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- Creative debuts compact, Bluetooth-enabled Zen Style M300 PMP
- Screen Grabs: Cisco Cius plays bad cop on NCIS: Los Angeles (video)
- DIYer builds his own CNC mill, fabricates a Weighted Companion Cube to show off
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini and Mini Pro hands-on (update: video!)
- Continental readies stereo camera system for 'seeing' cars
- Sony Ericsson announces new generation of Xperia Mini and Mini Pro smartphones
- Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air review
- SOFT Rockers combine solar panels and moving furniture to charge your gadgets
- Acoustic Alarm ditches the snooze button for strings
- Intel refreshes Wireless Display with support for DRM-protected DVDs, Blu-rays
- Motorola intros dueling portrait QWERTY Android options for Sprint: XPRT and Titanium
- Ultra-thin handheld microscope could sniff out skin cancer, forged documents
- TAT-astic native PlayBook development discussed and demoed on video
- Blocklets' Arduino-powered trebuchet could be your cat's worst nightmare (video)
- G-Form Extreme Sleeve gives new reasons to throw a MacBook out a window (video)
- Clearwire posts Q1 loss amid record subscribers, decides not to sell spectrum after all
- Facebook, Google rumored to be vying for Skype deal
- Gmail now stores up to 25,000 contacts for the insanely popular
- Apple updates 2011 MacBook Pro firmware to v1.4, fixes stability, Thunderbolt, and Turbo Boost issues
- The Daily generated 800,000 downloads, $10 million loss in first quarter of operation
- iOS 5 updates expected to be carried over-the-air, at least for the Verizon iPhone
- Samsung SENS-240 Navigation Tablet is strange and familiar
- HTC Sensation 4G hits the FCC, shows off T-Mobile-friendly AWS radio
- Keepin' it real fake: Sony NGP with Xbox 360 livery shows up in China
- Chrome Canary comes to Macs for fearless browser enthusiasts
- Acer's 3G-equipped Iconia Tab A100 up for pre-order on Amazon UK for £400
- Surface SDK gets input simulator, opens doors to indie devs
- Harman Kardon's MAS 102 stereo has a petite profile, luxury looks and matching $999 price tag
- White Castle offers online ordering but makes you leave couch for pick-up
- MIT Media Lab develops glasses-free HR3D, supports broad viewing angles (video)
- World's tiniest video camera helps doctors see inside of you
- POLYRO humanoid robot can be built by you, looks more like K-9 than C-3PO
- Barnes & Noble to release new e-reader, according to securities filing
- CRTC sets target of 5Mbps broadband for all Canadians by 2015
- Fossil Meta Watch shows you where you can put your fifth screen
- Hearst Corp. signs on to sell its magazines through iTunes, bringing more O to the iPad
- TrendNet outs first 450 Mbps dual-band WiFi adapter
- Clearwire ditches Rover pre-paid WiMAX service
- Microsoft confirms WP7 handsets updated using 'unofficial mechanisms' cannot get latest update
- Acoustic Poetry concept turns ambient noise into verse
| Creative debuts compact, Bluetooth-enabled Zen Style M300 PMP Posted: 05 May 2011 11:44 AM PDT  It may not be quite as convenient to wear as a watch, but Creative's new Zen Style M300 PMP does have a leg up on the slightly smaller iPod nano in one key respect: it packs built-in Bluetooth 2.1 support so you can use wireless headphones with it. You can also expand the PMP's memory beyond its basic 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB capacities thanks to its microSD card slot, although you won't get a touchscreen here -- the 1.45-inch display is simply complemented by a couple of touch buttons. Otherwise, you'll get a built-in FM radio, a mic for voice recording, a promised 20 hours of battery life, and your choice of four different colors: black, white, red or yellow. Those that can do without Bluetooth can also opt for the slightly cheaper, and otherwise identical M100 model -- look for both to be available in June, with prices running from $40 to $90. Full press release is after the break. Creative Introduces Pure Wireless Portability with the ZEN Style M300 -- Featuring Bluetooth Wireless Music Playback and an Ultra-Compact Design Stylish Music, Photo and Video Player Features microSD Card Slot and 1.45" Screen with Touch Buttons Milpitas, CA (PRWEB) May 05, 2011 Creative Technology Ltd today announced the launch of the Creative ZEN Style M300 music, photo and video player with Bluetooth wireless audio playback. Just 55 x 44 x 12 mm in size, the Creative ZEN Style M300 is packed with features including a microSD card slot and 1.45" TFT screen with Touch Buttons, and it is priced from only $39.99. Key Features of the Creative ZEN Style M300 Wireless Connectivity with Bluetooth 2.1 This allows users to enjoy music from the player wirelessly from all compatible stereo Bluetooth headphones such as the Creative WP-Series, which includes the ultra affordable Creative WP-250, and Bluetooth speakers such as the all new ZiiSound Dx Series and Creative D80, as well as Creative's existing line-up of wireless speakers Additional Space for Music with microSD Card Slot Users can add up to 32GB* of music on top of the player's built-in memory Touch Buttons The player's touch sensitive control buttons let users navigate through the player's menus easily and comfortably FM Radio The built-in FM Radio lets users add up to 32 preset stations The Creative ZEN Style M100 was also launched today, offering the great design and features of the ZEN Style M series of players without Bluetooth connectivity and FM Radio. Both the Creative ZEN Style M300 and Creative ZEN Style M100 feature Audible support, giving users the option of enjoying a wide range of audio content that includes books of all genres. Both players also come pre-installed with a complete edition of Alyson Noël's Evermore, the first book in her thrilling Immortals series. Creative ZEN Style M300 and Creative ZEN Style M100 are available in a choice of four colors: black, white, red or yellow. Technical Specifications of the Creative ZEN Style M Series of Players Creative ZEN Style M300 Portable Media Player Display: 1.45" TFT (262K colors) Capacity: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.1 wireless technology (supports A2DP & AVRCP) FM Radio function with 32 preset stations Battery Life: Up to 20 hours (based on128kpbs, 4mins/song, MP3 file) Supported Audio Formats: MP3, WMA (DRM9),WAV (IMA-ADPCM), Audible Format 4, Audible AAX Supported Picture Formats: JPEG Supported Video Formats: Transcoded SMV (requires respective codec pre-installed on PC) Built-in microphone for voice recording Additional feature: Clock display Creative ZEN Style M100 Portable Media Player Display: 1.45" TFT (262K colors) Capacity: 4GB, 8GB Battery Life: Up to 20 hours (based on128kpbs, 4mins/song, MP3 file) Supported Audio Formats: MP3, WMA (DRM9),WAV (IMA-ADPCM), Audible Format 4, Audible AAX Supported Picture Formats: JPEG Supported Video Formats: Transcoded SMV (requires respective codec pre-installed on PC) Built-in microphone for voice recording Additional feature: Clock display * 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Available capacity will be less. Reported capacity will vary. Pricing and Availability The Creative ZEN Style M300 and Creative ZEN Style M100 portable media players will be available at the online store at http://www.creative.com/shop from June 2011 onwards at the following suggested retail prices: Creative ZEN Style M300 4GB $49.99 Creative ZEN Style M300 8GB $69.99 Creative ZEN Style M300 16GB$89.99 Creative ZEN Style M100 4GB $39.99 Creative ZEN Style M100 8GB $59.99 For in-store availability, please refer to local authorized dealers. For more information about the Creative ZEN Style M300 and Creative ZEN Style M100 portable media players, please visit http://www.creative.com/purewireless. About Creative Creative is a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products. Famous for its Sound Blaster® sound cards and for launching the multimedia revolution, Creative is now driving digital entertainment on the PC platform with products like its highly acclaimed ZEN® MP3 and portable media players. Creative's innovative hardware, proprietary technology, applications and services leverage the Internet, enabling consumers to experience high-quality digital entertainment - anytime, anywhere. This announcement relates to products launched in Europe. Availability is subject to change without notice and may differ elsewhere in the world according to local factors and requirements. ZEN and Sound Blaster are trademarks or registered trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
| Screen Grabs: Cisco Cius plays bad cop on NCIS: Los Angeles (video) Posted: 05 May 2011 11:17 AM PDT Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com.  [Thanks, nmrules20] |
| DIYer builds his own CNC mill, fabricates a Weighted Companion Cube to show off Posted: 05 May 2011 10:33 AM PDT  So you've built your own homebrew CNC mill and want to test out some recent modifications? That's a question few ever have to ask themselves, but DIYer Jamie Nasiatka recently did, and came up with the bright idea of making his very own Weighted Companion Cube. As you can see above, things turned up pretty well, and you can check out the complete build process at the source link below -- yes, it lights up, and changes colors. Let's just hope no one tries to throw this cube through a Portal t-shirt. |
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini and Mini Pro hands-on (update: video!) Posted: 05 May 2011 09:47 AM PDT  The Xperia Mini has wonderful size when it comes to width and height, but we have to ask: why so thick? The Mini Pro is only slightly thicker despite having a fully-fledged slideout keyboard, so it would have been nice if the keyboard-less Mini was more svelte. Sony Ericsson is clearly going after the pocket- and handbag-conscious demographic here, who might not be all that receptive to the Mini's girth. SE also made some bold claims about the finger-friendliness of the Mini Pro's keyboard, which we were told were backed by usability tests against rival phones. Those trials were isolated to devices "in its size class" (of which there aren't many), but our first response was still very positive, at least once we turned on auto-correct. This will be a matter of personal preference, but we found ourselves enjoying not having to take care of every little slip of the finger. Anyway, settings adjusted appropriately, we bashed away on the Mini Pro rather speedily and would rate it right up there with the BlackBerry Bold 9700 in terms of our typing rapidity. Browser rendering has its flaws, there's a stuttery quality to zooming in and out of a page, but at least it's done quickly and Flash playback seems to work without a hitch. Update: Hands-on video now embedded after the break! Additional reporting by Sharif Sakr |
| Continental readies stereo camera system for 'seeing' cars Posted: 05 May 2011 09:34 AM PDT  The idea of cars preventing accidents before they happen isn't novel, but at the end of the day, collision detection systems are only as smart as the information being fed to them. That's the ethos behind Continental's new stereo camera system, which spots people, pets, and other objects in a vehicle's path, and measures their height, distance from the vehicle, and how they might be moving. This rig, which will be just another part of Continental's ContiGuard safety system, uses the difference in the lenses' optical paths to make these calculations -- so long as those obstacles are 20 to 30 meters (66 to 98 feet) away. The company also says the cameras are sharp enough to detect partially obscured objects, and claims accuracy within 20 to 30 centimeters (8 to 12 inches). No word on when it will be ready to ship seeing cars, though if the press release is any indication, German drivers are likely to get their test drive first.
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| Sony Ericsson announces new generation of Xperia Mini and Mini Pro smartphones Posted: 05 May 2011 09:07 AM PDT  The new Xperia Mini Pro also features a 1GHz processor and the same 3-inch display and 1200mAh battery, but it adds a front-facing camera and that sliding QWERTY keyboard that made the original X10 Mini Pro such a favorite. The new model is coming at some point in the third quarter of this year. The launch presentation is still ongoing, but we'll have more details and hands-on pics as soon as we can. Update: Hands-on pics and impressions can be found right here!
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| Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air review Posted: 05 May 2011 09:00 AM PDT  What's that, an alien egg? Nope. Memory foam iPillow? No, silly, it's a Zeppelin, a Zeppelin Air more specifically. Bowers & Wilkins brought us the first iPod-centric Zeppelin in the middle of the great iPod dock flood of '07. A few years later they downsized and brought us a mini version. The logical extension after the advent of AirPlay is here: a Zeppelin that does its thang without wires. We've been beaming music to it for a few weeks now -- wanna find out how our relationship has been? Click through, captain. The first -- and actually, maybe the last -- thing about this dude is how it looks. It's about the size of a traditional over-the-shoulder boombox, 13.5 pounds of mesh-coated minimalism designed to look fierce on your coffee table or bookshelf. There are only three controls on it, nestled behind the elegant chromed iPod stand: power, volume up, and volume down. A tiny pancaked Zeppelin remote gives you standard transport and volume controls, plus an input selector, but in such a slippery form factor we can imagine it spending more time lost between the cushions than controlling the music. Our test unit got enough wolf whistles and loving strokes during its stay in our living room than we care to talk about. It kind of hearkens back to that Sharper Image feeling of 1994: the "I'm a grown-up gadgets guy, check out my slick equipment... if you dare" mentality definitely looms large here. Pairing your devices with the Zeppelin is kind of an interesting trick: during setup mode, the unit creates a WiFi network that you log into from your computer. Browsing to an internal server application allows you to tell the Zeppelin which network it should log into in the future. Our Zeppelin's server crashed a couple of times during setup, but it wasn't a huge hassle to get the sounds slinging. For all y'all AirPlay newbies out there: you tell iTunes to look for devices on your network, select them as your output, and hit play.  As with any minimalist device -- especially one without a screen -- the Zeppelin Air's biggest drawback is the lack of control over its performance. While it will certainly make for a fine constant companion in any room in the house, it's not a device for audiophiles or professionals. That big fat bass pumping out of the Zeppelin Air will do its best to choke out high end in many situations, especially if you're close to the unit. Even after a good deal of EQ adjustment in iTunes, it still feels like there's something holding back the highs, something of a fog keeping them from being all they could be. It's certainly not going to ruin your enjoyment of any song -- in fact, bass freaks could find a perfect match here -- but if you happen to prefer more treble in the mix, this is probably not the device for you.  The iPod / iPhone dock, the 1/8" input, and USB output modes all function exactly as they should. We gathered that the iPad can also fit in there, but of course, it'd look a bit silly, and don't forget that there's AirPlay at your disposal. There are even a few neat tricks thrown in, like the ability to use the speaker as a monster-sized USB sync station, and an RCA out for video coming from your iDevice.  Wrap-up |
| SOFT Rockers combine solar panels and moving furniture to charge your gadgets Posted: 05 May 2011 08:31 AM PDT  |
| Acoustic Alarm ditches the snooze button for strings Posted: 05 May 2011 08:03 AM PDT  |
| Intel refreshes Wireless Display with support for DRM-protected DVDs, Blu-rays Posted: 05 May 2011 07:08 AM PDT  We were bowled over from the start by Intel's Wireless Display technology, which lets you stream HD content from select laptops to an HDTV (with the help of a small adapter, of course). But while WiDi's been good for watching The Colbert Report on Hulu and streaming flicks stored on your hard drive, it hasn't played so nice with DVDs and Blu-rays. At last, though, Intel is supporting HDCP-protected discs (along with some online content) through a free driver update. One catch: it only applies to Sandy Bridge laptops, which just started shipping this spring. If your notebook's a few months too old, well, using an HDMI cable isn't the worst consolation prize. |
| Motorola intros dueling portrait QWERTY Android options for Sprint: XPRT and Titanium Posted: 05 May 2011 06:37 AM PDT 
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| Ultra-thin handheld microscope could sniff out skin cancer, forged documents Posted: 05 May 2011 06:14 AM PDT  Microscope – handy, quick and flat Research News May 2011 Suspicion of melanoma: In the future, doctors can pull out a new type of microscope to get to the bottom of suspicious changes in the skin. It provides a high-resolution image of skin areas of any size – and so quickly that you can hold it in your hand without blurring the resulting picture. Are the dark spots on a patient's skin malignant? In the future, doctors will be able to take a closer look at suspicious blemishes using a new microscope – with results in just a few fractions of a second. It examines to a resolution of five micrometers; it's also flat and lightweight, and it records images so quickly that the results are not blurred even if the doctor is holding the microscope in his or her hand. For results with comparable resolution values, a conventional microscope would either be restricted to a tiny field forced to scan the surface: conventional equipment slowly sweeps the surface, point by point, recording countless images before combining them to create a complete picture. The drawback: it takes quite a while before the image is complete. The new microscope designed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena, combines the best of both types of microscope: because it foregoes the grid, it needs to make just a single measurement, and that's what makes it very fast. Still, it records across a broad imaging area. "Essentially, we can examine a field as large as we want," remarks IOF group manager Dr. Frank Wippermann. "At five micrometers, the resolution is similar to that of a scanner." There is also another benefit to the new system: With an optical length of just 5.3 millimeters, the microscope is extremely flat. But how did researchers accomplish this feat? "Our ultrathin microscope consists of not just one but a multitude of tiny imaging channels, with lots of tiny lenses arrayed alongside one another. Each channel records a tiny segment of the object at the same size for a 1:1 image," Wippermann explains. Each slice is roughly 300 x 300 µm² in size and fits seamlessly alongside the neighboring slice; a computer program then assembles these to generate the overall picture. The difference between this technology and a scanner microscope: all of the image slices are recorded simultaneously. The imaging system consists of three glass plates with the tiny lenses applied to them, both on top and beneath. These three glass plates are then stacked on top of one another. Each channel also contains two achromatic lenses, so the light passes through a total of eight lenses. Several steps are involved in applying the lenses to glass substrates: first, the scientists coat a glass plate with photoresistant emulsion and expose this to UV light through a mask. The portions exposed to the light become hardened. If the plate is then placed in a special solution, all that remains on the surface are lots of tiny cylinders of photoresist; the rest of the coating dissolves away. Now, the researchers heat the glass plate: the cylinders melt down, leaving spherical lenses. Working from this master tool, the researchers then generate an inverse tool that they use as a die. A die like this can then be used to launch mass production of the lenses: simply take a glass substrate, apply liquid polymer, press the die down into it and expose the polymer layer to UV light. In a process similar to the dentist's method of using UV light to harden fillings, here, too, the polymer hardens in the shape the die has printed into it. What remains are tiny lenses on the glass substrate. "Because we can mass-produce the lenses, they're really pretty low-cost," Wippermann adds. Researchers have already produced a first prototype and will be showcasing it at the LASER World of PHOTONICS trade fair in Munich, from May 23-26. Boasting an image size of 36 x 24 mm², this microscope can capture matchbox-sized objects in a single pass. It will be at least another one to two years before the device can go into series production, according to the researcher. The spectrum of applications is diverse: with this technology, even documents can be examined for authenticity. |
| TAT-astic native PlayBook development discussed and demoed on video Posted: 05 May 2011 05:42 AM PDT Yesterday at BlackBerry World 2011 we were fortunate to sit down and chat with Chris Smith, Senior Director of the BlackBerry Developer Platform, along with Rasmus and Karl from The Astonishing Tribe. One of RIM's recent acquisitions, TAT is known for some rather, well... astonishing user interface designs, and for infusing a bit of magic into some of the PlayBook's apps, such as the bundled picture viewer and calculator. We were shown a number of demos, including the downloadable Scrapbook app, a rather nifty contact list, and a location-aware news reader. Over the years, TAT has built an engine and framework that make it easy for developers to create powerful and attractive UIs, and some of this will be making its way into the PlayBook's native software development kit sometime this summer. Along with support for Open GL ES 2.0, SQLite, cURL, and POSIX (amongst others), this NDK will provide API's to control the audio system, the cameras, and the sensors -- possibly even code to enable stereoscopic 3D output over HDMI, as demonstrated before. We know that's a lot of exciting stuff to sink your teeth into, so be sure to get a taste of it by watching our video. |
| Blocklets' Arduino-powered trebuchet could be your cat's worst nightmare (video) Posted: 05 May 2011 05:14 AM PDT We don't do a whole lot of reporting on ancient weaponry here, because, well, it's a little dated -- but throw in an Arduino and a servo, and you've got our attention. Take, for example, this miniaturized trebuchet. Constructed from a series of click-in-place pieces known as Blocklets, the little launcher is basically a standalone slingshot. With the addition of the aforementioned components, however, it becomes a motorized annoyance for anyone and anything that stands in its way. The folks behind the tiny trebuchet tested its capabilities against a sculpture similarly built from Blocklets, but we prefer the challenge of a moving target. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait to get all medieval with this thing, as Blockets haven't quite made it out of the funding stage yet. |
| G-Form Extreme Sleeve gives new reasons to throw a MacBook out a window (video) Posted: 05 May 2011 04:47 AM PDT  World-renowned athletic gear company known for extreme demonstrations of its Extreme Sleeve™ for iPad launches the Extreme Sleeve™ for Laptop |
| Clearwire posts Q1 loss amid record subscribers, decides not to sell spectrum after all Posted: 05 May 2011 04:20 AM PDT  Clearwire Reports Record First Quarter 2011 Results Record Quarterly Net Subscriber Additions of 1.8 Million; 1.6 Million Wholesale, 155,000 Retail Pro Forma 1Q 2011 Revenue $258.1 Million, Up 142% From $106.7 Million, Year Over Year 4G Network Reaches 126 Million People in Q1 2011, Up 207% From 41 Million Year Over Year KIRKLAND, Wash., May 4, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clearwire Corporation [1] (Nasdaq:CLWR), a leading provider of 4G wireless broadband services in the U.S., today reported its financial and operating results for the first quarter 2011. "During the quarter we made good progress toward our objective of achieving positive EBITDA in 2012 by executing new agreements with Sprint, delivering strong post-pay subscriber growth and company-best wholesale revenue growth, as well as significantly lowering our operating costs," said John Stanton, Clearwire [2]'s Chairman and interim CEO. Erik Prusch, Clearwire [2]'s Chief Operating Officer added, "Looking ahead, we expect to work closely with Sprint and all of our other wholesale partners to expand our 4G leadership and capitalize on our rich spectrum holdings that enable us to meet the exploding customer demand for mobile broadband internet access. Since the beginning of the year, our network has experienced a 40% increase in network usage due to expanded coverage, record subscriber growth and higher usage per device. Only Clearwire [2] has the capacity required to deliver a truly next generation wireless broadband experience." Clearwire [2] ended the first quarter 2011 with approximately 6.15 million total subscribers, up 533% from 971,000 subscribers in the first quarter 2010. The subscriber base consists of 1.29 million retail subscribers and 4.86 million wholesale subscribers. During the first quarter 2011, Clearwire [2] added 1.8 million total net new subscribers, including 155,000 retail additions and 1.6 million wholesale additions. Clearwire [2]'s wholesale subscribers consist primarily of users of 3G/4G multi-mode devices. For wholesale subscribers with minimal or no usage on Clearwire [2]'s network, including those outside of Clearwire [2]'s service areas, Clearwire [2] receives nominal revenue, subject to certain exceptions. First quarter 2011 actual revenue was $242.0 million. Consolidated pro forma revenue for the first quarter 2011 was $258.1 million, a 142% increase over first quarter 2010 actual revenue of $106.7 million. Retail revenue and other revenue was $181.1 million in the first quarter 2011, retail average revenue per user (ARPU) was a record $46.32, and pro forma wholesale revenue was $77.0 million, or $6.37 in pro forma wholesale ARPU in the first quarter 2011. Consolidated pro forma revenue and pro forma wholesale revenue includes approximately $16.1 million payable by Sprint to Clearwire [2] for wholesale services provided in the first quarter of 2011 under the amendment to the 4G MVNO Agreement with Sprint that was announced on April 18, 2011, or the 4G Amendment. This additional wholesale revenue, which Clearwire [2] expects to recognize in the second quarter, is not included in the Company's GAAP first quarter results because the 4G Amendment was signed after March 31, 2011. In evaluating Clearwire [2]'s financial performance for the first quarter, management believes that it is useful to present pro forma revenue and net loss attributable to Clearwire [2] Corporation. Retail cost per gross addition (CPGA) improved to $301 in the first quarter 2011 from $439 in the first quarter 2010 and $422 in the fourth quarter 2010. Retail churn was 3.3% in the first quarter 2011, up from 3.0% in the first quarter of 2010, but an improvement from 3.8% in the fourth quarter 2010. Wholesale churn was 1.3% in the first quarter 2011, an improvement from fourth quarter wholesale churn of 1.4% and first quarter 2010 churn of 2.7%. The first quarter 2011 actual net loss attributable to Clearwire [2] was ($227.0) million, or ($0.93) per basic share, and the first quarter 2011 pro forma net loss attributable to Clearwire [2] was ($223.0) million, or ($0.91) per basic share. Both include the impact of $202.2 million in non-cash write-offs as discussed in the results of operations section below. At the end of the first quarter 2011, Clearwire [2] operated networks covering areas where approximately 131 million people reside globally, including approximately 126 million people in 4G markets in the U.S. In the first quarter 2011, the Company added an additional 14 million covered people to its domestic 4G service areas. 2011 Outlook Clearwire [2] now expects to end 2011 with approximately 9.5 million subscribers, with most of those subscribers coming from its wholesale business. This is an increase from the previous guidance of 8.8 million subscribers provided in February 2011. The Company continues to expect capital expenditures in 2011 to be less than $400 million. This year Clearwire [2] also expects to aggressively implement additional cost efficiencies aimed at improving cash flow and achieving positive EBITDA in 2012. Results of Operations Cost of goods and services and network costs for the first quarter 2011 increased 59% to $243.6 million compared to $153.4 million for the first quarter 2010, primarily due to an increase in tower lease expense of $54.3 million and an increase in network costs of $14.0 million resulting from Clearwire [2]'s network expansion activities in 2010. Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expense for the first quarter 2011 increased 4.5% to $224.0 million compared to $214.4 million for the first quarter 2010. The increase is primarily due to higher general and administrative expenses, including customer care, commissions and property taxes incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2011, offset by lower marketing expenses as the Company continues to focus sales efforts on lower cost channels. Loss from abandonment and impairment of network and other assets for the first quarter 2011 totaled $202.2 million as compared to $611,000 for the first quarter 2010. This charge consists of approximately $31.1 million in write-offs related to abandonment of projects that no longer fit within management's strategic network plans. The abandoned projects were originally undertaken in connection with Clearwire [2]'s network build-out but were not incorporated into the Company's network at launch and no longer fit within its future build plans. Additionally, in connection with Clearwire [2]'s savings initiatives, during the first quarter of 2011 the Company identified, evaluated and terminated certain tower leases, or when early termination was not available under the terms of the lease, Clearwire [2] advised its landlords of the Company's intention not to renew. The costs for projects classified as construction in progress related to leases for which Clearwire [2] has initiated such termination actions were written down, resulting in a charge of approximately $140.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2011. Additionally, network assets and spectrum in two of the Company's international entities were determined to be impaired resulting in a charge of $30.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2011. Substantial completion of the first phase of the Company's network build activities led to a decrease in Capital Expenditures (CapEx) to $132 million in the first quarter 2011 from CapEx of $690 million for the first quarter 2010. The Company ended the first quarter 2011 with cash and investments of approximately $1.2 billion invested primarily in U.S. Treasury securities. On April 27, 2011, Clearwire [2] received a cash payment of $181.5 million comprised of the initial installments of the pre-payment and take-or-pay commitment for 2011, and the $28.2 million settlement amount in accordance with the new Sprint wholesale agreements. |
| Facebook, Google rumored to be vying for Skype deal Posted: 05 May 2011 03:49 AM PDT  |
| Gmail now stores up to 25,000 contacts for the insanely popular Posted: 05 May 2011 03:01 AM PDT  |
| Posted: 05 May 2011 02:15 AM PDT  [Thanks, Mats] Update: A separate EFI Update (version 2.1) has also been rolled out. This one fixes the perplexing issue some reviewers had reported of seeing Intel's Turbo Boost disabled on some machines. Turns out the problem was related to Boot Camp and Apple has now resolved whatever was causing it. Click below for more info. Thanks, Francesco!  |
| The Daily generated 800,000 downloads, $10 million loss in first quarter of operation Posted: 05 May 2011 01:52 AM PDT  |
| iOS 5 updates expected to be carried over-the-air, at least for the Verizon iPhone Posted: 05 May 2011 01:09 AM PDT  There's no reason to believe this wireless update feature will be limited to Verizon, mind you -- that's just where the informants are coming from in this instance -- though Apple will almost certainly have to alter the file sizes of its updates. We can't think of many carriers who'll be happy to push more than half a gigabyte of data per user per update. Additionally, since iTunes currently acts as the major backup hub, 9to5Mac speculates Cupertino must be working on a cloud backup service as well, which would seem a very sensible idea. Of course, that doesn't paint a very happy or busy future for iTunes, but so what? |
| Samsung SENS-240 Navigation Tablet is strange and familiar Posted: 05 May 2011 12:40 AM PDT  |
| HTC Sensation 4G hits the FCC, shows off T-Mobile-friendly AWS radio Posted: 05 May 2011 12:07 AM PDT  |
| Keepin' it real fake: Sony NGP with Xbox 360 livery shows up in China Posted: 04 May 2011 11:22 PM PDT  [Thanks, rrw]  |
| Chrome Canary comes to Macs for fearless browser enthusiasts Posted: 04 May 2011 10:27 PM PDT  Until now, Mac users who like to live their digital lives on the edge have had to make do with Chrome's dev channel while their Windows counterparts were flying by the seat of their pants with the Canary build. Well, be jealous so more OS X fans -- you can now run your own untested, pre-developer build of Google's web browser. The Canary release is updated at an almost alarming rate and frequently adds and drops features without warning. Sure, you could opt for the open-source Chromium, but then you'd miss out on niceties like built-in Flash and PDF support. Don't get too freaked out though: Canary can run alongside your existing (and more stable) Chrome install. So, throw caution to the wind, embrace the crashes, report those bugs, and hit up the source link to download. |
| Acer's 3G-equipped Iconia Tab A100 up for pre-order on Amazon UK for £400 Posted: 04 May 2011 09:13 PM PDT  |
| Surface SDK gets input simulator, opens doors to indie devs Posted: 04 May 2011 07:53 PM PDT  |
| Harman Kardon's MAS 102 stereo has a petite profile, luxury looks and matching $999 price tag Posted: 04 May 2011 07:20 PM PDT  HARMAN Unveils Harman Kardon® MAS 102, Delivers Stunning Sound from Space-Saving System Lifestyle System Integrates Virtually Any Music Device without Compromising Audio Performance For more information: www.harmankardon.com/MAS102 STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), today announced the release of the Harman Kardon® MAS 102, a four-piece integrated system that includes an amplifier, a CD player and loudspeakers boasting the familiar Harman Kardon signature form factor. "We know that in today's fast-paced world people are looking for convenience and ease paired with high sound quality" Beautifully compact, the MAS 102 brings performance and style into the home for every music lover. True to the Harman Kardon brand, the integrated system features advanced loudspeakers that deliver a clean, powerful, room-filling sound experience discretely from a bookshelf or tabletop. The gorgeous speaker cabinets are easy on the eyes, with or without the speaker grille, and feature metal matrix waveguide-mounted tweeters that deliver big hi-fi sound from any location in the room. Like its predecessors, the MAS 102 offers CD playbacks, FM radio, and a host of analog and digital inputs to playback music from external devices. New features to the system include digital audio connectivity, iPod/iPhone compatibility via a Bridge III dock (available separately for purchase) and a phono input that connects directly to a turntable. Integrating devices both old and new, the MAS 102 takes compatibility to the next level. The speaker technology employs flat-panel mid-bass drivers and proprietary MMD® tweeters with integral waveguides delivering organic tones with enhanced stereo imaging. A 2 x 65-watt amplifier plays distortion-free sound at any listening level, and its sleek, pristine good looks integrate with any living environment. "We know that in today's fast-paced world people are looking for convenience and ease paired with high sound quality," said David Slump, president, HARMAN Consumer Americas. "We engineer every system to employ the leading technologies to make music and entertainment experiences truly come alive, and the MAS 102 delivers that in a spectacular compact system." Features and Specifications Complete integration using the performance of separate components with the ease of use of a single integrated system Fully compatible with iPod/iPhone, MP3 and WMA, CD-R and CD-RW discs Advanced loudspeakers feature custom 5-inch (130mm) mid-bass drivers and 1-inch (25mm) MMD® dome tweeters Clock includes a sleep timer and dual alarms Includes full navigation IR remote control Phono input allows connection to turntables Elegant and pristine design and compact in size Pricing and Availability The Harman Kardon MAS 102 complete, integrated audio system is available now for $999 at www.harmankardon.com/MAS102 |
| White Castle offers online ordering but makes you leave couch for pick-up Posted: 04 May 2011 06:49 PM PDT  Do you crave hamburgers but also want to minimize your interaction with fellow human beings? Then your unicorn-riding white knight has arrived, in the form of White Castle's new online ordering service. Thought not quite as handy as Domino's UK-only SMS ordering, the feature is rolling out to all 400 US locations. The website lets you "customize your sack" however you please; it also has a pretty high (or non-existent?) limit on quantities, meaning 1,000,000 Bacon and Cheddar Sliders will set you back $1,190,000. That could be a bug or a feature, depending on how hungry you are. Sadly, no matter how large your order you'll still have to go to the burger joint to pick it up -- delivery is still just a beautiful, beautiful dream. Maybe they can partner with MIT for a print-on-demand service. |
| MIT Media Lab develops glasses-free HR3D, supports broad viewing angles (video) Posted: 04 May 2011 06:21 PM PDT  We've already seen plenty of glasses-free 3D HDTVs and portable devices, but a promising new technology called HR3D (High-Rank 3D) has hit the prototype phase. Engineers from MIT's Media Lab, who developed the new solution, say that it avoids compromising on screen brightness, resolution, viewing angle, and battery life, and doesn't require those pesky (and pricey) 3D glasses. HR3D uses a pair of layered LCDs to give the illusion of depth, with the top layer (or mask) displaying a variable pattern based on the image below it, so each eye sees a slightly different picture. Nintendo's 3DS uses a similar technique, but with a parallax barrier instead of a second display. The designers constructed the prototype from two Viewsonic VX2265wm displays, removing the LCDs from their housings and pulling off polarizing filters and films. We've yet to go eyes-on with HR3D, so we're a mite skeptical, but tech this promising is worth watching closely, and from every angle. |
| World's tiniest video camera helps doctors see inside of you Posted: 04 May 2011 05:51 PM PDT  Less Than 1 mm in Diameter, the Camera is Used for Medical Endoscopic Procedures OMER, Israel, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medigus Ltd. (TASE: MDGS) has developed the world's smallest video camera - just 0.99 mm in diameter. These miniature cameras are manufactured from materials suitable for human medical procedures. They are designed specifically for small-diameter disposable endoscopic devices, used in diagnostic and surgical procedures in regions of the anatomy where larger scopes are not viable. Medical fields in which such tools are required include: cardiology; orthopedics; gastroenterology; gynecology; otolaryngology, bronchoscopy and robotic surgery. These cameras will be integrated into endoscopic devices developed and manufactured by the company, and also sold to third-party medical device manufacturers. Medigus will begin supplying camera samples in the coming weeks to US and Japanese companies which produce cardiology-related devices. The miniature cameras offered by Medigus are supported by the company's digital video processing systems. The second generation cameras utilize advanced technology, notably the TSV (Through Silicon Via) method which enables miniaturization and reduction of mass-production costs. A dedicated 0.66x0.66 mm CMOS sensor provides high image resolution at 45,000 pixels. When manufactured and sold in large quantities, the costs are sufficiently low for the camera to be used in disposable devices, eliminating the need for costly, time-consuming and potentially hazardous device sterilization. The global miniature camera market for disposable endoscopic devices is estimated at 4M units in 2011 and 7M in 2015. "We are excited to release our second generation of disposable cameras to further progress the medical endoscopic field." said Dr. Elazar Sonnenschein, CEO for Medigus Ltd. "Medical procedures that have not been possible until now become possible with the world's smallest camera. The advanced technology provides the medical community and patients with safe, quality and cost-effective treatment." |
| POLYRO humanoid robot can be built by you, looks more like K-9 than C-3PO Posted: 04 May 2011 05:24 PM PDT  It may bear closer resemblance to an upright dog than a human (check out those ears!), but POLYRO here is the least frightening example of a do-it-yourself robot that we've seen to date. We're not sold on the humanoid's name as an acronym (oPen sOurce friendLY RObot), and the instructions and assembly photos are rather hit or miss, but this rollin' rover definitely scores some points for looks. Prepare to get down and dirty with a jigsaw, drill press, and "safety equipment," before the latest addition to your family is ready to roll across the living room floor on its iRobot base. Instructables has posted a full shopping list, including a 10.1-inch netbook, ROS (Robot OS), and a Kinect. If you're feeling brave, clear some time in the schedule and space in the garage after heading over to our source link. |
| Barnes & Noble to release new e-reader, according to securities filing Posted: 04 May 2011 05:12 PM PDT  |
| CRTC sets target of 5Mbps broadband for all Canadians by 2015 Posted: 04 May 2011 03:57 PM PDT  The FCC may be sticking with its target of 4Mbps broadband for everyone in the United States, but it looks like the CRTC thinks Canada can do one (megabit) better. The regulatory agency has just set its own target of 5Mbps download speeds and 1 Mbps upload speeds for all Canadians -- a goal that it says must be met by 2015. Those speeds, the agency notes, must be actual speeds not advertised ones, although it's not yet going as far as to declare internet access a basic service to ensure that happens. The CRTC says instead that it prefers to rely on "market forces" for the time being, rather than subsidies that would come with such a declaration. Of course, while 5Mbps is faster than the FCC's target, it's still well short of some of the more ambitious broadband goals of other countries around the world -- Finland, for instance, has already declared that 1Mbps broadband a legal right and is promising to bring 100Mbps speeds to everyone by 2015. |
| Fossil Meta Watch shows you where you can put your fifth screen Posted: 04 May 2011 03:23 PM PDT  Meta WatchTM offers developers freedom to start their own wrist revolution |
| Hearst Corp. signs on to sell its magazines through iTunes, bringing more O to the iPad Posted: 04 May 2011 02:49 PM PDT  |
| TrendNet outs first 450 Mbps dual-band WiFi adapter Posted: 04 May 2011 02:23 PM PDT 
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| Clearwire ditches Rover pre-paid WiMAX service Posted: 04 May 2011 02:01 PM PDT  It's been less than a year since it went live, but Clearwire has now officially dropped its Rover pre-paid WiMAX service, saying that it was simply a way to "test some new pay-as-you-go pricing options and was offered on a limited retail basis in a couple markets." As you may recall, the brand offered just two products -- the Rover Puck WiFi hotspot and a USB stick -- and it gave customers the ability to purchase 4G WiMAX service on a daily, weekly or monthly basis starting at just $5 a day. As a Clearwire spokesperson explains to FierceWireless, however, the company is not giving up on pre-paid options altogether, and says that it's own new no-contract plans "should meet the needs of most of the Rover customer base." |
| Microsoft confirms WP7 handsets updated using 'unofficial mechanisms' cannot get latest update Posted: 04 May 2011 01:42 PM PDT  In case you were left unsure what a "non-serviceable state" meant when Microsoft warned users to avoid the ChevronWP7 updater, we now have further details. The company is in the process of rolling out a Windows Phone update charmingly called 7392, a post-NoDo improvement that does nothing other than fix some bogus security certificates on handsets. With no user-facing changes it's not really something users would probably be pining for -- except that many are now being told they can't get it, and of course we always want those things we can't have. Microsoft has confirmed that phones updated using "any unofficial mechanisms" to NoDo (which was 7390) will not be able to get 7392 via its very official mechanism: Zune. No big deal now, but it will be in six months when 7394 comes along and delivers the long-awaited addition of Microsoft Bob to the platform. No, Redmond's brightest aren't going to help you out of this mess you've created for yourself, but happily someone else is: the "clever bunch" who released the unofficial update in the first place. That bunch is said to be working on another unofficial tool that will help users get back onto the "officially supported path," a route that is slow and meandering but is, at least, quite unlikely to hurt you along the way. |
| Acoustic Poetry concept turns ambient noise into verse Posted: 04 May 2011 01:25 PM PDT  [Thanks, Ro] |
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