychopathic nature of corporations -- is that in spite of this massive interdependency, Apple's lodged a broadly worded patent assault on a major prong of Samsung's business (smartphones and tablets) and now Samsung's been quoted as saying it has "no choice but [to] respond strongly." A company official has apparently expressed the belief that Apple may be infringing on some of Samsung's wireless patents, which means we can probably look forward to another fat batch of papers being submitted to the Northern District of California court. Lovely.

HECTOR insect-inspired hexapod walking robot is a smooth operator (video)

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:17 AM PDT

We've seen some rather nightmare-inducing robots inspired by insects, but, once again, the folks at Germany's Bielefeld University have managed to turn something inherently creepy into a rather lighthearted affair. HECTOR, or hexapod cognitive autonomously operating robot, was designed to help its creators understand how exactly real animals manage to move so gracefully. Physically speaking, HECTOR sports six legs, with 18 joints in total, that protrude from an exoskeleton made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Its legs are given a rather life-like range of motion provided by a special set of "elastic joint drives" and a series of "biologically inspired" algorithms, and its exoskeleton can carry a load weighing 30 kilograms -- the robot itself weighs a mere 12 kilograms. What's more, HECTOR's built to learn from its experiences. Okay, so a three foot robotic insect that can carry nearly three times its weight does sound kind of creepy in retrospect, but HECTOR really does have some smooth moves. You can see at least one of its legs in action after the break.

BlackBerry PlayBook now on sale in the US and Canada, starting at $500 with 16GB of storage

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 11:34 PM PDT

Today is the day in BlackBerry land. The wait for a dual-core device with an up-to-date operating system and that stylized BB logo is now over, and a vast array of stores in the US and Canada are now ready to sell you your PlayBook. Whether you'll actually want to buy one is less clear-cut, however, as basic productivity apps like native email and calendar aren't yet available, Android app compatibility hasn't yet been rolled out, and the PlayBook has an unfavorable dependency on having a BlackBerry smartphone nearby in order to be the best tablet it can be. Still, if you believe in RIM's ability to overcome those early software hurdles, the PlayBook's ready for ownership in exchange for $500 for the 16GB model, $600 for the 32GB version, or $700 for the 64GB-equipped top option (prices are the same in both US and Canadian dollars).

Gigabyte motherboard with Intel Z68 Express chipset on sale in Taiwan ahead of schedule

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 10:59 PM PDT

Intel's Z68 Express chipset and its SATA 6Gb/s connections, CPU and memory overclocking, and SSD caching capability weren't supposed to hit store shelves until the eighth of May. But, at least one Taiwanese retailer didn't get the memo -- or maybe it's just another instance of Intel's early far-east distribution on the down-low -- because pics from across the Pacific show a shiny new Z68 Express motherboard from Gigabyte can already be had for the princely sum of NT $11,900 (about $407 here in the land of greenbacks). That's quite a stack of cash for a place to put your speedy Sandy Bridge CPU, but perhaps its expeditious performance can be had for a more reasonable price once it lands on western shores... or maybe we should just start saving now.

[Thanks, Daz]

Tabula scores $108 million to bring cheap, programmable chips to the masses

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 10:38 PM PDT

Tabula 3PLD ABAXIf you were to pry open your laptop, microwave or TV you'd find they're all loaded with an array of highly-specialized silicon. Designing, manufacturing, or just purchasing these chips is a major cost for electronics makers. Semiconductor company Tabula, which just secured $108 million in funding to help bring its 3PLD ABAX reprogrammable chips to market, hopes to make these dedicated components a thing of the past. Compared to similarly customizable FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), Tabula's chips are cheaper, smaller, and faster. This magic trifecta of attributes could put programmable logic into consumer products like HDTVs and may one day allow for hardware to be updated over the internet the way software is now. However, the immediate promise is being able to use the same chip for multiple purposes across several products. That should drive down costs -- and there's no way to make consumers happier than by slashing prices. Full PR and video after the break.
Show full PR text
Tabula Secures $108 Million in the Largest Round Awarded to a Private Semiconductor Company Over the Last Decade
Funding to Support Rapid Customer Adoption of the Industry's First 3D Programmable Logic Devices

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Tabula announces completion of 40nm family roll-out with the recent introduction of Stylus, the first software suite in the PLD industry made available in a cloud computing environment.
MOS Logic represents the fastest growing sector and greatest market opportunity in the semiconductor industry. From 1999 through 2010, MOS Logic sales increased from $16.5 billion to $59.3 billion, a CAGR of 12.3%, according to Semico Research.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 28, 2011- Tabula, Inc., a privately held fabless semiconductor company and developer of the ABAX family of 3D Programmable Logic Devices (3PLDs), today announced it has secured $108 million in Series D funding. Tabula will use the new capital to accelerate production of their 3PLD ABAX product family, expand customer and partner support infrastructures, and further next-generation product development to extend their market leadership in the rapidly growing programmable logic sector. The financing was led by Crosslink Capital and DAG Ventures. Existing investors, Balderton Capital, Benchmark Capital, Greylock Partners, Integral Capital, and NEA also participated in this round.

"The programmable logic market is seeing tremendous growth driven by the build out of the telecommunications infrastructure. This infrastructure build is necessary to keep pace with the global demand for more bandwidth to support smartphone usage for accessing data and video online." said Dennis Segers, CEO of Tabula. "This funding represents a resounding validation of our breakthrough Spacetime 3D programmable logic technology and a vote of confidence for the Tabula team in its ability to bring about both technological innovation as well as business innovation to customers. We will continue to build on our customer momentum by increasing volume shipments of our ABAX 3PLD product family. With the disruption our Spacetime architecture is bringing to the market, we will take programmable devices where they have never gone before and intend on becoming a global semiconductor market leader."

Our 3D programmable logic devices – the industry's first – achieve unprecedented price/performance because of our breakthrough architecture, enabling customers across the breadth of electronic products to use high-capability programmable chips in production volumes for the first time. It is gratifying to see our chips and software in customers' hands, and our Spacetime technology is delivering on its promise in the marketplace. Today's enormous infusion of capital provides us with the remaining ingredient to transform the electronics industry," notes Steve Teig, Founder and CTO of Tabula.

"Tabula's Spacetime technology addresses the problems at the heart of the programmable logic market today by delivering unprecedented capabilities at unmatched cost points compared to FPGAs." said Gary Hromadko, Venture Partner of Crosslink Capital. "Tabula represents the largest market opportunity of any private semiconductor company in the industry today. This new infusion of capital will allow Tabula to aggressively execute on their customer adoption and product development plans."

Committed to bringing business and technology innovation to the semiconductor industry, Tabula recently completed the roll-out of its 40nm ABAX family of 3PLDs supported by the Stylus development software. Stylus delivers Spacetime's 3D Architecture breakthrough price/performance advantages to ASIC and FPGA designers, all while maintaining a familiar design flow. The first design software suite in the PLD industry made available in the cloud, Stylus eliminates IT hassle while enabling real-time, on-site-like, technical support.

"Tabula is well positioned to capitalize on the growing migration of ASIC and ASSP towards programmable logic devices." said Dave Strohm, Partner of Greylock Partners. "With a proven world class management team, products that are leading in a high-growth PLD market and shipping to a growing list of Tier 1 customers, this round of funding will help drive their customer expansion and increase their technological lead. We look forward to their continued success."

"Tabula is a visionary company with key factors critical in achieving success; an unbounded $70B market opportunity, a breakthrough technology and a proven management team." said Bruce Dunlevie, General Partner of Benchmark Capital. "We look forward to supporting them in their next stage of growth as we believe they will become a clear and dominant leader in the semiconductor industry with unstoppable force."

Industry veterans in the analyst and editorial community have weighed in on how Tabula's technological and business disruption will impact the semiconductor industry. Please visit www.tabula.com for in-depth commentary.

About Tabula
Tabula is a privately held fabless semiconductor company developing 3D Programmable Logic Devices. Its ABAX family of 3PLDs, based on Tabula's patented Spacetime architecture, and supported by its Stylus development software, sets new density, performance, and affordability benchmarks for programmable logic, memory, and signal processing. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Tabula has assembled a leadership team consisting of industry veterans and successful entrepreneurs. The company is backed by top-tier investors with a long-term view toward enduring market leadership.

Galaxy Tab 10.1v up for pre-order at Vodafone Australia, shipping to start May 1st

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 10:15 PM PDT

Oh, sure -- it's pretty much an ultrathin Galaxy Tab 10.1, but then again, it's an ultrathin Galaxy Tab 10.1. The newly-christened Galaxy Tab 10.1v has finally found itself a pre-order host over at Vodafone Australia, with select customers receiving the newsletter shown above in their email accounts. Purportedly, this "exclusive" offer enables Vodafone customers camped out in the Land Down Under to pre-order the Honeycomb-based slate, with a trio of payment options available. A two-year agreement will cost you zilch upfront (but AU$39 a month over 12 months), a one-year plan dings your credit card for AU$259, and an off-contract option will demand a far stiffer AU$729. A book cover seems to be included with each option, and if you get your order in today, shipping should commence on May 1st. One nation down, six five continents to go. (Sorry, penguins.)

[Thanks, Jeremy]

See more video at our hub!

T-Mobile G-Slate review

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 09:01 PM PDT

The tablet wars are building, petty disputes that will soon lead to bloodshed. Products will be launched into battle only to be gunned down straight out of their boxes, crying for their fabricators as bigger, faster, better slates step over the stricken chassis of their predecessors, running on to their own brief bits of glory. At a high level it's obviously Android vs. Apple vs. The Rest, but battle lines are forming as we consumers, caught in the middle, try to decide just what the right size is for a tablet.

Right now two camps seem to be getting the most supporters: seven-inchers, like the Streak 7 and BlackBerry PlayBook, and 10-inchers, like the Motorola Xoom and the Apple iPad. But, sometimes weapon systems need to be a little more specialized. Sometimes the templates don't fit, and the $530 (after rebate, on-contract) T-Mobile G-Slate by LG isn't fitting into those categories, slotting somewhere in between with its 8.9-inch display backed with Tegra 2 graphics, 4G HSPA+ wireless, and all the oomph you want in a modern Android device. It's a little smaller and little lighter than the 10-inchers, bigger and meatier than the sevens and, by cutting down the middle, it hits almost all the right marks.
T-Mobile G-Slate

Hardware


Out of the box the G-Slate looks like, well, any other Android tablet (especially the LG Optimus Pad). Until we start getting oblong-shaped slabs, it's going to just keep getting more and more difficult to tell these things apart, and with a complete (but tasteful) lack of branding on the front, this machine is completely nondescript when just sitting there. It's only the metal ring around the screen, forming the edge of the chassis with its subtle and silvery hue, that makes this tablet look a little different from the rest.

That ring of metal is, quite naturally, punctuated by numerous holes for ports and things. When holding the tablet in landscape orientation, on the bottom are one each of micro-USB and HDMI, along with six golden contacts that will mate up with a dock. Moving clockwise around the left edge we find an input for the provided AC adapter, though you can charge over micro-USB -- slowly. The 3.5mm headphone jack is here as well, along with a speaker and, on top, a power button that is mostly flush and a little hard to find, but workable. Up top, on the left, is the volume rocker (also something of a challenge to locate), along with a small hole for a central microphone, and around on the right side is the other speaker.


On the back is where all that missing branding wound up, T-Mobile on top and LG on the bottom, each a light gray applique atop the darker gray plastic back. A gratuitous swipe of brushed metal bisects the thing, "with Google(TM)" engraved. We might have preferred something a little more personal. "With love, Sergey" or some such. Ultimately, it looks a lot like an overblown, perpendicular Optimus 2X.

Also on the back are not one but two HD camera holes, with a little LED flash sitting off to the side of one. They're five megapixel each, capable of recording 1080p video when using one or 720p when you're calling on the pair to capture in 3D. Around the other side a two megapixel shooter peeks out from behind the glass.

Those with particularly strong thumbs and determination will manage to pry off the upper portion of the plastic back, revealing a SIM card and not much else.

The plastic back definitely gives the G-Slate a somewhat less posh feel than much of the competition, but that decrease in luxeness comes with a strong benefit: it weighs 1.3lb compared to the Motorola Xoom's 1.6. It's just a hair thinner and about an inch shallower and, while it's a little unfair to compare a nine-incher to a ten in these kinds of metrics, in day-to-day use we didn't find ourselves missing that extra inch, especially since this is almost exactly as tall as the Xoom. We did, however, notice the reduced weight, and that decrease in width means it feels a bit better balanced in the hand.

Internals


The 8.9-inch, glossy, 1,280 x 768 display is a bit shorter and skinnier than the Xoom's 10.1-inch, 1,280 x 800 display. This gives it a slightly higher pixel density and, indeed, you can tell the difference. With the Xoom, the pitch on the pixels seemed a bit broad -- jagged edges appear on text and in high-contrast areas. The G-Slate's screen definitely has a sharper, crisper look. However, it's also rather more yellow, added warmth that we didn't notice until putting them side by side.

Pushing the pixels is a dual-core, 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, which continues to be super trendy. It's running at 1GHz here and keeps things moving smoothly. That's backed by 32GB of internal storage that is not user-expandable -- you can keep hating on Motorola all you like for not enabling the microSD slot by default, but at least the Xoom has one.
T-Mobile G-Slate hands-on

For connectivity, a slew of antennas are included here. There is, of course, WiFi and Bluetooth, but the G-Slate is a tri-band UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+ device, meaning it's sorta 4G right here and now.

Performance and battery life

We found browsing and general tableting to be a very responsive experience on the G-Slate. Pages are rendered quickly and respond handily to swipes, drags, pinches, and whatever other caresses you want to throw their way. Running the Quadrant benchmark we scored an 1,879, which puts it ever so slightly ahead of our Xoom, which clocked in at 1,801, but that's close enough to call it even. Unsurprisingly, the SunSpider browser test likewise had them neck-and-neck: 2,135 for the G-Slate to 2,042 for the Xoom.

Battery life tests were nearly identical as well. We had no problem making it through a full day of solid usage, surfing and gaming and generally loving life. But, when we sat down to our video loop test, with WiFi on and display brightness at about 65 percent, we scored eight hours and 18 minutes. That's a mere two minutes short of what the Xoom managed, and near enough to identical for us.

Battery Life
T-Mobile G-Slate 8:18
Apple iPad 2 10:26
Apple iPad 9:33
Motorola Xoom 8:20
Archos 101 7:20
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 7:01
Samsung Galaxy Tab 6:09
Dell Streak 7 3:26

In terms of wireless performance, the G-Slate has an obvious advantage of being "4G" right out of the box. We had no problem finding that extra G on T-Mobile's network, staying on HSPA+ more often than not, even out in the country a ways. Running repeated network speed tests we nabbed scores of 6.5Mbps down on a few occasions, and saw 2.1Mbps up once. But, average scores were about half that, most download rates in the 3 - 4Mbps range, upload hovering generally somewhere around 1Mbps. That's well short of the amazing LTE rates we've seen in the past, and not the 42Mbps speeds we're looking forward to, but enough to keep downloading and browsing a snappy experience.

Software


The G-Slate is running stock Honeycomb, Android 3.0, so there isn't much to talk about here. You quite naturally get the official suite of apps from Google, along with a few others to boot. Need for Speed: Shift continues its dominance of the tablet racing genre by being present here, looking nor playing any differently than it does anywhere else. QuickOffice HD is installed for viewing officey-type documents, and there are two apps for working with 3D video. The first, 3DCamcorder, is for recording content in 3D, while 3DPlayer is quite naturally for playing that content back. You won't be working with any active-shutter glasses here, and the screen lacks the parallax barrier wizardry of something like the EVO 3D. Good thing there's a pair of red and blue glasses in the box.

Also installed is T-Mobile TV, which allows for the viewing of limited television content, pushed straight to the tablet, including live footage and replays of some shows. Quality is poor and selection is extremely limited, with only nine channels available live. On-demand content is a little better, with a number of original shows from Discovery, A&E, and Animal Planet, but we'd trade this in a heartbeat for Netflix. We'd throw some money in there too, just to sweeten the deal.

Beyond that we're talking straight Android Honeycomb, which means a massive slew of applications in the Market -- most of which haven't been optimized for tablets and just don't look right on this screen. The stock keyboard still needs work and overall there's some polish needed. But, the Gmail app and browsing experience are still great, and Android lovers will certainly find a lot to love here.

Camera


The G-Slate has three cameras and, unfortunately, none of them is particularly good. The one looking back at you is fine for video calls and the like, but it's grainy enough that you won't need to worry too much about shaving or putting on makeup before calling a loved one.

Meanwhile on the back the dual five megapixel ports disappoint. We expect a decent amount of grain out of a sensor this size when things get a bit dim, but it's here even when there's what would be plenty of light for other shooters. Macro focusing is reasonably good for stills, but flip over to video (up to 1080p) and suddenly you have to take a few steps back if you want anything in focus. Even when in focus, plenty of compression artifacts marred the results.


Then, of course, there's the 3D capture mode. The tablet is advertised as 3D capable, but it's no better at 3D than that old tube TV you finally got rid of a few years back. It ships with a pair of quaint red/blue anaglyph glasses and that's the default presentation mode for video shot on this thing. You can feel good in knowing that this same technology was making people feel queasy way back in the '50s.

Ultimately the 3D cameras (which step down to 720p when filming in stereo) don't add much, but who knows. Maybe in a year or so when 3D home movies will be all that and a bottle of aspirin you'll be glad you have support here. But, right now, we'd trade these two crummy sensors for a single good one.
T-Mobile G-Slate sample images


Wrap-up


The ultimate victor in the tablet wars will be the army that conquers the most wallets, and so now the question of course is whether you should open the ramparts of yours to this potential intruder. After spending a few days with one, running across country and chilling in coach for hours on end, we'd certainly be tempted to sign up. The plastic back doesn't quite have that air of exclusivity you might want for your $530, but that money's going where it counts: great performance, a great screen, and solid battery life.

And, you get tasty high-speed downloads from an awful lot of places -- and another two year contract. Who doesn't want another two year contract? Thankfully that contract does have the advantage of making the (after rebate) take-home price of the device rather appealing. It's $70 less than a Xoom and $200 less than a 3G iPad 2 with 32GB of storage. But, you only get that price if you already have or sign up for a T-Mobile voice plan. No voice plan? No rebate, so you're looking at a price of $630. Want to opt out of the data plan, too? Now you're looking at an unsubsidized price of $750.

So, if you have a T-Mobile voice plan and if you don't mind another data plan, this is a Honeycomb tablet we can recommend without caveat. But, if you can't answer the affirmative to both of those questions, price becomes much more of a factor. It's still a great tablet, though.

Fastec's DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:58 PM PDT

For years, consumers have been able to shoot slow-motion videos -- mostly with the help of Casio's line of slightly gimmicky point-and-shoots. But Fastec's TS3Cine aims for a more discerning customer -- the kind of videographer who might spice up a promo or short with some slow-mo action. Unlike Casio's cameras, which cut the resolution to little more than thumbnail-size as you crank the frame rate, the TS3Cine does 720p video at 720fps, and 1280 x 1024 at 500fps. It's only when you further slow down the video (up to 20,000fps) that the image size starts to shrink. This camera also has a badass design, pairing a DSLR-like body with a gargantuan 7-inch WVGA LCD that effectively eliminates the need for an external monitor. Pros have their choice of a C-Mount, F-Mount, and optional SL-Mount, and can upgrade to a 256GB SSD for a cool two grand if the standard 128GB one isn't roomy enough. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and USB ports, HDMI-out, support for an external power source, and a removable battery. Can't afford the $29,900 price tag? If you're in the Boston area, at least, you can rent it for $625 a day, a price that includes a tripod and two batteries -- enough juice for up to six hours of shooting. Head on past the break for a sample video clip and a tour of this beastly camera in action.



redsn0w untethered jailbreak updated for iOS 4.3.2, still no love for iPad 2

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 06:55 PM PDT

Good news for all iOS jailbreakers: turns out the latest 4.3.2 update is still vulnerable to the same untethered hacking method used by redsn0w for 4.3.1, so Dev-Team's @i0n1c simply had to port his code over to the new kernel to keep the jailbreak alive. As before, the almighty iPad 2 is still not supported here, and ultrasn0w unlockers are reminded to wait for the new PwnageTool release later this week; but the rest of you can go ahead and grab the new tool at the source link.

Update: Eke! Looks like the existing build is causing issues for iPhone owners -- hang tight, we're hearing that a fixed version is on the way!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Alienware M14x laptop now available to order... in Malaysia (update: M11x too)

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 06:31 PM PDT

Well, it looks like those eager to get their hands on Dell's much-leaked Alienware M14x laptop now finally have at least one option, although it might not be the most convenient one. The gaming laptop has just turned up on Dell Malaysia's website, where it's now already available to order starting at RM 4,799, or roughly $1,600. Of course, this is an Alienware laptop, so there's also quite a few higher-end options available for some extra cash, including up to a Core i7 2820QM processor, 8GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M graphics with 3GB of DDR3 memory (and Optimus technology), and your choice of either a 1,366 x 768 or 1,600 x 900 resolution on the 14-inch display. As for a broader release, Pocket-lint is reporting that both the M14x and M18x will be officially announced (if not released) on April 19th which, last we checked, is tomorrow.

[Thanks, koinmove]

Update: Looks like the US (or global, perhaps) release for the M14x is indeed on. Or, Alienware's coincidentally teasing something else entirely at the exact same time. Thanks, Jason.

Update 2: Ah, and now we have the little M11x R3 showing up on Dell's Australia and New Zealand sites. Thanks everyone.

Update 3: As expected, the UK's also getting the M14x and the new M11x. Thanks, Thomas.

ASUS works Sandy Bridge magic on thin-and-light U31E, U31SD, and U36SD

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 05:28 PM PDT

ASUS U31SD
It appears that ASUS is finally ready to show its line of thin-and-light machines some Sandy Bridge love. Swedish site Technytt claims to have the exclusive scoop on a trio of laptops -- the U31SD, U31E, and U36SD -- that will find their way to retail channels in late May. The U31SD is already showing up on the ASUS site, with the option of either a Core i5 2410M or Core i3 2310M , and a choice of Intel integrated graphics or a 1GB GeForce GT 520M card. All three 13.3-inch machines will reportedly have similar specs, though the U31E will supposedly lack a discrete graphics option. The U31SD tips the scales at a perfectly portable 3.9 pounds and it's safe to assume the U36SD will match up size-wise with the svelte U36JG, which is just 0.75-inches thick and weighs 3.5 pounds. There's no official word from ASUS regarding price or availability but, while you wait to get your paws on one, feast your eyes on the U31SD in the gallery below.

ASUS U31SD

Nokia launches Ovi Maps 3D beta, challenges Google Earth as your virtual tour guide of choice

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 04:37 PM PDT

Still searching for today's internet time sink? Then look no further than Nokia's just launched beta version of Ovi Maps 3D. Thanks to some software wizardry and mysterious mapping know-how, it's now able to display cities in a new 3D view that you're able to zoom in and around to your heart's content. You can also do the same thing in Google Earth's 3D view, of course, but Nokia just might have a leg up in some respects. Unfortunately, it's still staying mum on exactly how it all works, but you can dive right in and start exploring for yourself at the link below.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: Nokia's now finally gotten official with this on its blog, and revealed that C3 is responsible for the impressive 3D mapping technology. Hit up the links below for some additional details, and head on past the break for a quick video demo if you need a bit of incentive to install the necessary plug-in.

Show full PR text
Nokia launches photorealistic 3D models of metropolitan areas for Ovi Maps
Published April 19, 2011
- Unparalleled degree of 3D realism and scale helps people get a feel for places before they get there
- Major step in Nokia's plans to bridge real and virtual worlds

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today announced photorealistic 3D models of metropolitan areas for the web version of Ovi Maps. This immersive and free feature adds a new dimension to the Ovi Maps experience and enables people to explore places in a completely different way.

Introduced at the Where 2.0 conference in Santa Clara, California, Nokia's 3D offering is the most realistic available and goes beyond rendering limited areas and buildings by making entire cities, including suburbs, available for exploration.

Starting with a bird's-eye view, people can scale up and down and move around objects such as buildings and trees from their desktop, experiencing a virtual but super realistic perspective of new places. Road-level imagery completes the experience with a detailed 360-degree panoramic view of streets.

With the beta service featuring 20 metropolitan areas, the number of photorealistic 3D models will increase over time. The road-level imagery is now available for five cities, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Oslo and San Francisco.

With the goal of bridging the real and virtual worlds on both mobile and web, Nokia's Ovi Maps for mobile covers 180 countries, nearly 100 of them navigable in 53 languages. Ovi Maps on the web covers 180 countries, 93 of them navigable, in 29 languages.

"Ovi Maps' photorealistic 3D models of metropolitan areas are a significant step towards our vision of bridging the real and virtual world, with location-based services being the glue," said Michael Halbherr, senior vice president, Nokia.

"With Ovi Maps on mobile, Nokia has shown its ability to transform a useful feature into a mass market experience that lays the foundation for innovation in location-based services beyond traditional routing benefits. With its efforts to expand the service to the web, Nokia is proving that it offers a holistic service," said Daryl Chiam, Principal Analyst, Canalys.

Nokia's photorealistic 3D models of metropolitan areas initially include:
- Barcelona
- Boston
- Chicago
- London
- Copenhagen
- Florence
- Helsinki
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Madrid
- Miami
- Milan
- New York
- Oslo
- Prague
- San Francisco
- Stockholm
- Toronto
- Venice
- Vienna

Arduino geiger counter brings open source radiation detection to the geeky masses (video)

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 03:51 PM PDT

Need to detect radiation? We sure hope not -- but if you're looking for a straight-forward, altogether geeky geiger counter, the Libelium gang has your back. En route to the Tokyo Hackerspace as we speak (and believe us, they need it), the Radiation Sensor Board for Arduino is a low-cost alternative to existing devices. It's available now either with a compatible geiger tube for €95 ($135) or without for €65 ($50). Hit up the source link to get started, but not before peeping the thing in action after the break. Is there anything you can't do with Arduino?

Contour Plus helmet cam spied, offers wider view of your extreme antics

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 02:53 PM PDT

ContourHD Plus
If you're the type who likes to risk life and limb in pursuit of pleasure, then you know the best way to document your exploits is with a little helmet cam action. Bike Rumor is reporting that Contour, one the leaders in this (admittedly niche) field, will soon be releasing a new POV shooter called the Contour Plus. The site came across some Giant pro cyclers testing the device, who claim the Plus will improve on the ContourGPS by adding an HDMI-out port, boosting image quality, and widening the viewing angle from 140 degrees to 170. And, for those who really like to live dangerously, the Plus will supposedly pack a Bluetooth radio so you can stare at the iPhone viewfinder app while hurtling down a snow-covered slope or through an obstacle-riddled bike path. Of course, this is all unofficial at the moment, but the "little birdy" whispering in Bike Rumor's ear said the updated cam will land in the next month or two. One more blurry shot after the break.

TI aims to bring wireless charging to more devices with smallest receiver chip to date

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 02:12 PM PDT

Well, it looks like we could be about to see wireless charging spread to more places than ever before -- Texas Instruments just unveiled its next-generation, Qi-compliant wireless power receiver chip today, which is a full eighty percent smaller than its previous chip. That promises to make it far easier for manufacturers to implement in everything from cellphones to game consoles to digital cameras, and that small size apparently comes without any compromises, with it providing 5W of output power and a 93-percent peak efficiency that's comparable to an AC adapter. Unfortunately, there's no indication as to when we might see any actual devices that use the chip, but those should be coming before too long -- the complete bq51013 wireless power package is now already available for just $3.50 in quantities of 1,000. Full press release is after the break.
Show full PR text
Texas Instruments introduces industry's smallest wireless power receiver chip

Easily integrates wireless charging technology into new and existing portable electronics


DALLAS, April, 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today introduced its next generation of wireless power technology, which is 80-percent smaller than TI's previous receiver chip. The tiny, highly integrated device makes it easy for designers to implement wireless charging in their existing and new designs for portable consumer devices, such as smart phones, gaming systems, digital cameras, and medical and industrial equipment.

The bq51013 receiver integrated circuit (IC) combines voltage conditioning and full wireless power control in a small 1.9-mm x 3-mm WCSP package. The new circuit supports up to 5 W of output power, provides up to 93-percent efficient AC/DC power conversion and is the only IC required between the receiver coil and system. For more information or to order samples of the bq51013, visit: www.ti.com/bq51013-pr.

"Smartphone and consumer electronics manufacturers are demanding wireless power, and TI is well positioned to help our customers drive widespread adoption of this technology that makes life easier for people on the go to charge their devices," said Sami Kiriaki, senior vice president over TI's Power Management business. "Designers can use the bq51013 to quickly integrate wireless power into existing and new applications with minimal impact to overall solution size."

Key features and benefits

* Highly integrated and efficient wireless power receiver IC includes full-bridge synchronous rectification, voltage conditioning and wireless power control in a single device.
* 1.9-mm x 3-mm WCSP package allows for easy integration with minimal size impact. Device area is 80 percent less than TI's first-generation receiver.
* The receiver and its associated bq500110 transmitter IC are Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi-compliant. This compliance ensures interoperability between various charging pads and portable devices.
* Built-in protection against voltage, current and temperature fault conditions, assures safe and reliable system operation.
* 93-percent peak efficiency reduces thermal rise inside the system while allowing charge rates comparable to an AC adapter.


Tools and support

TI offers a variety of tools and support to speed the implementation of wireless power:

* bqTESLA150LP Wireless Power Evaluation Kit, which includes the bq51013 receiver and bq500110 transmitter: www.ti.com/bqTESLA150LP-pr
* bqTESLA150LP User Guide: www.ti.com/bqTESLA150LP-pr


Availability and pricing

The bq51013 wireless power receiver is available now in a 1.9-mm x 3-mm WCSP package, priced at $3.50 in quantities of 1,000.

Find out more about TI's wireless power portfolio by visiting the links below:

* Visit TI's wireless power solution web page; view wireless power video overview: www.ti.com/wirelesspower-pr
* Download bq51013 data sheet or order samples: www.ti.com/bq51013-pr
* Download bq500110 data sheet: www.ti.com/bq500110-pr
* Ask questions, help solve problems in the Wireless Power forum in the TI E2E™ Community: www.ti.com/wirelesspowerforum-pr
* Download the new Power Management Guide: www.ti.com/powerguide-pr


About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 80,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at www.ti.com.
at 11:40 AM

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