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Engadget News |
- iRiver Story HD review
- Sony's latest tablet teaser plunges deeper into the rabbit hole, still tells us nothing
- Samsung camera patent application adds simulated depth-of-field to point-and-clicks
- CE-Oh no he didn't!: Google's Eric Schmidt says competitors are 'responding with lawsuits' instead of innovation
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review
- Google+ app for iPhone now available
- BlackBerry PlayBook update brings zip extraction, more storage options for attachments
- Fujitsu wants to push out location-based apps, pull them back again
- Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro slides through the FCC, gets turned inside out
- CM Storm Sirus gaming headset hands-on
- Turtle Beach unveils limited edition Modern Warfare 3 headsets, Simon Riley would've approved
- China's Baidu licenses music from major US record labels for streaming and downloads
- Victorinox Swiss Army Slim, Slim Duo USB drives begin shipping, won't get you into trouble with the TSA
- Samsung pulls controversial Anymode Smart Case, says it never received certification
- OnStar FMV available at Best Buy July 24th for $300
- ITC patent ruling against Apple will stand, Kodak nods approvingly
- Toshiba acknowledges Thrive's sleep addiction, fix apparently in the works
- Nokia 'Sea Ray' WP7 handset revealed on a factory floor? (Video)
- Six Fisker Karmas roll off the production line, coming soon to a city near you
- Sony London Studio chief talks 3D lessons, promises VR headsets
- Verizon's Galaxy Tab 10.1 may pack Micro SIMs, force Charge owners to break out the scissors
- Star Wars Blu-ray extras revealed early by iOS app launching at Comic-Con
- Arduino-based GVS1 video sampler is like a DIY MPC for pixelated clips
- Acer debuts WiDi-equipped Aspire 5755 laptop
- Anymode's Galaxy Tab 10.1 case cops Apple's fashion sense
- Make's Redpark Breakout Pack lets you build iOS apps with Arduino assistance
- Robot band covers Marilyn Manson, renders sullen teenagers obsolete (video)
- Droid 3 disassembled by iFixit Jawas
- It's official: Motorola Titanium coming to Sprint July 24th, mil-spec Eclair can be yours for $150
| Posted: 19 Jul 2011 11:00 AM PDT  Hardware Make no mistake: the Story HD doesn't score any points for looks. Perhaps we're just spoiled having played around so extensively with the latest Nook and Kobo readers, which adopt seamless displays, not unlike smartphones and tablets. But iRiver's device looks downright ancient, bringing to mind the first-generation Kindle, whose own design was already dated when it debuted way back in 2007. The device's case isn't helped along by the inclusion of a miniUSB port (not micro) or the coffee-colored rear and matching pill-shaped buttons on the front, which seem out of place with the device's white face. Some users will certainly welcome the inclusion of the 38 button QWERTY keyboard over the kind of infrared touchscreen found in many other e-readers, though with the device's relatively limited functionality, the need to type doesn't extend too far beyond searching for titles in its book store. The keys themselves are small, uncomfortable slivers that make us long for the Kindle's more comfortable round keys. A spokesperson told us that touch is a feature the company is considering adding in the future -- one gets the feeling that iRiver just sort of missed the boat on it this time around. Oddly, the company also opted not to include page buttons on the bezel of the reader, instead requiring the user to flip through the pages with a large, loose button beneath the screen or arrow buttons located in the bottom left-hand corner of the keyboard. Neither option is particularly ideal.  The inclusion of the keyboard also requires a larger footprint. The iRiver measures 7.49 x 5.02 x 0.37 inches, putting it on the larger side of the current generation of readers, making it thicker and wider than the third-generation Kindle, which also crams in a QWERTY keyboard. However, iRiver did knock the weight down to 7.3 ounces, beating out the Kindle and Nook WiFi. The device feels solid and is easy to hold with one hand, though toggling between pages will likely be a two-handed task for most people. The Story HD packs an 800MHz Freescale i.MX508 processor -- the same chip inside the Kobo eReader Touch Edition, and the same clockspeed as the TI OMAP 3 powering the latest Nook. Also like those devices, the iRiver has 2GB of built-in memory -- half what the latest Kindle offers. However, the inclusion of an SD slot (no, we don't mean microSD), renders any quibbles over built-in storage moot. According to iRiver, the device's battery should last around ten weeks, assuming you read for about an hour each day. That sounds like more than most of its fellow readers' claims, but there's really no standardization for measuring e-reader battery life. The fact is that most of these E Ink devices last long enough for you to forget the last time you charged the thing. Not surprisingly, there's no 3G option here, which likely won't bother most shoppers, but it's worth noting, given that Amazon just started selling the Kindle 3G (with ads) for $139. Display Here's where the whole HD thing comes in. No, the iRiver Story HD doesn't do 1080p playback, and it doesn't hook up to your Blu-ray player, but as far as E Ink displays go, the device packs a lot of pixels into its six-inch screen -- a fact that has been one of iRiver's primary selling points since it announced the device back in January. The display has 768 x 1024 resolution -- that's higher than the Kindle and Nook's industry-standard 600 x 800. The result is undeniably sharp, but given the fact that most readers will be using the device primarily to view pages comprised entirely of text, it's hard to imagine that making a huge difference in the lives of most of its users. When the device was first announced, iRiver also talked up the Story HD's page refresh speed, expecting it to be the fastest of its kind when it hit the market. The Story is certainly fast, but can no longer claim the title of "fastest," with a rate that's now on-par with that of the then unannounced Nook and Kobo. Unlike those readers, however, the Story HD tends to do a full flicker refresh between each page, like the Kindle. |
| Sony's latest tablet teaser plunges deeper into the rabbit hole, still tells us nothing Posted: 19 Jul 2011 10:33 AM PDT  |
| Samsung camera patent application adds simulated depth-of-field to point-and-clicks Posted: 19 Jul 2011 10:07 AM PDT High-end DSLRs are pricey and a tad complicated for the everyday user, but that doesn't stop most folks from wanting to take professional-looking shots of their own. Enter Samsung with a patent application that could add simulated depth-of-field discernment to your average point-and-click and smartphone camera. According to the filing, a dual-lens setup -- similar to the 3D cameras we've seen hit the market -- delegates full-resolution image capture to a primary lens, while its secondary partner calculates object distances. The data is then merged with the initial image "to create a depth map" with simulated blur, saving you from tedious Photoshop drudgery. No word on whether this neat trick will make its way to consumers' hands -- but with 3D still the reigning buzz, we'd upgrade that possibility to a very likely. |
| Posted: 19 Jul 2011 09:36 AM PDT  Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt may have primarily been at Google's Mobile Revolution conference in Tokyo to talk about the company's ambitious goals for Asia, but it turns out he was also quite ready to discuss the myriad of patent lawsuits swirling around the mobile industry these days -- or "legal fun," as Schmidt put it. While not directly referring to any company by name, Schmidt said that because of Google's success with Android, "competitors are responding with lawsuits as they cannot respond through innovations," although he added that he's "not too worried about this." Schmidt did specifically comment on HTC's current situation, though, and said that "we will make sure they don't lose" in response to a question about whether Google would help foot HTC's legal bills if it lost its case before ITC. |
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review Posted: 19 Jul 2011 09:00 AM PDT  HardwareThere are plenty of well-built plastic smartphones on the market, but the Neo feels slightly more chintzy than most. This is partly due to the degree of flex in the back and sides, which can cause audible creaks when you grip the handset with any force. This was an issue at first, but the general adequateness of the build quality overcame our qualms after a couple of days of use.  The handset has a relatively flabby 13mm (0.5-inch) waistline, and we suspect this is one of the more serious comprises Sony Ericsson felt it had to make in order to hit its desired price point. By comparison, the Xperia Arc (compared in the photo below) is vastly thinner and more beautiful. On the other hand, the Neo's chubbiness is largely offset by the pleasant 126g (4.44oz) weight and the narrowness of the device -- it's just 57mm (2.3-inches) wide and fits nicely in the hand and in the pocket (although, as we'll explain in a moment, this narrowness can also be annoying). It's also worth pointing out that we didn't feel compelled to wrap the Neo up in a protective case -- something which can't be said of many slimmer phones that have to be bulked out with an extra layer.  If the Neo had a motto, it might be the tried-and-tested "under-promise, over-deliver." People just love to be pleasantly surprised, and that is exactly how we felt playing with the Neo's tactile buttons. These include back, home and menu buttons on the front (no search button, but we didn't miss it a great deal), and power/lock button, camera launcher and volume rocker on the side. The slightly excessive plastic-posing-as-chrome finish of the buttons initially called to mind a KIRF portable DVD player we used to own, and though we can't necessarily vouch for their longevity after just a week's use, they nevertheless felt solid, with virtually no wobble, looseness or obstinacy. Also, there's a couple of tiny lights between the front buttons, which serve no apparent function, but do help to mitigate the sense of cheapness.  If there's one area where the build quality will let you down, it's on the back side. Peeling off the rear cover exposes a MicroSD slot so poorly thought-out that the only way to remove the card is to loosen it from its slot and then turn the phone upside down and literally shake it out into your hand. This is not a fun thing to do when you're on the move and in a hurry. Likewise, the neighboring SIM card holder is just a plastic slot with no metal grips, and twice we had to jam our SIM in further and restart the phone to get it to register. Sony Ericsson knows how to make proper slots -- the Arc has them -- but they haven't managed to do that here. Fortunately though, SE has been generous enough to supply an 8GB Micro SD card (expandable to 32GB), to complement the 512MB of system RAM and 320MB ROM. The Neo has all the 2G and 3G bands needed to work around the world, including HSDPA 850, 900, 1900 and 2100. Reception in London was generally reliable on Three. The network has plenty of dead spots, particularly indoors, but the Neo's reception bars give you an accurate reflection of this, and it's possible to make decent calls on just a single bar.  PerformanceThe Neo shares its 1GHz processor with the Xperia Arc, which we've already reviewed in depth. There's no need for another detailed examination here, so suffice it to say that the engine will handle everyday tasks, apps and multitasking with aplomb. You'll sometimes notice a slight pause when switching between home screens or pressing the home button in certain apps, but it doesn't grate much. For the most part, you'll be able to video chat on Skype, take photo notes in Evernote and scroll Spotify playlists without issue. Likewise, the browser rendered pages quickly and smoothly. YouTube and Flash videos give us nothing to complain about, and the media player renders playlists and album covers quickly too. For the most part, the battery let us do all these things all day without dying -- but we rarely had more than a few drops of power to spare at the end of the day. There is one big exception to the Neo's all-round efficiency. A cold boot often took 80-120 seconds, with the majority of those seconds spent on the lifeless first logo screen with no evidence of progress. Each tick of the clock makes you wonder if it's crashed, and every muttered "Mississippi" recalls other phones you've owned that booted in a quarter of the time. In fact, 80 seconds is plenty long enough for us to undergo complete ideological shifts; to evolve from liberal to conservative and vice versa on a broad range of current issues, so that by the time we finally arrive at the unlock screen we are a completely different person from when we initially pressed the power button.  Keyboard and displaySony Ericsson makes a big deal about its Bravia Engine, which is meant to automatically adjust colors, contrast, noise reduction and sharpness to improve the quality of still photos and videos on the LED-backlit LCD. A lot of this may just be marketing babble, but that doesn't stop the 854x480 screen from being colorful and vivid, especially when playing videos. There are some things we don't like about the sreen, but we could dock many other phones for the same flaws: the maximum brightness isn't quite high enough, viewing angles are about average, and the screen isn't great outdoors compared to, say, Super AMOLED Plus.  The only major downside of the screen is the size, which may make typing in portrait mode harder for some people. The screen is 3.7-inches along the diagonal with a 16:9 aspect ratio, resulting in a edge-to-edge width of slightly under 1.8-inches. Even after a solid week of use we continued to make numerous errors on the long, thin keys in portrait mode, largely because they're even longer and thinner than they need to be. Too much space is allocated to other buttons like shift and backspace, which simply don't require it. CameraFirst off, the camera is extremely responsive. The dedicated camera button only needs to be held for a second to quickly load up the app and be ready to shoot in a couple of seconds. Press the shutter and it finds its focus, adjusts exposure and activates the flash (if necessary) in around a second. The phone is also blazingly quick to begin video recording. Our 720p shots looked delicious on the phone's screen, and also when watched within a small-ish window on a PC: vivid colors, plenty of detail and no evidence of ghosting. However, things weren't so sparkly when we plugged the phone into our 32-inch TV using the supplied HDMI cable. At that size we really noticed the absence of image stabilization, as well as the high level of compression and an over-saturation of colors.  The Xperia's camera also has smart auto-exposure. We found it to be consistently correct in its decisions about which subject needed to be properly exposed, and it often found the right type of compromise in high contrast scenes. For the sake of comparison, shots that seem slightly underexposed on the iPhone 4 tended to come out bright and vibrant on the Neo -- at least when viewed on the phone's LCD. Regrettably, there is a serious flip side to all this. Once you've taken a picture, it just doesn't look as natural and rich as an iPhone 4 photo. We're using the iPhone 4 for comparison here not because it's the best camera on the market (the Galaxy S II and Nokia's recent handsets are arguably better), but because it achieves a lot with a relatively low 5MP resolution. In contrast, the Neo has the same 8MP Exmor R sensor that impressed us on the Arc, but it's severely let down by the image processing. The Neo compresses all photos down to a measly 1MB (usually somewhere between 900KB and 1.3MB). Meanwhile, the iPhone stores images with much less compression, with a file size of around 1.7MB, so pictures look a heck of a lot better even though they are lower-res.  The native Android camera app, as seen on the Nexus S for example, allows you to adjust the degree of compression, but that option is simply missing on the Neo's camera app. Also, when you want to share a photo by email, the iPhone gives you four different size options, whereas the Neo always emails out at 1MB. High compression may be forgivable with video, but less so with stills, so this is a serious flaw. Sony Ericsson could fix this over the air -- and we'll certainly update this review if they do.  A quick disclaimer when looking at the Neo/ iPhone 4 comparison: there are a lot of variables at play here. For a start, focus might have been better on the iPhone 4 by pure chance, and you also have to factor in that all images have been re-processed when uploading to this site. There's also the argument that the iPhone 4 sometimes over-saturates in order to make images artificially more pleasing -- which is what might be happening with the billiard table above. And, of course, we're largely looking at the effects of compression here, rather than just the respective quality of each lens or sensor. The camera hardware in the Neo is extremely promising -- it's just the software that is at fault. We're quietly harboring the hypothesis that Sony Ericsson deliberately hobbled the camera in this way in order to push the more expensive Arc. If that's the case, then it's despicable -- and Sony Ericsson really ought to put out a fix. SoftwareAside from the camera app, Sony Ericsson hasn't fiddled around a great deal with Android 2.3.3 on the Neo. That's no bad thing, as it's a zippy and uncomplicated OS. But one area where Sony has decided to add their own twist is social networking, in the form of Facebook contacts integration and the TimeScape widget, which aggregates your incoming SMS messages, Tweets and Facebook updates.  When you link your Facebook account, the phone populates your contacts with Facebook contacts, allowing you to see their picture, email, photos and likes. However, unless a FB contact exactly matches an existing contact, they won't be merged, and there's no option to merge them later, which seems like an oversight. The TimeScape widget collects social networking messages into a vertically scrolling central column, which you can set to update manually or automatically (at the expense of battery life and data usage). Each message is marked with the original sender's name, as well as his or her profile picture. You also get an indication of how old the event is, plus a couple of buttons -- one to reply using the appropriate platform, and one to filter other communications from that person. Serious social networkers might find the widget limiting, but they can also junk it and use dedicated apps.  |
| Google+ app for iPhone now available Posted: 19 Jul 2011 08:59 AM PDT  |
| BlackBerry PlayBook update brings zip extraction, more storage options for attachments Posted: 19 Jul 2011 08:02 AM PDT  |
| Fujitsu wants to push out location-based apps, pull them back again Posted: 19 Jul 2011 07:31 AM PDT  |
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro slides through the FCC, gets turned inside out Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:59 AM PDT  |
| CM Storm Sirus gaming headset hands-on Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:30 AM PDT  The first thing we noticed about CM Storm's acoustic earmuffs was their sturdy build: the plastic feels strong, hefty, and durable. Although there isn't much flexibility to speak of in the cans' headband, it didn't creak or strain at our attempts to bend it to our will. The cups themselves offer a limited range of hinged movement, and feel reasonably solid -- but not so much that we'd feel comfortable abusing them for the fun of it. All that hefty plastic does come with a tradeoff however; saddled on our oversized skull, the Sirus headset felt noticeably heavy. The over-ear cups were roomy and comfortable, to be sure, and the padded headband didn't juice our melon sized head, but extended play sessions gave us a bit of a stiff neck.  Used as a standard stereo pair of cans, the CM Storm Sirus certainly toes the mid-range PC headset line, providing rich, full sound -- suitable for listing to music, watching TV, or playing older games. Paired with media that makes full use of the Sirus' discrete 5.1? Whoa. Suddenly, Half-Life 2's start screen is a serene, relaxing experience. When set up properly, the distance and direction of gunshots, footsteps, and harmless crickets become unmistakably clear. Coupled with the noise reducing properties of the cans' swappable leatherette ear cups, we briefly found ourselves forgetting that the massive noise assaulting our eardrums wasn't reaching the headset's microphone. Maybe we didn't need to yell over the gunfire after all.  |
| Turtle Beach unveils limited edition Modern Warfare 3 headsets, Simon Riley would've approved Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:00 AM PDT  Listen up, soldier. Engadget HQ was dismayed when lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley -- along with his skull balaclava and mondo communications headset -- saw an arguably unjust demise in Modern Warfare 2. That being said, if he could play the upcoming installment we'd bet it'd be with one of the four limited edition offerings from Turtle Beach and Activision. The headsets all sport the same night vision-esque design, but offer varying specialties. On the front line is the $300 Ear Force Delta; based on the XP500 programmable virtual 7.1 headset, it adds a custom travel-case and MW3 specific sound presets. Next up is the $150 Ear Force Bravo, a variant of the PX3, which offers the same presets as the former in wireless stereo. Following close in formation is the $130 Ear Force Charlie, a take on the PC oriented Z6A; it delivers discrete 5.1 with a grand total of eight drivers. Rounding out the reserves is the $100 Ear Force Foxtrot; a PX21 universal stereo headset that's also just received a fresh coat of battle paint. All of the gear will be available in October along with "bonus content," which gives you time to set aside extra funds for the game's November 8th release. You'll find photo-based intel below and more details in the PR past the break. At ease, soldier. Turtle Beach to Release Limited Edition Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 Co-branded Gaming Headsets for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC Ear Force® Gaming Headsets Engineered and Designed Specifically for The Year's Most Anticipated Release Elmsford, N.Y., July 19, 2011 – Turtle Beach, pioneers and market-leaders of the gaming headset category, today announced a partnership with Activision to develop a new line of exclusively licensed, limited edition Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 Ear Force headsets, custom-optimized to deliver enhanced experiences for the year's most anticipated entertainment launch. Among many planned features, these new premium headsets will be distinguished by unique sets of audio presets designed specifically by the audio teams at developers Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games in order to provide the ultimate immersion into the cinematic world of Modern Warfare® 3. The headsets will be available with compatibility across Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC; with multiple feature sets, special packages with bonus content, and price points to ensure that no player is left behind. • Ear Force DELTA (EFD) – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3-Optimized Programmable Wireless Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Headset with Bluetooth Chat. The top-of-the-line EFD headset comes packaged in a specially-themed carrying case and is pre-loaded with unique custom Modern Warfare 3 presets and voice prompts. Ear Force Delta is the ultimate Xbox 360 and PS3 weapon for the most avid Modern Warfare 3 players. MSRP: $299.95. • Ear Force BRAVO (EFB) – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Optimized Programmable Wireless Universal Gaming Headset. Featuring the same custom Modern Warfare 3 presets as the EFD, the EFB provides players with the same optimized experience in a universal headset that's the perfect Call of Duty® companion on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. MSRP $149.95. • Ear Force CHARLIE (EFC) – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Optimized Multi-Speaker Surround Sound PC Gaming Headset. With eight amplified, acoustically-angled speakers delivering discrete surround sound, this tournament-grade, Modern Warfare 3 optimized wired headset is the perfect choice for competitive PC gamers. MSRP $129.95. • Ear Force FOXTROT (EFF) – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Optimized Universal Gaming Headset. For Modern Warfare 3 players seeking effortless cross-platform performance, the EFF provides gamers with high-fidelity amplified audio along with several key features to set it apart. MSRP $99.95. Additional details about each headset, the many special Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 package features, bonus content, promotions and more will be announced later. "Call of Duty continues to define action while also becoming a cultural phenomenon as well as the industry standard," noted Michael Arzt, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Turtle Beach. "As the long-time leader and innovator in the gaming audio category, Turtle Beach is excited to introduce a collection of purpose-built Modern Warfare 3 headsets with features and benefits that will far surpass gamers' expectations for licensed headsets." Set to strike worldwide on November 8th, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the year's most anticipated release. Published by Activision and in development by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer games, the title is the newest installment in the record-setting, blockbuster Call of Duty series, which has broken entertainment opening launch records two-years running. Turtle Beach revolutionized game audio with the industry's first truly customizable headset, the PX5, earlier this year and is the only brand capable of this offering. Gamers interested in learning more about Turtle Beach's lineup of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 headsets should visit www.turtlebeach.com/MW3 to sign up for updates about special content, additional product details, pre and on-sale info and other special news and alerts. More specific product details of the co-branded product line will emerge in the coming months and the full lineup of Turtle Beach's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gaming headsets will ship to major retailers beginning in October, 2011. About Turtle Beach Turtle Beach (www.turtlebeach.com) designs and markets premium audio peripherals for personal computer and video game platforms, including its acclaimed line of Ear Force gaming headphones and headsets crafted for Xbox 360® and PS3™ game consoles and PC games. Turtle Beach's Ear Force X41 wireless headset is Official Xbox Magazine's "2009 Peripheral of the Year." Turtle Beach, headquartered in Elmsford, New York, is a brand of Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc., which has been at the forefront of music and audio technology for more than three decades and is recognized as a pioneer of today's PC audio industry. Turtle Beach and Ear Force are registered trademarks of Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc. Xbox 360 is a registered trademark of Microsoft, Corp. PlayStation is a registered trademark and PS3 is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Mac is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories. All other trademarks are property of their respective holders and are hereby acknowledged. About Activision Publishing, Inc. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activision.com. ### Activision, Call of Duty and Modern Warfare are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. |
| China's Baidu licenses music from major US record labels for streaming and downloads Posted: 19 Jul 2011 05:32 AM PDT  Baidu Launches Landmark Licensed Music Service 07/19/11 One-Stop China joins hands with Baidu to build new social music platform BEIJING, July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, announced today that it has signed a landmark agreement for the distribution of digital music with One-Stop China (OSC), a joint venture whose shareholders are three of the leading global record companies: Universal Music, Warner Music, and Sony Music. OSC shareholders will license to Baidu their catalogues and upcoming new releases, including Chinese songs (in Mandarin and Cantonese) and international tracks, which can be streamed or downloaded from Baidu's servers. Under the terms of the deal, Baidu will remunerate music content owners on a per-play and per-download basis for all tracks delivered through the Baidu MP3 Search service, as well as Baidu's newly launched social music platform, ting!. The new product offers users the ability to discover and share music and music-related content. Users will be able to sign up for membership free of charge through the advertising-supported ting! website, ting.baidu.com. "Baidu has always striven to provide the best possible experience to our users," said Jennifer Li, Chief Financial Officer of Baidu. "Our partnership with One-Stop China marks an exciting new beginning. I'm confident that Baidu, the Chinese music fans, recording artists, and the record companies alike will all benefit from this win-win partnership," said Ms. Li. Representatives of OSC today also welcomed the agreement. Speaking jointly as the shareholders of OSC, Lachie Rutherford, President Warner Music Asia Pacific, Max Hole, COO Universal Music Group International, and Thomas Hesse, President, Global Digital Business, US Sales and Corporate Strategy, Sony Music Entertainment, said: "This deal connects One-Stop's world-class repertoire of licensed music to a massive audience, creating crucial new opportunities for artists. All parties, especially music fans, will benefit from the growth of this type of compelling music service." The new partnership with OSC was accompanied by a conciliation agreement, endorsed by the Beijing High People's Court, that ended outstanding litigation between the three record companies and Baidu. About Baidu Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best way for people to find information. In addition to serving individual Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs currently trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU". Each of Baidu's Class A ordinary shares is represented by 10 ADSs. About One-Stop China One-Stop China is a joint venture established by Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music to facilitate the licensing and availability of digital music in China. It aims to provide progressive digital music services with the widest possible range of repertoire to serve the needs of consumers, while representing the interests and rights of creators and content owners. |
| Posted: 19 Jul 2011 05:00 AM PDT  For frequent business travelers, the days of carrying around a Swiss Army knife on your keychain were gone even before the TSA was born. Well, that familiar pocket multi-tool is back, in the form of Victorinox's Swiss Army Slim and Slim Duo. Both products pack a tool that many of us use far more often than scissors and knives: the USB flash drive. We first took a look at Victorinox's latest gadget at CES, but the colorful, waterproof storage devices are finally shipping, in capacities that range from 4GB ($40) all the way up to 128GB ($350) with the Slim Duo (which, as its name implies, includes a pair of 64GB drives). Both flavors are designed to let you file photos and presentations, not your fingernails -- but if you're looking to do both, Vic's got you covered there, too. VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY SLIM AND SLIM DUO USBs NOW SHIPPING 4GB to 128GB Flash Drives Deliver Unparalleled Protection for Digital Data MONROE, Conn. (July 19, 2011)-Victorinox Swiss Army (VSA), the exclusive marketer of Victorinox USB Flash Memory devices, today announced the availability of its Slim and Slim Duo USB drives, featuring iron-clad protection and a range of storage capabilities in a flight-friendly "slim" design and stylish color options. The Slim and Slim Duo lines join Victorinox Swiss Army's current offering of Flash Memory devices, which boast the most sophisticated USB data encryption technology available and provide consumers with unmatched protection for their digital data. "The Slim and Slim Duo USBs highlight the very best of the Victorinox Swiss Army brand standards – exceptional quality, unparalleled functionality and unmistakable design and style," said René Stutz, President of Victorinox Swiss Army North America. "We are proud to develop solutions for the consumer electronics category that meet the needs of today's modern, tech-reliant consumer and provide an essential product for anyone seeking to protect their personal or professional files." Specific features and benefits of the Victorinox Slim and Victorinox Slim Duo include: • Iron-Clad Protection-With multiple layers of data encryption and password protection, both the Slim and Slim Duo provide unparalleled file security • Range of Data Storage-Designed to accommodate a range of file storage needs, the Slim is available in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities while the Slim Duo is available in 128GB • Resilient-Waterproof and shock-resistant, all data is safeguarded from any of life's bangs, bumps and drops • TSA-Approved-Frequent fliers will breeze through security with the flight-friendly, bladeless design • Stylish Colors-Slim and Slim Duo USBs are available in an array of stylish colors including silver, blue, orange, pink, and green • Smaller is Better-The Slim line is the future of on-the-go storage, with its highest capacity 128GB drive able to accommodate the equivalent of the following: • 25,600 songs, which equals an estimated 14.6 years of uninterrupted music • 25,000 pictures taken with a 20 megapixel camera, or 50,000 pictures taken with a 10 megapixel camera • 18 full videos in HD format • 32 Britannica encyclopedias with multimedia content The Slim and Slim Duo are now available for purchase at Swiss Knife Shop, Amazon, B&H and Datavision, with pricing starting at $39.99 (4GB) for the Slim and $349.99 (128GB) for the Slim Duo. |
| Samsung pulls controversial Anymode Smart Case, says it never received certification Posted: 19 Jul 2011 04:28 AM PDT  The Anymode Smart Case for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 may bear a suspicious resemblance to Apple's iPad 2 Smart Cover, but Samsung insists it had absolutely nothing to do with it. In a blog post published today, the company responded to allegations that it tried to market a Cupertino rip-off, claiming that the accessory never received official "Designed for Samsung Mobile" certification. Samsung went on to point out that none of the cases have actually been sold, while confirming that it's "working with Anymode to address this oversight." In the meantime, the contentious Smart Case has been removed from Samsung's site, meaning we can finally return to leading healthy, productive lives. |
| OnStar FMV available at Best Buy July 24th for $300 Posted: 19 Jul 2011 03:45 AM PDT  OnStar FMV to Hit Best Buy® Store Shelves July 24 Pre-orders for 'blue button' safety, security mirror accepted nationwide 2011-07-18 DETROIT and MINNEAPOLIS – OnStar FMV, the first out-of-the-box application of OnStar's "blue button" automotive safety and security services that can work on 90 million older vehicles, goes on sale July 24 and can be preordered at Best Buy stores nationwide. Packing OnStar's industry leading technology into a rearview mirror, OnStar FMV (For My Vehicle) sells for $299.99, plus $75 for installation. Service plans for OnStar FMV start at $18.95 a month, or $199 a year. "The wait is over," said OnStar President Linda Marshall. "Since we announced OnStar FMV at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, thousands of people have signed up to be notified when this innovative product is ready to buy. Now, through Best Buy, they can enhance their Fords, Toyotas, Chryslers and other brands with the power of OnStar." As OnStar's strategic retail partner for OnStar FMV, Best Buy offers on-site installation through its network of more than 1,000 auto bays nationwide staffed by more than 1,400 Mobile Electronics Certified Professionals at Best Buy, including nearly half of the 194 MECP Master installers in the world. More than 90 percent of surveyed Best Buy customers said their auto installation was "done right the first time." "Best Buy is always looking for ways to help consumers stay connected through technology in their everyday lives. This includes in their cars," said Lisa Farrell, senior vice president and general manager of portable electronics at Best Buy. "We are proud to be the first to bring the OnStar FMV product to consumers nationwide and serve as a one-stop destination for purchase and installation." OnStar FMV provides the same core features as the OnStar service built into new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles from General Motors: * Automatic Crash Response, triggered by an accelerometer in the unit, connects the vehicle to a trained OnStar emergency advisor in the event of a crash. The advisor can provide the exact location of the crash to emergency responders using the mirror's GPS location, even if the vehicle's occupants are unable to respond. * Turn-by-Turn Navigation, OnStar's most-popular service with 1.9 million requests a month is accessible with a press of the blue button. The driver asks the advisor for directions for a specific address or location, such as a gas station or restaurant. Directions are downloaded to OnStar FMV, which provides spoken turn-by-turn instructions to the destination. * Hands-Free Calling is available through the OnStar service itself or through a Bluetooth connection to a mobile phone. An external microphone, which is tucked neatly into the roofline or above the overhead console, gives the best-possible voice quality while drivers keeps their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. * Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance uses OnStar FMV's global positioning satellite system to provide a stolen vehicle's location to law enforcement officials. * Emergency Services, summoned by pushing the red button, bring specially trained emergency advisors on the line immediately to help in a crisis, such as witnessing a collision or a crime in progress. * Roadside Assistance for non-emergency situations, such as a mechanical breakdown or a flat tire, is a blue-button push away. Other retailers now offering or soon to offer OnStar FMV include Car Toys, Crutchfield, Fry's Electronics, Al & Ed's Autosound and P.C. Richard & Son. Customers can find out if OnStar FMV is compatible with their vehicle through an online Vehicle Selector. More information is available through Best Buy or OnStar.com. |
| ITC patent ruling against Apple will stand, Kodak nods approvingly Posted: 19 Jul 2011 02:40 AM PDT  July is shaping up to be a pretty good month for Kodak. Just a few weeks after granting the camera-maker a second wind in its ongoing patent battle against Apple and RIM, the ITC has issued yet another decision in its favor, determining that a May ruling against Cupertino will stand. At issue is an Apple complaint, filed in April 2010, charging Kodak with infringement of two patents on image processing and power management. On May 12, ITC Judge Robert Rogers shot down Apple's attack, ruling that the patents were not infringed and that one of them was invalid. The full Court had been scheduled to review Rogers' decision later this year, but that won't be happening, now that the ITC has decided to close the investigation (see the PDF, below). Kodak was understandably pleased with the result, though its focus will now turn to August 30th, when an administrative law judge is expected to weigh in on the company's patent offensive against both RIM and Apple. |
| Toshiba acknowledges Thrive's sleep addiction, fix apparently in the works Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:34 AM PDT  Has your Thrive been acting more like sleeping beauty, and less like the tablet you paid for? Before embarking on a mythical tale, whereupon you eventually find its more charming compatriot, know help from Toshiba is forthcoming: "We're aware of the issue and are working on a fix." No further details on when it'll land, or what exactly it'll fix, but if you're anything like us, you're just happy it won't end up where another Tosh tablet did -- in eternal slumber. |
| Nokia 'Sea Ray' WP7 handset revealed on a factory floor? (Video) Posted: 19 Jul 2011 12:30 AM PDT Stephen Elop himself spilled the beans about Nokia's first WP7 handset, codenamed Sea Ray, when he told a large live audience and some whirring video cameras that he wanted the phone to be kept "super confidential." Now we have a whole new puddle of legumes lying on what sounds like a Chinese factory floor, courtesy of the authentic-looking video above. The clip reveals the N9-like device removed from what appears to be a stealth case, followed by a speedy boot-up into the Windows Phone OS. We're also treated to a quick look at the camera in action -- triggered by a dedicated shutter button that's missing on the N9 -- before a hurried "goodbye." There's not much else to see here, but could that reddish theme be a hint that this particular example is destined for Vodafone? Only time will tell. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] |
| Six Fisker Karmas roll off the production line, coming soon to a city near you Posted: 19 Jul 2011 12:03 AM PDT  |
| Sony London Studio chief talks 3D lessons, promises VR headsets Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:07 PM PDT  |
| Verizon's Galaxy Tab 10.1 may pack Micro SIMs, force Charge owners to break out the scissors Posted: 18 Jul 2011 08:55 PM PDT  |
| Star Wars Blu-ray extras revealed early by iOS app launching at Comic-Con Posted: 18 Jul 2011 07:05 PM PDT    Before STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA hits shelves on September 16, fans can get a sneak peak at the 40+ hours of bonus footage on the Blu-ray collection through the Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access App. The App, available for all iDevices including the iPad and iPhone will highlight a sampling of bonus materials featured in the Blu-ray collection, including never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm Archives such as matte paintings and concept art; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; and more. The Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access App will be available for free download at the iTunes store on JULY 20th. For fans lucky enough to score a ticket to Comic-Con, stop by booth #3528 to check out the App and get an even bigger sneak peek at the Blu-ray Disc and experience one of the Saga's most iconic moments from a unique, in-universe vantage point! |
| Arduino-based GVS1 video sampler is like a DIY MPC for pixelated clips Posted: 18 Jul 2011 06:01 PM PDT  |
| Acer debuts WiDi-equipped Aspire 5755 laptop Posted: 18 Jul 2011 04:51 PM PDT  |
| Anymode's Galaxy Tab 10.1 case cops Apple's fashion sense Posted: 18 Jul 2011 03:35 PM PDT  |
| Make's Redpark Breakout Pack lets you build iOS apps with Arduino assistance Posted: 18 Jul 2011 02:32 PM PDT  [Thanks, Marc] |
| Robot band covers Marilyn Manson, renders sullen teenagers obsolete (video) Posted: 18 Jul 2011 01:22 PM PDT  Sure, we've seen robot bands before. But even when insecure and egotistical, they never quite capture the youthful disaffection we want from our mechanical pop stars. Until now. End of Life is a robot band consisting of a cello, and electric guitar, drums, and, for some reason, a flat-bed scanner -- maybe he's the cute one? The group recently covered Marilyn Manson's three-string anthem "The Beautiful People," and it sounds almost exactly like you'd expect: we'll call it "raw, visceral, and uncensored." We can't wait to see them sneer at Rock Band-playing robots too lazy to learn a real instrument. Catch them in the video after the break, and you can tell all your less-cool friends you knew them back before they sold out. |
| Droid 3 disassembled by iFixit Jawas Posted: 18 Jul 2011 12:20 PM PDT  It's time for the squeamish to avert their eyes. The latest entry in Motorola's popular Droid line has taken a trip to internet Tatooine, getting the classic teardown treatment from the folks at iFixit. As always, there were some interesting findings beneath its shiny, gadgety exterior, including a SIM card and so, so many hidden screws. More gory shots in the source link below. |
| It's official: Motorola Titanium coming to Sprint July 24th, mil-spec Eclair can be yours for $150 Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:31 AM PDT  The Motorola Titanium has certainly made itself no stranger to us, as it was officially announced by Sprint all the way back in May. At the time, no pricing or availability dates were known, so we were left to speculation and leaked screenshots -- you know, the usual routine for new devices. We needn't wait any longer for the prized 411, though, as the Now Network has announced the 810G military-spec Eclair smartphone will land on store shelves on July 24th and ding our wallets a Benjamin and a half -- after $100 mail-in rebate, that is. Of course, this particular device may not be for everyone, but we know it could be appealing for those of you who just enjoy tossing the ol' Android around a few times too many. Motorola Titanium, First Android 2.1 Smartphone with Best-in-Class Nextel Direct Connect, Available Beginning July 24 for $149.99 Motorola Titanium™, America's first Android 2.1 (Éclair) smartphone with best-in- class Nextel Direct Connect™ for Push-to-Talk, goes on sale in Sprint Stores, online at www.sprint.com, Telesales at 1-800-SPRINT1 and Sprint Business Sales beginning Sunday, July 24, for $149.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement, after $100 mail-in rebate. As the successor to the popular Motorola i1 launched by Sprint in 2010, Motorola Titanium is sleek and attractive, yet durable. It features a full QWERTY keyboard and 3.1-inch touchscreen display for a feature-rich, business-class experience. Built military-grade tough, Motorola Titanium is designed to meet Military Specification 810G for dust, shock, vibration, low pressure, solar radiation, high temperature and low temperature. Additional key features of Motorola Titanium include: • Support for Nextel Direct Connect Services, including Direct Connect, Group Connect®, International Direct Connect®, DirectSendSM, Group Messaging and NextMail® • Android Market™ for access to more than 200,000 applications, widgets and games available for download • Google™ mobile services such as Google Search™, Gmail™, Google Talk™, Google Maps™ with Navigation, syncing with Google Calendar™ and YouTube™ • Corporate email (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®) and personal (POP3 & IMAP) email, calendar and contacts • 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with camcorder, 4x zoom and LED flash • Wi-Fi b/g/n • Stereo Bluetooth® • GPS navigation • microSD slot, with a 2GB memory card included, supporting up to 32GB • 1820 mAh Lithium-ion battery With more than 17 years of expertise, Sprint is the industry leader in Push-to-Talk, serving the world's largest Push-to-Talk community with millions of Nextel Direct Connect subscribers on the fastest national Push-to-Talk network. Nextel Direct Connect has set the industry standard for Push-to-Talk worldwide. More U.S. workers communicate in less than a second with Nextel Direct Connect than with any other Push-to-Talk service. |
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