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Friday, June 17, 2011

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Qi-Hardware debuts free, open source wireless solution, not a threat to WiFi

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:33 AM PDT

Qi-Hardware atben and atusb
Qi-Hardware has a bit of an obsession with free, open source, and underpowered. The latest project from this descendent of OpenMoko is a set of license free wireless boards called atben (for the company's Ben NanoNote) and atusb for other laptops. The adapters rely on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard which powers 6LoWPAN and ZigBee. Don't get confused though, this is not a replacement for WiFi -- it's more like long range Bluetooth (and it's not compatible with either). Ben WPAN, as it's being called, has a range of about ten meters in "standard" mode while pushing 250Kbps. Turning on the "non-standard" mode boosts throughput to (a still patience-testing) 2Mbps, but cuts the range in half. You can pick up pre-built adapters starting at €29.50 (about $42) for the atben, €41.30 ($59) for the atusb, or €59.00 ($84) for both at Tuxbrain. Don't expect to just jam one into your Mac however -- for now at least, Ben WPAN is a Linux only affair. (How often do you hear that?)

HP ships free TouchPads to homebrew devs, may want something in return

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 11:03 AM PDT

Like an anxious admirer, HP continues to lavish gifts on the lucky devs over at WebOS Internals. This time it's sending them pre-release TouchPads as an enticement to get busy and boost the 9.7-inch slate's app count before it launches next month. HP recently promised that "thousands" of TouchPad apps are on their way and, in addition to attracting big names like Skype and Amazon Kindle, it's also ensured that legacy apps continue to be supported on WebOS 3.0. With nearly 600 unofficial goodies sitting pretty at PreCentral's homebrew app gallery, HP clearly feels it makes sense to reach out in that direction too. And who said love was just a trick?

Don't bring your computer viruses to Japan, because they're illegal now

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 10:33 AM PDT

Tired of getting swamped with spam and malware? Just pack your things and catch the next flight to Japan, where computer viruses are now considered illegal. Under the country's new legislation, anyone convicted of creating or distributing viruses could face up to three years in prison, or a maximum fine of ¥500,000 (about $6,200). It's all part of Japan's efforts to comply with the Convention on Cybercrime -- an international treaty that requires member governments to criminalize hacking, child pornography, and other terrible things. Privacy advocates, however, have already raised concerns over some stipulations that would allow investigators to seize data from PCs hooked up to allegedly criminal networks, and to retain any suspicious e-mail logs for up to 60 days. In an attempt to quell these fears, the Judicial Affairs Committee tacked a resolution on to the bill calling for police to exercise these powers only when they really, really need to.

Web-controlled tweeting Roomba is a perfect storm of DIY magic

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 10:01 AM PDT

Web-controlled tweeting Roomba
There are three things that will guarantee your DIY project some attention: slap it on a Roomba, base it on Arduino, or make it tweet. Do all three and, well, you've got a nerdgasm-inducing bit of Make fodder. The creation you see above is a web-controlled tweeting Roomba whipped up by Instructables member matchlighter using a 500 series vacuum bot and the Sparkfun WiFly shield for Arduino. The autonomous cleaner can be triggered from anywhere there's an internet connection and updates Twitter to keep you abreast of its status (Ahh! Dock sweet dock). While Mr. matchlighter was kind enough provide directions for building your own, a lot of the actual coding is left up to you. (We're lazy, let us just copy and paste dammit!) If you think you've got the programming chops, hit up the source link for instructions and check out the original's Twitter feed at the more coverage link.

Update: The complete code is in step eight of the Instructable.

Sharp Aquos Phone SHI12 visits the FCC, flaunts its 3D camera in drawings

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 09:26 AM PDT

It's rare that we see Sharp's Aquos phones here in the US, but one model, at least, could be making the long journey stateside. A handset dubbed the CMDA SHI12 just cleared the FCC, and after comparing the drawings in the report to shots of devices already on the market, we're pretty sure it's the IS12SH that Sharp announced for Japan a few weeks back. Though the report is typically terse when it comes to specs, it does confirm that the phone has an 8 megapixel 3D rear-facing camera, Bluetooth, FeliCa, GPS, and tri-band CDMA (B0 / B3 / B6) connectivity. And though it's not in the filing, if this is indeed the IS12SH, then it also has a 4.2-inch qHD display and runs Android 2.3 (or so we'd hope, anyway). Of course, an FCC filing doesn't mean this will ever reach a carrier or go on sale in the US, period. But in case it does, don't say we didn't give you a heads up.

Real Racing 2 HD wireless, dual-screen gaming with iOS 5 on iPad 2 hands-on (video)

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 08:57 AM PDT


It's just one week after Nintendo unveiled dual-screen gaming on the Wii U at E3, but Apple's iOS 5 beta is already bringing a very similar experience to the living room -- many months before Nintendo's latest console is expected to ship. We installed iOS 5 on an iPad 2 and Apple TV, and took the latest version of Real Racing 2 HD for a test-drive, which enables dual-screen gameplay over AirPlay without the need for Apple's $39 AV adapter. Other games, like Angry Birds, simply mirror the iPad's display (and aspect ratio) on your HDTV, but Real Racing streams 16:9 HD video.

For this game (and we imagine many more to come), you use the iPad as the controller -- both while navigating through menus and in race mode -- while the game appears only on your TV (though the tablet does display some vitals, and a map of the track). There's noticeable lag between the iPad and Apple TV when using AirPlay, which may be an issue for games where timing is important, such as Rock Band, but didn't seem to set us back while playing Firemint's racing game. Overall, AirPlay offered a seamless gaming experience without a single hiccup -- surprising, considering iOS 5 just hit beta last week. It's difficult to do this hands-on justice without a video demo, so jump past the break for an exclusive look at wireless, dual-screen gaming on the iPad and Apple TV.

Acer announces Predator G5910 for the UK with up to 8TB of storage, 'combat-machine' design cues

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 08:34 AM PDT

Acer's been mighty busy the past few days, trotting out laptops, desktops, a media streamer, and a multitouch monitor, to boot. But the company wasn't ready to call it a week just yet -- the outfit also announced the Predator G5910 gaming rig for the UK gaming crowd. As you might gather from its reddish accents and claw-like doors -- a "combat-machine" aesthetic, according to Acer -- this is a power tower. These bad boys pack quad-core, desktop-grade Core i5 and i7 processors, up to 16GB of memory, 10 USB 2.0 ports, a 12-in-1 memory card slot, two swappable hard drive bays, and as much as 8TB of storage spread across four SATA drives. In terms of graphics, the most specific thing Acer is saying is that it's compatible with NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon cards, and that it's NVIDIA 3D Vision-capable. You can also overclock this guy using Intel's own Extreme Tuning Utility, but only if you opt for a K-series CPU. This would mean the machine has a P67 chipset -- which is what retailers in other European countries are listing -- and not the H67 listed in the press release. As final flourishes, Acer threw in a handle on the back, and an angled deck on top to keep your inevitable morass of cables under control. UK shoppers can find it in mid-July starting at £599 VAT. PR after the break.
Show full PR text
Acer Predator G5910 series
HD entertainment with superior graphics

London, 17th June 2011 – Smooth multitasking, together with the capability of delivering the kind of graphics performance needed to create digital content and enjoy HD entertainment are the most sought after characteristics in today's computer. Shaped by the passion for visually intense multimedia and gaming, the new Acer Predator G5910 excels at handling everything that comes its way, even the most demanding computing and entertainment needs. Equipped with the ultimate in terms of processors and graphics solutions, this desktop is remarkable - inside and out - and will fulfil advanced users and gamers' requirements for stunning HD entertainment and gaming, rich graphics and excellent performance.

The matte black body of the Predator G5910 evokes power and performance, while the angles and grooves on the front add a high-tech futuristic mood. For better accessibility to the USB and audio ports, the top surface is angled and houses a convenient deck flaunting a groove design that allows different sized cables to fit in between, thus avoiding tangles. Plus it comes with a handy back handle for easy transport. In keeping with the overall bold design, the ODD doors have a claw-like mechanism enhancing the combat-machine effect.

The front of the case reveals another remarkable feature, two optional easy-swap hard disc bays to offer flexible expandability when you need it. This means you will always have space for your ever growing multimedia files. When the disk is full all you have to do is replace it with a new one.

The Predator G5910 harnesses the power of the 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ Processor family with H67 Chipset to deliver maximum performance in response to the most demanding tasks such as editing multimedia files, or playing fast-paced games. It can speed through intensive computing applications scaling the performance according to requirements, thus ensuring maximized entertainment and productivity. What's more, optional K series Intel Core i7 or Core i5 CPUs can be overclocked, boosting performance significantly via the Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility (IXTU) to speed though tough tasks.

To let you enjoy movies at their best and play the latest HD games with unrivaled visual richness, the Predator G5910 can be equipped with Blu-ray Disc™ drive that ensures the playback of the best quality video available.

What's more, if you want to transform your gaming experience into an eye-popping stereoscopic experience, just match your predator with the Acer GD245HQ 3D monitor equipped with NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ and a pair of shutter glasses. You will be amazed by the stunning realistic quality of the images displayed.

Featured on the Predator G5910 is the Acer Arcade Deluxe, the best way to manage your digital library. Bundled in a cool and simple interface are:
  • Arcade Photo: an intuitive tool for easily and quickly managing and showing your favorite pictures
  • Arcade Videos: view your videos, convert them to other formats or store them online
  • Arcade Music: the hub where to keep and play all your music files.
With up to four high capacity SATA hard disk drives, each with as much as 2TB of space, the Predator G5910 offer exceptional flexibility and all the room you need to store all your digital libraries. The multi-in-one card reader supporting a wide variety of memory cards plus a wealth USB ports make it easy to manipulate and share your files. What's more the system can speed through multitasking and video playback thanks to up to 16 GB of DDR3 memory.

The Acer Predator G5910 series will be available mid July with RRP's from £599 Inc VAT

Verizon video shows an unannounced tablet, could it be the Xoom 2? (update: it's back!)

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 08:14 AM PDT

Oh Verizon, did you just spill confidential information all over your YouTube channel? The guys over at Droid-Life spotted a VZW ad starring a mysterious new Honeycomb tablet, which to our ninja-trained eyes looks to exhibit many of the design elements of Motorola's Xoom. It could, of course, be just about anything, given that Verizon yanked the video almost as soon as the above screengrab was lifted, but the rear of this 10(ish)-inch tablet looks very much like a Xoom designed to be used in portrait orientation. We know Moto has a Xoom 2 cooking in the oven and it's not unreasonable to surmise that Verizon is putting together the finishing touches on a promo campaign for it. Now if only we could get a look at that video with our own eyes...

Update: The video is back! Watch it after the break.

Ping iPhone cradle can lower your handicap, but you're still on your own with the gophers (video)

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 08:01 AM PDT

Finally, a reason to use your cellphone on the course that won't earn you icy stares around the old clubhouse. Golfing accessory manufacture Ping this week announced an iPhone / iPod touch cradle that clips onto your putter, using the company's iPing app to quantify your putting handicap number. The system measures your stroke type, impact angle, and tempo, comparing them against your friends and some pre-entered golfing pros. Al Czervik would be proud. The app itself is free, but the cradle will run you $30 -- both will be available online, later this month. It's certainly cheaper and a lot less bulky than systems we've seen, but don't take it from us -- listen to teaching professional Jeff Ritter in the clip below.




Show full PR text
New iPing putter app targets consistency for better putting

PING®, a company with a legacy of putter innovation and success, introduces the iPING™ putter app – a free, wireless, go-anywhere putting improvement tool that identifies a player's stroke type, analyzes their impact angle, and measures their tempo. After a series of putts, the iPING app records the golfer's consistency in each area and establishes a Putting Handicap™ (PHcp™), which gets lower as the player improves their consistency, the key to holing more putts.

The iPING app is a free download from the iTunes® App Store™ for the iPhone® 4 and the smaller iPod touch® (4th gen). The iPING app works in conjunction with a PING cradle ($30 MSRP), which holds the mobile device and clips onto the putter shaft just below the grip. Cradles are available for either the iPhone 4 or iPod touch (4th gen) due to the different sizes of the devices.

The iPING app will be on iTunes on June 20th. PING cradles will be available on the same date through key golf retailers' websites. Other PING retailers will offer the cradles in early July.

The iPhone 4 and iPod touch (4th gen) are the only mobile devices that contain both accelerometers and gyroscopes – the key technology features that allow iPING to measure and record data. The accelerometers measure linear acceleration, while the gyroscopes detect rotational speed.

"Innovation takes many forms," said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. "My father, Karsten Solheim, started PING with a single putter design. The engineering principles of that design and subsequent models ignited a revolution in golf club design and putter fitting. The Anser putter, which he designed in 1966, still dominates the Tours today more than 45 years later. The iPING app continues in our long tradition of innovation by allowing golfers to analyze their putting strokes more closely than ever. It works like a launch monitor for putters by measuring key aspects of your stroke. It will help every level of golfer see better results by adding more consistency on the putting green. Besides that, it's a lot of fun to use and has several other features."

The iPING app analyzes and displays a golfer's consistency onscreen using three criteria:

STROKE TYPE: Stroke type is the classification of a player's closing angle, the amount of rotation of the putter face during the forward stroke. PING's research found that golfers can be categorized as one of three stroke types: Straight, Slight Arc, or Strong Arc, measured in degrees of face rotation. (Straight has very little or no rotation; Strong Arc has the most.) The research shows that players tend to be most consistent with a balance of putter that matches their stroke type. Face-balanced putters work best for Straight strokes while toe-down putters are most effective for a Strong Arc.

IMPACT ANGLE: Impact angle is the putter's face angle at impact, relative to address, measured in degrees. PING's data shows that even the best players in the world do not necessarily have a 0 impact angle average, but all are highly consistent.

TEMPO: Tempo is a measure of the duration of the backswing relative to the forward swing and is expressed in a ratio: 2 to 1, for example. The average tempo will vary among players, but the best putters have extremely high consistency in tempo.

MEASURE MODE: In Measure mode, the golfer hits five putts and their stroke type, impact angle and tempo are displayed for every putt in that session and stored. The iPING app calculates a consistency score, and then averages the scores over time to build a Putting Handicap (PHcp). As the player improves their consistency, they'll watch their PHcp come down.

PRACTICE MODE: In Practice mode, the user can isolate one aspect of their putting that's lacking in consistency – tempo, for example – for extra attention. Stroke type, impact angle, and tempo are displayed for individual putts.

COMPARE MODE: In Compare mode the player can compare their results with previous sessions or with those of their friends. They can even do side-by-side comparisons with several PING tour pros, whose results are pre-loaded into the iPING app.

Users can also share and compare their results through social media, Solheim said. "The social aspect and the ability to form a community around it is another exciting feature of iPING," he said. "Golfers can share their results by emailing friends and posting sessions on Facebook® or Twitter®. We expect golfers to fully embrace these features as they develop fun and friendly competitions using iPING and their mobile devices."

Vizio tablet fits Walmart into its hectic schedule, shipping in just six weeks

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 07:41 AM PDT

Looks like Blake Griffin will have to find some other unreleased gadget to wave in front of our noses, because his beloved Vizio tablet will soon be available to all the little people who shop at Walmart. An internal schedule just faxed itself to our tin foil caps declaring that the Android 8-incher will start shipping in "week 26", which is Walmartish for six weeks from now. That might seem a long wait considering Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 is already giving us doe-eyes from the shelves at Best Buy, but the Vizio hits a friendlier price bracket (recently leaked at $349) and has its own set of tricks. The SRS speakers and universal remote function impressed us back in January, and there's also the Via Plus ecosystem that should integrate the tablet with Vizio TV apps and the upcoming Vizio Phone. Of course, Vizio is more than welcome to come over and pimp the rest of our home entertainment system like it did for Blake.

[Thanks, FiZiX]

Engadget Podcast 244 - 06.17.2011

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 07:10 AM PDT

Right before our interview with Ron Howard, we talk about eReader evolution, gaming execution, and a 3D phone revolutions. Was that a haiku? We're not sure because we forgot how to count, but we hope you caught the part about there being an interview with Ron Howard toward the end. We're all "really? really!" about it, and we think you might be too. Listen all the way to the end for a red-headed dessert on an already nutritious and fulfilling episode of the Engadget Podcast.

Host: Tim Stevens
Guests: Brian Heater, Myriam Joire
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: My Sharona

00:03:40 - Console vs. PC redux: how mobile gaming will reshape the industry (again)
00:07:21 - Nintendo's Iwata talks about Wii U's place in the living room
00:16:15 - Kobo eReader Touch Edition review
00:22:13 - Kobo eReader Touch does more than words, handles Sudoku and web browsing on the side (video)
00:23:45 - HTC EVO 3D review
00:39:20 - Apple starts selling unlocked iPhone 4 for $649
00:43:51 - More iOS 5 features get their moment in the beta testing sun
00:46:40 - HTC pulls a 180, now says Gingerbread is coming to Desire (updated)
00:51:36 - MOTOBLUR name phased out due to public feedback
00:55:43 - Kinect for Windows SDK beta launches, wants PC users to get a move on
00:57:08 - Ron Howard interview
01:12:30 - Listener questions


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Cloud Engines recalls potentially flammable Pogoplug Video

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 06:48 AM PDT

Looks like sharing videos over the cloud may be a risky task -- if you're using the box shown here on the left, that is. The Pogoplug Video hit the retail scene about two months ago, but Cloud Engines has already issued a recall after two devices nearly went up in flames. According to The Official Pogoplug Blog, the internal chip that handles video encoding can experience "thermal runaways" after long periods of use, which could cause the device to reach unsafe temperatures; this despite having a fan to keep things cool. The affected model numbers include Pogo P-11 through 14, and the company asks that owners get in contact to setup a return and refund. In the meantime, it also suggests that the units be unplugged -- a good idea if you want to avoid possibly burning the house down.

HP ships $50 WiFi Mobile Mouse, gives your Bluetooth radio a break

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 06:25 AM PDT


If you've been waiting oh-so-patiently for HP's $49.99 WiFi Mobile Mouse to ship, take heart -- the aforesaid critter is now ready to free up one more valuable USB port at your workstation. As mentioned before, this ain't your mum's wireless mouse, as it makes use of WiFi technology -- you know, instead of the tried-and-true Bluetooth. In other words, this bad boy doesn't require anything other than itself to connect. HP promises up to nine months of battery life, offers five programmable buttons, a four-way tilt scroll wheel and adjustable sensitivity. Just think -- you can finally choose to keep those remaining Four Loko cans chilled without resorting to an inbuilt trackpad. Reason enough to pull the trigger, yeah?
HP WiFi Mobile Mouse

Strawberry Tree brings free, solar-powered charging to Belgrade's BlackBerrys, more (video)

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 06:03 AM PDT

Dead battery in Belgrade? Head to the city's Obrenovac district, where a group of students has developed the world's first public charging station powered entirely by solar energy. Known as the Strawberry Tree, the structure's 16 ports support a variety of handhelds, allowing pedestrians to juice up their cell phones in just ten to 15 minutes, at no charge. Its built-in batteries can also store up to a month's worth of back-up energy, enabling the station to hum along at night, or even during Serbia's less sunny seasons. In the first 40 days following its November launch, the Strawberry Tree logged some 10,000 charging sessions -- or about ten charges per hour. Creator Miloš Milisavljevic was just 17 years old when he came up with the idea, and now, at the ripe old age of 22, is looking to plant new stations across other Serbian cities, through his Strawberry Energy NGO. He says these installations won't generate much revenue from consumers, but that's not really the idea:

"Energy from the sun is free, and it would be unethical to charge people to use the Strawberry Tree...We are trying to inspire young people to think about the source of the energy they use, and behave and act responsibly."

You can check out the Strawberry Tree in the video below, or find out more about Milisavljevic's ideal-driven endeavors in the full PR.


Show full PR text
Renewable energy in the palm of your hand

A public solar-powered mobile device charging point called the "Strawberry Tree" in the
centre of Belgrade's Obrenovac district is attracting users of all ages, informing about
sustainable energy, and inspiring youth to behave responsibly.

Miloš Milisavljevi was just 17 years old when the inspiration hit him. He was working on a
school project on sustainable energy. "We wanted to find the best ways of promoting
renewable energy, and knew that to do that we needed to reach people's emotions.
Everybody has their own problems. To capture their attention we needed to make something
from which they will personally benefit."

Knowing that five billion mobile telephones are in use around the world, and that the number
will only grow, Milisavljevi connected the dots.

"I thought that maybe we could help by building a station where people could use solar
power in public spaces to recharge their telephones and other mobile devices like iPods." he
said. "This introduces a direct trigger: solar power is relevant. Solar power provides
solutions."

This idea that Milisavljevi hatched in high school is now a reality. The original proto-types
and models were entirely self-financed. He approached the Belgrade municipality, and city
officials quickly recognised the value of the project, built the charger and installed it in the
Obrenovac district of Belgrade.

Now called a "Strawberry Tree," the first station was installed in November 2010. In its first
40 days of use, 10,000 charging sessions were logged. That equates to an average of about
10 sessions every hour! There is no charge to users to plug-in to the power source. "Energy
from the sun is free, and it would be unethical to charge people to use the Strawberry Tree,"
Milisavljevi explained. Belgrade has plans to build and install three more stations around the
city in the coming months.

Each charging sessions takes about 10-15 minutes. Milisavljevi maintains that the charging
station also offers a social benefit. As the users wait, they have no choice but to gather
around the tree. "Discussion of the benefits of solar power is inevitable as people congregate
in the shadows of the Strawberry Tree," he says. "We are trying to inspire young people to
think about the source of the energy they use, and behave and act responsibly."

A true entrepreneur, Milisavljevi organises his renewable energy projects within the NGO he
created called "Strawberry Energy." What's behind the name? "We like the symbolism of
strawberries. They are the first fruit of the spring season. That represents leadership,
innovation. Plus, in ancient times the strawberry was a symbol for love and perfection. That
works for us, too."

Milisavljevi , now 22, plans to finish his studies in electrical engineering this autumn, and
then head off to complete a masters degree. But meanwhile, Strawberry Energy is in
negotiations with several other cities in Serbia and the surrounding interested in introducing a
charging point in their local communities. "Our sole desire is to spread the word of
sustainable energy and try to make the world a better place, as much as we can."

Wii U dev kits to be updated to latest prototyping hardware in the coming weeks

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 05:08 AM PDT

Nintendo couldn't have put all those glorious names of third party developers up alongside its Wii U announcement earlier this month without giving those companies at least a glimpse at the actual hardware they'd have to code on. Sega Europe's Gary Dunn was among those to have tinkered with a development kit before we even knew what the Wii U would be called, but he says that Nintendo intends to refresh that hardware to the latest prototype model at some point before the end of July. According to Gary, coding for the new system is pretty straightforward, and though he wouldn't get into specifics about performance, he does expect more details to emerge once Nintendo starts distributing the latest version of the Wii U dev platform. Asked about how it compares to the Xbox 360 and PS3, Sega's dev leader simply said the new Nintendo console is "different."

Nokia Windows Phones will launch in six European nations first, Finland not among them

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 04:29 AM PDT

Nokia VP Victor Saeijs has this week disclosed the six launch markets for the vanguard devices born out of the Microsoft-Nokia partnership. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK will all count themselves as hosts to Nokia's Windows Phone debut, but the company's mother nation of Finland has strangely been left out in the cold. Knowing Nokia, there's no doubt that once the WP7 handsets are ready they'll find themselves swiftly available worldwide, but if you care to be among the very first to own one, you'll be wanting to visit Europe's western shores -- preferably some time before the year's through, as Mr. Saeijs also reaffirmed that there will indeed be a Nokia Windows Phone coming out in 2011.

Galaxy S II coming to SaskTel next month, we embark on northward migration

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 04:06 AM PDT

The Samsung Galaxy S II has yet to make its US debut, but it looks like our neighbors to the north will be getting it as early as next month. Yesterday, Canada's SaskTel announced via Twitter that it would launch the phone "within the next month," making it the first North American carrier to confirm the S II. Earlier this month, it looked as if Verizon would be the first to bring the device to the New World, but our hopes were crushed when the carrier debunked rumors of a July launch. It remains to be seen whether Sasktel's announcement will pave the way for a wider North American release, but we'll let you know as soon as we hear more.

Scent generator threatens to waft Odorama into the 21st century

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 03:14 AM PDT

Scent generator threatens to waft Odorama into the 21st century
Finally, an invention John Waters can get behind. When the harbinger of filth brought the odiferous experience to screenings of Polyester, he took the scratch-and-sniff route -- including scents like glue and feces -- now a team of researchers at the University of California in San Diego are expanding on the smell-what-you-see concept, albeit in a much more high-tech fashion. In collaboration with the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, the team has developed a method for generating odors that could pack the appropriate hardware into a device "small enough to fit on the back of your TV." Basically, scents are produced by an aqueous solution, like ammonia, which is heated by a thin metal wire, and eventually expelled, as an odorous gas, from a small hole in its silicone elastomer housing -- and, bam! You've got Smell-O-Vision. The team has tested its method using perfumes by Jennifer Lopez and Elizabeth Taylor, but have yet to create a working prototype. For the sake of innocent noses everywhere, let's hope Mr. Waters doesn't get a whiff of this.

Redbox starts renting out video games nationwide, charges $2 for your Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii pleasure

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 02:21 AM PDT

Exactly as promised, Redbox is today inaugurating a new branch to its media-renting venture with the introduction of video game rentals at $2 a day. There's a pretty rich and fresh selection on offer, including the likes of Duke Nukem Forever, Dirt 3, and Brink, and you can reserve your copy online before moseying down to your nearest Redbox kiosk to execute the transaction. About 5,000 of those crimson encasements have already been partaking in the testing of this service, but now Redbox is flipping the switch on the other 21,000 across the US and making things officially official.

PowerSkin battery case pumps juice to HTC Inspire 4G, Desire HD

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 12:32 AM PDT

PowerSkin battery case pumps juice to HTC Inspire 4G, Desire HD
When it comes to battery-boosting power sleeves, we'd say the iPhone's covered, but what of the little green monster? Well, at least two Androids can now get juiced by way of a new charging case from PowerSkin. HTC's Inspire 4G and Desire HD are getting a little extra power with the release of this black silicone skin, which promises 1500mAh and up to eight hours of added battery life. The PowerSkin will set you back $60, and is now available at Amazon and the source link below.

Motorola Droid 3 official in China under Milestone 3 moniker, packs 4-inch qHD display

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 12:10 AM PDT

The Droid 3 is upon us! Well, it is if you live in China and don't mind calling it the Milestone 3. A new XT883 model has just been made official by Motorola during China Telecom's CDMA Summit, touting the tagline "the third Milestone" and a new five-row slideout QWERTY keyboard. The salient specs include a 4-inch touchscreen with qHD (540 x 960) resolution, a dual-core Tegra 2 processor capable of driving 1080p video recording, an 8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, up to 32GB of built-in storage, and of course, Android 2.3 as the shipping OS. A pretty compelling package, we think you'll agree. It's coming to China this summer, though Moto could still be crafty enough to squeeze the US launch in before actual units start shipping to Yao Ming's homeland. Because, well, who's ever heard of a Milestone coming before a Droid?
Motorola Milestone XT883 official pictures

Show full PR text
Motorola Mobility and China Telecom Introduce the Third Milestone to China

Thinner, faster, smarter XT883 offers unprecedented mobile power to Chinese consumers this summer

June 16, 2011

BEIJING – June 17, 2011 – Motorola Mobility Technologies (China) Co., Ltd introduced XT883, the newest and most advanced member of the powerful Milestone family, today at China Telecom's CDMA Summit and 2011 e-Surfing 3G Handset Trade Fair. Setting a new milestone for speed, XT883 is a mobile powerhouse, delivering uncompromising Web, email and media content to people in China and around the world. The individual with this device in hand will become a digital trailblazer, channeling the strengths of the device to power through their day.

China Telecom's standing as the world's largest CDMA operator makes its annual handset trade fair one of the most important for the industry globally. Held in Guangzhou, the show sets the stage for China Telecom's coming year, and is a fitting venue for the unveiling of the XT883 in China. The fair will be open until June 19th.

With a powerful dual-core processor, the XT883 is twice as fast as industry-average single-core processors, enabling users to simultaneously run apps, stream media, talk, email and surf the Web, all without delay. A permanent number row on the top of the thin QWERTY keypad lets users type and text faster and more accurately without the need to always hit the 'ALT' button. And with a 4.0-inch brilliant touchscreen display, XT883 showcases even clearer photos, Web pages and video content than any Motorola Milestone device before. Enhanced security features enable users to access corporate emails, documents and calendars, with no need to wonder if their IT departments will approve.

"Motorola's Milestone line has already been a great success in China, and XT883 is a much anticipated addition to the family," said Ma Daojie, director of the China Telecom Device Management Center. "We are delighted to introduce XT883 here in Guangzhou at our most important trade show of the year. The launch represents a genuine milestone for China Telecom's partnership with Motorola, and for our combined commitment to bringing great mobile experiences to Chinese consumers."

"The Motorola XT883 enables even the most productive people accomplish more," said Frank Meng, corporate senior vice president, and president, Greater China of Motorola Mobility, Inc. "The Milestone brand invokes a sense of advanced intelligence and amazing speed, and we wanted to build upon that standard. We are happy to continue the Milestone tradition in cooperation with China Telecom with the introduction of XT883 in China."

Marvel at Amazing Media Capabilities and Connectivity

XT883 offers loads of features for extraordinary entertainment and functionality. Users can leave their digital cameras at home and still capture their adventures with a powerful 8-megapixel camera with flash and digital zoom, and use the device's front-facing camera to video chat with friends, family and coworkers, whether with Wi-Fi or a 3G connection. It's easy to shoot videos and play them back in 1080p HD brilliance. Users also have the benefit of Adobe Flash 10, allowing them to stream Web content, videos and games on the most popular video player available today. And all of this is delivered on a generous and stunning 4.0-inch display.

XT883 runs on China Telecom's e-Surfing 3G network, which enables an effortless Internet experience so you can quickly browse content-rich web pages, watch online videos or stream music. SHOP4APPS China, Motorola's own app market designed specifically for users in China, offers access to the information you need and the games you want with thousands of specially selected apps available for download or purchase right from your XT883 smartphone.

XT883 supports integrated smart technology so your phone and your dock remember what features and functions you want. As a user transitions environments throughout the day, XT883 adapts its features automatically based on the dock it's connected to and pre-defined settings. For example, when a user connects his or her XT883 into a HD Dock in the bedroom, the device automatically adjusts to pre-defined settings, such as lower screen brightness or an alarm clock. When moved from the bedroom to the car dock, XT883 can automatically display GPS navigation and stream a pre-selected morning radio program, giving users the experience they desire.

XT883 empowers users to manage business instantly, intuitively and securely – from anywhere in the world. Never be out of the know with work issues by keeping up with corporate email sent directly to the device. Users can keep track of their schedule through a full calendar and they have the ability to see if colleagues are busy and initiate new meetings. Users can download, review and edit documents, presentations or spreadsheets with a pre-loaded Quick Office. The large 4.0-inch display makes it easy to see the document with little scrolling or panning. Additionally, the five-row QWERTY keypad makes it easy to quickly type up responses to emails, and there's no need to wonder if the IT department will approve XT883, as the device is fully Business Ready with security, password protection, virtual wipe and encryption requirements.

Key Features and Specifications:

A dual-core processor capable of opening web pages twice as fast as most other smartphones, rendering games faster, supporting 27% faster multitasking than the previous version, and displaying HD video on big-screen TVs
Runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), the latest operating system from Google
4.0-inch qHD display, offering high resolution and 24-bit color, making it easier to read indoors and outdoors
Combined five-row QWERTY and touchscreen keypad for faster and easier typing and texting
8-megapixel rear-facing camera with an LED flash, 1080p video-capable
Front-facing camera for video chat
Up to 32GB of storage (16GB internal) – enough to store thousands of songs, photos and movies
Comprehensive business features, including: GAL Lookup for eMail & Calendar access; remote Go-To-Meeting access (Citrix); remote document access (QuickOffice); and complex security, password, data encryption and remote wipe
Android World Phone calling capabilities in more than 200 countries

Availability
The Motorola XT883 will be available from authorized Motorola resellers and China Telecom's stores across China on the 3rd quarter of 2011.

Sony tablet teaser video is breathtaking, not overly informative

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 11:25 PM PDT


Woosh. Plonk. Snap. Like a highly atmospheric scene from your favorite film noir, Sony's teaser video for the S1 and S2 tablets starts off with isolated sounds and a bit of quick motion before settling into a sumptuous, deliberately paced feast for your eyeballs. You might say it's high art posing as a consumer electronics promo, particularly if you compare it to ASUS or Huawei's efforts in the field. There's sadly little in the way of new information, all we really get to witness are the reassuring Android Honeycomb software keys on the larger S1, but this "first impression" clip is the start of a series of ads revolving around a pair of alabaster figurines and their tablet-assisted love affair. Give the play button a bash for your recommended daily dose of awesome.

Microsoft decides to pass on WebGL over security concerns (Update: iOS 5 supports WebGL, sort of))

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 10:58 PM PDT

WebGL Attack
Well, it looks like Microsoft is taking those warnings about WebGL pretty seriously. The company has decided not to support the web-based 3D standard because it wouldn't be able to pass security muster. Highest on the list of concerns is that WebGL opens up a direct line from the internet to a system's GPU. To make matters worse, holes and bugs may crop up that are platform or video card specific, turning attempts to plug holes in its defense into a game of whack-a-mole -- with many players of varying reliability. Lastly Microsoft, like security firm Context, has found current solutions for protecting against DoS attacks rather unsatisfying. Lack of support in Internet Explorer won't necessarily kill WebGL and, as it matures, Microsoft may change its tune -- but it's still a pretty big blow for all us of hoping the next edition of Crysis would be browser-based.

Update: As is usually the case Apple and the Windows folks are on opposite sides of this one. In fact, the Cupertino crew plans to bring WebGL to iOS 5 with one very strange restriction -- it will only be available to iAd developers. Now, chances are it will eventually be opened up in mobile Safari for everyone, but for the moment it seems browser-based 3D graphics will be limited to advertisements on the iPhone. Still, that's another big name throwing its support behind the burgeoning standard.

[Thanks, Greg]

Motorola's WiFi Xoom gains access to Google Movies, just in time for the weekend

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 10:02 PM PDT

Hard to say why Google chose to roll its Movies app out first to 3G-packed tablets sporting Android 3.1 (a smaller testbed, perhaps?), but it looks as if it won't matter for much longer. We've received a number of tips this evening suggesting that Google Movies can now be downloaded from the Android Market by WiFi-only Xoom tablets, though some are seeing a litany of server errors when trying to actually use the service. That said, we didn't see any issues here at Engadget HQ, so it's possible that a few kinks are still being worked out on select servers. Give it a whirl and let us know how it turns out in comments below, and if you're a proud owner of a Galaxy Tab 10.1... well, we guess you're also the proud owner of a trait called "patience."

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

LG's Optimus 3D officially launched, debuting in Europe with dual lens and dual core CPU

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 09:29 PM PDT

The long wait is finally over! Joining the likes of HTC EVO 3D and Sharp SH-12C is LG's very own Optimus 3D aka Thrill 4G for AT&T, which we first got our hands on back in February and again in March. The specs for this Android 2.2 device (yeah, we know) have remained untouched since we last checked: here we have a 4.3-inch glassesless 3D LCD with 800 x 480 resolution, a 1GHz dual core TI OMAP4430 processor, 512MB of speedy dual channel RAM, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, and a couple of 5 megapixel cameras on the back that can capture 3D 1080p video at 24fps, or 3D 720p at 30fps. Other tidbits include 14.4Mbps HSPA+ connection, an HDMI-out port, and a removable 1500mAh battery, all inside a 5.93 ounce package. Alas, no date's been mentioned for the phone's US launch, but the lucky Europeans will get to pick up this phone first, followed by the rest of the world "over the next several weeks." Stay tuned while we keep our eyes peeled open for further news.
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LG ROLLS OUT OPTIMUS 3D, WORLD'S FIRST TRI-DUAL ARCHITECTURE SMARTPHONE WITH FULL 3D

Dual-Core / Dual-Channel / Dual-Memory Device Also Delivers Amazing 3D Experience

Seoul, June 17, 2011 – LG Electronics (LG) today officially launched the long-awaited LG Optimus 3D, an innovative new smartphone featuring second generation dual core technology and an advanced "Tri-Dual" architecture. First unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in February, the LG Optimus 3D offers a full 3D experience - recording, viewing, sharing - in a smartphone form factor.

The LG Optimus 3D takes the smartphone experience into new territory with its Tri-Dual configuration – dual-core, dual-channel and dual-memory – which allows for improved performance when multi-tasking, enjoying a movie or playing graphics-intensive games. This LG smartphone is also a major step forward in the utilization of full 3D functionality in everyday life – users can record and immediately view content in 3D without the need for special glasses.

"Tri-Dual architecture opens up a whole new world in smartphone performance," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. "As the latest offering in our Optimus line-up, we expect there will be significant interest from those who seek the very latest in smartphone technology and are excited about 3D as the next big frontier in mobile devices."

Peak Efficiency and Performance Powered by Unique Tri-Dual Configuration

LG's Tri-Dual architecture pushes the LG Optimus 3D's performance well beyond simple clock speed improvements. Other smartphones – even those with higher clock speeds and dual-core technology – suffer when it comes to actual performance because of the inefficiency inherent in a single-channel configuration. With a dual-channel configuration, data transfers take place simultaneously between the dual-core and dual-memory, resulting in noticeably faster performance. As a result, the LG Optimus 3D maximizes run-time efficiency leading to noticeably smoother, faster, and longer multi-tasking, browsing, gaming and multimedia enjoyment than ever before.

Full 3D Experience: 3D Recording-Viewing-Sharing

LG's full 3D concept transforms 3D technology from a novelty to a practical tool. 3D recording, viewing and sharing is faster and more convenient in the Optimus 3D and can be enjoyed without cumbersome glasses. LG's latest smartphone enables owners to capture high quality 3D content with 3D video stabilization technology and real-time misalignment correction algorithm which automatically corrects for shake during recording. And the smartphone's wide viewing angle makes watching videos and movies much more convenient and comfortable.

The 4.3-inch WVGA display offers bright and flicker-free images in HD, up to 1080p in 2D and up to 720p in 3D. Special software allows for real-time conversion of 2D photo and video content into 3D. Free software for converting 2D games will be available for download during the third quarter, letting users enjoy a variety of multimedia content in 3D. Captured 3D content can be shared with 3D TVs via an HDMI 1.4 connection and the phone can also send content to any DLNA Certified™ device. In addition, users can upload and stream 3D content on YouTube's dedicated 3D channel (www.youtube.com/3D).

The LG Optimus 3D also incorporates the world's first 3D augmented reality (AR) browser in collaboration with AR pioneer Wikitude. The browser will be available through an app downloadable from LGWorld (www.lgworld.com).

The phone will be available in Europe first, and then in more than 60 markets around the world over the next several weeks.

Comcast Cable Show 2011 demo features 1Gbps cable modem speeds, new Xfinity TV UI

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 08:01 PM PDT

As promised, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts treated Cable Show 2011 attendees to a quick demo of the company's latest and greatest tech earlier today. The presentation consisted of the new Xfinity TV platform with all its cloud processing and internet content from Facebook and others, as well as a speed test running on a Comcast cable modem that broke through the 1Gbps speed barrier on the production network. There's no word on when home users might see such speeds but the company promised to "keep up the pace as the internet continues to evolve" -- let's hope that extends to the increasingly restrictive 250GB bandwidth cap. The demo of new DVR software also went off without a hitch, appearing to run smoothly and showing off a vision of "cloud processing" that speeds up search, personalization and recommendations in the program guide by handling them at the head end instead of on the box itself. We're still waiting to get our hands on the RF remote and see if the experience is just as smooth ourselves, but for now you can get a taste in the 17 minute video embedded above.

Sony Ericsson signs deal with NFC chip maker, gets ready to do the Xperia pay

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 06:27 PM PDT

If Google ever hopes to lead the mass exodus away from credit card transactions with Google Wallet, a lot more NFC-packing handsets will need to hit the market. Thus far Sony Ericsson hasn't exactly led the near-field charge, aside Japan's Xperia Acro, but it looks like that may soon change, thanks to a deal struck between the phone maker and semiconductor producer, NXP, which will bring the company's PN65 to future Android-based Xperia models. Wave your phone after the break to check out the official announcement.
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Sony Ericsson selects NXP's NFC Solution for its Android-based Smartphones

Today NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) announced that its world leading near field communication (NFC) technology has been selected by Sony Ericsson for inclusion in its Android-based smartphones. Sony Ericsson, a leading, global mobile handset manufacturer focused on communications and entertainment, will use NFC to further enhance its consumers' mobile experiences, creating a portfolio of smartphones that enable mobile transactions. Using simple touch gestures, consumers will be able to make purchases or connect to a point of sale (POS) terminal, ticketing terminal or location-based promotional tag simply and securely with their NFC-enabled smartphones.

NXP provides complete embedded, secure NFC solutions and recently announced that its NFC software is open source on the Android platform and enables the Google Wallet application. Sony Ericsson intends to use the NXP PN65 NFC solution in their Android-based smartphones, which includes the NFC radio controller, the embedded secure element and NFC software. The embedded secure element enables NFC to be used for mobile transactions. Building on NXP's extensive background in secure identification, the PN65 uses advanced cryptography to offer the highest level of security for transactions, with the technology already being extensively used in contactless banking cards, e-passports, e-ID cards and secure access systems.

"Building on Sony Ericsson's leadership in Android and mobile gaming, the integration of near field communication into our Android-based Xperia™ portfolio is another step in delivering the most entertaining smartphones," said Jan Uddenfeldt, Chief Technology Officer at Sony Ericsson. "NFC offers our consumers the ability to broaden their communication experience beyond the phone, and we are poised to drive the development of new, exciting and creative entertainment experiences."

"This latest move from Sony Ericsson is another proof point of the strong momentum and potential of NFC," said Rick Clemmer, president and CEO, NXP Semiconductors. "Based on continued strong customer endorsements we have the opportunity to increase the sales of our NFC products 2-4 times as a percentage of total NXP revenue in the second half of 2011 from the approximately one percent it represents today. NFC offers a game-changing opportunity for mobile phone manufacturers to provide creative and innovative smartphones to their customers.

NFC is a market proven technology co-invented by NXP in 2002. In 2004 NXP co-founded the NFC Forum to lead the collaboration with all industry stakeholders and help standardize the technology. NFC technology evolved from a combination of contactless identification (RFID) and interconnection technologies. Ranked as the number one contactless IC vendor by ABI Research for three years in a row, NXP is the global leader in NFC solutions, field proven in over 150 NFC trials and landmark commercial deployments worldwide.

Alan Haberman, barcode advocate, dies at 81

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:09 PM PDT

Alan Haberman, barcode advocate, dies at 81A man whose impact on the world is nearly unfathomable died Sunday. Alan L. Haberman, supermarket-executive-turned-barcode-champion, died in Newton Massachusetts from complications of heart and lung disease at the age of 81. While he did not invent those ubiquitous black and white stripes -- that honor belongs to Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver -- Haberman did lead the campaign to make barcodes the universal standard for electronic product encoding. He chaired the committee responsible for the designation of the zebra-like markings, which in 1973 adopted a barcode designed by George J. Laurer of IBM. In his work at the Uniform Code Council (now known as GS1 US), he pushed for acceptance of multiple standards, including RFID. His obituary can be read in-full at the source link below.

UK mobile companies take aim at Google Wallet, want in on the NFC action

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 04:18 PM PDT

UK Mobile Company Payment Platform
Oh Google, you didn't think you were going to have all the mobile payment fun did you? While you're beta testing in New York and San Francisco some big names across the pond are looking to dominate the entire UK. Vodafone, Telefonica, and Everything Everywhere (a joint venture between Orange and T-Mobile) are combining forces to create a mobile payment and marketing system that will take on Google Wallet and Offers before they even get off the ground in the British isles. The platform will be open to all comers, including Google, (you know, in case it decides to make Wallet a US only affair) and the companies have pledged to keep customer data out of the hands of third parties. The project is still in the very early stages of development, but the mobile providers aren't dilly dallying -- they expect their efforts to bear NFC fruit before the end of the year.

Blackberry Bold 9900 coming to Three UK in August (updated: coming in September))

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 03:34 PM PDT

We got the lowdown last month on the Blackberry Bold 9900: 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, 640 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, and looks that say "it's business time." Back then RIM said we could snag a svelte new Bold sometime this summer. Then came word that the handset wouldn't be available until September. Now, Three UK has put the Bold 9900 up on its "Coming Soon" page and indicated it's set for an August debut. Whew, we're glad that's settled, but there's one more thing we'd like to know -- how much is it going to cost?

Update: Well, it turns out that September is still the launch date for the Bold, as Three UK has changed their website to reflect the later debut.

Tilto personal transporter looks like seated Segway, does donuts in Argentine parking lot

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 02:42 PM PDT


Remember how the Segway revolutionized personal transportation? Neither do we, but this Tilto single-person electric vehicle is really gonna go places. Like, around the parking lot -- "manos libres!" Named for the two-step maneuver you'll use to get going (tilt and go), the battery-powered Tilto can move forward, backwards, and sideways at its top speed of 20km/h (12 mph) without the need for pedals or a steering wheel. You'll be able to travel 15 km with each charge, but that should give you plenty of time to score a traffic ticket in the UK, or to roll a safe distance away from screaming fans after your next concert in Arizona. Tilto is little more than a "prototipo experimental" at this point, without a release date or any plans for production, but roll past the break to see how it works.

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New Vehicle Created by an Argentine Engineer

Called TILTO (from "Tilt and go"), it is a single person electric vehicle of the "Inverted Pendulum" type, which automatically maintains balance in two perpendicular directions simultaneously.

The TILTO is controlled simply by tilting the driver's body: To the front or to the back to move forward or backward and sideways to make a turn, leaving his hands free. It has no steering wheel, or handlebars, or levers or pedals.

It is environmentally friendly and extremely efficient, spending just a fraction of what you spend using an internal combustion vehicle, and even recharges its batteries during braking or going downhill.

With a top speed of 20 Km/Hr. and a range of about 15 km, its characteristics make it suitable to replace conventional vehicles in urban transport in short and medium distances.

The whole development of the electronic and electromechanical control systems was made ​​entirely by the Argentine engineer Marcelo Fornaso, and the concept is unprecedented worldwide. The original idea came as an evolution and improvement of the Segway Personal Transporter (www.segway.com) by multiplying by two the variables controlled by that vehicle.

TILTO has multiple accelerometers and gyro sensors, whose information is read by a microprocessor and processed by a sophisticated piece of control software, which calculates 100 times per second the inclinations forward-backward and sideways, and controls two electric motors separately for balancing the vehicle dynamically.

This new Argentine invention already has a working prototype and has filled a patent application.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hits US retailers tomorrow, TouchWiz UX coming in future software upgrade

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 02:23 PM PDT

Folks in NYC may have been able to get their hands on one a bit early (not to mention those that attended Google I/O), but everyone else will finally be able to pick up a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 starting tomorrow. As expected, the WiFi-only Honeycomb tablet will run $499 for the 16GB model and $599 for 32GB at your choice of retailers, and Samsung says it will be available through Sprint in "mid-summer" as well (still just WiFi-only). What's more, Samsung's also promising to deliver a number of new features in a "future software upgrade," including the TouchWiz UX that was originally intended to be included on the tablet, and Samsung's Media Hub, which promises "easier downloads of rented or purchased content" and additional capabilities when the tablet's connected to a TV via a dock or adapter. Head on past the break for the complete press release and a new promo video that offers a glimpse of some of those upcoming features, and don't forgot to check out our full review if you're still undecided.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, World's Thinnest Mobile Tablet, Makes Official Landing in U.S.

Premium Android Honeycomb Tablet with Ultra-slim, Lightweight Design and Brilliant 10-inch Touchscreen Available Exclusively at Best Buy Union Square Store in New York City Starting June 8; Available Nationwide Starting June 17

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.1, and Samsung Electronics America, a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced the upcoming retail availability of the Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, starting June 8. The WiFi-enabled tablet measures at just 8.6 millimeters slim, making it the thinnest mobile tablet currently available in the world. The 32GB version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available for $599, while the 16GB version of the device will be available for $499.

A limited quantity of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available for purchase exclusively at the Best Buy Union Square store in New York City on June 8. Best Buy customers may also pre-order the Galaxy Tab 10.1 online or in-store beginning that day.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is powered by Android™ 3.1 Honeycomb, offering faster and smoother transitions between different applications, more intuitive navigation to and from home screens and broader support of USB accessories, external keyboards, joysticks and gamepads.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the thinnest mobile tablet currently available in the world, measuring in at an ultra-slim 8.6 millimeters. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also boasts an incredibly light weight of just 1.25 pounds (565 grams) for outstanding mobility and comfort in the user's hands.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is designed with a brilliant 10.1-inch HD touchscreen display with WXGA 1280 x 800 resolution delivering vibrant colors and crisp clarity. This expansive screen is centered inside a narrow bezel to enhance the wide viewing angle.

"Ensuring that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 launched with Android 3.1 Honeycomb was part of our constant commitment to meeting the needs of our customers," said Dale Sohn, President and CEO of Samsung Mobile. "The Galaxy Tab 10.1's ultra-thin design and 10-inch touchscreen are impressive differentiators in the tablet market place. We're going to make the Galaxy Tab 10.1 even more powerful, entertaining and secure through a series of upgrades coming to this device."

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will receive these new upgrades through a software update that customers can access over the air in the near future. Those upgrades are currently scheduled to include:

FEATURES/SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH FUTURE SOFTWARE UPGRADE

Customized User Experience "Samsung TouchWiz UX"

Samsung's TouchWiz user experience is designed with a Live Panel menu for customizing the home screen of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with digital pictures, favorite Web sites and social network feeds.

In addition, the TouchWiz UX includes a "Mini Apps" tray of commonly used features such as task manager, calendar and music player which can be launched while other major applications are already in use.

Samsung Media Hub

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 software upgrade will introduce the evolution of Samsung's popular movie and TV content service, known as Media Hub. Media Hub has been redesigned with a new user interface for even easier downloads of rented or purchased content. The new version of Media Hub also includes an HD Extender which allows the user to playback Media Hub content on TV through an HDMI cable from the Galaxy Tab 10.1 dock or adaptor.

Readers Hub & Social Hub

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will also gain access to Samsung's Readers Hub service, which is a robust library filled with more than 2.2 million books, 2,000 newspapers and 2,300 magazines. Also, the software upgrade will install Samsung's Social Hub service, which aggregates email, instant messaging, contacts, calendar and social network connections into a single interface.

Optimal Enterprise Solutions

In addition, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 integrates several enterprise solutions to provide support for exchange device management policies, improve the security of data and services maintained on the tablet and meet IT guidelines for remote device access. The enterprise solutions include:

* On-device encryption of user data
* Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync Support
* Cisco AnyConnect SSL VPN
* F5 SSL VPN

Versatile Content Sharing

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will also receive Samsung's Allshare service, for seamless content transfer between the tablet and other DLNA-enabled devices such as HDTV's, monitors and digital cameras. The software upgrade will also transform the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 into a device capable of accepting streaming content from a TV to the tablet itself.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES AVAILABLE AT PRODUCT LAUNCH

Impressive Speed, Power & Battery Life

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity to deliver rapid mobile download speeds and reduce data transfer times. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also includes a Nvidia Tegra 1GHz dual core application processor for powerful gaming and multimedia performance. The Tab's ultra-thin design does not sacrifice battery life, thanks to a 7000 mAh battery providing up to 9 hours of continuous use on a single charge2.

Full Adobe Flash Player Compatibility

The device offers extensive Web browsing access through Adobe® Flash® Player compatibility. Flash Player delivers beautiful HD video, faster graphics rendering, and high performance on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and is designed to take advantage of native device capabilities - enabling richer, more immersive user experiences.

Quality Cameras and Sound

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 features a 3 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front camera providing smooth video chat capabilities and seamless 1080p HD video playback3. High quality speakers are positioned on the right and left sides of the device for a rich, deep audio experience.

Google™ Mobile Services

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is preloaded with the full suite of Google Mobile Services including access to more than 60,000 Android Market™ applications for Galaxy Tab 10.14, Gmail™, Google Search™, Google Maps™ 5.0 with 3D maps, and Google Talk™ with video and voice chat.

Availability & Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available exclusively starting June 8 at the Best Buy Union Square location in New York City. Starting June 17, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available at Best Buy online and in-store along with Fry's Electronics, Amazon.com, Micro Center, Tiger Direct and Newegg. These retail outlets will have the 32GB version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition available for $599, and the 16GB version of the device will be available for $499. In addition, the WiFi version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available through Sprint starting mid-summer 2011. Visit www.samsung.com for additional details.

1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S. claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q1 2011 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.

2 Battery power consumption depends on factors such as network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, vibrate mode, backlight settings, browser use, and frequency of data and other application usage patterns.

3 1080p video playback on an HD TV or other 1080p HD device.

4 Based on a statistical analysis of existing Android Market™ applications

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Android, Google, Android Market, Gmail, Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Talk are trademarks of Google, Inc.

Adobe and Flash are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

2012 plug-in Prius to include selectable EV mode, full battery regeneration

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 02:02 PM PDT


We already know to expect Toyota's Entune infotainment system in the dash of the 2012 Prius, but the hybrid's monster EV batteries will be powering much more than a touchscreen and apps. According to ConsumerSearch, next year's plug-in vehicle will include two new features aimed at improving the car's electric-only range for local driving, especially when your commute also includes a trip down the freeway. The first improvement comes in the form of an EV mode button, allowing you to turn off EV for highway driving, which tends to drain those batts faster than a Thunderbolt in Hotspot mode. The Prius will also offer full battery regeneration, so power-off activities like braking and driving downhill will restore the hybrid's EV-only range -- especially helpful if you live in a hilly area or tend to make frequent stops. Both new features should have a fairly significant impact on efficiency, so you'll soon be able to drive further in the city without tapping a single drop of crude.

RIM announces Q1 earnings, says it's shipped 500,000 PlayBooks (update: 4G PlayBooks delayed)

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 01:52 PM PDT

RIM announces Q1 earnings, says it's shipped 500,000 PlayBooks
RIM's just announced its Q1 earnings, including $4.9 billion in revenue and $695 million in profit. Perhaps even more anticipated than those numbers, however, are the ones involving actual devices, and the company's now revealed that it "shipped" around 500,000 BlackBerry PlayBooks during the quarter, while phone shipments totaled 13.2 million -- it didn't get specific about actual sales to consumers. Those earnings are on the low end of forecasts, and RIM says that the slowdown it saw in the first quarter will continue into Q2, which will apparently result in an unspecified number of layoffs and a lowered forecast for the rest of the year. Head on past the break for the official press release, and hit the source link below for some more detailed numbers.

Update: On the earnings call, co-CEO Mike Lazaridis painted a bright future for his company's tablet, but then said, "We're soon to release native email and BBM and our Android player later in the summer, to be followed in the fall with 4G PlayBooks for WiMax, LTE, and HSPA+." Did you catch that? In the fall. We hope this doesn't put a damper on anybody's summer plans.
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Research In Motion Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results and Revises Full Year Guidance

Announces Plans to Streamline Operations and Accelerate New Product Introductions

Board of Directors Approves Share Repurchase Program

WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 16, 2011) - Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported first quarter results for the three months ended May 28, 2011 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP).

Highlights:

Revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2012 grew 16% over the same quarter last year
International revenue1 in Q1 grew 67% year over year
Gross margin in the quarter was approximately 44%, slightly higher than expected due to product mix
RIM launched the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in North America and shipped approximately 500,000 units in the first quarter
Q1 Fiscal 2012 Results:

Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 was $4.9 billion, down 12% from $5.6 billion in the previous quarter and up 16% from $4.2 billion in the same quarter of last year. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 78% for hardware revenue, 20% for service and 2% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, RIM shipped approximately 13.2 million BlackBerry handheld devices and approximately 500,000 BlackBerry Playbook tablets.

"Fiscal 2012 has gotten off to a challenging start. The slowdown we saw in the first quarter is continuing into Q2, and delays in new product introductions into the very late part of August is leading to a lower than expected outlook in the second quarter." said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "RIM's business is profitable and remains solid overall with growing market share in numerous markets around the world and a strong balance sheet with almost $3 billion in cash. We believe that with the new products scheduled for launch in the next few months and realigning our cost structure, RIM will see strong profit growth in the latter part of fiscal 2012."

Net income for the quarter was $695 million, or $1.33 per share diluted, compared with net income of $934 million, or $1.78 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and net income of $769 million, or $1.38 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year.

The total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments was $2.9 billion as of May 28, 2011, compared to $2.7 billion at the end of the previous quarter, an increase of approximately $170 million from the prior quarter. Cash flow from operations in Q1 was approximately $1 billion. Uses of cash included intangible asset additions of approximately $560 million, capital expenditures of approximately $220 million and business acquisitions of approximately $30 million.

1 Includes revenue outside of the U.S. and Canada

Cost Optimization Program:

The company also announced that it will begin a program to streamline operations across the organization, which will include a headcount reduction. This realignment will be focused on taking out redundancies and a reallocation of resources to allow us to focus on the areas that offer the highest growth opportunities and align with RIM strategic objectives, such as accelerating new product introductions. We expect to implement this program beginning in the second quarter with the benefits impacting results primarily in Q3 and beyond. Any one-time charges associated with this initiative are not included in our Q2 and full year outlook but will be identified and disclosed when we report our second quarter results.

Share Repurchase Program:

RIM's Board of Directors today also approved a share repurchase program to purchase for cancellation through the facilities of the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ) or by way of private agreement up to 5% of RIM's outstanding common shares. The share repurchase program may commence after July 10, 2011 and will remain in place for up to 12 months or until the purchases are completed or the program is terminated by RIM.

The price that RIM will pay for any shares purchased over NASDAQ will be the prevailing market price at the time of purchase. The share repurchase program will be effected in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which contains restrictions on the number of shares that may be purchased on a single day, subject to certain exceptions for block purchases, based on the average daily trading volumes of RIM's shares on NASDAQ. Any purchases made by way of private agreement may be at a discount to the prevailing market price at the time of purchase, and would be subject to regulatory approval.

RIM's Board of Directors believes that a share repurchase program at this time is in the best interests of RIM and its shareholders, and will not impact RIM's ability to execute its growth plans. Any shares purchased under the program will increase the proportionate interest of, and may be advantageous to, all remaining shareholders of RIM.

The actual number of shares purchased, the timing of purchases, and the price at which the shares would be bought under the share repurchase program will depend on future market conditions and upon potential alternative uses for cash resources. There is no assurance that any shares will be purchased under the share repurchase program and RIM may elect to suspend or discontinue the program at any time.

Q2 and Full Year 2012 Outlook:

Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 ending August 27, 2011 is expected to be in the range of $4.2-$4.8 billion. Gross margin percentage for the second quarter is expected to be approximately 39%. Earnings per share for the second quarter are expected to be $0.75-$1.05 diluted, excluding any one-time charges. Earnings per share for the full year fiscal 2012 are now expected to be between $5.25-$6.00 diluted, excluding any one-time charges or share repurchases.

Conference Call and Webcast:

A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 5 pm ET, June 16, 2011, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 (North America), 416-644-3414 (outside North America). The replay of the company's Q1 conference call can be accessed after 7 pm ET, June 16, 2011 until midnight ET, June 30, 2011. It can be accessed by dialing 416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4445546#. The conference call will also appear on the RIM website live at 5 pm ET and will be archived at http://www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml.

About Research In Motion

Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ:RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 01:31 PM PDT

It's Thursday evening, and you know what that means, right? It's time for another Engadget Podcast! This time out, Tim and Brian are joined by Myriam Joire, to discuss all that the mobile world has to offer -- the bell, sadly, is nowhere to be seen. Join us live at 5:00PM ET for another podtastic adventure.



Nokia E6 hits Amazon unlocked, loaded, and available for pre-order

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 01:13 PM PDT

It isn't easy being a US-based Nokia fan in 2011. The Finnish handset manufacturer just doesn't get a lot of love from stateside carriers. Thankfully, however, the company's phones do pop up unlocked through sites like Amazon, which, as it so happens, has opened up pre-orders for the Symbian Anna-rocking E6. You can get your thumbs on the smartphone's QWERTY keyboard for $446, when it start shipping in one to two months, chock full of Ovi-branded goodness.

[Thanks, Matthew]

California stops automatic phone book delivery following pressure from Verizon

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 12:55 PM PDT

We've long known paper books are on the decline, but now we're seeing the first death knell for the fattest of them all. California's public utilities commission has ruled that it will no longer deliver doorstops residential phone books unless folks specifically ask for it -- a move that's expected to prevent 1,870 tons of material from entering the state's waste stream. Californians, like everyone else, can search the White Pages online, but they'll still be able to request a paper copy or CD-ROM if they're feeling old-fashioned. For now, though, the state will continue to ship government White Pages and the Yellow Pages for local business listings (in a post-Yelp world, that seems antiquated). What's especially fascinating about all this is that the pressure to cease automatic phone book deliveries came from none other than Verizon, which mounted a case back in October, citing the enormous human and natural resources required to get updated phone books into people's hands each year. Of course, the estimated 1,870 tons of averted waste is a fraction of the 660,000 tons BanthePhoneBook.org says these tomes create every year, but here's hoping it'll be enough to make other states take note.

OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSDs boast big speeds, price to match

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 12:34 PM PDT

OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSD
Other World Computing may specialize in upgrading aging Macs, but you don't have to own one to jam one of its new Mercury Electra 6G SSDs in your computer. The high-end SandForce Driven line of NAND drives range in size from 120GB to a far more impressive 480GB and, with the aide of 6Gb/sec SATA 3.0, can sustain write speeds of 523MB/sec and read speeds of 556MB/sec. Of course, this sort performance doesn't come cheap -- the smallest of the trio will set you back $230, while the massive 480GB model weighs in at a wallet-sapping $930. You can pick them up now from OWC if you've got a serious need for speed, and plenty of disposable income. Check out the PR after the break.
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OTHER WORLD COMPUTING EXPANDS BUILT IN USA 6Gb/s SOLID STATE DRIVE LINE WITH NEW MERCURY ELECTRA 6G SSD

Consumer/Prosumer SSD Available in Capacities up to 480GB Starting at $229.99 Provide Incredible Performance at an Exceptional Price -- Unmatched Data Reliability & Longevity

Highest Quality Components Including Tier 1/Grade A NAND Makes any Mac or PC "Faster in a Flash" with Sustained Data Rates over 500MB/s

June 15, 2011 Woodstock, IL -- Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, today announced the OWC Mercury Electra™ 6G SSD, a new consumer/prosumer targeted SandForce Driven™ SATA Revision 3.0 6Gb/s Solid State Drive. Designed and built in the USA utilizing the highest quality components available, including Tier 1/Grade A NAND, the OWC Mercury Electra delivers 556MB/s read and 523MB/s write sustained data rates for over 7X faster performance than a standard factory hard drive found in Mac and PC computers.

Three Consumer/Prosumer Models Offered Starting At $229.99

Offering the SATA Revision 3.0 performance of a 6G SSD, but aggressively priced like a SATA Revision 2.0 3G SSD, the OWC Mercury Electra 6G is ideal for high speed personal computing, home office environments, gaming, and production workstations, can be incorporated into a RAID 1 or SPAN configuration, and is available for immediate ordering in three capacity sizes:

120GB OWC Mercury Electra 6G with Tier 1/Grade A NAND $229.99 MSRP
240GB OWC Mercury Electra 6G with Tier 1/Grade A NAND $479.99 MSRP
480GB OWC Mercury Electra 6G with Tier 1/Grade A NAND $929.99 MSRP

For more information on the OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSD, including reseller inquiries, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Mercury_Electra_6G/

For more information on the complete OWC Mercury SSD line, including expert reviews and user comments, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/

Maximizes Any Computer's 3G And 6G Data Bus

Whether a consumer has a Mac or PC with the SATA Revision 2.0 (3Gb/s) data bus or computer with the latest SATA Revision 3.0 (6Gb/s) interface, the OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSD is able to deliver near bus saturating speed when installed in either interface. OWC benchmark testing confirms the Mercury Electra 6G SSD delivers up to 284MB/s sustained reads and 268MB/s writes in the "3G's" 300MB/s max speed bus. Taking advantage of "6G's" interface's maximum bandwidth of 600MB/s, the Mercury Electra 6G SSD provides up to 556MB/s sustained reads and 523MB/s writes.

Doesn't Slow Down With Use Like Ordinary SSDs

Ordinary SSDs offer fast read/write performance during first initial uses, but can then experience significant write speed degradation over repeated, long-term usage. Independent simulation tests by leading drive performance experts confirm OWC Mercury SSDs' ultra-efficient block management, wear leveling technologies, and real-time data redundancies enable incredibly high performance and extreme reliability, both of which are maintained over long-term intensive use.

Up To 100X Greater Data Protection

Speed doesn't matter if it can compromise data integrity. Thanks to SandForce® DuraClass™ technology, the OWC Mercury Electra 6G is able to provide up to 100X higher data protection than provided by ordinary SSDs as well as leading enterprise class hard disk drives. By combining the highest level of Error Correction Code (ECC) and SandForce RAISE™ (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) technology along with 7% over provisioning reserve/overhead flash allocation, the OWC Mercury Electra 6G provides RAID like data protection and reliability in a single drive application.

Risk-Free 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee

To ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction and confidence, OWC is extending its renowned 30-Day Money Back Guarantee on its SSD line to include the new Mercury Electra 6G SSD. If a consumer is not completely satisfied with an OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSD for any reason, they simply need to contact OWC's award-winning Customer Service department – which offers 24/7 Live Chat support - to request a full, hassle-free refund.

"We're very excited to continue the evolution of our solid state drive line with this new Electra model," said Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing. "We're being very aggressive in pricing this model to appeal to consumers and prosumers who have yet to make the SSD switch. With over 500MB/s of highly reliable performance, the OWC Mercury Electra 6G helps Mac and PC owners make their machines quickly and easily 'faster in a flash'".

"The new SandForce Driven 6Gb/s Mercury Electra line, using our latest SF-2000 SSD Processors, is well suited for further expanding the deployment of SSDs into both the Mac and PC environments," said Kent Smith, Sr. Director of Product Marketing for SandForce. "SandForce is already in volume production with these latest award-winning SSD Processors and fully prepared to support this new OWC product line expansion."

Expands Most Comprehensive SSD Line For Macs And PCs
The new Mercury Electra 6G SSD joins OWC's existing line of performance leading, world speed record breaking Mercury Pro SSDs for nearly every Mac and PC produced over the past decade available in capacities from 40GB to 480GB starting from $99.97:

OWC Mercury Aura™ Pro
First and only high performance SandForce processor based SSD for 2008-2010 Apple MacBook® Air models for up to 4X the maximum factory available SSD capacity; as well as a SandForce processor based model specifically for use with netbook/subnotebook computers that use an internal 1.8" sized SATA drive.

OWC Mercury Legacy™ Pro
First and only SandForce processor based IDE/ATA SSDs available for pre-Intel PowerPC based Mac and PC notebook/laptop and desktop/tower computers.

OWC Mercury EXTREME™ Pro 3G SSD
High performance 2.5" SATA Revision 2.0 SSD with up to 285MB/s sustained reads and 275MB/s writes for demanding portable and desktop tower use.

OWC Mercury EXTREME Pro 3G RE SSD
RAID-Ready Enhanced performance with 28% over-provisioning for data centers, network operation centers, and dedicated RAID installations. Used to set overclocking world record: http://eshop.macsales.com/NewsRoom/Framework.cfm?page=PR/ssdre_032411.html

OWC Mercury EXTREME Pro 6G SSD
Ultra high performance 2.5" SATA Revision 3.0 SSD with over 500MB/s sustained data rates and up to 479MB/s incompressible data rates for nearly SATA 3.0 bus saturating speed for prosumers and A/V, photography, and graphic production professionals.

About Other World Computing (OWC)

Other World Computing (OWC) has been providing quality hardware products and support to the computer industry since 1988 and features one of the largest online catalogs of computer, iPod®, iPhone®, and iPad® enhancement products through its e-commerce portal www.macsales.com. As a member of the Apple® Developer Program, OWC also provides extensive US based technical support for Macintosh users around the world as well as Internet access via www.fastermac.net and www.owc.net

OWC's industry awards and recognition include: Crain's Chicago Business 2009 and 2011 "Fast 50" List of 50 Fastest Growing Companies in the Chicago Area; Inc. 5,000 "Fastest Growing Privately Owned Companies in America" honoree 2007-2010; Reseller Ratings Elite Member 2009 & 2010; Better Business Bureau Top Rating of A+ 2010-2011; Reflex Packaging Commitment to Excellence Recycling Award 2009; Computerworld Magazine Top Green-IT Companies for 2008; and McHenry County Economic Development Corporation 2008 Business Champion Award.

In March 2010, OWC's corporate campus was designated as LEED® Platinum by the Green Building Certification Institute (http://eshop.macsales.com/green/index.html). Platinum is the highest achievable LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Program level, which began in 1998. Out of more than 14,000 LEED projects engaged worldwide since the program's inception, OWC is one of less than three hundred to achieve the Platinum standard. In September 2010, OWC's headquarters earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® rating for building operations that perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.

###

OWC is a registered trademark; and Mercury Aura, Mercury Legacy, Mercury EXTREME, and Mercury Electra are trademarks of New Concepts Development Corporation.

SandForce is a registered trademark and DuraClass, RAISE, and SandForce Driven are trademarks of SandForce, Inc.

Apple, Mac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad are the trademarks of Apple, Inc.

All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respectful owners.

India's oft delayed $35 tablet ready to ship, unicorns shed tears of joy

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 12:15 PM PDT

India's $35 Tablet
India's unfortunately-named Sakshat tablet began life as a $10 laptop way back in early 2009 and, in the years since, has had more than its fair share of delays and difficulties. But, after repeatedly dashing hopes and destroying dreams it appears the $35 tablet is just about ready for take off. The Times of India is reporting the first batch of this still slightly mysterious machine will be shipped out at the end of the month to the Indian Institute of Technology for 2,200 rupees apiece -- a bit above the goal price at around $50, though government plans to subsidize the devices should cut the cost in half. With one pie-in-the-sky tablet project finally getting out the door, we're almost afraid to ask -- hows that XO-3 is coming along Mr. Negroponte?

Panasonic unveils Android Toughbook slate for Q4, sledgehammer sold seperately

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 11:56 AM PDT

Panasonic announces Toughbook tablet
Tired of handling your tablet with kid gloves? Go ahead, take them off -- a Toughbook slate is heading your way. Strutting its stuff at InfoComm this week, Panasonic's Android Toughbook tablet boasts a sunlight-friendly 10.1-inch multi-touch display, satellite-based GPS, full-shift battery life and optional 3G / 4G connectivity. Wrap it up in the same badass durability as its snowmobile-abused, tiger-gnawed brethren, and you've got a Android slab for the everyman. No specifics on pricing or release just yet, but feel free to hit up the press release after the break for a slew of feel-good factoids.
Show full PR text
Panasonic Toughbook to Address Market Void by Delivering Enterprise-Grade Android Tablet

Device to include enterprise-scale security, functionality and durability for government and commercial mobility

InfoComm 2011
Booth 3829
SECAUCUS, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises, today announced its plans to deliver an enterprise-grade Android™ tablet to the market in the fourth quarter of this year. The new Toughbook® tablet will address a current gap by delivering a product designed with security, functionality and real-world reliability in mind. By delivering this purpose-built business solution, the new Toughbook tablet will appeal to a wide variety of users, including mission critical government personnel, highly mobile field forces, SMB's looking for a competitive edge, security conscious IT managers and bottom-line focused CFOs.

"The vast majority of tablet devices-regardless of the OS-are engineered for consumers and don't offer appropriate levels of security and durability or the functionality needed for business use. Like all Toughbook products, our Toughbook tablet will be designed and constructed with the mission-critical mobile user in mind."
"Enterprise customers are very interested in the tablet market, but have been frustrated by the lack of appropriate solutions," said Rance Poehler, president, Panasonic Solutions Company. "The vast majority of tablet devices-regardless of the OS-are engineered for consumers and don't offer appropriate levels of security and durability or the functionality needed for business use. Like all Toughbook products, our Toughbook tablet will be designed and constructed with the mission-critical mobile user in mind."

From a functionality standpoint, the Toughbook tablet will avoid the typical glossy screens-found on current tablet offerings-that are all but unreadable in outdoor environments. The Toughbook tablet will include a high brightness, daylight viewable screen so that mobile workers, in markets like field service, home healthcare and public safety, can easily see critical data and operate the device regardless of lighting conditions. The new tablet will also include an active stylus, allowing mobile workers in sales, customer service and mobile point-of-sale environments to capture signatures on the device's 10.1" XGA multi-touch display.

Enterprise-class mobile computing requires a heightened level of device security that is not currently available in today's tablet market. To address this need, the new Toughbook tablet is being designed with security embedded at the hardware level.

The Toughbook brand is widely known for its reliability and durability, even in extreme operating environments. The new Toughbook tablet will be no exception, offering durability, and ingress protection consistent with its other fully-rugged devices.

Other features to be offered on the Toughbook tablet include satellite-based GPS, full-shift battery life, professional-grade accessories and optional embedded 3G/4G mobile broadband connectivity.

Combined with mobile broadband connectivity, the Android-based Toughbook tablet will offer quick access to applications and data that could significantly improve a field worker's ability to make critical decisions that enhance customer service, improve response times and deliver results.

The device is being shown at Panasonic's InfoComm booth (3829) in Orlando, FL. InfoComm runs through Friday, June 17.
at 11:58 AM

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