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- iTunes and iWork updated for Lion, add full-screen support, and resume
- Cakes of nanotubes may measure terahertz laser power, not years wasted
- Amazon Prime Instant Video is adding CBS TV shows, including all of Star Trek
- OLPC XO-3 cases may sport solar panels, satellite internet, grant three wishes
- Tango brings video calling to desktop PCs -- giant baby head not included
- Chromium OS running on a MacBook Air: somewhere, a mad scientist cackles in the night
- HP Movie Store arrives on the TouchPad, cup-holder accessory to follow?
- Google doodle marks birthday of the pea meister, Gregor Mendel
- Gingerbread heads to T-Mobile myTouch 4G starting today, won't stop anytime soon
- The MacBook drops from Apple's Store (update: confirmed)
- Apple rolls out 27-inch Thunderbolt Display with FaceTime HD camera, built-in speakers
- Apple updates Mac mini: Core i5 and i7, Thunderbolt, AMD Radeon HD, no SuperDrive
- Apple refreshes MacBook Air with Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt, and backlit keyboards
- Apple Mac OS X Lion available now in the App Store
- Sony Alpha NEX-C3 review
- Isis adds Visa, MasterCard, American Express to mobile payment lineup
- T-Mobile unveils flexible new Value plans: unlimited talk, text, and / or data for any device
- Saitek flight gear replicates Cessna 172 Skyhawk, lets you simulate lazy Sunday flyovers
- Apple store goes down, all is quiet before the Lion roars
- Klipsch's AirPlay-enabled Gallery G-17 Air soundbar pleases ears sans cords for $530
- The ultimate KIRF: fake Apple Store spotted in China
- Viber's free, no-registration 3G VoIP app officially launches on Android
- Sonos Play:3 compact streaming media Hi-Fi gets official for $299, we go ears-on
- Contour brings viewfinder app to Android, goes with you where we won't
- Viliv, UMPC and MID proponent, reportedly exiting the ultramobile game
- Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet and Keyboard Folio case hands-on (video)
- Lenovo intros 10.1-inch IdeaPad Tablet P1 with Windows 7, should've waited for Windows 8
- Netflix to stream natively from HDMI-equipped tablets (updated)
- Lenovo's Android 3.1-powered IdeaPad K1 tablet hands-on (video)
- Roku 2 HD, XD, and XS officially launch: same price, smaller size and Angry Birds
- ChevronWP7 Labs to unlock your Windows Phone 7 handset for $9, hackers not welcome
- Sprint's Fared Adib: we made a conscious decision to scale back bloatware on smartphones
- Hands-on with the Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access iOS app
- Baidu Browser tips hat to old Steve Jobs quote, copies Chrome's special sauce
- Modder attaches PS3 controller to VAIO UX UMPC, forgoes PlayStation Certification
- Dan Hesse: Sprint's not following Virgin's tiered data movement, but 'nothing is guaranteed forever'
- Apple: Mac OS X Lion to hit the App Store tomorrow
- Sprint's Dan Hesse: significant 4G plans to be announced this fall
- Apple's Q3 earnings exceed estimates: $28.57 billion revenue, $7.31 billion profit, 20 million iPhones sold
- LaCie's Rugged Mini is rugged, also mini (video)
| iTunes and iWork updated for Lion, add full-screen support, and resume Posted: 20 Jul 2011 10:38 AM PDT  [Image via 9to5Mac] |
| Cakes of nanotubes may measure terahertz laser power, not years wasted Posted: 20 Jul 2011 09:56 AM PDT  Terahertz lasers sure are awesome but, there's one big problem, we have no reliable way of measuring their power -- a pretty important piece of data to have before you start bombarding people with their flesh penetrating rays. A new coating for laser calibration tools called VANTA seems like a viable candidate for sucking up those longer than visible wavelengths. Constructed of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, up to 1.5mm in length, cakes of VANTA are not only more absorbent than other materials used for measuring a laser's power (which makes it more accurate and faster), it's also quite easy to handle. Chunks of the stuff can be sliced off with a razor and shuttled to the detector on the blade's side. We give it a week before someone cuts a piece with one of those new MacBook Airs. |
| Amazon Prime Instant Video is adding CBS TV shows, including all of Star Trek Posted: 20 Jul 2011 09:28 AM PDT  Jul 20, 2011 09:15 ET CBS and Amazon Announce Digital Video Licensing Agreement NEW YORK and SEATTLE, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) and Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced a non-exclusive licensing agreement that will enable Amazon customers to stream television shows from CBS's vast library. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Amazon Prime customers will be able to instantly watch thousands of episodes from the CBS library at no additional cost to their membership. With the deal, Amazon will add 2,000 episodes to grow the total number of Prime instant videos to more than 8,000 movies and television shows, and offer full seasons for 18 popular television series, including "The Tudors," "Numb3rs," "Medium," the complete "Star Trek" franchise, "Frasier" and "Cheers." Starting this summer, dozens of CBS shows will also become available to Amazon Instant Video customers. "Our new deal with CBS makes Amazon Prime even better for customers," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com CEO. "We're excited to add thousands of popular CBS programs to our already great selection, all of which stream at no additional cost to Amazon Prime members." "Amazon has created one of the most popular consumer marketplaces in the world, and we are very pleased to make these titles available to their Instant Video and Prime customers," said Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation. "This new agreement represents another meaningful way for us to realize incremental value for CBS's content." Amazon Instant Video is a streaming video service that offers customers more than 90,000 movies and television shows available to purchase or rent, and with this CBS content included, will offer more than 6,000 movies and television shows included at no additional cost with an Amazon Prime membership. Customers can instantly watch movies and television shows from Amazon on a Mac, PC or directly on television with any of the 300 compatible devices. About CBS Corporation CBS Corporation is a mass media company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations, combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets. It has operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment, including broadcast television (CBS and The CW – a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), cable television (Showtime Networks, Smithsonian Networks and CBS College Sports Network), local television (CBS Television Stations), television production and syndication (CBS Television Studios, CBS Studios International and CBS Television Distribution), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), interactive media (CBS Interactive), music (CBS Records), licensing and merchandising (CBS Consumer Products), video/DVD (CBS Home Entertainment), motion pictures (CBS Films) and sustainable media (EcoMedia). For more information, please visit www.cbscorporation.com. About Amazon.com Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon's developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon's own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle with Special Offers, Kindle 3G with Special Offers and Kindle DX are the revolutionary portable readers that wirelessly download books, magazines, newspapers, blogs and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle 3G, Kindle 3G with Special Offers and Kindle DX utilize the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so users never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot. Kindle is the #1 bestselling product across the millions of items sold on Amazon. Amazon and its affiliates operate Web sites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, and www.amazon.it. As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise. Forward-Looking Statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings. SOURCE CBS Corporation |
| OLPC XO-3 cases may sport solar panels, satellite internet, grant three wishes Posted: 20 Jul 2011 09:05 AM PDT  |
| Tango brings video calling to desktop PCs -- giant baby head not included Posted: 20 Jul 2011 08:30 AM PDT  TANGO ANNOUNCES ITS FREE VIDEO SERVICE ON THE PC BRINGING THE MOBILE EXPERIENCE TO THE DESKTOP Leading Video Communications Company Closes $42 Million Series B Financing FORTUNE BRAINSTORM TECH – ASPEN, Colorado. – July 20, 2011 – Tango, the leader in mobile video communications, today announced that its free video calling service will be available for PCs later this summer. This is the third major platform launch for the company in nine months and will accelerate its already massive growth. Currently, Tango has 18 million members in 190 countries using the service to connect with their family and friends over 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi. The first public demo of Tango for the PC will happen at the FORTUNE Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colorado. "We have an incredible opportunity ahead of us and we are growing at an unprecedented rate," said Uri Raz, cofounder and CEO of Tango. "There are 1.5 billion PCs in use worldwide and 95 percent of the world's computers run Windows. With this launch, we are well positioned to reach our goal of 100 million customers by this time next year." People will be able to Tango between Windows PC, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch, iPad, and hundreds of Android phones and tablets. The new PC product is mobile-centric with the same look and feel as Tango on the phone. It's simple to register. There is no log in or password, just type in your mobile number and you are done. Tango will automatically find people you know, and makes inviting friends and family a breeze. "Introducing a free video communication service for a large number of mobile devices, along with a PC version, in under a year speaks to the dedication of our team of more than 50 engineers in the U.S. and China who continue to deliver products that our users demand," said Eric Setton, cofounder and CTO of Tango. "Our goal is to offer a video communications service that's available on as many devices and platforms as possible, with more to come in the following weeks." Tango Raises $42 Million Series B Round Tango is also announcing that it has closed $42 million in its Series B round of funding, which will enable the company to deliver faster on its product roadmap. The investment was led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, the first investors in Skype, and a venture capital vehicle led by noted investors Len Blavatnik and Alex Zubillaga. These investors have a deep understanding of the communications space and how to build and maintain great consumer brands that appeal to a mass audience internationally. They will help Tango continue its trajectory as the leader in mobile video communications. "Tango is exceptional not only because it marries a significant technological evolution with real market demand, but also because it is powered by the kind of authentic entrepreneurial drive that is required to succeed as a business," said Alex Zubillaga. "Uri and Eric have built Tango on a real-world vision of what it takes for a start-up to achieve its greatest goals – and the Tango team has the capability to get it done." Tango has seen explosive growth since its launch on September 30, 2010, adding one million new people to the service every two weeks. Eighteen million people in 190 countries currently use Tango to make free mobile video calls wherever they are. Tango leads the mobile video calling industry, supporting hundreds of phones and tablets today and moving quickly to make the service available on all platforms. Tango for the PC will be available as a free download later this summer www.tango.me. |
| Chromium OS running on a MacBook Air: somewhere, a mad scientist cackles in the night Posted: 20 Jul 2011 08:01 AM PDT  [Updated: Diligent researchers found the Chrome pillow. Peep it in the second source link. Thanks, Matthew.] |
| HP Movie Store arrives on the TouchPad, cup-holder accessory to follow? Posted: 20 Jul 2011 07:35 AM PDT  |
| Google doodle marks birthday of the pea meister, Gregor Mendel Posted: 20 Jul 2011 07:07 AM PDT  |
| Gingerbread heads to T-Mobile myTouch 4G starting today, won't stop anytime soon Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:38 AM PDT  |
| The MacBook drops from Apple's Store (update: confirmed) Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:04 AM PDT  What's wrong with this picture? Looks like Apple may have dropped one important product from its store during today's new product rush. It seems as if there may indeed be some meat to those recent rumors that the company is doing away with its white plastic piece of laptoppy goodness -- at the very least, the thing is nowhere to be seen in its current online lineup. Update: We just received word from Apple that the MacBook has, in fact, been discontinued. |
| Apple rolls out 27-inch Thunderbolt Display with FaceTime HD camera, built-in speakers Posted: 20 Jul 2011 05:59 AM PDT  Apple Introduces World's First Thunderbolt Display CUPERTINO, California-July 20, 2011-Apple® today unveiled the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, the world's first display with Thunderbolt I/O technology and the ultimate docking station for your Mac® notebook. With just a single cable, users can connect a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac to the 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt Display and access its FaceTime® camera, high quality audio, and Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire® 800, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt ports. Designed specifically for Mac notebooks, the new display features an elegant, thin, aluminum and glass enclosure, and includes a MagSafe® connector that charges your MacBook® Pro or MacBook Air®. "The Apple Thunderbolt Display is the ultimate docking station for your Mac notebook," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With just one cable, users can dock with their new display and connect to high performance peripherals, network connections and audio devices." With a beautiful 16:9 edge-to-edge glass design, the Thunderbolt Display uses IPS technology to provide a brilliant image across an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle. Any Thunderbolt-enabled Mac notebook can dock with the display to quickly and easily create a full-fledged desktop solution. The Thunderbolt Display includes a built-in FaceTime HD video camera for crisp video conferencing, a 2.1 speaker system for high quality audio, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port and a Thunderbolt port for daisy chaining up to five additional Thunderbolt devices. The Thunderbolt Display is the world's first display to include Thunderbolt I/O technology. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, each Thunderbolt port delivers PCI Express directly to external peripherals such as high performance storage and RAID arrays, supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Thunderbolt-based Macs with discrete graphics can drive two external displays giving professional users over 7 million additional pixels of display real estate and the ability to daisy chain additional Thunderbolt devices, as well as video and audio capture devices. The Thunderbolt Display includes an ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the display brightness based on external lighting conditions and uses only as much energy as necessary to provide an optimum viewing experience. Made with mercury-free LED technology, arsenic-free glass and highly recyclable materials, the new display meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.* The new display contains no brominated flame retardants and all cables and components are PVC-free. Pricing & Availability The new Thunderbolt Display will be available within the next 60 days through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US). The Apple Thunderbolt Display requires a Mac with a Thunderbolt I/O port. *EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. For more information visit www.epeat.net. Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices. |
| Apple updates Mac mini: Core i5 and i7, Thunderbolt, AMD Radeon HD, no SuperDrive Posted: 20 Jul 2011 05:45 AM PDT  Need a miniature desktop to match that petite MacBook Air that Apple just refreshed? Well, there's a Mac for that. The new Mac mini packs an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, Thunderbolt, AMD Radeon HD graphics, and Mac OS X Lion. Notably absent, however, is that familiar front-facing SuperDrive slot. Starting at $599 with a 2.3GHz Intel Core i5, the new models include Turbo Boost 2.0, letting you crank up the speed to 3.4GHz when using processor-intensive applications. Apple also announced a $999 server version that ships with a Core i7 processor and OS X Lion Server. As with the previous generation, the mini doesn't sacrifice on connectivity, including gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800, HDMI, SDXC, audio in and out, Thunderbolt (with support for up to six devices), and four USB 2.0 ports on the rear. There's also 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0. The Mac mini is available for purchase online today, and in Apple retail stores tomorrow. Apple Updates Mac mini CUPERTINO, California-July 20, 2011-Apple® today updated the Mac® mini with next generation Intel core processors, new discrete graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and Lion, the world's most advanced operating system. The new Mac mini delivers up to twice the processor and graphics performance of the previous generation in the same amazingly compact and efficient aluminum design.* Starting at just $599 (US), the new Mac mini is available for order today and in stores tomorrow. "Mac mini delivers the speed and expandability that makes it perfect for the desktop, living room or office," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With faster processors, more powerful graphics and Thunderbolt in an incredibly compact, aluminum design, the new Mac mini is more versatile than ever." At just 7.7-inches square and 1.4-inches thin, the new Mac mini maintains its compact aluminum design while delivering amazing performance and graphics capabilities. Available in three different configurations, customers can choose a Mac mini with the latest dual-core Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processors, AMD Radeon HD 6630M discrete graphics, or a quad-core Intel Core i7 powered server configuration. Designed without an optical disc drive, Mac mini can access the optical drives on other PCs and Macs, and works with the MacBook Air® SuperDrive®. Configure-to-order options include up to 8 GBs of memory, a faster 7200 RPM hard drive and a 256GB solid state drive. Mac mini now comes with Thunderbolt I/O technology for expansion possibilities never before available to Mac mini users. With a Thunderbolt port, Mac mini can connect to peripherals such as high-performance storage devices, RAID arrays and the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, a stunning 27-inch IPS widescreen display that's great for making FaceTime® HD video calls, surfing the Web and viewing movies and photos. With ultra-fast Wi-Fi, you can wirelessly download apps from the Mac App Store™, get music and movies from iTunes®, back up data to Time Capsule® and share files with AirDrop, which makes transferring files quick and easy. Mac mini includes Bluetooth for wireless peripherals and four USB ports for easy connectivity for the wired and wireless devices you use every day. The new Mac mini remains the world's most energy efficient desktop, meets Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.** Mac mini has a highly recyclable aluminum enclosure, PVC-free components and cables, no brominated flame retardants and features material-efficient system and packaging designs. Every new Mac mini comes with Mac OS® X Lion, the latest major release of Mac OS X, the world's most advanced operating system, and iLife® apps for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Lion introduces more than 250 new features to the Mac, including Multi-Touch® gestures and system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app. Pricing & Availability The new Mac mini is available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) today and in Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers starting July 21. The 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 2GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $599 (US), with options to add memory up to 8GB and a 750GB hard drive. The 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $799 (US), with options to upgrade to a 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of memory, and a 750GB hard drive with an option to add or replace with a 256GB solid state drive. The 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini with Lion Server, 4GB of memory and dual 500GB hard drives starts at a suggested retail price of $999 (US). Options include adding memory up to 8GB, two 750GB hard drives, or up to two 256GB solid state drives. |
| Apple refreshes MacBook Air with Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt, and backlit keyboards Posted: 20 Jul 2011 05:41 AM PDT  The 11.6-inch flavor starts at $999 with 64GB of solid-state storage, 2GB of memory and a 1.6GHz Core i5 processor. The higher-end of the two configurations costs $1,199, with the extra two hundred dollars doubling your RAM and storage. The 13-inch Air, meanwhile, starts at $1,299, with a 128GB SSD, 4GB of RAM, and a 1.7GHz Core i5 CPU. Step up to the $1,599 model and you'll get a 256GB SSD instead. Regardless, you're looking at Intel HD 3000 graphics across the board, along with FaceTime webcams, two USB ports (plus an SD slot on the 13-inch version), 802.11n WiFi, and Bluetooth 4.0. The two differ when it comes to resolution and battery life: the 11-incher has a 1366 x 768 panel and is rated for up to five hours of battery life, whereas the 13-inch model has a 1440 x 900 screen and promises up to seven hours of juice. As for that 1.8GHz Core i7 CPU, it'll set you back an extra $100 on the 13-inch version, and $150 for the 11-inch version. Whichever size you choose, it's only an option for the higher-end configuration. Hit the source link to peep the specs and buy one, if you're so inclined. Apple Updates MacBook Air With Next Generation Processors, Thunderbolt I/O & Backlit Keyboard |
| Apple Mac OS X Lion available now in the App Store Posted: 20 Jul 2011 05:38 AM PDT  For 'developers' willing to shell out $99 for an annual membership in Apple's group of Mac OS app creators, Lion is old news already. But the rest of you can finally download Apple's latest operating system -- Mac OS 10.7 -- by hitting up the App Store on your Snow Leopard (10.6.8)-equipped Mac, assuming it's powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, i5 or i7 processor. From our experience with the pre-release version, the 4GB download could take over an hour, even on a high-speed connection, but once you have the installer in hand the upgrade process itself should be complete in about 20 minutes. As Apple previously announced, those with slower connections can also download Lion at an Apple retail store, and the company's also now revealed that it will be offering it on a USB thumb drive as well, which will be available through its online store later this August for $69 (yes, that's a $40 premium). We'll be posting a full review of Lion later this week, but you can check out our hands-on preview for a sneak peek at Apple's latest consumer OS in the meantime. Mac OS X Lion Available Today From the Mac App Store CUPERTINO, California-July 20, 2011-Apple® today announced that Mac OS® X Lion, the eighth major release of the world's most advanced operating system with more than 250 new features, is available today as a download from the Mac® App Store™ for $29.99. Some of the amazing features in Lion include: new Multi-Touch® gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software, built right into the OS; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app. "Lion is the best version of OS X yet, and we're thrilled that users around the world can download it starting today," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Lion makes upgrading a Mac easier than ever before; just launch the Mac App Store, buy Lion with your iTunes account, and the download and install process will begin automatically." Additional new features in Lion include: Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app; Auto Save, which automatically and continuously saves your documents as you work; Versions, which automatically records the history of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, revert and even copy and paste from previous versions; and AirDrop, which finds nearby Macs and automatically sets up a peer-to-peer wireless connection to make transferring files quick and easy. Pricing & Availability Mac OS X Lion is available as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.6.6 Snow Leopard® from the Mac App Store for $29.99 (US). Lion is the easiest OS X upgrade and at around 4GB, it is about the size of an HD movie from the iTunes Store®. Users who do not have broadband access at home, work or school can download Lion at Apple retail stores and later this August, Lion will be made available on a USB thumb drive through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) for $69 (US). Mac OS X Lion Server requires Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for $49.99 (US). Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM. Lion is an upgrade and can be installed on all your authorized personal Macs. Details regarding Business and Education licensing can be found at apple.com/macosx. The OS X Lion Up-to-Date upgrade will be available through the Mac App Store at no additional charge to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller on or after June 6, 2011. Users must request their Up-to-Date upgrade within 30 days of purchase of their Mac computer. Customers who purchased a qualifying Mac between June 6, 2011 and July 20, 2011 will have until August 19, 2011 to make a request. Additional information can be found at apple.com/macosx/uptodate. |
| Posted: 20 Jul 2011 05:00 AM PDT  Traditionally known as DSLRs, interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) have always promised excellent image quality, speed, and versatility. But their enormous size and weight, lofty price tags, and intimidating design have forced casual photographers to focus on compact and superzoom point-and-shoot cameras instead, often leaving those bulky, confusing monstrosities to the pros. Enter mirrorless models, which scrap an optical viewfinder in favor of shrinking both body size and price tag, have provided the rest of us with a welcome mat to the world of powerful sensors, high-speed shooting, and swappable lenses -- with relatively little sacrifice along the way. The 16-megapixel Alpha NEX-C3 builds upon the successes of its predecessor -- the NEX-3 -- sporting a slimmer body and redesigned APS-C sensor. It also adds a reported 20-percent boost in battery life, improved low light performance, and a slimmer, more attractive design. We spent well over a month using the NEX-C3 as our primary camera for product shoots, trade shows, hands-on videos, and vacations, and were blown away by its performance as both a versatile still snapper and a powerful video camera. It's important to note that while the C3 does capture 720p video, it can't shoot in 1080p, so you'll need to look elsewhere if you need full HD. Like all mirrorless cameras, there's also no optical viewfinder, nor is there a traditional hot shoe. Instead, Sony included the same propriety connector found on the NEX-3 and NEX-5, enabling connectivity with a dedicated external microphone and a limited variety of external flashes, including the compact strobe that ships in the box. While some photographers may find the NEX-C3 inadequate for their needs, we absolutely loved shooting with it, and we think you will too. Jump past the break to see why. HardwareIf you currently own an NEX-3 or NEX-5, there really isn't any need to upgrade to the NEX-C3. As can be expected after a year on the market, the NEX series is now more polished, though most of these improvements are cosmetic. To say that the NEX-C3 looks awkward at first glance would be a bit of an understatement. The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens ($649, with body) appears gigantic when contrasted against the relatively petite camera, though it's still smaller than a DSLR equivalent. Popping on the 16mm f/2.8 kit lens ($599, with body) makes the C3 appear significantly better proportioned, but that fixed optic isn't quite as versatile as its zoom-enabled sibling, though it should work just fine for casual outings. Once you get past this initial awkwardness -- and trust us, you will get past it -- both lenses will feel just right.  Diving beyond the lens, you'll notice some cosmetic differences from the NEX-3. Sony constructed the body of three panels, which allowed it to shrink and reposition some of the components, as well as shake things up with two-tone coloring. The C3 is available in black, pink and silver, and all three versions include a magnesium alloy top panel, which houses the power slider, shutter and playback buttons, and video record control. You'll also find the proprietary hot shoe mount, AF-assist light, and stereo microphones, which have been repositioned from the top of the body (on the C3) to the front, located just to the left and right of the lens. This new placement presents an obvious advantage, since you'll be able to capture audio directly from your source in front of the lens.  Moving down the back of the camera, you'll find the same articulating 3-inch (921,000-pixel) display that Sony included with the NEX-3. The mount itself has been redesigned, however, allowing for the LCD to rest flush with the bottom and sides when in its docked position. You can also tilt it up at about an 85-degree angle, or down at 45 degrees, letting short folks like us capture overhead shots at, say, a concert, or in Times Square on New Year's Eve. Sony elected to exclude touch functionality, which seems reasonable for a high-end camera -- after all, this kind of photographer is more interested in having dedicated controls they can fine-tune on the fly, as opposed to a touchscreen that requires more patience, drains battery life, and picks up fingerprints. To the right of the display, there's a pair of variable buttons, toggling different menu options depending on the mode. There's also a multipurpose selection ring surrounding a four-way selector, with dedicated controls for display and exposure. And that's about it -- most of the buttons perform different functions as you switch through shooting and playback modes, with the onscreen menu clearly identifying each button's role.  On the right side there's an extended grip positioned towards the front, and a shoulder strap hook. On the left, you'll find a duplicate strap connector flanked by mini USB and mini-HDMI ports. Sony switched things up a bit on the bottom of the camera, separating the SD card and battery compartments -- necessary to cut back on the body's width. The dedicated SD card slot is located to the right of the tripod connector. A flashing red LED indicates activity, so you won't accidentally pop out your card while the camera is writing to memory. The battery compartment houses the same 1080mAh NP-FW50 battery that's used in the NEX-3, and includes a small cord pass-through, should you want to use a dedicated AC adapter ($120) instead. Performance and battery lifePhotographers choose to shoot with ILCs not only because of the obvious flexibility they provide in the lens department, but also due to their speed, manual control capabilities, and large, high-quality image sensors. The NEX-C3 doesn't disappoint on any of these counts, offering compatibility with several E-mount lenses, snapping frame after frame with minimal delay, and capturing some of the sharpest, most vibrant images we've seen come out of any interchangeable lens camera, including higher-end DSLRs. The camera's image sensor is just one part of the equation -- you also need to have some serious, multi-element, high-quality glass. We don't see a need for current NEX owners to upgrade, however. Sure, the C3's 16-megapixel sensor offers a 14 percent boost over the NEX-3's 14-megapixels, but with the majority of images bound for the web these days, the only difference you're likely to see after upgrading is that your memory cards will fill up more quickly. Both cameras perform well in low light (at up to ISO 6400), and have an equally obnoxious amount of noise when shooting at ISO 12,800.  Because timing is key in photography, the camera's speed is critical to its overall performance -- an area where the C3 does just fine, especially considering its size. You can select between Single-shot Advance, Continuous Advance, or Speed Priority Continuous. In the first mode, the camera powers on and captures its first image in 1.8 seconds. Since we're only shooting individual images in that mode, you'll need to flip to continuous to fire multiples, at three frames-per-second. Jumping to the even faster Speed Priority Continuous mode, which fixes focus and exposure from the first shot, lets you shoot full-size images at six frames-per-second -- not too shabby for a compact mirrorless camera. In video mode, we were shooting in 720p at 29.97fps within less than a second of pressing the dedicated record button. As we already mentioned, there's no 1080p video, as there is with last year's NEX-5, but that camera only offers one HD mode -- 1080p -- so we're happy to settle for 720p, considering that the majority of videos we shoot go directly to the web. We realize that some of you need to shoot 1080p, though, so it's unfortunate that this camera cannot. The HD video that we did shoot was sharp, vibrant, and properly exposed. Audio sounded crisp and clear, even in some very noisy environments. We also used Sony's external Compact Stereo Microphone ($130) when shooting in particularly noisy environments, which seemed to be particularly helpful, as long as we weren't trying to narrate from behind the cam (the mic can capture audio within a 120-degree field, which unfortunately excludes a photographer standing 180-degrees behind it).  We were pleasantly surprised by the camera's battery life, especially considering that the C3 uses the exact same battery as its predecessor. Still, Sony claims that it was able to boost longevity by 20-percent. We brought the camera on a four-day vacation, and were nearly able to get through the entire trip without a recharge. Our testing didn't necessarily represent typical usage, either, considering that we shot over 450 still images, including several dozen extended exposures of at least ten seconds each, passed the camera around many times to demo shooting modes, reviewed nearly every image onscreen at least once, and captured about ten minutes of 720p video. Overall, we'd feel confident using the C3 through several consecutive days of heavy shooting without bringing along a second battery (though they are available to purchase for $80). Image qualityOn the optical front, the C3 comes with either an 18-55mm zoom or 16mm fixed kit lens, which you can also buy separately for $300 and $250, respectively. There's also an 18-200mm zoom ($800) available now and a 30mm macro ($250) shipping in October. Unlike point-and-shoot users, ILC photographers make long-term investments in a particular camera system, considering that lenses from one manufacturer are almost never compatible with a competitor's camera body. Sony has confirmed its commitment to growing its portfolio of lenses, so if you're hesitant to jump into the NEX pond because the water level seems to be a bit low, don't worry -- more lenses and bodies are coming, hopefully very soon.  One way to easily set yourself apart as an advanced digital photographer is to ignore the megapixel rating, and focus on image sensor size instead. Okay, perhaps you shouldn't completely ignore the megapixels, but there's a reason photos from a 12-megapixel smartphone camera don't compare to those you'll get with a point-and shoot with the same resolution. As you step up from smartphones to point-and-shoots to DSLRs, sensor size increases significantly, even though megapixel ratings may very well remain stagnant. It's these larger sensors than can capture images with much greater detail, especially in low light.  This new category of digicam typically uses a smaller sensor -- including Micro Four Thirds, in the case of Olympus and Panasonic offerings, or 1/2.3-inch, as you'll find in the Pentax Q. But Sony's NEX series packs an APS-C sensor -- the largest of the bunch, and the same size found on many full-size DSLRs -- enabling more advanced autofocus, superior low light performance, and higher-quality image capture. Camera lens size is also directly related to sensor size, which is why -- despite its incredibly compact body -- the NEX-C3's lenses are massive compared to those designed for the Pentax Q, which, while also an ILC, uses a sensor far smaller than the Sony cam.  More experienced photographers tend to shoot in manual mode whenever possible, giving them full control over aperture and shutter speed. The C3 has that capability (more on that in a bit), but it also performs quite well when you let the camera handle all the calculations, if that's what you prefer to do. Like its predecessor, both cameras offer the usual aperture and shutter priority modes, in addition to a Program Auto mode, which lets you dictate other settings as the camera selects aperture and shutter speed. There's also Intelligent Auto, which automatically chooses the best settings based on a variety of characteristics in your scene.  During our weeks of testing, we shot in nearly every condition imaginable, capturing photos in bright daylight during a hike, mixed indoor lighting at trade shows and in an office setting, high-speed at a Broadway show, and even 15-second exposures under the stars, lighting our subjects with smartphones as you'll see in the sample images gallery. Even in low light, the majority of our shots came out sharp and bright, even when captured at ISO 3200. Despite the zoom lens's maximum aperture limitation, which doesn't allow it to capture as much light as high-end DSLR optics, we never needed to use the flash. Having the flexibility to bump up the ISO all the way to 12,800, along with built-in optical image stabilization, helps to make up for the lens's mediocre maximum aperture. User interfaceConsidering that the camera has a limited selection of dedicated hardware buttons, a well-planned user interface is key. Fortunately, we found Sony's UI to be intuitive and comprehensive, though certain frequently used menu items -- namely, the memory card format tool -- are buried several levels deep. In addition to the advanced shooting modes we already covered, the camera's Intelligent Auto mode replaces the typical auto mode included with most point-and-shoots, selecting the ideal settings based on your surroundings. If you're trying to shoot a close-up subject, the camera will switch into Macro mode, for example. Take it outside at night, and you'll be shooting in Night View. Each mode adjusts aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to capture the most sharp, accurate images. Another feature aimed at ILC newbies is the ability to press the center select button while in Intelligent Auto to launch the Photo Creativity interface, which lets you adjust advanced settings using a easy to understand graphical interface. To select shallow depth of field, for example, jump to Background Defocus mode, then turn the selection wheel towards Defocus, which is also illustrated with a human figure juxtaposed against a blurry mountain peak. Turning the wheel in the other direction will make your entire subject Crisp -- in this mode, both the figure and mountain peak are sharp. Other modes include Picture Effect, with Toy Camera, Posterization, and Retro options. There are also similar graphical menus for adjusting Vividness, Color, Brightness, and speed modes. Like nearly every menu option throughout the camera, each mode and sub-mode includes a sentence-long description -- the Color menu, for example, explains "Creates a warm, soft mood, or cool, refreshing look."  The competitionThe first mirrorless ILC hit the market in 2008. Panasonic's Lumix DMC-G1 was the first to use the Micro Four Thirds system, which offers compatibility with a wide variety of lenses from both Panasonic and Olympus, which also has its own series of mirrorless cams, including the recently announced PEN E-P3. This universal lens mount allows photographers to switch between both camera systems without replacing their entire collection of lenses, so you can use your Olympus lenses with the new Panasonic GF3 when it becomes available, for example. The tradeoff, however, is that these cams use a unique sensor, which is significantly smaller than the APS-C sensor used in the NEX-C3. The result is a slower focusing system, mediocre low light performance, and a noticeable difference in overall image quality. You may also remember the recently announced Pentax Q, which takes the title as the world's smallest interchangeable lens camera. In order to achieve this small size, Pentax opted for a 1/2.3-inch sensor -- the same size used in many (much more affordable) point-and-shoot cameras. We weren't allowed to take home any sample images after our hands-on, but even images we reviewed on the petite LCD appeared to be noisy when shot at higher ISO settings. Unfortunately, we don't have high hopes for this camera, and if you're wondering if the tradeoff in size is worth opting for the Q instead of the NEX-C3, we can say with confidence that it most certainly is not. Wrap-upWe have an opportunity to test an enormous variety of gadgets each year, including dozens of point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras. Seldom, however, do we come across a device that we undoubtedly plan to purchase ourselves. The Sony NEX-C3 is one of few exceptions -- in fact, we're even considering outfitting every member of the Engadget team with one of these compact, versatile ILCs once they hit stores next month. We feel that the camera is priced very competitively (starting at $599, with the 16mm kit lens), and you're not likely to miss the few features it omits -- namely 1080p video capture and a universal accessory hot shoe. That's not to say that we overlooked these lacking capabilities, however, and this exclusion contributed to our decision not to rate the C3 a perfect-10. Sony's NEX-3 left us with high expectations for its next generation mirrorless cam, and our level of enthusiasm for this latest camera remains unparalleled. If you've been looking to upgrade from a compact point-and-shoot, or want to trim a significant amount of fat from your DSLR kit, then there's no better option than the NEX-C3. |
| Isis adds Visa, MasterCard, American Express to mobile payment lineup Posted: 20 Jul 2011 04:35 AM PDT  |
| T-Mobile unveils flexible new Value plans: unlimited talk, text, and / or data for any device Posted: 20 Jul 2011 03:47 AM PDT  We'll give T-Mobile credit, it isn't afraid to shake things up to try to gain ground on Big Red and Ma Bell in the cellular arms race. Mere months after rolling out new prepaid options for its customers, T-Mo is bringing Value plans to the people. These new plans come in various configurations, but all are available with any of the carrier's phones, tablets, or broadband accessories. In exchange for a two year commitment, you get 2, 5, or 10GB of high speed data, with limitless websurfing at slower speeds. Full pricing hasn't been announced, but we do know you'll be able to get two lines with unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data for $100, while the data alone will run $20 per month. Sound good? Well, the plans go live next Monday, so you've got plenty of time to read up on your options in the PR after the break. T-Mobile Unveils Affordable And Worry-Free Unlimited Data Plans New T-Mobile Value plans make the latest 4G smartphones and wireless services affordable for all Bellevue, Wash. - Jul. 20, 2011 T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced new Value plans, making it more affordable than ever to step up to data on America's Largest 4G Network™. Featuring flexible pricing for unlimited data and available with affordable monthly payments on any of T-Mobile's phones and mobile broadband devices, including the latest 4G smartphones and tablets, the new Value plans could save customers hundreds of dollars annually. Slated to be available beginning on July 24, the new plans build on T-Mobile's commitment of offering affordable, consumer-friendly plans in tune with the evolving needs of wireless customers. Available with a two-year agreement for new and existing customers, the Value plans offer single-line and multiline options with a range of price points for talk, unlimited text and unlimited data with 2 GB, 5 GB or 10 GB of high-speed data - with no data overage charges. Customers can choose from a variety of monthly plans and only pay for the high-speed data they need. "T-Mobile is committed to making the always-on benefits of smartphones and tablets more accessible and worry-free for all Americans," said John Clelland, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. "Customers want to enjoy all that the mobile Web has to offer, but they don't want to pay for more than they need or worry about bill shock. Our incredible value comes from the combination of our nationwide 4G network, exceptional device portfolio and affordable plans that offer unlimited data access without overages." With the new Value plans, customers are empowered to purchase any product in T-Mobile's innovative device lineup or bring their own device and have access to the company's best pricing. With no overages on the new unlimited plans and flexible terms, customers can pick the wireless data plan that best fits their needs and choose how they want to pay for their device. Value plan customers who purchase a device can pay an upfront down payment on a new device and make low, interest-free payments for the full price of the product while still getting T-Mobile's best available rates on monthly service.* T-Mobile will continue to offer its traditional plans under the new T-Mobile Classic plan brand, previously called Even More™ plans. For example, T-Mobile's new Value family plan with unlimited talk, unlimited text and unlimited data with 2 GB of high-speed data is just $49.99 per line for two lines. Even with the addition of purchasing two smartphones, such as the T-Mobile myTouch® 4G Slide, on T-Mobile's Equipment Installment Plan, customers could save hundreds annually. * "Families are looking for ways to affordably include mobile data so the kids can communicate via social networking, watch YouTube and surf the Web without parents breaking the bank," said Tole Hart, senior analyst with Yankee Group. "Plans that help them get more while paying less will get a lot of attention." T-Mobile also will offer a robust lineup of mobile broadband service options under both the new Value and Classic plans. For instance, customers could add an overage-free mobile broadband Value plan to their voice service for $19.99 per month with 2 GB of high-speed data for products, including laptop sticks, tablets and the T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot, which allows a family to share their 4G mobile connection with up to five Wi-Fi devices using a single mobile broadband connection. T-Mobile's new Value and Classic plans are expected to be available beginning July 24. In addition to the unlimited Value and Classic plans, T-Mobile also will introduce new Value plans for small business customers this summer with additional details available in the coming weeks. T-Mobile continues to offer no annual contract plans with its Monthly4G plans, as well as Pay As You Go plans for as low as 10 cents per minute for voice calls. More information on T-Mobile's service plans is available at http://www.t-mobile.com. * T-Mobile myTouch® 4G Slide is available for a down payment of $249.99, with 20 additional monthly payments of $15; O.A.C., 0 percent APR. Plan features and limitations may vary among carriers. Data as of July 2011. T-Mobile's HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at http://www.t-mobile.com. |
| Saitek flight gear replicates Cessna 172 Skyhawk, lets you simulate lazy Sunday flyovers Posted: 20 Jul 2011 03:03 AM PDT  Sure, some flight-sim junkies want to imagine themselves dogfighting with an F-16, afterburners screaming as they climb into the sky. But for virtual pilots less interested in white-knuckle air warfare, Mad Catz has unveiled a product line based on that ubiquitous trainer, the Cessna 172 Skyhawk. The company's Saitek brand now offers a Yoke ($200), Trim Wheel ($50), and Rudder Pedals ($210), all officially licensed from the airplane manufacturer. Buy them all together and you'll receive a free Flight Switch Panel, thereby completing your cockpit ensemble. Remember, though: you're in this for the pure, majestic joy of simulated flight. It's not a competition, so don't let this guy and his $300,000 flight simulator get under your skin. Cool? Mad Catz® Announces Shipping of Licensed Cessna® Pro Flight Products New Range Replicates Controls Found In Cessna 172 Skyhawk® Aircraft San Diego – July 19, 2011 – Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. ("Mad Catz") (AMEX/TSX: MCZ) announced today the shipping of a new range of licensed PC Pro Flight products based on the Cessna brand of general aviation aircraft and being launched under the Company's Saitek™ simulation brand. "The Cessna range of Saitek Pro Flight products supports our initiative to reach new customers and enhances our position in the flight simulation market." said Darren Richardson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. "We believe that leveraging our Saitek Pro Flight products with a brand as recognizable as Cessna will open up a sizable new audience of flight schools, pilots and flight enthusiasts and is consistent with our strategy to build specialty products that evoke a passionate consumer response." Products shipping as part of the Cessna Pro Flight range include the Cessna Yoke, Cessna Rudder Pedals and the Cessna Trim Wheel. Additional information is available at www.saitek.com/cessna About Mad Catz Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX: MCZ) is a global provider of innovative interactive entertainment products marketed primarily under its Mad Catz® (casual gaming), Cyborg™ (pro gaming), Tritton® (gaming audio), Saitek® (simulation), and Eclipse™ (home and office) brands. Mad Catz also develops flight simulation software through its internal ThunderHawk Studios™; operates flight simulation centers under its Saitek brand; operates a videogame content website under its GameShark® brand; publishes games under its Mad Catz brand; and distributes games and videogame products for third parties. Mad Catz distributes its products through most leading retailers offering interactive entertainment products and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia. For additional information please go to www.madcatz.com. |
| Apple store goes down, all is quiet before the Lion roars Posted: 20 Jul 2011 02:33 AM PDT  [Thanks to everyone who sent this in.] |
| Klipsch's AirPlay-enabled Gallery G-17 Air soundbar pleases ears sans cords for $530 Posted: 20 Jul 2011 01:32 AM PDT  No, that's not some oversized Kinect KIRF. What you're looking at is Klipsch's latest soundbar, the Gallery G-17 Air. Seem familiar? If you'll recall, back at CES it was known as the Gallery Studio -- the smallest of three AirPlay-enabled speaker systems the company let us demo at CES. Although not totally new, its full specs have been revealed and its price re-vamped from $400 to a slightly spendier $530. The bi-amplified stereo rig features four individually powered drivers that aim to deliver full-range sound via two Tractrix-horned .75-inch tweeters (10 watts each), and dual 2.5-inch, 20 watt woofers. Although you'll probably be streaming music over WiFi from iDevices or iTunes, the unit's equipped with USB and 3.5mm inputs should you ever want to plug-in directly or juice-up your battery. There's an ultra-svelte grill-cloth magnetically attached to the front, playback and power buttons on the side, and it also comes with a remote. The system itself sits atop a tempered glass base, but if space is at premium it can be mounted to a wall. The G-17 is set to release this fall, but if your ears are already tingling you'll find more info in the source link below. |
| The ultimate KIRF: fake Apple Store spotted in China Posted: 20 Jul 2011 01:04 AM PDT  This Apple Store looks so real we still can't quite believe it isn't. The KIRF-ers have excelled themselves this time: mimicking or at least reinventing everything from the Brave New World posters down to the dog-tags and "We live here" demeanor worn by the staff. There were a few giveaways, however, which led observant blogger BirdAbroad to whip out her camera and start gathering evidence: slight imperfections in the decor, a lack of individual names on staff badges, plus an unlikely location in the Chinese Backwaterville of Kunming. Hey Apple, we feel your pain. You'll find further unbelievable pics after the break and over at BirdAbroad's blog.    |
| Viber's free, no-registration 3G VoIP app officially launches on Android Posted: 20 Jul 2011 12:00 AM PDT  Hey there, friends. Do you have the voice-calling blues, wishing for a better way to talk to your friends -- without using your minutes? Consider Viber, a free VoIP app that launched for the iPhone last year. Usable over 3G or WiFi, with built-in SMS, it requires no registration, using your existing phone number and contact list. Our only quibble? A disheartening lack of Android support. But our spirits are lifted today, with the app making its way to the everyone's favorite olive-green market. It has all the compelling features of the iOS version, plus a few extras we saw in the limited beta, like pop-up text message notification, in-app call logs, and the option to use Viber as your default dialer. The company must be doing something right, as it claims 12 million active users just seven months after launch. Interested in being one of them? Check the full PR -- with video! -- after the break. Viber Officially Launches Android Version and Announces 12 Million Active Users NEW YORK, July 20th, 2011 - Viber, the revolutionary mobile application that offers users free phone calls and text messaging to other Viber users over 3G and Wi-Fi, is announcing today the official launch of the Android version of the app, bringing Viber to millions of additional users. Viber is also announcing that it has acquired over 12 million active users (last 30 days) and has an impressive call traffic volume of over one billion minutes of calls per quarter. "This is an incredibly exciting day for us," said Talmon Marco, Viber CEO. "We have been looking forward to launching our Android app, especially after having received a staggering number of requests from Android users asking us to bring Viber to the Android market. Our latest user numbers are the best indicator of how much our users love to talk and send messages for free with Viber." The incredibly fast growth of Viber is even more remarkable considering that Viber was released for iPhone just seven months ago. Viber now has over 20 million registered users and 12 million active users who currently talk on Viber for 11 million minutes every day, with an average of 6 minutes per call. "We'd like to take this opportunity to thank more than 50,000 users who have been testing the beta version of Viber for Android since May," Marco said "The beta test allowed us to refine the app and prepare it for widespread release." The Android version of Viber features the same super-easy setup process and high- quality calls that drove its success on the iPhone. The Android version of Viber includes several exclusive features: Full call screen whenever a Viber call is received; Popup text message notification, which lets users respond to text messages without having to open Viber; Tighter integration with the phone, which allows users to see their regular call logs and messages within Viber; A default dialer setting that enables users to use the Viber dialer for all their phone calls, not just for Viber calls. The release of Viber on Android is also good news for the millions of users of the iPhone version of the app. With Viber offering free calls and texts for both Android and iPhone devices, users can now enjoy using Viber with even more friends and contacts. Watch this video to find out more about Viber for Android: http://goo.gl/WRtaO About Viber Media Viber Media is revolutionizing personal communication by enabling users to make free Viber to Viber calls and text messages on their mobile phones. Having reached more than 20 million registered users within its first 7 months, Viber is the world's fastest growing VoIP service. See more at: Facebook: Facebook.com/viber Twitter: Twitter.com/viber |
| Sonos Play:3 compact streaming media Hi-Fi gets official for $299, we go ears-on Posted: 20 Jul 2011 12:00 AM PDT  FORGET EVERYTHING YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE: INTRODUCING THE SONOS PLAY:3 Stream all the music on earth wirelessly in any room Big Sonos sound in a compact size Control wirelessly with Android smartphone, iPhone, iPad SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – July 20, 2011 – Sonos, Inc., the leading manufacturer of wireless music systems, today introduced the SONOS PLAY:3, the compact, all-in-one Sonos player with wall-to-wall HiFi sound. Start with one PLAY:3 in any room and stream all the music on earth. Expand wirelessly over time – bringing a world of music to every room of the home. Plus, wirelessly control PLAY:3 and all your music from anywhere via free Sonos Controller Apps for Android®, iPhone® and iPad®. PLAY:3 is ideal for any room where you want music and versatile enough to work both vertically and horizontally. PLAY:3 is available globally beginning today for $299 at Sonos retailers and at sonos.com. To rock the PLAY:3 demo, check out: sonos.com/PLAY3. "PLAY:3 gives music fans an incredibly easy way to listen to all the music on earth," said John MacFarlane, CEO, Sonos, Inc. "PLAY:3's innovative design sets a new bar for Hi Fidelity audio in a compact package and makes it simple to amplify the music experience in any room of the home." PLAY:3 is connected to the Internet, giving you access to unlimited music. Play your entire digital music library, including iTunes® stored on any computer or Network Attached storage, such as an Apple Time Capsule. Find and play over 100,000 radio stations, shows and podcasts for free. Plus, Sonos works seamlessly with the most popular music streaming services to provide access to millions of songs and stations from AUPEO, iheartradio, Last.fm, MOG, Napster®, Pandora®, Rdio®, Rhapsody®, SiriusXM Internet Radio, Spotify, Stitcher SmartRadio™, TuneIn, Wolfgang's Vault, and more. PLAY:3 is simple to set up, easy to expand and 100% compatible with all other Sonos products. Just plug in the PLAY:3 wherever you want music. One Sonos player or SONOS BRIDGE (sold separately) must be connected to your router, then all other Sonos players will work wirelessly. When you're ready to play more music in more rooms, just add another PLAY:3. When it comes to controlling the music and PLAY:3, you can use free Sonos Controller Apps for Android, iPhone and iPad. With your smartphone or tablet in hand, you can wirelessly search for songs and stations, choose the music and control the volume in as many rooms as you like. PLAY:3 also includes the free Sonos Controller for Mac or PC. Or you can let everyone in the house share the control with the dedicated SONOS CONTROL (sold separately). Other features of PLAY:3 include: Sonos HiFi sound: 3 integrated speakers and 3 dedicated digital amplifiers provide crystal-clear, wall-to-wall sound. Innovative, smart-directional design: Internal sensor detects if the speaker is positioned vertically or horizontally and modifies the speaker's output to ensure clean, balanced, room-filing sound in any position. Multi-room: Put several PLAY:3s around your home and enjoy perfectly synchronized all-over-your-home music. Stereo pairing: Add two PLAY:3s to the same room and enjoy even bigger sound with each playing a dedicated Left or Right channel. PLAY:3's innovative design sets a new bar for Hi Fidelity audio in a compact package. PLAY:3 features three Class-D digital amplifiers and three drivers - one tweeter and two 3" mid-range. One passive, rear-firing bass radiator for rich sound. The cabinet features volume and mute control. PLAY:3 dimensions are 5.2 x 10.5 x 6.3 in. (132 x 268 x 160 mm)/ 5.7 lb (2.6 kg). Full PLAY:3 specifications and details can be found at www.sonos.com/PLAY3. In other news today, Sonos makes it even easier and more affordable to get started with Sonos. Sonos has lowered the suggested retail price of the BRIDGE to $49. BRIDGE connects directly to your router and initiates SonosNet, the world's most robust wireless music network. This gives you the freedom to place the PLAY:3, or any other Sonos players, anywhere in your home. Additionally, today's launch features an update to Sonos Software. Along with support for PLAY:3, Sonos Software v3.5 adds several improvements to the Sonos Controller for Android, including the option to install the app to SD cards and localization in Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, and Swedish. For more information about Sonos or to locate an authorized Sonos dealer in your area, please visit www.sonos.com or call 877.80.SONOS. About Sonos, Inc. Founded in 2003, Sonos is the leading manufacturer of wireless music systems. The Sonos Wireless HiFi System lets you stream all the music on earth wirelessly in every room of your home with control from your Android smartphone, iPhone, or iPad. In addition to playing your personal digital music collection, Sonos gives you access to millions of songs and thousands of radio stations by partnering with AUPEO, Deezer, iheartradio, Last.fm, MOG, Napster®, Pandora®, Rdio®, Rhapsody®, SiriusXM Internet Radio, Spotify, Stitcher SmartRadio™, TuneIn, Wolfgang's Vault, and more. The award-winning Sonos Wireless HiFi System is available at more than 6000 retailers in over 65 countries worldwide; or direct from Sonos at www.sonos.com. Sonos is a privately-held company, headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA with offices in Cambridge, MA, Hilversum, Netherlands, Shenzen, China, and Penang, Malaysia. © 2004-2011 Sonos Inc. All rights reserved. SONOS and all other Sonos product names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sonos, Inc. SONOS Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad® and iTunes® are trademarks of Apple Inc. Android® is a trademark of Google Inc. All other products and services may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. |
| Contour brings viewfinder app to Android, goes with you where we won't Posted: 19 Jul 2011 11:16 PM PDT  What do extreme sports, helmet cams, and little green robots have in common? Not much before today, but Contour's gone and changed all that by releasing an Android version of its iOS app -- you know, the one we first got our grubby paws on back at CES. Just like its Cupertino-blessed counterpart, the El Goog variant allows future X Games wannabees to use their phones as a viewfinder for those who possess a Contour+ or ContourGPS. We assume the ability to peep at the camera's battery life and how much memory remains also helps as you shred some epic, radical mountain, bro. If you've got either cam handy and a slab of Android in your pocket, tap the source link and take your cinematic skills to new, gnarly heights. |
| Viliv, UMPC and MID proponent, reportedly exiting the ultramobile game Posted: 19 Jul 2011 09:46 PM PDT  |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet and Keyboard Folio case hands-on (video) Posted: 19 Jul 2011 09:02 PM PDT  In our discussions with Lenovo, it was made fairly clear that this guy was being aimed more at companies and less at consumers, but there's absolutely nothing stopping the latter from enjoying a solid Honeycomb experience here. In fact, the ability to plug in a common mouse or trackpad (or combo device, for that matter) makes it far more useful than many of the ultraslim slates it'll inevitably go up against. Also unique to the Tablet is a built-in active stylus, which is tailor-made to jot down The full-size USB port also puts it squarely in Eee Transformer territory, with the Keyboard Folio shown above making perfect use of it. In practice, the accessory worked beautifully, and while the $99 price tag may seem a bit steep, it's not exactly cheap to go out and get a third-party case, keyboard and mouse. The company's demanding $499 (and up) for it's Android 3.1-based biz slate, with initial shipments starting today. Peek the hands-on video just after the break! |
| Lenovo intros 10.1-inch IdeaPad Tablet P1 with Windows 7, should've waited for Windows 8 Posted: 19 Jul 2011 09:01 PM PDT  You'll also get an integrated 2 megapixel webcam up front, support for stylus input and an enclosure that's 14.5mm thick; for perspective, the absolutely delectable Galaxy Tab 10.1 measures just 10.9mm from top to bottom. The company's giving you the option of snagging this in silver-gray or "Clementine Orange," the latter of which is obviously the frontrunner in the race to awesome. The sealed two-cell battery is said to be good for six hours of use, compared to the 8.7 hours that the same cell gets while situated in the Android-powered K1. Lenovo's not serving up pricing details on this one just yet, but you can look forward to not looking forward to its Q4 2011 arrival. |
| Netflix to stream natively from HDMI-equipped tablets (updated) Posted: 19 Jul 2011 09:01 PM PDT  Just to answer the obvious question: no, your existing Honeycomb tablet won't be able to support this goodness through a firmware update. You'll actually need a slate with the requisite hardware within to take advantage, and it's hard to say at this point who will follow Lenovo down the path. We're hoping that the added functionality won't lead to a boost in Netflix's monthly rate, but given the history of the app, we can't say we're too terrified about that possibility. So, how fast will the APK be ripped from the fabric of a K1 and thrown out onto the web? Somewhere between "quickly" and "you've got to be kidding me," we're surmising. Update: So, it seems something has changed since our D9 meeting. There's no offline viewing support, but the streaming is still here. Too bad, but we're hoping it'll be added (back?) in a future update. |
| Lenovo's Android 3.1-powered IdeaPad K1 tablet hands-on (video) Posted: 19 Jul 2011 09:01 PM PDT  From a design standpoint, there's not a lot new here, though we will confess to really digging the textured backplate. It'll ship in 16GB and 32GB flavors, with WiFi-only and 3G + WiFi variants available. For the latter, a Gobi chip will be implanted to enable connectivity with Verizon Wireless, AT&T or Sprint here in the US of A, though details on global 3G modules weren't readily available. The company's also tossing in Social Touch, a homegrown app that pulls together your email, calendars and social networks for a single-pane view of your entire digital life. In practice, it seemed to work quite well, but hardcore TweekDeck users will likely yearn for in-line image and video viewing. In a move that's sure to be polarizing, around 50 pre-loaded applications will be included -- in the laptop world, we refer to that as "bloatware," but Lenovo seems certain that what's being included will be looked upon fondly. Things like Documents To Go and a gigabyte or two of free cloud storage from ArcSoft are amongst those, but there's one app in particular that'll make the sting of deleting all the rest a bit less pointed: Netflix. No, not Netflix. Netflix. It's the next Netflix, and it's launching exclusively (at least for an undetermined amount of time) on Lenovo tablets. According to the outfit, the K1 is outfitted with a hardware DRM module that will enable Watch Instantly material to not only be streamed over HDMI without any hackeration, but also to be stored locally on the device. That's a completely new option for Netflix, and it'll create a new button to press within the app. We're told that files can be socked away on the internal flash storage or on a microSD slot, and due to whole "hardware DRM" requirement, the Honeycomb tablet you purchased last week won't be able to handle such goodness with a simple firmware update.  That said, it's a highly compelling differentiator -- at least for now -- and it makes the $449 starting point (16GB WiFi model) that much more palatable. We've been waiting for what feels like eons for a legitimate tablet maker to undercut Apple on price; toss in bolstered Netflix functionality, Tegra 2 and a shockingly crisp display, and you've got quite the package. It'll ship to America (and most of the world, in fact) on July 28th, and we'll be sure to bring you more details on 3G model pricing just as soon as we get it.  |
| Roku 2 HD, XD, and XS officially launch: same price, smaller size and Angry Birds Posted: 19 Jul 2011 08:16 PM PDT Roku has gone from a barely known streaming media box manufacturer to a retail darling in a remarkably short amount of time (the last hardware revamp launched less than a year ago) and it's back with more new hardware to continue the assault. The Roku 2 lineup will put their (much smaller) footprint in the spaces left by their predecessors when they hit shelves later this month without changing the price one bit. Besides being more energy efficient, it brings new channels including Angry Birds, Epix, MLS and more, while also upgrading the Netflix experience with support for subtitles, surround sound and 1080p video. The pricing tiers of $60 (HD), $80 (XD) and $100 (XS) remain; while stepping up to the XD adds 1080p video output, splurging for the XS adds a game remote (a $29 accessory), included copy of Angry Birds plus Ethernet and USB ports. If you still need confirmation after all the leaks, there's another pic and a press release after the break, plus a quick demonstration of the box by the cutest product spokesperson of all time.  Show full PR text New Roku 2 Players Sling Angry Birds to the TV Best-Selling Streaming Players Now More Powerful for Casual Games Saratoga, Calif. – July 20, 2011 – Setting a new standard in streaming entertainment, Roku today introduced Roku 2, a new family of streaming players. Available in three models – the Roku 2 HD, Roku 2 XD and Roku 2 XS – this new line brings popular casual games including Angry Birds to the TV alongside Roku's large and growing selection of entertainment. Roku 2 players also feature a sleek new design that's more energy-efficient than before, using less than two watts of power. "Roku is the best-selling streaming player on the market because of its simplicity, breadth of content and value. Now we're setting the bar even higher with Roku 2 – a more powerful platform with new features including casual gaming," said Roku Founder and CEO Anthony Wood. "We've worked closely with Rovio to bring the first full version of Angry Birds to the TV – and best of all, we're including it for free with the top-of-the-line XS model." New channels launching with Roku 2 include Angry Birds (full version), Facebook, EPIX, Major League Soccer, AOL HD, and FOXNews.com. Additional games will be available shortly after launch including Angry Birds Rio and Angry Birds Seasons. The Roku 2 platform offers nearly 300 channels of streaming entertainment including movies and TV shows from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video and Crackle; live and on-demand sports from NBA Game Time, NHL GameCenter Live and Ultimate Fighting Championship; music from Pandora, MOG, Rdio and TuneIn Radio; photos and videos from Flickr and Vimeo; plus news and entertainment from around the world. A Streaming Player for Everyone All three Roku 2 models feature built-in wireless, Bluetooth for connecting a game remote and a MicroSD slot to support additional game storage. The Roku 2 HD player supports up to 720p HD video while the Roku 2 XD player supports up to 1080p HD video. Roku 2 also adds several significant enhancements to its acclaimed Netflix experience, including support for English subtitles, Dolby Digital Plus and up to 1080p HD video quality (on the XD and XS models). The Roku 2 XS player provides the ultimate casual gaming experience on the TV. Now, Angry Birds fans who love to launch birds at jeering green pigs can enjoy the full version of the game for the first time on the TV, free of charge. The Roku 2 XS includes the new Roku Game Remote with motion control which has been optimized for bird-slinging action on the big screen. The Roku 2 XS also features an Ethernet port for a wired Internet connection and a USB port for playing music, videos, and photos off of any USB Pricing and Availability The Roku 2 HD, the Roku 2 XD and the Roku 2 XS are expected to be available by the end of July for suggested retail prices of $59.99, $79.99 and $99.99 respectively. Retailers include Roku.com, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry's Electronics and RadioShack. Since all Roku 2 players support casual games, customers will be able to purchase the game remote with motion control for use with the Roku 2 HD and Roku 2 XD players. The Roku Game Remote will be available in the coming weeks as part of a bundle that includes a 2GB MicroSD card for a suggested retail price of $29.99 at Roku.com. ### |
| ChevronWP7 Labs to unlock your Windows Phone 7 handset for $9, hackers not welcome Posted: 19 Jul 2011 07:44 PM PDT  |
| Sprint's Fared Adib: we made a conscious decision to scale back bloatware on smartphones Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:38 PM PDT  In speaking at length today with Adib during a Sprint campus walkthrough, he confessed that he jetted back from NYC and immediately informed his team that the bloatware needed to go. To quote: "Ben, we've got to get rid of these preloaded apps on our devices. A lot of customers don't want this." You may have noticed a dearth of those very apps on the EVO 3D, and according to Fared, customer feedback on the newly cleaned slate has been overwhelmingly positive. We inquired on whether this approach would be pushed across the company's product spectrum, and he seemed eager to admit that it would. In fact, Sprint's taking quite the different approach internally than some folks may be used to. It's effectively trying to get out of the way in as many areas as possible, and in turn, litter your future phones with as little content as possible. In fact, he's pushing to make whatever programs Sprint does preload user-removable, and it's a mantra we can only hope other carriers latch onto. Nothing against NASCAR, of course, but having the ability to burn rubber in our own way is definitely preferred. P.S. - This slide was just one of many, and is definitely not a comprehensive view of partners and plans. We were specifically informed to not read into it as a solo slide. |
| Hands-on with the Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access iOS app Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:32 PM PDT  The app itself is a ported version of what you'll see on the Blu-ray discs, but there's some added touchscreen functionality -- pinch-to-zoom on the concept art and users can spin props and models with the flick of a finger in the "Collection" section. The app also lets you selectively download the content, so all that artwork and video won't eat up an undue portion of your iPad's memory. After getting handsy with it in person, we found the app easy to use and the content compelling (where else can you examine the Death Star up close?), but we were left wishing that there was a bit... more. Of course, the lion's share of extras are reserved for the paying customers come September 16th -- though we were disappointed to discover that, currently, there are no plans to make it all available on the app even if you buy the Blu-rays. Regardless, you get what you pay for, and that makes this gratis addition to the Star Wars universe a darn good deal. |
| Baidu Browser tips hat to old Steve Jobs quote, copies Chrome's special sauce Posted: 19 Jul 2011 04:43 PM PDT  [Thanks, Hardy] |
| Modder attaches PS3 controller to VAIO UX UMPC, forgoes PlayStation Certification Posted: 19 Jul 2011 03:52 PM PDT  |
| Dan Hesse: Sprint's not following Virgin's tiered data movement, but 'nothing is guaranteed forever' Posted: 19 Jul 2011 02:59 PM PDT  When asked whether Sprint would eventually have no other option but to switch to tiered data plans if heavy users begin to come over in droves, Hesse replied that having enough bandwidth to efficiently go around "could be an issue," and while it's working diligently with OEMs and app developers in order to implement things like WiFi offload, we were told that "nothing is guaranteed forever." We specifically asked if the recent tiered testing implemented at Virgin Mobile (which runs on Sprint's network) was an early indication that Sprint was also leaning this way, and Dan was steadfast in his denial. According to him, the postpaid and prepaid sectors are markedly different beasts, and it's not reasonable to consider that Sprint will follow Virgin's footsteps. Moral of the story? Sprint's clinging to unlimited for as long as it can, but we get the impression that a transition is imminent -- even if it's still a few years out. |
| Apple: Mac OS X Lion to hit the App Store tomorrow Posted: 19 Jul 2011 02:11 PM PDT  Well it looks like the cat's finally out of the |
| Sprint's Dan Hesse: significant 4G plans to be announced this fall Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:52 PM PDT  Oh, and it's worth mentioning that Sprint's "not exclusive to WiMAX, nor the Clearwire relationship." Not a soul on the campus would talk details surrounding that rumored LightSquared investment, but judging by the smiles, it's at least on the table. |
| Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:33 PM PDT  If you've been waiting for Apple's earnings to come in shy of analyst estimates, you're about to be disappointed yet again. Cupertino just reported its best quarter ever, with earnings of $7.79 per share, revenue totaling $28.57 billion, and a net profit of $7.31 billion. We know you're probably more interested in sales figures, however, and as you might expect, Apple's continued to ship iPhones and iPads at a steady pace, with 20.34 million smartphones and 9.25 million tablets sold last quarter. It's also shipped 3.95 million Macs -- a 14 percent jump over Q3 2010's numbers. Fewer iPods made it out the door this quarter, however, totaling 7.54 million compared to the 9.41 million Apple sold in Q3 2010. As always, the company seems to be mum on future product announcements, though we wouldn't be surprised to see new MacBook Air and Lion sales figures factoring into next quarter's results. Meanwhile, rumors are stirring in Silicon Valley that Apple's board has begun looking for possible replacements for CEO Steve Jobs, following a Wall Street Journal article by Yukari Iwatani Kane, who has a history of being eerily accurate with Apple rumors. This news hasn't had an effect on Apple's stock price, however, which topped $400 per share during after-hours trading today. Apple Reports Third Quarter Results All-Time Record Revenue and Earnings iPhone Sales Grow 142 Percent; iPad Sales Grow 183 Percent CUPERTINO, California-July 19, 2011-Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2011 third quarter ended June 25, 2011. The Company posted record quarterly revenue of $28.57 billion and record quarterly net profit of $7.31 billion, or $7.79 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $15.70 billion and net quarterly profit of $3.25 billion, or $3.51 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 41.7 percent compared to 39.1 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter's revenue. The Company sold 20.34 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 142 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 9.25 million iPads during the quarter, a 183 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 3.95 million Macs during the quarter, a 14 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 7.54 million iPods, a 20 percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. "We're thrilled to deliver our best quarter ever, with revenue up 82 percent and profits up 125 percent," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Right now, we're very focused and excited about bringing iOS 5 and iCloud to our users this fall." "We are extremely pleased with our performance which drove quarterly cash flow from operations of $11.1 billion, an increase of 131 percent year-over-year," said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO. "Looking ahead to the fourth fiscal quarter of 2011, we expect revenue of about $25 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $5.50." |
| LaCie's Rugged Mini is rugged, also mini (video) Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:10 PM PDT  LaCie Rugged Mini - Smaller and Stronger PARIS, FRANCE – Today LaCie announced the latest addition to its family of award-winning Rugged hard drives – LaCie Rugged Mini, design by Neil Poulton. Based on the Rugged's shock- and drop- resistant features, the Rugged Mini is 40 percent smaller, rain-resistant and can withstand one ton of pressure. Coupled with its scratch-resistant aluminum casing and LaCie Private-Public software, the Rugged Mini is sure to keep your data safe and secure. IDEAL FOR ANYONE ON THE GO With its small size, as well as shock-, rain- and pressure-resistant capabilities, the Rugged Mini is ideal for anyone on the go. Professionals and students alike can easily transport the drive in their bag for school or for an outdoor photo shoot, and be confident their files are safe and secure. Video professionals will especially appreciate the Rugged Mini's speed with USB 3.0 and 7200 RPM model for onsite file transfer. Additionally, the Rugged Mini is backward compatible with USB 2.0. This means it will work with any computer or notebook that has a USB connection – offering instant usability, no matter what version of USB you have. 3 TIMES FASTER THAN USB 2.0 The Rugged Mini is completely bus powered and features the USB 3.0 interface – which helps it perform three times faster than USB 2.0. This hard drive can transfer one HD movie in less than three minutes, 1000 MP3 music files in 42 seconds or 2,000 photos in about one minute. FULL SOFTWARE SUITE The included software suite is fully compatible with Mac® and PC computers. It allows users to easily set up the hard drive, as well as back up and secure data. You can even enable the eco mode for power savings. The Rugged Mini offers LaCie's Private-Public software with AES data encryption and password protection – ensuring your files are always secure. For further backup and security, the Rugged Mini includes 10GB of Wuala secure online storage for one year, allowing you to securely store, share and sync your data online. AVAILABILITY The Rugged Mini will be available soon in 500 GB or 1TB capacities through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Corner, and LaCie Reseller+ starting at the suggested retail price of $95.00 (VAT included). For more information, visit www.lacie.com. ABOUT NEIL POULTON Neil Poulton was born in Thurso, Scotland. A graduate in Industrial Design from Edinburgh University and Milan's Domus Academy, Poulton first came into public view in 1989 as the creator of "the ageing pens," pens made from a "living," wearing plastic that changes color and form with use. Today, Neil Poulton designs and develops best–selling, award–winning products for a variety of international clients including LaCie & Artemide. Since 1991, Poulton has lived and worked in Paris, France. www.neilpoulton.com. ABOUT LACIE With operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, LaCie is a leading manufacturer of storage devices for PC, Apple, and Linux. LaCie has differentiated itself through sleek design and remarkable technical performance. Find out more about our products at www.lacie.com. |
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