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Monday, August 15, 2011

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Growing Up Geek: Christopher Trout

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Who wants cake? This guy does. Or so says 29 years of photographic evidence. Baked goods loom large in my pictorial history, as does the use and abuse of Dep Gel and even, dare I say it, an affinity for socks and sandals. As much as technology's played a part in my existence, however, my photo album is all but devoid of references to my geekier undertakings. Believe me, there were nights spent playing D&D -- although my relationship with RPGs was short lived -- and days lost in the wormholes of the web, but, truth be told, I've never really considered myself a geek.

Now, nerd is a pigeonhole I'm willing to accept. Not to say there's anything wrong with being a geek -- hell, some of my best friends are geeks -- but I'm not trying to front. I've always felt more comfortable with my head buried in a book than awash in a computer's glow.

I was an overachiever at a very young age -- note the executive realness I served at age three -- in fact, by the time I graduated from high school, I had amassed a laundry list of extra curricular activities that could have very easily made me a social pariah. Along with maintaining a top ten ranking, I was a member of three different National Honors Societies (officer of one), played on both the Academic Decathlon and Mock Trial teams, and wrote for the school newspaper and the special teen section of the local daily, The El Paso Times.

But in life as in study, I was too ambitious to let my nerdiness hold me back. So while I spent my weekends writing essays with a room full of Poindexters who preferred the thrills of multiple choice test taking to tossing around a sports ball, I maintained a healthy social life, which, to my naive mind, also meant picking up a couple of bad habits. The result being that I spent as much time in study as I did in trouble. My reputation for mischief was so strong that by the time I left in 2000, I was on a first name basis with the entire Burges High School security team.

Of course, you don't make it to the top of the GPA food chain without connecting with a keyboard and mouse on the regular. Computers invaded my life in 1985, when my mother, a master's student at UTEP, bought a RadioShack Tandy TRS-80 4P to pound out her thesis on the negative transfer of speech sounds from second to first language. If you're not familiar, the 'P' in 4P stands for portable -- portable like a suitcase full of bricks. It may have been the 4P or a later TRS-80 that I have my first retrievable memories with. There's not much to those memories, but I distinctly recall the tinny circus sounds accompanying the opening animation of Clowns and Balloons and a fez-sporting monkey perched on a high wire.

As my mother, the families go-to gadget enthusiast, points out, the Trouts were never early adopters. By the time she bought her first Tandy, it was probably three years old. In fact hand-me-down technology was the name of the tech game in our house. My sister and I both longed for an NES for years, but we wouldn't get one of our own until the SNES hit shelves. When we finally landed our very own console, my excitement had dissipated a bit. As it turned out, my affinity for gaming was limited even then, and hit a brick wall with the introduction of Super Mario Bros. 3. I do remember taking to watching others play video games quite naturally, however, especially after I'd acquired the aforementioned bad habits.

My real love affair with technology took flight in the summer of 1995 when the Trouts got the internet. I recall the first time I heard the squealing and beeping of dial-up with equal parts horror and fascination. It was an awful, ear-splitting sound, but it signaled my introduction to a world I wasn't privy to growing up under the roof of a West Texas preacher. (I'll leave the more sordid details of my relationship with the internet to my unauthorized autobiography, Fishing with Disaster: The Christopher Trout Story.)

The nondescript Acer setup that played host to my first rendezvous with the world wide web served as one of my most consistent companions over the next 5 years. When I wasn't exploring the liberation that awaited me beyond my parent's four walls, I would engage the family computer in more artistic pursuits. My dedication to the school newspaper meant a whole new set of connections with the computer, centered around Photoshop and PageMaker, and later the rest of the Adobe Creative Suite. I spent hours applying filters to anything I could get my hands on -- one of my favorite subjects being the iconic photo of Patty Hearst's turn as the Symbionese Liberation Army's gun-toting Tanya. The skills I learned tricking out a girl and her gun would serve me well later in life, when I landed my first freelance gig, designing ads for a local lingerie shop in Austin, Texas.

As much time as I've spent chopping and screwing in Photoshop, I've spent probably twice that vigorously clicking away at a keyboard. My bond with my laptop, as I would imagine is the case with most writers, is a close one. I snagged my first MacBook in 2000 -- the same year I enrolled as a Journalism major at the University of Texas at Austin -- and I've been tethered to some form of Apple laptop ever since. Call me a fanboy if you will, but they've never done me wrong. My Macs have carried me through essays on the emergence of the African Renaissance, interviews with famous artists and photographers, and, most recently, this very autobiographical whatnot.

So, I may not be the geekiest kid on my block. Hell, I may not be the geekiest kid on the south side of my block, but I'm not denying the impact of technology on my life. Without the gadgets that have guided me to where I am today, I'd be nothing more than a hard drinking, heavy smoking cynic with a notebook full of thoughts and no way to publish them.

Christopher Trout's isn't the type to burn the candle at both ends -- he prefers dreams to the real world. If you can't find him on the web, he's probably sleeping or out sucking down Manhattans. You can occasionally find him on Twitter (@Mr_Trout), posting pictures of his pit bulls and discussing the pitfalls of cosmetic surgery.

Carriers testing LTE-enabled 4G iPhone?

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 10:43 AM PDT

Earlier this year, Verizon CEO Dan Mead all but confirmed that an LTE Apple device would be making its way to Verizon. Eventually. And no 2011 Apple rumor spattering would be complete without at least a casual mention of the high-speed 4G network. Now, BGR claims to have received an internal iOS test build from a major carrier, revealing a property list file for LTE. This of course doesn't guarantee that Apple will be shipping an LTE iPhone flavor later this year, but that it at least remains a possibility. Still, an October iPhone launch would fall nicely in line with recent confirmation that AT&T will be releasing an LTE smartphone in "late 2011," and 4G compatibility could definitely explain Cupertino's holdup in announcing the iPhone 4's successor. So, will you be flying through the wireless web at lightning-fast speed later this year? Hopefully we need not wait much longer to find out.

Motorola Photon 4G review

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 10:00 AM PDT

It's summer, which means the usual deluge of Android handsets is upon us. The Motorola Photon 4G is Sprint's latest specimen, and follows hot on the heels of HTC's somewhat disappointing EVO 3D. Like its stablemate, it's a proper superphone with a dual-core processor, large qHD display, and of course, WiMAX. Instead of trying to wow us with a gimmicky 3D camera, it differentiates itself by being Sprint's first global phone with WiMAX, and as such supports CDMA / EV-DO for North America along with GSM / HSPA for the rest of the world. Motorola further spices things up with a dash of WebTop functionality, something it first introduced on the Atrix 4G. So, is the Photon just the smartphone flavor du jour, or does it stand out from the seasonal crowd? How does it compare to the EVO 3D and the other Android flagships? Hit the break for our full review.
Motorola Photon 4G review

Hardware


The first thing you'll notice upon picking up the Photon 4G is that it's lighter and thinner than you'd expect. At 158g (5.57oz) and 12.2mm (0.48 inches) it's svelter than the EVO 3D, thanks in part to the lack of a protruding camera pod. Still, it feels like a substantial device, with build quality and materials to match. In fact, we think the Photon looks extremely handsome. Gone is the squared-off styling of Motorola's Droid series -- instead, the phone features cut-off corners, subtly curved top and bottom edges, along with lots of tasteful details. For example, the sheet of Gorilla glass that protects the 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen sports a beveled edge and a two-tone coating that reminds us of Motorola's Milestone XT720. It's reddish black over the display and blueish grey around it -- this includes the area covering the sensors, earpiece, front-facing camera and notification light above the screen, plus the space housing the primary microphone and four capacitive buttons (menu, home, back, search) below the display. The bezel is made of a beveled hard plastic coated in a glossy gunmetal-colored lacquer that wraps around the left and right sides.


In back you'll find a full battery cover made of a black soft-touch plastic, a clearly labeled eight megapixel camera and a dual-LED flash mounted in a recessed glass pod with the same two-tone coating that's used in front, a pair of secondary microphones, a silver Motorola emblem and a speaker grill next to a shiny metal kickstand. Yes, the EVO 4G's signature pegleg is back and this time around is designed to prop up the Photon 4G on either the left or the right edge. It's also active, meaning that an app can be launched automatically when the kickstand is deployed. Sadly, there's no proper way to customize which app is started -- the only choices are the Widget Clock and the homescreen, along with a setting to disable the functionality. Peeling off the back cover reveals a 1,650mAh battery, a SIM slot for the GSM / HSPA radio and a microSD card reader to complements the 16GB of built-in storage.

A silver volume rocker and camera button (both ridged for grip) are located on the right side of the Photon 4G while a shiny power / lock key and standard headphone jack live on the top edge, and a pair of micro-HDMI and micro-USB connectors are mounted on the left side. Compared to the Atrix 4G, each connector is flipped 180 degrees and shifted toward the top of the phone, making it impossible to use the WebTop-capable Photon with any of the Atrix's docks. To make matters worse, Motorola only offers an HD dock for the Photon, with no laptop dock in sight. There's clearly no technical reason for these limitations, so we're left to assume that this decision was made solely for marketing purposes -- a sure way to earn the scorn of the tech-savvy customers most likely to be interested in purchasing this device. It's worth noting that the Atrix is the only Motorola handset currently using a different orientation for these connectors -- other than the placement, the Photon's layout matches that of the Droid X, Droid X2, Droid 3 and upcoming Droid Bionic.


Spec-wise, the Photon 4G features NVIDIA's snappy 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 SoC, a WebTop friendly 1GB of RAM, the aforementioned 16GB of internal storage and a whopping eight (!) radios: WiMAX, CDMA / EV-DO, GSM / EDGE (quadband), UMTS / HSPA (tri-band 850/1,900/2,100MHz), WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, GPS / AGPS and... FM (phew). This makes the Photon a global phone, but what's particularly interesting is that the GSM / HSPA radio is quasi unlocked -- the firmware blocks access to GSM / HSPA networks in North America, but you're free to use a local SIM in the rest of the world. Of course, it's only a matter of time before this restriction is lifted by some enterprising hacker and we can all enjoy the Photon on AT&T or Rogers, so stay tuned. A bevy of sensors rounds things off (light, proximity, orientation, accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope), along with the same gorgeous 4.3-inch qHD (960x540 pixel) TFT panel that we first saw on the Droid X2. While Motorola cheats a bit by using a PenTile display, it matters little in practice -- the screen is bright even in direct sunlight, with beautiful colors, ink-like blacks and wide viewing angles.

Call and reception quality matched Motorola's typically high standards. While we didn't get a chance to try the Photon 4G on any GSM networks, WiMAX performance was on par with what we've observed on Sprint's other 4G devices. We're still getting slightly faster speeds on the competition's HSPA+ networks here in San Francisco, with LTE eating everyone's else lunch. Audio playback sounded great in our tests and we were pleasantly surprised with the loudness and clarity of the built-in speaker. Battery life is impressive -- in our rundown test (looping video) the battery lasted five hours and 54 minutes and we managed to squeeze a full 29 hours and 57 minutes from the battery in our usage test (a light day's use with lots of idle time). Put simply, the Photon will routinely last a full day on a single charge.

Camera


The Photon 4G's eight megapixel auto-focus camera appears to be identical to the one used in the Droid X2. As such, it nixes the mechanical shutter found on the original Droid X and Milestone XT720, two handsets that can be coaxed to produce fantastic shots. While we applaud the decision to include a dedicated camera button, we're completely dumbfounded as to why Motorola chose a single detent mechanism instead of a proper dual-stage shutter key -- it's truly a case of two steps forward and one step back. Rounding up the spec list, you'll find a dual LED flash and three microphones (one on the front, two in the back). In most conditions, the Photon takes lovely pictures. Color balance and exposure are generally quite accurate, but low light performance is average at best and noise always creeps in a little too soon. While the sensor gathers plenty of information, it's just not sensitive enough -- there's no night mode and pictures shot in low light just end up looking dim even when adjusting exposure.
Motorola Photon 4G sample shots

In terms of camera interface, the Photon 4G is neither intuitive nor particularly ergonomic and offers a rather limited number of settings. For stills, there's touch-to-focus, flash mode (auto, on, off), scenes (like sport), effects (sepia, etc...), picture modes (including panorama) and a few additional options in the menus (such as resolution and exposure). As expected, the digital zoom can be controlled by pressing the volume rocker. For video, the scenes setting changes which of the three microphones are active and how the audio is processed. One scene enables the back microphones for stereo audio, another prioritizes the front microphone for narration and a third uses one of the microphones for noise reduction –- it's all very clever. The Photon captures video in HD (720p) at a smooth 30fps with a decent amount of detail. Unfortunately, there's no auto-focus of any kind when recording videos, making closeups nigh impossible. Ultimately, this camera gets the job done, but leaves us wanting more.

Software

We're happy to report that the Photon 4G runs the latest version of Gingerbread (Android 2.3.4) and comes with the same lightweight Motorola skin as its Droid X2 cousin. Unlike the Atrix, there is no trace of Blur or its annoying first use login screen. This is the evolution of last year's Droid X UI -- it's been refined in both appearance and performance and offers a reasonably pleasant user experience. While the Photon's skin is less pervasive than Sense, it includes a bunch of Motorola-specific widgets and apps (such as Gallery, Messaging and Music) that are designed to integrate with a variety popular social networks. In addition to seven home screens, the UI features four dock icons that can be customized just like in TouchWiz. The leftmost icon brings up the app tray, which can be organized in groups (defaults are All apps, Recent, Downloaded and Sprint). Overall there are no surprises here -- the design is pretty cohesive and everything is smooth and functional.


Speaking of performance, the Photon 4G is fast. It's almost as quick as our favorite speed demons, Samsung's Galaxy S II and HTC's EVO 3D (which are both clocked at a higher 1.2GHz). The combination of Gingerbread, 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor and 1GB of RAM really shows its potential here -- everything from the UI to the web browser feels immediate and fluid. Our benchmarks reflect this, with Quadrant consistently scoring 2,300 to 2,700, Linpack (single-thread) returning 41 MFLOPS, Linpack (multi-thread) 63 MFLOPS, Nenamark 46.9fps, Nenamark2 23.4fps, Neocore 54.6fps and Sunspider finishing in a brief 4,105ms. These results clearly place the Photon near the top of the dual-core smartphone heap. The only area needing improvement is WebTop, which remains sluggish. We didn't use the feature extensively since there's no laptop dock available (being tied to our desks is so 2006), but our experience echoed what we wrote in our Atrix review -- we truly like in the idea, but the execution still leaves a lot to be desired.

As you'd expect from a branded device, the Photon 4G ships with some bundled apps. Thankfully, Sprint kept clutter to a minimum, and most of the pre-installed software can be removed. In addition to the apps packaged with Motorola's UI (such as News, Social Networking, Rich Location, and Tasks) you'll find a file manager, Quickoffice (with support for editing documents), Swype, a task manager and TeleNav. While Qik Video Chat is strangely absent, there's a slick custom Car Dock app that's different from Google's -- it's normally triggered when the Photon is propped into Motorola's optional car dock, but can also be launched via Any Cut as long as the kickstand is already deployed. Sprint throws in its own apps, including NASCAR, Sprint ID, Sprint Mobile Wallet, Sprint Music Plus, Sprint Radio, Sprint TV & Movies, Sprint Worldwide and Sprint Zone (useful for managing your account). The Photon follows in the footsteps of the Droid Pro by incorporating a bunch of enterprise-grade security features (like remote wipe and data encryption) -- something that's sure to please even the most demanding IT professional.

Wrap-up


With its stunning display, impressive battery life and solid performance, the Photon 4G comes very close to dethroning Samsung's mighty Galaxy S II as king of the Android hill. This is simultaneously Motorola's and Sprint's best handset ever -- it takes everything we praised about the Droid X2, adds WiMAX support, a global GSM / HSPA radio and WebTop capability, then wraps it up in a much sleeker package. All that's missing now is a laptop dock and a better camera -- one with a proper two-stage shutter key and 1080p video recording with continuous autofocus. For those who, like us, prefer the flexibility of GSM, have a tendency to root for the underdog and are concerned with AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile, it's the first phone compelling enough to justify a switch to Sprint. Summer is not over yet, but at $200 (on contract) the Photon is definitely the first superphone hit of the season.

HTC's bootloader unlock process goes live, Sensation prepares for custom ROM glory

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 09:32 AM PDT

Today is turning out to be a great day for the Android set, what with news of the Google / Moto deal and now -- HTC's unleashing its bootloader unlock tool for the masses. That's right, the company's Taiwanese team of engineers flipped the switch on the service that sees owners of a global SIM-unlocked Sensation working their way towards OEM-sanctioned root access. Unfortunately, stateside owners of the phone's T-Mobile variant, as well as the EVO 3D, will have to sit back and wait while further testing is conducted on their devices. So, what are you ROM fiends waiting for? Head on over to HTC's developer site and let us know your success in the comments below.

TabCo reveals itself as Fusion Garage, unveils Grid 10 tablet and Grid 4 smartphone

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 09:11 AM PDT

After months of teasing, TabCo finally revealed itself to the world -- as suspected, the brand is, in fact a reboot of Fusion Garage, the company that gave the world the much maligned JooJoo tablet. Company head Chandra Rathakrishnan took to the stage to unveil the new product, explaining that the teaser campaign had been put in place to give its new Grid 10 tablet a fair shake. The tablet runs the new Grid operating system, itself based on the Android kernel. According to Rathakrishnan, the 10-inch tablet has the highest resolution of any on the market, at 1366 x 768. Also on-board is a 1.3 megapixel front-facing webcam, 16GB of storage, Bluetooth 2.1, and a microSD slot.

The Grid 10 packs an Nvidia Tegra 2 chip and utilizes the newly announced Grid Shop, a Fusion Garage-specific app store, for which the company will be accepting applications in the near future -- though the operating system will support Android apps, as well. Among the departures from Google's operating system is the company's decision to support Bing -- the better of the two search engines, according to Rathakrishnan. The tablet will run $499 for the WiFi-only version and $599 for a WiFi / 3G model. It's up for pre-order now via Amazon and will begin shipping on September 15th.

Fusion Garage also took the wraps off of the Grid 4, a handset that also runs the the Grid OS. The four-inch phone has a Qualcomm dual-core processor, 16GB of memory, an 800 x 480 resolution, and a front facing 0.3 megapixel camera and a rear facing five megapixel camera with autofocus. The phone will run $399 unlocked. It will begin shipping in Q4, with carriers announced closer to that date.
Grid 10
Grid 4

Engadget's back to school guide 2011: tablets

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT

Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we're leaning back with our tablets -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here!


There are certain back to school purchases we could never talk you out of. A laptop? Vital. A smartphone? Highly recommended. A printer? Necessary -- if you're the kind of person who finishes papers minutes with minutes to spare, leaving no time to swing by the computer lab on the way to class. But a tablet? We'll be honest: we can't think of a good reason why you need one, but we can more than sympathize if you're dead-set. We've picked a few noteworthy choices for each budget, though if you're really lucky you'll win one of 15 Samsung Galaxy Tabs and won't have to pay a dime. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and check out our giveaway page for more details. So wipe off the glasses, grab your clicker, and get ready to jump past the break for this year's tablet picks for back to school.



On the cheap


Nook Color

This is for the kids who've never been able to justify blowing hundreds of dollars on a tablet -- not when they already own a laptop and a smartphone, thankyouverymuch. An even cheaper than buying an Iconia Tab A100 or the Costco-exclusive Vizio Tablet would be to go for the Android-packing Nook Color -- one of our favorite e-readers in its own right. While you'll miss out on goodies like a GPS radio and gyroscope, you'll have more than enough power for checking email and reading Engadget between classes.

Key specs: 7-inch (1024 x 600) IPS display, 8GB / microSD slot, 800 MHz processor, rated for up to 8 hours of reading.

Price: $249 from Barnes & Noble

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Acer Iconia Tab A100
As the first 7-incher to run Android 3.2, the A100 is faster than its bargain-basement price would suggest. If you can deal with the skimpy battery life and chintzy design, it's got the chops to be a solid little multimedia device.

$329.99, hitting stores now


Vizio Tablet
The 8-inch Android tablet that impressed us with its high-density display and clean design went on sale this month for $30 less than expected. Though it has just 2GB of available storage, you should be golden if you add a microSD card.

$289.99 on Amazon



Mid-range


ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

On its own, the Transformer offers a minimalist design and gorgeous IPS display, but add the $150 dock and it gains a full keyboard, two USB 2.0 ports, an SD slot and up to 6.5 additional hours of battery life. We vote this the tab most likely to render your netbook obsolete.

Key specs: 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) IPS display, 16GB or 32GB of internal memory / microSD slot, 1.5 pounds, 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 SoC, rated for up to 9.5 hours of battery life (16 with the docking station).

Price: $394.99 and up on Amazon

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HP TouchPad
HP's inaugural webOS slate with inductive charging just got a lot more tempting thanks to a $100 price cut and a software update promising a speed and performance boost.

$398 and up on Amazon


Toshiba Thrive
The Thrive offsets its thick, toy-like build with solid performance and an array of ports you're not likely to find on other tablets, including USB and HDMI sockets, and a full-sized SD slot.

$399.99 and up on Amazon



Money's no object


Apple iPad 2

This was a tough call: since we published our iPad 2 review, the slate that Steve built has met its hardware match in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Sure, we hope the next-gen model packs a higher-res screen and improved cameras, but ultimately, the iPad still trumps the competition when it comes to software. With over 90,000 apps, the tablet's become something of a Swiss Army Knife among slates, and we don't see developers reversing their prioritization of iOS anytime soon. Now, if only we could get a Facebook app...

Key specs: 9.7-inch (1024 x 768) IPS display, 1.3 pounds, 16GB to 64GB of internal memory, 1GHz dual-core A5 SoC, rated for up to 10 hours of battery life.

Price: $499 and up from Apple

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is handsome, solidly built and pinch-thin. It also offers a stunning 1280 x 800 display and is one of the fastest tablets we've tested. Since we reviewed it, Samsung's also layered its TouchWiz UX on top of Android 3.1 -- a move that brings the user experience more in line with what you'd expect from Samsung's handsets.

$499.99 on Amazon


HTC Flyer
No, it doesn't run Honeycomb, but the Flyer remains one of our favorite 7-inch tablets, thanks to its attractive (and durable) aluminum design. It's also one of the few consumer slates offering pen input, making it the rare tab you might actually use for taking notes. That notepad app, by the by, is superb, helped in large part by excellent handwriting recognition software.

$499.99 from Best Buy


Engadget's Back to School Giveaway
Official Rules
No Purchase Required to Enter or Win

Eligibility: Engadget's Back to School Giveaway (the "Giveaway") is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 years of age or older. Employees of Weblogs Inc. LLC, AOL Inc., their advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All U.S., federal, state and local and Canadian federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations apply. Void in Quebec, Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law.

Sponsor: The Giveaway is sponsored by Weblogs Inc. LLC, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor").

Agreement to Official Rules: Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

Giveaway Period: The Giveaway begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011 (the "Giveaway Period"). The Giveaway Period shall be divided into fifteen (15) separate Entry Periods:

Entry Period 1 begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 2 begins at 12PM ET on August 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 3 begins at 12PM ET on August 3, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 4 begins at 12PM ET on August 5, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 5 begins at 12PM ET on August 8, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 6 begins at 12PM ET on August 10, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 7 begins at 12PM ET on August 12, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 8 begins at 12PM ET on August 15, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 9 begins at 12PM ET on August 17, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 10 begins at 12PM ET on August 19, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 11 begins at 12PM ET on August 22, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 12 begins at 12PM ET on August 24, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 13 begins at 12PM ET on August 26, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 14 begins at 12PM ET on August 31, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 15 begins at 12PM ET on September 2, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.

Entry: During the Giveaway Period, go to http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/engadgets-back-to-school-2011-sweepstakes-were-giving-away-3/ and add a comment to submit your entry. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person.

Drawing: At the conclusion of the Giveaway Period, Sponsor will select the name of one (1) Grand Prize Winner from each of the fifteen (15) Entry Periods in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during each Entry Period. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the applicable Entry Period. Potential Winners will be contacted via email and asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period. Non-winning entries from one Entry Period do not carry over into subsequent Entry Periods.

Requirements of the Potential Winners: Except where prohibited, the potential winners will be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") and IRS W-9 form within seven (7) days of being notified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release and W-9 form within the required time period, an alternate entrant may be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. In the event the potential winner of any prize is a Canadian resident, he/she will also be required to correctly answer a time-limited mathematical question to be administered by email, mail or phone to receive the prize. Limit one (1) prize per household.

Prizes: Fifteen (15) Grand Prize Winners will each receive a Back to School Prize Pack containing the following items: HP Pavilion dm1z laptop, Sony NEX-C3 digital camera, Samsung 7" Galaxy Tab, Motorola Photon 4G (Sprint) smartphone, Altec Lansing Octiv 650 speaker doc, Bowers & Wilkins C5 headphones, Nook E-reader, Timbuk2 Command Messenger bag, Elgato HDHomeRun TV tuner, Kingston Wi-Drive, 1-year Premium Spotify subscription, Scosche: goBAT II, iMainGo: X, G-Form 11" Extreme Sleeve, Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite, 1-year Premium Skype subscription, Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock, Red Swingline Stapler, Toddy Smart Cloth and Pogo Sketch. Approximate Retail Value of each Prize Pack is $3,151. Subscriptions are subject to issuer's terms and conditions. Activation fees and monthly service fees not included with any smartphone/digital devices. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize or portion of a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. Winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize.

General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prizes at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release, defend indemnify and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities from and against any claim or cause of action, including without limitation, any third party claim, arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use or misuse of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use or misuse of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PRIZES AND ALL ELEMENTS THEREOF ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR DISCLAIMS ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. Some jurisdictions do not allow the disclaimer of implied warranties. In such jurisdictions, some of the foregoing disclaimers may not apply to you insofar as they relate to implied warranties.

Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Giveaway Results: To request the names of the winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Engadget Back to School Giveaway Winners, Zach Honig, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. Requests must be received by September 30, 2011.
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BlackBerry Curve Touch 9380 gets the silent video treatment, confirms NFC rumors (video)

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 08:48 AM PDT

Looking like the runt of RIM's newest BlackBerry litter, the Curve Touch 9380 has recently surfaced on a German site starring in its own silent movie. The video, taken by MacBerry.de, shows off the mini-BB handset -- née Orlando / Malibu -- running the company's OS 7 and confirming those NFC-capable rumors. A side-by-side comparison with a full-grown Curve and Storm gives you a true sense of just how wee the portrait QWERTY-less touch device actually is, with its 3.25-inch 480 x 360 HVGA display. The phone, purported to launch this Q4 in both GSM and CDMA versions, isn't going to snag the beast tag anytime soon, but falls in line with earlier reported specs, sporting a respectable 800MHz Qualcomm MSM8655 processor, 5 megapixel camera, 1GB Flash, 512MB RAM, microSD card slot, WiFi and Bluetooth. If you're in the market for a fashionable, Zoolander-approved smartphone, expect to pick up this little rascal on your carrier of choice later this year.

Is TabCo releasing the JooJoo 2?

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 07:48 AM PDT

All right, TabCo. We admit it. You've grabbed our attention with all of this swirling tablet mystery over the past few months. And yes, we'll be watching today at noon when you make the big reveal. But you couldn't wait for then, could you? The company offered up a German language tweet earlier today that seemed to shed some light on the mystery of who exactly is behind the soon to be announced tablet, teasing, "Introducing the Grid 10." Sound familiar? That's the name affixed to the Fusion Garage tablet we recently saw pass through the FCC -- you know, the JooJoo 2? Of course, the company has distanced itself from that product name for obvious reasons. It remains to be seen, of course, whether TabCo has abandoned all mention of the Fusion Garage name as well, like so many CrunchPad prototypes.

Update: Something fishy seems to be happening over on the official TabCo Twitter account. The first tweet has disappeared, as has a second addressing the Google / Motorola news. We'll update you as more info comes through.

[Thanks, Adriano]

Verizon wants you to upgrade to a smartphone, offering $100 gift card in exchange?

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 07:26 AM PDT

How much is Verizon willing to pay you to switch from a basic phone to a smartphone? A cool $100, according to rumors. The provider is reportedly gearing up to launch a new offer aimed at encouraging more customers to get with the times, as part of its trade-in program. Under the incentive, basic phone users eligible for a two-year upgrade (or those who qualify for an early upgrade) would be able to re-sign a two-year contract, tack on a data plan and purchase a new smartphone at a reduced price. Once that's done, they'll receive a PIN code for Verizon's trade-in site, where they'll find instructions on how to send in their old phones to receive a $100 gift card. A tipster told Phone Arena that the offer will run from August 18th to September 30th, though it remains unclear whether it will be regional or nationwide. For more details, check out the source link, below.

Motorola Defy+ leaves the gym, coming this fall with slightly more muscle

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 07:00 AM PDT

You'd be hard-pressed to find many phones that look relatively stylish, are thin and light enough to carry comfortably in your pocket, and can hang out underwater for ten minutes. That's why, we suppose, the Motorola Defy became popular worldwide; it's difficult to build a device to be a tank without looking like one, and it's even more tough to do it right. Naturally, when you've got a good thing going, it's ideal to improve upon that model. The Motorola Defy+ aims to do just that -- keep the form factor, Gorilla Glass and IP67 certification, but beef up the internal components and throw in better firmware. The new iteration -- slated for a Q3 release -- will house a single-core 1GHz TI OMAP 3620, Android 2.3.4 with Moto's latest UI skin (still curiously referred to as MotoBlur) on top, and a 1700mAh battery while the rest of the specs remain the same as its predecessor. No word on specific carrier availability was given, though HelloMoto aims to launch it in Asia, Latin America, and Europe in the fall. Full press release can be found after the break.
Show full PR text
Motorola Mobility Reveals Motorola DEFY+

It's faster, smarter and richer – Motorola DEFY+ is now equipped with faster Web-browsing and the social networking tools you crave to stay connected wherever you go

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Aug 15, 2011 – Live life to the fullest with the latest life proof smartphone from Motorola Mobility, Inc., Motorola DEFY™+. Building on the Motorola DEFY's life proof heritage, Motorola DEFY+ offers exceptional protection from whatever life throws your way with its water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof design (IP67). In addition, Motorola DEFY+ has a 1GHz processor that runs 25 percent faster and is more fun with the latest version of Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) delivering a smarter operating system and better battery life to fully enjoy your experiences. Motorola DEFY+ will be available in Asia, Europe and Latin America starting in early fall.

Water resistant, dust proof, and featuring scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass Motorola DEFY+, can survive a sudden rain shower, a day on the beach, an all-night party – or even a tough workout with the pre-loaded CardioTrainer application, which transforms the device into the perfect running mate. Its brilliant 3.7-inch high-resolution touch-screen display enables you to easily view and track your work out progress. Wherever your days – or nights – take you, Motorola DEFY+ is the life proof device that can keep up with your toughest demands and wildest adventures.

Motorola DEFY+ is faster than ever, keeping up with your on-the-go lifestyles so you can effortlessly browse the Web, stay updated with social networking sites on your homescreens and stream and download rich media content more quickly than before. Motorola DEFY+ offers an Adobe® Flash® 10-enabled browser for a rich web experience that allows users to watch their favorite movies or view videos on the Web.

Powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), Motorola DEFY+ is smarter than ever. This new version of Android boasts a better battery life, a more intuitive user interface and improvements on the features you use most – including enhanced calendar and email features and home screen options. Users can make Motorola DEFY+ their own by organizing and personalizing their Application trays for easy and quick access to their most used tools, games and content.

Boredom proof your life; the richest experiences in entertainment and social media are always within reach with Motorola DEFY+. The Music Player lets you access and share your favourite music. You can also stream your favorite music straight from your desktops at home or work, with Motorola Media Link. Motorola DEFY+ also features Google Talk™ to keep you connected with friends and colleagues, while built in apps like the *Zinio™ e-magazine service allow you to keep up with favourite publications on-the-go. Entertainment doesn't stop there: Motorola DEFY+ also features a 5MP camera with flash, digital zoom and auto focus, letting users capture the best of their social life and create their very own entertainment whatever the conditions.

"Motorola DEFY+, our latest life proof smartphone, delivers the endurance and design strength to keep up with even the most demanding lifestyles, along with the social and entertainment capabilities that put friends and fun in easy reach," said Alain Mutricy, senior vice president, portfolio and device product management, Motorola Mobility. "We designed Motorola DEFY+ with all the smartphone features you need for a demanding lifestyle."

Smart Accessories
A suite of smart accessories ensures users get the most from the Motorola DEFY+. Available accessories include Vehicle Dock, Bluetooth Headset, Bluetooth Car Kit, Portable Power, and Car Charger.

Key Features and Specifications:
• Powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and features more than 250,000 apps from Android Market™
• 1GHz processor that runs 25 percent faster for efficient Web browsing and multitasking
• Water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof to withstand all that life throws your way
• Features scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass
• 3.7-inch high-resolution touch screen display
• Music Player connects you to all your favourite artists
• MOTOBLUR lets users stay in touch with friends, providing quick access to social media accounts and live widgets directly from the homescreen
• Motorola Media Link allows users to sync their media content from their desktops at home or work
• Loaded with the ability to create group emails and communication to stay in touch with friends
• Adobe Flash Player 10 for uncompromised viewing of applications, content and videos
• 5MP camera with auto focus, flash and digital zoom
• 2GB internal; *2GB microSD card in box, expandable up to 32GB
• Access to Google™ Apps (Google Maps™ 5.0 with Navigation, Google Talk™, Browsing)
• 1700mAH battery for 7.1 hours of talk time and 16 days in standby


Availability
Motorola DEFY+ will be available in Asia, Europe and Latin America starting in early fall.

Windows Phone 7 turned into Windows 7 controller, 3D mice put on notice

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 06:36 AM PDT

You can pack all the gyroscopes, accelerometers and other motion-detecting sensors you want in your desktop -- it's still not going to be any good at playing Eliminate: Gun Range. That's the motivation behind developer Arik Poznanski's latest release. He has created a driver enabling his Windows Phone 7 to transmit its accelerometer data back to his Windows 7 desktop in real time. Currently the driver's not good for much beyond a tech demo, but given the different ways people have hacked their Wiimotes, it won't be long before homebrewed killer apps start appearing -- perhaps paired up with a little Kinect wizardry. If you're looking to get started at home, hit the source link below for more details.

[Thanks, Sandip]

Gundam robot statue returns to Japan, looking worse for wear

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 06:08 AM PDT

After a brief hiatus, that giant Gundam statue we spotted a couple years ago has once again returned home to Tokyo -- though he clearly didn't make the voyage in one piece. Rather than reconstruct the 60-foot robot in its entirety, Bandai, the company behind the Gundam franchise, has decided to scatter its limbs, weapons and machinery all over an artificial island. For about $6.50, anime fans and Derrida enthusiasts can view the deconstructed mecha in all its glory, sit in the palm of his hand, or even use a fixed bicycle to make his head glow. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Storm past the break for an extra pic of the exhibit.

The Intel Upgrade Service: Once again charging you $50 to do stuff your CPU already does

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 05:37 AM PDT

Fans of creative nickel-and-dime schemes will love this: Buy an Intel i3-2312M, i3-2102 or Pentium G622 and it just isn't powerful enough, you can grab a $50 upgrade card. Enter the card's code online and hidden capacity in your chip will suddenly become available for use. Those with longer memories will find this offer familiar, because Intel did the same thing last year with the Pentium G6951. You may be peeved at the idea of buying the same thing twice, but remember that the company is only targeting the limited service at low-end consumers who want a little bit extra from their budget desktop. If you're interested in how much performance can be wrung from these chips, check out the source link below.

Google acquiring Motorola Mobility

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 04:42 AM PDT

Google acquiring Motorola Mobility
Happy Monday to you, and happy Monday to Motorola Mobility, which Google has announced is about to become its next acquisition. This comes hot on the heels of a $56 million Q2 net loss for Moto -- and CEO Sanjay Jha's less than subtle hints about going fishing for Android-related patent royalties. Now, at a price of $40 per share for a total of about $12.5 billion, Big G will be making Moto a "dedicated Android partner" to "supercharge the Android ecosystem" and "enhance competition in mobile computing."

Larry Page had this to say about the deal:
Motorola Mobility's total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.
What happens next? While this will of course strengthen the ties between hardware and software, Google is pledging to continue offering Android as an open platform -- Moto will license it and others will be able to as ever. Additionally, Google will continue to operate its new toy as a separate business and not morph it into an in-house hardware wing. But, one has to wonder what this means for companies like Samsung, which partnered closely with Google on the Nexus S, and of course HTC, which released the Nexus One and the iconic G1. And then there's the big question: just where does Moto Blur fit into this equation?

Update: More quotes from Android partners after the break.

Peter Chou, CEO, HTC:

We welcome the news of today's acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem.

Bert Nordberg, President & CEO, Sony Ericsson:

I welcome Google's commitment to defending Android and its partners.

Jong-Seok Park, President & CEO, LG:

We welcome Google's commitment to defending Android and its partners.

J.K. Shin, President, Samsung, Mobile Communications Division:

We welcome today's news, which demonstrates Google's deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem.


Show full PR text
Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility

Combination will Supercharge Android, Enhance Competition, and Offer Wonderful User Experiences

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. & LIBERTYVILLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of about $12.5 billion, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

"Motorola Mobility's total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers."
The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, "Motorola Mobility's total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers."

Sanjay Jha, CEO of Motorola Mobility, said, "This transaction offers significant value for Motorola Mobility's stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers, and partners around the world. We have shared a productive partnership with Google to advance the Android platform, and now through this combination we will be able to do even more to innovate and deliver outstanding mobility solutions across our mobile devices and home businesses."

Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, said, "We expect that this combination will enable us to break new ground for the Android ecosystem. However, our vision for Android is unchanged and Google remains firmly committed to Android as an open platform and a vibrant open source community. We will continue to work with all of our valued Android partners to develop and distribute innovative Android-powered devices."

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals in the US, the European Union and other jurisdictions, and the approval of Motorola Mobility's stockholders. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2011 or early 2012.

Webcast Information

Google and Motorola Mobility will hold a conference call with financial analysts to discuss this announcement today at 8:30am ET. The toll-free dial-in number for the call is 877-616-4476 (conference ID: 92149124). The call will also be webcast live at http://investor.shareholder.com/media/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=101369&CompanyID=ABEA-3VZHGF&e=1&mediaKey=A21887C59EBAAC12F1BCF4D43C080953. The webcast version of the conference call will be available through the same link following the conference call.

About Google Inc.

Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

About Motorola Mobility

Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes 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. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as Google, Motorola or management of either company "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements herein that describe the proposed transaction, including its financial impact, and other statements of management's beliefs, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. It is uncertain whether any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on the results of operations and financial condition of the combined companies or the price of Google or Motorola stock. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the ability of the parties to consummate the proposed transaction and the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to consummation of the proposed transaction, including the ability to secure regulatory approvals at all or in a timely manner; the ability of Google to successfully integrate Motorola's operations, product lines and technology; the ability of Google to implement its plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect to Motorola's business after the completion of the transaction and realize additional opportunities for growth and innovation; and the other risks and important factors contained and identified in Google's and Motorola's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), such as their respective Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. Neither Google nor Motorola undertakes any obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

Motorola intends to file with the SEC a proxy statement in connection with the proposed transaction with Google. The definitive proxy statement will be sent or given to the stockholders of Motorola and will contain important information about the proposed transaction and related matters. SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT CAREFULLY WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. The proxy statement and other relevant materials (when they become available), and any other documents filed by Motorola with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website, at www.sec.gov. In addition, security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement from Motorola by contacting Investor Relations by mail at Attn: Investor Relations, 600 North U.S. Highway 45, Libertyville, IL 60048.

Participants in the Solicitation

Motorola and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Motorola stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about Motorola's directors and executive officers is set forth in its proxy statement for its 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 15, 2011, and its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed on February 18, 2011. These documents are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, and by mail at Attention: Investor Relations, 600 North U.S. Highway 45, Libertyville, IL 60048, or by going to Motorola's Investor Relations page on its corporate website at http://investors.motorola.com. Additional information regarding the interests of participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the transaction will be included in the proxy statement that Motorola intends to file with the SEC.

M-Disc holds your data 'forever,' we go hands-on for a few minutes (video)

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 04:15 AM PDT

It was two years ago when we last wrote about Millenniata and its Millenial Disc for ultra long-term data storage of somewhere between "1,000 years" and "forever." If you'll recall, it works using a "synthetic, rock-like" layer that your data is "etched" into, rather than burned onto like other writeable discs so files don't corrupt over time. Since then, the disc's been given DoD certification for data retention in extreme conditions and redubbed M-Disc, while Hitachi-LG has signed on to produce drives. We recently got the chance to check out a few of these discs and see whether this tech will fly like a Frisbee or sink like a stone.
M-Disc Hands-on

The disks look and feel nearly identical to any CD-R or DVD-R you've used except that they're transparent, lacking reflection and dye layers, and they have an oddly pungent odor similar to film developer. The current iteration reads like a single-layer DVD-R with 4.7GB of space, and in the works are dual-layer as well as Blu-ray versions. While any DVD drive can read them, an M-Disc type is required for "burning" as the laser is calibrated differently. This is where LG's drives come in. The company was showing off a variant of an existing external Blu-ray and DVD burner that could also etch M-Discs, though internal versions are planned. The samples used were loaded with text and video files, and our laptops read them like any normal DVD-R.


We're told the discs have a stronger bond between layers and won't split like normal DVD-Rs in heat, humidity or light (hence the DoD part), but the most intriguing claim is that they can survive on-edge impacts. We did our own little tests and found that hitting the face on a table would cause damage, which is to be expected, but we also found them to be just as easy to split as our blank Maxwell DVD-Rs. A few edge-on hits to a table or concrete was enough to let us easily pull apart the discs, rendering them unreadable. While we can't exactly say data on the discs will last forever -- especially if you're prone to chucking them against stuff -- there's DoD evidence and and a LG's support backing up Millenniata. Although 4.7GB isn't much these days and physical media is on its way out, some of you may see it fit for worry-free archiving of important files and precious memories. If that's you, come October you'll be able to buy one, five or ten packs priced at about $3, $14 and $27 respectively. Sure, that seems like a lot now, but imagine how how cheap that'll be in 1,000 years.
New M-DISC to Provide Up To 1,000 Years of Permanent Data Storage

Millenniata Partners with Hitachi-LG Data Storage

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 15, 2011-Millenniata™ (www.Millenniata.com), a new optical disc company, ushered in a new era of information storage with the release of its M-DISC™ and M-READY™ disc storage technology-technology that permanently etches data onto the write layer of the disc for use anytime and for generations to come without any data loss.

The company also announced a manufacturing and marketing partnership with Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. to manufacture Millenniata compatible (M-DISC compatible) DVD drives and market them through its sales channels.

Whether for music, photos, videos, genealogical records, business records, data loss prevention, permanent file backup, medical imaging, government or archive, M-DISC provides long-lasting storage by literally etching data into a rock-like material. The M-DISC will not degrade over time and is usable on a daily basis.

Under the partnership, Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. will manufacture M-READY DVD drives and market and sell them to its U.S. and international retail channels under its DVD brands. All M-DISC compatible aftermarket drives will include the M-DISC logo indicating compatibility to write to M-DISCs. Any DVD drive will read the M-DISC.

Millenniata will manufacture and market the M-DISC to the same LG U.S. and international retail channels as well as to its global value-added reseller channels. The drives and discs will be available on Millenniata's website in September. They will be available at some popular retail outlets in October. They will be available at an additional growing number of retailers at different time periods thereafter.


"We are very excited to partner with such a strong global presence as Hitachi-LG Data Storage as we introduce M-DISC permanent storage to the world," said Scott Shumway, Millenniata CEO. "Millenniata discs capture the essence of how people use their data and information-literally for a thousand years."

"Millenniata's technology has been tested and proven to provide long-lasting data storage," said - Sang Hun Kim, Deputy CMO, Sales and Marketing Division at Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. "We are pleased to partner with Millenniata to provide true permanent storage DVD technology that can stand the test of time."

With a growing need for durable, long-lasting information storage, the M-DISC provides data loss prevention by laser etching data into an inorganic rock-like material that is not available from any other recordable DVD. Other recordable DVDs use organic dyes to hold data, a material that is known to fade and degrade over time.

A recent study proves 'data rot' or data loss will occur on all discs, but not with the M-DISC. An accelerated life test performed by the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, Calif. tested five brands of archival-quality DVD discs including the Millenniata M-DISC for data longevity and reliability. The test found that the M-DISC was the only solution that suffered no degradation or data loss. All other discs tested failed.

The Millenniata M-DISC will have the following manufacturers suggested retail pricing (MSRP):

One M-DISC: $2.99 MSRP
M-DISC five pack: $13.89 MSRP
M-DISC 10 pack: $26.59 MSRP

One M-DISC has a traditional DVD disc capacity of 4.7GB of space with comparable performance. Millenniata is currently working on a Blu-Ray version of M-DISC that will be announced at a later date.

About Millenniata

Millenniata, Inc. is a permanent data storage technology company based in Salt Lake City. The company's patented Write Once, Read Forever™ technology is the world's first stable permanent digital storage solution and is composed of the M-DISC™ and M-DISC compatible drives. The M-DISC is the first backward compatible non-dye based DVD optical technology constructed of inorganic materials that are known to last centuries. M-DISC compatible drives are a high quality optical drive specifically designed to laser-etch digital information onto the M-DISC. This combination allows information to be written once and read over time and offers the best permanent data storage solution in the industry. www.millenniata.com.

About Hitachi-LG Data Storage

Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. (HLDS), a joint venture of Hitachi Ltd. and LG Electronics Inc., has been maintaining Global No.1 position in the world optical storage market since its establishment in 2001. Based on the source technology from Hitachi Ltd. and the application technology from LG Electronics, Inc., creating a technical synergy effect between each other, HLDS has been able to become the world's leading company in the optical storage industry.
Also, due to its powerful market leadership, HLDS was able to maintain No.1 global market share for 9 consecutive years since its establishment.
HLDS is still in its challenge to become the new "Total Storage Solution Provider" in the market by extending its business area to new storage devices such as NAS (Network Attached Storage) while also strengthening the existing optical storage leadership through cutting edge technology, strong marketing power and enhanced service structure for DVD-Rewriter, Blu-Ray/DVD-W Combination Drive, Blu-Ray Rewriter etc.

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Space Elevator conference gets theoretical, says lift won't not happen in 150 years

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 02:36 AM PDT

Space Elevator Conference gets theoretical, says it won't not happen for 150 years
With the shuttle program being mothballed, we're going to need a new way to get off this rock. How about that old space ladder concept? You know, the one riddled with issues that nearly trump its ambitions. The idea has faced its share of technological walls: NASA's related Beam Power Challenge ended without a winner for years on end, and the project's Tether Challenge remains unconquered today. Not to mention that the week-long lift might expose you to deadly levels of radiation. Lucky for us, attendees of the annual Space Elevator Conference aren't ready to give up, and set to work last week brainstorming potential solutions. Could we replace the laser power system with solar panels? How strong are modern nanocarbons, and what issues do we need to be aware of to keep the carbon nanotube cables from breaking? Wouldn't it be cool if the next design featured six cars instead of just three? Although the outpouring of ideas flowed like water, the response to many of them seemed to be the same: we really need to look into that. Despite the seemingly insurmountable issues, researchers remain optimistic, "We try not to be narrow-minded and say it won't happen for 150 years," stated one NASA program manager. We'll just take the stairs, thanks.

BlackBerry Bold 9930 now available from Verizon for $250, on contract

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 12:29 AM PDT

We've already seen Verizon's BlackBerry Bold 9930 rear its head in a leaked video and now, it looks like it's finally gone all official on us. The slim, QWERTY-equipped handset has just popped up on Verizon's site, where users can now order one for $250 on a two-year contract, or $510 sans contract. Its specs, meanwhile, coincide with what we've already heard, including that 2.8-inch, 640×480 VGA touchscreen, 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and .41-inch thickness. The 9930 also comes equipped with BlackBerry 7 OS, bringing voice-activated search and speedy browsing capabilities to the palm of your hand. No word yet on when the phone will arrive in actual stores, though rumor has it that August 25th could be the big day. For more details and ordering information, check out the source link, below.

Prototype MacBook Pro with SIM slot surfaces on eBay, unicorns actually exist

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 10:34 PM PDT

Always dreamt of a Apple notebook with built-in WWAN? Looks like today's your lucky day: a prototype MacBook Pro just surfaced on eBay, replete with a SIM card slot and retractable antenna in tow. Expecting a nonfunctional parts machine off Craigslist, its newfound owner managed to resuscitate the 2007-esque gizmo into booting, but was unfortunately unable to coax any GSM goodness from the thing. According to the seller, regular MacBook Pros from the era contain the same (but unused) solder points for the SIM card as the proto, lending credence to the notion that Cupertino might have seriously considered a 3G variant. Either way, if you've got a knack for rare Apple collectibles, or feel the need to ogle and some red-colored innards, hit the source below.

How would you change T-Mobile's G-Slate?

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 08:29 PM PDT

Splurged on a T-Mobile G-Slate, did you? Here's your opportunity to voice your opinion to LG (and anyone else who'll listen). Sporting an unorthodox aspect ratio and an affinity for a carrier that may not exist on its own by this time next year, it's certainly one of the odder slate options on the market. Combine that with the inability to buy a WiFi-only model, and you've got yourself firmly into niche territory. That said, we're confident that LG moved quite a few of these, and chances are that some of those buyers are reading these words right now. If that's you, we're interested to hear how you'd do things differently the next go 'round. Are you a fan of the form factor? Pining for a matte panel? Would you have preferred a WWAN-less variant? Is the UI everything you'd hoped for... and more? Go on and drop your thoughts in comments below -- mama always encouraged the art of getting things off your chest.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: electric airplanes, CO2-storing bricks and solar-powered bags

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 06:33 PM PDT

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week green architecture boldly went where no buildings have gone before as Inhabitat reported on Jordan's plans for a $1.5 billion Star Trek theme park that will be powered by alternative energy. We also showcased plans for a spiraling self-sufficient skyscraper that generates its own water, food, and power, and we took a first look at a shimmering office complex in India crowned with a digital eye. Meanwhile, GE launched a shining solar-powered carousel in Manhattan and a team of researchers developed a new breed of CO2-storing bricks that are 2.5 times stronger than concrete.

In other news, high-flying green vehicles charted the horizon as Pipistrel introduced the world's most powerful electric airplane and an incredible human-powered helicopter broke a world record. We also saw Ohio State unveil plans for the 400 MPH Buckeye Bullet 3 and we showcased designs for a stunning concept car with a segmented transforming skin. Autonomous vehicles were a hot topic as well -- London's Heathrow airport rolled out a set of electric personal transportation pods, and China's Hongqui unveiled a driverless car to compete with Google's vehicle (which crashed this week).

It was also a big week for wearable technology as researchers developed new breed of stick-on tattoos that can track body functions and we took a look at a sonic fabric bag made from recycled audio tapes. Finally, we got set for the start of the academic year by bringing you six of the best solar-powered bags, an innovative new breed of e-paper that doesn't require electricity, and we launched a blowout back to school contest where you could win $1155 in green school supplies -- including a photovoltaic backpack and a HP Pavilion laptop.

HTC Holiday prototype shows up on Craigslist, gives us reason to celebrate (update: AT&T-bound)

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 05:52 PM PDT

This isn't something you see up for sale on Craigslist every day, but what you see here may very well be a true-blue HTC Holiday. According to the XDA thread, the person responsible for the pictures noticed the device was being sold on the famous classified site, purchased it, and splattered the images online as evidence. Certainly, the resemblance to the render we saw in May is uncanny (minus the unfortunately cracked screen), and if the specs stay true to what was rumored at the time, we can expect to enjoy a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM on a 4.5-inch qHD (960 x 540) display -- all confirmed by the screenshots -- as well as Android 2.3.4 and dual cameras consisting of an 8MP rear and 1.3MP front. The smartphone was rumored to be heading to AT&T's lineup, though no branding could be found. Either way, this particular dream machine is destined to turn more than a few heads. Check out the gallery below for a few more angles.
HTC Holiday leaked shots

[Thanks, Michael]

Update: The "myATT" logo in the bottom right of the Holiday's app menu is a pretty obvious indicator that it is, indeed, on its way to AT&T -- so at least it's going through the testing rounds right now, and we'll see if it gets the final approval to get pushed to stores.

Citrix app opens Windows for Chromebook owners

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 04:53 PM PDT

Google hasn't made any bones about its desire to position Chrome OS as a presence in the business space. But for plenty of users, the relatively limited functionality of Chromebooks doesn't quite get the job done when it comes to doing serious work. The latest offering from Citrix could change that for a number of Chromebook-sporting business-types, offering access to Windows applications and desktops. Citrix Receiver Tech Preview is free from the Chrome Web Store (but requires a MyCitrix login). So now there's no excuse for not getting any work done -- except maybe a bad connection.

Switched On: TabCo's tease

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 03:00 PM PDT

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology

Tomorrow, we will find out whether TabCo is a FabCo, a DrabCo, or a skunkworks LabCo, ending the best guessing game to hit the tech industry since the identity of Fake Steve Jobs.

The significant spend on the PR campaign (to quote TabCo's Web site, "That skywriting stuff isn't cheap, you know. Neither are these videos.") as well as a reference to "a large colony of nerds" have led many to believe that TabCo is a large corporation. (Its Web site says it is a global company and TabCo is planning to launch in the US in August and Europe in September.) But there are also signs to the contrary. Take, for example, TabCo's founder and CEO -- the Google-elusive Ian "IQ" Quincy (TabCo has used pseudonyms such as "Beige Foul" -- a clear reference to Apple engineer Gray Powell), who has played a major part in the campaign. Let's dive a little deeper.

TabCo's site says that tomorrow's web presentation will be when "the man behind TabCo shows you his innovative tablet." But the site also says the unmarried Quincy was born in 1974, which would rule out most well-known tech founder-CEOs. (Google's Larry Page was born in 1973 and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg in 1984.)

On the other hand, TabCo has freely mixed fact and fantasy, history and hype, into its campaign. For example, the first viral video released by TabCo shows "Forget the fruit" skytyping that actually took place during Apple's June WWDC event. Subsequent videos, though, have strayed progressively further from reality, showing a fake focus group, a prototype being exposed by "Wizmodo," a fabricated manipulation of the lights of the Empire State Building, and so on.

It's unlikely that TabCo is a well-known tech company that has already introduced its first tablets. And while Sony hasn't launched its tablets yet, one of the TabCo site pages notes that its device will have only one screen whereas Sony's "S2" tablet will have two screens. Curiously, no company has denied that it is TabCo. Yet, most of the speculation has revolved around two companies that are widely expected to release tablets, but have not released any details about them – Amazon.com and Nokia.

Amazon.com. Quincy's background has some similarity to that of Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. Like Quincy, Bezos, who was born ten years before TabCo's CEO, was a child prodigy. The TabCo site also says that Quincy climbed out of his crib at an early age. Bezos reportedly dismantled his crib with a screwdriver as a toddler. Bezos also worked for other companies before founding Amazon and went to "a really great college" (Princeton). And one TabCo tablet UI screenshot is focused on IMDB, which is owned by Amazon.

But Amazon's Kindle introductions have been nothing like TabCo's campaign -- just presentations by Bezos that have been as low-key as a decaf at a Seattle coffee house. In addition, the poking of fun at many named and unnamed companies, including Apple (extensively, although TabCo admits it has no -- and that it believes there is no -- iPad-killer), Google, ASUS, Motorola, Notion Ink, and Coby, would be unusual for a company that sells products from those companies. Good luck hearing a detrimental word about about even Barnes & Noble at a Kindle introduction event.

Nokia. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is neither single nor the company's founder, and is a year older than Bezos. There are some tenuous links, though, between TabCo and Nokia. References are made to TabCo being in "The Land of Innovation," a phrase that Finnish government publications have used. In addition, there is a reference in a post about Beige Foul to the Land of Innovation Tire Company. Tires were once a business that Nokia was in although this probably has more to do with the circle/wheel motif often used in the campaign.

Nokia has been on the offensive lately, swapping out everything from its operating system strategy to its corporate font. It has also not been shy at taking potshots at competitors, particularly Android. And so, a stealth campaign like "Who is TabCo?" would make more sense coming from a company that may be looking to change how it introduces products.

Elop's public comments about what it is looking for in a tablet are consistent with the differentiation that TabCo is promising. Some have speculated that TabCo's "Aha! OS" is MeeGo, which Nokia has reserved for disruptions. But Nokia's MeeGo-based N9 is not headed to the US as the company is focusing its US efforts on Windows Phone 7, which the TabCo product doesn't appear to run.

Whether TabCo is a startup, a superpower, or another surprise, it all changes for the company tomorrow. The nature of TabCo's identity has been successful at attracting curiosity, but the nature of its product will be the key to attracting customers.

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) is executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.

Telex anti-censorship system promises to leap over firewalls without getting burned

Posted: 14 Aug 2011 12:56 PM PDT

Human rights activists and free speech advocates have every reason to worry about the future of an open and uncensored internet, but researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Waterloo have come up with a new tool that may help put their fears to rest. Their system, called Telex, proposes to circumvent government censors by using some clever cryptographic techniques. Unlike similar schemes, which typically require users to deploy secret IP addresses and encryption keys, Telex would only ask that they download a piece of software. With the program onboard, users in firewalled countries would then be able to visit blacklisted sites by establishing a decoy connection to any unblocked address. The software would automatically recognize this connection as a Telex request and tag it with a secret code visible only to participating ISPs, which could then divert these requests to banned sites. By essentially creating a proxy server without an IP address, the concept could make verboten connections more difficult to trace, but it would still rely upon the cooperation of many ISPs stationed outside the country in question -- which could pose a significant obstacle to its realization. At this point, Telex is still in a proof-of-concept phase, but you can find out more in the full press release, after the break.
Show full PR text
New anti-censorship scheme could make it impossible to block individual sites

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---A radical new approach to thwarting Internet censorship would essentially turn the whole web into a proxy server, making it virtually impossible for a censoring government to block individual sites.

The system is called Telex, and it is the brainchild of computer science researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of Waterloo in Canada. They will present it Aug. 12 at the USENIX Security Symposium in San Francisco.

"This has the potential to shift the arms race regarding censorship to be in favor of free and open communication," said J. Alex Halderman, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at U-M and one of Telex's developers.

"The Internet has the ability to catalyze change by empowering people through information and communication services. Repressive governments have responded by aggressively filtering it. If we can find ways to keep those channels open, we can give more people the ability to take part in free speech and access to information."

Today's typical anticensorship schemes get users around site blocks by routing them through an outside server called a proxy. But the censor can monitor the content of traffic on the whole network, and eventually finds and blocks the proxy, too.

"It creates a kind of cat and mouse game," said Halderman, who was at the blackboard explaining this to his computer and network security class when it hit him that there might be a different approach---a bigger way to think about the problem.

Here's how Telex would work:

Users install Telex software. Halderman envisions they could download it from an intermittently available website or borrow a copy from a friend.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) outside the censoring nation deploy equipment called Telex stations.

When a user wants to visit a blacklisted site, he or she would establish a secure connection to an HTTPS website, which could be any password-protected site that isn't blocked. This is a decoy connection. The Telex software marks the connection as a Telex request by inserting a secret-coded tag into the page headers. The tag utilizes a cryptographic technique called "public-key steganography."

"Steganography is hiding the fact that you're sending a message at all," Halderman said. "We're able to hide it in the cryptographic protocol so that you can't even tell that the message is there."

The user's request passes through routers at various ISPs, some of which would be Telex stations. These stations would hold a private key that lets them recognize tagged connections from Telex clients. The stations would divert the connections so that the user could get to any site on the Internet.

Under this system, large segments of the Internet would need to be involved through participating ISPs.

"It would likely require support from nations that are friendly to the cause of a free and open Internet," Halderman said. "The problem with any one company doing this, for example, is they become a target. It's a collective action problem. You want to do it on a wide scale that makes connecting to the Internet almost an all or nothing proposition for the repressive state."

The researchers are at the proof-of-concept stage. They've developed software for researchers to experiment with. They've put up one Telex station on a mock ISP in their lab. They've been using it for their daily web browsing for the past four months and have tested it with a client in Beijing who was able to stream YouTube videos even though the site is blocked there.
at 11:37 AM

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