| AMD announces new, more energy efficient Embedded G-Series APUs Posted: 23 May 2011 11:32 AM PDT AMD has just rolled out two new additions to its line of Embedded G-Series APUs, combining Fusion-based processing with reduced power consumption. Both the T40E and T40R rock the same 64-bit x86 Bobcat CPU cores and DirectX 11-capable GPUs we've already seen in previous G-Series incarnations, but AMD says the pair can operate using thirty-nine percent less power than its cousins. The single core T40R boasts a thermal design power (TDP) rating of just 5.5 watts, while the dual core T40E offers a TDP of 6.4 watts. The two applications are designed for compact fanless systems, including kiosks and mobile industrial devices, though Axiomtek is apparently planning on incorporating the new APUs in a new Pico-ITX consumer PC, as well. Full PR after the break. Show full PR text New AMD Embedded G-Series APUs Provide Thirty Nine Percent Power Reduction for Fanless Designs
AMD Fusion technology, named "Best in Show" at Embedded Systems Conference, is available for full-featured, fanless embedded systems in as little as 5.5W
SUNNYVALE, Calif. -5/23/2011
AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced immediate availability of two new AMD Embedded G-Series APUs (Accelerated Processing Units) with thermal design power (TDP) ratings of 5.5 and 6.4 watts, up to a 39 percent power savings compared to earlier versions1. The very low power consumption and small 361mm² package is ideal for compact, fanless embedded systems like digital signage, kiosks, mobile industrial devices and many of the new emerging industry-standard small form factors such as Qseven. This is an unprecedented low-power offering for the embedded market that features one or two low-power x86 "Bobcat" CPU cores and a discreet class DirectX® 11-capable GPU on a single die.
"We have seen many of our embedded customers deploy fanless systems even with our 15W TDP processors in the past. Today we take the ground-breaking AMD Fusion APU well below 7W TDP and shatter the accepted traditional threshold for across-the-board fanless enablement," said Buddy Broeker, director, Embedded Solutions, AMD. "System designers can now unleash their creativity without being constrained by heat or size issues."
A fanless solution is crucial for many small embedded systems where the added cost for an active cooling system can be prohibitive or for environments where silent operation is a key requirement. Additionally, many embedded products are deployed in harsh environmental conditions where the presence of a fan represents a potential failure point for the system. The AMD Embedded G-Series platform provides enterprise-class features and performance with the reliability, cost- and power-efficiencies these systems require.
Systems based on the new low power AMD Embedded G-Series platform include an industrial mobile device from Amtek, a Pico-ITX single board computer from Axiomtek, a Qseven form factor computer-on-module from datakamp, and a fanless digital signage platform from iBASE. Additional customers are expected to bring new products to market in the coming quarters. |
| Sprint HTC EVO 4G now shipping with Gingerbread? Posted: 23 May 2011 11:07 AM PDT Lookie here, everyone -- we just pointed our browsers over to Sprint's official online store and if our eyes aren't deceiving us, the HTC EVO 4G is now shipping with Gingerbread. This is definitely news to us, as we have made some calls out to the brick-and-mortar retail stores with no indication that the carrier's top-selling phone is currently loaded with anything besides Android 2.2. It's difficult for us to fathom this being a simple typo, considering it's mentioned in four separate places, with one of them triumphantly declaring "now with Android 2.3." We're still waiting to get official confirmation from Sprint, and we'll have an update on their response for you as soon as we get our hands on it. In the meantime, take a look at the source link for yourself. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: We received word from Sprint that the inclusion of Gingerbread was an unfortunate mistake, and that it plans to upgrade the EVO 4G as soon as it can. |
| Red Flag Software, others announce MeeGo-based operating systems Posted: 23 May 2011 10:45 AM PDT We're still waiting for a peek at some new hardware, but today's MeeGo Conference in San Francisco has now produced an announcement of another sort. Four companies -- including Red Flag Software, Linpus, 4tiitoo AG, and China Standard Software Company -- have announced that they're each planning to incorporate MeeGo 1.2 into their new MeeGo-based operating systems. All four will be geared towards tablets and feature a "MeeGo-based user interface," while the ones from Red Flag and Linpus will also apparently support netbooks. Head on past the break for Red Flag's press release, and look for its OS to make an appearance at Computex in just over a week's time. Show full PR text Red Flag Software Announces Tablet OS Based on MeeGo v1.2
SAN FRANCISCO, May 23, 2011 – Today at the MeeGo* Conference, Red Flag Software, the largest and most rapidly developed Linux vendor in China, announced plans to deliver one of the first tablet operating systems based on the MeeGo open source software platform.
The Red Flag Midinux Tablet Edition operating system will incorporate the MeeGo v1.2 common code base and a user experience built by Red Flag Software that uses the MeeGo user interface building blocks and demonstrates the flexibility MeeGo offers companies to differentiate their products. The tablet demonstration will be unveiled at Computex in Taipei May 31 to June 4, 2011.
Red Flag Midinux Tablet Edition is a MeeGo v1.2 compatible turn-key solution optimized for Intel® Atom™ processors. Red Flag offers full commercial support for customers with MeeGo-compliant pre-integrated and pre-validated 3rd party applications. Working with open source and commercial applications, Red Flag provides differentiated value-add service for customers.
"MeeGo will benefit our Midinux product line by spanning multiple platforms from Embedded devices to desktop computing," Said Xingguo Shi, vice president of Red Flag, "Midinux Tablet Edition offers ease of use and better finger operation on the device. To most of our customers, Midinux means rapid customization, commercial quality and seamless transition from now on."
MeeGo is an open source operating system project governed by the Linux Foundation. MeeGo provides an operating system framework optimized for Intel® Atom™ processor-based devices across platforms, including netbooks, tablets, in-vehicle infotainment system, handhelds and more.
"MeeGo continues to gain momentum as evidenced by Red Flag's commitment to creating Midinux Tablet with MeeGo v1.2," said Ram Peddibhotla, director System Software Marketing, Software and Services Group, Intel. "The MeeGo software platform gives developers a faster and easy way to deliver intuitive and compelling user experiences. MeeGo provides a world of opportunities for device manufacturers and operating system vendors alike."
In addition to the Red Flag Midinux Tablet Edition operating system, Red Flag plans to upgrade their MeeGo based in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) products and Netbook inMini 2010 to MeeGo v1.2. Red Flag's MeeGo-based IVI operating systems are shipping today with BlueStar systems in Hawtai B11 and Geely EC8 cars in China. |
| HTC EVO 3D priced at $200 on contract, free pack-ins cost your dignity Posted: 23 May 2011 10:37 AM PDT You've been able to pre-order an HTC EVO 3D since last week, but it involved a bit of a leap of faith since both price and release date were unannounced. Well, we can now solve at least one of those mysteries -- the EVO 3D will run you the industry standard $200 with a 2-year contract, while the commitment averse can snatch one up for $500. You can save yourself an extra $100 by picking yours up at RadioShack and trading in your EVO 4G or Shift 4G. Obviously, you'll still have to plunk down for the monthly "premium data add-on" and exactly when you'll be able to start leaving fingerprints all over that glasses-free 3D screen is still anybody's guess but, hey, at least it comes with a free copy of The Green Hornet and the Black Eyed Peas' Phenomenon. You know, because while a high-end smartphone may cost $200 on contract, good taste is priceless. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Kogeto Dot brings bite-size panoramic video recording to iPhone 4 (hands-on) Posted: 23 May 2011 10:05 AM PDT We've seen panorama add-ons for the iPhone before, but Kogeto's offering is quite a bit more pocketable than other crowd-funded solutions. The Kogeto Dot snaps onto an iPhone 4 in your choice of pastel colors, and catches 360-degree video when placed face down. It's got an accompanying iOS app that will un-distort the video for sharing, or even broadcast it on the net in real time. We got to check out a prototype, and though there's still some residual distortion at this point in time, we're assured that it'll all get straightened out if and when the project meets its funding goal. Interestingly (and annoyingly), this implementation requires your iPhone be held perpendicular rather than upright, making previewing a capture virtually impossible until after you've stopped the recording, which seems unnatural to us. Combine that with a minimum Kickstarter pledge of $98 to secure one of your own, and suddenly the less-portable and lower-degree alternatives start sounding a little more attractive. If you're still interested, hit the source link below and get in on the action. Promo video after the break. |
| Xi3 modular PC reborn as Chrome OS desktop, promises independence from local storage Posted: 23 May 2011 09:37 AM PDT Chromebooks a tad too mobile for you? Sensing the market is at last ready for Google's web-based OS, Xi3 decided to ship the ChromiumPC, an updated version of the modular, Chrome OS-based desktop it trotted out as a concept last year. The computer (also known as the 5 Series) has a processor module and two I/O ones -- a design whose promise is that installing a different operating system should be as easy as swapping out that first board. And, cheekily, the company expects it to go on sale July 4th, a day when Chromium OS owners can "declare their independence from the built-in obsolescence of other computers." Got that, folks? Your mature operating system and local storage are useless. No word yet on pricing, so here's hoping Chrome OS isn't a moot point or anything by the time we find out. Full PR after the break. Show full PR text Xi3 Corporation Announces Its ChromiumPC Modular Computer – the World's First Desktop Computer Running Google's Chrome Operating System
Based upon the patented Xi3 Computer Architecture, the ChromiumPC computer is a cube-like, small form factor, low-power (20Watts) dual-core modular computer that can be adapted to run other operating systems or to perform specialized functions. Xi3 Corp. has been developing the ChromiumPC since 2009. Pricing will be disclosed later this year, with General Availability expected in the second half of 2011.
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Xi3® Corporation today announced its ChromiumPC™ modular computer, the world's first desktop computer designed to run Google's Chrome operating system.
"Based upon feedback and interest from our initial proof-of-concept and evaluation customers, we have already begun developing new Primary and Secondary I/O Modules"
First disclosed by Xi3 Corp. in 2009, the ChromiumPC is a version of the company's Xi3 Modular Computer™ which was formally unveiled in 2010 and named by the Consumer Electronics Association as an Innovations Award Winner in the Computer Hardware category for the 2011 International CES trade show.
"The Xi3 Computer Architecture is designed to support any x86-based operating system, including Windows, Linux, Unix, and other open source-based operating systems," said Jason A. Sullivan, president and CEO of Xi3 Corp. "Although we've been promoting, discussing and working on modular computers for some time, we feel the market is now ready for a desktop computer with a cloud-based operating system like the one offered by Google. If someone chooses to switch their ChromiumPC to run a different operating system, it's as easy as swapping out one of the three boards inside the computer.
"Historically, the vast majority of operating systems have been installed and run locally on computers. But as technology has advanced and people have become more and more comfortable with using Web-based applications and storing data away from their computer, specifically 'in the cloud,' it only makes sense that operating systems will become cloud-based. In fact, we expect that over time we'll see many operating systems that are wire-bound and require the computer to be connected to the Internet to run, and we will likely support these new operating systems as well."
Modularity Explained for the ChromiumPC and Xi3 Modular Computer
Each Xi3 Modular Computer, including the ChromiumPC, is housed in an aluminum chassis that holds three small but interconnected boards (or modules), namely
The Processor Module™,
The Primary I/O Module™, and
The Secondary I/O Module™.
Taken in concert these three modules form the basis of what has been the classic motherboard, with the Processor Module housing the microprocessor and RAM, the Primary I/O Module typically housing the majority of the external communications ports, and the Secondary I/O Module typically housing Ethernet, video and power connections.
Unlike traditional computers, however, the Xi3 Computer Architecture makes it possible to change the so-called personality and/or functionality of an Xi3 Modular Computer, including the ChromiumPC. This is done in eight easy steps:
1. Power down and disconnect the Modular Computer from all external connections
2. Remove the four screws from one of the honeycomb-shaped and chrome-plated sideplates
3. Remove the sideplate from the Modular Computer chassis
4. Slide the three interconnected modules out of the chassis
5. Remove one of the I/O Modules and replace it with a new I/O Module
6. Reinsert the three interconnected modules back inside the chassis
7. Reattach the sideplate to the chassis
8. Reconnect all external connections and power-up the Modular Computer
"Based upon feedback and interest from our initial proof-of-concept and evaluation customers, we have already begun developing new Primary and Secondary I/O Modules," Sullivan explained. "We also have partners beginning to develop their own proprietary I/O Modules as well. We expect to have the first of our new I/O Modules available during this summer, each of which will work with the ChromiumPC, as well as Xi3 Modular Computers that run other operating systems."
The ChromiumPC will be powered by a dual- or single-core 64-bit, x86-based processor, housed in a chassis measuring 4.0- x 3.656- x 3.656-inches and available in multiple colors, including a chrome-plated chassis. ChromiumPC pricing will be announced later this year, with additional specifications announced at that time. General availability for the ChromiumPC is expected in the second half of 2011.
General Availability of the Xi3 Modular Computer Slated for the 4th of July
"Given today's announcement about our plans for the ChromiumPC, we felt it important to also let our friends know that formal sales of the Xi3 Modular Computer will begin on July 4, 2011," Sullivan said. "Since the Xi3 Computer Architecture allows owners of the Xi3 Modular Computer to declare their independence from the built-in obsolescence of other computers, we felt that American Independence Day would be a great day to begin selling the 5 Series model of the Xi3 Modular Computer."
More details about the General Availability of the Xi3 Modular Computer (5 Series model) will be available before the 4th of July. |
| Smartphone buyer's guide: the best phones for Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and more! Posted: 23 May 2011 09:00 AM PDT The world of smartphones changes mighty quickly, and if you blink, you're bound to miss the latest and most delectable devices. That's where we come in, to provide timely roundups of everything your friends expect you to know, along with the insight that you crave. To bring you up to speed, in our December buyer's guide, at first blush you might have thought we were doing an overview of the best Android phones on the market. That's because of our 16 highly-esteemed handsets, a whopping 13 of them had Google's operating system at the core. As you'll see, the landscape has changed somewhat, and these new contenders that have come out swinging. We've broken down this buyer's guide by mobile carrier, each including the best handset money can buy, our favorite QWERTY alternative, and the most well-rounded budget phone available (with $79 as the absolute ceiling). For smaller US providers, we're providing a single selection, though we're confident it's a good one. You'll definitely be presented with some difficult choices, but that's merely a testament to the abundance of stellar phones that aggressively compete for your dollar. With that said, let's dive in -- it's roundup time.
Verizon The Droid Charge from Samsung is hands-down the most desirable VIP pass to Verizon's LTE network. Granted, the HTC Thunderbolt will also get you there, but its poor battery life and hotspot cycling issues are difficult to ignore. Meanwhile, the Charge's pedestrian exterior belies the overall satisfaction you'll find with this device -- immediately apparent once its Super AMOLED Plus display comes to life. At its core is a wonderfully responsive Hummingbird processor, and the 1,600mAh battery promises to carry you confidently throughout the day (and well into the next). The $299 price tag may be difficult to swallow, but it's offset by Verizon's inclusion of a massive 32GB microSD card. Topping it all off, the Charge sports an HDMI port for quality entertainment and a camera that's sure to thrill. If a keyboard is what you're after...  The Droid 2 Global is the finest QWERTY handset you'll find on Verizon, and we say that without reservation. First off, it doesn't have much competition -- its closest rivals are the Droid Pro or an aging BlackBerry Bold. Fortunately, this Android slider provides a solid option with a 1.2GHz processor and support for roaming abroad. Its keyboard is spacious, and while it's not perfect, even those with big fingers should get along just fine. The 3.7-inch, 854 x 480 display provides some appreciated space when compared to typical WVGA offerings, however its 5 megapixel shooter will leave you begging Motorola to take photography more seriously. All in all, the Droid 2 Global is a bit of a compromise, but if you're willing to accept the trade-off, it can be yours for $149 on contract. The Vortex is a re-badged LG handset that's linked to its familiar Optimus One heritage. Unlike its siblings, however, this phone received a make-over by Verizon, which subverted Google's software by pre-installing Bing Maps and Bing Search onto the device. That's not to say it's a bad thing, but it's a departure from the norm for this series. The Vortex features 3G Mobile Hotspot connectivity, along with Skype and VZ Navigator. You'll find the phone houses an admirable touchscreen, along with a really solid camera. Unfortunately, Verizon seems intent to charge for its custom work on this LG, seeing that its Optimus counterparts on Sprint and T-Mobile are free. AT&T AT&T is now flush with stellar top-shelf offerings, including Motorola's Atrix 4G, the Samsung Infuse 4G, and yes... Apple's iPhone 4. While the choice was by no means easy, we continue to be enamored by this stalwart companion. For daily use, the iPhone 4 delivers the most balanced approach to consumer needs by providing snappy performance combined with battery life that's a cut above the rest. Its Retina Display remains the standard for comparison, and while the screen is small, reading text on web pages is a thoroughly pleasurable experience. A year after its introduction, the iPhone 4 still packs serious multimedia prowess -- the 5 megapixel camera captures beautiful imagery, and the iPod functionality simply can't be beaten... though, Music Beta is certainly gunning to level that playing field. If a keyboard is what you're after...  Sure, the LG Quantum is unlikely to win a Hamilton in any beauty contest, but encased within its rubbery exterior you'll find a QWERTY keyboard that's really quite decent. Once in hand, your impression of its frumpy appearance will quickly melt away, thanks to its curvy lines and soft-touch shell. The WP7 slider features a 1GHz Snapdragon, 16GB of internal storage, and a 3.5-inch, 800 x 480 display that's sufficiently bright and clear. The Quantum's 5 megapixel camera features a dedicated 2-stage shutter button, though its lens is easily outmatched by more sophisticated offerings. Grab this handset for $49 on contract, and you just might realize that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. If your primary objective is to score the most phone for the least amount of coin, the Samsung Focus is unequivocally the best find on AT&T. For a minor outlay of cash, you'll be treated to an excellent Super AMOLED display, a speedy Snapdragon processor, and a 5 megapixel camera that's quite splendid. Yes, its 8GB on-board storage is small, but you can expand the overall capacity with a "certified" microSD card. Voice quality is superb on the Focus, thanks to the phone's top-notch earpiece and ambient noise filtering. All these virtues are packed into a 10mm slim device, and you'll have trouble finding a suitable alternative at twice the price. Sprint Sprint knew well before releasing the Nexus S 4G that it had a winner on its hands. What else could you expect when snappy WiMAX gets added to one of the best Android phones on the market? While the 5 megapixel camera doesn't reach the top echelons of shooters, it'll satisfy most needs with aplomb. What's more, the phone includes NFC support, which is good insurance for the future. Perhaps most importantly, however, the Nexus S 4G delivers a stock Android 2.3 experience that enthusiasts will adore and everyone else will appreciate without realizing why. If a keyboard is what you're after...  For those who love big, spacious keyboards, the Samsung Epic 4G is an absolute triumph. Its five-row QWERTY is revealed by a sliding mechanism that's sturdy and confident, letting you compose long messages while proof-reading on that beautiful 4-inch, 800 x 480 Super AMOLED display. Naturally, the handset blazes thanks a 1GHz Hummingbird processor paired with Sprint's WiMAX network, and the camera is an absolute delight. Unlike the original GSM Galaxy S phones, the Epic 4G includes an LED flash that's got you covered in low-light situations. Although its 720p video capture isn't perfect, it's still quite pleasing, and we really appreciate Samsung's inclusion of a VGA cam up front. There's a lot to love with this one, and it can be yours for $149 on contract. The LG Optimus S is a fantastic bit of engineering and, unless you're shooting for the high-end, this should absolutely be your next phone on the Now Network. The handset is eminently capable, featuring zippy performance, a pleasing touchscreen, and a sensible camera that's controlled from a 2-stage shutter button. While we'd love to see an LED flash, it's easy to appreciate the inclusion of a compass, accelerometer, GPS navigation, and mobile hotspot capabilities. If you're not sure whether Android is just a passing fad, Sprint invites you to take the OS for a two-year test drive -- and it's footing the bill. T-Mobile The G2x currently sits atop a rather high pedestal over at T-Mobile. That's because it's brought NVIDIA's 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 along for the ride -- where it meets a vivid 4-inch IPS display, an excellent 8 megapixel shooter, and a 1.3 megapixel cam in front -- all encased within an elegantly thin 10mm profile. What's more, this multimedia powerhouse beautifully captures video at 1080p for display over HDMI. The G2x ships with a stock version of Android 2.2, and while it's not Gingerbread, we're big fans of vanilla Froyo around these parts. If a keyboard is what you're after...  Previously holding T-Mobile's pole position, the G2 continues as the best QWERTY phone on the network. Once you get past its unique "z-hinge" feature, you're presented with one of HTC's finest keyboards to date. While the 800MHz processor is being lapped by the competition, it'll easily keep pace with most common users thanks to stock Android underpinnings. Photography lovers will appreciate the dedicated 2-stage shutter button, which commands a 5 megapixel camera and LED flash. The 3.7-inch, 800 x 480 touchscreen features a Super LCD display, and while its visibility fades in direct sunlight, its beautiful in more suitable conditions. The G2 remains one of the most desirable phones available, and can be yours for $149 on contract. The Nokia Astound represents a rare opportunity for budget-oriented consumers. Wrapped inside this gorgeous handset, you'll find an eye-catching AMOLED display that stays bright and vibrant when outdoors. Turn the phone around and you'll discover a stellar Extended Depth of Field camera that's paired with a dual-LED flash. While the focus-free nature of this lens means you'll struggle with macro shots, EDoF actually enhances the already smooth 720p video capture. Surprisingly, the Astound also features NFC, which is uncommon at any price. Users will need to wait for a software update to enable the functionality, however, since it's disabled by default. If you're looking to turn heads without breaking the bank, the Nokia Astound will surely fulfill its promise. US Cellular US Cellular is a regional provider that openly prides itself on treating customers fairly. It's also started taking the Android platform very seriously, and the Samsung Mesmerize is the clear front-runner of the pack. Users will find a brilliant Super AMOLED display, a nimble Hummingbird processor, and a camera that's thoroughly competent for still pictures and 720p video. While 384MB of RAM is a bit tight, we're rather pleased by the inclusion of an LED flash on this CDMA variant. Quite simply, everything about this phone falls right into place. Cricket, MetroPCS, and Virgin Mobile At the risk of sounding repetitive, we really like the LG Optimus One entry-level candybars. In fact, you've already seen it (twice) as our budget pick for Sprint and Verizon. While locating a good handset on regional and MVNO carriers is sometimes a mixed bag, LG hit it out of the park with this one. Put simply, it's a well-built, fully-featured phone that's reasonably speedy and doesn't bite off more than it can chew. Users are treated to a rather nice display, integrated WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, AGPS, a compass, and an accelerometer. The camera pleases, and even though we'd love to see an LED flash playing accompaniment, you're sure to capture some really attractive photos given sufficient lighting. Cincinnati Bell Cincinnati Bell is a newcomer to the list, but the carrier's AWS service is rather popular in its home territory that's bunched around southeast Indiana, southwest Ohio, and northern Kentucky. Its subscribers have several smartphones to choose from, including the Dell Streak 5 and Venue Pro, several BlackBerry handsets, and a smattering of Androids from Motorola, Huawei and Alcatel. For us, though -- and this goes for Cincinnati Bell customers -- the Samsung Vibrant is the certainly the phone to buy. We think its Super AMOLED display is absolutely alluring, and we're quite pleased by the photography skills in this Galaxy S handset. Unfortunately there's no LED flash, but we'll keep driving this point home until manufacturers take note. Meanwhile, as Engadget editors rail against such oversights, we hope you'll be cruising along with this snappy Hummingbird processor, and capturing happy memories in 720p glory. Any carrier If you have poor impulse control... If you're willing (and able) to put a dent into your budget, we highly recommend the Samsung Galaxy S II -- you get one of the hottest handsets available today, along with a smug sense of knowing that it's better than everyone else's. In the same breath, the Galaxy S II brings an incremental yet monumental leap forward for smartphones with a bleeding-edge dual-core processor that's thrilling to command and a WVGA display that's quite simply jaw-dropping. If you can exercise a bit of patience, you'll likely be rewarded with subsidized models that we're expecting to debut in the US as the AT&T Attain, Verizon Function and Sprint Within (plus the rumored 4.5-inch super-sized " Hercules" for T-Mobile). If you want instant gratification...  There are plenty of fantastic mobile phones out there, but glitz and glamour aside, we're convinced the Nexus S is the most well-rounded smartphone on the market today. Sure, its display isn't the most pimpin' and there's nothing dual-core about it, but its proven track record of receiving timely updates cannot be underestimated. With availability on T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T bands, there's great opportunity to use the Nexus S on your network of choice. In addition, we firmly believe that Android shines most brightly when it's free of superfluous skins and manufacturer meddling. Myriam Joire and Darren Murph contributed to this report. |
| ZMP RoboCar ditches driver, creates own map (video) Posted: 23 May 2011 08:42 AM PDT How does a self-driving car know where it's going? By using a map, of course -- preferably a self-generated one. In yet another video exemplifying breakneck golf-cart-like speeds, the ZMP RoboCar shows us that it doesn't need a driver to know where it's going. At least, not the second time it goes there. After a few minutes with a fleshy friend behind the wheel, the autonomous automobile can safely steer itself around curves, roundabouts, and fountains. It may not be able to keep pace with Google's tire-squealing, automated Prius, but at least we know it can see where it's going. |
| Somnus Sleep Shirt watches while you sleep, won't be creepy about it (video) Posted: 23 May 2011 08:21 AM PDT  Monitoring sleep patterns usually involves a hydra of sensors that keep track of brain activity, muscle movements and heart rates, but a startup called Nyx Devices has developed a new night shirt that can evaluate the quality of a user's slumber by analyzing only breathing patterns. The form-fitting Somnus Sleep Shirt is embedded with two sensors that keep track of a person's overnight breathing and transmit this information to a small data recorder, which slides into the lower corner of the nightie. When a user wakes up, he or she can upload their stats to Nyx's website, where they can generate more detailed analytics and log their caffeine and alcohol intake to find out how all those martini lunches affect their snoozing. Co-inventor Matt Bianchi, a sleep neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, thinks the Somnus could help patients suffering from insomnia, who often have difficulty determining how much shuteye they actually get. It's worth noting, though, that this exclusively respiratory approach is still considered experimental and Nyx still has to conduct a few at-home tests before bringing the shirt to market next year, hopefully for less than $100. Until then, we'll just keep tossing and turning in our Spider Man jammies. Stroll past the break for an appropriately soporific video.
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| Smarter elevators sort riders, stand ready to enforce social hierarchies Posted: 23 May 2011 08:01 AM PDT  While we're still awaiting pneumatic tubes that can whisk us to our destinations, elevators have been gaining a few IQ points. For example, they can be voice-activated or recognize an ID badge and route riders to their floors, meaning fewer seconds staring uncomfortably until the doors open. But they can also track workers' comings and goings, and bosses at Philadelphia's Curtis Center can program elevators to deliver specific employees directly to them. Not coincidentally, intelligent lifts can also ensure executives rarely have to ride alongside the hoi polloi -- a feature Bank of America, for one, paid for but says it doesn't use. The Wall Street Journal seems to worry this is the end of elevator democracy, but we support anything that reduces our time trapped in small metal boxes. |
| Droid 3 details leaked: dual-core processor, 4-inch qHD screen, no LTE? Posted: 23 May 2011 07:40 AM PDT You've probably already seen the leaked pictures of the Droid 3, but what you really want to know is what's going on underneath that chrome trim. TechnoBuffalo claims to have the inside scoop and it sounds like the latest landscape slider from Motorola is packing a number of nice improvements. According to a tipster the screen has been upgraded to a 4-inch qHD panel and inside is one of those fancy dual-cores all the cool phones are rockin' these days -- presumably of the Tegra 2 variety like its Droid X2 cousin. As spied in the photos it also has a new 5-row keyboard layout and front facing camera for video calls, while the rear-facing shooter is getting bumped to 8 megapixels. There is one disappointing, but not entirely shocking, detail though -- the Droid 3 will lack LTE. We can't confirm these specs, but they're perfectly logical assumptions and raise no alarms and no surprises. |
| Kobo unbuttons for $129 eReader Touch Edition, we go hands-on (video) Posted: 23 May 2011 07:32 AM PDT Kobo today kicked off Book Expo America with the launch of a new six-inch, one-button touchscreen e-reader -- named, appropriately enough, the Kobo eReader Touch Edition. Priced at $130 -- $10 cheaper than Amazon's Kindle -- the pocket-sized device strives for a reading experience more akin to that of old timey paper books, courtesy of a Zeforce infrared touchscreen, new Pearl eInk technology, and a freescale i.MX507 processor for faster page turning. Click on through for more details and our impressions of this little reader. The WiFi reader has a new search tool accessible through the virtual keyboard and highlighting technology, which makes it easier to look up words via the built-in Merriam Webster dictionary. This is the same Pearl display found on the latest Kindle, so you should know what you're getting into for contrast, but the responsiveness here is hugely improved thanks to that freescale processor. Page turns are quick and, more impressively, you can open a PDF, zoom in, and scroll around. Sure, it isn't exactly hyper-responsive, but it sure beats PDF reading on the competition and it'll help you save a few reams of paper when reviewing technical documentation. And, since that touch screen is built using IR tech that's built into the bezel, the contrast of the screen doesn't suffer -- a common complaint on the early Sony Reader Touch Edition. (Sony has since switched to the same sort of IR technology on their touchable readers, like the PRS-350SC.) Kobo's Touch Edition features syncing bookmark technology lets you pick up where you left off on multiple devices. The Touch Edition has 1GB of built-in memory, expandable up to 32GB with the microSD slot that's easily accessible on the sid. The device supports ePub, PDF, and open standards, so you can take it with you on the next trip to the library. It'll ship next month, in black, silver, blue, and white, dropping the price of its predecessor down to $99. You can pre-order it now from Borders, Best Buy, and Walmart, in both the US and Canada. Update: We updated the body of the post to clarify that Sony has adopted the same sort of IR touch tech on their newer readers, like the PRS-350SC. It was the early editions that suffered from contrast issues. |
| Amazon's Android tablet coming in 10- and 7-inch models with quad-core Tegra power? Posted: 23 May 2011 07:18 AM PDT  We've pretty much accepted that Amazon will release a proper Android tablet in 2011. The details, however, are still unclear. Enter Silicon Valley analyst, Tim Bajarin, who claims to have some inside information from his sources in Taipei. If correct, then we should see Amazon launch a 10-inch LCD tablet before the holidays. He's also heard of a 7-inch model and plans to use NVIDIA's new quad-core Tegra SoC in order to blaze a path into the crowded tablet market. Interestingly enough, Tim's sources say that Amazon wanted to use a switchable "black and white E Ink-like display and a color LCD" hybrid but the two vendors approached ( Qualcomm and Pixel Qi?) won't be ready with a suitable display until 2012 or 2013. Of course, Samsung -- the rumored DNA at the core of Amazon's tablet -- has plenty of experience with 10- and 7-inch Android tablets and the decision to go LCD aligns with those rumors of a Fringe Field Switching display reported by DigiTimes earlier this month. So while none of this is verified, at least it gives us something more to chew on while we " stay tuned" for whatever Bezos is cooking. |
| T-Mobile lauches new individual and family plans right on schedule Posted: 23 May 2011 06:52 AM PDT As rumored, T-Mobile overhauled its individual and family plans today and simplified your options to just three tiers of voice service. Individuals can choose between 500, 1,000 or unlimited minutes, with unlimited text messaging adding $10 and data add-ons ranging from $10 for 200MB to $60 for 10GB. Family plans come in 1,000, 2,000 and unlimited minute varieties while the sharable data and text services cost twice as much as their individual counterparts. There are some odd restrictions, such as the inability to add texting or data to the mid-tier plans and no choice for unlimited voice service without SMS tacked on. We do, however, like the overage-free data options that simply drop to 2G speeds when you reach your plan's threshold instead of shocking you with huge fees at the end of the month. We can also confirm that restocking fees have been bumped from $10 regardless of device to $50 for smartphones, $75 for tablets, and $25 for USB modems and "basic phone devices." Check out the sources for all the details and fine print. [Thanks, Neal] |
| Caption Contest: HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang drops by Apple's Palo Alto Store Posted: 23 May 2011 06:25 AM PDT  So what if Apple might be suing your company for millions and billions of dollars? You're Cher Wang and Cher Wang shops wherever she damn well pleases. HTC's co-founder and Chairwoman was recently photographed taking a leisurely gander at Apple's wares, with husband Wen-Chi Chen -- who just happens to be CEO of VIA Technologies -- tagging along as well. The Palo Alto Geniuses look to have been their usual friendly selves, though their failure to put an iPhone in Mrs. Wang's hands qualifies as a major missed opportunity in our eyes.
Thomas: "In Taiwan, iPhone means horse."
Josh F.: "Go ahead, cuff me if you can."
Dana: "A stylus! You know. You hold it like this."
Vlad: "Cher Wang thought impersonating a zombie would help her blend in with the Apple Store patrons. As we can tell from the unperturbed employees, she was right."
Brad: "If you can guess which hand the candy's in, you win!"
Terrence: "...and this is my trusty servant Patsy."
Amar: "I'm sorry, Mrs. Wang, we're all out of dirtbikes." |
| Invisible iPhone prototype puts the 'hand' back in 'handset' (video) Posted: 23 May 2011 06:05 AM PDT Not too long ago, the invisible iPhone was nothing more than satirical fodder for the Onion. Now, Patrick Baudisch and his team of researchers at the Hasso-Plattner Institute have moved closer to making it a reality, with a new interface that can essentially transfer an iPhone touchscreen to the palm of your hand. The device involves an Xbox-like depth camera, mounted on a tripod, that can register the movements of a person's finger across his or her palm. Special software then determines the actions these gestures would execute on a user's iPhone, before transmitting the commands to a physical phone, via WiFi radio. Unlike MIT's motion-based " sixth sense" interface, Baudisch's imaginary phone doesn't require users to learn a new dictionary of gestures, but relies solely on the muscle memory that so many smartphone users have developed. During their research, Baudisch and his colleagues found that iPhone owners could accurately determine the position of two-thirds of their apps on their palms, without even looking at their device. At the moment, the prototype still involves plenty of bulky equipment, but Baudisch hopes to eventually incorporate a smaller camera that users could wear more comfortably -- allowing them to answer their imaginary phones while doing the dishes and to spend hours chatting with their imaginary friends. Head past the break to see the prototype in action.
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| Entourage shuts down Edge content store, devices reportedly discontinued Posted: 23 May 2011 05:47 AM PDT It seems natural selection has finally caught up with the Entourage Edge. When we first reviewed the combination touchscreen/E Ink "dualbook," we wondered whether its neither-fish-nor-fowl design would catch on -- especially priced at $500. That price dropped substantially with its successor, the Pocket Edge, but neither device truly found its feet, in part because of a lack of applications and no updates beyond Android 1.6. And now comes word that the Edge store has officially closed, with customers having until May 27 to download any purchased content. It all points to RIP for the Edge family, and Good E-Reader claims to have recent confirmation from the company. In its goodbye message Entourage steers users toward the Amazon app store, where it notes "you will now have access to a lot of Android Apps that Google would never give us access to." Obvious bitterness aside, the team reportedly has a new device in the works, this time in the typical slate model. [Thanks, Roy] |
| Sony estimates $3.2b loss this year, $171 million cost for PSN breach Posted: 23 May 2011 05:26 AM PDT It has not been a good year for Sony, which was affected both by the massive earthquake in March and the PSN outage that spanned from April into May. There couldn't be any doubt that those things would have a drastic impact on the company's bottom-line, and it's now taking the time to give investors an idea of just how big an impact that could be -- even though the financial issues lie largely elsewhere. Sony is set to announce its full financial report for its fiscal year this Thursday and, to soften the blow, estimates have been revised steeply downward. Previously Sony predicted a ¥70 billion ($855 million) profit, but now thinks a ¥260 billion ($3.14 billion) loss is rather more accurate -- a ¥360 billion non-cash charge taking the wind out of ¥200 billion in operating income. The earthquake was directly blamed for a loss of ¥22 billion, but that figure could certainly grow as this estimate is only through the end of March. Additionally, Sony has provided a early guess of a ¥14 billion (about $172 million) total cost for the PSN breach. That's less than two bucks per exposed account, but again we wouldn't be surprised if it's a figure that increases through the year. You know, once the lawyers start having their fun. |
| Steve Ballmer promises 'over 500' new features in Mango, teases new WP handsets (updated) Posted: 23 May 2011 05:01 AM PDT Just how big of an upgrade will the Mango release of Windows Phone be? Try "500 new features" big. Steve Ballmer revealed that seductively round number in a speech over in Japan today, where he also said that additional information about "who's going to be building Windows Phones" will be forthcoming at tomorrow's preview event as well. Combine that with an otherwise unsubstantiated rumor (more coverage link below) about Microsoft showing nine new Windows Phone handsets tomorrow, and it does seem like there'll be fresh hardware to go with the ripening software. Neither the Mango release nor any devices on show will be coming to market any time soon, mind you, but it's nice to think we'll get to see what the future of Windows Phone will look like in physical as well as digital form. Update: We have confirmation from a reliable source that tomorrow's event will be entirely focused on the software, not the hardware. So, anybody looking for a flotilla of new handsets to be deployed had best get their favorite crying pillow handy.
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| Livescribe Connect upgrade lets you share doodles in several ways, just not wirelessly (video) Posted: 23 May 2011 04:51 AM PDT Pen pushers who took a chance on Livescribe's note-recording smartpen have benefited from some nice apps, hacks and upgrades along the way. Now the company's latest productivity-booster is a software update called Connect, which lets you share your scribbles via Email, Google Docs, Facebook and Evernote, as well as through Livescribe's own Pencast platform. Some of these sharing options were already available but Connect tries to speed things in an interesting way: by letting you set sharing instructions even as you jot down a note. Simply draw a double line and write, say, 'Facebook' or 'Google Docs' somewhere on the page, and the sharing will take place automatically the next time you sync to your Mac or PC. Most of the sharing options are free, but if you own an older Pulse model or the new entry-level $99.95 2GB Echo you'll need to buy a $15 upgrade before you can share via Email or Google Docs. Heck, we'd pay way more than that if only Livescribe would come up with a way to sync and share wirelessly -- docking this thing feels about as cutting edge as a quill. Video and full PR after the break. Show full PR text Livescribe™ Connect™ Makes Handwritten and Spoken Information Easily Shareable with Facebook, Evernote®, Google™ Docs and Email – All from Paper
Oakland, Calif. – May 23, 2011 – Livescribe Inc. (www.livescribe.com) today announced Livescribe Connect for the Echo™ and Pulse™ smartpens, a breakthrough software solution, which makes it simple for business professionals, educators and students to send their handwritten notes and recorded audio, as an interactive pencast, to the people and online applications of their choice – all from paper. Livescribe also announced the expansion of its smartpen product family with the introduction of the affordable 2GB Echo smartpen starter pack for $99.95.
Livescribe smartpens digitally capture everything people hear and write. To play back important information, a customer simply taps anywhere on handwritten notes in a Livescribe notebook, on a computer, or a mobile device. With the introduction of Livescribe Connect, consumers can quickly send pencasts from paper to applications, such as email, Google Docs, Facebook, Evernote or even their mobile devices, including the Apple® iPad® and iPhone®.
"Livescribe is liberating notes and evolving human communication, collaboration, productivity, and learning," said Jim Marggraff, CEO and Founder of Livescribe. "Millions of pages of handwritten notes are taken daily in meetings, classes, and brainstorming sessions. These notes have incredible value, but are trapped in the pages of your notebook. With Livescribe Connect, it is easy to make your handwritten notes and spoken information digital, searchable, shareable and accessible any time, anywhere with a simple tap of your smartpen."
Livescribe Connect not only makes it simple to share handwritten notes and recorded audio, as interactive pencasts, but also makes it possible for anyone to interact with the information as a Pencast PDF. The Pencast PDF leverages Adobe's ubiquitous, business-standard PDF format – now anyone with the free Adobe Reader® 10 or higher can easily hear, see and share an interactive Pencast PDF.
"Livescribe's Pencast PDF is an innovative new use of Adobe technology that leverages the power of embedded Flash within a standard format – the PDF," said Dan Fraisl, Livescribe Chief Product Officer – Software and Services. "With Adobe's new sharing capabilities, like SendNow, Livescribe customers can also easily send large pencast files quickly and securely to colleagues and peers."
To use Livescribe Connect, a consumer simply draws a line and writes the name of the desired destination, for instance "Evernote" or "Facebook," then taps the pages or circles sections of a page to send. The next time the smartpen is docked to a computer, the notes and audio are automatically sent as a pencast.
People can also use Livescribe Connect within Livescribe's free desktop software – simply drag and drop pages of notes to Connector icons to quickly send or share them.
Livescribe supports the following connectors:
Email Connector: Handwritten notes and audio recordings from meetings or lectures are emailed using Microsoft® Exchange, Gmail™, Hotmail®, Yahoo!® Mail Plus and AOL.
Google Docs Connector: Just by drawing a line and writing "Google Docs" on paper, anyone working on a collaborative project can quickly share a pencast with his or her team.
Facebook Connector: Now the 500 million people using Facebook have a new way to share their latest thoughts –as interactive written and spoken status updates.
Evernote Connector: Send pencasts to Evernote to play back, store and search the information along with other important digital files.
Mobile/iPad Connector: Send pencasts right from paper to mobile devices, including the Apple iPad and iPhone. Play back important information on-the-go with the tap of a finger.
MyLivescribe Connector: All registered customers receive 500MB of free online storage for their pencasts. With the MyLivescribe connector, customers can easily upload and store pencasts for convenient access from mobile devices.
Computer Connector: An easy way to save and organize Pencast PDFs and other supported formats right on a computer – even designate the specific folder or shared server location where pencasts should be sent.
"For many people, pen on paper remains the primary way of capturing thoughts and ideas. This is why it's really exciting to see how far Livescribe has pushed handwritten note-taking," said Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote. "Thanks to Livescribe Connect and Evernote, a person no longer needs to choose between writing and typing. By easily sending notes to Evernote, Livescribe users can write in their notebooks and find the notes later on any phone or computer they use."
According to Forrester Research Inc.'s July 2009 independent report entitled The Personal Cloud: How Individual Computing Will Shift from Being Device-centric to Information-centric, "...digital devices and services will combine to create the personal cloud, an integrated resource for organizing, preserving, sharing and orchestrating personal information and media...users will rely on the personal cloud for retaining all their digital information. They'll also use the personal cloud to integrate with and archive information from all their favorite Web-based services that do best in their specific domains, such as Yahoo!'s Flickr for photos, Google's YouTube for video, and Microsoft's Hotmail for email. The personal cloud won't supplant those services - rather it will index, link, and present a simple, integrated view of the information across services."
Livescribe is filling a gap by bringing written and spoken information online and into the personal cloud. Livescribe recently commissioned Forrester Consulting to examine how information workers capture and share information and the role smartpens can play in improving productivity and enhancing collaboration. |
| Nissho starts selling 52-inch, glasses-free 3D TV with Full HD resolution in Japan Posted: 23 May 2011 04:18 AM PDT Remember Dimenco? A four-man splinter group of former Philips employees, the company has been hard at work refining its glasses-free 3D display tech and today some of the earliest fruit of its labor is going on sale. Nissho Electronics in Japan is beginning sales of a 52-inch LCD panel that can pump out full 1080p of 3D vision without requiring any headgear from the viewer. Initially, this big lenticular display will target businesses, who'll be among the few to be able to afford the ¥1.7 million ($20,820) asking price. Other specs include a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, 8ms response time, 700 nits of brightness, and a 60Hz refresh rate. The 3D on this TV is actually described as a unique "2D + depth" implementation, which can also be used to convert 2D images in real time. Great, now take a zero out of that price, ship it westwards, and watch the sales really take off. |
| Brazil's World Cup host cities first in line to get 4G upgrades Posted: 23 May 2011 03:54 AM PDT Well, it looks like folks in Brazil that live in one of the twelve host cities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup now have another reason to be glad their city was chosen. The Brazilian government has just announced that those cities will be the first in line to get 4G service when the country's long overdue network upgrades eventually begin. Unfortunately, it's still not clear exactly when that will happen -- a government official only said that companies will go through a bidding process to win the contract for the network, which should presumably roll out sometime before the World Cup kicks off in three years' time. |
| Dell XPS 15z coming tomorrow for $999? (updated) Posted: 23 May 2011 03:19 AM PDT The thinnest 15-inch laptop "on the planet" is coming tomorrow, costing a measly $999, according to the Wall Street Journal. In a profile of Dell's recent history and forthcoming plans in the consumer electronics market, the financial paper twice makes reference to an ultrathin, $999 laptop that is set to launch on Tuesday of this week. Pairing that intel with the abundance of leaks surrounding the slinky 15.6-inch XPS 15z -- including a Michael Dell tweet promising it's " coming soon" -- leads us to the conclusion that we've finally gotten ahold of the price and date for Dell's next big thing. Interestingly enough, the WSJ article goes on to say that Dell had canned a similar set of slim laptops earlier in the year, which might give us greater hope for the quality of the 15z -- it survived where others didn't. Other disclosures in the piece include a quote from Michael Dell, saying that he "didn't completely see" the tablet boom coming, which might explain why sales of his company's Streak tablets have been low enough to be described as "immaterial." There's also a discussion of the abortive Zing music service and related MP3 players that never were, but you'll have to hit the source link to learn more about them. Update: As further evidence of the 15z's imminent release, the tease has turned into a show with a video that fully reveals its slimline chassis and declares that the new Dell packs the Streak's Stage UI as well. [Thanks, Ishai and Ming Han] |
| BBC HD quietly begins broadcasting in 1080p, but not all Sony HDTVs can handle it Posted: 23 May 2011 02:31 AM PDT  We'd pretty much given up waiting for broadcast 1080p, since other than some video on-demand services you'll generally need to stick to Blu-ray to tick that box, but around the end of March BBC HD changed all that. It's taking advantage of a part of the Freeview HD spec that allows the broadcaster to dynamically select between 1080p / 25fps and 1080i / 25fps transmission and the boxes are mandated to be able to output 1080p / 50fps. The reasoning for the decision is to provide better picture quality on material that was shot that way, unfortunately it's coming to light now because some HDTVs are having trouble handling the switch and causing an audio dropout when the format shifts, as mentioned by UK buyers guide What Hi-Fi. As if Sony didn't have enough to deal with, the overwhelming majority of complaints appear to center around its TVs and the company has promised more information in the next 7 - 10 days about a fix that will take care of the problem. |
| ASUS gets Computex 2011 started early with a tablet teaser, asks us 'pad or phone?' Posted: 23 May 2011 01:49 AM PDT Oh ASUS, what are you up to now? The company that brought us the wildly popular Eee Pad Transformer has another new tablet brewing in its design labs, which we're promised we'll get to witness for the first time at Computex 2011. Until then, we've been provided with a trio of images to pore over and get the guessing games going. The slate device, whose size and software remain unspecified, is said to feature a bump (above left) and a clip (above right), though there are no explanations given about the function of either. You may see both images in their full size after the break, along with a teaser image from ASUS' Facebook page with the slogan "break the rules: pad or phone?" stood in front of a tablet silhouette. That provides plenty of clues for aspiring Sherlocks out there, but little concrete knowledge. Ah well, Computex is just a week away. |
| Sony to remaster select PSP titles for PlayStation 3, allow cross-device continuous gameplay Posted: 23 May 2011 01:24 AM PDT As much as you love your PSP, we suspect that its low graphics definition is starting to bug even the most devoted fans. Sure, you can wait for the almighty NGP, but for the time being, Sony's offering the next best thing for you game connoisseurs: the PSP Remaster series for PlayStation 3. As the name says for itself, Sony will be porting select portable game titles to the PS3 in high-def Blu-ray flavor, and some may even come with new add-on content plus stereoscopic 3D support. But that's not all: gamers will also be able to share game save data between the two platforms, meaning you can pick up where you left off on your preferred device. Pretty neat, though it'll be interesting to see how much Sony and the studios wants to charge for what are essentially the same games you already own. The first PSP Remaster title announced is Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, but this is only heading to Japan at an unknown date -- gamers in other countries will just have to keep squinting at the PSP for now.  Show full PR text NEW "PSP® (PLAYSTATION®PORTABLE) REMASTER" TITLE SERIES
AVAILABLE FOR THE PLAYSTATION®3 SYSTEM
PSP Blockbuster Games Re-mastered to Deliver Rich Gameplay on the PS3 System
Tokyo, May 22, 2011– Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that a new "PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) Remaster" title series, PSP titles customized and developed specifically for the PS3 computer entertainment system, will become available as Blue ray Disc™ games starting in the Japanese market.
"PSP Remaster" titles will deliver rich and immersive gaming experience on the PS3 system through stunning high-definition graphics as well as through additional new features for these titles, such as operability on the PS3 Wireless Controller (SIXAXIS® and DUALSHOCK®3), new add-on content or stereoscopic 3D support*1. Users will also be able to utilize the same save data from the original PSP game for the "PSP Remaster" version and enjoy the game on the go with the PSP system and continue the game at home on a large TV screen using PS3. Ad-hoc mode gameplay will also be supported through "adhoc party for PlayStation Portable" application on the PS3 system*2.
For Japan, the first "PSP Remaster" title to be introduced will be Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD Ver. from Capcom Co., Ltd. Monster Hunter Portable 3rd for the PSP system is the latest installment of the blockbuster Monster Hunter franchise, which has alone shipped over 4.5 million units in Japan since its release in December 2010. The graphics of the PS3 version, including monsters, fields, equipment, as well as Felyne Comrades, are more gorgeous and vibrant than ever, and will deliver dynamic gameplay when played on the large TV screens. SCE, with strong support from software developers and publishers, will deploy various measures to enhance the software title line-up for the PS3 system.
SCE will continue to further expand the PS3 platform and create a new world of computer entertainment with innovative and exciting new titles. |
| HP thinks the TouchPad will be 'better than number one,' if that's even possible Posted: 23 May 2011 12:59 AM PDT  HP's expectations for its new TouchPad tablet are running pretty high -- so high, in fact, that they can only be expressed with a make-believe number. During a recent press conference in Cannes, HP's Eric Cador boldly declared that his company's new slate won't just be the best on the market, it'll be the bestest. Cador explained: "In the PC world, with fewer ways of differentiating HP's products from our competitors, we became number one; in the tablet world we're going to become better than number one. We call it number one plus." A spokesman later confirmed that the device will launch in the UK with apps from the Guardian, Sky and Last.fm, but promised that "thousands" of other apps are on the way. The metrics might sound a bit optimistic, but the message is clear: HP thinks the TouchPad will annihilate the iPad and blow our minds to smithereens. We'll just have to wait and see whether it's as explosive as advertised. |
| HTC Holiday to be a 4.5-inch behemoth with qHD resolution, 1.2GHz dual-core, and AT&T future Posted: 23 May 2011 12:17 AM PDT HTC brought in the 4.3-inch craze, but now that that form factor has gone mainstream, it's looking to even larger dimensions. A 4.5-inch HTC Holiday has been dug up by none other than 911sniper, which is said to pack a qHD resolution (960 x 540), a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera, and the very latest version of Android Gingerbread ( 2.3.4). That comes on the heels of Pocketnow unearthing a supposed image of the AT&T-bound smartphone, showing a predictably uncomplicated design framing a vast display. Let's just hope the Holiday codename doesn't mean we'll have to wait till the holidays to see this overpowered new beast in action. [Thanks, Connor] |
| iPhone 5 may feature curved glass screen, continue iPod nano legacy Posted: 22 May 2011 11:27 PM PDT DigiTimes has been canvassing its manufacturing industry sources again, and today it's managed to extract some intel regarding Apple's typically secretive supply chain. Steve Jobs' team are said to have purchased between 200 and 300 glass-cutting machines, specifically in order to use them to slice up curved glass display covers for the iPhone 5. This move has apparently been in an effort to accelerate production, with glass makers reportedly showing a reluctance to buy the machinery themselves due to its prohibitive cost. Lest you think this sense of urgency might accelerate the iPhone 5 from its earlier-rumored September launch, DigiTimes also reports that yields of curved glass are not yet good enough to start using said fancy machines. So the iPhone may be headed for the same curvacious look as we've already seen on Dell's Venue and HTC's Sensation (or maybe even the concavity of the Nexus S), but as is Apple's wont, it looks like that will be done with a tailor-made, custom solution. At least those Cupertino designers have a couple of generations of curved iPod nano screens under their belt, giving them a good idea of how to handle the atypical glass frontage. Now if we could just have a good idea of when this phone will actually be on sale... |
| Movie theaters could screw up your 2D movies by leaving the digital projector set up for 3D Posted: 22 May 2011 10:05 PM PDT We generally prefer to do our movie viewing in our own home theaters, but when we succumb to the temptation of public moviehouses we often choose digital projection hoping for a flawless viewing experience. Unfortunately, this report by The Boston Globe indicates that may not be the case. It is alleged by unnamed theater employees that theaters are leaving the 3D lens adapters on their Sony 4K digital projectors even when showing 2D. Just like viewing 3D, this cuts the light output and it's worse for 2D films not made with that in mind, but theaters do it because removing the lenses is overly complex and many moviegoers don't seem to notice or complain. The Globe suggests checking the digital projector yourself -- if you see two beams of light from on high at a 2D flick then something is rotten in Denmark. Check the article at the source link for a rundown of many of the chains using these types of projectors and why that's the case (money), but after this and Liemax premium VOD is starting to sound better and better. |
| Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere hands-on Posted: 22 May 2011 09:01 PM PDT As rumored, Hulu Plus is now officially available on the TiVo Premiere, and according to TiVo, this "further extends its lead as the only one-box solution that integrates in one easy-to-use user interface." We supposed this is technically true, but it depends on your definition of "integrates" -- we'll discuss why after the jump. Hulu Plus of course comes at a monthly premium, but the other news is that new TiVo Premiere owners will get the privilege gratis for six months, while existing Premiere owners get what is described as a "free trial" which we assume is the standard one month risk trial -- as opposed to the variety that doesn't require a credit card. Love it or not, TiVo's interface has helped make it the best consumer DVR for over 10 years -- although much of the interface looks as old as the company itself -- so last September when we heard TiVo was integrating Hulu Plus, we obviously had high expectations. Since then we've seen Hulu Plus implementations on everything from TVs, to game consoles, to portable tablets, and we're sad to say the TiVo implementation is right on par. What we mean is that Hulu Plus on the TiVo is exactly like the others, and nothing like a TiVo. Launching Hulu via the TiVo My Shows menu is almost as jarring as switching inputs on your TV, with the exception of not switching remotes, obviously. The scrub bar changes, the menus are different, even the info view looks different. So while Netflix, Blockbuster, and all the other TiVo add-ins carry on the TiVo experience, Hulu Plus does not. Now we admit this complaint is mostly superficial -- the real failure is the lack of unified search, making TiVo Premiere's universal search feature not so universal. That's right, when you search for The Office on your TiVo Premiere with Hulu Plus, you'll see results from your DVR, the guide, Netflix, and Amazon VOD; but you won't see results from Hulu Plus. TiVo tried to reassure us by saying "we are working on integrating the content into TiVo Search and plan to update with that functionality soon after," but we have a bad feeling this will be right after the rest of the Premiere UI is converted to HD. Unlike switching inputs though, you don't have to switch remotes, but in some ways it feels like you did. The transport buttons obviously work as expected, but hitting the TiVo or Guide button takes you out of the Hulu app without warning, which can be a real drag considering how long it takes to launch and the fact that the Hulu videos won't resume. Even more odd though is that the zoom button is the browse button. All of this reinforces our biggest fear of the future of video entertainment; a world where every content provider has their own interface and we are forced to bounce in and out of countless apps to evaluate our viewing options. This is the opposite of our vision where we can watch whatever we want, whenever we want, on any device we want, using the interface that we want. What makes this hurt the most is that TiVo was one of the only companies that seemed to share our vision, even originally touting the Premiere as the device that can bring all your viewing options "together into one unified and simple experience." So while the Hulu Plus experience is every bit as good as it is on TVs and other set-top boxes, it isn't as integrated with the TiVo Premiere experience nearly as much as, say, Hulu Plus is integrated with the Xbox 360 Dashboard. If you were just hoping to get Hulu Plus on your HDTV without buying a new TV or another set-top, mission accomplished, but if your hopes were for a truly integrated media experience, you'll have to keep searching and waiting. Show full PR text Hulu Plus Launches on TiVo Premiere
Adds Instant Streaming of Thousands of Hours of Current TV Hits and Classic Programming to TiVo's Unique Solution Combining Cable Programming
with the Best of Web Entertainment
ALVISO, Calif. – May 23, 2011 – TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in advanced television services, including digital video recorders (DVRs), for consumers, content distributors and consumer electronics manufacturers, announced that beginning today Hulu Plus™ is available via subscription* to TiVo® subscribers with retail TiVo Premiere boxes.
In celebration of Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere, TiVo and Hulu will give six months of free Hulu Plus service to newly purchased TiVo Premiere DVRs. A free trial of Hulu Plus is also available to current TiVo Premiere customers. Visit www.tivo.com/hulu to learn more.
With the recent addition of hit shows from Comedy Central, and MTV including The Colbert Report and The Daily Show alongside popular hit shows from ABC, FOX and NBC like Modern Family, Grey's Anatomy, Glee, Family Guy, The Office and 30 Rock, TiVo further extends its lead as the only one-box solution that integrates in one easy-to-use user interface the full complement of programming made available to users through their existing cable or fiber optic provider alongside the ever-increasing choice of broadband and on-demand offerings.
"Hulu's mission is to help people find and enjoy the world's premium video content when, where and how they want it. To that end, we are thrilled that today we are opening up the Hulu Plus experience to TiVo Premiere users," says Andy Forssell, SVP of Content Acquisition and Distribution for Hulu.
Hulu Plus joins other top broadband content providers such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Instant Video, and BLOCKBUSTER to offer TiVo Premiere subscribers the ultimate choice in entertainment programming, all easily accessed by TiVo's elegant user interface and iconic peanut remote control. Hulu Plus programs are easy to find by title or by browsing Hulu Plus's network listings and genres.
TiVo's SVP and General Manager of Content Services and Media Sales Tara Maitra added, "I've watched with great admiration as Hulu has built an impressive business by offering up some of the world's greatest entertainment content on demand. As the world's first smart DVR, TiVo Premiere brings the best entertainment from cable and the web together in one place, with one easy-to-use remote and simple search features for one truly Brilliant TV experience."
According to recent figures from Santa Monica, Calif.-based research firm Interpret, the number of people who said they streamed a TV program increased to 41 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010. The number of TV programs streamed per respondent reached nearly nine episodes in the last three months of 2010, up 37 percent from 6.41 programs streamed in 2009.
In addition to the top hits of today, Hulu Plus offers one of the largest catalogs of television content on a streaming platform to subscribers in the U.S., including full series runs and numerous back seasons of dozens of classic shows like The X-Files, Law and Order: SVU, Arrested Development, Saturday Night Live, Miami Vice, Ugly Betty, Quantum Leap, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Roswell and Ally McBeal.
*Separate subscriptions to Hulu Plus and the TiVo Service are required to access Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere DVRs. Broadband connection required to access Hulu Plus. |
| Foxconn confirms third death from explosion, earlier watchdog report points at aluminum dust (updated) Posted: 22 May 2011 08:08 PM PDT Following the tragic explosion at Foxconn's Chengdu plant on Friday, the company has now confirmed to All Things Digital the death of a third employee, with nine remaining in hospital. While investigation is still ongoing, initial findings are pointing at "an explosion of combustible dust in a duct" at one of the polishing workshops, which supports earlier rumors of dust explosion; though there's no confirmation on what caused the ignition just yet. In related news: two weeks before the fatal accident, watchdog group SACOM released a report on the welfare of workers at the new Chengdu plant. Amongst the uncovering of management issues, excessive working hours, and hazardous environment, PC World highlights complaints from workers about the large amount of aluminum dust -- which is highly explosive -- floating around the polishing department, thus suggesting a lack of proper dust extraction methods within the facility. Foxconn has previously slammed this report, but the outcome of this explosion's investigation should once and for all prove who's telling the truth. For now, though, the priority is to make sure the victims and their families are taken care of. Full statement from Foxconn after the break. Update: According to China Times' industry sources, the explosion has only affected some storage facilities and chemical coating lines, though Foxconn president Terry Gou is said to be reallocating some production to his Shenzhen plant as a just-in-case measure. Show full PR text Statement from Foxconn Technology Group
Update on the Tragic Accident at Foxconn Technology Group's Hongfujin Precision Electronics (Chengdu) Co. Facility
Foxconn can confirm that, sadly, a third employee has died from injuries from the May 20 explosion at one of the polishing workshops at our company's Hongfujin Precision Electronics (Chengdu) Co. Ltd. facility in Chengdu.
Fifteen other employees were injured in that accident and six of those employees have been treated and released from the hospital. Foxconn is working with medical professionals and the local government to ensure that all of the injured employees receive the highest quality medical treatment. Our condolences go out to the families of the deceased employees and they are being given the full support of the company. Our thoughts are also with the injured employees and their families who are also being given the full support of our company at this very difficult time.
The cause of this tragic accident is still being investigated by a joint investigation task force led by government officials and law enforcement authorities, but that task force has communicated initial findings that the accident was caused by an explosion of combustible dust in a duct. Foxconn is cooperating fully with all relevant government bodies to carry out a full investigation into the specific root cause of the accident and the company is taking all necessary actions to ensure the safety of employees at this and all other production facilities.
All operations at the affected workshop remain suspended and production at all other workshops that carry out similar processing functions have also been halted pending the results of the investigation into the cause of the Chengdu accident. All other production operations in our facilities in China continue operating normally.
Foxconn Technology Group will provide updates on this tragic accident as information becomes available. |
| Samsung Germany puts cart before horse: Galaxy Tab 10.1 peripherals on sale now Posted: 22 May 2011 07:50 PM PDT Like what you've seen of Sammy's slim new slate, but aren't so psyched about typing sans tactile feedback? Well, worry no more, as Samsung Germany is showing off some peripherals for the ten-inch Galaxy Tab. There's a €150 ($213) case with an integrated Bluetooth keyboard to give it that Transformer-esqe form factor or an €80 ($114) keyboard dock ("available soon") that should also sate your phalanges' physical desires. Other accoutrement includes USB adapters, protective cases and sleeves, a docking station, and an HDMI adapter for viewing video on screens of all sizes. So now that Samsung's selling some of the sides, we've got one question. Where's our entree? |
| Astronomers snap black hole murder in graphic detail (video) Posted: 22 May 2011 06:33 PM PDT We tend to imagine a black hole sucking everything around it straight into oblivion. The truth, however, is even more gruesome. Astronomers have just captured an ultra hi-res image of our neighbouring galaxy, Centaurus A, and it helps to reveal what actually happens. Matter is yanked helplessly towards a black hole at the galaxy's core, but it refuses to die quietly. For some unknown reason, it erupts as it falls, spewing out vast plumes of particles -- like blood from celestial murder. These death throes emit radio waves, allowing us to witness them using radio telescopes even though we are 12 million light-years away. If only we were closer; if only we could intervene. Alas, all we can do is watch the video after the break and hit the source links for a fuller explanation -- though, admittedly, none of those sound like awful options. |
| Inhabitat's Week in Green: bubble dresses, LEDs galore and otherwordly stadiums Posted: 22 May 2011 05:00 PM PDT New York Design Week took Manhattan by storm this week and Inhabitat was on the scene at all the design shows to bring you up-to-the-minute coverage of this year's freshest new designs. We brought you the latest high-tech designs from NYU's ITP student show - including an otherworldly bubble dress that contains a built-in air purification system. We also uncovered a stellar array of next-gen lighting solutions, and we were excited to learn that Hulger's sculptural Plumen CFL bulbs are set to hit US store shelves next month. Speaking of energy-efficient illumination, this week Philips announced the world's first LED replacement for the 75-watt bulb, and registration for the Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition closes tonight at midnight - which makes this your last chance to submit a green lamp for a shot at winning $1,000. Energy-generating architecture got some buzz this week with the unveiling of a piezoelectric energy-generating sports stadium that just broke ground in India, a floating solar-powered stadium for Miami, and an algae-powered office building that just won Metropolis Magazine's Next Gen competition. Photovoltaic technology was a hot topic as well as MU researchers developed a new breed of nano-cells capable of capturing 95 percent of solar energy and Diffus unveiled a chic solar-powered bag that flaunts its solar panels instead of hiding them. In transportation news, this week saw the electric vehicle industry pick up speed as the world's fastest electric race car hit the streets and a 1,610 hp electric superbike broke a drag racing world record while traveling 185,46 miles per hour. Electric vehicles also got major jolt as Energy Secretary Chu announced the installation of 1,800 charging stations and GM broke ground on the first major electric motor factory in the US. Finally, we couldn't help but share this insane VW bus that has been converted into a tractor-treaded tank car. |
| Toshiba Thrive tablet up for pre-order starting at $449, may finally have an official name Posted: 22 May 2011 03:57 PM PDT Information about Toshiba's Honeycomb tablet has been spotty at best since the company unveiled it amid a sea of like-minded slates way back in January at CES. We've seen it teased and were subjected to some naming confusion, when the company filed a trademark for "Thrive" shortly before the tablet surfaced with the unfortunate ANT moniker -- and on Friday we caught wind via some chatty Twitter accounts that Toshiba is sticking to the former, a fact seemingly verified by new J&R listings for the device. The retailer has 8GB and 32GB versions of the tablet up for pre-order at $449 and $579, respectively. Specs also include a 10.1-inch screen, an NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of RAM, WiFi connectivity, and 2MP / 5MP front and rear cameras. The tablet is listed as "coming soon" on the site, though signs seem to point to a release not too long after its Japanese counterpart, at which point we'll see if the Thrive actually manages to live up to that name. |
| Maker Faire 2011, in pictures: Arduinos, Androids, and angry robots (video) Posted: 22 May 2011 02:52 PM PDT The rapture has come and gone, but the Maker Faire powers on. Despite warnings of a May 21st doomsday, folks came out in droves for the annual celebration of all things DIY, and we were there to bring you the best in homespun inventions. This year's Maker Faire was light on robots and big on corporate sponsorship. Among the giants supporting the little guys were Google, ASUS, and HP, but El Goog's presence extended beyond its dedicated tents. The new Android ADK was big with at-home tinkerers this year, spawning a number of little robots and at least one DIY alternative. Perhaps no other trend proved more pervasive than 3D printing, however -- every time we turned around there was another MakerBot or RapMan pumping out everything from statuettes of attendees to cutesy salt shakers. There were robotic building blocks, a Heineken-themed R2-D2, DIY drones, custom keyboards, and a ton of repurposed gadgets, but it was an arena of destructo-bots, tucked away in the farthest corner of the San Mateo County Event Center, that really blew us away. We came away sunburned and bedraggled, but lucky for you, we did all the dirty work so you don't have to. To see what made this year's Maker Faire, hop on past the break for a video of our favorite DIY finds. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. |
| Sony's SmartAR demoed live, raises the bar for augmented reality (video) Posted: 22 May 2011 02:24 PM PDT  Remember Sony's SmartAR? The markerless AR technology that promises reality augmentation without the need for unsightly tattoos? It's back again, showing itself once more after an all-too-brief 48 hour layoff. A new live-demo shows Sony's markerless object recognition system focusing on posters, tables, books, and coffee cups in lieu of the traditional AR card -- allowing it recognize multiple objects at once. Focusing on objects rather than markers allow augmented entities to interact more naturally with their environment. For instance, bouncing AR balls plummet off the edge of a table, and realistically ricochet off of a book placed in their path. Objects don't even need to remain on screen, as demonstrated by an AR pop-up menu that remained viewable even after the object-marker that spawned it left the viewer's field of vision. Sony seems to have built the groundwork of an augmented reality system that might actually be useful -- pair this up with a set of swank AR glasses (or better yet, holographic AR glasses), and we'll have a vision of the future we can really look forward to. |
| Lady Gaga uses Chrome, and here's the 91-second film to prove it Posted: 22 May 2011 01:23 PM PDT One of the world's most (in)famous names has picked a side in the browser battles -- last night saw the debut of a new Google Chrome commercial, starring Lady Gaga and her "little monsters." Spanning a minute and a half of Gaga and her fans singing and gyrating their way through her latest single, the ad is intended to illustrate the power of the web and its creative new modes of interaction. To be fair, said interaction is mostly Lady Gaga saying "jump" and a crowd of YouTubers doing it without bothering to ask how high, but hey, the result is fun to watch. You just need to disable your sense of shame for all humanity and click past the break. [Thanks, Daryl]
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| Switched On: Adding to Android's army Posted: 22 May 2011 12:20 PM PDT Android, as Andy Rubin (no relation) has pointed out on multiple occasions, plays a game of numbers. And at Google I/O, the company carrying on its development shared some large ones: 100 million activated devices with 400,000 being added each day. However, like in many games, different players can catch up or overtake each other at different points. Just ask Nokia and RIM. To stay on top, operating system vendors implement strategies that lock consumers in. The more money consumers sink into iPhone apps, for example, the more incentive they have to stay with that platform; the same is true for accessories that use Apple's 30-pin dock connector that has been around since the third-generation iPod. With Android having become the lead operating system for every smartphone company that licenses its OS with the notable exception of Nokia (which nearly did), Google showed that it's intent not just on moving Android into other devices with sufficient computing horsepower such as tablets and, increasingly, TVs, but now has its sights set on having just about everything that can't run Android directly feed into it. Google is taking two approaches – one for things that plug into Android devices, and one for things that don't. The Android Open Accessory platform seeks to match, if not trump, the wide range of accessories that have surfaced around Apple's 30-pin connector that began as a simple way to provide charging and audio out. On one hand, unlike Apple, Google is building its accessory platform around the nearly ubiquitous USB connector. Perhaps more importantly, without any special connector to license, it is not charging companies for use of the accessory protocols. This should bode well for adding Android support to peripherals from the traditional to the emerging such as various health monitors and the exercise bike shown at Google I/O. On the other hand, the wide variation in terms of where the connector is placed may make things difficult for peripherals that depend on a device's physical positioning such as speaker and car docks. (There have been challenges with 30-pin products too as Apple has changed the dimensions, power and authentication criteria over the years.) Overcoming these challenges, however, is child's play compared to Android@Home, which sets out to capture one of the most elusive quests in consumer technology – mainstream adoption of home automation. Android@Home takes Google into territory where there has been no successful mainstream model and no trailblazing model like the iPhone to reset expectations. | Using a new low-power lighting standard developed by Google, radios can be embedded inside of light bulbs themselves without adding significant cost, potentially circumventing the need to have electricians install them in wall switches. NXP Semiconductor has also shown off such a small radio. While this represents a milestone toward consumer adoption, cost, complexity, low awareness, and the notoriously fractured home automation standards market have long stood between cool and potentially money-saving technology and mass adoption. What's more, while we've been hearing about energy utilities delivering Zigbee-based automation into homes via smart meters for years, there now seems to be more interest from other service providers, with Verizon announcing that it would be using rival standard Z-Wave for smart energy and home automation service. Security service providers ADT and Vivint are also supporting Z-Wave. While the Android Open Accessory platform is a natural extension, Android@Home takes Google into territory where there has been no successful mainstream model and no trailblazing model like the iPhone to reset expectations. Bringing home automation to the masses will require developing an ecosystem at least as strong as the one around Android itself.
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. |
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