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- Google launches all out social networking assault with Google+ (video)
- Intel says Cloverview platform will launch in time for Windows 8
- 3M reader concept looks familiar, begs you not to judge an ebook by its cover
- The Royal Society wants kids to make graphene, puts the miracle material in games
- LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer tablet hands-on (video)
- Nokia N9 camera: sample images and video
- Gigabyte intros Llano-compatible A75 motherboards for the DIY set (video)
- Biscuit tins: your greatest defense against industrial espionage?
- LG's DM50D HDTV / monitor promotes a passive 3D lifestyle
- Tag Heuer outs $6,700 Link Phone for those who like alligator skin with their Froyo (video)
- Topcon's IP-S2 Lite creates panoramic maps in 3D, spots every bump in the road (video)
- Google to face €295 million French lawsuit over alleged anti-competitive practices
- NVIDIA announces GeForce GTX 580M and 570M, availability in the Alienware M18x and MSI GT780R
- Andy Rubin: over 500,000 Android activations a day, and growing
- Sony's new VAIO Z ultraportable laptop with Power Media Dock hands-on (video)
- Fring optimizes its four-way video calling app for smiley iPad 2 owners
- Taiwan's revised LUXGEN7 SUV offers THINK+ computer, defends itself from thieves
- California raceway gets 1,600 solar panels, flaunts green track status
- Gadmei P83 PMP does glasses-free 3D for $179
- What do you love, asks Google with a new portal to its many web services
- Aston Martin Experience could be the ultimate iPhone accessory, but you're gonna want the car
- Yokohama EV sets new Pikes Peak Hill Climb record, leaves Leaf blowing in the wind
- T-Mobile announces myTouch 4G Slide, aims to take smartphone photography to new heights
- Nevermind the Pi music, here's what Tau sounds like (video)
- Sony's ultraslim 13-inch VAIO Z laptop revealed in Europe, packs external GPU for power on demand
- HP TouchPad veers into stores early, flaunts its webOS moves (video)
- Microsoft inks Android patent deal with Itronix, causes more heads to explode
- HP Envy 14 Beats Edition gets a slice of Sandy Bridge silicon, costs $1,050 at Amazon
- Verizon dominates 'Fastest Mobile Networks' testing, considers calling AT&T to brag
- TomTom's iPhone App gets updated, brings HD traffic updates along for the ride
- Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video)
- Acer's AC700 Chromebook coming to the US this month for $350, 3G model arriving later this summer
- OliPad 110 video preview makes us wish we'd paid attention in Italian class
- Sprint wants enterprise customers to consider WiMAX, ditch the T-1
- NVIDIA teases a pair of mystery laptop GPUs running Crysis 2 (video)
- Apple's A6 processor may come courtesy of TSMC, Samsung left to wonder why
- Star Wars Operation lets you get to the bottom of the R2-D2 booster rocket debate
- Mitsubishi's new all-in-one set crams 500GB HDD and Blu-ray recorder into tiny package
| Google launches all out social networking assault with Google+ (video) Posted: 28 Jun 2011 11:34 AM PDT  Among the sub-services is Circles, which lets users divide up which of their friends / followers can see which content, assuring that only your "Epic Bros" and not your boss sees what you were up to at last night's bachelor party. Hangouts, meanwhile, offers up multi-person video chat with members of your Circle. Sparks is a customized feed aggregator of content you curate from across the web -- remember when RSS feeds were a thing? This is kind of like that. There's also, not surprisingly, a mobile element to the service. Huddle offers up group messaging, largely targeted at arranging real-world meetups for those times you actually want to, you know, socialize with humans in the flesh. The Instant Upload feature makes it easy to transfer photos to private albums in the cloud. Google+ is still in a limited trial mode and has a few "rough edges," according to the company. In the meantime, we want to know what you think. Is Google finally giving Facebook a run for its money? Is this just the latest social flop from the company? Let us know in the comments, and while you're at it, check out a whole bunch of officially sanctioned Google+ videos below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intel says Cloverview platform will launch in time for Windows 8 Posted: 28 Jun 2011 11:06 AM PDT  Intel didn't provide much indication of a release timeframe when it first teased its tablet-minded Cloverview platform back in April, but it's now finally starting to dish a few more details (though still not many specifics, unfortunately). Speaking with This is my next, Intel's Director of Product and Technology Media Relations, Bill Kircos, said that the chipmaker is looking to deliver a "nice one-two chip-software punch," and roll out the Cloverview platform and accompanying Clover Trail processor around the same time as Windows 8 -- possibly before, but seemingly no later. Of course, exactly when Windows 8 itself will launch still remains a bit of a mystery, although ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley notes that the latest rumor of a release to manufacturing in April of next year is not so crazy, and that "April sounds better than July." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3M reader concept looks familiar, begs you not to judge an ebook by its cover Posted: 28 Jun 2011 10:41 AM PDT  This image purporting to be the current concept design for 3M's upcoming ereader looks awfully familiar. In fact, the similarities to the txtr reader we saw a couple of years back are pretty uncanny -- and they're likely more than skin deep, seeing as how 3M has been investing in the company. There's a decent chance, however, that the device will hit the market looking a bit different -- and hopefully with a few other changes on-board, since the txtr reader is now a bit ancient. One thing does seem fairly likely: the device will probably play nicely with 3M's recently announced Cloud Library lending service. You didn't expect 3M to let other companies have all the fun, did you? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Royal Society wants kids to make graphene, puts the miracle material in games Posted: 28 Jun 2011 10:16 AM PDT  If we were more musically inclined we might write a ballad singing the praises of graphene -- the magical material that can be used in everything from super-fast CPUs to ultra-efficient solar panels. Sadly, the truth is, we're bloggers and not rock stars for a reason, so we'll just entertain ourselves with the Royal Society's Summer Science exhibition on the carbon nano-structure instead. From July 5th through 10th the London-based science center will run a major hands-on exhibit where participants will get a chance to see graphene under a microscope and create their own single layers of of the stuff with nothing more than a pencil and some scotch tape. If getting to the Trafalgar Square-adjacent academy is out of the question, you can always fire up the promotional and educational Graphene Games, which you can download for both Android and iOS at the more coverage links. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer tablet hands-on (video) Posted: 28 Jun 2011 09:40 AM PDT  If you have kids and own a tablet, chances are you've passed it to the back seat on occasion, asking your five-year-old to help you navigate to the beach, or to beat an otherwise hopeless level in Angry Birds. Now, you can reward them with a tablet of their own. Available in green and pink, the $100 LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer includes a 5-inch, 480 x 272-pixel (16:9) touchscreen, 2GB of built-in storage, and a durable housing -- but your 5-9 year old isn't going to get caught up on specs. They will take notice to the built-in camera (with video capture), microphone, stylus, and accelerometer, however -- all of which enable custom kid-friendly apps and educational games, including Disney Animation Studio, an interactive reader, and compatibility with over 100 downloadable apps and LeapFrog cartridges, which range in price from $5 to $25. There's no wireless connectivity, so you'll be tethering with Windows or Mac OS to download additional content, and to share your child's creations with family and friends. We're certainly far outside LeapPad's target demographic, but we did have a chance to go hands-on with the device earlier today, and felt that the tablet was solidly built, with a well-rounded feature set and sufficient expandability options -- for a kids toy, of course. Games and apps took advantage of the Pad's features, such as Roly Poly Picnic, which uses the accelerometer to navigate through a maze, spelling out simple, three-letter words along the way (like all apps and games, Picnic is adjustable based on your little one's age and skill level). There's also a video player (currently limited to 4:3 content), photo, and video capture apps. Shipping August 15th, the device doesn't have a ton of horsepower under the hood -- a 400MHz processor means apps won't launch with the speed and grace of an iPad 2 -- but for a $100 toy, the LeapPad will do just fine. PR and hands-on video are after the break. LEAPFROG REINVENTS LEARNING WITH LEAPPAD™, A BREAKTHROUGH TABLET JUST FOR KIDS This year's must-have gift inspires children to create their own personalized learning experiences with 100+ learning games and apps, and an on-board camera & video recorder EMERYVILLE, Calif. and NEW YORK- JUNE 29, 2011-LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:LF), today unveiled LeapPad™, a personalized learning tablet designed for kids ages four and up. As the leader in educational entertainment, LeapFrog has combined the latest technology, enhanced educational curriculum, and most entertaining characters to fuel a child's learning in a durable form factor that mirrors popular adult tablets. LeapPad, now available for pre-sale, is revolutionizing the way children learn by offering the next generation in learning, digital reading and personal creativity. Designed with best-in-class educational curriculum and featuring endless and fun ways to play, this new tablet will be on every family's wish list this year. "We wanted LeapPad to offer kids the ability to create their own personalized experiences and have fun while learning at their own pace with content that automatically adjusts to their skill level," said Craig Hendrickson, senior vice president and chief product officer for LeapFrog. "LeapPad's apps inspire kids to explore their inner creativity. Whether doodling on photos taken with the built-in camera, creating a story about themselves in the Story Studio, or bringing their favorite characters to life with the Animation Studio, there is truly something for every child." Not Your Parent's Tablet Designed for little hands and big imaginations, LeapPad will launch with LeapFrog's largest library ever and offers more than 100 learning game cartridges, books, apps and videos, by year end. Expanding the fun across platforms, the existing library of Leapster Explorer game cartridges and apps is cross compatible with LeapPad. Unique to LeapFrog products, games auto-adjust so kids can learn at just the right pace – and each LeapPad book app is actually three books in one – offering each story at three different levels. LeapPad even remembers a child's progress from game to game and book to book to keep the content challenging and engaging. Kids can build a strong learning foundation with phonics skills, mathematics and spelling, and then take learning beyond the basics to geography, world languages, music, creativity, science and life skills such as brushing their teeth. As they embark on new learning adventures, kids can also practice their writing skills with step-by-step guidance and a child-sized stylus. LeapPad is All About You! Built with 2 GB of memory, LeapPad encourages learning on the go and inspires curious minds to imagine more with a complete suite of innovative creativity tools featuring a built-in camera and video recorder, microphone, as well as art, story, and photo studios. Adding even more fun, kids can stretch, stamp or draw on their pictures to create personalized snapshots. LeapPad's Animation Studio teaches children how to animate beloved Disney characters. With Story Studio, kids create their own stories all about them using the built-in camera, personalized artwork, and even their own voice. This new app offers kids the opportunity to create more than 27,000 story combinations, including imagining what they want to be when they grow up, building their own family tree and more. Best of all, LeapPad allows parents to easily and instantly share their children's masterpieces with family and friends via email or Facebook. Experience a Brand New Way to Read! Kids will experience an entirely new way to read with LeapPad reading apps – interactive cinematic book experiences designed to guide children through the story and develop a whole new love of reading. The variety of entertaining features engage children page after page. Each book is actually three books in one, as children read at their own pace with auto-adjustment of the story text. Children can touch the words to hear them sounded out and benefit from a visual dictionary to help build phonics, comprehension and vocabulary skills. With the microphone, children can record their own narration and show their parents what they have learned. These apps bring reading to life through animation and motion-based activities while featuring popular characters such as Disney's Lightning McQueen and Cinderella, helping children improve their reading skills. Tech Specs LeapPad has 2 GB of memory, and a 5" touch screen with 480x272 resolution. It offers kids motion-based play with a sensor and includes a built-in camera, video recorder, microphone and stylus. Availability LeapPad will be sold at MSRP $99.99 USD, with downloadable apps priced at MSRP $5.00 USD and up and game cartridges at MSRP $24.99 USD. LeapPad is now available in green and pink, and for pre-sale at major retailers* in the U.S., Canada, UK and Ireland. For details visit leapfrog.com/LeapPad. LeapPad will be available at major retail locations beginning August 15 and in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand later in the year. *Pre-sale at leapfrog.com is available only in the U.S. and Canada beginning August 1. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nokia N9 camera: sample images and video Posted: 28 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT  In terms of performance, Nokia's camera application definitely lives up to the company's own hype, with nearly instant captures and an equally brisk return to a state of readiness for more image-taking. When shooting video, we noted that audio recording starts slightly later than the video, leaving the first half second or so without sound. This isn't an uncommon issue (we've seen it on other phones and tablets) and can be seen in our video sample after the break. Now might be a good time to also mention that the N9s we tested with today were all prototype units, so don't prejudge Nokia's final hardware on the basis of what you see here. Unless your premature judgment is positive, we doubt Nokia would mind that. So anyhow, we took a walk around the company's offices, escorted by a group of unarmed but surely lethal Finnish ninjas, taking shots of the surrounding cityscape as we went. The results show the N9 picking up a ton of detail and controlling noise admirably, while a few impromptu ThinkPad hands-on photos convinced us it can do a pretty stellar job with closeups as well. With a name like N9, however, it was obvious which phone we needed to compare Nokia's lone wolf MeeGo handset to, so out came our trusty N8 with its world-beating 12 megapixel sensor. Alas, in spite of having an F2.2 aperture on the N9, Nokia hasn't managed to replicate the heroics of its earlier device: the N8 shows its advantage in consistently picking out better color balance and in also being sharper throughout the frame. It makes the N9's images appear as if they were shot through a haze, though we hasten to add that this should be considered a strength of the older phone rather than a major failure of the new one. Additionally, the N9 suffers from the typically narrow dynamic range of smartphone camera sensors, which is the cause of the consistently blown-out sky in our gallery images. Still, considering the quick software operation and consistently detailed imagery on offer from the N9, we'd say Nokia is on to a winner here. P.S. -- Looking for the full-size 8 megapixel stills from the N9? We've zipped them up for you right here. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gigabyte intros Llano-compatible A75 motherboards for the DIY set (video) Posted: 28 Jun 2011 08:37 AM PDT  Llano-based PCs are still trickling their way into the market, but if you're the enterprising type you can just up and build your own. Gigabyte just announced a family of seven A75 series of motherboards, all of which are compatible with AMD's spankin' new Fusion A6 and A8 chips and A75 chipsets. To recap, the Fusion A-Series combines a discrete-class Radeon HD GPU and either a dual- or quad-core CPU on the same die, though all of the A6 and A8 models are quad-core. These 35- and 45-watt chips are also stereoscopic 3D-capable and support USB 3.0, DirectX11, OpenCL / OpenGL, and both 1600MHz DDR3 memory and lower-power 1333MHz DDR3L memory. As for the motherboards, they allow for 108dB audio with 7.1 surround sound, and you can use Gigabyte's Easy Tune 6 utility to realize Fusion's promise of overclocking. They also use the company's DualBIOS technology to prevent failure due to do BIOS corruption, while each USB port has its own fuse to prevent port failure. Hit the source link for information on where to buy, and mosy on past the break for the full PR and a short demo video. GIGABYTE Rolls Out A75 Motherboards For AMD Llano A8 and A6 APUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Biscuit tins: your greatest defense against industrial espionage? Posted: 28 Jun 2011 08:15 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG's DM50D HDTV / monitor promotes a passive 3D lifestyle Posted: 28 Jun 2011 07:48 AM PDT 
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| Tag Heuer outs $6,700 Link Phone for those who like alligator skin with their Froyo (video) Posted: 28 Jun 2011 07:18 AM PDT  Update: Tag Heuer might not have the chops to build a highly spec'd phone, but it sure knows how to root one. As a tipster pointed out, if you pause the video at 1:18 you'll see Superuser in the app menu -- a telltale sign of hacking if ever there was one. Freeze frame after the break. [Thanks, Sasika!]  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Topcon's IP-S2 Lite creates panoramic maps in 3D, spots every bump in the road (video) Posted: 28 Jun 2011 06:53 AM PDT  You'd need only a smartphone app to pinpoint every pothole on your block, but to map out more severe structural damage, you'd probably need more sophisticated equipment -- which is where Topcon's IP-S2 Lite comes in. Unveiled at last week's 3D & Virtual Reality Expo in Tokyo, this road condition evaluation system is comprised of a 360-degree camera, GPS and an inclinometer. After using its camera to capture images at 16 frames per second, the IP-S2 analyzes the properties of every shot and uses this information to create 3D video footage. The contraption can also measure the height, distance and surface area of any given frame, allowing engineers to insert computer-generated images into the video (as pictured above) and to construct more accurate maps of disaster-stricken regions. In the wake of this year's devastating earthquake, for example, Japan's Geospatial Information Authority used this technology to map coastal areas of the Miyagi Prefecture, giving officials and rescue workers a better idea of the damage inflicted upon the region. You can find out more about the IP-S2 in the video after the break. [Thanks, Don] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google to face €295 million French lawsuit over alleged anti-competitive practices Posted: 28 Jun 2011 06:33 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NVIDIA announces GeForce GTX 580M and 570M, availability in the Alienware M18x and MSI GT780R Posted: 28 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT 
Fastest. Notebook GPU. Ever. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Andy Rubin: over 500,000 Android activations a day, and growing Posted: 28 Jun 2011 05:42 AM PDT  [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sony's new VAIO Z ultraportable laptop with Power Media Dock hands-on (video) Posted: 28 Jun 2011 04:50 AM PDT  Now that we've seen Sony's new VAIO Z in its luscious press shots, it's time to face reality and lay our itchy hands on this 13-inch ultraportable laptop, along with its eccentric expansion dock that packs both a Blu-ray drive and an AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics chip (with 1GB of video RAM). Just as we were told by our little birdie, said dock is connected to the notebook via Light Peak -- a first for Sony -- but there's a catch: Sony's only implementing the architecture and not the connector, so for the time being, this sweet high speed connection is only compatible with the docking unit and nothing else. Anyhow, here's a quick recap: what we have here is a 1.18kg feather-light machine packing a 256GB SSD and 1.3 megapixel webcam, plus a matte LCD display with resolution at 1600 x 900 or an optional 1920 x 1080. Oh yes, for an extra cost, you get some sweet full HD action at just 13 inches. This upgraded display performed well in the relatively dark confines of the press event, but how it fares under direct sunlight remains to be seen. Read on for more hands-on impression. At first glance, the VAIO Z looks very much like the legendary VAIO X, and some of its technologies are actually ported over from the latter: a single sided motherboard, and a fold out RJ-45 port design, in order to reduce the machine's thickness to a mere 16.65mm. Like the VAIO X, the flap is plastic, but it doesn't feel flimsy. The rest of the VAIO Z feels solid all around, with carbon fiber used to reinforce the screen and chassis, along with a layer of aluminum for the palm rest. The hinge is hidden behind the back of the machine, and upon opening the lid upright, the machine is lifted up slightly by a couple of feet beneath the display -- much like the hinge on the ASUS Transformer's keyboard dock. Presumably, this is for better heat dissipation. As with most ultraportables, the VAIO Z only packs a grand total of two USB ports, and only one of them is USB 3.0-compatible. But here's a surprise: the latter port is also where Light Peak is implemented: the fiber optic cables feed data to and from the media dock, which we will touch on later. Naturally, plugging in the dock will leave you with only one usable USB port, and the close proximity of the USB ports could also be a problem for wider USB plugs. As for the remaining sockets we have HDMI and VGA output on each side of the machine, an SD card slot plus a dedicated MemoryStick reader (yes, it's still around), as well as a lone headphone port on the right hand side.  The keyboard is pretty standard Sony stuff, and those who are into chiclet keyboards should feel right at home. To shave some thickness off the machine, the keys aren't raised as high as their predecessors, but the travel is still deep and satisfactory. Under dim lighting, the keys are equipped with a pale green backlight -- a welcoming diversion from the over-used blue and white backlighting often seen on laptops. Another feature worth noting is this new VAIO Z's twin-fan design. By sharing the load of cooling between the two spinners, Sony managed to reduce both thickness and noise. The entire chassis remained cool to the touch even after running for about 30 minutes, and fan noise was minimal. As for battery life, Sony claims 6.5 hours of usage with the standard, non-user replaceable battery, though you can extend that to 13 with the optional slice battery pack. We've yet to hear about US availability and prices for this sexy device and its beastly companion, but in Taiwan you can pick up a 1080p model plus the dock for a hefty NT$94,800 (US$3,270) in July, while the UK is already offering it sans the dock starting from £1,434 ($2,294). Stay tuned for new info when we hear from Sony's US team -- just don't let your wallet see these price tags. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fring optimizes its four-way video calling app for smiley iPad 2 owners Posted: 28 Jun 2011 03:57 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taiwan's revised LUXGEN7 SUV offers THINK+ computer, defends itself from thieves Posted: 28 Jun 2011 03:02 AM PDT  LUXGEN unveils world's first Hi-Tech LSUV 2010/06/04 â— Largest exterior dimensions (4800mm x 1930mm x 1760mm) in its segment. â— Intelligent powered tailgate and exclusive anti-theft sport seat as standard equipment. â— Four visual assistance systems supported by a powerful "Think+" onboard computer. Taiwan's first passenger automobile brand LUXGEN is steaming ahead with the launch of its second model the LUXGEN7 SUV. After the unprecedented success of its debut model, the LUXGEN7 MPV, which received comprehensive media coverage during the world debut at the Dubai motor show, achieved phenomenal sales volume which surpassing the sales volume of the entire Hyundai brand in Taiwan and became the first automobile ever to win the prestigious Taiwan Excellence Award, LUXGEN has poured everything it stands for to create the next new LUXGEN model---the LUXGEN7 SUV. The LUXGEN7 SUV represents a milestone in vehicle design. The distinctive wing-shaped chrome nose trim and cascading grille express both power and confidence; meanwhile, its coupe-like profile and upward sweeping beltlines conveys a sense of dynamic motion as well. Measuring at 4.8 meters long, 1.93 meters wide and 1.76 meters in height, the LUXGEN7 SUV is also among the largest in its segment while maintaining an elegant and svelte proportions. In order to offer an impressively solid body structure, the LUXGEN7 SUV adopts the Multi-H floor structure and HRSS High Rigidity Safety Structure to achieve a flat and spacious interior floor and excellent level of impact-resistance characteristics. For the powertrain, the LUXGEN7 SUV comes equipped with an intelligent 10-mode, 5-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting function co-developed by world's famous automotive transmission manufacturer Aisin for responsiveness, efficiency and driving enjoyment. LUXGEN7 SUV's intelligent 3-mode 4WD system can actively divide engine torque between the front and rear axles based on the road condition and driver input. In order to facilitate the cargo access, the LUXGEN7 SUV is the only vehicle in its segment to be equipped with the intelligent power actuated tailgate as standard equipment. The intelligent power tailgate can be configured to open partially in order to prevent collision when parked in confined spaces such as an underground parking lot. The LUXGEN-exclusive anti-theft sport seat is another standard equipment to demonstrate LUXGEN's attentive consideration for its owners. When drivers press the button on the anti-theft seat for three seconds before locking up the doors with the remote control, the anti-theft system will activate by sliding itself forward and leaning against the steering wheel to deny unauthorized access of the vehicle. In terms of the interior design, the LUXGEN7 SUV uses the premium leather seat with airline first class style surrounding head restraints together with the available heating, ventilation, electronic massage and lumber support adjustment functions to ensure upmost comfort anytime. In addition, the Hi-end Clarion audio system and JBL speakers provide premium sound quality and surreal vocal reproduction to music lovers. In the LUXGEN7 SUV, safety is the utmost priority. Standard safety equipments includes dual front SRS airbags, ABS Antilock Braking System, BAS Braking Assistance System, EBD Electronic Brake Distribution system; furthermore, dual side protection airbags, dual side curtain airbags, ESC Electronic Stability Control, TCS Traction Control System are also available options. The Think+ onboard computer system which offers video and audio entertainment, telecommunication, GPS navigation, personal safety, owner exclusive and system settings functions are complemented with four advanced visual assistance systems including Eagle View+ (a 360 degree surveillance system), Side View+ (Blind Spot Monitoring System), LDWS+ (Lane Departure Warning System) and Night vision+ (high sensitivity night vision enhancement system) offering unparalleled functionality. The LUXGEN7 SUV is available in five trim levels at prices ranging from NTD 838,000 to NTD 1,148,000. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| California raceway gets 1,600 solar panels, flaunts green track status Posted: 28 Jun 2011 02:06 AM PDT 
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| Gadmei P83 PMP does glasses-free 3D for $179 Posted: 28 Jun 2011 01:08 AM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What do you love, asks Google with a new portal to its many web services Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:53 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aston Martin Experience could be the ultimate iPhone accessory, but you're gonna want the car Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:38 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yokohama EV sets new Pikes Peak Hill Climb record, leaves Leaf blowing in the wind Posted: 27 Jun 2011 10:21 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile announces myTouch 4G Slide, aims to take smartphone photography to new heights Posted: 27 Jun 2011 09:34 PM PDT  New T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide Delivers Most Advanced Camera of Any Smartphone Latest myTouch device offers premium smartphone features paired with high-end digital camera capabilities for capturing and sharing life's special moments BELLEVUE, Wash. - June 28, 2011 - T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the myTouch 4G Slide, the latest 4G smartphone to join T-Mobile's exclusive line of myTouch products. The myTouch 4G Slide features the most advanced camera of any smartphone with zero shutter lag, backside illuminated sensor and additional premium digital camera features that offer consumers a viable replacement for their digital point-and-shoot cameras. The myTouch 4G Slide is expected to be available in July. T-Mobile's high-speed 4G network continues to expand and is now available in more than 190 markets, reaching more than 200 million people nationwide. With the T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide, T-Mobile customers in these areas can now take advantage of 4G speeds as they instantly capture and then share special moments at the speed of life. "Knowing that the best camera is the one you've got with you, we set out to create a new best-in-class smartphone that allows our customers to leave their cameras at home," said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. "Our newest myTouch device takes capturing and sharing memories to a new level by combining high-quality smartphone hardware with features that customers would expect from a top-of-the-line digital camera." Ideal for capturing that perfect moment with photos that rival high-end dedicated digital cameras, the myTouch 4G Slide comes with an 8-megapixel camera with a dual LED flash and a host of advanced digital camera features, including the following: · Improved low-light Performance: with a backside illuminated sensor and a wide aperture lens (f/2.2) · Zero shutter lag: innovative software features allow for an instantaneous shot at that precise moment · SweepShot™: for capturing panoramic shots by sweeping across an entire scene in a single motion · ClearShot™ HDR: for capturing objects in bright settings so your photos are not affected by high-contrast lighting · BurstShot™: for capturing multiple photos in a quick burst so you don't miss the perfect photo Running on America's Largest 4G Network™, the myTouch 4G Slide allows customers to instantly capture, and then share, quality photos and videos with a dedicated camera button and one-touch access to post to Facebook, Picasa or Flickr ― all at 4G speeds. A true camera and camcorder replacement, the myTouch 4G Slide features a full HD 1080p camcorder with audio recording and ability to edit videos directly from the device. Manufactured by HTC exclusively for T-Mobile, the new myTouch 4G Slide features a beautiful 3.7-inch WVGA super LCD touch-screen display, with Swype, and a slide-out full-QWERTY keyboard, offering customers the freedom to choose how they want to input text. Powered by Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) and HTC Sense 3.0, the myTouch 4G Slide provides an intuitive and powerful smartphone experience. With support for T-Mobile's lightning-fast 4G network paired with a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon™ processor, myTouch 4G Slide customers will experience quick access to their favorite websites, videos, applications and much more. The myTouch 4G Slide makes staying connected with loved ones more convenient than ever with T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik™ for face-to-face video chat on the go and Group Text™ by Bobsled™, which offers an innovative way to send and receive text messages with groups of friends. The new advanced Genius Button™ offers one shot voice commands, powered by Dragon Dictation from Nuance, that simplify the smartphone experience by enabling users to call, text, find a business or search the Web, all with the press of a button. With the myTouch 4G Slide's Hands Free mode, customers can stay connected while on the road with the option for all notifications to be read out loud - simply tell the phone to text or dial to continue the conversation. The myTouch 4G Slide offers preloaded entertainment applications, including T-Mobile TV, Netflix and YouTube for real-time mobile video streaming. The myTouch 4G Slide's entertainment experience also can be shared with the whole family with T-Mobile KidZone, a built-in feature that allows parents to restrict what applications their kids can access on the device without worrying about them making a call or accessing inappropriate material. Availability Offered in two colors - black and khaki - the T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide is expected to be available exclusively from T-Mobile in July at T-Mobile retail stores, online at http://www.t-mobile.com, and from select national retailers and dealers. Customers can visit http://mytouch.t-mobile.com/4g-slide for more information. T-Mobile's 4G network has expanded to seven additional markets: Barnstable, Mass.; Chico, Calif.; Lancaster, Penn.; Ogden, Utah; Redding, Calif.; Vineland, N.J., and Winchester, Va. T-Mobile's HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at http://www.t-mobile.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nevermind the Pi music, here's what Tau sounds like (video) Posted: 27 Jun 2011 08:44 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sony's ultraslim 13-inch VAIO Z laptop revealed in Europe, packs external GPU for power on demand Posted: 27 Jun 2011 08:19 PM PDT  Update: Head over to the Sony UK site to configure one yourself -- pricing starts at £1,434 ($2,294) with a Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM and no PMD. The dock is a £400 ($640) option with no optical drive included, while upgrading to a 1080p 13.1-inch LCD is a mere £40 extra. Ultimate performance and design: ultra-mobile new VAIO Z Series from Sony weighs under 1.2kg 28 June 2011 Thin, ultra-light 13.1" notebook PC with innovative new Power Media Dock · 33.2cm (13.1") VAIO Z Series: less than 1.2 kg and 16.65mm slim with stunning design and smart battery concept · Business-class power with latest standard voltage Intel® Core™ i7 processors and fast SSD storage · High-resolution (1600x900) anti-reflective VAIO Display Premium · Optional sheet battery gives up to 14hr stamina1 with quick charge · Power Media Dock™ 2 with quad video monitor support, AMD Radeon™ HD graphics, optical drive and extra ports including HDMI™ out · Quick Boot gets you working in seconds Weighing little over a kilogram, the new VAIO Z Series notebook PC from Sony is created for mobile professionals who demand absolute performance and portability. VAIO Z blends ultra-desirable styling and premium carbon fibre with no-compromise specifications and innovative productivity features. In the office or on the road, this class-leading business notebook helps demanding users work more efficiently with the ultimate in on-the-move computing power. All-new VAIO Z takes cutting-edge styling by Sony to new extremes, with a 'full flat' body and display lid that are crafted in tough, ultra-light carbon fibre. At just below 1.2kg and 16.65mm slim, the new VAIO Z is the perfect partner for business travellers who demand ultimate power with less to carry. On-the-go usability is enhanced further by the backlit keyboard with extra-wide palm rest and ergonomic new 'button-less' touchpad. With a resolution of 1600x900, the 33.2cm (13.1") VAIO Display Premium features an anti-reflective coating that cuts glare from direct light sources and ensures crisp colour reproduction. Performance is everything you'd expect from the most sophisticated VAIO notebook yet. Latest-generation standard voltage Intel® Core™ i7 processors are teamed with speedy DDR3 SDRAM and up to 256GB SSD RAID storage to blaze through the toughest workload with ease. As an extra refinement, Quick Boot saves precious time when you're in a hurry, loading Genuine Windows® 7 Professional up to 50% quicker than conventional notebooks. Embedded VAIO 'everywair' 3G WWAN on selected models connects via your mobile broadband operator. Power Media Dock™ The performance of VAIO Z Series is taken to new extremes by the unique Power Media Dock2, a monolithic expansion module that links with VAIO via an optical cable. The proprietary port can also be used to attach regular USB devices to VAIO when it's not docked. Featuring high-speed I/O data transfer based on the architecture codenamed 'Light Peak', Power Media Dock boosts graphics performance while adding numerous extra connectivity options. It includes an optical drive for even greater business productivity and satisfying HD entertainment. The module comes supplied with a stylish design-matched stand. With Power Media Dock added, VAIO Z can manage up to four displays (including the notebook screen) via HDMI™ and/or VGA output ports. In this configuration, VAIO Z makes a compelling choice for design, finance and science professionals who need to work across several screens simultaneously. New-generation AMD Radeon HD graphics with 1GB VRAM effortlessly handle demanding graphics tasks, from 3D CAD to gaming. When docked, connectivity options are boosted by additional USB ports plus VGA and HDMI outputs. Power Media Dock also sports an optical drive bay that can be specified with a Blu-ray Disc™ or SuperMulti combo drive. Games and movies on DVD or Blu-ray Disc sound as good as they look with latest Dolby® Home Theater® v4. Sheet battery VAIO Z features the innovative 'sheet battery' already showcased on this year's VAIO S Series. The notebook's internal lithium polymer battery provides power for up to 7 hours1 on-the-go computing. It's partnered by a second thin, flat optional lithium polymer sheet battery that can be charged separately from the PC and added without removing the internal battery. The sheet battery attaches without having to switch off the PC, boosting stamina to up to 14 hours1 for day-and-night working, even if you're far from mains power. VAIO Z delivers a richer communication experience if you're staying in touch with colleagues via video conference or web chat. The HD web camera powered by Exmor™ technology ensures detailed-packed video even in low light. There's a full range of official accessories from Sony, style-matched to complement the looks and performance of your VAIO. Many more configuration options – including a Full HD (1920 x 1080) LCD – are available exclusively to online shoppers at Sony Store. The new 2011 VAIO Z Series of ultra-portable performance notebook PCs is available from the end of July 2011 (actual date of availability varies by country). 1 As measured by MobileMark® battery test 2 Power Media Dock available with selected models or as an optional accessory -ends- Notes to editors Model VAIO VPCZ21V9E Processor Intel® Core™ i7-2620M 2.70GHz (with Turbo Boost up to 3.40GHz) OS Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (64bit) with Service Pack 1 Memory 8GB DDR3 1333Mhz SDRAM Drive 256GB SSD Flash memory (RAID 0) Screen 33.2cm (13.1") VAIO Display Premium (1600x900) with wide (16:9) aspect ratio On-board graphics Intel® HD Graphics 3000 Optical drive DVD SuperMulti Drive (included with VGP-PRZ20C Power Media Dock™ – see below) Others WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n; 3G WWAN; Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR; USB 2.0 x1, docking station/USB port x1 (supports USB 2.0/3.0 compatible devices); HDMI™ out (3D supported); stereo speakers with Dolby® Home Theater® v4; HD web camera powered by 'Exmor' (1.3 effective megapixels); Web, VAIO and Assist buttons; touchpad with gesture support; fingerprint sensor; Quick Boot Dimensions DxHxW Approx. 210 x 16.65 x 330mm Weight Approx. 1.18kg (with standard internal battery) Model Power Media Dock™ VGP-PRZ20C/VGP-PRZ20A Graphics Accelerator AMD Radeon™ HD 6650M Video RAM 1GB DDR3 Max. resolution Analogue RGB: 1920 x 1200 HDMI™: 1920 x 1080 Optical drive VGP-PRZ20C: DVD SuperMulti Drive VGP-PRZ20A: Blu-ray Disc™ Drive with DVD SuperMulti LAN port 1000BASE-T/100BASE-T/10BASE-T x1 USB port Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0) Type A Connector x2, SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) x1 Monitor port Mini D-Sub 15 pin x1 HDMI output port x1 (3D Supported) Dimensions DxHxW Approx. 148 x 16.65 x 220mm Weight Approx. 0.685kg Specifications and features vary by model. Please check VAIO laptops for more information. For more information please contact Sony Europe Press Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HP TouchPad veers into stores early, flaunts its webOS moves (video) Posted: 27 Jun 2011 07:25 PM PDT  Dying to get your hands on HP's TouchPad before it's available on July 1st? According to Pre Central, a visit to either Best Buy or Walmart may afford you the opportunity. During the past few days, the stores have apparently begun quietly displaying demo-loaded versions of the slate. The device went up for pre-order about a week ago, but for webOS hopefuls still contemplating whether to take the Palm-rooted plunge, a pre-release impression may not be a bad grab between socks and motor oil. Don't feel like taking a trip to Wally World, you say? You'll find a video overview past the break; although the box to the left has us wondering if now's a good time for getting lucky... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft inks Android patent deal with Itronix, causes more heads to explode Posted: 27 Jun 2011 06:40 PM PDT  Microsoft and General Dynamics Itronix Sign Patent Agreement Agreement will cover General Dynamics Itronix devices running the Android platform. REDMOND, Wash., June 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. and General Dynamics Itronix have signed a patent agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft's patent portfolio for General Dynamics Itronix devices running the Android platform. Although the contents of the agreement have not been disclosed, the parties indicate that Microsoft will receive royalties from General Dynamics Itronix under the agreement. "We are pleased to have reached this agreement with General Dynamics Itronix, which is an example of how industry leaders address intellectual property," said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft. Mark Johnston, director of Strategic Computing Solutions for General Dynamics Itronix, said, "The completion of this agreement enables Itronix to meet the evolving demands of our customers with more diverse applications and increased functionality in products that incorporate the Android platform." Microsoft's Commitment to Licensing Intellectual Property The patent agreement is another example of the important role intellectual property (IP) plays in ensuring a healthy and vibrant IT ecosystem. Since Microsoft launched its IP licensing program in December 2003, the company has entered into more than 700 licensing agreements and continues to develop programs that make it possible for customers, partners and competitors to access its IP portfolio. The program was developed to open access to Microsoft's significant R&D investments and its growing, broad patent and IP portfolio. More information about Microsoft's licensing programs is available at http://www.microsoft.com/iplicensing. Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. SOURCE Microsoft Corp. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HP Envy 14 Beats Edition gets a slice of Sandy Bridge silicon, costs $1,050 at Amazon Posted: 27 Jun 2011 05:59 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verizon dominates 'Fastest Mobile Networks' testing, considers calling AT&T to brag Posted: 27 Jun 2011 05:18 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TomTom's iPhone App gets updated, brings HD traffic updates along for the ride Posted: 27 Jun 2011 04:46 PM PDT  TomTom HD Traffic Service Now Available on the TomTom App for iPhone ~ More TomTom Drivers Gain Access to the Most Accurate, Comprehensive and Up-To-Date Traffic Information Available ~ CONCORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TomTom today announces that its newest update to the TomTom App for iPhone, version 1.8, now includes TomTom HD Traffic compatibility. TomTom HD Traffic enables drivers to get to their destination faster and is the most accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date traffic solution available. TomTom HD Traffic provides the most accurate traffic solution by reporting and capturing more actual traffic jams than ever before to help drivers avoid delays and find the fastest routes. Only TomTom HD Traffic will recognize traffic conditions for both major and secondary roads within the U.S. road network to help re-route drivers clear of traffic. Additionally, with traffic updates every two minutes, TomTom HD Traffic will help reroute drivers around traffic more quickly and get them to their destination faster. TomTom HD Traffic is an optional service available via an in-App purchase. Expanding the availability of TomTom HD Traffic is one of the commitments that TomTom has outlined in its Traffic Manifesto, which is the company's mission to reduce traffic congestion to everyone. Drivers using TomTom HD Traffic are helping reduce traffic congestion for themselves and every driver around them. For more information about TomTom's Traffic Manifesto, visit www.tomtom.com/trafficmanifesto. Also new to the TomTom App is multi-stop routes. This innovative feature makes it easier for drivers to make multiple stops on a single route by letting the user add up to five stop-off points when they plan their journey. This new App release also gives users the latest map which includes recent changes to the roads. Availability The latest version of the TomTom App for iPhone is available on the App Store starting today. The TomTom App for iPhone v1.8 is available for purchase via the App Store. Continental and regional versions of the TomTom App are available today for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and iPod touch users at www.tomtom.com/tomtom-app. TomTom HD Traffic is available via an in-App purchase for $19.99. Current TomTom Traffic subscribers will be automatically upgraded to TomTom HD Traffic service for no additional charge. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video) Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:22 PM PDT  Make no mistake, Microsoft isn't playing coy in the smartphone market any longer. The folks in Redmond are making a significant jump forward in the mobile arena, announcing that the upcoming version of Windows Phone, codenamed "Mango," will be heading to a device near you in time for the holidays. As its competitors have raised the bar of expectations to a much higher level, Microsoft followed suit by adding at least 500 features to its mobile investment, which the company hopes will plug all of the gaping holes the first two versions left open. We received a Samsung Focus preloaded with the most recent developer build (read: not even close to the market release version) and we had a few good days to put it through its paces. It's still far from completion, as there were several key features that we couldn't test out; some weren't fully implemented, and others involved third-party apps that won't be updated until closer to launch. Yet we don't want to call this build half-baked -- in fact, it was surprisingly smooth for software that still has at least four months to go before it's available for public consumption. At the risk of sounding ridiculously obvious, we're mighty interested in seeing the final result when all is said and done this holiday season. As a disclaimer, we can't guarantee that the stuff we cover here will actually look or act the same when it's ready to peek out and make its official introduction in Q4; as often happens, features and UI enhancements are subject to be changed by the Windows Phone team as Mango gets closer and closer to release. Let's get straight to brass tacks, since there's a lot of details to dive into. It'd be best to grab a large beverage (we'd recommend a Big Gulp, at least), find your most comfortable chair, and meet us after the break. Table of Contents
First impressions  When we first booted up the OS, we were greeted by the same Metro UI we've been accustomed to -- there were absolutely no revelations given at bootup that this was a Mango device. We even went into settings just to make absolutely sure we weren't sent an old Focus by mistake, and it was indeed running OS 7.5. As Microsoft is primarily focused on filling the gaps in its existing user interface rather than completely turning everything upside-down, we didn't have to take extra time to figure out where everything was at. It wasn't until we got inside and looked around that we realized that even though we were in the same house, a lot of the furniture had been moved around, the basement's finished, and a shiny new chandelier was hanging from the ceiling.
Twitter and Facebook have blessed (or cursed, if your best friend discovered Mafia Wars and needs points) our lives for several years, and now these services (along with LinkedIn) are diving pretty deep into several aspects of the OS. The Me hub lets you check in to Facebook Places, post messages, and see your notifications. Microsoft gave the Me hub more purpose in Mango. Current Windows Phones don't put much emphasis on this particular tile -- it's basically your Facebook Wall and little else -- but Mango is cranking up the Facebook integration a notch. First, the live tile has been given more meaning now, offering up status updates, IMs, check-ins, comments, and other notifications directly on the tile, lending more credence to the company's "glance and go" mantra. The page shown upon entering the hub will display your latest status update, profile picture (also seen on the live tile), and three options: post a message, check in, and set chat status. A swipe to the right brings up the same "what's new" page present in the previous iteration of Me; repeat the same gesture and you'll find your Facebook notifications.  Twitter integration will be tight as well, though we didn't get to try it out. We love Twitter correspondence, so you can imagine our excitement upon hearing Mango will have bring more integration with the social networking service. Sadly, we weren't able to take advantage of the feature on this build -- the functionality still resides on an internal server and couldn't be ported onto our seed devices yet -- but we'll see it come into play just as much as Facebook does, embedded within the Me, People, and Pictures Hubs. You may now create groups. One of our favorite additions to the Windows Phone mold is group functionality. It's the difference maker in the People Hub now, which was largely unaffected by the update otherwise. The "all" pivot screen, once just a list of all your contacts, now throws a group section on the top. Obviously you won't see any groups by default, because you'll need to put those in yourself. It's easy to add these in just by hitting the "new" button on the bottom toolbar. It then prompts you to add either a new contact or new group, then choosing a name. Pass through this screen, and you get the opportunity to start choosing members. Once you've created a group, you can access a special hub for it. There's three pivot screens in this hub. In the first one, "group," you'll find a set of live tiles (much akin to the Start menu), with each one representing a member of your group. We're told these tiles will be dynamically updated with each individual's Facebook and / or Twitter statuses, but we couldn't get it to work in this build. Underneath the live tiles will be options to text or email your group. Now here's where it starts to get a little interesting: you may create a group in which not all members will have an email address or a phone number (they may just have one or the other). In this case, you'll be informed that not every person in the group will be receiving the text or email -- instead, it will just say "x of x members." Within the group hub, the "what's new" pivot will aggregate the status updates, picture uploads, and other comments related to members of that group; it's easy to "like" or comment on someone's status directly from this pivot. Finally, the "pictures" pivot is exactly how it sounds -- you'll have the opportunity to see photos related to everyone in the group. It's broken down into two sections: you can choose to view all of the images pulled together into one album, or select an individual member to see only their albums. If you have a large group, you may be discouraged when you try to look at the photos of the group all together since there's no way to filter them. You just get all of the pictures in one large tray. After playing with groups for a couple days, we discovered a hidden gem that may not be completely obvious when you first start using the feature. One frustration we have when looking at our normal Facebook news feed is that there's no easy way to filter out entries by priority. Let's face it -- status updates from your family and best friends are much more important to you than having to see what your old high school buddy from 20 years ago is up to. To make matters worse, those less important updates are burying the ones you actually care to read. Groups in Mango has the solution: make a group comprising those friends or family members you want to keep up with on Facebook. Pin that group to your start menu, and you can bypass all of the junk updates you don't care about. You can pin each group (and contact) to your Start menu. We gave this one away in the previous sentence, but it's important enough to give it more attention. Each group hub can have a live tile on the Start menu. The tile shows each person's profile pictures, though we're unsure if there will be any dynamic updates here. Also, each one of those live tiles from the group hub (or any individual contact off the People hub, for that matter) can be pinned to Start, but a new pivot screen has been added to each person's information hub that highlights that person's photo albums. Mango allows you to add tags when viewing Facebook photos or albums. Sure, you can view photo albums and even upload pictures to Facebook direct from NoDo, but can you add tags to them? We submit that you cannot. Mango brings that functionality -- along with automatic face detection -- straight to your device, with the ability to add tags to your images as well as your friends'. Tap the face of the person you want to tag, and you'll be given the option to tag yourself, a Facebook contact, or just some random guy or gal that happened to wander into your precious memories. Minor changes:
 You can link your multiple email accounts together into one combined inbox. One of our biggest complaints about the email system on WP7 has been dealing with one email account per tile. If you have several accounts to deal with, this takes up an massive amount of space on your Start screen. Mango settles that concern in stellar fashion, by giving us the choice of which accounts to bind together and which ones to leave as standalone tiles. Universal inboxes are great, but there's one problem with them: they're universal. In other words, we don't have a choice -- all of the accounts are included. We much preferred linking the three accounts we always use, and leaving out the others that aren't as important. Microsoft scores some major points against the competition by giving users the control here. Email conversations are now grouped together into one continuous thread. Mango has definitely been focusing on making its user interface seamless and more convenient. One huge piece of evidence supporting this is the threaded email conversations. Good luck trying to find every part of an email thread that's spanned over the course of a few days in NoDo; every email is treated individually and buried among the rest of your inbox. Windows Phone will now hunt down the full email chat you've been having with your boss and pull them all together in an easy-to-find thread. These conversations can also be minimalized, making it much easier to scroll over the whole thing and move on to other emails in your inbox if you don't want to read it. If there's anyone sad to see this new functionality, stop moping; all you have to do is go into the settings menu and choose to turn it off. Messaging threads have integrated SMS, Facebook, Windows Live Messenger, and Twitter together into one seamless thread, while making it easy to switch back and forth. Speaking of threads, the messaging app will have support for them too. In this case, you're given the chance to switch between text, Facebook chat, and IM (Windows Live, to be specific) all within the same chat thread. If you've been talking it up to your friend on Facebook but he has to get off, the both of you can pick up the conversation where you left off. We also enjoyed the fact that each Facebook chat thread will specify if your friend is online or off. This has some serious potential in saving money on texts, but we'd really love to see this take off into the world of third parties. It would be wonderful to see developers given access to integrate their services into this thread. We use Google Talk and Skype IM on a regular basis, and nothing would satisfy us more than to see these types of clients invited into this "exclusive club" for messaging. You're now able to see a comprehensive email history for individuals. As you're looking through an email you received from Bob Johnson, clicking on his name at the top of the screen will take you into his individual profile and recent email history. Between this new option and the ability to search your inbox, it may take less time to find that hidden email from a couple weeks ago. Mango blesses the Enterprise user with additional Exchange support. You'll be able to set Out of Office autoresponder messages, alpha-numeric PIN codes, search your Exchange server for a specific email, and read IRM messages. Voice dictation has been added, so you may speak your message and have incoming ones spoken to you. All sorts of speech-to-text (and vice versa) capabilities have been tossed into Mango. When new messages came in, we were asked by a female robot voice if we'd like to have it read out loud to us. After reading it, we were given the opportunity to speak our response. These new voice recognition and dictation features can be used over the loudspeaker, Bluetooth, or other headphone set; as a kicker, you can filter which audio devices can use this functionality in the settings -- in other words, you could make it work only when you're paired up with a Bluetooth device, if you so desire. Don't worry, though, the good ol' fashioned voice search we see in Windows Phone now isn't going anywhere; long-pressing the Start key will still prompt you to say what you want. The only real enhancement here is that the phone will recognize the "text" command. Minor changes:
Performing a long-press of the back button will pull up the card-view task switcher. Fans of WebOS will find this feature oddly familiar, as Microsoft's solution to multitasking is showing each open app as its own card. Just like in webOS, swipe left or right to the card of your choice -- laid out like a trail of bread crumbs -- and you're taken right back to the same spot you were before. While we could test out the card view, there were no third party apps to take advantage of this feature yet, though we're very happy to see developers get access to this functionality so early; this will give them ample time to ensure their programs can run in the background before the update even launches. We anticipate seeing a healthy selection of multitasking apps in the Marketplace when all is said and done. Third-party background audio will be enabled. Fans of streaming music apps will appreciate this addition to Windows Phone, as pre-Mango phones don't allow background audio for any third-party programs. However, we were unable to take advantage of the feature this time for the same reasons as mentioned earlier. Expect this to be fully enabled by the time Mango's ready to go. Live tiles finally give you a greater sense of "glance and go." Currently restricted to use by native WP7 apps only, Mango is opening the door for third-party apps to put dynamic updates directly on their Start menu tiles. We checked out The Weather Channel app and were able to see the temperature and weather condition; push notifications also worked on other apps we tried out such as Beezz (a Twitter client) and Send to WP7. Much like multitasking, this isn't running at full speed yet, but we hope that most apps in the Marketplace will use this new functionality.
Mango includes voice turn-by-turn navigation. Windows Phone is giving navigation giants such as TomTom and Telenav a huge run for their money by throwing in the female robot voice for free with the OS. The new maps are tightly integrated with Local Scout. The name fits well. Essentially, Local Scout takes a look at businesses around your location and gives you a sense of what there is to eat / drink, shop for, and keep yourself and the kiddos occupied. You can change the order your results will appear by prioritizing them by distance, rating, relevance, and type. It can be accessed through the toolbar at the bottom of the maps app, or through the Bing Search page (mentioned below).  Each business is assigned a Quick Card. Once you have a list of results, you can select any of the businesses and get some detailed information about them. This includes contact information on the first pivot screen and a Quick Card on the next, which shows customer reviews and even a score sheet. Minor changes:
Pressing the search button from the Start menu has always led us into Bing search, but Mango added a toolbar to the bottom. Local Scout, Bing music search, and Bing vision have all been placed in the toolbar, along with a soft key menu offering music search history and settings. Voice search has also moved from its perch in the entry bar down to a dedicated home on the toolbar. We've already discussed Local Scout, but let's discuss the other two options. Bing Vision is Mango's built-in QR, barcode and tag reader; in other words, it's Google Goggles on Bing. Readers are all the rage these days, but they're typically reserved as separate apps. Mango smartly combines several types of readers into one, and the SDK supports further integration with third party apps. We'll give you a scenario to explain why this has so much potential: you notice a DVD at your friend's house and really want to get a copy for yourself. Scan the barcode with Bing Vision, and it offers to take you straight into the Amazon app (you'd have to download this first, of course) to buy it or put it on your wish list. Plenty of other apps could be used, but you're picking up what we're putting down, right? For right now, though, all we could do was scan tags, QR codes, and barcodes, and pull up results in a Bing search, but at least it did an accurate job picking them up. Bing music search is a lot like Shazam or SoundHound. It's the same exact body in a Bing-shaped costume. The phone started to listen for music as soon as we pressed the music button in Bing search, and results popped up in less than 10 seconds (of course, the speed and accuracy of the results will all depend on how popular / obscure the song is and how loud it's playing). When we got the results, we were shown artist, song title, and cover art. Below this were options to close out of the screen or proceed to the Marketplace to purchase the song. Bing Vision can scan text and translate it into several other languages for you. It's not a perfect system in this build, but we were surprised by how much text Vision could actually pick up. We scanned the back cover a book, complete with full summary, and it still picked up about 90 percent of the words. After the text is found, it's easy to find the "translate" option from there and choose between 26 different languages. There's no word on if there will be additional language support, but this is a solid number out of the gate. We also appreciated the ability to scan upside-down text without a hiccup.
Podcasts can now be downloaded direct from the Marketplace. In NoDo or earlier, podcasts could only be sideloaded into the phone via the computer's Zune app. With Mango, however, there is full integration of podcasts into the Music + Video hub as well as the Marketplace. You'll be able to search, subscribe to, and download as much as you want -- and there's even a setting to restrict downloading to WiFi zones only, if you're worried about excessive data charges. When searching for something in the Marketplace, a drop-down menu pops up showing search results as you type. Not so in the current version; rather, typing in the search entry field will yield no possible options until you actually perform the search. Perhaps this isn't a huge deal to most, but we think it's a beautiful addition because if you know what you're searching for, it cuts down on the amount of time you have to spend scrolling through possible results.  Marketplace will be available on the web. Let's face it -- there's times we might be in the mood to go app shopping, a tedious process when attempted on the phone. Especially as more and more apps become available for Windows Phone, the annoyance of perusing that list will continue to grow. Web Marketplace will give us the opportunity to search for cool apps directly from our computer; after we pick one to download, it will be sent right over to the phone itself with no need to sideload. Minor changes:
 Mango includes Internet Explorer 9. The new version of Microsoft's signature browser will include full support for HTML5, CSS3, SV, XHTML, DOM, and more. If you're looking at that list in hopes that Flash is there, stop searching for it -- Flash is not one of the 500 magical features in Mango, so we'll just have to keep hoping it's on the roadmap for some future update. In landscape mode, the URL box is still there. Current devices offer complete full-screen mode when the browser's in landscape; when you need to enter a new URL, you have to adjust the phone back to portrait mode. There's no way to hit the side of the screen to bring down an entry box. With Mango, you'll have the complete opposite problem: you'll have that URL field available, but you can't get rid of it if you want to. Thus, there's less real estate for your browser. IE9 offers one streamlined toolbar at the bottom, rather than one at bottom and top. Speaking of less screen space to work with, portrait mode offers two toolbars in NoDo -- one at the top and bottom -- that can't be hidden nor changed. IE9 changes all of that by combining aspects from both toolbars into one streamlined option at the very bottom of the screen. This toolbar is limited to the URL entry box and a soft key for menu options; everything that had been found in the bottom toolbar in IE8 (or earlier) is now found here. That includes tabs, favorites, and add to favorites. Everything else in the menu is the same here. Minor changes:
Smart DJ creates your own personalized music mix based upon your interests. If this sounds familiar, it's not unlike the Genius feature you'll find in iTunes. Smart DJ looks at the music you have on your phone and makes a playlist. If you have the Zune Pass, the feature will select from the catalog in the cloud and create a mix with much more variety. Sadly, without a Zune Pass, we were unable to test out how well the Smart DJ performs here.  Minor changes:
 The camera app can now remember your settings. Using the camera application on Windows Phones has always been a bit of a hassle, since your preferred settings never get saved when you exit. Mango has a "save settings" option in the soft key menu, so instead of having to switch from VGA to 720p each time we flicked on the video record, the HD option became the default. Additionally, you can restore your settings back to the original in the menu. Tap screen for shutter. Haters of the dedicated camera button (we know you're out there) may appreciate Microsoft adding the option of snapping your picture by touching the screen. We're not sure how this is any better or easier to use than a double-detent button, but choice is great and Mango is finally giving us that freedom to make our own shutter-snapping decisions. Auto-fix will adjust saturation, exposure, and highlights for you. It's a great idea -- sometimes you take shots with your phone that don't look quite right, so auto-fix aims to do exactly what its name implies. To be honest, however, we didn't see much use for it. Our pictures didn't seem to turn out that much better, and we felt that we'd do a much better job ourselves if we just had some manual adjustment controls instead of letting the OS do the heavy lifting. Mango will automatically run face recognition on pictures you share on Facebook. It also gives you the chance to tag other people by tapping on their face and either choosing a contact or typing in the name of someone not already on your list. Minor changes:
Office 365 support has been added. Office 365 is a set of software tools made available to businesses that give access to Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync. Mango aims to combine all of these elements into Office and let you sync with these services at any time. Locations pane. This new panel gives you access to all of your doc locations: Office 365, SkyDrive, and SharePoint. It sorts by whichever location was the most recently used. And speaking of SkyDrive, this is a new feature in Office we haven't seen before; any personal or shared docs you have stored there can now be accessed from this pivot screen. Furthermore, any documents you have in Office can be shared and uploaded to SkyDrive as well. Notes pane offers notebook access. If you've saved notebooks in your SkyDrive or SharePoint account, they're easily reached in the notes pane (originally called OneNote). Excel sheets now offer formulas. If you're not a regular to Excel (or even spreadsheets in general), it's difficult to remember what you need to type for formulas like sum, max, min, and average. By finding the autosum icon in the toolbar, you'll see that Mango's hooking you up with the secret ways to get your spreadsheet on without typing lengthy formulas manually. Minor changes:
While we're waiting for WP7 to let us play Xbox 360 classics from our phone, at least the Games Hub is making some improvements. Here's the highlights:
 Tasks, or To-Dos, have a much larger role to play in Mango. We're huge fans of tasks and to-do lists because there's so much to keep track of, so it's a pleasant surprise to see added functionality coming to Mango. The deadline for any task you add here is integrated into the calendar itself, showing it just like any other event. Exchange tasks can be synced too, which is not a big shocker considering the update's emphasis on compatibility with the service. These features are great, but there are a few limitations that we'd like to see worked out: first, even though these tasks show up directly on the calendar, it isn't reflected onto the live tile on the Start menu. So without opening up the calendar to look for the task, you're forced to set up reminders to do the job for you. Second, we still don't see any third-party task support here. There's a multitude of task apps out there such as Remember the Milk, Google Tasks, and more, so we'd benefit greatly from being given the option of using our preferred task management system instead of relying on Windows Live or Exchange. Facebook Events can be directly integrated into your calendar. There's a new toggle switch in the calendar settings that throws Facebook Events in. Minor changes:
Almost everything that we pined for in Windows Phone has finally been included with the Mango revision, but as always, there's a few things we would've liked to have seen included.
 Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, Windows Phone is developing into the OS we've been asking for since we first used it last year. By adding in crucial elements like multitasking, groups, social network integration and more, it's starting to play catch-up to the other big names in mobile. Not overcome -- catch-up. Mango hasn't shown us anything truly groundbreaking yet. At least this platform, still in its youth, is stepping onto the same playing field as hard hitters like iOS and Android, though. One thing that surprised us was how few bugs or choppy effects were present in this build, an impressive feat considering we're still a few months away from completion. Overall, we've come away with a positive outlook on Windows Phone's newest iteration, and are very eager to see the finished result. The house that Ballmer built received a hardy housewarming party last year, but now that it's been redecorated and the trampoline is set up in the backyard, we're sure we can come up with reasons to throw another celebration. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acer's AC700 Chromebook coming to the US this month for $350, 3G model arriving later this summer Posted: 27 Jun 2011 02:47 PM PDT  Acer's First Chromebook Debuts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| OliPad 110 video preview makes us wish we'd paid attention in Italian class Posted: 27 Jun 2011 02:42 PM PDT  [Thanks, Alessandro] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sprint wants enterprise customers to consider WiMAX, ditch the T-1 Posted: 27 Jun 2011 02:02 PM PDT  Sprint seems to think its 4G tech would make an excellent replacement for the old-school T-1 lines many businesses have been relying on to keep them connected to the web since the 1970s. You may remember that WiMAX was originally pitched as a "last mile" solution as well as the next generation of mobile broadband. Well, the wireless carrier rocking black and yellow is taking the plunge on fixed-access 802.16 and targeting enterprise customers. The speeds are the same that everyone toting an Evo is already accustomed to (3 to 6Mbps down and 2.5Mbps up), but with a guaranteed 99.95 percent availability. When compared to traditional wired business connections, WiMAX is both both quicker to deploy and cheaper to operate, but Sprint will certainly face an uphill battle in trying to convince businesses to ditch the tried-and-true T-1. Check out the full PR after the break. Sprint Launches 4G Enterprise WAN for Businesses Industry's first solution to offer bundled 4G and 3G wireless WAN connectivity, with secure and reliable access to Sprint Global MPLS; Explorer Pipeline experiences significant cost savings and improved productivity OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sprint (NYSE: S) now offers businesses Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN (wide area network), a fixed wireless access solution that provides speed, reliability and secure wireless connectivity to the Sprint Global MPLS network. Not only can wireless connectivity open a world of possibilities by allowing people to work virtually anywhere, now Sprint 4G can enable businesses to replace or improve on traditional "wired" options with a solution that is cost-effective, fast and flexible to deploy without compromising bandwidth and network reliability, available within all Sprint 4G markets. "Sprint understands the critical challenges facing businesses today, which demand innovative solutions to address higher bandwidth needs, business continuity, and cost reduction in a recovering economy," said Tom Roberts, vice president of business marketing, Sprint. "With 4G Enterprise WAN, Sprint delivers customers increased flexibility for their branch locations or retail operations through high-speed wireless connectivity and more built-in reliability than typical wireline – creating a real competitive advantage for their business." Using professionally installed business-class outdoor modems, Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN provides secure 4G and 3G wireless access as primary and secondary network connectivity, backed by a 99.95 percent availability service level agreement (SLA). With faster time-to-deployment, 15 business days in contrast to the often lengthy process of ordering traditional wireline circuits, Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN is an alternative to the traditional T-1, or a whole new way to bring data connectivity to remote locations where the installation of traditional dedicated circuits is problematic. Explorer Pipeline, operator of a 1,900-mile fuel pipeline from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest, is an early user of Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN at its storage facility in Houston. Senior Network Engineer Greg Wagnon says the ease of the installation was "incredible" and that the 4G solution has immediately improved the productivity of technicians at the site. "They get the data they need from the Internet and the corporate office to go out and do their work. They spend less time waiting for the information they want and more time doing work on the pipeline. I see a direct increase in productivity," Wagnon said. "The network speeds are faster, and I didn't have to go to the phone company to dig a trench for a T-1. I don't have to deal with tariffs and local loops. It's so much easier to just hang an antenna." Wagnon estimates the cost savings for this single site at $4,500 per year over a T-1, and anticipates deploying another site immediately, eventually rolling to as many as two dozen locations. With unlimited 4G usage, average download speeds of 3-6 Mbps (peak speeds of over 10 Mbps) and peak upload speeds of 2.5 Mbps, Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN is ideal for many business situations that simply need a robust data connection, including: Branch office locations and retail operations As a more flexible and cost-effective data deployment option Business-class bandwidth in many places where it simply wasn't available before, thanks to the high speed connectivity provided by Sprint 4G. Sprint offers America's Favorite 4G Network*, which is up to 10 times faster than 3G today. Sprint 4G is currently available in 71 markets across the country, including Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York City. Sprint first launched 4G in Baltimore in September 2008 and in conjunction with Clearwire continues to build its 4G service for consumers and business users across the country. For more information about Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN, including a video and white paper, visit www.sprint.com/convergence. To join in the latest discussions on workplace convergence, visit www.seamlessenterprise.com. Sprint 4G Enterprise WAN and other converged solutions are available through Sprint Business, which is composed of sales, support, marketing and operations personnel solely dedicated to enterprise, small and medium-sized business and public sector customers. Sprint delivers wireless, wireline and converged solutions for companies, drawing on its 3G and 4G wireless capabilities, push-to-talk network, Global IP network and growing portfolio of M2M partners and solutions. * America's Favorite 4G Claim: Based on number of Sprint 4G subscribers vs. those on other wireless 4G (WiMax and LTE) networks in the U.S. About Sprint Nextel Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 51 million customers at the end of 1Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NVIDIA teases a pair of mystery laptop GPUs running Crysis 2 (video) Posted: 27 Jun 2011 01:33 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple's A6 processor may come courtesy of TSMC, Samsung left to wonder why Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:59 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Star Wars Operation lets you get to the bottom of the R2-D2 booster rocket debate Posted: 27 Jun 2011 12:27 PM PDT  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mitsubishi's new all-in-one set crams 500GB HDD and Blu-ray recorder into tiny package Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:51 AM PDT  |
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