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Friday, July 1, 2011

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HAL exosuit takes a Cybernic approach to disabled tourism

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 11:31 AM PDT

Cybernics -- it's not a typo, it's a completely new field that mixes cybernetics, mechatronics, and informatics with an all-human core. Pioneered by Tsukuba Univeristy designer Yoshiyuki Sankai, the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) exosuit originally created to aid Japan's eldery has now found an even nobler mission -- assisting disabled tourists. Through detection of weak muscular bioelectrical impulses in the legs, this RoboCop-like lower body suit boosts its wearer's load-bearing abilities by a whopping 176 pounds. The exoskeleton tech first helped paralyzed Seiji Uchida nearly tackle Switzerland's Breithorn peak in 2006 and is now getting another go at the disabled traveler's bucket list. This time 'round, Uchida hopes his ride atop a HAL-outfitted human will successfully carry him to the top of Normandy's rugged Mont Saint-Michel, paving the way for other similarly handicapped travelers to do the same. Although the robotics in question here is more mech suit than say, dental training real doll, it's still a huge leg up for the nascent research industry that got its kick-start making a wish come true.

French pilot sets big speed record in tiny electric airplane (video)

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 11:12 AM PDT

It may not be all that fast in the broader world of aircraft speed records, but French pilot Hugues Duval still has a fair bit to boast about with his latest accomplishment. Not only did he actually fly the aircraft pictured above -- which weights just 200 pounds and has a wingspan of 16 feet -- but he manged to hit a top speed of over 175 miles per hour, breaking his own record for the fastest all-electric airplane by about 15MPH. Not surprisingly, the plane itself (powered by two 35 horsepower electric motores and a pair of 1.5 kWh batteries) is better suited for short hops and the odd record attempt than any long-haul flights, as it's not able to fly for much more than 25 minutes at a time even at a more reasonable 65 miles per hour. Video after the break (en Français, of course).

Apple 'petabyte' server is open-source, keeps doctors away

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 10:47 AM PDT

What's this? Looks like the Internet Archive, everyone's favorite repository for online antiquities, has gotten its hands on a fancy new apple "petabyte" server. The new prototype device is open-source and is scalable like the PetaBox hardware that heats it. Its sliced and dried fruit output is also quite delicious, according to David Glenn Rinehart, the artist who installed the server. Though, as anyone who has followed the industry for any amount of time can tell you, there are always a few bad apples in the bunch.

Vizio Tablet goes up for limited pre-order, starts shipping mid-July

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 10:05 AM PDT

Can't wait to get your hands on Vizio's upcoming budget tablet? Good news, beginning today, you can put your $400 where your mouth is, by pre-ordering the device straight from the company's site, starting at 1:30PM ET. That amount will get you the Gingerbread tablet, along with a 16GB MicroSD card, and a folding folio case. Pre-ordered devices will start shipping on July 18th. Those who snoozed and therefore lost will be able to pick one up in stores that same week.

Update: Let the pre-orders begin!

Scientists develop algorithm to solve Rubik's cubes of any size

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 09:57 AM PDT

A computer solving a Rubik's cube? P'shaw. Doing it in 10.69 seconds? Been there, record set. But to crack one of any size? Color us impressed. Erik Demaine of MIT claims to have done just that -- he and his team developed an algorithm that applies to cubes no matter how ambitious their dimensions. Pretty early on, he realized he needed to take a different angle than he would with a standard 3 x 3 x 3 puzzle, which other scientists have tackled by borrowing computers from Google to consider all 43 quintillion possible moves -- a strategy known simply as "brute force." As you can imagine, that's not exactly a viable solution when you're wrestling with an 11 x 11 x 11 cube. So Demaine and his fellow researchers settled on an approach that's actually a riff on one commonly used by Rubik's enthusiasts, who might attempt to move a square into its desired position while leaving the rest of the cube as unchanged as possible. That's a tedious way to go, of course, so instead the team grouped several cubies that all needed to go in the same direction, a tactic that reduced the number of moves by a factor of log n, with n representing the length of any of the cube's sides. Since moving individual cubies into an ideal spot requires a number of moves equal to n², the final algorithm is n²/log n. If we just lost you non-math majors with that formula, rest assured that the scientists expect folks won't be able to apply it directly, per se, though they do say it could help cube-solvers sharpen their strategy. Other that, all you overachievers out there, you're still on your own with that 20 x 20 x 20.

AT&T to enable BlackBerry Bridge support before sundown

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 09:35 AM PDT

Most tablets function just fine on their own, but RIM's BlackBerry Playbook introduced a unique, yet restrictive interface that limits Bluetooth tethering to a similarly-branded handset. This feature, called BlackBerry Bridge, lets your tablet piggyback on a handset's 3G data connection, also enabling access to productivity apps like email and calendar, which are still otherwise unavailable on the PlayBook. Unfortunately, this option hasn't been made available for AT&T users, but that's about to change, as the feature will be added to App World today. While the Bridge suite is totally gratis, enabling the AT&T 3G data connection requires a monthly tethering plan of $45, which means anyone grandfathered into the unlimited data feature will need to decide if it's worth the jump. Bridge not sounding like your cup of tea? Don't worry -- at least you can take comfort in knowing that the days of pining for native email are numbered.

Sony rolls up the PSN 'Welcome Back' mat this Sunday, takes free entertainment with it

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 09:07 AM PDT

Four weeks ago today, Sony announced its 'Welcome Back' campaign following the weeks-long PSN outage that began in April. Now, the program is entering its final weekend, giving you just two more days to download your pair of free PS3 or PSP games, along with 100 virtual items from PlayStation Home and 30 days of PlayStation Plus. To claim your gratis package from the PlayStation Store, click on the "Welcome Back" tab and make your pick. Sure, a few handouts may not make up for those countless days you spent offline, contemplating a switch to other networks, but free stuff is free stuff, so head over to PSN to claim what's rightfully yours before the clock strikes midnight on July 3rd.

EVO 3D at the FCC redux: now with AWS 3G (update)

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 08:45 AM PDT

Well, what have we here? Another HTC EVO 3D, aka the PG86300, has landed on the FCC's doorstep -- only this time it's packing radios similar to those seen in the phone's European edition. This one works on the 1700MHz AWS band, so it appears destined for duty in the pockets of T-Mobile's magenta-clad masses, though we can't say for sure. However, now that the government's decreed this EVO's electronics won't fry our brains, it shouldn't be be long before we find out.

World of Fourcraft brings battle of the boroughs to Foursquare

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 08:22 AM PDT

World of Fourcraft
There's a war on in New York City. The lines of loyalty were drawn way back in 1898 and, ever since, it's been battle for borough superiority. A team of hackers has ushered this county rivalry into the internet age, turning the Big Apple into a giant Risk board where check-ins replace dice rolls and armies are gathered on Foursquare. In World of Fourcraft users pledge fealty to a particular locale then, for the honor of their homeland, check-in to wrest control of neighborhoods from their residents and defend their own turf from potential usurpers. The whole project was whipped up last weekend during a hackathon at New York's General Assembly. At the moment it does little more than tally check-ins, but the creators plan to add new features in the future. Now, go forth and do battle for your block but, don't stray too far -- to the north and east of the Boogie Down Bronx, and the south and west of the Slums of Shaolin, lies The Waste Land.

The Engadget app for Windows Phone is here

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 08:00 AM PDT

The Engadget app for Windows Phone is here
25,000 apps? Make it 25,001. The Engadget app for Windows Phone is here. Finally. Now your HD7 or Surround or Trophy or Omnia can get some native news in a format that's so Metro it doesn't even have a driver's license. We know that it took awhile, but we needed it to be right, and now it is. On the app you can get all the posts from the main site as well as Mobile and HD, plus podcasts, videos, and all the content we pour our hearts in to every day, pushed right to your palm. If you have a Windows Phone device that can handle QR codes, there's an image waiting for you after the break. Or, you're welcome to click on the source link below, which should open the Zune app and make some magic happen. No Zune app installed? No magic, but maybe that just means you'd prefer our similarly enchanting iPad, iPhone, webOS, BlackBerry, or Android flavors?

HTC EVO 3D torn down, three-dimensional magic revealed (video)

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 07:30 AM PDT

So, it turns out that when you crack open the EVO 3D, pixie dust doesn't pour out of the thing -- disappointing, sure, but such is life. Thankfully, there are some interesting things to look at, however, like the dual-core processor and, of course, the cameras that let you take all of those awesome 3D shots of your pets. Wanna see more of the magic? How about a seven minute teardown video shot with a cameraphone? It's not quite the manner of pro teardowns we're used to seeing from the folks at iFixit, but there is a certain joy in watching a guy excitedly tear open his new toy. For the rest of you, we don't recommend trying this at home -- but if you do, definitely upload it to YouTube. Video after the break.

Engadget Podcast 246 - 07.01.2011

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 07:00 AM PDT

Get up, wake up, wake up: it's the first of the month, and it's also a Friday, so gather the fam 'round the glowing laptop by the fireplace and fire up the 246th edition of this, the Engadget Podcast. Dana Wollman rolls with us this time around the week in tech, which featured a generous stacking-up-upon of the already gigantic pile of tablets we have lying around HQ. We also had a plus-sized shot from the dark out of Mountain View and a healthy smattering of statistics and other news-morsels we know you wanna hear about. It's all here for you for free, so get at it!

Host: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guests: Dana Wollman
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: A Hard Day's Night


00:02:50 - HP TouchPad review
00:10:00 - HP confirms it's in talks about licensing webOS, Samsung tipped as a possibility
00:13:46 - HP tempts webOS early adopters to buy a TouchPad with $50 rebate
00:21:30 - Google+ for Android app (hands-on)
00:21:50 - Google+ invite received, we go hands-on
00:30:09 - LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer tablet hands-on (video)
00:36:07 - Cisco Cius Android tablet hands-on (video)
00:39:39 - Congolese VMK Gingerbread tablet eager to show its face, shipping in September
00:43:26 - ThinkPad Tablet shown off with keyboard-laden folio cover, could ship within a month
00:45:30 - Andy Rubin: over 500,000 Android activations a day, and growing
00:48:00 - Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in-depth preview (video)
00:54:08 - HTC Status for AT&T announced on Facebook, risks being tagged in embarrassing pics
00:56:05 - CyanogenMod 7 on the Nook Color hands-on (video)
00:58:15 - Ubuntu demonstrated running on Galaxy Tab 10.1, summarily dubbed 'Tabuntu' (video)
00:58:46 - US Supreme Court strikes down California law, says video games are protected as free speech
01:00:20 - Listener questions





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This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Toyota Prius Project's concept bike lets you shift gears with your mind

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 06:34 AM PDT

Got mind control on the mind? Check out this new concept bike from Deeplocal -- a Pittsburgh-based design house that's adding a neurological twist to the art of cycling. As part of Toyota Prius Project No. 11, the company outfitted the seat post of a Parlee PXP aero road bike with a wireless transmitter, allowing users to remotely shift gears with a smartphone. Deeplocal's designers then added a set of neuron transmitters to a helmet and re-programmed the PXP to communicate with them -- meaning, in theory, that riders could control the bike's gears by simply thinking about it. Theory, of course, isn't the same thing as practice, but perhaps the concept will become a reality if we think really hard about it.

Windows Phone Marketplace now populated by 25,000 apps, speeding up rate of growth

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 06:05 AM PDT

It's not just Apple's App Store striding past milestones today, Microsoft's Windows Phone Marketplace has also rounded a notable marker in its development. Specifically, it's now reported to have passed 25,000 apps by one site tracking comings and goings within it, though that figure's up for debate as the other WP7 apps tracker still lists the total at just under 25k. The main point is that the WP7 ecosystem is growing, and faster than previously at that -- it took until the end of March to accrue 11,500 apps, a span of five months from its launch, whereas the last 13.5k have come in the brisker period of three months. Provided this acceleration continues, and there's no reason to expect it'll slow down with Mango on the horizon, Microsoft's mobile OS reboot promises to be in pretty competitive shape in time for its first anniversary -- a notable feat considering how far behind WinMo had fallen. Perhaps RIM can use this as an instructive example?

[Steve Ballmer image courtesy of Reuters]

Robert Morris, man who helped develop Unix, dies at 78

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 05:36 AM PDT

We have some somber news to bring you this morning: Robert Morris, the cryptographer who helped create Unix, has died at the age of 78. Morris began his work on the groundbreaking OS back in 1970 at AT&T's Bell Laboratories, where he played a major role in developing Unix's math library, password structure and encryption functions. His cryptographic exploration continued into the late 1970s, when he began writing a paper on an early encryption tool from Germany. But the paper would never see the light of day, thanks to a request from the NSA, which was concerned about potential security ramifications. Instead, the agency brought Morris on board as a computer security expert in 1986. Much of what he did for Uncle Sam remains classified, though he was involved in internet surveillance projects and cyber warfare -- including what might have been America's first cyberattack in 1991, when the US crippled Saddam Hussein's control capabilities during the first Gulf War. Morris stayed with the NSA until 1994, when he retired to New Hampshire. He's survived by his wife, three children and one, massive digital fingerprint.

[Image courtesy of the New York Times]

Droid 3 accessories leaked, Moto's new slider gets wireless charging back plate and more

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 05:09 AM PDT

So, you've read the rumors, scoped out the leaks, and circled multiple dates on your calendar -- just to cover all of your Droid 3 bases. You can now add a catalog of accessories to the stack of intel for this Motorola slider, including an inductive battery door (most likely harnessing the power of Qi), and a smattering of cases and screen protectors. Also thrown in the mix is a 1930mAh extended battery so you can fuel a marathon of South Park reruns and take full advantage of the last week of unlimited data from Verizon. Although knowing about the accessories is nice, we'd prefer to find out the important stuff... ya know, like how much Big Red's new Droid will cost.

Denmark lands Europe's first Better Place EV battery swapping station

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 04:39 AM PDT

Denmark lands Europe's first Better Place EV battery swapping station
Better Place continued on its quest of global EV-battery-switching domination, Tuesday, bringing its special drop-and-swap charging solution to the fine folks of Gladsaxe, Denmark. An automated robot arm ceremoniously traded out the battery in a Renault Fluence Z.E., marking the beginning of a nine-month roll out across the country. The aptly titled Battery Switch station is the first of its kind in Europe and the first of 20 to be installed in Denmark. It was a monumental occasion, to be sure, one that could have only benefited from a performance of Michael Jackson's Heal the World as sung by Danish humanoid (and ladies' man) Geminoid-DK. Full PR after the break.

[Thanks, Tesoo]
Show full PR text
Better Place Unveils Europe's First Battery Switch Station in Denmark

June 28, 2011

20 Battery Switch Stations to be deployed over the next nine months

Copenhagen, Denmark (June 28, 2011) - In preparation for commercial launch later this year, Better Place today unveiled the company's first Battery Switch station in Europe at an event in Gladsaxe, just outside Copenhagen. The station, which showcased the company's Battery Switch technology, switching a Renault Fluence Z.E., is the first of 20 Battery Switch Stations to be deployed across the country over the next nine months as part of the company's nationwide network of charging infrastructure that will launch later this year in partnership with DONG Energy and more than 45 municipalities.

In March, Better Place opened the Better Place Center in Hellerup, Denmark and since then, nearly 3,000 visitors have passed through the center and interest in a tour of the Better Place Center continues to grow. Moreover, nine out of 10 visitors have said after the visit, that they are considering buying an electric car. Better Place and Renault will begin marketing the Fluence Z.E. later this fall.

"The Better Place solution offers a great driving experience, improves air quality and increases the share of renewable energy in the electric grid – all of this at a more affordable cost of ownership than comparable conventional cars," said Johnny Hansen, CEO of Better Place Denmark. "I am convinced that with the Battery Switch model we have overcome the last barrier to the electric car's commercial breakthrough: range, and based on the interest we have received so far, I expect this to be the top selling car in Denmark in just a few years."

"Today marks a significant milestone for the partnership between Better Place and Renault. Together we are unlocking the full potential of electric cars, giving them virtually unlimited range because they no longer have to wait hours to charge. Danish consumers are poised to lead the transition to a more sustainable transportation model," said Henrik Bang, Renault Denmark.

The battery switch experience is a simple, fully-automated process that together with the Renault Fluence Z.E. gives drivers the autonomy of unlimited range. Customers simply swipe their membership card, which authenticates the car and subscription via the Operations Center to activate the switch. The rest of the process is automated, similar to going through a car wash, so the driver never has to leave the car. In just a few minutes, a robotic arm removes the depleted battery and replaces it with a full one and the driver is back on the road.

Denmark's adaptability in terms of new climate friendly technology, a strong commitment to renewable energy, largely powered by wind and political leadership that has set ambitious carbon reduction targets makes it the perfect match for Better Place and the Renault Fluence Z.E.

"Denmark is leading the global transition from oil based transportation to electric. Over the next nine months, the solution you see here will be replicated across the country – giving drivers the confidence and freedom to drive zero emission, zero oil cars with the same convenience they enjoy with today's gas cars," Hansen concluded.

Skype 2 video chat unofficially enabled on the Galaxy S II, Sensation, and others

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 04:05 AM PDT

The latest Skype update for Android is available to everyone, but it only enables video chat on four specific handsets. Fortunately, impatient modders have gone some way to correcting this profound injustice, by creating APKs that activate video calling on other handsets too. So far we've heard of successful ports on the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Sensation, Thunderbolt and EVO 4G. If you've got some other handset with Android 2.3, a little experimentation with the APK might also be worth your while. However, we just tried it on an Xperia Arc and didn't get very far: the app ran, but efforts to communicate with an Xperia Neo resulted in one-way video, a locked landscape mode and plenty of awkwardness. Let us know if you fare better -- you'll find a Thunderbolt-specific download at the DroidLife source link, and a more general APK at TechPetals.

[Thanks, Rashid and JT]

Screen Grabs: Nokia X7 scores cameo in third Transformers movie, joined by N950 lookalike

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 03:30 AM PDT

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com.

Nokia's hookup with the new Transformers movie runs deep -- some of its international X7 launches have been themed around the Dark of the Moon three-quel that's just come out in cinemas -- so it's no surprise to see plenty of the company's handsets in the film itself. The metal-backed, 4-inch X7 gets the most screen time, quickly showing off Ovi Maps in 3D, but there's also a portrait QWERTY device which may be the recently launched E6 or an earlier model such as the E72. A lot of consternation has also arisen regarding a third Nokia handset glimpsed in Transformers 3, which could well be an N950 running MeeGo, though if you ask us, there's no way a MeeGo phone would take 157 minutes to save the world. We'd expect a double-tap to kill the baddies, an edge-to-edge swipe to get the girl, and a simple flicking gesture to turn the lights out.

[Thanks, Nicholas]

GSM turns 20 today, still rocking the world

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 02:48 AM PDT


Happy birthday, dear Global System for Mobile Communications! 20 years ago today, on July 1 1991, the world's first GSM call was made by Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri. The historic call used Nokia gear on GSM's original 900MHz band. Today GSM is all grown up and ruling the world -- connecting 1.5 billion people in 212 countries and serving 80% of the planet's mobile market. GSM gave us a number of firsts. It was the first fully digital cellular system using TDMA to cram more information into less spectrum and provide better sounding, more reliable calls using less power. It introduced the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), the idea of switching handsets at will (something carriers have sought to subvert by locking phones), and the reality of international roaming. Short Messaging Service (SMS) was first launched on GSM networks, along with packet data (GPRS and later EDGE), which made internet access practical on mobile devices. Eventually, GSM expanded to the 400, 800, 1800 and 1900MHz bands and evolved into WDCMA-based UMTS (3G) and later HSPA and HSPA+, followed by LTE (4G) networks. So next time you're at the coffee shop sipping on that latte while uploading that video to YouTube at 10Mbps using your LTE phone, remember to be thankful for that first GSM call 20 years ago -- that's when the mobile revolution really started.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung Galaxy Z: Galaxy S II's 'affordable little brother' now ready for pre-order

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 02:10 AM PDT

Been lusting after the Galaxy S II, but aren't willing to break the bank? We hear you, and apparently Samsung does too. Up for pre-order today, on the Swedish arm of Three, is the Galaxy Z -- billed as a more affordable spawn from its Korean progenitor. The Gingerbread-toting handset will sport a 4.2-inch Super Clear LCD, 1GHz dual core processor (rumored to be Tegra 2), and 8GB of onboard storage, extensible with microSD. Fret not camera junkies, also present is a 5 megapixel sensor plus flash and "HD" video recording. All that stands between you and this little Galaxy, are 4,000 kronor (about $630) and your undying love of Swedish meatballs.

Lenovo IdeaPad K1 up for Amazon pre-order, still toting $500 price tag

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 01:26 AM PDT

The IdeaPad K1 is really living up to its name these days, existing merely as an idea and a visualized concept, but not a real deal purchasable commodity. That's changing ever so slowly, however, with an appearance among Amazon's pre-order inventory, where the Tegra 2 Android slate is accompanied by the $499.99 price tag we saw just over a week ago. The major specs are as we've heard them before: a 10.1-inch screen with 1280 x 800 resolution and 300 nits of brightness, a microSD card reader, micro-HDMI out, and, interestingly, a SIM card slot. The latter doesn't quite confirm that we're looking at a 3G tablet, but comes close to it. Also close should be the K1's release date, which isn't spelled out by Amazon, but is expected to arrive any time now.

iPad passes the 100,000 apps milestone, rest of the tablet world looks on in disbelief

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 12:47 AM PDT

A year and change after its launch, Apple's iPad has established itself as both the progenitor and dominant entity in a new category of device: tablets. A large part of its success has undeniably been down to the enthusiasm shown by developers, who have recently crossed the notable marker of producing 100,000 applications compatible with the device. As is true of the vast app selection on the iPhone, quantity doesn't guarantee quality, but the abundance of software available for the iPad at least offers a better chance of finding some wheat in amongst the chaff. And as to its competitors, here's hoping Ice Cream Sandwich and Windows 8 get here before this Apple juggernaut crosses the million mark, eh?

Google Takeout promises radical left wing-themed data extraction for Circles, more (video)

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 12:06 AM PDT

Google Takeout promises radical left wing-themed data extraction for Circles, more (video)
A team of khaki-clad Google engineers, calling itself the Data Liberation Front, has taken up the cause of freeing your data from the restrictive confines of El Goog's servers. Google Takeout, as the program has been billed, rips your various stashes of data from Buzz, Circles, Picasa, Contacts, and your Google Profile, and quickly bundles them in a zip file for download. The resulting booty is yours to do with as you choose. Takeout was announced the same day Google's latest social initiative sprung to life, offering an alternative to the notoriously hard to transfer data of its obvious competitor. But we're sure that was just a coincidence. Right? A hilariously nerdy promo video awaits you after the break.

Official: Ricoh set to acquire Pentax camera brand and business, get serious about digital imaging

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 11:05 PM PDT

Reuters is reporting a bit of board room activity in Japan this morning, which could, by the end of today, result in Ricoh purchasing the Pentax brand and camera business from current owner and proprietor Hoya Corporation. The global news agency points out that Hoya's initial acquisition of Pentax, back in 2007, was primarily motivated by its eagerness to acquire Pentax's medical technology, and although the company's had a slew of strong products since then, it probably makes sense for Hoya to pass the digicam work on to someone who might feel more invested in it. For its part, Ricoh also has a well respected line of digital compacts, but lacks the DSLR lineage and experience that Pentax brings. Provided this deal goes through as rumored, and Reuters has three sources who say it's imminent, the only question we've got to ponder is whether the Pentax naming will take over for Ricoh's slightly less recognizable branding or vice versa.

Update: That was quick! Hoya has confirmed the sale. Thanks, Ben! It is as reported earlier: Hoya will hang on to the rights to manufacture and develop products for the medical field, while Ricoh is gobbling up the Pentax Imaging Systems products with a view to expanding its presence in the consumer digital camera market.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Consortium including Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony snags Nortel patents for $4.5 billion

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 10:25 PM PDT

News that Google had competition for a bundle of patents being sold by bankrupt Nortel Networks surfaced a week ago and now it's official; a consortium of companies including Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony won the multi-day auction with a bid of $4.5 billion. According to Reuters, RIM contributed $770 million to the effort while Ericsson is on the hook for $340 million when the deal closes, which is expected to be in the third quarter of this year. What they'll do with the over 6,000 patents and patent applications covering everything from wireless to optical to semiconductors isn't immediately clear, but what won't happen is Google using them as leverage to stave off the patent trolling hordes. Before any of that happens, the sale has to clear US and Canadian courts which is why a joint hearing has been scheduled for July 11th, so expect plenty of words -- and probably a few more cross licensing agreements -- from the involved parties by then.
Show full PR text
June 30, 2011, 11:51 p.m. EDT
Nortel Announces the Winning Bidder of Its Patent Portfolio for a Purchase Price of US$4.5 Billion
- Working Toward a Q3 2011 Closing

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Jun 30, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Nortel(1) Networks Corporation /quotes/zigman/442381 NRTLQ +19.05% announced today that it, its subsidiary Nortel Networks Limited (NNL), and certain of its other subsidiaries, including Nortel Networks Inc. and Nortel Networks UK Limited (in administration), have concluded a successful auction of all of Nortel's remaining patents and patent applications. After a multi-day auction, a consortium emerged as the winning bidder with a cash purchase price of US$4.5 billion. The consortium consists of Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion and Sony.

The sale includes more than 6,000 patents and patent applications spanning wireless, wireless 4G, data networking, optical, voice, internet, service provider, semiconductors and other patents. The extensive patent portfolio touches nearly every aspect of telecommunications and additional markets as well, including Internet search and social networking.

"Following a very robust auction, we are pleased at the outcome of the auction of this extensive patent portfolio", said George Riedel, Chief Strategy Officer and President of Business Units, Nortel. "The size and dollar value for this transaction is unprecedented, as was the significant interest in the portfolio among major companies around the world."

The sale is subject to applicable Canadian and U.S. Court approvals which will be sought at a joint hearing expected to be held on July 11, 2011. Nortel will work diligently with the consortium to close the sale in the third quarter of 2011.

As previously announced, Nortel does not expect that the Company's common shareholders or the NNL preferred shareholders will receive any value from Nortel's creditor protection proceedings and expects that the proceedings will result in the cancellation of these equity interests.

GMC showroom app tells you where to pick up your dream SUV, doesn't help with down payment

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 09:43 PM PDT

Ever felt the need to customize vehicles and search dealer inventory, right from the comfort of your smartphone? Us neither, but here's the General with another app to whet our appetites. While certainly not the first of its kind, the GMC showroom app for iOS (coming soon to Android), allows you to specify drive-type, trim, and both exterior / interior colors. Once content with your selections, you're shown nearby dealers carrying exact replicas of your magnificent taste. Unfortunately for us, the app makes no mention of the closest EN-V. If SUVs are your thing, however, have a peep at the free app at the source link below.
Show full PR text
GMC Launches Shopping App for Smart Phones
Users can compare, configure and search for vehicle on the go

2011-06-30

DETROIT – One of two smart phone owners use their devices as a shopping tool. Now they can shop, research and configure a GMC vehicle via the GMC Showroom Mobile App whenever the urge strikes.

The free app allows shoppers to perform research activities such as exploring vehicle photos or videos, configuring a GMC vehicle to their specifications or reviewing competitive comparisons. Popular shopping tools like a locating a vehicle within local dealer inventories, requesting a quote, scheduling a dealer test drive or viewing current offers are also available.

More than 100 million smart phones were sold globally in the first quarter of 2011 – an 85 percent year-over-year increase, according to the Gartner Mobile Marketing Watch. Smart phone sales are expected to grow 55 percent this year over last, and are predicted to nearly double by the end of 2015, according to analysis firm IDC.

"We recognize that smart phones play an important role in our customers' lives, including purchase decisions," said John Schwegman, U.S. vice president of GMC marketing. "The new GMC Showroom App provides our customers with the advanced technology they have come to expect of the GMC brand and the convenience to easily engage with their GMC dealer."

According to a survey conducted by Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies, more than 50 percent of consumers polled said they use their smart phones to assist them with shopping.

The GMC Showroom App is available from the Apple® App Store and scheduled for release on the Android Market by the end of July. It is designed to be compatible with the iPhone® ions 3.1 or better, and any Android phone 1.6 OS or better (excluding Honeycomb). Additional details about device compatibility can be found inside the user's guide, along with step-by-step instructions for downloading, installing and operating the app's features.

About GMC

GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, and is one of the industry's healthiest brands. Innovation and engineering excellence is built into all GMC vehicles and the brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers, including the Terrain smaller SUV and Acadia crossover. GMC is the only manufacturer to offer three full-size hybrid trucks with the Yukon, Yukon Denali SUVs and the Sierra pickup. The new Sierra Heavy Duty pickups are the most capable and powerful trucks in the market. Details on all GMC models are available at www.gmc.com, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc.

Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories builds a 555 chip you can rest your feet on

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 08:47 PM PDT

A 555 timer chip may be pretty versatile as far as integrated circuits go, but when it comes to helping you take a load off, well, it's a little... small. The opposite is true of this version built by the folks at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, however, which makes up for what it lacks in transistors and silicon with some first class foot-resting abilities. Best of all, the lab has provided a complete guide for building your own -- that includes the use of a CNC machine and laser etching, although it could also be built the old fashioned way pretty easily (or scaled up to coffee table size, for that matter) if you're so inclined. Hit the source link below for all the details.

Edge HD2 Mini PC is an HTPC that hides behind your TV

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 07:40 PM PDT

Edge HD2 mini pc is an HTPC that hides behind your TV
When it comes to home theater PCs, size matters -- and it doesn't get too much smaller than Sapphire's original Edge HD mini PC, pictured above. In fact, Sapphire saw no reason to fiddle with the Edge's diminutive form factor when designing the HD2, and instead poured itself into improving the HTPC's specs. Not only is the updated mini-rig small enough to mount behind your HDTV, but it also packs a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom, 2GB RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. All this (and 1080p VGA / HDMI out, of course) at 30W, "20 times less power than a typical desktop PC," according to Sapphire. No word on price (or pics, for that matter), but feel free to jump past the break for an official press release with full specifications.
Show full PR text
SAPPHIRE Announces EDGE-HD2 Mini PC

Building on the success of its first Mini PC, hailed as the smallest PC in the world, SAPPHIRE Technology – the world leading manufacturer and supplier of PC graphics cards and mainboards has just introduced a new model – the SAPPHIRE EDGE-HD2. The SAPPHIRE EDGE-HD2 shares the same slim, stylish outline as the earlier model but delivers slightly higher performance and is now also available with a pre-loaded operating system. At less than half a litre in volume, it is slimmer and smaller than most wireless access points – in fact around the size of a paperback book! Its stylish design and simple pedestal mount make it equally at home next to a TV or business monitor whilst occupying the minimum of desk or shelf space.

Responding to customer demand, the new SAPPHIRE EDGE-HD2 is available optionally pre-loaded with Windows 7 Ultimate Edition, and this version is available with a VESA compatible mount to allow it to be unobtrusively fitted behind a monitor or TV.

Despite its small size, the SAPPHIRE EDGE-HD2 is a fully featured PC for home, education or business use. Specifications include a second generation 1.8GHz dual core processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory, a 320GB hard drive and built in wireless connectivity as well as high speed LAN port and four USB ports. It provides high resolution graphics output with a full HD (1920x1080) HDMI interface (with an HDMI cable and HDMI-DVI adapter also supplied) as well as a VGA monitor output and it has built-in audio with mic-in and line-out sockets. All of this makes it more than capable of handling day to day Office tasks as well as streaming video or browsing the Internet.

The SAPPHIRE Mini PC family is a top scorer in power efficiency. Consuming less than 30W even under load, the members of the SAPPHIRE Mini PC family use around 10 times less power than a typical desktop PC – and less than most notebooks – making it one of the Greenest PC solutions available. Power and space savings alone can justify switching to the Mini PC for many businesses*.

The SAPPHIRE EDGE-HD2 Mini PC is ideal for integration into an office or education environment. The end user or system integrator has a free choice of keyboard or mouse, which can be either wireless or USB connected.

The new SAPPHIRE EDGE-HD2 is optionally supplied pre-installed with Windows 7 Ultimate edition, or pre-loaded with FREE DOS, ready for the reseller or end user to install the preferred choice of operating system. All appropriate drivers are supplied on CD.

SAPPHIRE EDGE-HD2 Specifications:

CPU: Intel Atom D525 1.8GHz with 1 MB Cache
RAM: 2 GB DDR3-800 MHz
Storage: 2.5'' SATA 320GB HDD
Graphics: nVidia ION2 with 512MB RAM
LAN: Built-in Ethernet supporting 10/100/1000 Mbps
WIFI: Built-in WIFI supporting IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
I/O: VGA x1, HDMI x1, RJ45x 1, 4 x USB 2.0 Ports, Audio-In x1, Line Out x1
Power: AC 100~240V 50/60Hz,19v~3.42A 65W
Dimensions: 19.3(L) X 14.8(W) X 2.2(H) cm
Weight: 530g
Operating System: Optional Pre-installed Windows 7 or FREE DOS

Google says less is more: Gmail and Google Calendar to sport a more spartan look

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 06:50 PM PDT

Does Gmail's current look seem chaotic and claustrophobic to you? Are you overwhelmed by the myriad mailing options, labels, and chat windows? We aren't either, but apparently Google sees things differently, and has an interface overhaul planned that'll simplify things in your webmail world. It looks like the spacious and simple design language from Google + will carry over to all the web services proffered by the gang in Mountain View. For now, it's available as a couple of simplistic skins to be tried on in the Themes tab of your Gmail settings, with more permanent changes rolling out in the coming months. Google Calendar is slated for a stripped-down wardrobe in the next few days as well, with El Goog promising more cosmetic and functional changes for both services later this summer. In the meantime, the company's looking for feedback on its new interface so it can fix any issues folks find. We want your opinions, too, so tell us what you think of Google's new threads in the comments below.

Chess engine creator disqualified for cheating, forgot to say thank you

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 06:16 PM PDT

That familiar death-knell typically confined to Bobby Fischer's favorite pastime is taking a very real step outside the chessboard to corner one of its own. In a sweeping decision from the International Computer Games Association (ICGA), chess engine Rybka -- four-time World Computer Chess Championship winner -- and its creator, Vasik Rajlich, have been banned for life from chess' nerd World Cup for the uncredited use of competitor code. Reacting to controversy that the now-deposed winner owed its upper hand to rival engine Fruit's open-source roots, the ICGA assembled a 34-person panel and reverse engineered its way to a guilty sentence. Adding more insult to title-stripping injury, the gaming association has also demanded Rajlich (pictured above) return all trophies and prize money. It's a disheartening turn of events in the otherwise exciting man vs. machine board game battle that could have been easily avoided with a public 'please' and 'thank you.' Checkmate!

RIM gets handed open letter from disgruntled employee, quickly responds in kind

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 05:30 PM PDT

One of the blessings -- and curses -- of this World Wide Web is that it creates a forum for open discussion, where we can communicate anything that our heart desires and feel like someone is listening to us. BGR published an open letter reportedly written by a senior executive at Research in Motion, chastising upper management for its inability to make bold business decisions as it continues to consistently lose market share. The anonymous author listed out several suggestions on how their company could improve its status and work its way back up to the top of the smartphone totem pole. As it turns out, the disgruntled employee was successful in that RIM published a response to the anonymous communication. What exactly were this employee's suggestions, and how did the folks in Waterloo respond? We'll break down the letters after the break.

The open letter, which can be found in its entirety at the source link below, discusses eight recommendations that the anonymous employee feels would help get RIM regain its position at the top of the class. We'd like to break each one down and highlight some of the major points found within.

Focus on the End User experience
We often make product decisions based on strategic alignment, partner requests or even legal advice - the end user doesn't care. We simply have to admit that Apple is nailing this and it is one of the reasons they have people lining up overnight at stores around the world, and products sold out for months. These people aren't hypnotized zombies, they simply love beautifully designed products that are user centric and work how they are supposed to work.
The author did the unthinkable thing for a RIM employee to do: admit that Apple is doing something better. Apparently, the author says, there's a method to Cupertino's madness, and it's directly correlated to why RIM is falling behind -- the user experience is simply better. The employee even goes on to recommend that key decision makers use competitors' products as their primary device for a week to understand why one-time "CrackBerry" users are starting to jump ship.

Recruit Senior Software Leaders and enable decision-making

We need some heavy hitters at RIM when it comes to software management. Teams still aren't talking together properly, no one is making or can make critical decisions, all the while everyone is working crazy hours and still far behind. We are demotivated.

It seems like a lot of RIM's troubles are being caused by a lack of communication among senior-level leadership. Essentially, the author is saying: if everyone is the key decision maker, nobody is. In addition, it's important to recruit leaders that have extensive experience in the industry, insinuating that many in the company's management just don't have the background to cut it.

Cut projects to the bone

We simply must stop shipping incomplete products that aren't ready for the end user. It is hurting our brand tremendously. It takes guts to not allow a product to launch that may be 90% ready with a quarter end in sight, but it will pay off in the long term.

This is intriguing; a RIM employee is acknowledging its products are incomplete at the time of shipment, and the brand's hurting as a result. It's not too often we hear something so bold from someone inside this company.

Developers, not Carriers, can now make or break us

There is no polite way to say this, but it's true - BlackBerry smartphone apps suck. Even PlayBook, with all its glorious power, looks like a Fisher Price toy with its Adobe AIR/Flash apps.


The truth is, no one in RIM dares to tell management how bad our tools still are.

In the US, especially, carriers rule over the OEM with an iron fist, but the author insists that RIM spends way too much time worrying about how it looks to the networks and not focusing on creating the right tools that make the product look good to consumers.

Need for serious marketing punch to create end user desire

A product's technical superiority does not equal desire, and therefore sales... How many Linux laptops are getting sold? How did Betamax go? My mother wants an iPad and iPhone because it is simple and appeals to her. Powerful multitasking doesn't.


People buy into a brand / product not just because of features, but because of what it stands for and what it delivers to them. People don't buy "what you do," people buy "why you do it."

This basically sums everything up. RIM talks up its technical superiority, but consumers don't care about that. They care about what's in it for them, and why they should buy into something. The author mentions strange marketing campaigns "from a barber shop to a horse wrangler" that didn't connect with its intended audience. Create an inventive and engaging campaign, the letter says, that focuses on what BlackBerry products are about.

No accountability - Canadians are too nice

Just because someone may have been a loyal RIM employee for 7 years, it doesn't mean they are the best Manager / Director / VP for that role. It's time to change the culture to deliver or move on and get out.


If something's not broke, don't fix it.

In this case, it's time for something to get fixed. Instead of rewarding loyalty, it's time to give incentives to those employees actually performing well. Separate the wheat from the chaff.

Don't snap at the press, now is the time for humility with a dash of paranoia

However, overconfidence clouds good decision-making. We missed not boldly reacting to the threat of iPhone when we saw it in January over four years ago. We laughed and said they are trying to put a computer on a phone, that it won't work. We should have made the QNX-like transition then. We are now 3-4 years too late. That is the painful truth... it was a major strategic oversight and we know who is responsible.


Perhaps it is time to seriously consider a new, fresh thinking, experienced CEO. There is no shame in no longer being a CEO. Mike, you could focus on innovation. Jim, you could focus on our carriers/customers.

Talk about calling upper management out on the carpet -- admitting RIM made a huge mistake by getting overconfident and not preparing itself for the onslaught of innovative competition is a monster statement. Of course, it's easy for this author to say in 2011; hindsight, as they say, is always 20 / 20. What's most interesting to us about this section, however, is that this is allegedly a senior executive stating he or she isn't happy with the current dual-CEO management structure. Apparently, not everyone agrees with Mike and Jim about the way things should be run at their company.

Democratise. Engage and interact with your employees -- please!

Encourage input from ground-level teams-without repercussions-to seek out honest feedback and really absorb it.


The headhunters have already started circling and we are at risk of losing our best people.


Some of our offices feel like Soviet-era government workplaces.

Ouch. The eighth and final bullet point paints an extremely dire picture of the average RIM employee. Basically, the author is saying here that the morale in Waterloo's headquarters has become intolerable and those who haven't been laid off are considering a departure from the company. The only way to reverse that trend, the letter suggests, is to reach out to employees and do everything possible to re-energize the workplace.

The long and short of it is that not everything in BlackBerry World is peachy, and some desperate measures need to be taken for the company to get back on the right track. The anonymous senior executive doesn't feel like they can speak their mind and be heard without some type of consequence. This time, however, the scribe was heard. Here's RIM's response:

An "Open Letter" to RIM's senior management was published anonymously on the web today and it was attributed to an unnamed person described as a 'high level employee". It is obviously difficult to address anonymous commentary and it is particularly difficult to believe that a "high level employee" in good standing with the company would choose to anonymously publish a letter on the web rather than engage their fellow executives in a constructive manner, but regardless of whether the letter is real, fake, exaggerated or written with ulterior motivations, it is fair to say that the senior management team at RIM is nonetheless fully aware of and aggressively addressing both the company's challenges and its opportunities.


RIM recently confirmed that it is nearing the end of a major business and technology transition. Although this transition has taken longer than anticipated, there is much excitement and optimism within the company about the new products that are lined up for the coming months. There is a fundamental business reality however that following an extended period of hyper growth (during which RIM nearly quadrupled in size over the past 5 years alone), it has become necessary for the company to streamline its operations in order to allow it to grow its business profitably while pursuing newer strategic opportunities. Again, RIM's management team takes these challenges seriously and is actively addressing the situation. The company is thankfully in a solid business and financial position to tackle the opportunities ahead with a solid balance sheet (nearly $3 billion in cash and no debt), strong profitability (RIM's net income last quarter was $695 million) and substantial international growth (international revenue in Q1 grew 67% over the same quarter last year). In fact, while growth has slowed in the US, RIM still shipped 13.2 million BlackBerry smartphones last quarter (which is about 100 smartphones per minute, 24 hours per day) and RIM is more committed than ever to serving its loyal customers and partners around the world.

It's ironic, and perhaps tragic, that in responding to a letter in which it's called out for not listening to its employees, RIM completely dismisses the matter altogether and tries to paint itself in a flowery manner. Nothing was learned or resolved, and certainly conditions there can't expect to get any better. RIM seems to not believe the letter is truly from one of its own fold -- we can't be completely certain either, to be honest -- and instead of directly addressing the criticism, insists it already is working to resolve many of these issues discussed at length. The company is optimistic about how everything will turn out at the end of this "major business and technology transition," but unless the fine folks in Canada ditch the rose-colored glasses, the outlook could have a very different hue.

Pic3D sheet brings glasses-free 3D to iPhone for $25

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 05:11 PM PDT


Many of us are perfectly content viewing only 2D content on our mobile devices, but if you've been dying to add a bit more depth to your smartphone's display, Global Wave may have just what you're looking for. At the 3D and Virtual Reality Expo in Tokyo, the Japanese company demoed its Pic3D sheet, which converts your Windows-based desktop or laptop, or iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into a 3D display. The sheet uses a lenticular lens system instead of a parallax barrier for a smoother, more consistent image, yielding a reported 90-percent transmission level and 120-degree field of view. The company's Windows and iOS apps output video in a side-by-side format, simulating a 3D image. The software also allows you to view side-by-side content from the web, submitting the YouTube URL of a compatible video, for example -- perhaps not the most elegant solution, but a good start, if it works. Prices range from ¥2,000 (about $25) for an iPhone or iPod touch sheet, all the way up to ¥15,000 (about $186) for a 23-inch desktop version. We'll be on the lookout for Pic3D at the Tokyo Game Show in September, but in the meantime, you can get Diginfo TV's take in their video after the break.

Acer planning a sliding Android tab for the holidays, won't fit in your stocking

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:30 PM PDT

Acer Sliding Tab
Rumor has it that ASUS wont be the only company with a sliding Android tablet this holiday season -- DigiTimes claims to have it on good authority that Acer will be launching its own 10.1-inch slate with a peekaboo QWERTY stashed behind the screen. The ARM-powered device is reportedly being manufactured by Compal, but beyond that your guess is as good as ours. By the time it lands we should be getting our first taste of Ice Cream Sandwich, but it's a pretty safe bet if this unnamed device does ship later this year, it'll do so with Honeycomb on board.

Crapgadget: 'money to burn' edition

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT

Gadgets can radically alter our lives -- they can save us time and money and improve our health. And then there's the crapgadget, a breed of technology seemingly designed for little more than draining our already microscopic bank accounts. But hey, it's your money, and if you want to spend it on, say, an inflatable outdoor movie theater, a speaker shaped like a tiny bird, or a case for your iPhone with a terrifying fake beetle attached, that's your call. If you need us, however, we'll be recovering from our solo table tennis game by fanning ourselves off with our smartphone. Check out the latest craptastic roundup below, and be sure to vote for your (least) favorite.


Read - Hollywood gets even more full of hot air with an inflatable movie theater.
Read - Let your Apple fanboyism take a turn for the literal with this iPhone add-on.
Read - This pink iPhone bird speaker is for the...well, people who like pink iPhone bird speakers, we guess.
Read - Overwhelmed by the Wii's functionality? How about a game that just lets you play ping pong -- by yourself. So good we had to include it again.
Read - Want to have superheroic hearing while still looking like a dorky businessman? Only $19.95!
Read - Remember that thing we said about getting more Beatles on our iPhone? Yeah, well, not what we meant.

Crapgadget: which is the most craptastic?

Chromebook boards Virgin America, checks-in at Ace Hotel for summer vacation

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 03:10 PM PDT

How do you solve a consumer education problem like the Chromebook? You put it into the idle hands of urbanite travelers -- that's how. The fast-booting neither laptop, nor netbook entity with negligible storage and not-yet-defined purpose will find a temporary summer home at select Virgin America gates and New York's Ace Hotel starting Friday. Jet-setters flying between San Francisco and either Chicago O'Hare, Dallas / Fort Worth, or Boston Logan can get an on-the-fly, marketing-fortified crash course in Chrome OS computing by visiting special 'Chrome zones' located near departure gates. Virgin's also thrown in some free in-flight WiFi to ensure you test drive Google's Cloud-dependent lap-dweller . And if you're one of the millions of tourists planning on seeing the Big Apple in all its humid splendor, the Ace Hotel's got an on-the-house stash that lobby lizards can use, but only guests can take out. But the promotional push doesn't just stop there: all partners involved have bundled specialized travel-planning apps into the experience -- sure to be ripe with cooler-than-thou recommendations. It's a noble attempt by our search giant overlord to make a name for its portable computing entrant, and a helpful distraction from that armrest hog next to you.
Show full PR text
VIRGIN AMERICA AND GOOGLE TEAM UP TO KEEP TRAVELERS CONNECTED WITH CHROMEBOOKS @ 35,000 FEET
Guests Get Exclusive Chance to 'Test Fly' New Chromebooks on Select Virgin America Flights – Along with Free WiFi in the Skies Virgin and Google Team Up to Create New 'Virgin America Traveler' App for Connected Flyers

San Francisco - June 30, 2011 - Virgin America, the airline that is reinventing domestic flying, today announces that it is teaming up with Google Inc. to offer guests the opportunity to "test-fly" Google's new Chromebook for free onboard their flight and at select airport gates. From July 1-September 30, 2011, Virgin America flyers will have the exclusive chance to check out a Chromebook at their departure airport gate and take the new notebook computer out for a spin onboard select Virgin America flights. In addition, flyers who check out a Chromebook will receive a free WiFi session onboard Virgin America via the Gogo® network. Virgin America was the first airline to offer fleetwide WiFi, so Chromebook users on all Virgin America flights can open their browser and surf the web for free at 35,000 feet. With an eight-second boot time, the available Chromebooks are built for today's connected traveler.

Virgin America Teams Up With Google

Caption: Starting July 1st through September 30th, guests onboard select Virgin America routes will have the exclusive chance to check out a Chromebook at their departure airport gate and take the new notebook computer out for a spin onboard.

"Our goal has always been to use the best in technology to reinvent the travel experience – and help bring some fun back to flying," said Porter Gale, Vice President of Marketing for Virgin America. "As another California company known for connecting people in new ways, Google has been a key partner with us from our very first flights in 2007 – powering the interactive Google maps onboard our Red entertainment platform. We're delighted to team up with Google yet again in a way that keeps our guests entertained and connected – in both the physical and virtual clouds."

Virgin America and Ace Hotel are also launching a "Get Away with a Chromebook" sweepstakes today via Facebook for one lucky winner to score a free Chromebook and fly with a guest to New York for a two-night stay at The Ace Hotel in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The winner will also receive a 30-day pass to use Aircell Gogo WiFi Internet service onboard Virgin America. For details and sweepstakes rules go to www.facebook.com/VirginAmerica?sk=app_121121694568521.

Virgin America guests traveling between the airline's sleek and sustainable new home at San Francisco International Airport's (SFO) Terminal 2 and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) or Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) will see Google "Chrome Zone" lounges at their gates starting this week, where they can learn more about the Chromebook and check one out for their flight. Travelers can simply check in at their departure gate, swipe their credit card (for deposit purposes) and receive a Chromebook for use on their flights between SFO and DFW, ORD or BOS. The Chromebooks can be returned at the guest's arriving gate. The Chrome Zone service is offered for free for all Virgin America flyers traveling between SFO and the above airports. Google Chrome Staff will also be on hand at the participating Virgin America gates to assist guests. In addition to being exclusively available on Virgin America, the new Chromebooks are also now available for purchase on Amazon.com and BestBuy.com. For more on the promotion: www.virginamerica.com/vx/chromezone

"Designed for people who live on the web and are on the go, the speed, simplicity and security of Chromebooks are an ideal choice for today's travelers," said Caesar Sengupta, Director of Chrome OS at Google. "We're pleased to partner once again with Virgin America to keep travelers connected and productive no matter where they are – even at 35,000 feet."

In addition, Google and Virgin America are jointly developing a "Virgin America Traveler" Chrome app which will be made available in July at the Chrome Web Store. The free app will help travelers gear up and get inspired for upcoming trips by allowing users to select their packing essentials on the fly and even brainstorm their next trip using UrbanDaddy's insider recommendations on where to go, what to see and what to do in select Virgin America cities. UrbanDaddy's deep and meticulously updated archives of local content comprise one of the most clever and well-curated collections of real-time city guides available. The app will also generate a custom packing list of "must-bring" essentials that no traveler should forget to carry-on as they head out to a specific destination. The app's Trip Board will feature photos from Virgin America's destinations to inspire a traveler's next jaunt. Virgin America Traveler apps users will be able to then post, tweet and share their packing lists or Trip Boards with their friends – even at 35,000 feet.

"The opportunity to partner with Virgin America as their content partner makes a ton of sense for us as we're big believers that UrbanDaddy and Virgin America view the world – and the city – in much of the same way and through a very similar lens." said Lance Broumand CEO of UrbanDaddy.

This is not the first time that Google and the Silicon Valley-based Virgin America have teamed up. Known for innovation, entrepreneurialism and for connecting people in new ways, Virgin America and Google have come together for two consecutive years to give Virgin America flyers the gift of in-flight connection during the holiday travel season. In the fall of 2010, Virgin America also moved its operating systems into the "cloud" with Google Apps becoming the award-winning airline's webmail provider for a network of over 2000 teammates across North America. In June 2009, the airline teamed up with Google for the first-ever live in-flight web-based scavenger hunt. In 2008, Virgin America launched Gogo In-flight Internet on its first flight with a first ever "air-to-ground" video stream to YouTube Live – YouTube's first official real-world user event.

Since its 2007 launch, Virgin America has gained a loyal following of business and leisure flyers and has swept the major reader-based travel awards, including "Best Domestic Airline" in both Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards. Virgin America offers fleetwide WiFi, mood-lit cabins, standard power outlets near every seat and the Red™ in-flight entertainment system – the most advanced personal touch-screen entertainment platform in the skies. The Red platform offers 700+ hours of entertainment content, including the ability to build playlists from over 3,000 MP3s, 30 on-demand films, live TV, interactive Google Maps, videogames, seat-to-seat chat, a first-of-its-kind digital Shop section and an on-demand menu – so guests can order a cocktail or meal from their seatback any time during a flight.

3G-equipped Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 hits the FCC with bands for AT&T

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 02:45 PM PDT

Samsung's mid-sized Galaxy Tab 8.9 has been a bit elusive as of late, but it's now landed in the spot where all devices go to prepare for their big debut: the FCC. What's more, this particular model isn't just WiFi-only like the current Galaxy Tab 10.1 -- it also sports 3G connectivity, and the bands specified in the FCC filing indicate that it's likely headed to AT&T. Interestingly, we've already seen this model number (GT-P7300) pop up at the FCC before, at which point we thought it was the WiFi + 3G version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. But the more detailed sketch in this latest filing seems to depict a device that's both smaller and ever so slightly tweaked (including a relocated headphone jack), so it would seem to indeed be the 8.9 after all.

Microsoft shuts down utility monitoring service, proves you can't go Hohm again

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 02:13 PM PDT

Is there anything more tragic than a broken Hohm? Microsoft announced this week that it will be shuttering its utility monitoring service at the close of May 2012, citing a lack of consumer adoption. The news comes a week after Google announced the closing of its competing PowerMeter service. Despite the shutdown, however, Microsoft assures us all that it's still in the business of developing energy solutions for cities with a wide-ranging list of partners. Hohm itself will continue to operate through the end of May 2012, at which point its users will be rendered Hohmless.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sharp sends another Galapagos tablet through the FCC, keeps all the pertinent details to itself

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 01:55 PM PDT

Over the past six months, we've gotten scant few details about when, exactly, Sharp's Galapagos tablets will at last make the long trip stateside. When they do, though, it might be an even bigger family than we were expecting. We took note when the 10.8-inch EB-WX1GJ slipped through the FCC, making reference to another slate -- the 5.5-inch EB-W51GJ -- in its user manual. Now, yet another slate has passed the FCC's battery of tests. It's called the EB-W71LJ-H, and based on Sharp's naming convention thus far, we suspect it could have a 7-inch display, which would be a nice, just-right complement to the 10- and 5-inch models we already knew about. Based on the test results, we also know it has a 802.11b/g/n WiFi radio, but other than that, the report is devoid of specs, as Sharp asked the FCC to refrain from playing show-and-tell with its trade secrets. For now, though, you at least don't have to wonder where the company plans to slap that requisite label.

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

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 01:33 PM PDT

Tim and Brian have finally recovered from the smashing success that was The Engadget Show and are ready to get back to the rough and tumble world of podcasting. This time out they're joined once again by reviews editor, Dana Wollman to talk social networking and tablets, tablets, tablets.


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