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Monday, August 29, 2011

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LG VS920 pushes through FCC with Verizon LTE, could be the LG Revolution 2?

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 11:52 AM PDT

The LTE-toting LG Revolution is still the most recent phone to debut on Verizon's 4G lineup -- at least for another week or so, that is -- but we're already seeing clues to the phone's sequel popping up. We saw the Revolution 2 show up on a leaked roadmap so the mysterious follow-up has been on our radar, but we weren't expecting to see it quite this early. Yet here it is: the LG VS920, complete with Verizon's LTE Band 13, global GSM / EDGE and 900 /1900 / 2100 WCDMA and HSPA, has received the FCC's blessing. Now, it doesn't specifically come out saying it's the successor, nor does it signify its relation to the previous device; since the original Revolution is designated the LG VS910, however, we're taking the liberty to put two and two together here. Check out the gallery below for more measurements and diagrams.
LG VS920 FCC docs

Nintendo's Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and golden Wiimote headed for November 20th release

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 11:25 AM PDT

It's hard to believe Link (read: you) has been saving Hyrule and the kidnap-prone Zelda for 25 long years. To commemorate this video gaming milestone, and its upcoming Skyward Sword installment, Nintendo's issuing a limited edition Fabergé egg. Alright, we kid, it's actually the golden Wii Remote Plus we told you about back at E3, except now we've got a release date and pricing. Hitting retailers' shelves on November 20th, gamers can opt for the golden remote bundle at $69.99, or the standalone game for $49.99. Although the swanky controller won't be sold separately, all initial units of both offerings will come with a gratis The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert music CD. You can head past the break to check out the Big N's official presser.
Show full PR text
August 29, 2011 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Bundle Highlights a Golden Autumn for Nintendo Games

Dates and Details Revealed on Zelda Bundle with Gold Controller, New Tetris and Professor Layton Titles

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leaves won't be the only things turning gold this fall as Nintendo prepares to launch an extraordinary lineup of games for its Wii™, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ game systems. At a recent meeting of GameStop retail store managers from across the United States, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing Scott Moffitt revealed new details about upcoming releases for several fan-favorite franchises:

A special limited-edition The Legend of Zelda™: Skyward Sword bundle containing the game and a gold* Wii Remote™ Plus controller will be available when the game launches on Nov. 20.
Also for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, every copy in the initial production of the game will come packaged with a special music CD featuring orchestral arrangements of select songs that will be performed at The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert.
Nintendo will launch the upcoming Tetris®: Axis game for Nintendo 3DS systems on Oct. 2.
The Professor Layton and the Last Specter™ game for the Nintendo DS family of systems will launch Oct. 17.
"Nintendo has something for you this fall, no matter what type of gamer you are, no matter what Nintendo system you're playing," said Moffitt. "Whether you're looking for a world-spanning epic like The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the pick-up-and-play puzzle fun of Tetris: Axis or the mind-bending adventure of Professor Layton and the Last Specter, we've got you covered."

The limited-edition gold controller bundle for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be offered at a suggested retail price of $69.99. The game will also be sold separately at a suggested retail price of $49.99, though the gold controller will only be available as part of the special bundle. As an additional 25th anniversary treat for fans who purchase the game early, every copy in the initial production, whether sold by itself or as a part of the limited-edition bundle, will come with a free CD featuring select orchestral arrangements of iconic music spanning the history of the franchise which will be performed at The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert performances in October 2011. For more information about The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, visit http://www.zelda.com/skywardsword.

The original portable Tetris® game was a smash hit on the Game Boy™ system. The new Tetris: Axis game lets players use the magic of the Nintendo 3DS system to jump into the action in 3D without the need for special glasses. The game includes more than 20 different modes – some familiar, some new. Up to eight players can compete in wireless multiplayer battles, even if only one player has a game card**. Tetris: Axis also makes use of the augmented-reality and SpotPass™ features of Nintendo 3DS. Tetris: Axis is part of a stirring fall lineup for Nintendo 3DS that also includes Pokémon™ Rumble Blast (launching Oct. 24), Super Mario 3D Land™ (November) and Mario Kart™ 7 (December).

Professor Layton and the Last Specter for the Nintendo DS family of systems is the fourth installment in the Professor Layton puzzle adventure series. It begins a new trilogy that is a prequel to the original games, set three years before the events in Professor Layton and the Curious Village™. The game contains more puzzles than any in the series to date. As a North American exclusive to the overall Professor Layton and the Last Specter package, a bonus role-playing game called Professor Layton's London Life™ containing more than 100 hours of additional content will be available to players from the start of the game.

Remember that Wii and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

* Note that the gold controller will simply be gold in color and will not contain any actual precious metals.

** Multiplayer mode requires multiple Nintendo 3DS systems, each sold separately.

Olympus PEN E-P3 Micro Four Thirds camera review

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 10:59 AM PDT

Being the gadget hounds that we are, we're still struggling to fully digest the Micro Four Thirds / interchangeable lens camera market. The performance freak in us suggests that one simply buy a smaller DSLR given the parallel annoyance of carrying around a bag full of lenses, but the mobility junkie in us does appreciate the downsizing -- however minor. Olympus' PEN line has been a beautiful one from the start, but one that found itself out of consideration for many due to the poor value proposition. Even the newest PEN E-P3 isn't a bargain; at $900 with a somewhat versatile 14-42mm lens, it's well north of most entry-level DSLRs, and on-par with many mid-rangers. So, is it really worth splurging on a slightly more compact frame, devilishly good looks and "the world's fastest autofocus system?" Read on for our take.
Olympus E-P3 Micro Four Thirds camera hands-on

Design
It's a PEN! It's beautiful! In all seriousness, we simply adore the styling here, and while it's not quite as retro-ific as Fujifilm's X100, there's plenty of class and sophistication here to go around. We also love just how how many buttons, wheels and knobs are splattered everywhere. We know -- novices will probably detest the learning curve -- but the target market here will no doubt appreciate it. The only major knock is the absence of dedicated ISO and White Balance buttons; that first one is particularly frustrating, but that's coming from a crew that has grown spoiled by a simple wheel-turn ISO adjustment on Nikon's D3S.


The company still hasn't throw in an optical viewfinder, but the stunning OLED touchscreen is about as good as it gets for this segment. We didn't find the touchpanel functionality to be all that useful (even when touching to focus on objects in the dark, it refused to obey), but at least it's easy to disable. We also appreciate the dedicated Movie Record button, which can get an HD clip rolling regardless of where the Mode Dial is at. The pop-up flash is a major improvement (you know, compared to not having one at all), and the menu system / user interface is downright beautiful. In fact, we wish every other camera maker out there would have a gander at what Olympus has done here; the text is crisp, the menus are easy to navigate and the icons are beautiful to look at.

Image and video quality
For an absurdly in-depth look at what the "new" 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor is capable of in just about every scenario, we'd encourage you to peek the extra reviews linked below in our 'More Coverage' section. From an amateur's viewpoint, we have to confess that our love affair with the design and usability don't entirely bleed over to the image results. For all intents and purposes, the output you'll get here is eerily similar to that found in the E-P2. Even more depressing is the low-light performance; while the ISO ceiling sits at 12,800, anything over 3,200 results in a tear-jerking amount of noise.


We also aren't the hugest fans of the iconic "Olympus" color results -- it's not exactly saturated, but it has this unmistakable "digitized" look that is notably absent in any mid-range DSLR on the market. The built-in ART and SCENE filters are clever, and most 'em do more good than harm, but we'd recommend steering clear for anyone that owns Photoshop and / or Lightroom. You're just better off capturing a "standard" image, and then adding the desired effects afterwards. If you embed the effect in the camera, there's no "standard" image to revert back to.
Olympus PEN E-P3 ISO sample shots

Olympus PEN E-P3 sample shots


On the upside, the autofocus system truly is a monumental improvement over the E-P2. It's shockingly quick, and ranks up there with many of the higher-end DSLR rigs that we've handled. The bundled 14-42mm kit lens is rather handy, and it's not awkwardly large, either. The company threw in its 12mm wide-angle pancake as well, and while it did a similarly great job, the $800 price tag on that glass alone is almost shameful. In fact, just thinking of it brings us back to the biggest argument against this form factor: if you're going to invest thousands in lenses, shouldn't you invest in a marginally larger body with far more amenities? At any rate, take a dive into our sample galleries for a taste of what this guy offers.

On the movie side, the 720p quality is just beautiful... if you've got it mounted on a tripod. Even the slightest hand movement introduces a disgusting amount of "jelly," as is showcased in our samples below. It's a shame, really -- you can pretty much bet that whatever video you shoot handheld will be marred by an impossible-to-miss jelly effect. Olympus rates the battery for 330 shots, and in our testing we managed just over 200 snaps mixed with a half-hour of video and untold minutes of idly leaving the LCD on. Not particularly longevous, but it should be plenty to get you through the average vacation day.




Wrap-up
At $900, the E-P3 kit is a far better value than the E-P1 and E-P2 before it, primarily due to the overhauled autofocus system and stunning OLED touchpanel. But when you realize what kind of money you'll be pouring into lenses -- objects that make this guy far less portable from a holistic viewpoint -- the reality starts to sink in. This is still a pricey luxury aimed at a niche, albeit one that's growing by the day. In our estimation, the only meaningful size savings associated with a Micro Four Thirds rig is in the body itself, and if you plan on using the kit lens alone, you may be fine. But if you plan on actually taking advantage of the whole interchangeable lens function, you could be better off buying glass for a smaller Digital SLR.


For those dead-set on this category, though, the E-P3 doesn't innovate enough from an image quality standpoint to justify an upgrade, and for newcomers, that $900 price point is awfully hard to swallow. Here's hoping the E-P4 will hit with an MSRP that doesn't give us so much pause.

GScreen's Spacebook begins shipping this November, doubles your laptop editing fun

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 10:34 AM PDT

Twins, like cupcakes, are universally regarded as a good thing. So, it stands to reason that GScreen's attempt to double your laptop's screen size would be an equally appealing idea. Turns out, duping a display took the Alaska-based company a wee bit longer to fully flesh out, but the time has finally arrived for its debut. Shipping this November, the aptly-named Spacebook will bring a capacious, portable desktop solution to on-the-go creative professionals. The girthy, 10-pound rig won't be winning any style points from the svelte is better crowd, but that's easy to overlook given its dual 17-inch 1920 x 1080 screens, choice of a Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 8GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB of storage, NVIDIA's GeForce GTS 250 (1GB) and DVD burner -- all encased in a magnesium alloy frame. You can grab the entry level model for $1899, but the higher-end, two-headed beast will cost you $2099. If you're in the market for the king of all laptop displays, then head to the source to get your order on.

When two chatbots have a conversation, everyone wins (video)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 10:08 AM PDT

What did one chatbot say to the other chatbot? Quite a lot, actually -- but good luck making any sense out of it. That's what researchers from Cornell's Creative Machines Lab recently discovered, after pitting two bots against one another for a good ol' fashioned talk-off. It's all part of the lab's submission to this year's Loebner Prize Competition in Artificial Intelligence -- an event that awards $100,000 to the team whose computer programs can conduct the most human-like conversations. Unfortunately for Cornell's squad, their chatbots still have a long way to go before achieving conversational coherence, though they could easily get hired as anchors on most cable news networks. Throughout the course of their frenetic (and often snippy) discussion, one bot raised heady questions about God and existence, while the other boldly claimed to be a unicorn. Basically, they had the exact same conversation we used to have in our dorm rooms every night, at around 4 am. Watch it for yourself after the break. It's nothing short of sublime.

Parrot Asteroid to drive music, Android from your dash this October (video)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 09:46 AM PDT


We've seen flavors of Android on our tablets, smartphones -- even a microwave oven -- but Parrot's Asteroid receiver is finally ready to park in your car's dash, bringing a tricked out version of Google's mobile OS to yet another innovative platform. In addition to an FM radio and a line-in connection (duh), the Asteroid also includes USB connectivity, an SD card slot, music on demand, and voice activated music search. There's also hands-free calling over Bluetooth, contact voice recognition, and automatic phonebook sync -- all controlled using a built-in jog wheel or your voice, and displayed on a 3.2-inch LCD. The device connects to the web using your smartphone's WiFi hotspot feature, or by attaching a USB 3G dongle. Asteroid's built-in Maps app and external GPS antenna will be ready to help you navigate the highway for $349 beginning in October, but jump past the break for a peek at the receiver's red-light-cam-spotting iCoyote app in the meantime.

Engadget's back to school guide 2011: accessories

Posted: 29 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've got a slew of accessories -- 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!

Fall's slowly, but surely creeping back in, and we bet you've already started to gather up the necessary gear for your return to the residence hall. Sure, you've got the basics covered, with a computer, smartphone, MP3 player and even a tablet at the ready. But wouldn't it be nice to start the school year off in style with some handy accoutrements to trick out those digital crutches? Let's face it, you're going to need a lapdesk buffer zone between you and your laptop's scorching heat for those countless hours spent churning out term papers. Or, an external hard drive, so you can store those full seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and bring the late night funny to your stressed-out friends. However you manage to make it through the year and snag that 4.0 GPA, we've got a selection of accessorized aids to match your collegiate budget. Oh, and don't forget, we're giving away $3,000 worth of essential back to school gear to 15 readers, and you can be among the chosen few simply by dropping a comment below! Click on past the break to start browsing.



On the cheap


Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite

Forget calculator watches, this is a calculator mouse. Canon's taken advantage of the otherwise wasted space below our palms and outfitted this hybrid mouse with a monochrome LCD, that numeric keypad and Bluetooth. The mouse also does double duty as an external number pad -- useful for the laptop-tethered, and students enrolled in Accounting 101.

Key specs: LCD display, numeric keypad, Bluetooth, PC / Mac compatible.

Price: $59 from Canon

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Scosche goBATT II Portable Charger
Wires? Who needs wires when you've got 5,000mAh worth of rechargeable Lithium-ion juice to revive those techno doodads. Scosche's sleek, black portable charger packs two USB ports and can even handle the energy demands of your Android and iOS tablets.

$80 on Amazon


Logitech Touch Lapdesk N600
Avoid the lap burn and give your carpal tunneled wrist some space with this Logitech lapdesk. The battery-powered unit features a slide-out tray with a multi-touch pad, extra mouse keys, and volume controls. You'll be tempted to use this as a coaster, but we'd advise you to keep the liquids away.

$56 on Amazon



Mid-range


Rocketfish Advanced Series Keyboard Capsule

iPads are fragile things. And if you're like us, you'll want to swathe those portable slabs of multimedia power in this rugged Rocketfish case. Sure, you're trading off in style points, but what you lose in flair, the case more than makes up for in functionality. Packing a full-size Bluetooth keyboard inside its USB-powered hard shell, the iCapsule turns your delicate slate into the hardened road warrior it was meant to be.

Key specs: full-size keyboard, Bluetooth, USB, iPad 2 compatible

Price: $99 on Best Buy

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Aviiq Portable Charging Station
This shock absorbent mesh of ABS plastic and nylon fabric is small enough to fit neatly into your backpack, yet still has plenty of room to cache up to three of your delicate gadgets. Toss in a USB charging hub and your power-starved gizmos won't ever go hungry while you're in transit.

$79 from Aviiq


Kingston Wi-Drive
Need some extra storage for that non-expandable iDevice? Try this slim, WiFi-enabled companion from Kingston that streams up to 32GB of your multimedia library to up to three iOS devices. It may not be the cheapest solution, but it sure beats upgrading when you really don't have to.

$116 on Amazon



Money's no object


Western Digital My Book Studio Edition II

Whether you're an aspiring amateur filmmaker, design student or just a lover of all things media, Western Digital's got a twin external hard drive to keep track of those high-quality 1s and 0s. The drive's shiny metal exterior houses a duo of 3TB disks, perfect for that array of CAD designs, HD content and lossless audio. The WD unit also sports interfaces for eSATA, FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 connections, and plays nicely with both PCs and Macs -- though a pesky reformat is required for the former. If your workflow includes storing tons of high-res files, go ahead and grab this $390 beast.

Key specs: 2 x 3TB, eSATA, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, RAID 1/0, PC and Mac compatible

Price: $390 on Amazon

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Iomega Mac Companion Hard Drive
Not everyone needs bulky storage capacity. Which is why Iomega served up this "stylish" 2TB block that'll pimp, not crimp your Mac's style. If you've got any devices laying around, go ahead and charge them via this brick's two port USB hub. At $209, its Apple-friendly looks won't come cheap, but such is the price of beauty.

$209 on Amazon


AuraSound Sound Station
You've got the esoteric music, but now you need speakers to get that post-Poetry Workshop dance party started. AuraSound's "audiophile-class" media player acts as an iPod / iPhone dock, FM receiver, and internet radio, all while housing a 7-inch video screen. If you're in the market for hi-fi pretense, this is the dock with presence.

$277 on Amazon

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 29, 2011 and ends at 12PM ET on September 9, 2011.
Entry Period 15 begins at 12PM ET on August 31, 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 follow the instructions 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 $3,141. 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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iPhone N94 prototype's front assembly leaked, set to be an iPhone 4S?

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 08:59 AM PDT

As we approach the rumored September or October launch date for the next batch of iPhones, the web's been spiced up with photos of alleged parts for an "N94" iPhone prototype. We've been rather skeptical about them until the above photos landed in our inbox, courtesy of our friends from uBreakiFix. A little while back we'd already heard from our other sources that the N94 is set to be a cheaper version of the current iPhone 4 (probably the 8GB iPhone 4 mentioned by Reuters last week), which would explain why all these components and cables look super familiar. The only notable difference here is the funny dot right next to the sensor location above the earpiece -- the dotted pattern is very much like that used by the microphone and the webcam LED indicator on Mac computers, but obviously the latter is more likely the case here.

That said, do bear in mind that according to the mark along the bottom of this part, we're apparently looking at an "EVT1" (Engineering Verification Test) piece from March 3rd 2011 (making it about three months older than the white N94 back covers that made the rounds last week, assuming they're legit). Additionally, when our sources last checked around June and July, the N94 had yet to hit the DVT stage, so it's hard to determine whether these parts will remain the same in the final design, or whether the N94 will even make it to the production line at all.

On the other hand, our sources pointed out that an elusive N97 device -- previously reported by the Wall Street Journal as a tiny iPhone -- had already reached "DVT" (Design Verification Test) stage back in June, though there's little information about it other than that it's been tested with various cellular technologies (though plagued by some bugs related to switching between specific frequencies back then), plus it may sport a camera module supplied by Sony, which was semi-confirmed by Howard Stringer himself back in April. Whatever the N97 ends up being, hopefully we'll have something at least as slim as our little souvenir from Beijing.

Google files trademark for 'Spot,' programming language to follow?

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 08:39 AM PDT

It looks as though our old pal in Mountain View might have its sights set on developing another programming language. Avid coders probably recall the company's Go offering that was announced last year. Now, Google is looking to stake its claim on the trademark for "Spot." Sorting through the USPTO mumbo jumbo, it's clear that the project centers on a coding language and its related computer programs. Also of note: the internet powerhouse gobbled up four case-related domains including spotlang.com, spotlanguage.net, spot-lang.com and spot-lang.net. For those looking to See Spot Run, perhaps you'll be able to sprint over to the aforementioned URLs in due time.

[Photo credit: brionv]

Stem's iZON Remote Room Monitor lets you spy on the babysitter from your iOS device

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 08:18 AM PDT

Stem iZON
Stem has just come out with a new, wireless camera that could help put parents' minds at rest, while striking fear into the heart of virtually every teenager. Known as the iZON, this room monitor allows concerned and / or paranoid users to remotely watch and listen in on sensitive spaces, from the comfort of their iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. All you have to do is download the free Stem:Connect App from iTunes and configure the device to alert you whenever it detects any motion or sound in within its vicinity. All content can be streamed across Edge, 3G, or wireless connections and will be safely encrypted, though if you feel like sharing your flatmate's daytime antics with the rest of the world, you could easily record video of him directly to YouTube. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break.
Stem iZON

Show full PR text
Stem Innovation announces iZON Remote Room Monitor

App-controlled wireless network video camera streams audio and video to iPod touch, iPhone and iPad

PEMBROKE PINES, FL – AUGUST 29, 2011 - Stem Innovation, LLC today announced the iZON Remote Room Monitor, an app-controlled video camera that enables live streaming of audio and video to an Apple iOS device, anywhere in the world. iZON easily joins most wireless networks to provide secure remote monitoring via the free Stem:Connect App for iPod touch, iPhone and iPad.

iZON can watch and listen for you, alert you when there is motion or noise and even record to a free, private YouTube account - automatically.

iZON is incredibly easy to setup and use. iZON can be placed on any horizontal surface or mounted to a ceiling. It tilts and swivels easily on its unique magnetic base. Download the free Stem:Connect App, then simply plug iZON in and set it up on your local wireless network. A few simple steps help you to create a secure user account and begin streaming live audio and video. iZON is peace of mind, connecting you to the most important people, places and things in your life.

"iZON gives our customers an engaging way to stay connected," says Gary Bart, President and CEO of Stem Innovation. "The combination of its incredible ease of use, automated features and affordable pricing is a game-changer."

iZON is available today at www.steminnovation.com and in select Best Buy locations. iZON will be available soon at Apple retail stores across the U.S. and Canada. iZON will be arriving at all Target retail locations in early October. The suggested retail price is $129.95.

Stem Innovation is a Florida-based company created in July 2010 by product designer and industry veteran Gary Bart. Stem is focused on the development of cutting-edge, app-based accessories. For more information about Stem Innovation and its products, please visit them online at www.steminnovation.com or email info@steminnovation.com

LG gets ready for IFA with a pair of new monitors

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 07:58 AM PDT

LG clearly couldn't wait for IFA to officially kick off to show the world a pair of new 23 inch monitors. The company announced the 7.2 millimeter thick E91, which offers SUPER+ Resolution and a contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1, helping to make it the "highest picture quality for any digital content," according to the company. The D237IPS, meanwhile, features Film Pattern Retarder (FPR) 3D technology with Flicker-Free Certification and a 3D brightness of 100 nits. No word yet on pricing or availability for either display.
Show full PR text
LG TO UNVEIL SAVVY NEW MONITORS THAT REDEFINE DESIGN AND FUNCTION

SEOUL, Aug. 28, 2011 –- LG Electronics (LG) will be taking the wraps off its new highend monitors -– the ultra-slim, vivid picture-quality E91 and D237IPS –- at IFA 2011 in Berlin, Germany. The E91's 7.2 mm depth and luxurious acryl finish are sure to make it a hit with style-savvy consumers while the D237IPS boosts LG's market-leading Film Pattern Retarder (FPR) 3D display technology on IPS panels, for even clearer, brighter 3D images.

"These monitors aren't just for work and internet browsing, they were designed to be the center of entertainment for any bedroom, study or dormitory," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. "The E91 and D237IPS combine elegant design and unique technology to look great in any room and still be able to deliver exceptional images and videos."

Innovative Design, Brilliant Technology
With its super-slim, 7.2mm depth and thin bezel, the E91 takes up the minimum of space while adding a stylish touch to the décor of any interior. With a bezel measuring just 4.35mm, the E91's screen looks expansive and almost borderless. The E91's hanger-type hinge design makes it easy for users to adjust the monitor to the exact viewing angle they need, ensuring it is always comfortable to watch.

The E91's SUPER+ Resolution ensures the highest picture quality for any digital content. SUPER+ Resolution prevents any decrease in resolution during format upgrades, while sharpening blurry edges and adding new life to dim colours. The E91 also delivers an exceptionally crisp and vivid picture thanks to a contrast ratio of more than 10,000,000:1. What's more, the E91 is highly energy efficient.

More Realistic 3D with Wider Viewing Angles
The D237IPS uses state-of-the-art 3D technology to deliver the ultimate in top-quality, comfortable 3D viewing. The D237IPS boasts "Flicker-Free" certification -– from European quality assurance agencies TÜV and Intertek -– and lower crosstalk, ensuring less dizziness and headaches that users commonly experience with conventional 3D monitors. With a brightness of 100nits, more than twice that of competing 3D monitors, the D237IPS offers a clearer 3D picture to help reduce eyestrain. And LG's battery-less, ultra-light 3D glasses provide an extremely comfortable 3D viewing experience for longer periods of time.

The D237IPS ensures there is no colour shift regardless of the angle from which the monitor is viewed and consistent colour and brightness also keep the 3D in perfect focus. The 3D IPS monitor broadens the viewing angle so that viewers can enjoy 3D from a far wider range of positions. Ensuring viewers always have plenty of 3D content to watch, the D237IPS also features an excellent 2D to 3D conversion function.

More DirecTV Nomad info uncovered, but details are still fuzzy

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 07:35 AM PDT

Even though DirecTV's website is ready to start doling out the information on its elusive Nomad TV box, a post on Gizmo Lovers digs through the available information to show just how much there is to know, and how much is still unknown. Between on a DirecTV satellite installer training video, a suggestive press release by fellow RVU member Morega and the long running rumor thread over on DBSTalk, the technology in play is certainly capable of both Slingbox style streaming and TiVoToGo sideloading, but what will actually be enabled is unclear. Once it rolls out, the Nomad will connect to multiroom capable satellite boxes via a wired network connection and transcode the video streams it pulls in for other devices like PCs and mobiles. All the other details are shrouded in rumor, regarding its use of h.264 and how much internal storage is available, but if you're wondering whether the long delayed DirecTV will really be able to compete with Sling, Monsoon and the flood of TV-streaming iPad apps available in 2011 then hitting the source link below is a good way to get started.

Fujitsu to release waterproof Arrows Tab F-01D LTE tablet on NTT DoCoMo (update: confirmed)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 07:18 AM PDT


If you've spent time in the rain recently like many of us, you recognize the value of waterproof gear. And Fujitsu's leaked Arrows Tab F-01D tablet gets it too, packing a 10.1-inch WXGA display, TI IMAP4430 1GHz dual-core processor, and Android 3.2 Honeycomb -- all in a unique waterproof housing. The yet-to-be-announced device is rumored to be launching on Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo in September, and may include UMTS, HSPA, and LTE connectivity, along with GSM and GPRS compatibility for roaming abroad. There's also a pair of CMOS cameras, 16GB of on-board storage, micro-USB and standard headphone connectors (with waterproof covers, we assume), and a microSD card slot. We haven't received word on pricing just yet, or whether or not the device can survive scuba depths or just the occasional splash, but if the bizarrely named Arrows Tab is indeed slated to launch in Japan next month, we imagine those details will be bubbling to the surface any day now.

Update: Netbooknews has a wider view of the ad above confirming the F-01D.

LG 3D Game Converter adds depth to regular 2D games

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 06:53 AM PDT

Spoiler alert! Instead of waiting to surprise people at IFA this week, LG has released details of its new 3D Game Converter for the Optimus 3D early. The software arrives as part of the October maintenance release, promising to take any OpenGL game that runs in landscape and convert it to 3D. Around 50 games will come with pre-optimized settings -- the rest you tweak yourself. Open any game up in the app and it will try to split the foreground and background and recombine both in 3D. Feel your eyes crossing and a headache setting in just by thinking about playing this way? No worries, they're all still playable in 2D as well. Mouse on past the break to find the press release, which LG rather thoughtlessly only released in 2D.

[Thanks, Eddie]
Show full PR text
World's First 3D Game Conversion Engine for Smartphones to be Unveiled by LG at IFA 2011

SEOUL, Aug. 29, 2011 -– At IFA 2011 in Berlin next week, LG Electronics (LG) will demonstrate the world's first OpenGL-based 2D to 3D game conversion engine available on a smartphone platform. A result of LG's efforts to expand the quantity of 3D content and widen consumer adoption of 3D devices as gaming platforms, the 3D Game Converter is expected to open more doors to 3D gaming content.

The 3D Game Converter will be included in the first Maintenance Release (MR) of the LG Optimus 3D smartphone starting this October, the exact rollout date determined by each mobile carrier.

The 3D Game Converter is expected to benefit both game developers and smartphone users alike. Small and medium-sized game companies will be able to offer 3D versions of their existing 2D games without major investments in human resources, cost or time. Meanwhile, smartphone users will reap the benefits of being able to convert their 2D games into 3D anytime, anywhere free of charge.

"Our Game Converter is a major breakthrough for this industry," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "Mobile gaming is a huge trend on the cusp of massive growth and LG is determined to be the de facto leader in this space."

Once the 3D Game Converter is installed, users can enjoy 3D on previously purchased 2D games1 simply by activating the 3D Game Converter. Games can be switched back to 2D just as easily.

When a user opens a 2D mobile game through the 3D Game Converter, the program automatically scans the game to see if it is listed among the 2D mobile games optimized for 3D conversion. If the game has been optimized, it will be converted into 3D using default visual settings. Unlisted OpenGL-based 2D games can still be converted to 3D by adjusting the settings manually. Optimized settings for approximately 50 2D games will be available by October, with 50 more to be added by year's end.

"Far from being a gimmick, LG's 3D Game Converter automatically recognizes the depth information based on the location of each object and separates the 2D graphic images for each eye," explained Dr. Henry Nho, LG's 3D Technology Evangelist. "Using the existing depth information, the 3D Game Converter generates two different images -- one for the foreground and one for the background. It then uses a thin film called Parallax Barrier on the display to show the left image to the left eye and the right image to the right eye, creating an illusion of visual depth."

LG has filed several patent licenses in major countries such as the U.K., Germany and the U.S. for technologies embedded in the 2D-3D game conversion feature.

Visitors attending IFA 2011 can experience LG Optimus 3D up close in Hall 11.2 of Messe Berlin.

1 OpenGL-based and landscape mode only.

LG Display cuts spending targets for 2012, amid sagging LCD demand

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 06:26 AM PDT

LG Display has decided to drastically cut its expenditure target for 2012, in yet another sign that the LCD market is going through some tough times. Today, the manufacturer announced that it will spend only three trillion won (about $2.8 billion) on its production facilities next year -- a 33 percent decrease from its previously revised budget and LG Display's lowest expenditure target since 2009. The company also said that it has no plans to build a new LCD plants in 2012, suggesting that it may already be facing excess panel supply. Analysts are predicting that demand will remain subdued throughout the end of 2011, though LG Display CFO James Jeong had previously said he expects things to pick up by the beginning of next year.

Toshiba rumored to be announcing ultra-thin tablet at IFA after chunky Thrive did anything but

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 05:59 AM PDT

With a tablet market dominated by the svelte iPad 2, a device with a "chunky design" isn't bound to Thrive. According to Notebook Italia, Toshiba's expected to announce a new ultra-thin tablet at IFA this week, swapping full-size USB and HDMI ports for micro-USB, micro HDMI, and microSD slots in order to shave off a few millimeters from last year's model, leaving the new device with a sleeker, much more appealing design. The rumored slate is expected to ship with a TI OMAP4460 dual-core 1.5GHz processor, an edge-to-edge screen, and a brushed-metal housing. Other specs, including Android version and screen size are a bit thin at this point, but we should have only a few more days to wait before Toshiba's new tab makes its glorious IFA debut in Berlin.

[Thanks, Marco]

E FUN's aPen A3 stylus brings digitized scribbles to Android, BlackBerry users (video)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 05:34 AM PDT

Students heading back to school this week will have a new stylus to toss in their backpacks, now that E FUN has released its aPen A3 digital pen. The company's latest note-taker is essentially like Livescribe for Android and BlackBerry users, allowing writers to digitize and record their handwritten missives directly to their devices, via Bluetooth. Compatible with Android and BlackBerry OS 4.6 and above, the tool also features a photo sketch function that allows users to scribble on digital images saved to their smartphones, PCs or Macs. If you're interested in getting your own aPen A3, hit up the source link, where you can buy one for $130. Otherwise, head past the break for a tutorial video, along with the full press release.



Show full PR text
E FUN Introduces Smartphone-Compatible APEN A3 Digital Pen for Back to School

The APEN A3 Digital Pen Makes Note Taking Fun and Easy on Blackberry and Android Smartphones

WEST COVINA, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 26, 2011) - E FUN, a consumer electronics marketer of fun, lifestyle products, introduced the perfect back-to-school accessory for smartphones -- the APEN A3 Digital Pen. The APEN allows users to write freely on any paper or notebook and have their notes simultaneously sent to their Android smartphone or Blackberry via Bluetooth. Handwritten notes and images may then be saved for future use or immediately sent and shared with friends, family, coworkers and more.

Feature-packed, portable and easy to use, the A3 Digital Pen makes taking notes, sharing ideas and completing assignments a breeze. It is a great solution for students and professionals looking for note taking, mobility, and quick sharing capabilities.

"Today's students and professionals have to process a tremendous amount of information quickly and efficiently," stated Jason Liszewski, managing director for E FUN. "Being able to scribble notes on the fly then instantly digitize and share them on their smartphones saves time, and lets people express their ideas freely. The A3 helps users collaborate more effectively wherever they are, with or without their computers, and not worry about losing valuable notes or drawings."

The APEN A3 digital pen's key features are:

Smartphone-compatible with Android and Blackberry OS 4.6 and up
Digitizes and records handwriting while the unit is not connected to a computer
Works on regular paper
Records up to 100 pages in the receivers' memory
Photo sketcher for annotating written words or drawings on computer images
Share photos on Facebook, Flickr and other social media sites
Email photos and documents to smartphones, Macs, or PCs

The APEN is simple and user-friendly, enabling any user to use it as they would a traditional pen. Bluetooth connectivity with Blackberry and Android smartphones allows a simple transfer of data without wires or cables. Users can take notes, draw, annotate on photos and documents, then save the data on their smartphone and share via email or upload to social networking sites.

When connected to a computer, APEN allows users to perform real-time computer annotation within applications and on digital photos. The APEN A3 Digital Pen supports Microsoft® Windows XP, Microsoft® Vista, Microsoft® 7 and Mac 10.5 above.

For more information on the APEN A3, and a tutorial video, please visit: http://apenusa.com/productdetail.asp?product_id=3.

Availability
E FUN APEN's A3 Digital Pen is available nationwide at online retailers for $129.99 (MSRP).

TouchPad port of CM7 in the works, can barely be called an alpha (video)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 05:06 AM PDT

Touchpad CM7
Supposedly there are some magical TouchPads out there with Android pre-installed on them, but that won't help you load it up your new collectors item. Thankfully the Cyanogen Mod team is hard at work on a port of Google's mobile OS for your HP slate and aiming to claim the bounty on its head. It's still in the extremely early stages. At the moment it does little more than boot up and unlock with the aid of ADB -- even the touchscreen isn't working just yet -- but it shouldn't be too long before you can swap out webOS with CM7. Check out the brief demo video below.

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon give Isis mobile payment network a $100 million boost

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 04:21 AM PDT


How do you compete with Google's new Wallet mobile payment system? Well, a $100 million cash infusion certainly couldn't hurt. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon have plans to invest just that amount in Isis, sources told Businessweek. That sum is likely to grow, since taking on Google is no small feat, especially considering Wallet is already off the ground, with nationwide retail partners and support for MasterCard PayPass. Though Isis first made its debut last year, Google Wallet, which was announced in May, has clearly taken the lead. Isis is little more than a top-level website at this point, though with three of the nation's largest carriers providing support, it could have a chance to catch up -- especially if the carriers elect not to partner with Google, leaving Sprint as the sole wireless provider. We're glad to see some potential healthy competition for Wallet, especially considering that it was looking like Google was poised to create a monopoly. We expect much more to come on the Isis front, but in the meantime, hold on to those wallets -- cell phone payments may be in your future, but for now, paper and plastic are where it's at.

Samsung's ChatON messaging service brings free texting to Android, iOS and BlackBerry (video)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 03:39 AM PDT

It looks like Samsung is about to dip its toes in the mobile messaging market, with a new service called ChatON. Slated to debut at this week's IFA, the app brings texting, group chat and image / video sharing to not only Samsung's Bada OS, but to iOS, Android and BlackBerry platforms, as well. According to the Korean manufacturer, the new client will be available in two versions: a basic one for feature phones and another, more complex variation that allows smartphone users to comment on other profiles, send animated messages and visualize their most frequently contacted friends, as displayed above. The company is also planning to release a web-based version that would bring similar functionality to PCs. ChatON is slated to go live next month (in more than 120 countries and 62 languages), but you can find more information in the demo video and translated PR, after the break.


Show full PR text
Mobile Messenger More than that, Samsung ChatON (chaeton)

Samsung Electronics, a global communications services for the coming September 'ChatON' (hereinafter chaeton) start the service. The world and provides services to more than 120 countries, up to 62 languages ​​that you'd support. This world of mobile phone users to communicate beyond borders and languages, is expected to be enabling.

Chaetoneun simply is not just talking to pass the mobile messenger. Trunk (Trunk), such as sharing content through the box and profile comments to share with your friends lives the concept of micro-community is a global SNS. In addition, allowing users to communicate more effectively with a wide variety of message types, and many more platforms and is designed to be in terminal.

From now on, Samsung's ambitious, let's look chaetone.

Generation and space to support a variety of platforms can communicate beyond!

Multi-platform support chaetoneun smartphones, as well as the general consumer with a mobile phone is a characteristic that can be used deulkkaji. 'Chaeton' Galaxy of the Samsung products and its own sea-based platform offers new features, starting with phone services, also for third-party's main platform is expected to expand in stages. Mobile phone users worldwide smartphone, feature phone to break into the 'chaeton' will communicate through the mornings I'm not that far!

Micro-community-oriented mobile communication services

Chaetoneun various user groups to community-based micro-oriented. Contact with the balloon that displays the frequency of conversations with the number of 'intimate position' feature can be a simple social networking. In addition, the 'word to your friends' with the ability to determine a group of friends might like to comment briefly.

Support for multimedia content to communicate emotion.

In addition to the chat room, you do not need to find each other, sharing content. Group-based content storage space of 'trunk' through to see at a glance because you can find. In the trunk of your photos and videos can also leave a brief moment.

1:01 chaetoneseoneun chat and group chat, group message (bulletin), and the dialog is available in a variety of ways. In addition, photos, videos, voice message, location, contacts, calendar, and supports a wide variety of multimedia content. Specifically, the background music, photos, handwritten cards and make it yourself with the ability to send animated messages can be an emotional communication.

Samsung Media Solution Director yihosu vice president, "chaetoneun Samsung's service technology created a global mobile communications for the core services," said "consumers want and social networking needs to meet the service to become a future sustainable performance upgrades to introduce new features," he said.

HTC Omega spotted in the wild on Algerian auction site?

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 02:41 AM PDT

Just a few days after its renders first leaked, the HTC Omega has apparently been spotted in the wild, on an Algerian auction site, of all places. French blog Mon Windows Phone claims that the rumored Mango device may sport a Snapdragon MSM8255 1.5Ghz processor, 512MB of RAM and a 3.8-inch LCD, though it's hard to glean too many specifics from the blurry images featured on the auction site. The blog also spotted an eight megapixel camera around back, along with that front-facing shooter that Microsoft's been touting, while the listing claims that the phone boasts up to 8GB of storage capacity. The white-and-gray Omega is rumored to debut at this week's HTC event in London, though details on price and availability remain unclear (the highest online bid, for what it's worth, is currently at around $540). Hit up the links below to see the full array of images.

[Thanks, Gilles]

Samsung delays Galaxy Tab 10.1 launch in Australia amid patent battle with Apple

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:18 AM PDT

Just a few days after suffering a legal setback in Dutch court, Samsung has now decided to delay the launch of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia, amid its heightening patent infringement battle with Apple. In a hearing today, the Korean manufacturer announced that it would refrain from selling or marketing its new tablet within Australia, before September 30th. Samsung made a similar concession earlier this month, agreeing to halt sales of its slates until today's hearing and to provide Apple with product samples at least seven days prior to its Australian launch. The company says it presented the samples on Thursday, but Cupertino's lawyers insisted that the Australian version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 still infringes upon its patents. Samsung, meanwhile, said in a statement that it's preparing to launch a counter-attack down under, telling reporters that it "intends to file a cross claim against Apple Australia and Apple Inc regarding the invalidity of the patents previously asserted by Apple and also a cross claim against Apple regarding violation of patents held by Samsung by selling its iPhones and iPads." The next formal court hearings are scheduled for September 26th and 29th. Stay tuned.

[Thanks, Geoff]

Sonnet's Echo brings ExpressCard to Thunderbolt machines

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 12:57 AM PDT

Looking for more stuff to plug into that Thunderbolt port? If you've got a smattering of ExpressCard/34 doodads laying around, Sonnet's upcoming Echo adapter might just fit the bill. Scheduled for an October release, the $149 gizmo can now be pre-ordered from the company's online store, but be forewarned that it'll ship sans cable. So if you haven't already picked up one of these guys, be prepared to part with a half Benjamin before you join in on all the fun. All in all, a pricey affair, but that's what you get for living on the bleeding edge, you futuristic maverick, you.

[Thanks, Mmm]
Show full PR text
Sonnet Adapter Expands the Capabilities of Thunderbolt™ Technology-Enabled Computers

Sonnet's Echo™ ExpressCard®/34 Thunderbolt™ Adapter Enables ExpressCard/34 Cards to Connect With Computers Via Thunderbolt Ports

IRVINE, CA - August 25, 2011 - Sonnet Technologies today announced the Echo™ ExpressCard®/34 Thunderbolt™ Adapter, which enables the use of many Sonnet ExpressCard/34 adapters with computers equipped with a Thunderbolt port, including the latest Apple® iMac®, Mac® mini, MacBook® Air, and MacBook Pro models. ExpressCard/34 adapters, originally intended for use with notebook computers, offer users additional connectivity and functionality beyond what's available through their computers' stock configuration. This Sonnet adapter supports most PCIe-based Sonnet professional ExpressCard/34 adapters, and specialty adapters from other manufacturers. Sonnet expects other manufacturer's ExpressCard/34 products to become compatible as their drivers are updated to be Thunderbolt technology-aware.

Developed by Intel® and brought to market with technical collaboration from Apple, Thunderbolt technology supports high-performance data services and high-resolution displays through a single, compact port. The Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter supports PCI Express® 2.0 technology with 5 Gbps throughput in both directions. The Sonnet adapter connects directly to a computer, or at the end of a Thunderbolt device chain with a Thunderbolt cable (available at the Apple Store).

"The Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter gives users tremendous flexibility to connect a wide range of peripheral devices through the Thunderbolt port on their computers. In a single Thunderbolt Adapter they gain the potential to add connectivity to their computer, whether increasing the number of ports, incorporating new interfaces, or simply using devices they couldn't have otherwise been able to connect through a Thunderbolt port" said Robert Farnsworth, CEO of Sonnet Technologies. "Support for hot plugging and swapping of ExpressCard/34 cards gives them the flexibility to change interfaces and devices when needed."

"Sonnet's ExpressCard Thunderbolt adapter delivers great performance and flexibility", says Jason Ziller, Intel's director of Thunderbolt Marketing, "End-users will now be able to extend the capabilities of their computers like never before."

The Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter supports Sonnet ExpressCard adapters ranging from CompactFlash™ and SDXC™ UHS-I Card readers to FireWire® 800, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, and select eSATA adapters. It also supports ExpressCard adapters supplied with specialty devices like Sonnet's new line of Qio™ professional media readers, and the AJA® io Express.

The Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter (part number ECHO-E34) is compatible with all Apple computers with Thunderbolt ports running Mac OS® X. It is expected to be available at the end of October at a suggested retail price of $149.95.

More information about the Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter is available at Sonnet's Website at .

# # #
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.

Intel, Thunderbolt, and the Thunderbolt logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

About Sonnet Technologies
Sonnet Technologies Inc. is a leader in providing storage systems and media readers for professional users of Macintosh®, Windows®, and UNIX® systems in the film, video, and broadcast industries. The company's product line features a range of high-performance, cost-effective, and reliable desktop and rackmount RAID storage solutions ranging from two- and four-drive and SSD RAID units, to 8- and 16-drive solutions with advanced RAID controllers, to 16-drive, 16-port, 8Gb Fibre Channel shared storage systems that are expandable to 384 TB. Celebrating 25 years in business, Sonnet has pioneered and brought to market numerous innovative solutions that enhance the performance and connectivity of Macintosh, Windows, and other industry-standard computers. More information is available at www.sonnettech.com. Echo is a trademark of Sonnet Technologies, Inc.

New developments in atomic clock technology beat accuracy records, may inspire Ke$ha's next hit

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 10:46 PM PDT

According to a recent Penn State study that uses a new way to calculate time-telling precision, the CsF2 cesium-based atomic clock at the UK's National Physical Laboratory is almost twice as accurate as originally thought -- meaning it will only gain or lose one single second over the course of 138 million years. This atomic clock isn't the only competitor for best-in-show, as researchers at the University of Tokyo have also announced a new record, claiming their optical lattice atomic clock observes atoms a million times faster than a traditional atomic clock -- achieving accuracy up to 18 digits in a one second measurement. Although researchers say the technology would gain or lose a second significantly faster than the cesium-based variety (31.7 million years), it could change the way scientists perceive time and space, giving us new insights into fundamental constants of physics.

"Until now, clocks have been thought of as tools for sharing common time. But with clocks like this, conversely, we can understand that time passes at different speeds, depending on the time and place a clock is at," said Hidetoshi Katori of the University of Tokyo. Of course, both atomic clocks can help us stay timely, but they also have practical applications for everything from deep-space networking, to predicting earthquakes and GPS navigation. With this type of accuracy, looks like none of us will be getting away with showing up late to work anymore. Check out a video about the optical lattice clock after the break.

Xiaomi Phone gets dissected, phone status confirmed

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 09:07 PM PDT

The Xiaomi Phone managed to pique our interest by packing a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor into a fairly sleek, inexpensive package -- and, like all interesting new devices, it's now been torn completely apart. You can thank the folks at LeiPhone for doing the hard work in this case, the results of which can be found at the source link below. We'll soon also have some more impressions of the (intact) phone ourselves, and it looks like Xiaomi will be giving its own forum members the first crack at pre-orders for the device. Those start at 10PM Eastern tonight for those with the requisite number of points, and we're told that the first 600 orders (200 each day from the 29th to the 31st) will receive an "engineering special edition" version of the phone -- not to mention a slight discount off the list price.

[Thanks, Adam]

How would you change Samsung's Droid Charge?

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 07:22 PM PDT

Skipped over the Thunderbolt, did you? If you were waiting for that other LTE phone to come your way, Samsung's Droid Charge may have been the one that caught your eye. For those who settled on it, we're interested in knowing how things have been going. How's that Super AMOLED Plus panel treating you... outdoors? Is the LTE radio smashing your battery life? Are the Android tweaks to your liking? Still feel it was worth the price premium at launch? There's no doubt that the Charge is one of favorites on Big Red right now, but that's not to say it doesn't have its quirks. Speaking of which -- it's about high time you tossed in a few opinions of your own in comments below.

White Galaxy W surfaces, flashes its backside

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 06:18 PM PDT

Samsung's already given us a few tidbits about its upcoming Galaxy W, but none pertaining to color. Lending credence to a bleached variant of the upcoming "Wonder" smartphone are a bevy of shots from Mai Nguyen, depicting the gizmo and its textured derriere in exquisite detail. Thus far, all that's been confirmed are its 3.7-inch WVGA display, 1.4GHz CPU, 5 megapixel camera and that it'll sling HSDPA packets at speeds of up to 14.4Mbps. We plan on finding out more at IFA next week, but in the meantime venture past the break for another snap, or hit the source for the full monty.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: Lighting superbike, kinetic energy generator and vibrating gloves

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 05:30 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.

It's been an epic week for environmental news as Inhabitat reported that the East Coast battened its hatches against the force of Hurricane Irene, which has arrived in the wake of a 5.8 earthquake that shook the Eastern Seaboard from Virginia to New York. We compiled a series of tips to help our readers weather the storm, and we took a closer look at the six nuclear power plants that were shaken by the East Coast's unusual quake. We also showcased several incredible examples of high-tech architecture -- the recently crowned world's tallest LEED platinum building and the world's longest tunnel, which Russia recently announced would span the Bering Straight.

Speaking of remarkable advancements in sustainable transportation, this week we took at look at what could be most powerful electric car on earth, and we brought you footage of the 200 mph Lighting superbike breaking a world land speed record. We also saw eco vehicles take off for greener horizons as Oliver VTOL unveiled an ultra-efficient airplane with 6 engines, a team of engineers in Africa constructed a DIY space shuttle in a local garden, and the flying ParaMoto Trike soared through the skies. On the topic of air travel, you may also want to check out our six tips for flying with small children (without Benadryl).

It was a big week for wearable technology as well, as researchers unveiled a powerful kinetic energy generator that can fit in your sneakers. We also saw a vibrating glove that improves motor performance, a haptic glove that allows the blind to see with sonar, and a range of antenna-embedded clothing that offers a discreet form of hands-free communication. Finally, we heard Ashton Kutcher predict that wearable technology will be the next big wave, and we shared a glow-in-the-dark sequin gown that would make a choice piece of evening wear if this weekend's storm knocks the lights out.

Acer Aspire 3951 photos leaked, new Ultrabooks to launch in September

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 04:13 PM PDT


We don't mind eyeballing a few impossibly clean renders when we get wind of a new toy, but there's nothing like the real McCoy. Today's bones slipped out of a (now pulled) HDblog hands-on of the Acer Aspire 3951 Ultrabook, possibly leaked ahead of an IFA 2011 embargo. The genuine article looks nearly identical to its rendered counterpart, albeit a bit thicker and more plasticky. The unveiled 13.3-inch MacBook Air competitor reportedly sports a second generation Intel Core processor, boots from sleep in under two seconds, and is only 13mm thick. The price? While there is no official word on this exact model, Acer head-honcho JT Wang mentioned last week that the outfit was prepping to launch a new Ultrabook in September for about $800. Lines up nicely with the Acer 3951's rumored $770-960 price range, doesn't it?

Switched On: The accidental handset company, Part 1

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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

Tech company acquisitions often seek to reshape a company or even the entire industry. Buying Applied Semantics catalyzed Google's rise to online advertising dominance. Apple's purchase of NeXT transformed the former's operating system's roadmap. And HP's merger with Compaq created a $40 billion powerhouse vendor of Windows PCs.

That's not the case for "Googorola," a portmanteau that the world formerly knew only as an Italian blue cheese often crumbled into steak salads. Indeed, Google's recent announcement of its intent to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion may turn out to be the highest profile acquisition ever aimed at maintaining the status quo. Presaged by a blog post from Google's chief legal officer and punctuated by lockstep statements by Motorola's rival Android licensees praising legal protection, the blog post announcing the acquisition promised to "supercharge" Android. But the subsequent Google conference call regarding the merger reinforced that the "IP" Google seeks to acquire does not stand for "Incredible Phones." Google seeks to invigorate Android simply by having the freedom to progress unencumbered along the successful path it already has largely staked out. Most of the discussion around the transformative nature of the deal has focused on three key areas of speculation – that Google will use Motorola to create Apple-like vertically integrated superphones, that Motorola's set-top business will be a pathway to Google's infiltration of the cable companies, and that the prospect of competing with Google will cause mass migration of licensees to Windows Phone 7. But none of these scenarios are likely to come to pass.

Googorola and the Apple model. This "new story" is actually an old story for anyone who remembers the first rumors around the "gPhone." At that time, Google noted that it wanted there to be thousands of Google phones. Why? Because, for all the rising tensions between Apple and Google that Switched On first discussed at the launch of the T-Mobile G1, Microsoft is the Google rival that is more focused on creating a universal handset platform via licensing. Apple, consistent with its Mac and iPad businesses, seeks to win by focusing on a limited, profitable share of the market with a strong user experience with iPhone. Both Google and Microsoft have shown they are willing to sacrifice their own handset efforts in the name of their licensed operating systems.

Speaking of the Nexus devices -- which have been built by other Android licensees -- their experience demonstrates the challenges that Google has in trying to sell its own idealized handsets in the US Nexus smartphones have been available in limited distribution (directly online or exclusively at Best Buy) and have not been part of carriers' portfolios. There are at least two factors behind this. First, Google has not wanted to compete directly with its licensees (Sound familiar?). Second, it can be difficult to create a "pure" Android experience as some expect Google might want to do with Motorola in the face of carrier customization demands.

Google is thus hamstrung with Motorola. It wants to keep the division profitable to meet financial goals and keep a major U.S. provider devoted exclusively to Android afloat. However, it can't offer the device maker an unfair advantage lest it alienate Android licensees and destroy the promise of the Open Handset Alliance.

Next week's Switched On will look at why Google's ownership of Motorola is also unlikely to bring much disruption to cable or bolster the competition.

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.

Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 01:38 PM PDT

Eyeborg
In late 2008 filmmaker Rob Spence, caught our attention when he announced his plan to jam a video camera in his skull to replace an eye he lost to an unfortunate accident. Instead of connecting the camera to his brain, Spence sought to become a so-called "lifecaster," recording the feed on an external device. Now his bionic eye is up and running, and he's even partnered with a little company called Square Enix to create a documentary about state-of-the-art prosthetics and cybernetics. The short film, embedded after the break, was commissioned to celebrate the launch of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. But, this isn't just some over-long commercial for a game, it's a serious exploration of cutting edge leg, arm, and eye replacement technology. Check it out below, but be warned -- there are a few image that might not sit well with weaker stomachs.

at 12:10 PM

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