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- PFU outs faster, quieter Type-S Happy Hacking Keyboard for overachieving typists
- Don't tell us where you're going, Nissan Leaf driver, we already know (video)
- Adobe Air bids adieu to Linux, shifts focus to mobile
- Harvard's Kilobot project does swarm robots on the cheap (video)
- Google helps you manage your online identity, justify those vanity Alerts
- Kinect for Windows SDK beta launches, wants PC users to get a move on
- Deep Shot transfers open websites from desktop to mobile, sans wizardry
- Apple patent application highlights location-based social networking, encourages intimate pinging
- Dolby sues RIM over alleged patent infringement, seeks injunction in 7.1 surround
- Fujitsu releases F-022 flip phone for women who like to smell good
- JVC Kaboom adds a guitar input, dares you to get the band back together
- Parrot AR.Drone floats into damaged New Zealand cathedral, returns with haunting video
- Caption Contest: iPad hat is so last season
- NC State builds self-healing structural stress sensor, moves on to other alliterative projects
- Adafruit's iCufflinks pulsate with the power of your Mac love
- IBM turns 100, brags about bench pressing more than companies half its age
- Acer unveils Aspire Ethos laptops built to please eyes and ears in the US and Canada
- Silhouette-spoiling USB host adapter arrives for the Galaxy Tab 10.1
- Lenovo ThinkPad tablet coming in summer with Android, Windows slate later in the year
- Dual-screen LG Android phone shows up in the wild, poses more questions than it answers
- O2 UK spurns BlackBerry PlayBook, cites issues with 'end to end customer experience'
- Polk enters the headphone game with sporty, generic ear-speakers
- Toshiba SCiB to be used in Mitsubishi i-MiEV, recharge to 80 percent in just 15 minutes
- Griffin's Beacon for iOS devices now shipping, post-remote living for just $80
- Intel's 710 'Lyndonville' and 720 'Ramsdale' SSDs see full spec leak well ahead of release
- Yahoo App Search, AppSpot make sense of App Store and Android Market
- ITRI touchscreen technology lets you pinch-to-zoom boob tubes of any size (video)
- Kinect for Windows SDK beta to roll out tomorrow?
- Sony Music Unlimited hits Android, hopes you don't know why 'Qriocity' sounds so familiar
- Toshiba adds 19 incher to battery-powered TV line, squeezes in 1Seg tuner
- HTC EVO 3D review
- HTC EVO View 4G review
- Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V reviewed, scores top rating on Photography Blog
- Sony S1 and S2 tablets hitting Europe in September?
- Columbia's Omni Freeze Ice tech cools you down when the weather heats up
- Archos Arnova 7 hits the FCC, brings new hope to penny-pinching tablet enthusiasts
- Google Sync adds mail server search, appointment confirmation to native iOS apps
- Samsung Exhibit 4G and Gravity Smart coming to T-Mobile on June 22nd, Dart available today
- Sony updates Vaio C series with subtler shades, E models go Sandy Bridge
- HTC Sensation 4G now available at T-Mobile, $150 if you order online
| PFU outs faster, quieter Type-S Happy Hacking Keyboard for overachieving typists Posted: 16 Jun 2011 11:37 AM PDT  It goes without saying that you have to be a pretty accomplished typist to use one of PFU's letterless Happy Hacking Keyboards. But for the laser-focused overachievers out there, PFU just started selling the S-Type for "speed" and "silence." This retooled version promises to keep up with faster typists -- a mighty vague claim indeed -- and pledges to make 30 percent less noise. Of course, as with other HHKBs, mere mortals prone to spelling errors can nab one with letters printed on the keys. It's on sale now for ¥30,000 ($371.61) -- a veritable steal compared to some other keyboards we've seen. |
| Don't tell us where you're going, Nissan Leaf driver, we already know (video) Posted: 16 Jun 2011 11:11 AM PDT  |
| Adobe Air bids adieu to Linux, shifts focus to mobile Posted: 16 Jun 2011 10:40 AM PDT  |
| Harvard's Kilobot project does swarm robots on the cheap (video) Posted: 16 Jun 2011 10:13 AM PDT  We've certainly seen plenty of swarm robots before, but few of those are cheap enough to let you easily build something that can truly be called a "swarm." These so-called Kilobots developed by Harvard's Self-organizing Systems Research Group, however, can apparently built for just $14 apiece, and can each be assembled in just five minutes to boot. Despite that low cost, the bots are still capable of plenty of swarm-like behaviors, including the ability to follow the leader, disperse in an environment, put on a synchronized LED light show. Head on past the break for a pair of videos. |
| Google helps you manage your online identity, justify those vanity Alerts Posted: 16 Jun 2011 09:51 AM PDT  |
| Kinect for Windows SDK beta launches, wants PC users to get a move on Posted: 16 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT  At this point the SDK is effectively a straight-port of the same libs that are currently available to Xbox 360 developers. Built on XNA, the Kinect library is standalone, so you won't necessarily need to rely on DirectX being present. The SDK gives full access to everything the peripheral has to offer, including both cameras (VGA and depth-sensing) and the full microphone array. The former can identify up to six individuals or track the full skeletons for two, while the latter can handle advanced echo-cancellation and even sound triangulation. To get the full skeleton tracking you're going to need the same sort of setup as on the Xbox 360 -- namely a largish space in front of your computer for you to stand in and plenty of light. But, developers will be able to extract raw data from both cameras should they like, so in theory someone should be able to write an app that works with a Kinect sitting on your desk and looks for simple gestures from you, even if you're seated in a chair. That's our ideal scenario: hand-waving recognition in productivity apps to bridge the gap between mousing and multitouching. To that end, Microsoft isn't confirming any plans to integrate Kinect compatibility with any of its major apps (alas, no jazz-hand formula creation in Excel), but the company's own coders are said to have their "juices flowing" thinking of ways to integrate the tech. Hopefully those creative fluids ooze their way right into the heart of Windows 8. Microsoft Releases Kinect for Windows SDK Beta for Academics and Enthusiasts Twenty-four-hour Code Camp event showcases capabilities now available to developers. REDMOND, Wash. - June 16, 2011 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of Kinect™ for Windows® Software Development Kit (SDK) from Microsoft Research, a free beta release for noncommercial applications. The SDK is designed to empower a growing community of developers, academic researchers and enthusiasts to create new experiences that include depth sensing, human motion tracking, and voice and object recognition using Kinect technology on Windows 7. The Kinect for Windows SDK can be downloaded today at no cost for development of noncommercial applications at http://research.microsoft.com/kinectsdk. To celebrate the release, Microsoft invited a select group of developers to the Microsoft campus in Redmond, challenging them to test the limits of their imaginations using the SDK in a Channel 9 Live 24-hour coding marathon (aka "Code Camp"). Working with the new toolkit and a vast array of hardware, developers are expected to build concept applications across a diverse range of scenarios, including, potentially, healthcare, science and education. Projects from Code Camp will be shown in a live broadcast on Channel 9 today from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. PDT, and highlights can be found on the Microsoft News Center at http://channel9.msdn.com/live. "The Kinect for Windows SDK opens up a world of possibilities to developers who want to unleash the power of Kinect technology on Windows," said Anoop Gupta, distinguished scientist, Microsoft Research. "We can't wait to see what this community will create as we work together to build more natural, intuitive computing experiences." The Kinect for Windows SDK, which works with Windows 7, includes drivers, rich APIs for Raw Sensor Streams, natural user interfaces, installer documents and resource materials. The SDK provides Kinect capabilities to developers building applications with C++, C# or Visual Basic® using Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010. Features of the SDK include the following: • Raw Sensor Streams. Developers have access to raw data streams from depth sensor, color camera sensor and the four-element microphone array. These will allow them to build upon the low-level streams generated by the Kinect sensor. • Skeletal Tracking. The SDK has the capability to track the skeleton image of one or two people moving within the Kinect field of view, making it possible to create gesture-driven applications. • Advanced Audio Capabilities. Audio processing capabilities include sophisticated noise suppression and echo cancellation, beam formation to identify the current sound source, and integration with the Windows speech recognition API. • Ease of installation. The SDK quickly installs in a standard way for Windows 7 with no complex configuration required and a complete installer size of less than 100 MB. Developers can get up and running in just a few minutes with a standard standalone Kinect sensor unit widely available at retail. • Extensive documentation. The SDK includes more than 100 pages of high-quality technical documentation. In addition to built-in help files, the documentation includes detailed walkthroughs for most samples provided with the SDK. Microsoft intends to release a commercial version of the SDK at a later date; details will be released when they are available. The conversation is on Twitter under the hashtag #Kinect_SDK. Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. |
| Deep Shot transfers open websites from desktop to mobile, sans wizardry Posted: 16 Jun 2011 09:03 AM PDT  When we first read about Deep Shot, we were admittedly dumbfounded, but equally impressed. The "technology" allows you to "capture" the current state of a website on your desktop and transfer it to a mobile device -- taking a picture of a Google Map on your desktop with your smartphone camera will open the site in the same state on your phone, for example. Sounds like a pretty neat magic trick, huh? Well, it's not. In order to use Deep Shot, you need to install an app on your mobile, computer, and any other device you plan to use it with -- thus making it even less practical than Chrome to Phone. It currently works with Google Maps and Yelp, but could theoretically be used with any site that uses URIs, or those lengthy URLs that contain search details, such as the origin and destination addresses you sent to Google Maps. You could also "transfer" a site in its "current state" by emailing the URI, or by using an app to seamlessly share it over WiFi or Bluetooth with a "send to mobile" button -- which is likely what Deep Shot is doing here anyway, just with an extra step thrown into the mix. Care to visit a land where you can swim with the Loch Ness Monster and ride a pink unicorn? Head past the break for Deep Shot's coming out video, which curiously makes no mention of the required desktop software. |
| Apple patent application highlights location-based social networking, encourages intimate pinging Posted: 16 Jun 2011 08:42 AM PDT  |
| Dolby sues RIM over alleged patent infringement, seeks injunction in 7.1 surround Posted: 16 Jun 2011 08:23 AM PDT  Dolby Sues Research In Motion for Patent Infringement; Seeks Sales Halt Of Unlicensed Blackberry and Playbook Devices and Monetary Damages For Past Use SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Dolby International, has filed patent infringement lawsuits in the U.S. and Germany against Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RiMM), a Canadian manufacturer of wireless handset and tablet devices. The lawsuits seek recovery of financial damages and injunctions to halt sales of the many RIM products that infringe Dolby's patents. The lawsuits explain that RIM infringes Dolby patents covering highly efficient digital audio compression technologies which allow manufacturers and consumers to provide and enjoy high quality audio while using extremely limited amounts of transmission and/or storage space for such audio. RIM employs Dolby's patented technologies in its Blackberry smart phones and Playbook tablet devices, without having obtained licenses from Dolby, the lawsuits say. All other major smart phone makers have agreed to license the Dolby technologies which are the subject of this litigation. Dolby's patented technologies, which have been incorporated into the international standard known as High Efficiency Advanced Audio Coding ("HE AAC"), provide the core of HE AAC. Demonstrating the value of the Dolby technologies, HE AAC is widely used in consumer electronics devices such as smart phones, portable music players, and computer tablets to play back music and other digitized audio that has been compressed to less than 10% of its original digital file size. "Litigation was regrettably our last resort after RIM declined to pay for the use of Dolby's technology," said Andy Sherman, executive vice president and general counsel of Dolby. "We have a duty to protect our intellectual property." The U.S. lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The German lawsuit was filed in the District Court of Mannheim in Mannheim, Germany. |
| Fujitsu releases F-022 flip phone for women who like to smell good Posted: 16 Jun 2011 08:01 AM PDT  Because they're brutish and sweaty, most men don't have a problem with their phone's naturally metallic musk, but "20 to 40 year-old women with a well-developed sense of fashion" apparently do. That's why Fujitsu has announced the F-022 -- a glittery flip phone designed for females who demand slightly more from their handheld's olfactory offerings. Developed in collaboration with Japanese accessory maker Folli Follie, this bejeweled little bauble comes with a "detachable fragrance chip" that allows users to mark their tech territory with the perfume of their choice. Just spray the chip with a dab of your scent, latch it on to the phone, and every conversation you have will end up smelling like roses. The F-022 goes on sale in China on June 24th, but for more information, just follow your nose to the PR, after the break. [Thanks, Jeff] Fujitsu and Folli Follie Collaborate to Launch Mobile Phone in the Chinese Market The ever-sparkling Folli Follie-design fragrance and waterproof mobile phone Shanghai, China and Tokyo, Japan, June 16, 2011 - Fujitsu today announced the development of its F-022 mobile phone for the Chinese market. The new mobile phone, a result of collaborative efforts undertaken together with jewellery, watches and accessories brand Folli Follie, is not only gorgeously designed but also capable of simplified Chinese character display and input. A hugely popular brand in Japan, Folli Follie also operates approximately 100 stores in China. Sales of the F-022 mobile phone will commence from June 24, 2011 at Beijing Digital Telecom Co., Ltd., one of China's largest mobile phone chains with over 1,000 stores. The softly illuminated front casing of the F-022 mobile phone is adorned with a glitter-motif design including a diamond-like jewel block of two-karat cubic zirconia. As another totally unique feature, users can enjoy a continuously fragrant mobile phone by spraying a perfume of their choice onto the detachable fragrance chip located on the mobile phone's reverse side. In addition, the F-022 is equipped with a high-performance, 8.1-megapixel camera that not only is up to digital camera level standards but also takes outstanding photos of people by enhancing the beauty of skin tones with its "beautiful skin" mode, together with enabling photos that highlight large, natural-looking eyes with a "pupil tracking" mode. This Fujitsu mobile phone goes even further, staying ahead of other manufacturers as it is equipped with a water-resistant (rated IPX5/7/8) and dust-resistant (rated IP5X) technology. Overall, a stunning design, a fragrance feature and ability to showcase a user's unique personality makes this phone a delight to keep close and carry. Expected target users are 20 to 40 year-old women with a well-developed sense of fashion. The F-022 mobile phone will utilize circuits made available by China-based carriers China Mobile and China Unicom. |
| JVC Kaboom adds a guitar input, dares you to get the band back together Posted: 16 Jun 2011 07:37 AM PDT 
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| Parrot AR.Drone floats into damaged New Zealand cathedral, returns with haunting video Posted: 16 Jun 2011 07:14 AM PDT  Whenever disaster strikes, robots are among the first to scope out the damage. Rarely, however, do they return with footage as eerie as what this Parrot AR.Drone recorded in Christchurch, New Zealand. In the wake of Monday's 6.0-magnitude earthquake, engineers sent the $500 bot into the city's Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament -- a 106-year-old Roman Catholic church that had sustained significant damage, rendering it too dangerous for humans to enter. The iPad-controlled quadrocopter swooped in and captured rather depressing images of the cathedral's battered interior. The video's quality may be low, but its creepy quotient is high: shattered stained-glass windows, piles of debris, stray pieces of iconography -- it's all quite heavy. Head past the break to see it for yourself. [Thanks, Ross] |
| Caption Contest: iPad hat is so last season Posted: 16 Jun 2011 06:49 AM PDT  Fashion genius or major faux pas? Obviously the latter. Really, who would be seen in public wearing last year's iPad on their head? This woman, apparently, who donned a particularly feathery contraption before heading to the Royal Ascot horse race, where one's social status is dictated largely by the caliber of their hat. We have it on good authority that the Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be the hot ticket next season. Terrence: "Hey, my eyes are down here, buddy." Brad: "You can look, but you can't multitouch." Zach H.: "I can't believe you gave me a frozen iPad. You think it'll thaw after an hour or two in the sun?" Brian: "I know I had it with me when I left for work this morning..." Michael: "I went to Cupertino and all I got was this lousy hat!" Zach L.: "This is sooo the last time I let Jonathan Ive design my wardrobe." Christopher: "iPad-toting parrots reportedly dive-bombed attendees of the 2011 Royal Ascot." Tim: "Oh don't get so excited, it's just a big iPhone hat." Richard Lai: "My husband insisted." Joe P.: "iPad 2 shipping delays made for something rather old-hat." Don: "I asked the stylist for something magical." Darren: "Believe it or not, I didn't even have to jailbreak!" Dana: "Sorry, dahling, but if you don't have an iPad hat, well, you don't have an iPad hat." [Image credit: Getty Images] |
| NC State builds self-healing structural stress sensor, moves on to other alliterative projects Posted: 16 Jun 2011 06:13 AM PDT  "Sensor, heal thyself," goes an old saying, and North Carolina State University researchers have given it a new spin. Structural stress monitors can break during, say, an earthquake or explosion: just when you most need information about a building's integrity. So the NCSU crew added a reservoir of ultraviolet-curable resin; if their sensor cracks, the resin flows into the gap, where a UV light hardens it. An infrared light, which does the actual monitoring, then has a complete circuit through which to pass, and voila: stress data flows once more, aiding decision-makers. Obviously we never tire of UV-reactive gadgetry, especially for making safer buildings, and we're doubly glad to see self-healing that doesn't involve the phrase "he's just not that into you." To see the self-repair in action, check the picture after the break, and hit the source link for more info.  |
| Adafruit's iCufflinks pulsate with the power of your Mac love Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:48 AM PDT  |
| IBM turns 100, brags about bench pressing more than companies half its age Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:25 AM PDT  In 1944, the company helped usher in modern computing with the room-sized Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator, and 37 years later, it played an important role in defining the era of home computing with the much more manageable IBM Personal Computer. In 1997, IBM introduced a machine that beat the world's reigning chess champion, and earlier this year, it created one that trounced two of the greatest players in Jeopardy history. These days, when the company is not building machines dedicated to outsmarting mankind, it's looking to promote sustainable development through its Smarter Planet program. So, happy centennial, Big Blue, and here's to 100 more, assuming your super-smart machines don't enslave us all in the meantime. |
| Acer unveils Aspire Ethos laptops built to please eyes and ears in the US and Canada Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:00 AM PDT  New Acer Aspire Ethos Notebook PCs Put Entertainment in the Palm of Your Hand with Removable Touchpad that Doubles as a Remote Control SAN JOSE, Calif., June 16, 2011 – Acer America, part of the world's second largest manufacturer of notebook PCs (1), today announced two new top-of-the-line multimedia notebook PC lines for the U.S. and Canada. The new Acer® Aspire Ethos AS8951G and AS5951G are designed to deliver an unparalleled high-definition personal theatre experience for a wide range of activities, including graphic-intensive gaming, video streaming and enjoying high-definition DVDs, photography or videos. The ultimate in portable personal entertainment, the new Ethos notebooks feature edge-to-edge frameless displays available in two sizes. The Acer Aspire Ethos AS8951G includes an 18.4-inch full HD widescreen (1920 x 1080) display, while the AS5951G includes a 15.6-inch HD widescreen (1366 x 768) display. Models are equipped with either a Blu-ray™ drive or a DVD optical drive for enjoying movies on the widescreen scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® glass display. The experience can be extended to a big screen TV via an HDMI port for the ultimate cinematic experience. The Ethos 8951G comes with Acer CineSurround with five Dolby®-tuned built-in speakers and Acer Tuba CineBass subwoofer supporting low-frequency effects and vibrant audio for the ultimate movie and music enjoyment. The Aspire Ethos 5951G packs True 5.1-channel surround sound output, two built in stereo speakers and the Acer Tuba CineBass booster, supporting low frequency effects for a totally engaging experience. Further underscoring its usefulness as a personal theatre center, the new Ethos line features a large detachable touchpad that can be removed and used as a remote control. Consumers can control their music, movies, or a slide show from across the room. It includes LED buttons that launch music and videos, and can be used vertically or horizontally. In addition, the backlit chiclet style keyboard makes it easy to navigate in low light conditions. With the InstantOn Arcade key, the Aspire Ethos can be fast-booted, allowing consumers to watch movies, play music and view photos at the touch of a button, without waiting for the entire PC to start up. "The Acer Aspire Ethos line is the notebook of choice for gaming and media enthusiasts," said Steve Smith, Acer's senior business manager, notebooks. "It combines leading technology with a great set of high-end features that make these notebooks more useful and enjoyable for everyday activities. With the remote touchpad, you can change a song or pause a movie from across the room, and InstantOn gives you immediate access to your favorite media." Depending on configuration, consumers will find either a 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7 Quad-Core or a 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 Dual-Core processor, up to 16GB of memory, and NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M graphics with 2GB of dedicated DDR3 VRAM. All this power delivers phenomenal performance and intense video computing power for maximum enjoyment while gaming and watching HD movies. Designed for grandiose entertainment, the Ethos notebooks are dressed to impress with a svelte "Black Tuxedo Design," which portrays sophistication with an all-black look. The brushed aluminum magnesium alloy cover includes a sophisticated hairline finish, while contrasting glossy and matte surfaces ooze style from every angle. The integrated PowerSmart long life battery(2) ensures prolonged battery performance over a longer period of time. With conventional batteries, power capacity starts to fade after 300 charge cycles. The new battery with the long cycle life formula can retain 80 percent capacity for over 1,000 charge cycles (about four years of charges), about three times more than when compared to traditional notebook batteries. Featuring a USB 3.0 port, which works up to 10 times faster than the standard USB 2.0, a 25GB HD movie can be downloaded in just over a minute. The USB 3.0 port will even charge USB devices when asleep, in hibernation mode, or when turned off completely. With the notebook acting as a charging station, consumers can leave behind a plethora of consumer electronic power adapters, such as those used to charge phones, MP3 players and digital cameras. With hard drive sizes ranging from 500GB(3) to 1.5TB(3), the notebooks provide ample room for storing a massive multimedia library and action-packed games. The Ethos 8951G provides even greater storage capacity with support for dual hard drives. A firewire port moves videos quickly from a digital camcorder, and a combo USB/eSATA port enables fast data transfer. Pre-loaded with Acer Clear.fi™, a cross-platform solution for media enjoyment and sharing with DLNA-compliant devices, customers can easily access, store and enjoy digital media from almost anywhere in an office, home or from the cloud. An advanced 1.3 megapixel HD webcam provides high pixel density for amazing video image quality at 24 frames per second. Consumers can video chat with friends and family enjoying a superior crystal clear image, or grab superb still pictures in HD. Lastly, a bio-protection fingerprint reader prevents unauthorized use of the PC. Configurations, Pricing and Availability The Acer Aspire Ethos AS5951G has a U.S. MSRP of $1,399.99; in Canada, MSRPs start at $1,199 CAD depending on configuration. In the U.S., the Acer Aspire Ethos AS8951G has an MSRP of $1,599.99, Canadian MSRPs start at $1,499 CAD depending on configuration. All models will be available this week at leading retailers. |
| Silhouette-spoiling USB host adapter arrives for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Posted: 16 Jun 2011 04:36 AM PDT  |
| Lenovo ThinkPad tablet coming in summer with Android, Windows slate later in the year Posted: 16 Jun 2011 04:07 AM PDT  |
| Dual-screen LG Android phone shows up in the wild, poses more questions than it answers Posted: 16 Jun 2011 03:33 AM PDT  |
| O2 UK spurns BlackBerry PlayBook, cites issues with 'end to end customer experience' Posted: 16 Jun 2011 03:01 AM PDT  [Thanks, Stephan] |
| Polk enters the headphone game with sporty, generic ear-speakers Posted: 16 Jun 2011 02:21 AM PDT  It seems the Polk folk have had their fill of iPod docks, shower speakers, and soundbars, and are hungry for a new market: headphones. The outfit aims to "change the sonic landscape" (their words) for athletes and "ardent headphone users" with their UltraFit and UltraFocus monikered ear-gear. Between the two brands, Polk is promising four brightly-colored UltraFit sports 'phones, including in-ear, on-ear, and earbud models, as well as two UltraFocus in-ear and over-ear noise canceling headphones. No word on price or release date, but Polk suggests you should be able to get your hands on its sporty headgear sometime this fall. Need more? You can find a buzzword-laden press release after the break. Performance Line-up Includes Both UltraFit Sports and UltraFocus Noise Cancelation Models BALTIMORE, June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Polk Audio, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of high performance audio products, is bringing its sonic expertise to the world of sports and fitness with the introduction of the audio industry's first line of performance headphone products designed specifically for athletes and active individuals. Polk's new Performance Line-Up, which appears in retail stores this fall, includes sports headphones and active noise cancelation (ANC) headphones designed for serious athletes engaged in exercise and fitness as well as suited for players and business professionals who travel frequently and often listen to music in noisy environments. "We are about to change the sonic landscape for an entire generation of athletes and ardent headphone users," said Jim Minarik, chief executive officer of DEI Holdings, Inc., Polk Audio's parent company. "Our engineers have used the same standards and breakthrough technology we apply to speaker design to create a series of headphones that are comfortable, rugged in durability, aggressively muscular in style and all with Polk's world-class commitment to superior sound quality." Polk Audio's Performance Line-Up will feature four UltraFit™ sports headphones in a variety of colors that include in-ear, on-ear and in-ear canal models. The headphones stand apart from other brands by Polk Audio's acclaimed audio quality and unique attention to detail, including: water resistant designs, contrast-colored cables for instant left/right recognition, iPhone®/iPod® controls, Kevlar-reinforced hinge points to eliminate the number one product-failure in many headphones, plugs conformed to fit through the opening of all iPhone/iPod/iPad covers, and comfortable, non-slip materials where the headphone engages the ear. Polk Audio's engineers and designers also reinvented the active noise cancelation headphone to produce two UltraFocus™ models that address the needs of travelers and others who find themselves in noisy locations, whether it's in the locker room, on a plane or in the office. In addition to active noise cancelation, the Polk in-ear canal and over-the-ear versions offer the highest quality sound; ultra-flexible, tangle-free planar audio cables; contrast-color cable for instant left/right identification; on-ear Apple® control for iPhone®/iPad®; push-to-hear technology; superior durability; a more comfortable fit; and styling that is distinct from other headphones on the market. "U.S. retail sales for active noise cancelation headphones have doubled in the last three years, but audio performance has always been compromised in the pursuit of ANC technology," said Minarik. "With nearly 40 years of acoustic research and engineering expertise, Polk is uniquely positioned to bring these new ANC headphones to market with an absolute commitment to high-end audio. We are excited bring both these high performance and differentiated series of headphones to our dealers and consumers this fall." |
| Toshiba SCiB to be used in Mitsubishi i-MiEV, recharge to 80 percent in just 15 minutes Posted: 16 Jun 2011 01:28 AM PDT  Toshiba's SCiB™ Rechargeable Battery Selected by Mitsubishi Motors for New Electric Vehicles 16 Jun, 2011 TOKYO, JAPAN -Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced that its SCiB™ battery has been selected by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TOKYO: 7211) to power two new models of electric vehicles (EV), the i-MiEV and MINICAB-MiEV. The SCiB™ is Toshiba's breakthrough rechargeable lithium-ion battery that combines high levels of safety with a long life, rapid charging and excellent charging and output at very low temperatures, characteristics that make it highly suited to application in EV. Toshiba developed the SCiB™ to meet a series of demanding performance and safety criteria. By successfully employing lithium titanate oxide in the anode, Toshiba has assured that the SCiB™ offers high level operating safety, a long life and rapid charging. The use of lithium titanate oxide also significantly reduces the possibility of a puncture in the separator between the anode and cathode, so minimizing the risk of them coming contact into and short circuiting, and maintains battery performance levels even in severe operating conditions, including very low temperatures. The SCiB™ pushes the life of the lithium-ion battery to a new level by supporting 2.5 times more charge/discharge cycles than a typical lithium-ion battery. Recharging is also notably better. Charged with the highest current available with CHAdeMO*1, widely seen as the emerging standard for fast charging EV, an SCiB™ reaches about 80 percent of full capacity in some 15 minutes, about 50% in 10 minutes and about 25% in 5 minutes*2 – half the times of a typical lithium-ion battery charged under the same conditions. The SCiB™ also generates little heat while recharging, eliminating the need for power to cool the battery module. Most important of all for real-world application, the SCiB™ delivers high level performance. The SCiB™ offers a higher effective capacity than a typical lithium-ion battery, in that more of the stored charge can be used safely before recharging the battery. This, combined with highly efficient regenerative charging during braking or coasting downhill, allows the SCiB™ to deliver 1.7 times the driving distance per level of charge of a typical lithium-ion battery. This will allow for installation of smaller battery modules in vehicles and contribute to lower EV prices. The SCiB™ also offers high level performance in a wide range of temperatures, and continues to support rapid charging and excellent power output at temperatures as low as -30ºC. The SCiB™ for Mitsubishi's new EV will be manufactured at Toshiba's Kashiwazaki Operations in Niigata prefecture, northwest Japan, a new facility dedicated to production of SCiB™ that came on line in February this year. Toshiba will seek to establish a plant operating structure able to respond quickly to market growth as the basis for expanding the SCiB™ business for EV, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid EVs. As the automotive industry responds to concerns about global warming by developing a new generation of environmentally friendly EV, Toshiba is promoting advances in essential automotive technologies, from dedicated on-board control systems to batteries and Intelligent Traffic Systems. In automotive-related power electronics technologies, Toshiba is targeting net sales of 800 billion yen by fiscal year 2015 from its concentration on motors, inverters and SCiB™. Toshiba will continue to promote sales of the SCiB™ in a global market for lithium-ion batteries that is expected to record sales of some 1 trillion*3 yen in fiscal year 2015. *1 The CHAdeMo Association is promoting a global standard for fast charging of EV. *2 For a battery with a capacity 10kWh. *3 Source: Toshiba. |
| Griffin's Beacon for iOS devices now shipping, post-remote living for just $80 Posted: 16 Jun 2011 12:49 AM PDT  Sure, you could get a Peel Fruit to turn your iPhone into a universal remote, but if you want a totally wire-free solution Griffin's Beacon is finally available as an alternative. If you'll recall, the battery powered base -- controlled by Dijit's remote control app -- takes your iPhone or iPad's Bluetooth signal, converts it to IR, and blasts commands to your A/V gear. We spent some time with the device at CES and found the package to be quite nice thanks to the versatile base and relatively seamless app. If you're feeling the urge to switch up how you've been flipping through channels, $80 will get you one from Griffin's website or an Apple Store starting today. Griffin and Dijit Team Up to Transform Your Mobile Device into a Universal Remote Beacon Connects to iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch via Bluetooth, Turning Device into an Easy-to-Use, Never-Lost Remote NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Griffin Technology Inc., one of the world's foremost creators of innovations for everyday life, and Dijit Media, a San Francisco-based software company whose Personal Media Assistant App software integrates consumers' media viewing experience with their smart devices, have partnered to create Beacon™ Universal Remote Control System – a wireless AV controller that when paired with an iOS device enables complete control over the entire home entertainment system. "Beacon puts control of the home theater right at your fingertips," said Matt Brown, Director of Product Development at Griffin. "Thanks to our hardware and Dijit's App integration, we've created a powerful, pocket-sized tool that truly simplifies and customizes the entertainment experience at home." "Consumers have 21st-century home entertainment experiences but are stuck with remote controls that haven't been updated since the 1980s. Dijit is here to overhaul the control experience, and our partnership with Griffin Technology marks another milestone in making this happen," said Maksim Ioffe, Founder and CEO of Dijit Media. "Beacon is an amazing product that brings the power of fingertip search and discovery of all your entertainment content right from your smartphone to your HDTV." Transforms iPhones and other iOS devices into an easy-to-use, never-lost remote for home entertainment systems Converts Bluetooth signals from iOS device into infrared signals required to control AV components Beacon connects compatible iOS device via Bluetooth with Dijit's free Universal Remote App iOS device's MultiTouch screen display becomes the remote with Dijit's Intuitive Program Guide, allowing users to change channels, volume, input, program DVR and much more Dijit App uses a constantly updated device code library to make setting up controls for TV, set-top box, sound system, media player and more, simple and intuitive For components not yet included in Dijit's library, the App also includes an integrated learning feature Beacon's low-profile design blends unobtrusively with any coffee table decor Powered by 4 AA batteries, eliminating messy wires and power cables The Beacon is $79.99 is now shipping and available at The Apple Store and www.griffintechnology.com. Dijit's Universal Remote App, a free download, can be found on The iTunes App Store, About Griffin Technology Founded on Paul Griffin's kitchen table in 1992, Griffin Technology Inc., is today one of the world's foremost creators of accessories for home, mobile and personal technology. Unique products such as iTrip®, PowerMate®, iFM®, iMic® and Evolve® Wireless Speaker System have broken new ground in consumer electronics and created loyal fans the world over. Today, Griffin products are conceived, designed and developed in-house, and continue to push the envelope of the industry they helped create. Learn more about Griffin's entire range of ingenious designs at www.griffintechnology.com. Follow Griffin Technology on Facebook (www.facebook.com/griffintech) and on Twitter @griffintech. About Dijit Media Dijit Media is the only company that provides consumers with the ability to control, discover and share their home entertainment experience, no matter where they are. Dijit's Personal Media Assistant application runs on iPhone, and can be used in conjunction with all cable and satellite providers as well as new content providers like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu in early 2011. Founded by entrepreneur Maksim Ioffe, the company's first product, the Dijit Universal Remote App is now available for download at www.dijit.com. Dijit is based in San Francisco, with partners nationwide. |
| Intel's 710 'Lyndonville' and 720 'Ramsdale' SSDs see full spec leak well ahead of release Posted: 15 Jun 2011 11:54 PM PDT  Things are a bit wild with the 720: not only does it have 34nm SLC chips making up the 200GB and 400GB versions, but it also boasts some truly insane read and write speeds of up to 2200 MB/s and 1800 MB/s, respectively. Yes, 2200 MB/s and 1800 MB/s, garnished by the fast 4K IOPs as well. We had our doubts initially, but looking at the previously stated 6Gbps PCIe interface and the much higher power draw, we think there's a good chance for this to come into reality. Well, only time will tell if these numbers will stick around for the Q3 launch this year -- not that our wallets will want to know, mind you. Hit the source link for the full lowdown. Update: As pointed out by our readers, it looks like the 720 will need more than 6Gbps at the PCIe bus to accommodate its maximum read and write speeds. At this point, we can only assume that there is indeed a typo somewhere -- either on the roadmap or on this table. |
| Yahoo App Search, AppSpot make sense of App Store and Android Market Posted: 15 Jun 2011 11:00 PM PDT 
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| ITRI touchscreen technology lets you pinch-to-zoom boob tubes of any size (video) Posted: 15 Jun 2011 08:37 PM PDT  Turning a plain old display into a multi-touch affair isn't exactly a groundbreaking feat, but we're still drooling over the Industrial Technology Research Institute's (ITRI) latest touchscreen enabler. The Taiwan-based outfit recently showed off a new attachment that the folks over at Netbooknews claim can make displays of any size touch-friendly. We're told that the touchy-feely accessory is still in development, which means it probably won't hit our living room anytime soon, but our fingers are tingling just thinking of the possibilities. Hop on past the break to see the thing in action. |
| Kinect for Windows SDK beta to roll out tomorrow? Posted: 15 Jun 2011 07:31 PM PDT  |
| Sony Music Unlimited hits Android, hopes you don't know why 'Qriocity' sounds so familiar Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:28 PM PDT  [Thanks, Archon810] |
| Toshiba adds 19 incher to battery-powered TV line, squeezes in 1Seg tuner Posted: 15 Jun 2011 05:43 PM PDT  |
| Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:41 PM PDT  HardwareGlancing at the front of the EVO 3D, it's easy to mistake it for last year's EVO 4G or the more recent Incredible 2. It combines design elements from both, like the angular edges and silver ringed capacitive keys of its precursor along with the soft curves and beveled earpiece of its Verizon cousin. But it's not until you notice the silver grating missing from the earpiece, and discover the silver 2D / 3D mode switch plus the large machined aluminum camera button on the right edge that you realize this is a completely different beast. The EVO 3D is a little taller than the EVO 4G, but narrower thanks to a different screen aspect ratio -- 16:9 vs. 5:3. It's also a little thinner than its predecessor which, combined with the difference in width, makes the new handset a better fit in the hand. Like the Incredible 2, the bezel is made from some kind of black anodized alloy and incorporates the earpiece, complete with a concealed notification light. Instead of hiding under the screen glass, the 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera lives on the bezel to the right of the earpiece. A sheet of Gorilla glass protects the 4.3-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen and includes silk-screened HTC and Sprint logos at top in addition to the capacitive buttons (home, menu, back, and search) at the bottom.  While the EVO 3D looks solidly built and feels substantial (it weighs about the same as its precursor), the materials used fail to convey the same sense of quality as the Sensation. The volume rocker and power / lock button, which are a part of the back cover, have an unpleasant, mushy feel. It's also far too easy to trigger the power / lock key and accidentally turn the phone on (it lacks the safety delay found on other recent HTC handsets). Removing the back cover reveals the same translucent black chassis as the Incredible 2, a generous 1730mAh battery, and a microSD card slot containing an 8GB Class 4 card. Gone are the EVO 4G's red innards and signature kickstand -- there's just no room for it.  Although we didn't experience any problems with call quality and reception, we also didn't see WiMAX perform significantly better than HSPA+ on other carriers -- at least not in San Francisco where it's often difficult to find a strong signal. WiMAX works best outdoors (since 2.5GHz radio waves are more sensitive to obstacles and interference) and locking onto a signal usually requires staying stationary for a minute. We noticed this with the EVO 4G and the Epic 4G last year, but without other "4G" technologies to compare WiMAX to, we simply accepted the status quo. Things are different now that HSPA+ and LTE are viable alternatives -- WiMAX is suddenly less compelling. Power efficiency is another concern. As more carriers deploy HSPA+ and LTE networks, chip manufacturers are more likely to integrate those radios at the SoC level, while WiMAX continues to require a separate radio.  Cameras and 3DOne thing is clear. It's hard to escape the gaze of those red-rimmed cyborg eyes the moment you see them. It's like catching a glance of the Terminator, but knowing you'll live. Yes, Skynet is watching you in three dee now. Indeed, everyone immediately notices the twin 5 megapixel autofocus cameras and dual LED flash, and it's no surprise -- stereoscopic imaging is the EVO 3D's raison d'être. Unfortunately, it's also the source of many compromises, and not just for 3D. Both cameras share what appears to be a decent quality 5 megapixel sensor with better than average low-light performance and low noise. The limiting factor here is the optics -- not the autofocus lenses per se, but the panel protecting the camera pod. We're still not sure if it's made of glass or optical grade plastic, but it causes noticeable halos in the periphery of images containing bright light. While color balance is generally accurate, light metering is hit and miss. For some reason, the issue is exacerbated when snapping 2D pictures. Only the left camera (when facing the screen) is used for 2D shots, and scenes with a wide dynamic range are often over- or under-exposed. Unlike the EVO 4G, there's no spot, center, or average setting to control how light is metered. Macro photography, while possible in 3D, produces results which are impossible to display properly because the two cameras are too far apart (3.25cm to be exact) when capturing closeups. Another limitation of 3D is that the cameras are disabled if the phone is not held in the horizontal position and in the landscape orientation. You can't gather creative stereoscopic images which, when viewed, would be the equivalent of holding your head sideways. And if you're an astronaut (or other space faring creature), you'll likely run into trouble when taking pictures with the EVO 3D in zero gravity -- you've been warned. Strangely, while both cameras feature 5 megapixel sensors, 3D photos consist of a pair of 2 megapixel widescreen stills (that's 1920x1080 pixels each). Also, zooming is not supported when capturing 3D content. Finally, forget shooting in 3D when the battery charge drops below 15%: it's simply disabled. Of course, none of these limitations apply in 2D and images are captured at full resolution (2560 x 1920 pixels). As you'll notice in our sample gallery, the resulting pictures are adequate but don't show any improvements over HTC's existing 5 megapixel devices when it comes to 2D imaging performance. If anything, quality suffers from the poor optics and exposure problems. 3D images can be saved in either MPO or JPS formats, the latter being easier to view and edit since it basically places the left and right pictures side-by-side into a single JPEG file containing additional metadata. Video is captured smoothly in HD at 720p and 30fps, then encoded using standard H264 -- there's no 1080p support for 2D, despite what's listed in the specs. When recording in 3D the left and right frames are combined and squeezed into 1280x720 pixels by a software process not unlike the anamorphic technique used to fit widescreen content onto 35mm film. The net result is that each original frame is stored using only 640x720 pixels, effectively halving the resolution of the final video. Touch-to-focus plus initial autofocus are available when recording video, and the audio is captured in stereo. In terms of camera interface, there's a silver 2D / 3D sliding switch that selects the shooting mode and a large dedicated 2-stage machined aluminum shutter key that's one of the best we've ever used on any handset -- it provides the right amount of tactile feedback and stiffness without blurring shots. Kudos to HTC for nailing something that should be standard on all phones. The rest of the UI is identical to what we saw on the Sensation. It's pretty intuitive and includes touch-to-focus, face detection and color effects. Update: Just to be 100% clear, contrary to the published specs, the EVO 3D does not support 1080p video recording in 2D. The highest setting is 720p (see here and here). We have confirmed this with other reviewers and have reached out to Sprint for clarification. We'll keep you posted. Sadly, whether monitoring the live view in 3D or watching stereoscopic content, the EVO 3D's qHD touchscreen is a mixed bag. In addition to washing out in direct sunlight, many people have problems seeing the 3D effect on the display even after being coached to slowly pan sideways until the 3D photos or videos "pop" into place. To make matters worse, the 3D effect looks blurry at the left and right edges of the screen, and pinch-to-zoom switches the display back to 2D. MPO files and 3D videos were handled properly by the Sharp 3D TV we tried, but none of our 3D content worked on the Nintendo 3DS. We were able to convert the original JPS files into the anaglyph images shown in our sample gallery by using a simple 3-step Photoshop process. We were also able to upload and watch 3D videos on YouTube by tweaking a few simple settings to generate anaglyph videos. Old-school red / cyan 3D glasses are required to view this type of content. But ultimately, while 3D is fun and whimsical, we can't help but think it's just a gimmick. As it is today, the EVO 3D's dual cameras suffer from too many compromises that affect the quality of both 2D and 3D imaging. SoftwareThe EVO 3D runs HTC's Sense 3.0 UI on top of Android 2.3.3, just like its sibling, the Sensation. As we mentioned in that review, performance is top notch. Qualcomm's 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon SoC is a force to be reckoned with, and takes Gingerbread to an entirely new level of fluidity. Everything from the basic UI to the web browser to maps is utterly buttery smooth. There is no delay, no hesitation -- just pure instant tactile gratification. Still, there's no escaping Sense, and we're not fans. As far as pigs and lipstick go, Sense 3.0 wears a professional makeup job. Other than adding instant access to the camera from the lock screen, it's mostly style over substance, fancy 3D effects on top of functionality that already exists in Gingerbread. A long time ago, in a land far away, Sense made, well... sense. It added important missing features to the OS. But today we'll take plain Android over Sense -- and its frustrating keyboard layout -- any day. We realize some people actually enjoy Sense and we commend HTC for creating a unique and consistent user experience across its device lineup. Just let us turn it off, or provide us with official Sense-free ROMs.  Wrap up |
| Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:35 PM PDT  HardwareThe View 4G has one major cosmetic change from the Flyer, but it just happens to be a biggie. The back is fashioned out of black, not gray, aluminum, and there's a thin red ring around the rear-facing camera. HTC also sprinkled matching red accents in the small slots housing the stereo speakers. Because the aluminum body has rubberized bumpers on the back side, the various black pieces don't totally match -- a quirk we noted with the white-and-gray Flyer. It's kind of like how a cotton black shirt would look awkward against a black wool sweater; they're clearly not cut from the same cloth. Still, the cobbling of materials is slightly less distracting in black than it is in gray. All told, of course, this hand-wringing over the color comes down to personal preference. We could say the gray is a playful complement to the black-and-red's machismo, but we'd be revealing more about ourselves than anything else. We'll also reiterate that while those bumpers dash any gravitas this metal-clad device may have had, they also define the ergonomic experience. Those plastic bits are just thick enough that you'll naturally use them to cradle the tablet when holding it in landscape mode. And, as with the 10-inch Toshiba Thrive, a little bit of rubberized coating goes a long way in making a chunky slate a cinch to grasp. What's more, the aluminum casing inspires confidence that this is a durable, carefully crafted device, even if it will never be the sleekest. To be sure, we didn't accidentally drop ours this time, but we routinely tossed it in a bag with our keys and other pointed objects, such as pens. The View's back remains blemish- and scratch-free, as does the screen -- though the fingerprints blanketing it are another story.  Of course, we couldn't talk ergonomics without a nod to the screen size. It's not that we haven't come across an ergonomic 10-incher -- because we have, several times over -- but there's something to be said for having a device with a façade the size of a paperback book. We realize we might be preaching to the choir, but if you're waffling between this and a 10-inch slate, it's refreshing to be able to type in portrait mode without feeling a stretch in your fingers. In general, too, we didn't crave more screen real estate for any of the things we tend to do -- web surfing, reading email, playing games, and watching YouTube clips. At the same time, it's compact enough that we found ourselves whipping it out when we had less than a minute to spare at a red light or waiting in line at a deli. With a 10-incher, we probably wouldn't have bothered. Taking a tour around the device, you'll find a typically minimal array of ports and buttons, including a metal volume rocker on the top edge, near the front-acing camera; a micro USB socket on the right side; and a 3.5mm headphone jack and lock / power key on the left. There's also an LED light built inside the headphone jack -- a surprise the first time you see that blinking green notification signal. CameraIn the grand tradition of mobile camera sensors, the View 4G's 5 megapixel cam struggles in harsh backlighting, though we were disappointed to see that even after we took refuge in the shade, we still ended up with blown-out pockets in some pictures. Many of our test photos have a softness about them, even if we tried our best to stay still while tapping the shutter. Nonetheless, as you can see in the gallery below, our shots were far from terrible, with pleasant, balanced colors, and surprisingly decent depth of field in close-up pictures. The 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera is no better, as you can imagine, though if decent video call quality is what you're after, you'll get adequate, bright image quality so long as the room is relatively well lit. As with the Flyer, HTC included a handful of goofy distortion and color filters, which you can find in a dedicated Snapbooth app or as an option in the Camera app's menu. We happen to be suckers for this touch, but it does slightly compensate for what would otherwise be a mediocre pair of cameras. The camera also shoots 720p video, but you wouldn't know it from watching our fuzzy test clips. We also didn't have any more success avoiding tinny noise distortion than Vlad did when he put the Flyer through its paces. It's a shame, since the actual motion in our movies -- dogs running, buses rumbling by -- looks fluid, and doesn't betray a hint of ghosting. Display and SoundThe Flyer's 7-inch (1024 x 600) display is vibrant, but the real star of the show are the viewing angles, which help it pass for a Super LCD panel. (HTC confirmed that it is, in fact, just a plain old LCD.) We quickly grew a habit of using the tablet outdoors, and only once found ourselves squinting at the display under direct sunlight. Indoors, too, we enjoyed easy viewing, even when sharing the tablet with friends and watching movies from potentially awkward side angles. Look closely, by the by, and you'll see that the display is studded with a grid of small dots. We suspect these help facilitate N-Trig's DuoSense technology, which allows for the pen input we'll expound on shortly. In any case, you can only see that dot pattern when the tablet is locked or powered down. As for those stereo speakers, the sound quality is decidedly tinny, even if the View does have one more speaker than most slates out there. SoftwareLike the Flyer, the View 4G runs Android 2.3 with the latest version of HTC's Sense UI layered on top. Sprint has said that it will upgrade the tablet to the tablet-optimized Android 3.0. (The carrier hasn't said anything yet about a further update to 3.1.) So using the View, in short, is akin to poking around the menus of an EVO smartphone. It's familiar, and it works. Gingerbread is finely tuned in a way Android 3.0 isn't just yet. The only thing is -- and this is actually a big thing indeed -- you'll miss out on apps designed to make the most out of that extra screen space, such as Gmail with a reading pane. Based on conversations we've had with Sprint, it's clear that resemblance to a smartphone was the idea. According to the carrier, its EVO franchise of handsets account for some of its best sales, so naturally, the Now Network is eager to replicate that success with tablets. That means appealing to existing customers, who love their phones and might be interested in scooping up another toy running the same software they're used to. Or, perhaps Sprint is hoping Sense phones and slates alike have the power to reel in new subscribers. Either way, the premise is that if you're considering the View 4G, it's as much for the user experience as the 4G radio.  For the uninitiated, the latest version of Sense blends a number of 3D flourishes with new ways to personalize the look and feel of the device. This includes a carousel of eight home screens that you can pinch to make all of them appear on one page as shrunken windows. Out of the box, you'll find five of them populated with widgets, including HTC's own music player, along with its news, calendar, Gallery, and FriendStream apps. While a blank home page leaves enough room for a grid of 16 apps, the ones with widgets don't leave any room to squeeze in a lone shortcut or two. And yet, these widgets don't take up the full screen, and sadly aren't optimized to take advantage of that 1024 x 600 display. For the most part, you won't get a satisfactory helping of information at a glance, and you'll need to open the corresponding app to really enjoy a substantive experience. Take the social networking aggregator FriendStream, for instance. You can scroll through your Twitter feed and post an update yourself, but to toggle between Twitter and Facebook or do things such as check direct messages, you'll have to open the app. In that regard, Sense doesn't realize its potential. We have to say, that while Sense can feel inefficient and bloated, we're truly enjoying the new lock screen that HTC cooked up for the latest version of the UI. You'll see a so-called activation ring, a circle into which you can drag one of four app shortcuts. In doing that, you'll unlock the phone and find yourself in that app, thereby saving yourself some extra taps. You can customize these (we swapped out the Exchange mail app for the Gmail one, for instance), and we also opted to display local weather animations on our lock screen. Battery Life Fantastic, and long enough, at that, to make us rethink our notions about 4G devices having middling endurance. Just to give you a day in the life, we left the house at about 7:30AM with a fully charged battery, and spent the ensuing 12 hours checking email and weather updates, glancing at Twitter and Facebook notifications, watching the occasional clip, and sinking an embarrassing amount of time into Angry Birds Rio. It wasn't until about 8PM that we saw a pop-up message warning us we were down to our last 15 percent. Not too shabby. HTC WatchIn addition to HTC's gussied-up Sense UI, you'll find a shortcut to HTC's own Watch service, a storefront from which you can stream and download movies, either for rent or for buy. Rentals in the US cost $2.99 to $3.99 a pop, with purchase prices ranging from $8.99 to $14.99. The app itself has a clean, two-paned interface, and the instant playback is fluid, but the uneven selection of roughly 400 titles harkens back to the early days of Netflix streaming. For every Gossip Girl or No Strings Attached, there's a Grumpier Old Men and Curly Sue. Magic PenLike the Flyer before it, what makes the View 4G stand out in a crowded field of Android tablets is its accompanying stylus and custom-built note-taking software. All this is possible thanks to N-Trig's DuoSense digitizer, which allows for both pen and finger input -- the same setup, by the by, that you'll find on the HP Slate 500 and the Fujitsu LifeBook T580. Whenever the tablet is on, you'll see a glowing green pen icon to the right of the main search, home, and back buttons icons. It'll appear, along with the primary haptic buttons, on one of two edges of the bezel, depending on whether you're holding the tablet in portrait or landscape mode. Tap that icon with the pen and you'll see a palette of options pop up in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, a hub where you can choose the text color and the kind of the kind of writing implement (say, a brush, or a felt-tip pen). When you launch the app for the first time, it'll walk you through a tutorial -- a helpful touch, since the interface of menu options is comprised entirely of small icons. We had a handful of vexing moments at the very beginning when navigating the cramped menu felt tedious and unintuitive, but after a few minutes we were tapping through at a brisker pace.  HTC seems to have realized it didn't have much to offer in the way of pen-friendly apps, so it made sure to integrate the pen experience throughout the OS. You can take a screenshot of almost anything and doodle on it -- a feature we used once in earnest, when we wanted to forward an email to a friend with a snarky aside painted on top. HTC also bundled a dedicated note-taking app (dubbed Notes, natch), which you can sync with Evernote, if you like. We have to say, this is one of the smoothest experiences we've had writing on a tablet. Even when we scrawled in script, barely applying pressure to the pen, the slate picked up everything. Erasing and highlighting using dedicated buttons on the pen also works like a charm. It's a shame that's all you can do with it. We don't know about you, but we don't find ourselves taking notes that often, and drawing amateur cartoons, meanwhile, simply requires too much effort. Until there are more apps to go with it, we can't help but feel the Magic Pen is something of a gimmick. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the View 4G is going the way of the US Flyer, which is to say that the Magic Pen, that distinguishing piece of hardware, will be sold separately for $80 -- highway robbery when you consider that you can find pens for other DuoSense tablets for $20 or so. To soften the blow, the folks at Sprint will throw in a pen as a promotion while supplies last. So some people will get a fair shake. Unlike the Flyer, though, this comes without that snug case, which has a loop for stowing the pen. So try really hard not to lose this one. WiMAXJust how fast is WiMAX? Sprint promises download speeds as high as 10Mbps and, until today, max upload rates of 1Mbps. Starting now, the carrier is expanding the upload ceiling to 1.5Mbps. In conversations with the company, a rep added that on average, users could expect download speeds between 3Mbps and 6Mbps. This isn't the first time we've noticed this kind of hedging when testing mobile broadband. It's not unlike how laptop makers are careful to say you can expect up to 10 hours of battery life: they almost never say these results are typical. In the case of the View 4G, though, our speeds were pretty darn close to the upper limits of what we were told to expect. We got an average of 10.31 Mbps down and .93Mbps up, and even hit 11Mbps in our download tests. Anecdotally, we spent less time waiting for pages to load than we would have on our Verizon smartphone, but WiMAX's benefits were most obvious when we streamed short clips -- movies were quick to load and just as fast to buffer, resulting in smooth playback.  As of this writing, WiMAX is live in 71 markets in 28 states, which still leaves large swaths of rural and suburban areas without coverage. We can't vouch for cities we haven't visited, of course, but we can say our coverage in New York City was some of the most robust we've ever enjoyed on a mobile device. We always had a 4G signal, and never fell back on 3G. And, we collected these scores from various parts of the city, from downtown Manhattan to the outerborough of Brooklyn. We've learned not to take that consistency for granted. When we tested T-Mobile's "4G" (HSPA+) mobile hotspot, we noted particularly strong performance in certain neighborhoods, on certain blocks, and in certain cafes, only to see our rates slow to a crawl when we turned the corner. Ultimately, then, we respect the View 4G as much for its reliability as its raw speed. But annoying things started to happen in the rare moments when our connection broke. Whenever we lost our signal, a full-screen dialog box popped up, warning of "Data Call Failure." The problem is, even after we tapped "Dismiss" this notification kept interrupting us. And, as you can imagine, even without that disclaimer, we tended to be aware when we were in areas with poor or non-existent service (e.g., in a train, underground). PricingThe 32GB View 4G costs $399.99 with a two-year agreement. Sprint offers several plans, all of which include unlimited 4G: $44.99 a month for 3GB, $59.99 for 5GB, and $89.99 for 10GB. For what it's worth, Sprint is also holding a promotion that could allow you to shave $10 off your data plan for every month of the two-year contract. Of course, there's no such thing as free lunch, which in this case means that save on data you'll have to activate a handset with a Simply Everything, Simply Everything Share, Everything Data, Everything Data Share, Everything Business or Business Advantage Messaging and Data plan. On the plus side, though, Sprint customers who already subscribe to one of these plans are also eligible for the discount. Wrap-up Here we are again. Even when you throw WiMAX into the mix, sizing up the HTC EVO View 4G presents almost the same mental balancing act as the 3G Flyer. When we think about what made our week with the View so enjoyable, we keep coming back to the well-tooled ergonomics, bright display, and long battery life -- all things that warmed us to the Flyer. For a lot of people, Sprint's consistently fast (but hardly ubiquitous) 4G network will be a boon, but perhaps not a compelling enough feature to seal their buying decision. Moreover, the addition of WiMAX isn't enough to soften our criticisms of the Flyer -- even if you prefer the comfort of Gingerbread, this thing still needs more apps that are optimized to take advantage of that bright 7-inch display. With a chunky shape and no ETA for Honeycomb, the View 4G isn't the sexiest or most cutting-edge slate of the bunch. But it's sensible, reassuring. And if Sprint is correct that the people considering this might well be satisfied EVO customers, there could be something to be said for sticking with what you know. |
| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V reviewed, scores top rating on Photography Blog Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:31 PM PDT  With PSN issues abound, April and May were certainly not banner months for Sony. Things are looking up for the electronics maker in June, however, with well-received PlayStation Vita and NEX-C3 camera announcements last week, and now a top rating for its highly-capable Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V point-and-shoot over at Photography Blog. The 16.2 megapixel camera includes a 16x wide-angle zoom lens and a 921K-dot 3-inch LCD, and the reviews site highlighted the cam's excellent image quality and 1080p video capture, going so far as to say that the "Sony CyberShot DSC-HX9V is the best travel-zoom camera that we've reviewed to date." Hot damn! We expect a lot of camera for $350, and it looks like this superzoom delivers for advanced shooters as well, with a 10 fps full-res burst mode, full manual control, and an f/3.3 wide-angle aperture. We're sold. If you don't want to step up to the slightly larger and pricier NEX series, this über-versatile digicam seems to be the next best thing. |
| Sony S1 and S2 tablets hitting Europe in September? Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:01 PM PDT  the existence of the S1 and S2, giving the distinctive Android devices a broad global release time frame of this fall. And now we've been shown a private note sent from Sony's marketing group, highlighting an August pre-order and an end of September release date for an unnamed tablet from the company, a timeline that's right in line with our initial report on the S1. The device, according to the note, will be available through Sony Direct, UK department store John Lewis, and a third still-unconfirmed retailer at launch. Availability will apparently open up after the Christmas holiday. The note doesn't offer up much info on the tablet, though it does promise that it stacks up well against the iPad and offers up some "unique design features," which may well refer to the S2's clamshell -- or, for that matter, the S1's curved back. |
| Columbia's Omni Freeze Ice tech cools you down when the weather heats up Posted: 15 Jun 2011 03:43 PM PDT  Air-conditioning in cars and houses keeps us comfy in the summertime, but once we step into the great outdoors, it's much harder to beat the heat. Columbia, which gave us electric jackets and boots to keep us toasty warm in winter, aims to keep us cool during the dog days of summer with its new line of Omni-Freeze Ice clothing. The material that makes the magic happen is made of flat fibers that bring 35 percent more surface area in contact with your skin than traditional round yarns -- and the more cloth touching your dermis, the better it can absorb and dissipate body heat. These flat fibers are bonded with a special compound that activates when wet (by water or sweat) and lowers the temperature of both the garment and the person wearing it. In fact, if you stir in enough of the stuff, you can actually freeze a glass of water. Because the effect comes courtesy of chemical added to the clothing, it won't last forever -- but the company told us it'll keep its cooling properties for 50 - 70 trips through the washing machine. Want it now? Too bad, because the Omni-Freeze Ice line of gear won't be released worldwide until 2012.We got to try on a sleeve of the stuff ourselves, and can say that Columbia's cool new threads really work. Once the material was sprayed with some water and we started walking around, our arm was chilled quite pleasantly, almost like an Altoid for your skin. Of course, the cooling effect only lasts as long as it's wet, and the temperature drop varies depending upon humidity levels and airflow over the moistened area -- when waving our arm with the sleeve on, it got quite a bit colder than when we were standing still. Don't believe us? See Columbia's secret sauce in action after the break. |
| Archos Arnova 7 hits the FCC, brings new hope to penny-pinching tablet enthusiasts Posted: 15 Jun 2011 03:01 PM PDT  |
| Google Sync adds mail server search, appointment confirmation to native iOS apps Posted: 15 Jun 2011 02:36 PM PDT  Google Sync has pushed Gmail messages, calendar updates, and contacts to iOS since its launch in 2009, but this half-baked solution previously lacked some key functionality. Beginning today, users can finally perform mail server searches and confirm appointment requests from their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. This means that you'll be able to search for messages in your entire mailbox, not just for emails stored on your device -- a feature that first appeared with iPhone OS 3, but without Google Sync support. You can also respond to calendar invites from within the Calendar app. Fancy that! A third update brings support for sending messages from other addresses listed in your Gmail account, though only the first two features worked when we took Sync for a spin this afternoon. (Curiously, Google omitted a "Send Mail as" screenshot on its blog, so this last update may not actually be available yet.) This latest trio of updates is available for both gratis and Google Apps accounts, so head to the source link for set up instructions and the full feature rundown. |
| Samsung Exhibit 4G and Gravity Smart coming to T-Mobile on June 22nd, Dart available today Posted: 15 Jun 2011 02:09 PM PDT  |
| Sony updates Vaio C series with subtler shades, E models go Sandy Bridge Posted: 15 Jun 2011 01:47 PM PDT  BRIGHTEN YOUR SUMMER WITH SONY'S NEW VAIO C SERIES LAPTOPS New Sony® VAIO® C Series laptop: Get portability, performance and multimedia entertainment in the new Sony VAIO C Series laptop. It is available in two new colors, Neon Red and Thunder Blue, and in 14-inch and 15.5-inch screen sizes. A second generation Intel® Core™ i5 processor (select models), Blu-ray Disc™ drive (select models) and AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M 1GB Hybrid graphics (select models) give you visibly smart performance and amazing picture quality all in a one-of-a-kind design. • Intel® Core™ i5 processor for visibly smart performance with a boost • Intel® Core™ i3 processor visibly smart performance starts here • Windows® 7 Home Premium • Create, edit & share your digital life with Sony Imagination Studio™ Suite 2 VAIO® Edition (for Signature Collection models only) • The 14-inch model provides up to nine hours of battery life and the 15.5-inch model offers up to eight hours of battery life with the standard lithium ion battery • Share your laptop content wirelessly on your HDTV with Intel® WiDi (adaptor is sold separately) • Type and chat in dim light with backlit keyboard with number pad (select models) and HD web camera powered by Exmor™ sensor technology • Hybrid Graphics deliver power when you need it and lowers power consumption when you don't (select models) • Shortcut buttons provide quick access to the web, Media Gallery™ software and VAIO Care™ The VAIO C Series laptop will be available for pre-sale on June 19 at http://www.sony.com/cseries for a starting price of about $730. It will be available in Neon Red this summer exclusively through select retailers include ABT Electronics, B&H Photo, Fry's Electronics, J&R Electronics, MicroCenter, Nebraska Furniture Mart and Sony Stores. It will also be available in Thunder Blue at other major retailers around the country starting next month. SONY VAIO E SERIES LAPTOPS BRING EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN TO EVERYDAY USE SAN DIEGO, June 15, 2011 – Sony today debuted a new, artfully-crafted collection of its affordably-priced line of VAIO® E Series notebooks. The E Series 14-inch and 15.5-inch notebooks are available in four stunning colors- midnight blue, glacier white, charcoal black and blush pink - while the 17.3-inch model comes in charcoal black and glacier white. Geometric patterns appear on the lids, and on matching palm rests, and all the colors are fingerprint-resistant to help keep the models looking brand new while users stay connected and entertained. "The VAIO brand stands for excellent quality and standout design," said Mike Lucas, senior vice president of Networked Technology and Services Division at Sony Electronics. "The new E Series delivers both, plus entertainment and connectivity options, at a price the everyday user can afford." On top of its great looks, the E Series' textured, dimpled touchpad, edge-to-edge isolated keyboard featuring an integrated number pad (15.5- and 17.3-inch models only), and three unique hardware buttons: WEB, VAIO and ASSIST provide a great user experience. The WEB button provides a one-touch Internet connection without a full boot into Windows® while the VAIO button launches Media Gallery™ software, Sony's intelligent playback software. The ASSIST button opens VAIO Care™, a built-in troubleshooting and maintenance program. Entertainment options abound in the new E Series. With the integration of Intel Wireless Display technology (select models), users can easily enjoy online and laptop-stored content like videos, photos, online TV shows and movies on their big screen TV (with an adapter, sold separately) with up to 1080p resolution. Also available on select models are Remote Keyboard, which connects the VAIO PC to a BRAVIA TV and a Blu-ray Disc™ players (select models). Also available is Remote Play for PS3, which allows access to content stored on the PlayStaton®3 over the internet. Entertainment features available on all models include an LED backlit LCD screen for better clarity, detail, and crisp colors, an HDMI® output (cable sold separately) for a wired connection to an HDTV set, and a built-in microphone and web camera with face-tracking technology for crystal-clear video chats. Processor options in E Series include a 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i3 or i5 processor with Intel ® Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost technology 2.0, delivering the performance needed for multitasking. An AMD E-350 Dual Core Processor with AMD Mobility Radeon™ HD6130 Graphics Vision Technology for advanced graphics and beautiful detail also powers a 15.5-inch E Series notebook which is available in charcoal black. Pricing and Availability The VAIO E Series notebook will retail starting at about $550. It is available for pre-order starting June 19 online at http://www.sony.com/eseries. It will also be sold at Sony Stores and at other major retailers around the country starting next month. |
| HTC Sensation 4G now available at T-Mobile, $150 if you order online Posted: 15 Jun 2011 01:25 PM PDT  Walmart shoppers may have been able to get their hands on the phone a few days early but, as promised, everyone else can now snag the HTC Sensation 4G direct from T-Mobile. What's more, while the list price is the same $200 we'd heard previously (on a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate), the carrier is also offering an additional $50 off for those that order online, which brings the final cost down to the same $150 that Walmart's been selling it for. The phone itself, of course, is the same we've been seeing all along: a 4.3-inch qHD screen, 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, and Android 2.3 with Sense. Hit the link below to get your order in if that sounds alright with you. [Thanks, Mike] |
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