Technet: Engadget News

Spectrum is not a limitless resource

Stephenson (AT&T):

We estimate that in 2015 we will carry the same amount of mobile data traffic by mid-February that we carried for the entire year in 2010. Just about the only thing that can slow down this cycle of innovation, investment and growth is lack of capacity to meet this demand – and that's why there is such a focus on spectrum. This transaction will increase overall network capacity beyond what the two companies had separately, because it allows for more efficient use of existing spectrum and network assets. Our two companies have extraordinarily complementary assets. We use the same technologies. We hold spectrum in the same bands.

One of the primary concerns in the hearing was determining whether or not AT&T actually has enough spectrum on its own. Think of spectrum like the number of lanes on a busy highway: during rush hour these highways get clogged up and causes traffic to slow to a crawl, but when more lanes are added, more traffic can be accommodated. Stephenson argues that one of the major reasons his company needed to purchase T-Mobile is to have enough spectrum to properly build out its upcoming LTE network.

Humm (T-Mobile):

As data usage continues to explode, spectrum is becoming a constraint to our business, with T-Mobile facing spectrum exhaust over the next couple of years in a number of significant markets. Moreover, our spectrum holdings will not allow us to launch LTE. With the acquisition by AT&T, T-Mobile will be able to offer to nearly all its customers full access to 850 MHz AT&T spectrum, which will significantly improve deep in-building coverage to its customers. As T-Mobile already uses chipsets supporting 850 MHz, customers will be able to take advantage of these improvements shortly after the transaction closes.

Humm paints a depressingly dire picture of his company's future throughout his remarks; in this instance he asserts that there is no way T-Mobile can launch LTE with the amount of spectrum it has available. When combined with AT&T's spectrum, however, T-Mobile customers will enjoy LTE and 850 MHz coverage, all of the grass will grow green, and lost kittens will be rescued.

Hesse (Sprint):

...with the Qualcomm spectrum it is purchasing, AT&T has the largest, licensed spectrum holdings of any wireless carrier. But it does not use that spectrum efficiently.

Hesse goes on to mention that 40 MHz of AT&T spectrum is left unused, because the company has chosen instead to "warehouse" -- stockpile -- for future services such as LTE. It's a good point, but we're curious to hear if 40 MHz enough to launch and maintain the LTE network if the merger does not go through.

AT&T does not face a spectrum crisis, but rather a spectrum deployment problem of its own creation... T-Mobile is already heavily using its spectrum in the same high demand areas where AT&T asserts it needs additional capacity. Thus, the proposed merger would bring little spectrum relief to AT&T where it claims to need it the most.

We're hoping to see an improvement in areas of historically bad AT&T coverage, such as San Francisco or New York, but what about rural areas? Will this merger actually give them all of the much-needed spectrum capacity they claim to require in order to actually hit 97 percent of Americans?

Sohn (Public Knowledge):

There are no spectrum shortages in rural America...and completely unused is â…" of its spectrum in the top 21 markets...

How much unused spectrum does AT&T have in these rural markets, if there are no spectrum shortages? How much of rural America will be blanketed with LTE?

If AT&T were concerned about spectrum inefficiency, it could stop operating 3 different systems.

So AT&T's commitment to 2G, 3G and HSPA+ is causing too much constraint on its spectrum holdings.

Stephenson (AT&T):

We don't have enough spectrum to deploy nationwide, but what we do have is unused because we're building it.

Stephenson goes on to mention his company is aggressively moving to launch LTE service this summer, but in order to make such a landmark move, enough space has to be cleared out and reserved specifically for that network. It did the same thing when moving to 3G. In other words, if it appears as though AT&T is "warehousing" spectrum, that's because it actually is.

This is a tough argument to figure out. How much spectrum does AT&T actually need to properly deploy a nationwide 4G network, and can this be achieved without purchasing T-Mobile? AT&T has been planning to launch LTE this summer regardless, with or without the merger; however, if the company truly is limited in its spectrum, it may have to divert spectrum away from other resources such as 2G or HSPA+. If the FCC and DOJ determine AT&T has enough to do the job without T-Mobile's aid, a good chunk of its argument would be completely flawed and less credible as a result.

The merger's effect on competition

No doubt, this transaction would have profound impacts on the wireless industry, but as of yet is one of the biggest unknowns of the entire deal. On one hand, the merger's proponents argue there is sufficient competition already, and wireless innovation is trucking along at a pace that cannot be stopped. Meanwhile, opponents say innovation will slow down because the "Twin Bells" won't have any incentive to compete against anyone else. Let's read on.

Stephenson (AT&T):

The vast majority of American consumers have a choice of at least five facilities-based wireless providers ... Any concern that the wireless industry is or could be dominated by AT&T, Verizon and Sprint merely because they have the largest subscriber bases today should be put to rest by 1Q 2011 results recently reported by MetroPCS and Leap, which together gained more than a million net customers in the last quarter alone.

Stephenson throws out some numbers to ensure his captive audience understands the smaller guys offer a relevant amount of competition. And we can see his point, but when you've merged together and become a force of 130 million, will a net gain of a million subscribers be worth your time and money in competitive focus?

Hesse (Sprint):

Importantly, the smaller companies all rely on competitive access to the national carriers' networks for wholesale roaming service, the pricing of which would be controlled by the Twin Bells following the proposed transaction.

When the competition is paying you to provide their roaming coverage, as many of these regional and prepaid carriers are doing, you have an incredible amount of leverage against them.

Cohen (CWA):

"The wireless industry is intensely competitive and will remain so after the AT&T / T-Mobile merger. In 23 of the top 25 US markets, for instance, there are currently five or more facilities-based wireless competitors, including Verizon, Sprint, low-cost no-contract carriers like MetroPCS and Leap, and regional carriers such as US Cellular and CellularSouth that offer nationwide service plans."

With the exception of Cellular South, all of these competitors are CDMA carriers. AT&T would still have all of the control over GSM manufacturers wanting to sell their devices in the US.

Stephenson (AT&T):

"This is the most competitive wireless industry around the globe. Just look at pricing -- voice pricing in this industry has come down 50 percent. Just in the last four years since we launched the iPhone, the price for a megabyte of data has come down 90 percent."

However, this was the past, and the industry would likely be much different post-merger. Mr. Hesse, what was the cause of those dropping prices?

Hesse (Sprint):

"Robust competition in our industry has resulted in steadily dropping prices for higher quality wireless communications services."

Ah, so having intense and robust competition amongst the four carriers resulted in dropping prices and more innovative services. How will the prices be affected post-merger?

"Because Sprint and other wireless carriers are not owned by large local telephone companies, we are forced to purchase backhaul service, in most cases from our largest competitors – AT&T or Verizon. Whereas Sprint must pay more than $2 billion a year in backhaul fees to its competitors, AT&T and Verizon earn enormous profits from their control over backhaul. By controlling the availability and price of backhaul, AT&T and Verizon are also able ... to control their competitors' costs and quality of service."

Talk about leveraging power. We mentioned this earlier: with AT&T having so much power over the smaller companies in terms of roaming agreements, and controlling (alongside Verizon) all of Sprint's backhaul, it sounds as though AT&T and Verizon already hold all the bargaining chips, and eliminating one more serious competitor would make it even more unbearable.

Humm (T-Mobile):

"By contrast, without the deal, a spectrally constrained AT&T and a spectrally and capital constrained T-Mobile would be able to provide much less vigorous competition separately than would the more efficient, combined company."

If T-Mobile is struggling financially and cannot actually deploy LTE due to lack of spectrum, does this really make for worse competition than not having T-Mobile around at all? Can it be much worse if AT&T loses and T-Mobile sticks around, earning $2 billion worth of spectrum in the process? Sounds like a win-win for T-Mobile.

So competition is robust at this very moment, resulting in lower voice and data rates among all of the major networks. How will this be affected by the merger? The critics mention that allowing the merger to occur would result in the Twin Bells dominating 80 percent of the US market, causing a virtual duopoly. In the past, they argue, duopolies hindered progress and stifled innovation, which sped up rapidly after these duopolies (Ma Bell, for instance) were broken apart. Tell us more, panel.

The power of a duopoly

As expected, the merger's advocates remained completely tight-lipped on the subject of duopoly. The opponents, however, brought the subject up as often as possible in order to emphasize that this would be the end result of approving this transaction.

Hesse (Sprint):

As history has amply demonstrated, we should not expect the two reconstituted Bell companies to actively compete with one another. They would effectively eliminate the robust competition that has served America so well for nearly two decades... The difference in size between the top two and any other competitor would become too great, which would marginalize the ability of Sprint and the remaining local and regional carriers to influence the level of innovation in the industry ecosystem.

We could easily see Sprint and the smaller carriers making the worst out of a bad situation and stopping innovation, but it's very likely that with less nationwide choices, it would be easier for Sprint to stand out of the crowd with innovative services and win back unhappy AT&T or Verizon customers. Even now, Sprint is courting unsatisfied T-Mobile customers by offering to buy out their contracts to switch over. Well played.

In a duopoly, the market can quickly reach equilibrium and, if both providers are reasonably happy with their position, innovation stagnates and prices rise.

If innovation slows down and the Twin Bells don't do anything to improve their position, and don't remain competitive, they might alienate shareholders that aren't satisfied with the status quo, and frustrate consumers who get upset by sub-par customer service as well as not having the latest and greatest handsets available. Sprint has a lot of great opportunities here, and the merger could definitely help it gain subscribers if it continues playing its cards right.

Sohn (Public Knowledge):

Sprint will have just 16% of the market and instantly become a takeover target.

This is a scary thought. Sprint has been a takeover target in the past, so what's stopping potential buyers like Verizon from giving it a go? Not to mention we have a hard time swallowing the idea of that kind of merger getting pushed through the DOJ and FCC. Going from four to three national carriers will be difficult enough to finalize, so how much slimmer are the chances three would whittle down to two?

Is rural coverage ever coming?

Another cornerstone in AT&T's explanation for needing to purchase T-Mobile is to pick up spectrum for rural coverage, allowing businesses there to take advantage of broadband speeds they had never been able to access before. Here comes the defense.

Stephenson (AT&T):

In particular, LTE networks deliver higher speeds and much-reduced latency, which means that we will see many new innovative wireless services that offer real-time interaction. LTE will give businesses located in rural America the same powerful tools enjoyed by those located in major cities. And, rural consumers will particularly benefit from real-time access to a wide range of resources that would not otherwise be as readily available. ...the transaction will allow us to bring these benefits to rural and urban areas alike, creating the information infrastructure needed to improve education, health care and public safety and to boost businesses, create jobs, and lower costs.

Other than re-emphasizing the need to build out LTE, he doesn't mention how the merger will help expand its coverage to rural America. The benefits are great, but tell us how you plan to get there. In rebuttal:

Hesse (Sprint):

There is nothing in the proposed merger that changes the fundamental economics of rural broadband deployment. Rural areas do not suffer from any shortage of spectrum given the lower demand for services that results from lower population densities. Rather, rural expansion has been delayed because the lack of population density in rural areas simply makes build-out more expensive per subscriber. The addition of the T-Mobile network to that of AT&T would not change this fact, and would only extend the AT&T network to about 1 percent more of the population than are already in AT&T's network coverage.

If it only expands AT&T's coverage out to an additional 1 percent of the population, and if rural buildout is slowed only by abnormally high expenditures, how is it going to hold to its promise of rural expansion?

Meena (Cell South):

There's nothing in the T-Mobile deal that makes building out rural any easier than it is today. One of the big challenges we have is trying to get a roaming agreement on AT&T. We've been told "the roaming person is out of town."

Meena makes it sound as if his company only called AT&T once, left a message with the front lobby, and waited around for their call to be returned. This merger would certainly not become any easier for regional carriers to set up roaming plans with AT&T. Unless, of course, this means AT&T&T would have two roaming people.

Creating or losing jobs

Do mergers create or destroy jobs? It's hard to say: additional hands would be needed to help bring the two networks together, deploy LTE, and assist with other various tasks associated with the merger. However, it's not likely that every single T-Mobile employee will still have a job with AT&T. Here's what the heavyweights have to say about it:

Cohen (CWA):

During implementation of the...merger, CWA will work closely with AT&T to ensure that there will be no involuntary job losses and that any workers adversely affected by the transaction will be able to transition into other similar or better jobs with the company. Indeed, we believe in the long term that AT&T...will be in a stronger position to create jobs because it will be better able to expand and extend its business than either AT&T or T-Mobile could have done as separate entities. The expansion of AT&T's 4G LTE network that will result from the merger holds the potential to create thousands of new jobs. More than 20,000 T-Mobile employees will be able to work for a company that respects workers' rights and enjoy improved working conditions.

One would assume a primary duty of workers' unions is to ensure little or no job losses, and we don't disagree it will be the same case with this merger. The only question: since T-Mobile employees don't work under unions, is the CWA concerned at all about seeing to the needs of those new employees? Does it care about T-Mobile employees? We imagine the answer is yes, since 20,000 new employees would mean more revenue for the CWA from workers' dues.

Sohn (Public Knowledge):

If AT&T wants to create jobs, it could do so without buying a competitor. It's hard to find a merger that creates jobs. The merger will result in jobs lost in every area where AT&T and T-Mobile have redundant staffing, competing retail stores, overlapping call centers, and other facilities...AT&T..has shed approx 28,000 jobs over the last 21 months.

It could be true that redundant staffing will be cause for job losses, although network expansion may alleviate some of those losses. We don't know if it will actually create jobs so much as balance them out with the gains, and that all remains to be seen.

Stephenson (AT&T):

All the major unions are in support, and they don't usually support things that cut jobs. You create jobs where you invest. It's in our shareholders' interest to deploy 700MHz LTE, and it's an $8b investment.

Certainly the $8 billion will go back into the economy in one way or another, and additional jobs would be required to deploy this network. But how many jobs? Will it counter those jobs lost from redundant staffing, or at least match that number?

Conclusion

Okay, that was a lot of ground to cover, but believe it or not that was just a small sliver of the information that came out at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Should you desire to browse the entire collection of quotes and witness testimonies, make sure to reserve some extra spare time and visit the links below.

Now it's your turn. Are you for or against? Sound off in the comments.

Some Xbox 360s won't read discs; Microsoft to comp owners with a new system, year of XBL

Posted: 18 May 2011 08:52 AM PDT

There may have been a good reason for that wide beta test Microsoft ran to test out its new disc format for the Xbox 360. While it will allow for an extra 1GB of storage space for new games and (it hopes) stop piracy, apparently some consoles contain drives that cannot read the new XGD3 discs. The details can be seen in the email pictured above posted by Reddit user Avery Penn and were verified as real by the Xbox Support Twitter account, but now it's responding to inquiries by saying the replacements are in response to a previous update and not the upcoming one that has been in beta. Adding to the confusion, Microsoft Europe confirmed the initial report and points affected users towards the support page to get sorted out. One way or another, affected owners can expect to be mollified by getting their Xbox 360s replaced with new 250GB Xbox 360S models plus a free year of XBL for the trouble. We haven't gotten an official response about the plan yet but are still checking, so your plan to hoard old consoles and get free replacements en masse is probably equal parts premature and Seinfeldian genius.

MiLi slims down and shuts up with Pico Projector 2

Posted: 18 May 2011 08:29 AM PDT

MiLi's earlier attempts at pocket projectors not pico enough for your tastes? The company has shaved off a few precious millimeters, putting the straightforwardly named Pico Projector 2 at somewhere around the thickness of two iPhone 4s -- all said, the thing seems to look a lot like its predecessor to us, in spite of its "massively reduced bulk." The company has also dropped the fan -- rendering it effectively silent -- and has given the thing better battery life, at around two and a half hours of 10-lumen mini video projection on a charge, according to distributor, BeamBox. The bantam iPhone magic lantern is set to start shipping in the UK on May 25th for £280 ($452), with a US version coming in the next few weeks, because everyone loves a sequel, right?

MiLi Pico Projector 2

Lingodroid robots develop their own language, quietly begin plotting against mankind

Posted: 18 May 2011 08:07 AM PDT

It's one thing for a robot to learn English, Japanese, or any other language that we humans have already mastered. It's quite another for a pair of bots to develop their own, entirely new lexicon, as these two apparently have. Created by Ruth Schulz and her team of researchers at the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology, each of these so-called Lingodroids constructed their special language after navigating their way through a labyrinthine space. As they wove around the maze, the Lingobots created spatial maps of their surroundings, with the help of on-board cameras, laser range finders and sonar equipment that helped them avoid walls. They also created words for each mapped location, using a database of syllables. With the mapping complete, the robots would reconvene and communicate their findings to each other, using mounted microphones and speakers. One bot, for example, would spit out a word it had created for the center of the maze ("jaya"), sending both of them off on a "race" to find that spot. If they ended up meeting at the center of the room, they would agree to call it "jaya." From there, they could tell each other about the area they'd just come from, thereby spawning new words for direction and distance, as well. Schulz is now looking to teach her bots how to express more complex ideas, though her work is likely to hit a roadblock once these two develop a phrase for "armed revolt."

Samsung Omnia 7 patch promises brick-free WP7 updates

Posted: 18 May 2011 07:44 AM PDT

That latest WP7 update, the post-NoDo tweak dubbed 7392, has apparently been giving some Samsung handsets fits. This time though, the company has taken matters into its own hands and has released a patch for the Omnia 7 that should solve any issues with applying the latest Windows Phone refresh (Focus owners will have to remain patient). The fix should work for all future updates as well, but considering the rather tumultuous history of WP7 and Samsung, we're staying cautiously optimistic on that claim. Check out the source link for the Update Support Tool and the instructional PDF -- and don't forget to actually run the Zune software to score that sweet 7392 update when you're done.

[Thanks, jjr]

PSN logins exploited again, Sony takes pages offline

Posted: 18 May 2011 07:12 AM PDT

PSN logins exploited again, Sony takes sign-in pages offline

This isn't as bad as it could have been -- Sony's PSN hasn't exactly been hacked again -- but what can only be described as a glaring oversight looks to have forced the company into hastily switching off PSN logins on its websites. The issue? If you legitimately forget your password and need to reset it, previously all you had to do was type in your e-mail address and date of birth, then choose a delightfully cunning new password. Sounds good? The problem is that if you were a PSN member before the hack then both your e-mail address and your date of birth (plus a lot of other frightening stuff) is known to the hackers. So, whoever has the millions of rows of data that were exposed could, in theory, re-exploit any account. Sony was made aware of the issue and those pages are now offline again, which should make the Japanese government feel just a little big smug.

Update: Sony has confirmed that there was "a URL exploit that we have subsequently fixed." However, the company indicates there was "no hack involved." So, remember kiddies: exploits are not hacks -- not until someone starts having fun with them, anyway.

Mirasol showcases 4.1-inch smartphone concept at SID 2011, promises 'converged e-reader' this year

Posted: 18 May 2011 07:00 AM PDT

Another week, another look into the wild, mysterious world of Mirasol. We met with the company for an extended period here at SID 2011, and while the smartphone concept shown above was certainly intriguing, it's the behind-the-scenes story that truly piqued our interest. If you've kept even a loose eye on display technologies, Qualcomm's Mirasol branch has no doubt caught your eye -- in fact, the company seemed overwhelmingly sure that it'd ship consumer products soon after we met with 'em at CES 2010. Yet here we are, nearly 1.5 years later, without a single Mirasol product available on the open market. It begs the question: why? We found out. As the story goes, Mirasol's been shipping displays to partners for years, and it really did have confirmation that partners would be punching products out onto the market soon after 2010 began. But then, the iPad happened.

No, seriously -- that's the story. Apple's sudden and calculated tablet launch caused Mirasol's stable of partners to "reevaluate" their launch strategies, and that reevaluating led to the shelving / delaying of every single promising product in the pipeline. One angle in particular seemed to catch everyone off guard; prior to the iPad's launch, most companies (and consumers, for that matter) reckoned that people wouldn't even consider reading on an LCD. Digital bookworms would want E Ink, or better still, a colorized alternative like Mirasol. Come to find out, people actually don't seem to mind reading on LCDs, and in fact, they seem downright appreciative of the extra functionality baked into modern day tablets. As you can imagine, all of that spelled trouble for a display technology like Mirasol. So, where do we sit today? Read on to find out.

Mirasol concept smartphone eyes-on at SID 2011

Thankfully, we're in a much different place than the one we sat in 2010. Contrary to popular belief, Mirasol actually has no control over the shipment of end products. All it can do is ship panels to partners; it's on them to actually bring wares to market. The good news, however, is that the company's 5.7-inch, low-power display actually will see the light of day by the end of 2011, with at least one "converged e-reader" slated to bring a 3x battery life improvement to a mobile reader format.

We've reason to believe that the company's not just blowing smoke -- it's not too hard to imagine what kind of 5.7-inch tablet(ish) device could hit the market in the months to come, and with one Google-powered OS finding itself just about everywhere these days, we're also hazarding a guess that the e-readers that never materialized in 2010 will gain all sorts of new tricks when they try again in 2011. Oh, and if you're wondering why a Mirasol panel never made it to the Kindle? You didn't hear from us, but it's probably a matter of Qualcomm's single fab plant not being able to produce the kind of volume Amazon required.

And that brings us to smartphone concept we mentioned earlier. Debuting for the first time here at Display Week, this 4.1-inch mockup was seen sporting a WVGA resolution, and while the panel is as real as it gets, there were no brains powering any motion. In other words, we were left with a frozen image, albeit one that looked better than we expected. The company asserts that something like this may become a reality in three to four years -- a bit after its new Taiwan-based fabrication facility goes online in 2012 -- but one has to wonder just how big the market is for something like this. Sure, it'll increase battery life by a few orders of magnitude, but it also looks markedly less impressive than your average Super LCD / AMOLED. Have a gander at the gallery below, and keep your eyes peeled for more as the year develops.

ThinkFlood WiFi remote for Android goes beta, but still requires iOS

Posted: 18 May 2011 06:36 AM PDT

ThinkFlood is best known for its universal remote control systems, but now it might become famous for something totally different: discovering a way to bring peace to the tiresome iOS/Android fanboy wars. Its new beta app for Android provides complete control over the company's RedEye and RedEye Pro products, which in the past were strictly iOS-only. In turn, a RedEye system allows a range of IR-equipped devices in a home to be controlled via WiFi -- so in principle you should now be able to control your home theatre and other kit using your Android tablet or smartphone. But here's the twist: users of the beta app will need both an Android device and an iOS device in order to get full functionality, because the Android app can't yet handle configuration. The company insists this limitation will soon be fixed, but we say keep it. If all apps required us to own both platforms, things would be so much more harmonious. Full PR after the break.

[Thanks, Martin]

Show full PR text

May 17, 2011 11:00 ET

ThinkFlood Launches First Universal Remote System for Android

Long-Awaited Beta Version of RedEye Software Available for Android Phones and Tablets Beginning Today

WALTHAM, MA--(Marketwire - May 17, 2011) - ThinkFlood today announced a new app which makes their award winning RedEye controls compatible with Android phones and tablets. The new RedEye app for Android is available as part of a public beta test program for free download at http://thinkflood.com/support/redeye/android-beta/.

On June 2, 2009, ThinkFlood was the first company to introduce a universal remote system for iOS devices. Company representatives say, over the past several months, Android compatibility has become the top requested feature for their products.

"RedEye has been a hit with iPhone owners from the start. As Android has grown in popularity we have seen a corresponding uptick in requests to bring our software to that platform, as well," said Matt Eagar, president and co-founder of ThinkFlood. "Today we are pleased to announce that our networked RedEye products are now fully controllable using Android smartphones and tablets."

The beta RedEye app for Android is compatible with networked RedEye products (RedEye and RedEye Pro) and supports devices running Android OS 1.6 and later, including Honeycomb (3.0) for tablets. RedEye customers can now use Android phones and tablets alongside iOS devices and PCs to control their RedEye systems. For the moment, configuring RedEye hardware still requires an iOS device; the ability to perform setup from an Android handset will come in a later version.

"We love the amount of choice and flexibility that the Android platform brings, but with these opportunities there are also challenges," Eagar continued. "In particular, with so many different handsets and operating system versions, it is virtually impossible to test every configuration. For this reason, we chose to keep the app simple and to release a beta version first. As we gather feedback from our beta testers, we can be more confident with regard to handset compatibility and incorporate more advanced functionality to the point where the Android app matches all the features of our current iOS app."

The RedEye app for Android arrives on the heels of ThinkFlood's recent introduction of its second generation of control products. Last month the company debuted RedEye Pro, an affordable, professional-grade networked home automation controller, as well as an updated version of its original WiFi RedEye product.

About ThinkFlood
ThinkFlood designs and develops hardware and software for control systems. Its award-winning RedEye platform for smartphones, tablets, and PCs offers features and functionality previously available only in control products priced several times as much. ThinkFlood is a privately held company headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. For more information, visit http://thinkflood.com.

ASUS ramping up Eee Pad Transformer production, says they'll be easier to find in the 'coming weeks'

Posted: 18 May 2011 06:13 AM PDT

We couldn't help but notice that a lot of you want to buy the Eee Pad Transformer; it's just that your quest for one is turning up dry. We asked ASUS for an update on the shortage and the company said it's cranking 'em out at a furious pace to meet strong demand. Here's what a PR rep had to say:

We are ramping production every week to address the supply concerns, including almost daily air shipments into North America. We expect the supply line to improve significantly over the coming weeks.

So there you have it: if you live on the North American continent, at least, you'll soon be able to find an elusive Transformer -- and just in time for a much-appreciated Android 3.1 update.

Motorola Droid X2 official at $200: launching online May 19th, in stores May 26th

Posted: 18 May 2011 05:44 AM PDT

Motorola and Verizon have finally stopped teasing us and have made the Droid X2 official. This is a 4.3-inch Android (2.2, to be upgraded to 2.3) smartphone with a qHD screen resolution and a dual-core 1GHz processor. An 8 megapixel camera with continuous autofocus and HD video recording graces the back. The X2 will cost the usual $200 on contract and will be available to buy online tomorrow, May 19th, before making its way out to stores a week later, on May 26th. Leap past the break for the full PR.

Interestingly, we've also spotted the close proximity of the USB and HDMI ports on the side of the new X2. That arrangement is reminiscent of the one on Motorola's Atrix, where the two connectors served to hook that handset up to its laptop and multimedia docks. We don't know whether the Droid X2 will fit into the accessories designed for the Atrix, but it looks sure to be strapping itself into a dock of some description in the near future.

Show full PR text

DROID X2 BY MOTOROLA COMING TO VERIZON WIRELESS WITH DOUBLE THE POWER, DOUBLE THE DOES

Fast and Powerful DROID X2 by Motorola With Broad Range Of New Features To Be Available Online Beginning May 19

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI), today announced the second-generation DROID X2 by Motorola, designed for the consumer who does everything on their smartphone.

Fly through the Web with the DROID X2, which boasts Verizon Wireless' first dual-core 1 GHz processor for fast webpage loading and Adobe® Flash® Player, allowing Verizon Wireless customers to experience rich content online. The 4.3-inch scratch-resistant and anti-reflective qHD display delivers a sharp, clear view ideal for watching movies, typing emails and playing your favorite games. Never miss a moment using the 8-megapixel camera with continuous autofocus and stunning HD video capture. Use the new Gallery app to view, tag and post photos on sites like Flickr® and Facebook®, all from one place.

Additional features:

· Powered by Android 2.2, to be updated to Android 2.3

· Mirror Mode allows you to view and share your photos, videos and downloaded movies on a larger TV via HDMI output

· Enterprise-ready with security and IT-grade policies, allowing you to use your DROID X2 for work and play

· Support for Google™ Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™ and Google Maps™, as well as access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market™

· Mobile Hotspot capability, allowing you to share your 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices

· Virtual QWERTY keyboard featuring SWYPE technology for quick and easy typing of messages and emails

Pricing and availability:

· The DROID X2 will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com on May 19 and in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores on May 26 for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

· DROID X2 customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access and an unlimited smartphone data plan is $29.99 for monthly access.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images of DROID X2 in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)

Toshiba Write-Erasable Input Display hands-on at SID 2011 (video)

Posted: 18 May 2011 05:35 AM PDT

Sure, we've seen oodles of light pen drawing boards, and e-readers that support doodling, but Toshiba's "R&D project" at SID Display Week just... struck us. Weighing far less than the notepad used to jot down notes about it, this encapsulated device evidently sports a built-in battery, E Ink tendencies, a microSD card slot, proprietary charging port, an on / off toggle switch and support for stylus input. Drawing on it was both enjoyable and simple, and we were actually able to erase our typos with the press of a button (and a bit of eraser work with the pictured pen). Enough chatter -- have a look yourself in the video past the break.

Toshiba Write-Erasable Input Display hands-on at SID 2011

Samsung and Nouvoyance show off power-sipping, pixel packed Pentile display (video)

Posted: 18 May 2011 05:12 AM PDT

Samsung is seriously stepping up its slate screen game with its 10.1-inch 300ppi panel that we told you about last week. We just got to see the display in person at SID 2011, and can confirm that the presence of Pentile pixels should no longer be a cause of concern. Nouvoyance, who designed the display, told us that the panel's RGBW pixel configuration makes your whites whiter and brights brighter (up to 600 nits worth), while consuming 40 percent less power than conventional LCDs. The company also told us the tech's been around for awhile, but that market forces conspired to keep it concealed -- though after seeing it in person, we can't fathom why it didn't make it into Sammy's stellar new slate. Pixel-density people shouldn't pout, however, as devices packing the display will drop by Q4 of this year or Q1 2012. Video explaining why you should join the RBGW revolution's after the break.

Nouvoyance 10.1-inch PenTile RGBW prototype tablet display at SID 2011

Intel VP confirms ARM versions of Windows 8 will offer no compatibility with legacy apps

Posted: 18 May 2011 04:46 AM PDT

We already knew that there would be multiple flavors of the next version of Windows. This is, after all, Microsoft, and if it isn't available in dozens of different SKUs, one for each rung on the ladder from student to corporate executive, then it isn't worth stamping to a disc and throwing in a box. However, thanks to Intel Senior Vice President Renee James, we now know for sure that there will be a decisive split between the various ARM and x86 editions. James confirmed yesterday that x86 versions will work just fine on Intel, AMD, and other compatible chips, running all your legacy applications with aplomb.

However, the ARM versions of the OS (which may number as many as six) won't include any sort of instruction emulation, James saying "Our competitors will not be running legacy applications. Not now. Not ever." That's something that Intel CEO Paul Otellini hinted at back at CES, which means Office running on ARM must have been a re-write -- or at least a re-compile. That's bad news for anyone hoping they'd be able to install Command & Conquer Collector's Edition on the Tegra-powered Windows 8 tablet of their dreams. James additionally indicated there will be four separate Windows 8 ARM SoCs, meaning someone has joined NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and TI since the CES unveil. Intrigue!

Toshiba's tablet-ready, glasses-free 3D display debuts at SID 2011 (video)

Posted: 18 May 2011 04:12 AM PDT

The T-Mobile G-Slate may have a jump on the (red and cyan) 3D tablet market, but we can do better, and while strolling past Toshiba's SID 2011 setup, we may have found the slate of the future's killer component: an 8-inch, glasses-free 3D display. Tablet sized? Yes, indeed. We couldn't get a Toshiba representative to admit the depth perceptive display was destined for any upcoming devices, but we were told that the screen certainly "made sense" for a tablet device. The technology seems to be designed with a smaller form factor in mind, as the firm warned that larger versions of the screen, while possible, would suffer a drop in image quality. At 8-inches however, it looks mighty fine -- although you'll still need to look on from a centered sweet-spot to catch the 3D effect, a plague it shares with its glasses-free brethren. Check out our hands-on video (sans 3D, of course) after the break.

Toshiba's 8-inch glasses-free 3D display eyes-on at SID 2011

Next Issue Media brings magazine subscriptions to Samsung Galaxy Tabs, but not all of them

Posted: 18 May 2011 03:33 AM PDT

It's been a busy month in the world of e-publishing. First, Time Inc. inked a deal to bring magazine subscriptions to the iPad, with both Hearst and Conde Nast following suit. And now, a consortium of publishing powerhouses known as Next Issue Media is looking to expand its tablet-based readership to Android users, as well. Beginning tomorrow, people who bought a wireless-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab from Verizon will be able to purchase single copies of, or monthly subscriptions to seven magazines from the so-called "Hulu of Magazines," which includes Conde Nast, Hearst, Meredith, Time Inc., and News Corp. Users already subscribing to print editions will receive free digital subscriptions, though they won't be able to purchase both print and digital combo packages (that's on the way). Publishers, meanwhile, will be able to set their own prices and, according to Next Issue CEO Morgan Guenther, will receive "at least" 70-percent of all transactions -- the same percentage that Apple offers. Under this new Android deal, however, all of Next Issue's members will be able to freely access their subscribers' credit card information and other personal data -- something that Apple has steadfastly denied them. Obviously, it's far too early to tell whether or not this deal will give publishers more leverage in their negotiations with Cupertino, as the service will only be available to a small slice of Android tablet users. But Guenther says his organization is planning on releasing more titles for more devices this fall, with at least 40 magazines due out by year's end, along with an app for HP's WebOS.

Nanosys QDEF screen technology ships in Q4, slips into iPad at SID 2011 (video)

Posted: 18 May 2011 02:38 AM PDT

We dropped by Nanosys' nook at SID 2011, and not only was it showing off its new Quantum Dot Enhancement Film, but had hacked the tech into an off-the-shelf iPad. A company representative presented the modified slate as an example of how quickly QDEF's high color gamut magic could be integrated into existing devices, offering "OLED color depth without OLED power consumption and OLED price." Sure enough, we were told to expect to see QDEF in a "mobile device," probably an Android tablet, sometime in Q4; when pushed for details, our rep could only tell us that the device would come from a Korean firm. (LG or Samsung, take your pick.)

Integrating QDEF into new devices may be a snap, but company representatives told us the film could add as much as 100 microns to a screen's thickness, suggesting that smartphone manufactures aren't too keen on the idea of a thicker display. Still, Nanosys has high hopes for the new film and told us that it expects high-color QDEF to become an "ecosystem changer," as industry-altering as HDTV. The firm even suggested "wide color gamut" apps could be in our near future -- we love our color depth here at Engadget, but somehow it's hard to see Angry Birds: High Color (its suggestion, not ours) taking off. Check out our hands-on after the break.

Nanosys QDEF screen technology hands-on at SID 2011

Toshiba declares victory in pixel density war: 367ppi coming to a phone this year (video)

Posted: 18 May 2011 01:59 AM PDT

We got the lowdown on Toshiba's latest four-inch LCD a couple of days ago, and today at SID 2011 we got up close and personal with the pixel-packed display. It's one thing to read about a 367ppi screen that shows native 720p video, and it's quite another to experience it in person. We can report that it is, in fact, as awesome as it sounds -- onscreen images were clear, crisp, and chromatically brilliant. Pixel density enthusiasts will also be happy to hear that Toshiba confirmed the display will make it to market this year. Of course, the rep wouldn't tell us which phone will take the iPhone 4's crown as the ppi champ, though we imagine it'll be something powered by little green bots. See the new king in action in the video after the break.

Toshiba's 4-inch 367ppi 720p cellphone display at SID 2011

Intel promises more than 10 new tablets at Computex, including Android and MeeGo versions

Posted: 18 May 2011 01:23 AM PDT

For all its processing might, Intel is a non-player in the booming tablet space. Consumers, no longer trapped in the WinTel PC juggernaut, are increasingly opting for devices running software experiences optimized for more power efficient ARM processors. Intel hopes to break back into the market it once dominated with the release of "more than ten new tablets" at Computex later this month. Navin Shenoy, Intel general manager for Asia Pacific, elaborated saying "more than 35" tablets equipped with Intel chipsets are on track to ship this year. Of course, Intel chief Paul Otellini already told us that he'd have MeeGo, Windows, and Android tablets on display at the big Taiwan event. Just imagine it: Honeycomb on an Oak Trail tablet. We'll be bringing it to you live when Computex kicks off on May 31st.

Bill Gates considers Skype 'a great purchase' for Microsoft, helped make it happen

Posted: 18 May 2011 12:52 AM PDT

The aftermath of Microsoft's announcement that it'll buy Skype for $8.5 billion was filled with speculation about why the price was so high, who Microsoft was bidding against, and who inside Redmond was the driving force behind such a large expenditure. At least one of those queries has been demystified today, thanks to Bill Gates asserting himself as "a strong proponent at the board level for the deal being done." Microsoft's Chairman of the Board expressed his enthusiasm for gobbling up Skype in an interview with the BBC -- one which UK residents may see in full at the iPlayer link below -- and concluded that "it's a great purchase that a lot of innovation will come out of." Adding his support to Steve Ballmer's already public excitement about the Skype takeover, Bill stresses that "the importance of software is higher today than ever," while also predicting that video conferencing is set to become much better and bigger than we've yet seen. We've got our webcams at the ready, Bill!

Galaxy Tab 10.1 goes up for pre-order at J&R, joined by Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and 4.0

Posted: 18 May 2011 12:09 AM PDT

Remember that little GT-P7510 project Samsung seems to have on the backburner? You know, the ultraslim Tegra 2 tablet that makes Honeycomb finally feel ready for public consumption? Yeah, well, that's gotten its pre-order papers now, courtesy of J&R. Pricing of the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab 10.1 matches the $500 for 16GB and $600 for 32GB that Samsung announced in March, and though delivery dates aren't listed, we'll go ahead and assume the promised June 8th launch remains on track. Also ready for pre-order at J&R today are Samsung's 8GB Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 and 4.0 media players, priced at $270 and $220, respectively, though the only info about availability that's provided is a boilerplate "coming soon" note. Check out the source links for more details.

Apple's MacBook Air duo to receive Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt upgrade in June or July?

Posted: 17 May 2011 11:30 PM PDT

We've already seen Intel's Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt reinvigorating the MacBook Pro line, so it's only logical for the MacBook Airs to eventually follow suit -- presumably they'll pick up Sandy Bridge's 17W mobile processors to match the current 10W and 17W Core 2 Duos. So when can we expect this to happen? Well, according to DigiTimes' sources within the supply chain, Apple may receive shipment of the refreshed Airs in late May ahead of a June or July launch -- this echoes earlier reports from Apple Insider and CNET that cited the same time frame. Additionally, DigiTimes says Quanta will continue to assemble Apple's ultra-portable laptops, with Simplo Technology and Dynapack supplying the battery packs. As always, we shall remain open-minded about such rumors, but you'll know the real deal as soon as we do within the next couple of months or so.

Vienna University of Technology builds a 3D printer, 3D prints the key to our hearts

Posted: 17 May 2011 10:43 PM PDT

We've all spent a good portion of the past few years imagining what we'll do as soon as we get our hands on our very own 3D printer. Of course, if you're of the particularly crafty, Make Magazine-subscribing sort, you've probably already built a few of your own. For those who don't know a soldering iron from a freshly-burned hole in their hand, however, it's been a matter of waiting for the technology to come down in size and price. A machine designed by professors at the Vienna University of Technology still has a ways to go on the roughly €1,200 (about $1,700) price, but it weigh in at a bit over three pounds, and that's not for your run-of-the-mill extruder -- this breadbox-sized machine uses lasers to harden plastics, allegedly with enough precision to produce medical parts. Looks like picking out the perfect gift for your professor friends in Vienna just got a lot harder.

Sprint joins Verizon atop customer satisfaction survey

Posted: 17 May 2011 09:41 PM PDT

Sprint is on a bit of a roll recently. Sure, there were some problems with its Google Voice integration and the company is still losing money, but it's adding subscribers at an impressive rate and now it's tied Verizon for the number one spot in a recent customer satisfaction survey. The American Customer Satisfaction Index showed Sprint had made significant gains in the last three years, rising from dead last amongst the big four with a score of 56 in 2008 to match Big Red's field-leading 72. At the same time, both T-Mobile and AT&T saw small drops in their satisfaction scores, with AT&T hitting 66 points -- its lowest rating since the launch of the iPhone. Of course, with T-Mo hemorrhaging customers and the reanimated husk of Ma Bell claiming the ignominious title of most dropped calls, we can't say we're particularly shocked.

Android-based Cellular printer writes text messages on your wall (your real-life one)

Posted: 17 May 2011 08:38 PM PDT

Ever wish you could write on people's walls in real life? Behold the Cellular Wall Printer, a collection of felt markers that receives messages via Facebook, Twitter, and SMS, and then transcribes them across any flat surface. Here's how it works: seven individually controlled servo motors push the felt pens up and down to leave dots and dashes in their wake. The contraption is manually operated, and Liat Segal, the inventor, adds that there's a timing system to ensure the printer transcribes neatly, even if you are in motion. Most interesting, perhaps, is the fact that the rig is controlled by an Android application, and uses an IOIO board to connect the electronic components to an Android device. (Our resident mobile expert Myriam Joire is pretty sure we're looking at a skinned Nexus One.) Check out a whimsical video demonstration after the break, with a couple more at the source link.

Sprint network is down in some areas, SMS and voice call services affected (updated)

Posted: 17 May 2011 07:36 PM PDT

Uh oh, according to the handful of tips we've received, it appears that Sprint is currently having some technical problems on its cellular network in some states. Specifically, customers aren't having much luck with sending text messages, while some are also not able to make voice calls. But don't worry, the carrier's certainly aware of this issue and is already working on a fix, so hang tight and let your fingers take a break -- we'll let you know when things are up and running again.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: Here's a statement we got from Sprint:

"We did have some disruption to Sprint SMS traffic earlier tonight, but it wasn't a complete disruption -- we lost partial capacity for about an hour. Engineers immediately began rerouting traffic and after about an hour things went back to normal.

There is no significant voice disruption anywhere in the US except for a small part of our Sprint network in the Washington, DC area. That has since been resolved and had no relation to the SMS disruption."

iDVM Digital Multimeter collects voltage readings on your iDevice, shares them with whoever cares

Posted: 17 May 2011 06:33 PM PDT

This, dear reader, is the iDVM Digital Multimeter -- the world's very first iDevice-enabled voltmeter, from Redfish Instruments. Designed with auto technicians, electricians and engineers in mind, the iDVM uses an ad hoc wireless network to connect to any iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, allowing users to record voltage, resistance and current directly from their palms. Once you've purchased the multimeter and downloaded the accompanying iDVM app, you'll be able to gather electrical measurements from up to 30 yards away from your target, log data over extended periods of time and export your findings in spreadsheet or graph displays. The rechargeable battery-powered device can also read your measurements back to you, which should make you feel slightly less lonely while digging around your car's engine at 3 am. We're still not sure why anyone would want to juggle their iPhone while chasing down a shorted wire, but if you do, the iDVM starts shipping on June 1st, for $220 -- which could buy you about 40 less complicated multimeters from Harbor Freight. Full PR after the break.

Show full PR text

Redfish Instruments Introduces World's First iPhone-Enabled Wireless Multimeter

SANTA CRUZ, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Redfish Instruments, Inc., a provider of iPhone- and iPad-enabled electronic test and measurement equipment, announced today the introduction of the iDVM™ Digital Multimeter. The iDVM multimeter wirelessly connects to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch via an ad hoc wireless network allowing users to acquire, visualize, and share electrical measurement data on their Apple devices. The iDVM app can be downloaded free from the Apple App Store.

According to Patrick O'Hara, Redfish Instruments' president and CEO, "The unique pairing of the iPhone or iPad with a digital multimeter provides a user experience that is truly revolutionary. Not since the advent of the LCD has the multimeter been so substantially enhanced." Regarding the market opportunity, Mr. O'Hara commented, "The iPhone and iPad provide a known user interface that permits customers to interact with electronic test and measurement tools that was not possible prior to this post-pc era. We believe that our new iDVM voltmeter is the first of many new uses for this tremendous interface; we're excited to be an early pioneer."

Traditionally, multimeters have not provided an easy method of exporting or saving data. The iDVM permits a user to log data over an extended period of time using the iPhone or the iPad as the storage device. For example, service engineers can use the iDVM to collect data and store it in a report for submission to their clients, or keep the data on the voltmeter for their own records. Using the GeoTag feature of the iPhone or iPad, service engineers can even identify their location as part of the data. The iDVM is built in the USA using all USA-made parts, and uses rechargeable batteries.

The iDVM was designed for a wide range of users-from automotive technicians, to advanced embedded systems engineers, to electrical or building contractors, to field service workers.

Next-gen Porsche 911 getting hybrid transmission system?

Posted: 17 May 2011 05:45 PM PDT

Porsche has already tricked out its racing cars with kinetic energy recovery systems, and now it looks like its more mainstream 911 is getting the hybrid transmission treatment, too. Citing anonymous sources, our sister site Autoblog reports that the entire range of the next-gen coupe is going to use these systems, which don't store energy in a battery, but instead capture kinetic energy during deceleration using a flywheel mechanism. Even without that sleuthing, a series of spy shots (including that one up there) reveal that the auto maker has expanded the wheelbase length by just enough so that it can accommodate a KERS between the gearbox and the engine. What does this mean for the 911? Well, these same sources say the entry-level Carrera is on track to surpass its rated 4.7-second 0 to 60 time and that it will generally be lighter, faster, more energy-efficient, and go farther on a gallon. Can't afford a low-end Porsche? Well, you can still ogle the eye candy at the source link.

T-Mobile 2011 roadmap leaks, lists loads of specific release dates?

Posted: 17 May 2011 05:14 PM PDT

Samsung's Hercules was the entree, but there's always room for dessert, and if you'd like to finish off your meal with juicy cellular rumors, This is my next has you covered. The publication now claims to have T-Mobile's entire 2011 device roadmap in their possession, replete with alleged release dates for a stable of phones and hotspots -- some of which we've never heard of before -- which should make for plenty of excitement in the months to come. Find all the highlights after the break.

June 8th will reportedly bring the HTC Sensation 4G, as we've heard before, as well as the Samsung Gravity Touch 2 and Samsung SGH-T759 (apparently codename "Hawk"), as well as the Huawei E587 hotspot (aka Wayne) that should provide up to 42Mbps HSPA+ downloads.

July 6th finds the HTC Doubleshot / MyTouch 4G Slide, while July 15 brings the HTC Marvel, a Wildfire S look-alike.

July 27th will apparently bring the BlackBerry "Monza" -- or whatever they're calling it these days -- which will apparently cost "under $200" on contract.

August 17th is when the BlackBery Bold Touch may roll out, and the August 31st is when we could finally see the BlackBerry Apollo.

There's a Nokia Nuron 4G (codename Panda) listed for September 21st, priced under $150 with a small 3.2-inch 640 x 360 display and Symbian on board.

Samsung's Hercules will apparently pull its weight September 26th. We can't wait.

November 2nd will bring a pair of LG phones, the Maxx and Maxx Q, the latter of which will have a QWERTY keyboard.

Not bad, eh? And those are only the devices that have a date -- hit the source link for speculation about some of the more obscure items, including the Samsung Dumont, LG Optimus II, and the HTC Bresson and G-Infinity.

Nokia N9 gets teaser video, Rick Springfield soundtrack (update: it's running MeeGo)

Posted: 17 May 2011 04:59 PM PDT

Sure, we've known of the Nokia N9's existence for some time now, a fact made all the more real by the handset's recent FCC appearance, but is a phone really real until its gets its first dramatic ad spot? Pocketnow managed to score a teaser for the upcoming QWERTY slider -- not the first time we've seen this thing on video, as those who can remember as far back as 2010 will recall. Interestingly, the UI seems to be consistent with the Anna release of Symbian rather than something totally unique to MeeGo -- though elements like the status bar and multitasking appear different from what we've seen of that version of Symbian. Also, if you don't blink, you'll see the 12MP camera with Carl Zeiss lens and the chiclet keyboard. As for the live version of "Jessie's Girl," that's anyone's guess.

Update: General consensus is that the N9 is running Meego. We also noticed after watching the video a couple times that the camera is autofocus instead of EDoF (see enhanced video frame after the break), which is excellent news!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Bing adds Facebook 'friend effect' to search, hopes you 'Like' it

Posted: 17 May 2011 04:36 PM PDT

If you'll recall, Google has been pushing social integration into its search algorithm quite aggressively for the past few months; lest we forget the versatile +1 button. Not to be out done by Team Google's spider-crawling and link-snatching ways, Microsoft has announced full-on Facebook integration for Bing. They're referring to it as, the "Friend Effect." So, what's the difference?

While Google's approach aggregates its standard search results with shared content from the social networks you've manually linked to your account, Bing's approach relies upon the ol' Facebook "Like" button. Basically, Microsoft found that most people usually want opinions from friends and family before they make a decision on something. So by including friends' and families' Facebook-based Likes in the search results the company lets you know their input without ever having to ask. At the same time, Microsoft has added a universal like button to the Bing Toolbar that you can use to mark your approval on anything you find on the web, which in turn, can help out your friends' searches in a socially, antisocial kind of way. Bing uses "Collective IQ" of the internet hive-mind to optimize search results should your friends lack opinions about your interests.

Bing's Friend Effect search integration is pretty interesting stuff, and it could definitely offer a compelling alternative to Google's social search approach if your Facebook "friends" can truly be classified as such. Check out the videos after the break if you want more detail, and be sure to let us know what team you're on in the comments below.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;vid=243216f7-9941-4f48-a2d0-2065e06a47b5&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;src=SLPl:embed::uuids&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fg=sharenoembed" href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;vid=243216f7-9941-4f48-a2d0-2065e06a47b5&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;src=SLPl:embed::uuids&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Facebook Friends Now Fueling Faster Decisions on Bing"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Video: Facebook Friends Now Fueling Faster Decisions on Bing&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;vid=d4847c17-86be-449f-89da-bc5ad973d7ce&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;src=SLPl:embed::uuids&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fg=sharenoembed" href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;vid=d4847c17-86be-449f-89da-bc5ad973d7ce&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;src=SLPl:embed::uuids&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Bing Puts User Control at the Center of Search Experience"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Video: Bing Puts User Control at the Center of Search Experience&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;vid=08b7f661-fc34-4167-996a-7a47e47a5f0c&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;src=SLPl:embed::uuids&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fg=sharenoembed" href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;vid=08b7f661-fc34-4167-996a-7a47e47a5f0c&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;src=SLPl:embed::uuids&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Bing Brings "Friend Effect" to Search"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Video: Bing Brings "Friend Effect" to Search&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

AT&T sideloading officially a go, designed to allow Amazon Appstore downloads

Posted: 17 May 2011 04:02 PM PDT

It's the end of an era, folks. See that block of text up there? That's AT&T's promise not to keep you from installing whatever Android apps you choose. Starting with the Samsung Infuse 4G, you can expect the carrier's new Google-powered phones to have that all-important "Unknown sources" box available to toggle at will. As we heard in March, the measure was designed to let third-party markets like the Amazon Appstore function properly, but don't let that keep you from having a little fun -- we're sure your own repurposed creations are just as good. Of course, none of this helps your existing AT&T droid one bit... unless it's also true that the Aria, Captivate and Inspire 4G will also have sideloading enabled ASAP. We can hope.

Nintendo 3DS to get free WiFi access in Best Buy stores, Best Buy hopes you'll buy stuff

Posted: 17 May 2011 03:28 PM PDT

Man, Best Buy really wants you to step foot in its stores. The company just announced a deal with Nintendo whereby 3DS owners will get free WiFi access in more than 1,000 of the company's stores starting on June 7th -- not quite Sam's Club-style, but it's a start. And with that connection, dubbed SpotPass, people will have access to special, downloadable content such as gaming extras and movie trailers. So come June, get ready to drive down to your local Best Buy -- no pressure to buy anything once you're inside, of course. Don't have a 3DS? You can pick one up for a suggested retail price of $249.99. Don't like purchasing things? Well, you're no fun at all.

Show full PR text

Nintendo and Best Buy to Bring Custom Downloadable Content to Nintendo 3DS Owners

Nintendo 3DS Will Connect Automatically to Best Buy Wireless Hot Spots

REDMOND, Wash. & MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nintendo and retail partner Best Buy are collaborating to give Nintendo 3DS™ owners customized, automatic wireless access at some 1,000 select Best Buy store locations nationwide beginning June 7. Once connected, the service will provide access to a variety of fun content via the system's built-in Wi-Fi functionality, including the new SpotPass™ feature. The Best Buy service will also include exclusive offers as well as additional entertainment content such as gaming extras and movie trailers. Nintendo 3DS, which lets people see 3D visuals without the need for special glasses, launched March 27 at a suggested retail price of $249.99.

"We want our customers to fully tap into the potential of their Nintendo 3DS device, so we're pleased to offer free access to special Wi-Fi and SpotPass content in-store"

"Nintendo 3DS turns the page in portable gaming not just because of the stunning, glasses-free 3D visuals, but also in the way it keeps people connected to their friends, their games and their world," said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Best Buy provides a firsthand look at the platform with experts to help people understand everything it offers."

"We want our customers to fully tap into the potential of their Nintendo 3DS device, so we're pleased to offer free access to special Wi-Fi and SpotPass content in-store," said Chris Homeister, senior vice president of entertainment for Best Buy. "As a retail partner for SpotPass, this is another way that we're delivering best-in-class gaming experiences at our stores across the country."

Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo3ds.com.

Rescue robots map and explore dangerous buildings, prove there's no 'I' in 'team' (video)

Posted: 17 May 2011 02:58 PM PDT

We've seen robots do some pretty heroic things in our time, but engineers from Georgia Tech, the University of Pennsylvania and Cal Tech have now developed an entire fleet of autonomous rescue vehicles, capable of simultaneously mapping and exploring potentially dangerous buildings -- without allowing their egos to get in the way. Each wheeled bot measures just one square foot in size, carries a video camera capable of identifying doorways, and uses an on-board laser scanner to analyze walls. Once gathered, these data are processed using a technique known as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), which allows each bot to create maps of both familiar and unknown environments, while constantly recording and reporting its current location (independently of GPS). And, perhaps best of all, these rescue Roombas are pretty team-oriented. Georgia Tech professor Henrik Christensen explains:

"There is no lead robot, yet each unit is capable of recruiting other units to make sure the entire area is explored. When the first robot comes to an intersection, it says to a second robot, 'I'm going to go to the left if you go to the right.'"

This egalitarian robot army is the spawn of a research initiative known as the Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology (MAST) Collaborative Technology Alliance Program, sponsored by the US Army Research Laboratory. The ultimate goal is to shrink the bots down even further and to expand their capabilities. Engineers have already begun integrating infrared sensors into their design and are even developing small radar modules capable of seeing through walls. Roll past the break for a video of the vehicles in action, along with full PR.

Show full PR text

Team Robot: Autonomous Vehicles Collaborate to Explore, Map Buildings

May 15, 2011 Atlanta

There isn't a radio-control handset in sight as several small robots roll briskly up the hallways of an office building. Working by themselves and communicating only with one another, the vehicles divide up a variety of exploration tasks -- and within minutes have transmitted a detailed floor map to humans nearby.

This isn't a future-tech scenario. This advanced autonomous capability has been developed by a team from the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania and the California Institute of Technology/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). A paper describing this capability and its present level of performance was presented in April at the SPIE Defense, Security and Sensing Conference in Orlando, Fla.

"When first responders -- whether it's a firefighter in downtown Atlanta or a soldier overseas -- confront an unfamiliar structure, it's very stressful and potentially dangerous because they have limited knowledge of what they're dealing with," said Henrik Christensen, a team member who is a professor in the Georgia Tech College of Computing and director of the Robotics and Intelligent Machines Center there. "If those first responders could send in robots that would quickly search the structure and send back a map, they'd have a much better sense of what to expect and they'd feel more confident."

The ability to map and explore simultaneously represents a milestone in the Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology (MAST) Collaborative Technology Alliance Program, a major research initiative sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. The five-year program is led by BAE Systems and includes numerous principal and general members comprised largely of universities.

MAST's ultimate objective is to develop technologies that will enable palm-sized autonomous robots to help humans deal with civilian and military challenges in confined spaces. The program vision is for collaborative teams of tiny devices that could roll, hop, crawl or fly just about anywhere, carrying sensors that detect and send back information critical to human operators.

The wheeled platforms used in this experiment measure about one foot square. But MAST researchers are working toward platforms small enough to be held in the palm of one hand. Fully autonomous and collaborative, these tiny robots could swarm by the scores into hazardous situations.

The MAST program involves four principal research teams: integration, microelectronics, microsystems mechanics, and processing for autonomous operation. Georgia Tech researchers are participating in every area except microelectronics. In addition to the College of Computing, researchers from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), the School of Aerospace Engineering and the School of Physics are involved in MAST work.

The experiment -- developed by the Georgia Tech MAST processing team -- combines navigation technology developed by Georgia Tech with vision-based techniques from JPL and network technology from the University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to Christensen, members of the Georgia Tech processing team involved in the demonstration include Professor Frank Dellaert of the College of Computing and graduate students Alex Cunningham, Manohar Paluri and John G. Rogers III. Regents professor Ronald C. Arkin of the College of Computing and Tom Collins of GTRI are also members of the Georgia Tech processing team.

In the experiment, the robots perform their mapping work using two types of sensors – a video camera and a laser scanner. Supported by onboard computing capability, the camera locates doorways and windows, while the scanner measures walls. In addition, an inertial measurement unit helps stabilize the robot and provides information about its movement.

Data from the sensors are integrated into a local area map that is developed by each robot using a graph-based technique called simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). The SLAM approach allows an autonomous vehicle to develop a map of either known or unknown environments, while also monitoring and reporting on its own current location.

SLAM's flexibility is especially valuable in areas where global positioning system (GPS) service is blocked, such as inside buildings and in some combat zones, Christensen said. When GPS is active, human handlers can use it to see where their robots are. But in the absence of global location information, SLAM enables the robots to keep track of their own locations as they move.

"There is no lead robot, yet each unit is capable of recruiting other units to make sure the entire area is explored," Christensen explained. "When the first robot comes to an intersection, it says to a second robot, 'I'm going to go to the left if you go to the right.'"

Christensen expects the robots' abilities to expand beyond mapping soon. One capability under development by a MAST team involves tiny radar units that could see through walls and detect objects -- or humans -- behind them. Infrared sensors could also support the search mission by locating anything giving off heat. In addition, a MAST team is developing a highly flexible "whisker" to sense the proximity of walls, even in the dark.

The processing team is designing a more complex experiment for the coming year to include small autonomous aerial platforms for locating a particular building, finding likely entry points and then calling in robotic mapping teams. Demonstrating such a capability next year would culminate progress in small-scale autonomy during MAST's first five years, Christensen said.

In addition to the three universities, other MAST team participants are North Carolina A&T State University, the University of California Berkeley, the University of Maryland, the University of Michigan, the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and two companies: BAE Systems and Daedalus Flight Systems.

Apple proposing smaller SIM standard?

Posted: 17 May 2011 02:37 PM PDT

It looks like the Micro SIM (announced with Apple's first iPad last year) is destined to shed a few more grams, an Orange spokeswoman said -- contradicting an earlier rumor claiming that Apple is trying to kill off the chip altogether. SIM cards in their current form have been in use for over a decade (a Micro SIM is simply a standard chip without the extra plastic), and today's devices look nothing like the cell phones of 2001, so it's no surprise that the SIM we've come to love and loathe has run its course. If adopted only by Apple devices, however, a new form factor would be an incredible setback for iPhone unlockers, since an unlocked device is useless unless multiple carriers offer a compatible SIM. Apple has submitted its proposal to ETSI with support from Orange, which says we may even see the smaller SIM sliding into devices next year.

Technet

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

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