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Monday, May 16, 2011

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Toshiba enters pixel density fray with 367ppi LCDs for cellphones

Posted: 16 May 2011 10:46 AM PDT

Toshiba
Toshiba just fired its own salvo in the pixel density wars at SID 2011. The company is showing off a range of LCDs for cellphones that top out at an almost imperceptibly fine 367ppi on its 4-inch HD (720 x 1280) model. Beyond just cramming more red, green, and blue dots in each inch, these panels also top the bar-setting Retina Display in the contrast department with an impressive 1,500:1 ratio. The company also brought a smaller 3.3-inch screen with a resolution of 480 x 864 to Display Week that hits a respectable 300ppi. They're not quite as impressive as these HAST LCDs, but who really needs to put 1080p in their pocket? (Want is a different story.) Of course, Engadget is on the scene and, if you're lucky, we'll let you live vicariously through us as we tour Toshiba's booth -- you know, as a reward for your loyal readership.
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Toshiba America Electronic Components to Showcase 3D and Other Innovative LCD Technologies at SID 2011

Advanced 3D display technologies to be featured, as well as LTPS SOG in-cell touch and input technologies

VISIT TAEC in Booth #1119

LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)*, a committed industry leader that collaborates with customers to create breakthrough designs, will exhibit next-generation displays and technologies developed by Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd. (TMD)** for mobile phones and portable electronics, automotive applications, industrial markets and 3D applications in booth #1119 at the 2011 Society for Information Display (SID) International Symposium, Seminar & Exhibition, May 17 to 19, 2011.

Featured developments in TAEC's booth this year include two different 3D technology demonstrations, new displays for high-resolution handheld mobile applications, high-resolution and high-reliability automotive displays and industrial LCD displays with replaceable LED backlights capable of 100,000 hours MTBF(1). Displays with Low Temperature Poly-Silicon (LTPS), Optically Compensated Bend (OCB), System-on-Glass (SOG), LED backlighting, and other advanced technologies can be viewed in five demonstration areas: mobile, automotive, industrial, 3D, and SOG in-cell technology.

"We are excited to exhibit several new and innovative products and technologies aimed at mobile, automotive and industrial applications. Our advancements in system-on-glass in-cell technology and our approaches to 3D will enable future growth in new markets and applications," said Clayton Bond, senior vice president, Display Devices and Components Business Unit for TAEC.

3D Technology

TAEC will demonstrate two 3D technologies. The first approach, Integral Imaging 3D, combines an ultra-high resolution display and a lenticular lens sheet to enable "Multi-view" natural viewing without 3D glasses, so the same image can be seen from multiple viewing points. Integral Imaging will be shown in a 21.0-inch Wide-XGA (1280 x 800) and 12.1-inch 466x350 technology demonstration. The second approach, Time Sequential, will be shown on two displays – a 3.0-inch Wide-QVGA (400 x 240) and an 8.0-inch Wide-VGA (800 x 480) 3D OCB panels – utilizing a backlight system incorporating a bi-directional lens sheet. The displays synchronize LED switching with left- and right-eye images to achieve stereoscopic (twin-eye 3D) viewing without special glasses while maintaining a fast response time and a wide viewing angle. This approach is 2D/3D switchable, and enables a thin, easy-to-assemble LCD panel utilizing its full native resolution without compromise.

In-cell Technology

TAEC will demonstrate two novel in-cell technologies enabled by LTPS technology. The first technology, in-cell touch, is based on capacitive coupling between the user's finger and the detection electrode on the TFT substrate at a given point. This approach utilizes LTPS to integrate the capacitive sensors into multiple locations in the cell, and enables multi-touch operation with no touch force. The in-cell capacitive touch technology will be shown in a 7.0-inch Wide SVGA (1024 x 600) technology demonstration, and discussed in Seminar 43.4 on Thursday, May 19 at 10:00am in Petree Hall D. The second technology, in-cell write-erasable, is based on the integration of memory circuits and photo sensors into the display cell. This in-cell, write-erasable technology will be shown in a 7.0-inch QVGA (320 x 240) technology demonstration, and discussed in Seminar 50.3 on Thursday, May 19 at 11:20am in Petree Hall D.

Displays for Mobile Phones and Portable Electronics

The mobile section of the booth will feature high-resolution LTPS displays, up to 367ppi (pixels per inch) resolution density, in sizes ranging from 3.3-inch to 4.0-inch with resolution formats ranging from Wide VGA (480 x 864) to HD (720 x 1280). In addition, these displays will demonstrate advanced technologies such as high-contrast (up to 1,500:1), high-color (up to 92% NTSC), and wide viewing angle (up to H/V 176 degrees/176 degrees). The displays are just a few representative examples of TMD's broad line of thin and light displays for mobile smartphones and other portable electronic devices.

Displays for Automotive Applications

Innovative displays for automotive center information, navigation and entertainment applications are also featured this year. A high-resolution 9.0-inch Wide XGA (1280 x 720) TFT module for HDTV automotive entertainment applications is featured, along with a 7.0-inch Wide VGA (800 x 480) TFT module with wide viewing angle for center information or navigation applications will be shown. Also, three other displays – a 5.0-inch Wide QVGA (480x240), a 4.2-inch Wide-QVGA (400 x 240) and a 3.5-inch QVGA (240 x 320) – designed for high-reliability instrument cluster applications will be demonstrated. Lastly, a 3.3-inch Wide-QVGA display, designed for rearview mirror application, will be shown, too.

Displays for Industrial Applications

A portion of TMD's lineup of color LTPS active-matrix thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD modules for industrial applications will be shown, which incorporate 100,000 hour MTBF LED backlighting systems designed to satisfy the requirements of a broad range of industrial applications, such as test and measurement equipment, medical equipment, and more. Each module shown has replaceable, mercury-free(2) LED-based backlighting systems with 100,000 hour MTBF, which far exceeds that of common TFT LCDs for industrial applications utilizing long-life cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlights. Additional modules include two 100,000 hour MTBF modules with resistive touch panels: 8.4-inch XGA (1024 x 768) and 10.4-inch XGA (1024 x 768) LCDs, with replaceable LED backlights.

About Toshiba Corp., TAEC and TMD

Through proven commitment, lasting relationships and advanced, reliable electronic components, Toshiba enables its customers to create market-leading designs. Toshiba is the heartbeat within product breakthroughs from OEMs, ODMs, CMs, distributors and fabless chip companies worldwide. A committed electronic components leader, Toshiba designs and manufactures high-quality flash memory-based storage solutions, discrete devices, displays, advanced materials, medical tubes, custom SoCs/ASICs, digital multimedia and imaging products, microcontrollers and wireless components that make possible today's leading cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, medical devices, automotive electronics and more.

Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Japan's largest semiconductor manufacturer and the world's third largest semiconductor manufacturer (Gartner, 2010 WW Semiconductor Revenue, Jan. 2011). Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 204,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing $77 billion. For additional company and product information, please visit http://www.toshiba.com/taec/.

In April 2009, Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Toshiba Group when Toshiba acquired Panasonic's shares from a joint venture, and in May changed the company name to Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd. Established in 2002, TMD is an industry leader in small- and medium-sized LCDs for application in such products as mobile phones and in-vehicle displays. For further information, please visit the TMD home page at http://www.tmdisplay.com/tm_dsp/index.htm.

(1)Based on MTBF statistical values. MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) is not a guarantee or estimate of product life; it is a statistical value related to mean failure rates for a large number of products which may not accurately reflect actual operation. Actual operating life of the product may not resemble the MTBF.

(2)Mercury-Free: Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd. defines "Mercury-Free" products as those containing no more than a maximum concentration value of 0.1 percent mercury(Hg) by weight in Homogeneous Materials(3). This does not mean that Mercury-Free products are entirely free of mercury(Hg).

(3)Homogeneous Materials: Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd. defines "Homogeneous Materials" to mean a material that cannot be mechanically disjointed into different materials. The term "homogeneous" is understood as "of uniform composition throughout," so examples of "Homogeneous Materials" would be individual types of plastics, ceramics, glass, metals, alloys, paper, board, resins and coatings. Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. defines the term "mechanically disjointed" to mean that the materials can, in principle, be separated by mechanical actions such as unscrewing, cutting, crushing, grinding or abrasive processes.

Information in this press release, including product pricing and specifications, content of services and contact information, is current on the date of the announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice. Technical and application information contained here is subject to the most recent applicable TMD LCD product specifications. In developing designs, please ensure that TMD LCD products are used within specified operating ranges as set forth in the most recent TMD product specifications. This information is available from TAEC or from your TAEC representative.

All other trademarks and tradenames held within are the properties of their respective holders.

Canadian copyright group pushes for levy on memory cards

Posted: 16 May 2011 10:24 AM PDT

As even non-Canadians may recall, there was a big issue in the country a few years back over a so-called "iPod tax" (something that cropped up again in the recent election) and, while it still hasn't come to pass, the Canadian Private Copying Collective is now pushing for a music tax of another sort. While there's no iPods in danger of being taxed this time, the CPCC is asking for a new levy to be placed on memory cards (presumably all types, although that hasn't been specified). That levy would vary depending on the capacity of the card, with those less than 1GB facing a $0.50 tax, while cards between 1GB and 8GB would have an additional dollar tacked on, and those over 8GB would cost a full $3 more. Needless to say, that would be a fairly sizable percentage of the price in most cases given the way memory card prices are dropping -- and it would cast a fairly broad brush, as those memory cards obviously aren't just used for music. Of course, it is also still just a proposal but, as the Excess Copyright blog notes, the peculiarities of the Canadian Copyright Board may well give the CPCC a leg up in this case. Head on past the break for its official announcement.
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THE CPCC SEEKS LEVY ON ELECTRONIC MEMORY CARDS

(Toronto) – The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) has asked the Copyright Board of Canada to set a levy on electronic memory cards in order to compensate artists and other rights holders for the copies of recorded music that are made for private use onto this type of recording medium.

The Copyright Board has published the proposed Private Copying Tariff for 2012 and 2013 on its website http://www.cb-cda.gc.ca/. The proposed tariff for 2012-13 would leave the existing levy of 29 cents on CD-Rs unchanged. The levy rates for electronic memory cards would vary depending upon memory card capacity, with proposed rates ranging from 50 cents to $3. The current tariff expires on December 31, 2011.

"A copy is a copy, regardless of whether it was made on a CD-R or a memory card," said Annie Morin, Chair of the CPCC. "That copy has value, and a levy on the blank media used to make it ensures that the artists, songwriters and other rights holders receive the compensation to which they are entitled. It's a matter of fairness."

The CPCC had requested a private copying levy on electronic memory cards in 2003-04. However, the Copyright Board declined to grant a levy, stating that it was not satisfied by the evidence the CPCC was able to present at that time. CPCC Chair Morin said, "The CPCC believes that the evidence now shows that electronic memory cards are ordinarily used by Canadians to copy music. Consequently, the CPCC has requested that a levy be applied to these cards."

No other new levies are being sought under the tariff proposal, although the CPCC continues to advocate that the Copyright Act be amended to include the extension of the private copying levy to MP3 players.

The private copying levy is an important source of revenue for music rights holders. In place since 1999, the private copying levy provides remuneration to songwriters, music publishers, recording artists, musicians, and record companies in recognition of the fact that Canadians copy hundreds of millions of tracks of recorded music for their own private use.

Established in 1999, the CPCC is an umbrella organization whose member collectives represent songwriters, composers, music publishers, recording artists, musicians and record companies. The CPCC is the non-profit organization responsible for collecting and distributing private copying levies.

NEC spits out LaVie L and S Series laptops, ValueStar W and N Series all-in-ones

Posted: 16 May 2011 10:07 AM PDT

Like your computers Japanese and fire engine red? You might want to have a gander at the quartet of PCs NEC just churned out, including twin LaVie notebooks and ValueStar all-in-ones. The laptops both have 15.6-inch displays, optional Blu-ray drives, and hard drives as large as 750GB, but the L series packs a TV tuner and maxes out at a Core i7 processor, while the S series' top CPU option is a Core i5-2410M. On the desktop side, the W series has a 23-inch screen, Core i7 processor, a 2TB HDD, NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M card, a TV tuner, and a Blu-ray drive with an optional 3D display. Moving on down the line, the N Series offers a 20-inch screen, Core i5 processor, and integrated Intel graphics, though it, too, will be offered with a 3D panel. No word on pricing or availability, but for now you can check out hands-on photos aplenty at the links below.

Samsung, RealD announce licensing agreement for new LCD-based 3D panels

Posted: 16 May 2011 09:51 AM PDT

Remember that 3D display technology that Samsung and RealD were working on at CES? Today, the two companies announced that they've struck a licensing deal for the panels, which promise to deliver full resolution HD images to each eye by integrating active shutter technology directly within an LCD. This approach differs from the passive film patterned retarder (FPR) technologies that you'll find in Vizio and LG displays, which cut image resolution in half for each eye. The new panels will also be compatible with RealD's lightweight 3D glasses that are used in movie theaters. The technology should be available for 23 and 27-inch PC screens by early 2012, later making its way to 55-inch TV displays. No word on pricing or compatibility with other screen sizes, but expect more details to emerge at this week's SID Display Week in Los Angeles. Full PR after the break.
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RealD and Samsung LCD Announce License Agreement for Full Resolution 3D Panels for PC and TV

Full Resolution 3D Video to Each Eye Utilizing RealD 3D Cinema Eyewear

LOS ANGELES--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--RealD Inc. (NYSE: RLD), a leading global licensor of 3D technologies, and Samsung Electronics LCD Business announced today that they have completed a license agreement to make available to consumer electronics manufacturers panels featuring a new jointly developed 3D display technology, which delivers full resolution 3D images to each eye utilizing RealD 3D cinema glasses. Introduced in January 2011 at CES, panels are expected to be available for PC monitors in 23-inch and 27-inch sizes by early 2012 and for TVs in 55-inch size after the commercialization of PC monitors. The availability of additional panel sizes and details about pricing are to be announced.

"RealD and Samsung's new displays look fantastic and represent the next step in 3D home entertainment," said James Cameron, award winning motion picture director and a member of RealD's board of directors. "Full resolution viewing is key to experiencing 3D as a filmmaker intended, and when combined with the comfort and practicality of RealD 3D cinema glasses, this display technology will set a new standard for 3D in the home."

Jointly developed by RealD and Samsung Electronics LCD Business, these advanced active technology 3D displays offer full resolution, high definition 3D video to each eye and are compatible with the same affordable, lightweight and comfortable 3D cinema eyewear used in RealD 3D-equipped motion picture theatres around the world. Unlike film patterned retarder (FPR) based 3D displays that cut resolution to each eye in half, this new display technology delivers full resolution, high definition 3D images to each eye by adopting active shutter technology on the display, resulting in a brighter, flicker-free, fully immersive 3D experience across a wide viewing angle.

"3D displays should not compromise image quality by degrading resolution, it's simply not the premium viewing experience consumers have come to expect from 3D," said Bob Mayson, President of Consumer Electronics at RealD. "By working with Samsung to integrate active shutter technology on the panel, these displays deliver a full resolution 3D experience with the convenience and familiarity of RealD 3D cinema eyewear."

"We have been developing this advanced active 3D display technology with RealD for a long time and look forward to introducing displays with full resolution to each eye and a wide viewing angle so audiences can experience content as it was intended to be seen," said Wonkie Chang, President of Samsung Electronics LCD Business.

RealD 3D display technology is being jointly developed by Samsung Electronics LCD Business and RealD based on RealD's proprietary technology, which adopts characteristics from the company's cinema system utilized in motion picture theatres around the world. The LCD based display technology is integrated on the LCD panel and actively syncs with the left and right eye images for full resolution high definition 3D video that can be viewed through circularly polarized RealD 3D cinema eyewear. RealD 3D displays are also 2D compatible, resulting in no reduction of image quality in 2D mode.

RealD and Samsung LCD Business will be demonstrating RealD 3D display TVs, PC monitors and laptops in their booths at SID's Display Week 2011, May 17-19, 2011, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Apple offers free repairs for iPhones, other products damaged in Japan quake

Posted: 16 May 2011 09:35 AM PDT


Apple customers with Macs, displays, and iOS devices that were directly damaged in the Japan earthquake and tsunami may be eligible for free repairs. The offer, posted on the company's Japanese website, excludes iPod classic, nano, and shuffle, and only applies to customers living in areas covered by the Ministry of Health's Disaster Relief Act. Originally posted in March, Apple's announcement joins Softbank's offer to replace lost iPhones registered to its network, and free calls to Japan from U.S. carriers, among others. Considering water and other accidental damage typically voids a device's warranty, you'll want to give AppleCare a call soon -- the acceptance period only runs through June 30th.

HP trots out Pavilion p7, Pavilion Slimline s5, and HPE h8 desktops

Posted: 16 May 2011 09:19 AM PDT

Lest you think the desktop is an endangered species, HP, at least, begs to differ. The company just unveiled three of 'em: the Pavilion p7, Slimline s5, and the Pavilion HPE h8 -- all festooned with black finishes, rounded edges, sliding port covers, and metallic panels designed to blend in with the electronics already populating your living room. Of the three, the p7 is the most mainstream, with a non-threatening chassis that's about the size you'd expect a tower to be. The Slimline s5 has a similar look, but is about half the size, making it look more like a media hub. Lastly, there's the HPE h8, whose red accents and beastlier shape mark it as the power tower it is. For the money, you'll get discrete graphics, optional Beats Audio, and support for dual displays. The p7 and h8 go on sale May 18, starting at $299 and $599, respectively. For the petite s5, you'll have to step up to a $329 starting price. Look for it on June 15.
HP Pavilion p7, Pavilion Slimline s5, and Pavilion HPE h8
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HP Introduces Sophisticated New HP Pavilion Consumer Desktop PCs

New consumer offerings include sleek, modern towers and micro-thin display designed to complement any home decor
PALO ALTO, Calif., May 16, 2011

HP today announced a new lineup of HP Pavilion consumer desktop PCs that deliver the latest technologies in sophisticated designs.

With clean lines, soft forms and contrasting materials, the redesigned HP Pavilion desktops match the style and preferences of today's consumer, fitting anywhere from dorm-room desks to media cabinets.

A glossy, black front panel layered over a metallic base gives depth and dimension to the new towers, while sliding front panels hide ports and drives for a polished, clean appearance. Select models also offer a valet tray integrated into the top of the PC and equipped with USB ports for easy access and charging of smartphones, digital cameras and MP3 players.

"Consumers demand the best of both worlds from their desktop PCs – performance and expandability with a design that fits them and their environment," said Randall Martin, chief design strategist, Desktop PCs, Personal Systems Group, HP. "HP's new Pavilion PCs offer intuitive features and enhanced aesthetics, bridging the gap that sometimes exists between form and function."

Versatile design, powerful features

In addition to a refined industrial design, the new HP Pavilion consumer desktop PCs are available with powerful processors and graphics for a superior computing experience. Additionally, innovative technologies like Beats Audio and HP LinkUp are now available on select models to offer consumers the latest in sound and convenience.

Music lovers will enjoy hearing their favorite music the way the artist intended it with Beats Audio, a high-performance sound technology developed by HP and Beats by Dr. Dre™. For those who crave a truly connected digital world, HP LinkUp lets users view and interact with content and programs from their notebook PCs on an HP Pavilion desktop PC wirelessly via a home network and without file mix-ups or complex synchronization. Viewing applications and editing files from a notebook on the desktop's larger display and with a full-size keyboard creates a more comfortable and productive experience.

The HP Pavilion consumer desktop family includes:

HP Pavilion p7 series PCs: For everyday computing at a great value, the HP Pavilion P7 series PCs offer generous hard drive space for photos, music and video. Premium graphics enhance picture quality, and built-in support for multichannel surround sound offers a powerful audio experience.

HP Pavilion Slimline s5 series PCs: Fitting in even the smallest space, the HP Pavilion Slimline s5 performance series PCs are less than half the size of conventional PC towers, but configurable to offer maximum storage and processors to support the most demanding multitaskers.

HP Pavilion HPE h8 series PCs: The HP HPE h8 series PCs are the most powerful Pavilion PCs to date. Select models are available with up to three internal hard drives, AMD Phenom or Intel® Core™ i7 processors, and high-end NVIDIA or ATI graphics. The HPE h8 series PCs offer the ultimate computing experience in a sleek and simple design. The PCs also support multiple displays so users can be more productive with up to three monitors.

A perfect partner: the HP x2301 Micro Thin LED backlit monitor

HP also introduced the HP x2301 23-inch Micro Thin LED backlit monitor. The HP x2301 is crafted to take display design to a new dimension, offering consumers a striking micro-thin profile (9.8 mm) complemented by a translucent aquamarine base and brush anodized aluminum accents.

Users will appreciate not only its sleek aesthetics but also its high-dynamic contrast ratio, full high-definition resolution, glare-reducing BrightView technology and fast response time. The HP x2301 also is ENERGY STAR® 5.0 qualified and EPEAT® Silver registered, containing mercury-free LED backlights and arsenic-free display glass to reduce environmental impact. It's the ideal partner for any new HP Pavilion desktop PC.

Pricing and availability

The HP HPE h8 series PCs are expected to be available on HP Home & Home Office on May 18 at a starting price of $599.99 and at select U.S. retailers on June 19.
The HP Pavilion p7 series PCs are expected to be available on HP Home & Home Office on May 18 at a starting price of $299.99 and at select U.S. retailers on June 19.

The HP Pavilion Slimline s5 series PCs are expected to be available on HP Home & Home Office on June 15 at a starting price of $329.99 and at select U.S. retailers on June 19.

The HP x2301 consumer monitor is expected to be available on June 10 in the United States at a starting price of $279.99.

Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off one last time (video)

Posted: 16 May 2011 09:02 AM PDT

NASA's Endeavour shuttle marked its final launch today, lifting off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, a fortnight after an initial takeoff was scrubbed over concerns surrounding an auxiliary power unit heater. A six-member crew lead by commander Mark Kelly and some tiny satellites are on-board for the STS-134 mission, which involves the delivery of the massive cosmic ray-collecting Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and some spare parts to the International Space Station. NASA's 134th flight is the penultimate mission for the current fleet of shuttle -- Atlantis will liftoff for a final time in July. Video of the smoke-filled majesty after the break.

HTC Flyer review

Posted: 16 May 2011 08:00 AM PDT

Over the past couple of years, HTC has rapidly built up an enviable reputation (and bank balance) in the smartphone space with a succession of feature-rich, smartly designed, and innovative handsets. The HD2 introduced us to the 4.3-inch form factor, the EVO 4G ushered in the era of 720p video recording, and the Legend wrapped itself inside a never-before-seen aluminum unibody enclosure.

Today, the company's Android assembly line is turning out yet another groundbreaking device, though this one's closer in size to the Athena than the Aria. Yes, we're talking about the 7-inch Flyer, the most unique of this year's Android tablet offerings, opting for a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a sturdy aluminum construction that doesn't even try to compete in the race for extreme thinness, and a Magic Pen to make you forget it's running Gingerbread and not Honeycomb (yet). Also set for release under the EVO View 4G moniker on Sprint in the US, this tablet is the sum of a set of bold choices on the part of HTC. To see how well those decisions have come off, click past the break for our full review.
HTC Flyer review

Hardware



Thinking back to the first time we saw the Flyer in person -- at a pre-MWC briefing back in February -- we have to say this tablet didn't make the happiest of first impressions. It's a weighty old thing (420 grams / 14.8 ounces) that looked thick even before we laid eyes on the subsequent iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab super-slimsters. In fact, we had a 7-inch Galaxy Tab on hand and the Flyer was instantly humbled by the slicker, lighter, and far more refined slate from Samsung. HTC's choice of a tri-color palette also dashes any chances of the Flyer appearing sophisticated. The white plastic elements at the top and bottom don't really blend in well with either the grey aluminum shell or the black bezel around the screen. Adding insult to injury, the lower one of those plastic inserts actually protrudes from the body, giving an already chunky tablet some extra junk in the trunk.
Flyer vs. iPad... fight!

You'd hope, after such an inauspicious start, that form has been sacrificed at the altar of function here and we can happily report that to be the case. Though we found the Flyer's weight unwieldy at first, we adapted to it over time and would now actually describe it as reassuring. A big portion of that heft comes from the tablet's unibody metal enclosure -- one uninterrupted chunk of aluminum wraps around most of the Flyer's rear and sides, protecting it from bumps and scrapes and lending it an excellent feel of rigidity and stoutness. If we had a prize for ruggedness among tablets not specifically designed for rough terrain, the Flyer would win it with, ahem, flying colors. That's not mere rhetoric, either -- we were clumsy enough to drop our review unit onto a cement floor and you'll spot the resulting scuffs on its back in our hands-on gallery.

The Flyer's curved sides are classic HTC and help make it easy and comfortable to handle. You might end up with stronger forearms from the effort of holding it up, but you won't be causing yourself injury from awkward or annoying ergonomics. Taking it out for a day-long stroll around London, we found this slate a joy to tote around in one hand or -- as unbelievable as it may sound -- stashing it in a pocket. Contrary to any of the 8.9-,9.7- or 10.1-inch tablets that are currently staking a claim as the mainstream's favorite form factor, the 7-inch Flyer is truly portable enough to carry around without either a dedicated carrying case or some other pouch to slot it into. Even so, HTC has decided to bundle a sparkly white case in the retail package, which is of an above-average quality, fits snugly around the tablet, and provides an all-important holder for the Magic Pen accessory. Some might (rightly) argue that they'd rather have a cheaper tablet than more goodies in the box, but the Flyer's case provides an extra layer of protection and a very neat way to transport it together with the stylus. The flap is kept closed by nature's own awesome technology: magnets.

It's ironic to think that this fatty of the tablet world would offer more convenience on the move than all the supermodel skinny slates, but we've found ourselves slowly falling in love with the Flyer's screen size. 7 inches feels like our perfect bowl of porridge -- neither too small for satisfactory web browsing nor too large to use discreetly. In particular, thumb-typing on the software keyboard in portrait orientation is an absolute dream. This shouldn't come as a surprise if you've read our coverage of Samsung's original Galaxy Tab, as we also praised that 7-incher for having the ideal size for thumbing your way through missives. An additional benefit in HTC's case is that our concern about its Android onscreen keyboard being a little cramped is entirely dispelled by the enlargement to the Flyer's proportions. It is now an unqualified delight to use and our typing speed on this tablet was matched only by the device's responsiveness and preparedness for more input. An additional nod of approval should be directed at HTC's prediction algorithm, which exhibited more intelligence than we're used to seeing and almost always knew the word we were trying to articulate before we were done writing it out.

When strapped with a 3G radio (compatible with T-Mobile in the USA), the Flyer provides a very intriguing potential usage scenario: it can actually serve as your smartphone replacement. Admittedly, the "phone" part of that equation can't be readily substituted, but hear us out. Our daily smartphone use revolves almost entirely around having a data connection and most of our communications are done via web services such as Google Talk, IRC, Twitter, and simple old email. Hell, the only time we remind ourselves we're still using a phone is when we send the occasional SMS, but the Flyer has a fully fledged messaging app to deal with those instances. We tried living with the Flyer in the place of a smartphone for a couple of days and, quite frankly, found little downside to it. We wouldn't yet argue abandoning the more compact and versatile smaller handsets, but we definitely feel the 7-inch form factor has more to offer than merely a stopgap device between a phone and a laptop -- circumstances exist where it will be able to usurp those stalwart devices' roles entirely, even if only for limited periods of time.

Display

HTC won't confirm this for us, but we're almost certain we're looking at another Super LCD on the Flyer. Color fidelity at oblique angles is too good for this to be just some run-of-the-mill TFT display. We enjoyed our use of the Flyer immensely, it has plenty of brightness (which never overwhelms the picture), vibrancy, and sharpness to go around. Going outdoors was an especial highlight, as the Flyer dialed things up and did a superb job of overcoming natural light to provide us with great usability. Web browsing, movie playback, Angry Birds, nothing was hampered unduly by the influence of the sun. We also haven't been able to spot flaws of any sort, whether they be an inconsistent backlight, improper color reproduction, or touchscreen sensitivity deficits. It's just a very, very good screen. If you look closely enough, you'll spot a grid of dots uniformly applied to the entire display, which we're guessing is there as part of the N-Trig stylus recognition hardware setup. You'll only spot that array with the tablet turned off, though, as it becomes imperceptible once the lights come on.

You get 1024 x 600 pixels to play around with, a reasonable number given the Flyer's size, though it doesn't move things forward from the Samsung Galaxy Tab of yesteryear.

Battery life

Really, really impressive. We unplugged the Flyer at 9AM one morning, spent the full day throwing everything we could think of at it -- push updates from Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, and a news feed of Engadget and BBC updates, plus extensive camera testing, web browsing, music playback, and a solid hour of Angry Birds Rio gameplay -- and by 9PM in the evening we still had over 20 percent of juice left. For a 3G device whose cellular connection was regularly put to use, that was a spectacular performance.

Looking at Android's battery-tracking graph, the camera was the main culprit for eating into the Flyer's energy reserves. It looks to be one of the few tasks that require the tablet to run at full throttle, and the briskness with which it depleted the battery illustrates how taxing that 1.4GHz speed is. All the same, we managed to get 12 action-packed hours out of the Flyer's cell and have no doubt it'll last for two days' worth of regular use. HTC also throws in an optional sleep mode, which shuts down wireless radios when the tablet's locked. You can set specific time periods for when this is on (e.g. 11PM to 6AM) and the tradeoff for extended battery life is obviously that you won't receive any push alerts without turning the tablet on. Of course, if you're actually sleeping during that period, that's no downer at all. Naturally, this is in addition to the company's familiar power saver feature that tweaks screen brightness and other settings when a given threshold of battery reserves is passed.

Etc.

Stereo speakers remain something of a novelty on mobile devices, but alas, the pair that reside on the Flyer's back aren't of the greatest quality. They produce a tinny, unsatisfying sound, which is highlighted when you plug in a pair of headphones and get to hear the real richness of audio coming out of the tablet. HTC's inclusion of SRS sound enhancement is really good stuff, providing a wider sound stage and bringing out more detail in whatever we were listening to, but you'll definitely need a set of cans to appreciate it.

While you're busy connecting those headphones, you might notice something curious about the power button sat right alongside the 3.5mm output -- it has the Flyer's status LED integrated inside it. That's right, the power button itself emanates a dot of light when the tablet wants to notify you of something. Very slick. Additionally, the capacitive Android keys are made available in both landscape and portrait mode, with a set of them built into the bottom and left-hand bezel of the Flyer. When not in use, they become nearly invisible, but they come to life just as soon as you re-orient the slate to match them -- notably, the Flyer can only do two orientations, which match up to its Android buttonry, and it won't rotate if you try to hold it "upside down." You get Home, Menu and Back keys for your digits and a dedicated stylus menu key that can only be activated with the Magic Pen. We like this distinction as it precludes any accidental taps into pen functionality when you're without said scribbler.

Camera

Bad news, folks -- the trend of us finding unsatisfying cameras on tablets continues. The Flyer's 5 megapixel rear imager struggled mightily during our testing in spite of being provided with nearly perfect lighting to do its work in. Blotchy, blurry, and simply bad, its output was consistently below what we might hope to see produced by a modern mobile device. 5 megapixels are clearly far too many for this sensor to fill and the only time we can condone taking pictures with the Flyer is when you know you won't be showing them in a resolution greater than, say, half a megapixel. That's close to the size of the pics in our sample gallery and is, regrettably, the upper limit of what you'll get away with.
HTC Flyer camera samples

The front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera doesn't do much better, but good lighting will help it produce acceptable results and its quality will be sufficient for video calls or the occasional messing about with the included Snapbooth application (results from which can be seen below). In terms of software, you're looking at HTC's typical customized interface, which could do with a few more adjustment options, but then if the picture-capturing hardware isn't up to much, what does the software really matter? A saving grace, perhaps, is HTC's inclusion of a number of filters and effects that might let you use the Flyer's camera to create funkier, less detail-conscious concoctions. It's a compromise, but we reckon it's better than nothing.
HTC Flyer front-facing camera samples (with Snapbooth distortions)

Video didn't fare too much better, as is to be expected given the content for it is provided from the same image sensor. Softness is apparent throughout our recordings, making a mockery of the claim that the Flyer records 720p video -- it feels more like something a quarter of the resolution that's been scaled up... poorly. As if that's insufficiently frown-worthy, sound recording is also poor, producing a tinny, inarticulate output that fails to convey much of any atmosphere. On the plus side, that functions as a sort of wind noise neutralizer, since the Flyer's failure to pick up much of any aural detail also drowns out the wind. On a less frivolous note, we do very much like the way the Flyer's camcorder keeps up with motion. If the quality of the actual results wasn't so poor, we might even commend it for exhibiting so little ghosting or rolling shutter effect.


Software


If you weren't already struck by the thought that the Flyer looks an awful lot like a scaled-up Desire HD, booting into its familiar Sense UI will be sure to give you that sensation. HTC opted to build the Flyer's software atop Android 2.3, the latest in Google's smartphone stable, and not the tablet-oriented Android 3.0. In conversations with the company, we've heard that justified as a matter of expedience, as HTC didn't have enough time with the Honeycomb code to integrate its Sense UI paradigm and had to revert to the next best thing. The fallout from this decision is that using the Flyer is an inevitably similar experience to using an HTC Gingerbread phone, though we've come to find that's not a particularly bad thing at all.


Setting aside the improvements just introduced by Google in Android 3.1, we've been of the view that Honeycomb remains unpolished and in need of extra work to optimize responsiveness and better exploit the added real estate afforded by tablets relative to smartphones. Those are things that will surely come over time, but until they do, Android slate buyers are left to answer the question of what they should do in the interim. Motorola will tell you to run the standard Honeycomb and like it, Samsung will tell you that TouchWiz 4.0 will make everything better, and HTC will urge you to use Gingerbread until it can cook up the right Honeycomb recipe. We can't yet speak authoritatively on how Samsung's skinned Honeycomb tastes, but from our experience with the Flyer, we'd argue HTC's implementation is preferable to stock Android 3.0 installations. It's faster to respond, feels more refined, and though it has significant weaknesses of its own, the unfortunately immature Honeycomb doesn't offer a stark enough contrast to highlight them as it should. Lest you find all this poor consolation for HTC failing to ship the Flyer with the latest firmware on board, an update to Android 3.x has been promised for this summer, so this tablet won't be hanging out in smartphone software territory for an excessive period of time.

The really important thing to say is that the user experience on the Flyer already works, and very well at that. It features version 3.0 of Sense, which brings an enhanced lockscreen that will display a lushly animated weather update up top and a set of four shortcuts at the bottom. The latter allow instant access to your favored apps -- you just drag an icon into HTC's so-called activation circle and then a couple more animations spin up and spirit you away into whatever app you selected. We keep wondering why more sophisticated lockscreens like this aren't already standard fare in touchscreen devices and HTC's implementation makes us ponder that question all the more. It's executed with precision and makes rapid use of the tablet a cinch.

Once you unlock your way past the greeting screen, eight homescreens literally spin into view. In spite of the increased 1024 x 600 resolution, HTC is still offering you a grid of sixteen discrete slots per homescreen, which can be occupied by apps, folders, shortcuts, or widgets. There's almost nothing here that you won't find on HTC's Android Gingerbread phones, which isn't a terrible thing in and of itself, but more widgets and programs optimized for the Flyer's size would have been appreciated. As it stands, it just provides an extremely usable, mostly responsive user experience that some will find all too familiar.

Animated and 3D graphics are really emphasized in HTC's latest UI. You're still gazing at the same old clock-and-weather widget as the one you saw on the Hero nearly two years ago, but now when you slide away from it, its homescreen turns away in a manner imitating a carousel and faux 3D elements are exposed in the "side" of that widget, lending it a bit more realism and luster. We don't know how to feel about HTC making the Flyer's interface quite so graphically intensive. On the one hand, it adds an extra layer of polish that makes use of the tablet feel modern and snazzy, but on the other, those flourishes do consume system resources without adding anything in terms of function. Worst of all, in spite of the Flyer being highly responsive in most circumstances, we found lag and stuttery animations creeping in on us after some extended use, which we're inclined to blame on the extra veneer of prettiness. We most often found the tablet slower than ideal when we were unlocking into an app, as it had to animate both the motion of that app icon and pulsating animation around the activation ring.

Apps

In terms of applications on the device, we absolutely loved the split views HTC has introduced in the browser, calendar and gallery apps. When browsing the web, you can have a little bar up top with previews of all the tabs you have open. This is extremely handy when you want to either reference multiple pages or instruct the browser to go load a couple of items while you're reading a third. The Flyer's screen size again shows its advantage here as the preview bar feels just the right size to inform without obscuring too much. Similarly, the gallery app will let you browse one gallery on the right side of the screen while showing you an overview of all available albums on the left, making it easy to skip around in rapid fashion. The calendar does the same thing, providing a monthly, weekly or daily overview on the left and a single day's agenda on the right. It's simply excellent stuff. Oddly, both the calendar and gallery work only in landscape mode, whereas we'd surmise it'd be easy to stack the two elements that sit side by side in landscape atop one another in portrait mode.
HTC Flyer software

Unfortunately, that just about exhausts the list of software that truly exploits the Flyer's 7-inch size and 1024 x 600 resolution. For the rest, you're stuck with expanded versions of apps designed for phones. Again, that's not a horrible situation to be in, as Gmail looks gorgeous while operating with the added real estate, but it's not the tablet-optimized, slicker version that Honeycomb users are enjoying. Google Talk also doesn't benefit from the video and voice chat implementation that's available in Android 2.3.4 and 3.0, leaving you having to download an app from the Market to put that front-facing camera to the use it was made to fulfill.

Perhaps the most aggravating issue -- because it feels like a choice rather than any sort of technical limitation -- is that HTC's widgets suffer from a mass of wasted space. There's a persistent dock at the bottom that you can customize with shortcuts, which is fine, but then its space usurpation is augmented by making widgets fit within windows inside the tablet, allowing them insufficient room to be informative at a glance and forcing unnecessary scrolling from the user to see more content. That's true whether you're talking of the Friend Stream, Messages, Music, My Shelf (for ebooks, powered by Kobo), News, or Weather widget. Nothing is even close to employing the full screen without opening the app itself. Moreover, when you receive a message or play back music, the lockscreen is dominated by big and gaudy UI elements that also play fast and loose with screen real estate that could be better utilized. Overall, there's a definite sense of inefficiency to what HTC has done here.

HTC Watch

Another 3D interface awaits eager movie lovers once they step into HTC Watch. Sadly, as attractive and quick as the interface to this movie-renting and -buying app may be, at present it's only dedicated to showing off a set of eight trailers. We're told we're on the very precipice of the service going live and permitting Flyer owners to buy and enjoy movies across their Watch-compatible devices (the Sensation being another one announced to support it), but at the moment there's little we can comment about. The eventual system will offer films on a progressive download basis, which you can consider just another form of streaming. You just have to let the Flyer buffer up a bit of content at first and then you can simultaneously watch and download your movie. We're sure that's slick stuff, but disappointed not to be able to test it -- particularly since the Flyer is already on sale. What we can say is that the trailers we checked out on the Flyer looked spectacular. The resolution on the screen is plenty dense enough, but it's really the quality of that 7-inch display that kept us mesmerized by what were teasers to some pretty appalling flicks. Top marks for hardware, but HTC needs to get its house in order and make this thing live already.

Update: And just as we've said all that, HTC has turned Watch loose in the UK. Pricing varies between £7.99 ($12.94) and £9.99 ($16.20) for movie purchases, and £2.49 ($4) and £3.49 ($5.65) for movie rentals, depending on the film's age and popularity. At present, some flicks are only available to rent and others are only available to buy, but we expect that's just a temporary situation while HTC gets its store built out properly. There are also TV show episodes up for consumption, with 60-minute Gossip Girl blasts costing you £1.49 ($2.40) to own. As usual, we've provided currency conversions as simple guides to pricing, you should expect HTC to have separate deals arranged for content distribution in the US, whose cost will likely differ from that in the UK.

OnLive and gaming

Speaking of live things, we were also bummed not to be able to test out the OnLive cloud gaming service. It's only available in the US for now, whereas we reviewed the Flyer in the UK and there's nary a trace of it on the tablet. The US product (and the UK one once OnLive crosses the Atlantic) will benefit from an app that jacks it into the OnLive network and gets you playing such things as Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Just Cause 2, Borderlands, and -- eventually -- Duke Nukem Forever! You can rest assured we'll be doing a separate feature on how this touchscreen device handles the control schemes of these games in due course.

As to playing Android Market games on the Flyer, we couldn't find a single one that caused it any performance issues, though we admittedly spent most of our time shaking monkeys out of trees in Angry Birds Rio. Still, for the speed junkies among you, we made sure to run a batch of benchmarks to check how quickly this tablet's heart beats. The usual proviso should be heeded here: graphical tests such as those carried out in Quadrant run at the device's default resolution, so the Flyer's 1024 x 600 panel will be at an immediate disadvantage to smartphones running more modest pixel counts. Our average scores were as follows: Quadrant: 2,050, Linpack: 55 MFLOPS, Neocore: 51fps, Nenamark: 36fps. Basically, it performs exactly in line with what you'd expect from a machine employing a 1.5GHz processor, Adreno 205 graphics, and 1GB of RAM.

Magic Pen

And now we come to the Flyer's headline differentiator: the Magic Pen. A lot of work has clearly gone into making this stylus a coherently integrated and value-adding element of the Flyer's retail proposition. We're inclined to believe the major reason HTC is bundling a case in with this otherwise sturdy tablet was so that there could be a place to stash the Magic Pen, which in itself is styled very much in keeping with the Flyer's aesthetic and is also made of aluminum. The Flyer's Notes app is almost entirely dedicated to the Pen and serves to show both its greatest strength and weakness. The strength is the sheer variety of useful things you can do with the app, the weakness is that it's the only one that truly harnesses the stylus to its full potential. Admittedly, the Kid Mode app has a rudimentary painting canvas and the Kobo-powered ebook reader lets you annotate books on the fly, but the fact remains that the utility of the Magic Pen drops off steeply once you step outside of Notes. You'll still be able to draw over anything else you see on the Flyer's screen, though you'll need to capture a screenshot (HTC calls this a Scribble) of the page before applying your nib to it.

Inside the Notes app, you're able to annotate, highlight, and doodle to your heart's content. There's also an audio recording function that intelligently associates typed or written notes with the time in a recording, essentially creating automatic timestamps. Sadly, this doesn't work too brilliantly as it requires a pretty sizable gap between note-taking in order to insert a new timestamp, which may make it less useful if you're constantly writing away during a lecture.

Use in academic environs may indeed be the Flyer's big target market, so a discussion is merited of how well it works as a receptacle of handwritten notes. We put in a few sincere attempts at jotting things down with the stylus and were met by a pair of issues: firstly, if your hand makes contact with the screen before the Magic Pen, the Flyer takes that as indicative of your intention to type and brings up the onscreen keyboard, and secondly, refined input with the pen is very hard indeed. We'll readily admit we're not as practiced at using pens as we are with keyboards, but writing on the Flyer was significantly harder than using a real ink diffuser. Our letters were about twice the size as on real paper and approximately five times as ugly. We encountered similar difficulty when trying to accurately plot a course on a Scribble of Google Maps -- it was just too hard to stay within the lines.

So, the Magic Pen isn't all that hot on intricate detail, but if you decide to use it as a fast and loose accessory to the rest of your work on the Flyer, you'll likely be very well rewarded. It's weirdly addictive to add doodles and annotations, whether to webpages or images captured with the tablet's camera, and we found ourselves spending lengthy sessions trying out the pressure sensitivity (not a wide range by any means), different nub size and shape options, and color variations. On the whole, input recognition works very well and we recognize a bunch of uses that it can be put to, both practical and farcial, but HTC will need to step up its game and introduce more in the way of pen-friendly software. One note-taking app will not bring the stylus revolution about by itself.

Wrap-up


We came, we saw, we doodled. The HTC Flyer is the result of a well thought-out and executed plan by HTC. It is truly differentiated from the Android tablet pack with its robust aluminum construction, Magic Pen inclusion, and more responsive interface, and aside from a few imperfections and a general immaturity of tablet-specific software, it's as competently designed a tablet as we've yet seen. Its 7-inch display is a beauty to behold and, though it may be encased in a somewhat bulky body, its size strikes the right balance between portability and utility. The real issue holding the Flyer from a successful launch, in our opinion, will be its pricing. We got to grips with the 32GB, 3G-equipped variant which retails at £600 in the UK, or £21 more than the similarly outfitted iPad 2. The latter is thinner, faster, and bigger, which in most people's eyes will make the choice between the two a no-brainer in favor of the Apple device. What's even more perplexing is that the 16GB, WiFi-only Flyer will cost £480, or exactly the same as the 32GB WiFi-only iPad 2. How HTC hopes to convince buyers to spend more for less, we're not really sure.

Setting aside the economics, we truly enjoyed our time with the Flyer and will regret to see it depart our testing nest. It's a fine tablet pointing to a bright future for HTC's newly expanded mobile device range. We'd probably advise waiting until the next generation to see prices reduced to saner levels and refinements made on the software front, but that's true of any device ever built. The Flyer will find a market for itself, and there'll be a group of very satisfied users for whom it'll provide a unique blend of functionality. You'll just have to carefully consider your mobile computing needs and how well they mesh with what HTC has to offer.

Eldar Murtazin: Microsoft will enter negotiations to buy Nokia's mobile division next week

Posted: 16 May 2011 07:44 AM PDT

Yes, this is a rumor, and by golly it strains the limits of credulity, but take note of its source. Firstly, the details: according to Eldar Murtazin, Microsoft and Nokia will enter talks next week to discuss the potential for the American software giant to purchase the Finnish company's mobile arm, meaning the part that makes all those delectable smartphones. Eldar's not been able to dig up any further intel, but expects a deal could be closed as early as the end of this year. We're inclined to believe there's at least some semblance of truth to Eldar's words because of his track record. Way back in December of last year, when nobody believed Nokia would deviate from its Symbian strategy, Eldar reported the similarly incredible-sounding news that Microsoft and Nokia were in discussions about the latter using Windows Phone as its main smartphone OS. That turned into reality this February, and more recently, the Russian mobile spy managed to also accurately predict Nokia killing off the Ovi brand in favor of an eponymous naming scheme for its services. And that's all on top of Eldar's knack for obtaining Nokia prototypes way ahead of release.

So, assuming for a moment that Microsoft does indeed have its eyes set on turning Nokia's handset business into its own mobile hardware division, what would it all mean? Well, we can only see this making sense for Espoo if underwritten by a humongous check from Microsoft, but that might not be a problem. The Redmond camp has recently shown its determination to get what it wants by spending $8.5 billion on Skype, and previously offered north of $44 billion for Yahoo, a good deal more than Nokia's total market cap of around $32 billion. Let's not forget, Nokia once used to manufacture galoshes and tires, so it already has a history of transformative change. And hey, having an ex-Microsoft guy at the top means that if this kind of move were to ever happen, now might just be the right time for it.

Update: As Reonhato pointed out in comments, Mark Squires, UK Communications Director for Nokia, has already issued an uncharacteristically pointed non-comment. "We typically don't comment on rumors. But we have to say that Eldar's rumors are getting obviously less accurate with every passing moment." Burn.

Samsung's free Explore 3D VOD service lands for British Smart TV owners

Posted: 16 May 2011 07:16 AM PDT

Samsung Explore 3D
Americans eager to get their eyes on Samsung's 3D video on demand service are just going to have keep waiting, but our friends across the pond can break out their active shutter glasses and Santana Champ because Explore 3D has arrived in the UK. While the rest of us are stuck shelling out for Blu-rays and premium cable subscriptions for the luxury of watching videos in all their three-dimensional glory, Samsung Smart TV owners in Britain can now fire up movies, music videos, trailers and other clips for free. The company promised the service would be coming to the US and Europe shortly after its Korean launch in March and plans to expand its library of free titles to over 70 by the end of 2011. So, if you're still excluded from Sammy's free 3D party, relax -- your patience will be rewarded. Full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
SAMSUNG'S FREE 3D VIDEO-ON-DEMAND SERVICE GOES LIVE IN THE UK

Number one TV brand in the UK1 offers 20 free 3D videos, music videos, children's classics, documentaries and trailers on its Smart TV platform

Samsung Electronics Co. UK Ltd. makes its 3D video-on-demand service live in the UK today, allowing viewers to stream free 3D content through a specially designed App for the Samsung Smart TV platform.

For the first time in the UK, consumers will be able to access 3D content free and on-demand from Samsung Smart TVs. Samsung's 3D video-on-demand service currently has 20 types of free 3D content including films, music videos, children's classics, documentaries and trailers from partner DreamWorks.

Until now, 3D content has only been available through paid subscription and Blu-ray, but over the next year Samsung will lead the TV market by providing more options for consumers to watch 3D content. By the end of 2011- 70 free 3D videos will be available through the 'Explore 3D' App.

Andy Griffiths, Vice President, Consumer Electronics, Samsung UK said: "The demand for 3D is growing rapidly, but only a handful of channels are providing content. Samsung has led the 3D LED TV market since it launched last year, and the roll-out of our 3D video-on-demand service demonstrates our commitment to accelerating its growth. We believe that in the near future every viewer will have access to 3D content in the comfort of their own living room through a Smart TV. We will therefore continue to develop our Smart TV offering in order to provide consumers with the best viewing experience possible."

To access Samsung's video-on-demand service, consumers with 3D Smart TVs will simply download the 'Explore 3D' App' from 'Samsung apps', the first and biggest App store available for TVs. It joins other content apps such as, LOVEFiLM and BBC iPlayer.

Samsung Smart TV offers an easy–to-use Smart Hub that opens up content from Apps, the internet and other access points to the TV. Using the 'Search All' function, consumers can search for content on not just the television, but across the internet and on any connected storage, PC or mobile device within the home network. In addition Samsung's 'Your Video' service will do the thinking for viewers. It recommends films from a host of web-based, video on-demand providers, based on previous viewing patterns.

Users can also chat about the latest must-watch show through Facebook, Twitter, and Google Talk. The 'Social TV' function will allow them to simultaneously watch shows on split screen whilst chatting with friends. Additionally, Samsung's Smart TVs allow viewers to easily browse the internet while watching TV on a service that is optimized for TV.

The following Samsung Smart TVs are now available in retailers across the UK and allow you to access the 3D content:

· D8000 - 3D LED Smart TV – The ultimate Smart entertainment showpiece with Samsung's most premium One Design, Smart TV features including 2nd TV capabilities, and flagship true-to-life LED picture quality

· D7000 - 3D LED Smart TV – Features Samsung's full range of premium Smart TV features with industry beating One Design, picture quality, and ease of use

· D6500 – 3D LED Smart TV – An ideal all purpose Smart TV including Skype HD and web surfing capabilities

· D6100 – 3D LED Smart TV – entry 3D LED Smart TV with social TV capabilities

· D8000 – 3D plasma Smart TV – Stylish Plasma TV with flagship plasma picture quality and premium Smart TV features and Samsung's new +1 screen size concept

· D6900 – 3D plasma Smart TV – Solid all-round Plasma performer with advanced Smart TV options, 3D video processing technology and stunning +1 screen size design

· D5520 – LED TV Smart TV – entry LED Smart TV with Samsung apps and video on demand capabilities

Lodsys comments on iOS patent infringement, receives hate mail, death threats

Posted: 16 May 2011 06:56 AM PDT


We'd typically expect a plaintiff to remain mum with legal action pending, but in a bizarre twist, Lodsys has taken to its blog to defend its reputation -- or something. You may recall the patent holding firm's letter, sent to individual Apple iOS developers last week demanding licensing fees for a somewhat-obscure patent. Understandably, the letters and related coverage prompted a negative response from developers and supporters. Posts to the Lodsys blog may be in response to inappropriate emails received over the weekend, which include death threats and "hateful bile" sent to Mark Small, the firm's CEO. Click on through for full details.

Along with the expected 'we need to get paid too' post, other entries provide more context, and one even reveals the amount of compensation that Lodsys is requesting -- a figure that curiously enough hadn't even been shared with developers. The firm is seeking 0.575 percent of past, present, and future US revenue for apps that include in-app upgrade functionality. This translates to a very low figure for individual developers, but could represent significant revenue for Lodsys.

If developers do elect to pay up, that decision wouldn't come lightly, despite the meager amount. Here's what one developer told us:

We certainly don't have the financial resources to fight this battle on our own, and to be honest, I am not sure I even want to tie our company into an extended legal battle in any case. But then, neither do I want to set a legal precedent that will be used to hurt other developers.

Developers we've spoken to are expecting a response from Cupertino this week, but aren't clear on whether or not Apple's development agreement would even allow them to license the patent. We're not sure how long this will take to play out, but it isn't lookling like the quick win Lodsys might have been hoping for.

Samsung's 11.6-inch Series 9 now shipping in the US, priced at $1,160

Posted: 16 May 2011 06:32 AM PDT

It's been about a month since Samsung's 11.6-inch Series 9 laptop first surfaced for pre-order on Amazon, and now it's finally available for shipping. Touting a $1,160 price tag, this duralumin-enclosed little beast packs an Intel Core i3-380UM processor, 2GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD. The 2.3-pounder also ships with 802.11b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 3.0 and WIMAX 4G capabilities, along with a 1.3-megapixel HD webcam and a 1366 x 768 display with 340 nits of brightness. The newest addition to the Series 9 family is available on Amazon, Circuit City and Tiger Direct, but if they don't suit your fancy, you can check with Samsung to find a full list of retailers, below.

PC modding takes an architectural twist with Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Usonian

Posted: 16 May 2011 06:07 AM PDT

We admit, we're pretty jaded when it comes to PC casemods, having seen everything from the inscrutable Edelweiss to Russian Ark of the Covenant-like monstrosities. Jeffrey Stephenson, though, charmed us with his wood-carved Level Eleven case, and now he's back with Usonian, inspired by the work of famed Fallingwater architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Split-level cantilevered roofs made of teak, mahogany highlights, all that Cherokee Red and Covered Wagon coloring – it's enough to make an architecture nerd swoon. Beneath all that fine styling it sports an Intel Core i7-875K on a Gigabyte Mini-ITX motherboard, with 8GB system memory. There's a 256GB SSD along with a 2TB hard drive, so it's not just built for looks; Wright, after all, emphasized utility over pointless fashion. Still, it's very pretty to look at. More pics in the source link and after the break.

Paralyzed student uses robotic exoskeleton to walk at college graduation (video)

Posted: 16 May 2011 05:45 AM PDT

Austin Whitney hasn't been able to walk since a 2007 car crash left him paralyzed, but on Saturday the 22-year-old triumphantly strode across the stage to accept his degree from UC Berkeley. He had a little help, in the form of a specially crafted robotic exoskeleton developed by Berkeley engineering professor Homayoon Kazerooni. Kazerooni and his team designed the exoskeleton with lightness and affordability in mind, resisting the urge to load it up with expensive hardware and tethering the mechanized walker to a backpack that houses a computer and a rechargeable, eight-hour battery. As a result, the Austin walker won't enable the kind of acrobatic leaps that would make Lt. Rasczak proud, but its reduced mobility comes at a reduced cost of just $15,000. That's certainly not an impulse buy, though it's a welcomed alternative to other exoskeletons that retail for $100,000 or more. Walk past the break for a video of Whitney's momentous steps, along with a clip of Kazerooni describing his creation.



Globalscale D2 Plug offers HD video, 3D graphics in little Linux / Android machine

Posted: 16 May 2011 05:23 AM PDT


So it's not going to replace your big-boy PC anytime soon, but Globalscale's latest plug computer, the D2 Plug, does deliver some decidedly desktop-like traits. The latest lilliputian Linux / Android kit touts Marvell's PXA510, a 1GHz ARMv7 processor that supports 1080p video playback and 3D graphics. According to its makers, the D2 Plug runs on two watts and features 1GB of DDR3 memory, 8GB of NAND flash, an SD card slot, eSATA port and multiple points of connectivity, including two USB 2.o ports, gigabit ethernet, HDMI, and VGA. It measures a mere 6.7 x 3.22 x 1.3 inches, and sports a $249 price tag -- not exactly a small price, but there are plenty of other mini PCs in the sea.

Seagate's GoFlex Satellite portable hard drive streams content over WiFi (review)

Posted: 16 May 2011 05:00 AM PDT

Seagate just took the wraps off what's likely the niftiest portable HDD to cross our path in a long, long while. The GoFlex Satellite is part storage device, part wireless media streamer, and it manages to wear both hats with little compromise on either end. For all intents and purposes, this is a standard 500GB GoFlex HDD with a bit of extra girth, an AC input, an 802.11b/g/n WiFi module and a built-in web server. The reason for those extras? A simple depression of the on / off button starts the streamer up, and it's ready for a connection in around 30 to 40 seconds. Once fired up you can stream data to just about anything -- even iOS devices. That's an impressive feat, not quite a "first" moment as Seagate would like you to believe (we'll give that crown to AirStash), but still a rarity.

Our unit shipped with a GoFlex USB 3.0 adapter and a car charger, with the latter enabling users to entertain their children on long road trips -- a nice addition, we have to say. Installation is a cinch; just fire up a media sync application that resides on the drive (for OS X users, anyway), and you're ready to drag and drop files as if it's any 'ole HDD. No media management software or anything of the sort, thankfully. The purpose of having your media onboard is to stream videos, photos, documents and music to your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, or any other tablet, phone or laptop with WiFi. You heard right -- while there's only a dedicated app for the iOS family, any WiFi-enabled device with a web browser can tap into this. Care to hear our take on this $200 do-it-all hard drive? Have a look at our review video just after the break.
Seagate GoFlex Satellite streaming hard drive hands-on
The drive itself -- while patently gigantic compared to the GoFlex Slim -- is still highly portable, and it's way easier to lug around than any other media streamer we've seen. It's also just $199.99, which tends to be the going rate for higher-end streamers with half a terabyte of storage baked in. Only this one, of course, packs a built-in battery and could easily slide into your front rear pocket. We were immediately struck by just how easy file transfer were -- we anticipated having to deal with yet another piece of kludgy software in order to get our tunes and videos over to the HDD, but it truly acts like a standard hard drive. Just drag files over and organize however you want, and the app / web server sorts it accordingly.

The iOS app (there's an iPad version and a separate iPhone / iPod touch version) is relatively spartan, but certainly gets the job done. There's a handful of categories and view options, but the Folder View seemed to be the most sophisticated. That's the only one that actually gave us a view to our music in actual folders, so you'll likely end up spending the most of your sorting time there. We're thrilled to report that the app is both quick and accurate, and during our testing we had no issues getting it to pull content; better still, it'll stream to three different devices at once. Unfortunately, the Photos pane doesn't support scrolling through images, but we're hoping that Seagate throws that in on a future build.


Naturally, things work best on an iOS device, but any tablet / handheld / computer with a WiFi module and a web browser can theoretically take advantage. We connected through the mobile Safari browser as well as the browser on our Nexus One (Android 2.3), and while the former gave nearly the same experience as the app (albeit with slightly longer loading times), the latter had one particular pain point. Viewing photos and listening to music on Android's browser was a cinch, but viewing videos... no so much. Our phone kept trying to download entire videos rather than streaming them, so we'd caution non-iOS users to expect some limitations if you buy in.

Is the GoFlex Satellite worth its weight in gold? Depends. If you're an avid iOS user, you need some extra storage space anyway, and you'd rather house all of your media on a 500GB external drive than on the device itself, Seagate's latest concoction is a total must-have. It works well, and the built-in battery is capable of streaming for four to five hours on a charge. It's hardly the most robust media streamer on the market, but it's also one-of-a-kind. For those who tend to roll with other operating systems, we'd probably hold out until the company (hopefully!) adds dedicated Android / Windows Phone 7 / etc. apps -- and who knows, by that time you may be getting a 1TB model for the same scratch.
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SEAGATE DEBUTS FIRST MOBILE WIRELESS STORAGE FOR iOS
AND OTHER MOBILE DEVICES

GoFlex Satellite™ Mobile Wireless Storage Expands the Media Capacity
Without Wires or the Web

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. - May 16, 2011 -Seagate (NASDAQ: STX), today announced GoFlex Satellite™ mobile wireless storage, the first battery-powered external hard drive to wirelessly extend the storage capacity of any Wi-Fi enabled mobile device. With 500GB and Wi-Fi access over 802.11 b/g/n and a rechargeable battery, this latest member of the GoFlex® family provides the ability to carry an entire library of video, music, pictures and documents with you. Devices are wirelessly connected directly to the GoFlex Satellite drive by use of the free GoFlex Media™ app-available now on iTunes and the Apple App Store-or a web browser. GoFlex Satellite is available immediately for preorders from Seagate.com, Amazon and BestBuy.com for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $199.99, and is scheduled to arrive in Best Buy stores in July. Global availability is planned for later this summer.
"With the growth of the tablet and iPad markets and the larger volumes of high-quality media now being consumed, there is a clear need for access to content that is not plagued with the challenges of streamed video over the Internet," said Patrick Connolly, vice president and general manager of Seagate's retail group. "The unfortunate fact is that these popular new mobile devices are hampered by their limited storage capacity while one of their primary functions is that of media consumption.

"With the GoFlex Satellite mobile wireless storage, we wished to create an elegant solution that provides real value to the multitude of iPad users out there by delivering a seamless connection to local storage. No longer will a consumer feel as though it is a compromise to purchase a lower capacity tablet or iPad. With GoFlex Satellite, people will be able to carry their entire media library with them without the need for wires or the web at a fraction of the cost of adding 3G or purchasing the 64GB iPad."



Streaming over the Internet has enabled video access for tablet owners, but the quality is at the mercy of the Internet connection, be it over Wi-Fi or 3G/4G. With more connected devices per hotspot, it's often difficult to watch video without choppiness or pixilation. Rather than rely on a buffered stream from a distant provider, GoFlex Satellite mobile storage wirelessly serves up media content as a local attached storage for up to three devices at the same time. With a stand-by battery life of up to 25 hours, the powerful lithium-polymer battery delivers up to 5 hours of continuously streaming video. To help with extending battery life, the free GoFlex Media™ app provides a progressive download feature, which temporarily loads the video on to the iOS device it is being streamed to.

GoFlex Media™ App
Initially available for Apple iOS devices, such as: iPad, iPhone and iPod touch; the GoFlex Media app provides a seamless way to connect the mobile wireless storage to your iPad or iPhone. The Android app is expected to be available by this summer. Those that currently use an Android smartphone or tablet can access content on a GoFlex Satellite device through its browser.

Media Sync software
The easy-to-use Media Sync software, also included free with purchase, makes grabbing media from a Windows® PC or Mac® OS X computer a breeze. Wherever the files are stored, whether that is a file structure of your own creation or in an iTunes library, the Media Sync software will load all of your desired music, videos, photos and documents on to the GoFlex Satellite drive. Media Sync is easily configured to only place files on the drive that are compatible with your iOS device. Even music and videos purchased through iTunes can be loaded to the GoFlex Satellite drive and will play on all authorized devices.

Loading Media
For rapid loading of media content, the wireless mobile storage comes equipped with the superfast USB 3.0 cable to get files from your computer to the GoFlex Satellite drive. The USB 3.0 cable will also continue to work with USB 2.0 ports and is easily removed for portability. In addition to the USB 3.0 cable, the GoFlex Satellite drive comes complete with a car charger and a compact wall charger.

Sony makes floating-head telepresence avatars a reality, Sean Connery digs out gun and red speedos

Posted: 16 May 2011 04:39 AM PDT



The real world just got a little more Zardoz thanks to Tobita Hiroaki and his colleagues at Sony Computer Science Laboratory, who've built a telepresence blimp that projects the operator's face across its meter-wide surface. The looming, translucent face can float about like any other blimp; an interior camera allows the user to see where it's going. The whole thing is ominous in a completely different way from, say, a tiny googly-eyed robot perched on your shoulder, but something about its nearly silent movements still gives us the creeps – and unlike the Anybots QB, it's not going to pick up your scone from the café. But if your dreams include having others bow before your god-like visage, you'll have to wait awhile, as the technology's still in its early stages. In the meantime, you can practice intoning "Zardoz is pleased!" while watching the video above.

Bipedal robots learn to shuffle, evolve toward doing the twist (video)

Posted: 16 May 2011 04:18 AM PDT

Yes, some robots are evolving to a point where they can play instruments and swing a hammer. Hilariously, though, bipedal robots are still awful at turning in a tight radius. Several presenters at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation have been working on a solution: instead of making them take steps, program robots to shuffle. This allows turning without complex weight-shifting -- every time your foot leaves the ground, you have to adjust your balance to remain upright. Keeping your feet on the ground avoids that fairly complicated process, and can make robot-turning quicker, and possible in confined spaces; most current bipedal bots require lots of time and space to turn. See the video after the break for an example from Japan's Osaka Electro-Communication University. It may look like a metal man shuffling his feet, but it's an important step toward our robot-dominated future.

[Thanks, Henry]

Samsung Galaxy S II US carrier names revealed: AT&T Attain, Verizon Function, and Sprint Within

Posted: 16 May 2011 03:40 AM PDT

Anticipation, thy name is Galaxy S II. Or is it Galaxy S 2 Attain? Perhaps it's Galaxy S 2 Function or Within, it all depends on what carrier you prefer, really. You see, the sleuths at Pocketnow have unearthed a silicone case for sale that lists those three names as the particular branding Samsung's new flagship smartphone will enjoy with AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, respectively. That, combined with earlier trademark filings by Sammy asking for Galaxy Attain, Function and Within registrations would lead us to believe that we are indeed looking at the final product monikers. T-Mobile is notably missing from the list, but we suspect that may be because its variant of the Galaxy S II is materially different in design to the original GSII. The good news for everyone else is that the same silicone case will be interchangeable among AT&T, Verizon and Sprint devices, leaving very little room for those guys to screw things up.

NEC MEDIAS WP N-06C announced in Japan, shows off slimness with waterproof body

Posted: 16 May 2011 03:12 AM PDT

Seriously, why does Japan get all the fun toys? The leaked brochure of this crazy thin NEC MEDIAS N-06C already got us all giddy last month, and now we have a launch date: fans of NTT DoCoMo will be able to nab this device around June or July, meaning owners need not seal this waterproof phone in a plastic bag before heading out for a summer swim. In case you missed the details, here we have a 7.9mm-thick Android 2.3 phone, which easily beats the chubby Galaxy S II at 8.49mm in terms of slimness; though to be fair, the N-06C packs about 9.7mm around its 5 megapixel camera. Inside this tight package you'll also find a 4-inch 854 x 480 LCD, a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255, 512MB RAM, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, and microSDHC expansion. But enough with the specs -- head over to Akihabara News for some wet hands-on pics.


Show full PR text
NTT DOCOMO Unveils 24 New Mobile Devices
- Including biggest and most diverse lineup of smartphones -

TOKYO, JAPAN, May 16, 2011 --- NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced today its 2011 summer lineup of 24 new mobile devices for launch on or after May 20, including nine smartphones, the largest and most diverse collection of smartphones ever released by DOCOMO, plus a wide variety of feature phones compatible with DOCOMO's i-mode™ mobile Internet platform, as well as mobile Wi-Fi® routers for DOCOMO's Xi™ (read "Crossy") LTE extra-high-speed service.

The smartphone lineup offers user-friendly features for tethering, mobile-wallet (Osaifu-Keitai™) and infrared-based data exchange, plus downlink speeds up to a theoretical maximum of 14 Mbps starting from early June. The lineup also boasts the world's first wirelessly chargeable smartphone. All Android™ smartphones, including the globally popular Xperia™ and GALAXY models, are preinstalled with Android 2.3.

DOCOMO's new lineup meets a broad range of needs for mobile users in Japan:

Numerous i-mode services and technologies available for smartphones, including Area Mail™ disaster information service, i-channel™ push-based information service and Melody Call™ ringback tones.
Smartphones offering enhanced convenience and operability thanks to the new "docomo Palette UI" feature for easy sorting, searching and management of apps.
Eleven high-spec, i-mode-compatible feature phones equipped variously with 3D screens for dynamic viewing, HD-quality cameras and much more.
The i-motion™ video-clip distribution service for FOMA™ 3G feature phones now offers 50 MB capacity for both long and high-definition video. Batch downloads of various content are possible with DOCOMO's new "content package" service.
Two mobile Wi-Fi routers compatible with DOCOMO's Xi-brand LTE service, offering fiber-optic-level mobile connectivity for wireless devices. LTE service will include Japan's six largest urban metropolises by July and other large cities including prefectural capitals by March 2012.

The new models and their planned launches are as follows:

docomo Smartphone (9 models)

AQUOS™ PHONE SH-12C
May 20
Android smartphone with 8.0-megapixel 3D twin cameras. LCD panel and image processor based on AQUOS technology for high-resolution images.

Optimus bright L-07C
Mid June
Equipped with a world's brightest display*. Body is 9.5 mm thin and weighs only 112 g. Interchangeable rear cover comes in 3 colors.

GALAXY S II SC-02C
Late June
Android smartphone with 4.3-inch SUPER AMOLED Plus display. Powerful 1.2 GHz dual-core CPU enables fast app launches and stable video.

MEDIAS WP N-06C
June or July
Waterproof Android smartphone in world' first 7.9-mm body**. Mobile wallet, infrared-based data exchange and one-seg TV. Premium model designed with appliance brand amadana.
BlackBerry® Bold™ 9780 June or July Featuring the new BlackBerry OS 6.0 for faster, richer web browsing.

Xperia™ acro SO-02C
June or July
Android smartphone with mobile wallet, infrared -based data exchange and one-seg TV features. 4.2-inch "Reality Display" delivers brilliant, crystal-clear images.

F-12C
July or August
Android smartphone features Bright Color Liquid Display and voice-enhancement capability for extra-clear audio. Designed in collaboration with luxury luggage brand Globe-Trotter.

P-07C
July or August
Stylishly beautiful Android smartphone with 4.3-inch touchscreen. Screen position of keypad and touch-speed selector can be customized for easy one-hand operation.
AQUOS PHONE™ f SH-13C July or August First smartphone capable of wireless charging*** merely by placement on top of a pad. Compact body is both dustproof and waterproof.

*As of May 13, 2011, according to LG Electronics Japan.
**Among 3G mobile phones as of May 13 2011, according to NEC CASIO Mobile Communications, Ltd.
***Requiring no other accessory, and among smartphones of IEC-member/Taiwanese makers as of May 15, 2011.


docomo STYLE series™ (5 models)

SH-11C
May or June
Dust/waterproof phone with combined mat/glossy body scheme. 8.1-megapixel camera, over 2,000 preinstalled Deco-mail™ pictograms/animations, and various mail-decorating functions.

F-10C
June
11.8-mm waterproof phone with 12.2-megapixel camera for shooting Full High Vision video. Prism glass illumination and beautiful jewel-like design features.

P-04C
June
Elegant body embedded with Swarovski-brand white crystals. 13.2-megapixel camera features synchronized operation of quick-action auto focus and shutter release.

P-06C
July
Waterproof body with 12 color variations for personalized styling. Equipped for mobile wallet and one-seg TV. Preinstalled with Snoopy screensavers and wallpapers.

L-10C
Sept.
Elegantly simple phone with four dedicated keys for quick access to favorite functions/contacts. "Clear voice" function for enhanced audio.


docomo PRIME series™ (4 models)

SH-10C
May or June
Dust/waterproof body with 3.4-inch Full Wide VGA mobile 3D touchscreen. 16.1-megapixel camera shoots Full HD video. Beautiful function-linked illumination on side edge.

F-09C
June
High-spec waterproof body with responsive touchscreen. Vibrant 3D experiences on large 3.5-inch rotating screen. 16.3-megapixel camera with CMOS sensor shoots Full HD movie.

CA-01C
June or July
First EXILIM™ Handset for DOCOMO. 16.3-megapixel camera shoots Full HD video. 3D screen for enjoyment of dynamic images and games.

P-05C
July
LUMIX Phone™is world's first phone with optical anti-shake*. "My Color Mode" enables easy creation of highly artistic photos taken with 13.2-megapixel camera.

*For photo/video functions as of May 13, 2011, according to Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd.


docomo SMART series™ (2 models)

F-11C
July
12.8-mm waterproof phone with security features such as fingerprint sensor. Business-support features including business card reader linked to address book and "whiteboard photo" mode.
N-05C June or July Waterproof slider phone with quick-shooting 8.1-megapixel camera equipped with highly sensitive lens. Professional/personal tool equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, various dictionaries, etc.


Xi™ Data Terminals (2 models)

L-09C
June or July
Stylish mobile Wi-Fi router for FOMA 3G/Xi LTE services. Robust battery lasts up to 6 hours for Xi and 8 hours for FOMA. Works simultaneously with up to 10 devices.

BF-01C
July or August
Mobile Wi-Fi router for FOMA 3G, Xi LTE, WLAN and wired LAN. Connects to 6 devices. Preinstalled with Network Attached Storage (NAS) and media server function.


FOMA USB Data Terminal (1 model)
L-08C
May or June
FOMA USB data terminal with protective cap. Stylish design and weighs just 25g.


Windows® 7 Handset (1 model)
Windows® 7 Handset F-07C
June or July
World's smallest Windows 7 PC (Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit Japanese edition)*. Enhanced security and practical mobile-wallet functions preinstalled. USB/HDMI cradle optional.

*According to Fujitsu Limited as of May 13, 2011.

Netflix seals deal to stream Miramax movies, starting in June

Posted: 16 May 2011 02:33 AM PDT

Netflix has just gone and scooped up another big content deal for itself. The movie streaming service has tied the knot with Miramax on a multi-year agreement to allow streaming of films from the latter's extensive library. Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Kill Bill, and hundreds of others will be added to the Netflix Watch Instantly catalog on a rotating basis, starting next month. This marks the first time Miramax flicks have been available on a digital subscription service. An agreement between these two companies was last rumored in March, with a five-year term and $100 million price being mooted as the likely parameters for getting it done. Neither outfit would disclose the cost to Netflix, but the benefit to you, dear subscriber, is pretty obvious. Full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
Netflix Announces Strategic Multi-Year Agreement With Miramax

Netflix Members Can Instantly Watch Hundreds of Iconic Miramax films, Including such classics as "Pulp Fiction," "Shakespeare in Love," "The English Patient," "Good Will Hunting," "Bad Santa," "Scream," "Spy Kids," "The Piano" and "Kill Bill"

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. and SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) and Miramax today announced a multi-year agreement under which Netflix members in the U.S. will be able to instantly watch some of the world's most loved and acclaimed motion pictures from the Miramax film library. It is the first time Miramax titles have become available through a digital subscription service.

Beginning in June, Netflix members in the U.S. will be able to instantly watch several hundred Miramax movies, with dozens of titles being added on a rotating basis. The movies can be watched on multiple platforms, including TV, tablet, computer and mobile phones. Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

"Netflix is thrilled to enter into this deal with the new team at Miramax," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. "Existing relationships with management and a shared affinity for these great films make this an important deal for both companies and for our members, who will enjoy instantly watching movies from one of the truly great film libraries for many years to come."

"From day one, we've been very clear about the importance of digital and our desire to respond to the significant pent-up demand for our films -- delivering to consumers whenever and wherever they want," said Mike Lang, CEO of Miramax. "This agreement is an important first step in our digital strategy. Netflix has always been a trailblazer, with a tremendous track record of innovation and quality customer service. We're thrilled to now be in business with them as we build and revitalize the proud Miramax brand."

Through this partnership, the Netflix library gains a variety of films which collectively have 284 Academy Award nominations, across 83 films, with 68 wins, including the Best Picture winners "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love." Iconic titles such as "Bad Santa," "Chasing Amy," "Cinema Paradiso," "Clerks," "Cold Mountain," "From Dusk Till Dawn," "Good Will Hunting," "Kill Bill" Volumes I and II, "Muriel's Wedding," "The Piano," "Pulp Fiction," "Reindeer Games" and many of the "Halloween," "Scary Movie," "Scream" and "Spy Kids" movies will be available over time.

Samsung Droid Charge gets minor update to Media Hub, Verizon extends free Thunderbolt hotspot offer

Posted: 16 May 2011 01:50 AM PDT

Wondering why your barely-out-of-the-box Droid Charge is already getting a software update? Wonder no more, as it's merely a tweak for Samsung's Media Hub application that disables downloads over 3G. It's kind of a shame, really, as that means if you don't live in an LTE market you'll need to be tied to a WiFi hotspot to get your multimedia there, but Verizon claims it's a compromise to "ensure quality and speed."

Meanwhile, Verizon's other LTE handset is getting an additional boon -- the carrier's extending its free wireless hotspot offer through June 15th for the HTC Thunderbolt, after which you can expect to pay $20 a month for the WiFi tethering privilege. Enjoy it while it lasts, folks.

HTC Sensation 4G hitting mid-June for $200?

Posted: 16 May 2011 12:58 AM PDT

Oh, the sweet smells of summer: surf, sunscreen, barbecue, Gingerbread. We've known all along that HTC's Android 2.3-packing smartphone was set for release at the "beginning of the summer," and thanks to some loud-mouthed Google AdWords, we've seen June 8th floated as a possibility. Those who understandably doubt the word of search-based text advertisements, take heart: it's shaping up to be a big weekend for Sensation 4G leaks. First TmoNews got its hands on a Target placard pricing the snappy dual-core Snapdragon handset at $199.99, for what appears to be a June 12th release, and then the site snagged a shot of internal T-Mobile documentation that confirms the earlier June 8th date. Why the discrepancy? Well, it certainly wouldn't be unheard of for the carrier to give itself a head start, and surely Target wouldn't mind timing its own release up with its Sunday circulars. In both cases, it looks like the phone'll be spending a fair amount of time beneath beach umbrellas.

Nokia slams door on Ovi label, rebranding everything to Nokia Services

Posted: 16 May 2011 12:26 AM PDT

Nokia's Ovi Store, Ovi Maps, and Ovi everything else will soon be getting a name change. The Finnish company has announced that it's "evolving" its software brand identity by renaming its service offerings to Nokia services, starting with new devices in July and August. This transition is expected to last into 2012 and was pretty much inevitable in the wake of Nokia's hookup with Microsoft earlier this year. Part of that agreement was for Nokia software, Maps in particular, to be made available in other Windows Phone devices and across Microsoft's range of services, so it makes sense for Nokia to literally put its name on its wares. Nothing structural will be changing about software roadmaps or plans up in Finland, this will be just a new nameplate atop the same strategy as outlined previously.

Lenovo adds ThinkPad X1 to laptop comparison guide, outs IPS screen, USB 3.0, and optional SSD

Posted: 15 May 2011 11:55 PM PDT

If you've somehow not heard of the ThinkPad X1 yet, you join us at a good time. The well leaked laptop has shown up at an X Series comparison site, put together by Lenovo itself, where yet more specs have been made known. The 13.3-inch display is dubbed a SuperBright HD inifinity panel, which to you and us simply means it's built using IPS technology. There's also an integrated fingerprint reader, a buttonless touchpad, USB 3.0 connectivity, and a promised 10-hour battery life with a slice battery. Weighing in at 1.36kg (3lbs) and measuring about 16mm (0.625 inches) in thickness, it's described as Lenovo's thinnest ThinkPad yet. Last time we heard, we were told to expect it on May 17th, guess those webmasters are getting the show started a little early. One more glamor shot of the X1 can be found after the break.

[Thanks, Jesse]

Japan won't allow Sony to turn PSN back on until it's assured it's safe

Posted: 15 May 2011 10:53 PM PDT

Sony may be busy flipping the PlayStation Network switch back to the "on" position around the globe, but one locale where it won't be doing so just yet is its homeland of Japan. The Dow Jones newshounds report that the Japanese government refuses to allow Sony to reactivate its ailing network until satisfaction is reached on a couple of outstanding issues. The first is that the company's promised counter-hacking measures announced on May 1st have not yet been fully enacted -- though details of what has or hasn't been done yet are understandably unavailable -- and the second is that Japan wants to see further preventive measures taken to ensure users users' credit card numbers and other private data won't be exposed through their use of Sony's online services again. These sound like rational demands to us, and Sony is already in talks with the authorities to make sure it lives up to their expectations.
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Japan Restart of Sony Online Games Services Not Yet Approved

By Takashi Mochizuki

Published May 15, 2011

| Dow Jones Newswires

TOKYO -(Dow Jones)- Sony Corp. (SNE, 6758.TO) will not be allowed to restart its halted online game services in Japan until it provides further information on what measures it has taken since an earlier hacking incident, a Japanese regulatory official said Sunday.

"We met with Sony on May 6 and 13, and basically we want two things from them," Kazushige Nobutani, director of the Media and Content Industry department at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, told Dow Jones Newswires.

He listed two areas where it requires further explanation before approval will be given following the incidents regarding its PlayStation Network and Sony Online Entertainment videogame services.

"The first is preventative measures. As of May 13, Sony was incomplete in exercising measures that they said they will do on the May 1 press conference," he said, adding that he could not provide details on the outstanding issues for security reasons.

The second was in how Sony hoped to regain consumer confidence over personal data such as credit card information.

"There were similar cases in the past that were caused by other firms, and we are asking Sony whether their measures are good enough when compared to countermeasures taken in the past," he said.

Sony began a limited and phased restoration of the services Saturday, bringing the company a step closer to normalcy following an attack on its systems that compromised personal information for more than 100 million user accounts last month. It said that it would begin bringing its PlayStation Network back online in the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East.

"We are still in talks with various authorities (in Japan and Asia)," Sony spokeswoman Kumie Tanaka said." By receiving advice from the industry ministry, we would like to have the service in Japan ready."

Official: Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab getting Gingerbread update in mid-May

Posted: 15 May 2011 10:08 PM PDT

After encountering a little hitch with its mid-April Gingerbread delivery, Samsung is now ready to boot up Kies for another try. The company has this morning released word that it intends to update its entire Galaxy S family line, starting with models in the UK and Nordic countries from the middle of this month. The rest of the globe, including North America, will follow suit "according to the regional plan." Also benefiting from a Gingerbread upgrade will be the 7-inch Galaxy Tab, which already got a taste of Android 2.3 in Italy, and the company's bevy of budget Galaxy devices, the Ace, Gio, Fit and mini. Read the full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
Samsung Offers Android 2.3 'Gingerbread' Upgrade for GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab

SEOUL--(Korea Newswire) May 16, 2011 -- Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a global leader in Android™ mobile devices, today announced the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) upgrade to the Samsung GALAXY S, GALAXY Tab, and GALAXY Ace/Gio/Fit/mini, giving users enhanced performance and an improved user interface.

The GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab are Samsung's intelligently designed smart devices with 1 GHz application processors, giving users an intuitive, immersive and integrated mobile experience.

The upgrade from Froyo 2.2 to Gingerbread 2.3 offers an even greater user experience, with features including:

· Faster Performance – Multimedia content now has a lower CPU consumption rate, while support for more powerful 3D Graphics enables an enhanced mobile gaming experience.
· Upgraded Usability – The user interface has been improved, enabling faster access and control and a more intuitive user experience. Users will also benefit from improved copy-and-paste functionality.

The Android 2.3 upgrade will start with GALAXY S in the UK and Nordic countries from mid-May, and gradually rolled out to other European markets, North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East Asia, Africa and rest of the world according to the regional plan.

The upgrade will be available via Kies, Samsung's device management software. Kies can be downloaded from Samsung's corporate website (http://www.samsung.com).

NTT DoCoMo's Fujitsu LOOX F-07C goes official, dual-boots to Windows 7 and Symbian (updated)

Posted: 15 May 2011 08:57 PM PDT

Yes, 'tis quite a shock for a Monday morning, but it turns out the dual-booting Fujitsu LOOX F-07C smartphone is indeed legit. According to NTT DoCoMo's preliminary spec sheet, this 7.69-ounce landscape slider handles both Symbian and Windows 7 (Home Premium, 32-bit Japanese edition) with its 4-inch 1,024 x 600 LCD (that's 297ppi right there!), along with a 1.2GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of LPDDR400 RAM, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, 32GB of eMMC disk space, and expandable memory via microSDHC. You'll also find a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with face detection on the back, coupled by a VGA front-facing camera. Of course, the main concern is how the battery life fares here: we're told that in "mobile phone mode" you get up to 600 hours of generous standby time and up to 370 minutes of 3G talk time; whereas in Windows 7 mode you'll have to make do with just two hours, and then you're forced into mobile phone mode when the battery level is low. If you're itching to get yourself an eccentric F-07C, then watch out for its launch in June or July. Full list of specifications and press release after the break.

Update: ASCII's just posted a few real-life shots of this device, and mentions a retail price of around ¥70,000 ($860). Oh, and there's HDMI-out via a USB adapter.

Update 2: Akihabara News has a hands-on video -- check it out after the break, and be sure to take a gander at its photos as well.


Show full PR text
NTT DOCOMO Unveils 24 New Mobile Devices
- Including biggest and most diverse lineup of smartphones -

TOKYO, JAPAN, May 16, 2011 --- NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced today its 2011 summer lineup of 24 new mobile devices for launch on or after May 20, including nine smartphones, the largest and most diverse collection of smartphones ever released by DOCOMO, plus a wide variety of feature phones compatible with DOCOMO's i-mode™ mobile Internet platform, as well as mobile Wi-Fi® routers for DOCOMO's Xi™ (read "Crossy") LTE extra-high-speed service.

The smartphone lineup offers user-friendly features for tethering, mobile-wallet (Osaifu-Keitai™) and infrared-based data exchange, plus downlink speeds up to a theoretical maximum of 14 Mbps starting from early June. The lineup also boasts the world's first wirelessly chargeable smartphone. All Android™ smartphones, including the globally popular Xperia™ and GALAXY models, are preinstalled with Android 2.3.

DOCOMO's new lineup meets a broad range of needs for mobile users in Japan:

Numerous i-mode services and technologies available for smartphones, including Area Mail™ disaster information service, i-channel™ push-based information service and Melody Call™ ringback tones.
Smartphones offering enhanced convenience and operability thanks to the new "docomo Palette UI" feature for easy sorting, searching and management of apps.
Eleven high-spec, i-mode-compatible feature phones equipped variously with 3D screens for dynamic viewing, HD-quality cameras and much more.
The i-motion™ video-clip distribution service for FOMA™ 3G feature phones now offers 50 MB capacity for both long and high-definition video. Batch downloads of various content are possible with DOCOMO's new "content package" service.
Two mobile Wi-Fi routers compatible with DOCOMO's Xi-brand LTE service, offering fiber-optic-level mobile connectivity for wireless devices. LTE service will include Japan's six largest urban metropolises by July and other large cities including prefectural capitals by March 2012.

The new models and their planned launches are as follows:

docomo Smartphone (9 models)

AQUOS™ PHONE SH-12C
May 20
Android smartphone with 8.0-megapixel 3D twin cameras. LCD panel and image processor based on AQUOS technology for high-resolution images.

Optimus bright L-07C
Mid June
Equipped with a world's brightest display*. Body is 9.5 mm thin and weighs only 112 g. Interchangeable rear cover comes in 3 colors.

GALAXY S II SC-02C
Late June
Android smartphone with 4.3-inch SUPER AMOLED Plus display. Powerful 1.2 GHz dual-core CPU enables fast app launches and stable video.

MEDIAS WP N-06C
June or July
Waterproof Android smartphone in world' first 7.9-mm body**. Mobile wallet, infrared-based data exchange and one-seg TV. Premium model designed with appliance brand amadana.
BlackBerry® Bold™ 9780 June or July Featuring the new BlackBerry OS 6.0 for faster, richer web browsing.

Xperia™ acro SO-02C
June or July
Android smartphone with mobile wallet, infrared -based data exchange and one-seg TV features. 4.2-inch "Reality Display" delivers brilliant, crystal-clear images.

F-12C
July or August
Android smartphone features Bright Color Liquid Display and voice-enhancement capability for extra-clear audio. Designed in collaboration with luxury luggage brand Globe-Trotter.

P-07C
July or August
Stylishly beautiful Android smartphone with 4.3-inch touchscreen. Screen position of keypad and touch-speed selector can be customized for easy one-hand operation.
AQUOS PHONE™ f SH-13C July or August First smartphone capable of wireless charging*** merely by placement on top of a pad. Compact body is both dustproof and waterproof.

*As of May 13, 2011, according to LG Electronics Japan.
**Among 3G mobile phones as of May 13 2011, according to NEC CASIO Mobile Communications, Ltd.
***Requiring no other accessory, and among smartphones of IEC-member/Taiwanese makers as of May 15, 2011.


docomo STYLE series™ (5 models)

SH-11C
May or June
Dust/waterproof phone with combined mat/glossy body scheme. 8.1-megapixel camera, over 2,000 preinstalled Deco-mail™ pictograms/animations, and various mail-decorating functions.

F-10C
June
11.8-mm waterproof phone with 12.2-megapixel camera for shooting Full High Vision video. Prism glass illumination and beautiful jewel-like design features.

P-04C
June
Elegant body embedded with Swarovski-brand white crystals. 13.2-megapixel camera features synchronized operation of quick-action auto focus and shutter release.

P-06C
July
Waterproof body with 12 color variations for personalized styling. Equipped for mobile wallet and one-seg TV. Preinstalled with Snoopy screensavers and wallpapers.

L-10C
Sept.
Elegantly simple phone with four dedicated keys for quick access to favorite functions/contacts. "Clear voice" function for enhanced audio.


docomo PRIME series™ (4 models)

SH-10C
May or June
Dust/waterproof body with 3.4-inch Full Wide VGA mobile 3D touchscreen. 16.1-megapixel camera shoots Full HD video. Beautiful function-linked illumination on side edge.

F-09C
June
High-spec waterproof body with responsive touchscreen. Vibrant 3D experiences on large 3.5-inch rotating screen. 16.3-megapixel camera with CMOS sensor shoots Full HD movie.

CA-01C
June or July
First EXILIM™ Handset for DOCOMO. 16.3-megapixel camera shoots Full HD video. 3D screen for enjoyment of dynamic images and games.

P-05C
July
LUMIX Phone™is world's first phone with optical anti-shake*. "My Color Mode" enables easy creation of highly artistic photos taken with 13.2-megapixel camera.

*For photo/video functions as of May 13, 2011, according to Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd.


docomo SMART series™ (2 models)

F-11C
July
12.8-mm waterproof phone with security features such as fingerprint sensor. Business-support features including business card reader linked to address book and "whiteboard photo" mode.
N-05C June or July Waterproof slider phone with quick-shooting 8.1-megapixel camera equipped with highly sensitive lens. Professional/personal tool equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, various dictionaries, etc.


Xi™ Data Terminals (2 models)

L-09C
June or July
Stylish mobile Wi-Fi router for FOMA 3G/Xi LTE services. Robust battery lasts up to 6 hours for Xi and 8 hours for FOMA. Works simultaneously with up to 10 devices.

BF-01C
July or August
Mobile Wi-Fi router for FOMA 3G, Xi LTE, WLAN and wired LAN. Connects to 6 devices. Preinstalled with Network Attached Storage (NAS) and media server function.


FOMA USB Data Terminal (1 model)
L-08C
May or June
FOMA USB data terminal with protective cap. Stylish design and weighs just 25g.


Windows® 7 Handset (1 model)
Windows® 7 Handset F-07C
June or July
World's smallest Windows 7 PC (Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit Japanese edition)*. Enhanced security and practical mobile-wallet functions preinstalled. USB/HDMI cradle optional.

*According to Fujitsu Limited as of May 13, 2011.

Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 91z leaks out: a 21.5-inch all-in-one desktop with optional boot drive

Posted: 15 May 2011 08:01 PM PDT

If you're looking for a sleek, angular slab of an all-in-one desktop computer, Lenovo may have the machine for you, as we've just intercepted plans for this unannounced ThinkCentre Edge 91z, and she's most definitely a beaut. According to the leaked PDF, Lenovo will fully reveal the 21.5-inch, 1080p desktop in just two days and ship it in June, but for now we can tell you that it can be configured with low-power Intel Core i7 processors, discrete ATI graphics and a 80GB mSATA auxiliary SSD -- the latter of which Lenovo says can boot in just 20 seconds. You'll also find HDMI output and VGA input to connect (or use the 91z as) a second screen, a "spill proof" wireless keyboard, VESA mounting options and a built-in carrying handle. Expect prices to range between $700 and $1200 when it hits the market, if these slides are correct.
Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 91z leaked docs

[Thanks, Andrew]

Inhabitat's Week in Green: floating trains, dead bees, dirt-powered phones and Cornish pasties

Posted: 15 May 2011 07:00 PM PDT

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

Did you know that the cell phone in your pocket could be causing the collapse of bee colonies? This week Inhabitat reported the alarming news as Swiss researchers confirmed that cell signals confuse bees and are leading to their deaths. We also looked at a Bill Gates-funded plan to power cell phones using dirt, and we spotted a new phone battery that can be charged by yelling at it -- much to the chagrin of everyone else on the bus.

Alternative transportation got a boost this week as Japanese engineers unveiled a levitating high-speed electric train that flies over the earth, and we shined a light on Berkeley's new solar-powered Impulse racer, which is gearing up to blaze a trail in the 1,800-mile World Solar Challenge. It was a big week for biofuels as well as Ford and Georgia Tech unveiled plans to create the first hydraulic hybrid U.S. school bus and UK scientists cooked up a plan to power cars with Cornish pasties.

In other news, this week a New Jersey Toys "R" Us unveiled plans to build the largest solar roof in the United States, and HyperSolar rolled out a magnifying film that can increase the efficiency of photovoltaic panels by 300%. In green lighting news, we watched Google flip the switch on its brilliant Android-controlled LED bulb, and we announced the Philips and Inhabitat Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition, which is awarding $1,000 to the designer of the most stunning eco-friendly lamp. Finally, we got excited for the start of summer with a look at the Lapin Kulta Solar Kitchen, which will be serving up sun-cooked meals all across Europe!

Switched On: Chrome alone

Posted: 15 May 2011 06:00 PM PDT

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.


About a year after the debut of the first Android handset, Switched On discussed the threat that Chrome OS posed to Android. To reprise it briefly: Like chief rivals Apple and Microsoft, Google has two operating systems trying to bridge the rift between consumer electronics and traditional computing, but Chrome is different than Mac OS and Windows in an exceptionally important way.

Rather than trying to refine the traditional software experience (as Apple has done with the Mac App Store and other iOS-inspired developments in the queue) or move that experience forward to tablets (as Microsoft is doing with Windows), Chrome OS is not looking to carry forward any legacy beyond the browser.

Unlike with Mac OS vs. iOS or Windows vs. Windows Phone, the battle isn't over which apps make sense, but rather the irreconcilable difference around whether apps to begin with. This makes Google's suggestion that the two operating systems might merge at some point less credible, and sent a mixed message to developers about whether to focus their efforts on apps or the web. At Google I/O 2011, however, the company clarified its position.

At Moscone Center in San Francisco, Google celebrated the duality of its operating systems, but further explained that each targeted particular devices. Whereas it was once said that Chrome might be an option for tablets and Google TV, Android has fully claimed that slot with Honeycomb, whose apps will appear on televisions. Furthermore, Android will venture forth into categories that Google hasn't tackled before, such as Project Tungsten, its media streaming/home automation platform.

Meanwhile, nearly everything beyond Android's direct grasp will be have the option of communicating with it directly via the Android Open Accessory Platform and indirectly via Android @ Home. Where does that leave Google's second OS? Chrome has been relegated to notebooks -- Chromebooks, specifically -- with the team offering up the silver lining that the laptop is still where most people do most of their Web browsing.

Chrome will play defense and try to carve out a niche, by reminding us of the liabilities of the app environments on Mac and PC.


Many have suggested that Chrome is primarily of interest to managed, security-minded corporate or educational environments, but Chrome's refocus has other implications. The app paradigm will carry forward into the next generation of nimble devices where Android has big numbers (although has room to improve) and expansion to new platforms entirely. Chrome, on the other hand, will play defense, trying to carve out a niche against one Goliath (Mac OS) and that Goliath's even bigger rival (Windows) by reminding us of the liabilities of the PC app environment. The Chromebook emerges as less of a platform warrior, and more of a complement device. To borrow Steve Jobs' characterization of Apple TV, here the Chromebook becomes a "hobby."

However, while Chrome OS has now been set aside for notebooks (and a nettop), there doesn't seem to be anything keeping Android at bay in the very same space -- devices such as the Eee Pad Slider and USB host support demonstrate that Android itself could function in a similar role to Chrome OS. If Android can make significant headway – or at least significantly more headway than Chrome – on the classic clamshell, then this may indeed bring about the ultimate merging of the two operating systems. The result would probably look a lot more like Android, with its flourishing app library, than the sparse Chrome OS, but an Android with an even faster and more powerful desktop-class browser.

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) is executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.

NVIDIA CEO disappointed by Android tablet sales, blames pricing and poor app selection

Posted: 15 May 2011 05:05 PM PDT

It won't have escaped your attention that just about every Honeycomb tablet shipping in the first half of this year features, or will feature, NVIDIA's Tegra 2 hardware. Unfortunately for NVIDIA, reception for the Android 3.0 slates has been a little underwhelming, and the company's Chief Eloquence Officer, Jen-Hsun Huang, has had a few words to say about it. He sees the relative paucity of tablet-optimized Android apps as a weakness, while also expressing the belief that cheaper WiFi-only models should've been the standard shipping config rather than fully fledged 3G / 4G variants as Motorola has been pushing with the Xoom. All in all, his is a very sane and accurate analysis, but Mr. Huang loves to look to the future as much as he enjoys talking about the present, and in his opinion all these major downsides have already been "largely addressed" by "a new wave" of Android tablets. He doesn't specify the devices that constitute said wave, but his emphasis on thinness and lightness leads us to believe he's talking up Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9 models. Hit the source links to read more from the bronzed stallion in charge of NVIDIA.

Windows Phone 7 'Mango' to bring Office 365, Facebook Chat, more Xbox Live integration?

Posted: 15 May 2011 04:02 PM PDT

The Windows Phone Dev Podcast unearthed some seemingly legit Windows Phone 7 screenshots last week that revealed a few new features apparently headed to the mobile OS, and it's now back with another batch that show yet more additions said to be included with the so-called "Mango" update. That includes support for Facebook Chat and Office 365 (plus SkyDrive and SharePoint), as well as a revamped Games hub that suggests even more Xbox Live integration (including a rather interesting new "Automatic Sync" option). What's more, the lock screen will apparently now show the album art if there is a song currently playing, and it seems there will be some new group messaging options as well. Of course, all that's still unconfirmed by Microsoft, but you can judge all the screenshots for yourself at the link below.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Latest Boxee Box update leaves surround sound speakers silent on stereo sources (Update)

Posted: 15 May 2011 03:08 PM PDT

It wasn't long after the Boxee Box v1.1 update started to roll out that users with surround sound systems found a major issue with it: besides the removal of volume controls (confirmed to return as an optional setting in the next update), there was an undocumented change to the way it handled stereo PCM audio sources for users with surround sound systems. Instead of sending it on to the user's receiver as a two channel source so it could be processed to fill all the speakers, it is sent as a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio source and only plays audio through the front left and right speakers, with no audio coming from the center channel or rear speakers. That's a major problem for people trying to watch Netflix streams, MLB.tv, listen to certain lossless audio files or any other stereo audio source and enjoy an audio experience that takes advantage of their setup.

A Boxee developer on AVSForum indicated the change was due to a licensing agreement between the manufacturer of the box, D-Link, and Dolby, and would need to be left up to them for a fix. We've reached out to both Boxee and D-Link for word on their issue and while we haven't received a detailed response (expect more information tomorrow at the earliest), there is a notation on the JIRA bug tracker for the issue by "yuvalt" indicating the team is working on a fix for this and other issues which will hopefully be available within days. Check out the forum threads for more detail on the issue as well as temporary workarounds, we'll let you know if we get an official response on why this is happening and if / when there's a fix incoming.

Update: Per Boxee VP of Marketing Andrew Kippen, the problem was the result of a "miscommunication" and a fixed update for that and the volume control toggle will roll out this week. Check after the break for his words verbatim, but owners of the Box can rest easy knowing their surrounds will be back to work shortly.

[Thanks, Neil]

Show full PR text
"There was a miscommunication between a few different teams about the
specifics of the new sound processing implemented in this version.

We have fixed the issue and it will be part of the version rolling out
to users this week. We are also including a new Setting that will
enable users to decide whether they want to control volume using Boxee
or not."

HP Touchpad and Pre 3 pricing revealed... by Playboy Magazine (update: just estimates)

Posted: 15 May 2011 02:03 PM PDT

Hey, we're growing kind of close to that "summer" release window for HP's marquee mobile devices, aren't we? Playboy Magazine sure thinks so, as its latest issue (June) comes with pricing for the Pre 3 and Touchpad, information we haven't yet heard from anywhere else. The 3.6-inch smartphone with a sliding keyboard is expected to land at the industry-standard $200 on contract, while its 9.7-inch tablet brandmate should make itself available for $500 without any subsidies. These numbers are stated authoritatively, as if already known, though we'd still urge a note of caution until HP itself blurts the prices out. Skip past the break to see evidence of the Touchpad pricing as well.

Update: False alarm, people. The author of the Playboy article -- yes, Playboy reads Engadget, apparently -- got in touch with us to say that the numbers quoted were just price estimates rather than concrete insider intel. Oh darn.

WiFi-only Motorola Xoom won't have Movies right away, Canadian Xooms getting SD support someday

Posted: 15 May 2011 01:06 PM PDT

If you're the proud owner of a Motorola Xoom, you will get Android 3.1, but we're afraid the timing and features included in that update may depend on where you reside and which one you bought. For instance, while both Verizon 3G and WiFi-only Xooms in the United States are seeing the latest Honeycomb slowly trickle in right now, Motorola says that the WiFi version won't have movie rentals available immediately after the update. What's more, though the new hotness doesn't seem to bring microSD card support to US devices, Motorola says that Canadian models will get that exact functionality "soon." What if you don't live in North America at all? We're afraid we can't tell you.

PlayStation Network restoration spreads across the world (update)

Posted: 15 May 2011 11:44 AM PDT

Now that North America has been thoroughly blanketed in the beautiful green light of a working PlayStation Network, it's time for other countries to sign on too, and the first out of the gate are the United Kingdom, Ireland and unspecified nations in the Middle East. Sony's official PlayStation Europe Twitter account reports that parts of the EMEA are beginning to light up now, and while there's no convenient map for you to monitor the rollout this time around, you can still get updates straight from the source -- follow the Twitter feed at our source link and Sony should let you know when to get your game on.

Update: Looks like it's not just the EMEA, as PSN's spreading across the world -- as of noon PST, it's lighting up the smiles of bereaved gamers and music lovers in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and South America as well.

Update 2: We're hearing that the UK, Ireland and the Middle East actually went dark again for a tad, but now they should be up again.

Update 3: Sony's having a bit of difficulty getting millions of passwords reset in such a short time, due to a number of things, including ISPs that are automatically blocking or delaying the huge influx of email password change requests. Give it time, folks.
at 11:29 AM

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