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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

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Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2011 wrap-up

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

We came, we saw, we conquered -- and just like that, Intel's Developer Forum was over. Much like years past, Chipzilla was proudly beating its own drum: we saw demos of Ivy Bridge and Haswell, a healthy helping of Ultrabooks and of course its high speed interconnect du jour, Thunderbolt. But that doesn't mean we didn't see a lot of other random, mind-stimulating otherness. Did you catch all the treasures we found lurking deep within the halls of this year's show? Unfortunately, we can't tell from here, so you better hop past the break for the full listing and find out.

T-Mobile customers would be able to keep rate plans on AT&T after contract expires

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 11:44 AM PDT

The post-merger AT&T&T world is a mysterious one. Nobody knows what it looks like or what the rules will be, and it's quite likely we won't know all of the answers until the acquisition has been completed -- if it makes it that far. However, at least another piece has been added to the puzzle for now; according to an internal employee FAQ sent in to TmoNews, any customer in love with their current rate plan will be allowed to grandfather it into AT&T's system and keep it after their contract expires. Curiously enough, it doesn't say anything about what will happen if you'd like to upgrade your phone, which could be a completely different story. At least this little chunk of news serves to soothe nervous souls concerned about being forced to a higher-priced plan, which may keep a lot of people from suddenly jumping ship.

Huawei gives October shipping date for MediaPad in Malaysia, US and China by year's end

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 11:29 AM PDT

Huawei MediaPad
Been wondering when you were gonna get a chance to smear fingerprints all over 7-inches of Android 3.2, courtesy of Huawei's MediaPad? Well, if you happen to live in Malaysia, it should be by the middle of October. The rest of you shouldn't fret though -- the company plans to have it on shelves in the US, China, Hong Kong and Thailand before the end of the year. Meanwhile, folks in Singapore can already place pre-orders for $598 GSD, roughly $473 USD. It's a bit later than the Q3 ship date we were originally told but, as they say, better late than never. Though, we're more apt to cry "gimme, gimme, gimme."

LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 10:58 AM PDT

It's taken its sweet time, but folks who weren't exactly keen on the Promise Pegasus finally have a compact option for putting their Thunderbolt port to good use. LaCie has just announced that it's Little Big Disk Thunderbolt external drive -- a first for the outfit -- is available to purchase. For those keeping count, it's only the second overall T-bolt drive to hit the scene, with this 1.4-pounder boasting a pair of 2.5-inch drives, support for JBOD / RAID 1 / RAID 0 and a typically metallic chassis that measures 1.6- x 5.5- x 3.3-inches. We're promised speeds as high as 480MB/sec (for SSD arrangements) and 190MB/sec (for HDD models), and users can daisy chain several of 'em to hit transfer rates of around 800MB/sec. These guys should be available starting today (though Apple's online shop currently has a "one to two week" wait), with the 1TB 7200RPM edition retailing for $399, and the 2TB 5400RPM model listing for $499. We're still awaiting word on the specifics surrounding the October-bound 240GB SSD variant, but those who'd rather press their luck for a free one can enter the ongoing contest in the More Coverage link below.
LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt press photos


Show full PR text
LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt™ Series Now Available

PARIS, FRANCE – Today LaCie announced that the Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series is now available for purchase. It is the first portable solution to feature the shocking 10Gb/s speeds of Thunderbolt technology. This next-generation Little Big Disk is the first product in LaCie's series of high-end Thunderbolt solutions.

Designed for the most demanding applications, the LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series will bring a new level of performance to creative workflows and professional storage users. It offers ultra-fast data transfers, complete system backup in minutes, and faster content editing than ever before.

"Performance can come in small packages," says Jason Ziller, Intel's director of Thunderbolt Marketing. "LaCie's Little Big Disk with Intel's Thunderbolt™ technology delivers blazingly fast transfer speeds in a truly portable form factor; we think media creators and entertainment enthusiasts alike are going to love it."

A FEATHERWEIGHT POWERHOUSE
The LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series sets the new standard for the storage industry. Featuring a pair of 2.5" drives in a Mac OS RAID configuration, the Little Big Disk delivers stunning read speeds more than 480MB/s in SSDs and up to 190MB/s in HDD.

The more Little Big Disks you chain together, the more impressive the performance. Users can daisy chain several Little Big Disks to maximize the interface's capabilities and reach transfer rates around 800MB/s – truly rackmount storage speeds in a portable solution.

NEXT GENERATION STORAGE
A game changer for content creators and professional users, the Little Big Disk is the ultimate portable solution for fast access to data or on-set editing. It supports multiple RAID levels (0,1 and JBOD) and daisy chaining for storage expansion or connecting other peripherals. Additionally, it features a heat sink casing and quiet fan for dual cooling.

"The great thing about the LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series is its versatility," said Erwan Girard, Professional Business Unit Manager, LaCie. "No matter which Little Big Disk model you choose, it will serve your most demanding applications with ease and portability. It's the ultimate in storage technology."

For more than 20 years, LaCie has worked in the Apple™ marketplace, introducing innovative products and launching new cutting-edge technologies. LaCie developed the very first Apple branded storage solution and showcased the first implementations of FireWire technology. Since then, LaCie has collaborated with Intel™ and Apple to develop a range of professional storage solutions featuring Thunderbolt technology.

AVAILABILITY
The LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series HDD models are available through Apple retail stores worldwide and Apple.com. The SSD model will be shipping this October. All models will be available shortly through LaCie's reseller channel and LaCie.com. The Thunderbolt cable can be purchased separately on Apple.com. For full specifications and product information on the LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series visit: http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10549.

Motorola Atrix 2 peeks out (again) from the wild, destined for AT&T faux G?

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 10:56 AM PDT

Now that the tidal wave of Bionic hype has crashed upon Verizon's shore, it's time to focus our anticipation on Moto's other beast phone -- the Atrix 2. Leaked shots of the AT&T-branded update came to light this past July, giving us a glimpse of its Blur-ified UI and some tentative specs. Well, we still don't have any official confirmation that these new images over on BGR are the real sequel, but the details are lining up with what we know. Purportedly, this handset refresh will not be a member of AT&T's new LTE brigade, although that could very well change. Expect a dual-core setup, 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video capture and Gingerbread 2.3.5 baked-in. Rumor has it the orange-colored carrier intends to ship this before year's end, but will it be enough to sway you from this?

T-Mobile CMO: no iPhone 5 on our network this year

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 10:41 AM PDT

Hopes and dreams = shot. We've had a sneaky suspicion all along that T-Mobile would likely be the only major network not playing host to an iPhone 5 launch party this year, but we still kept our heads high because no official denial had been given from the company's C-level. That's now changed, since T-Mobile CMO Cole Brodman slammed us back into reality at a town hall meeting stating: "we are not going to get the iPhone 5 this year." It's a hard pill to swallow in such a short summation, but there might be a glimmer of hope -- technically Brodman only referenced one specific name. Since there's always a possibility that Apple will choose a different title for its fifth-gen device (or even add a lower-priced option), T-Mobile fans can still grasp onto one last Hail Mary of a chance; just don't set yourself up for more disappointment, okay?

Instagram goes 2.0, gets even more filter-happy

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 10:20 AM PDT

Exceedingly popular iPhone photo app Instagram is celebrating its big (version) 2.0 with the addition of a number of new features. At the top of the list is Live Filters, which let you view images through effects in real-time, before taking a photo. Filters have been sped up post-picture taking as well, as has the tilt-shift function. The revamped app also introduces the Amaro, Rise, Hudson and Valencia filters and high-res photos at up to 1936 x 1936 on the iPhone 4. The app is getting a new icon and a few smaller tweaks like the ability to turn off borders. That long-awaited Android app is still conspicuously absent, however.

MakerBot's Turtle Shell Racers cruise around our offices (video)

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 10:03 AM PDT

This weekend's Maker Faire in New York City was lousy with 3D printers. Every tent in the outdoor area was packed to capacity with the things, their owners standing beside them, showing off the small trinkets they'd created with the devices. Judging from their presence, there seems little question that the technology has proven a success with the maker community. Amongst the general public, however, they've been a much harder sell. Perhaps it's the price, or maybe it's the generally dull connotations of the word "printer," or it could just be the fact that there hasn't been the right iconic image to help sell the products to the public at large.

MakerBot's Turtle Shell Racers may well be just the ambassador that the world of 3D printing needs. The toy football-sized RC cars are proof positive that the devices can turn just about anything you can imagine into reality. There are certain limitations, of course, like the fact that the objects printed can't be larger than five inches in diameter. The Shells' creator circumvented that admitted shortcoming by assembling the products out of small pieces that snap together. Check out more hands-on impressions and a video with the racers after the jump.
Turtle Shell Racer hands-on
Turtle Shell Racer hands-on



The Shells are constructed out of ABS -- the same plastic used to create Lego -- which is fed into the printer from a spool. About a pound of ABS goes into the shell, gear shaft and other printed components -- which, at MakerBot's going rate for raw material, would run you around $22 or so. The company recommends a specific brand of RC car that can be purchased from Target for around $15, putting the total cost of components at under $40. MakerBot isn't actually selling the Turtle Shell Racers, so much as the components here. You can download the plans for the whole thing from the company's Thingiverse site.

Once printed, the racers are pretty solid. They stood up to a lot of abuse this weekend at Maker Faire, being driven around the track by scores of children with a penchant for crashing things into each other. They're not quick, by any means -- keep in mind, that this is a pound of plastic on top of a low-end car. We also had a bit of trouble turning the things, but again, some of this can likely be chalked up to abuse suffered over the weekend.

All in all, the Turtle Shell Racers are a pretty great experience -- one certainly recommended for anyone with a 3D printer lying around. For those who haven't gotten around to picking one up, however, the entry price of such a device is likely a deterrent. Still, watching a product like this make the transformation from idea to real world object is about as good a selling point for the technology as we've seen.

Xiaomi Phone to get vanilla Android 2.3.5 next month, Ice Cream Sandwich in January

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 09:43 AM PDT

By now most of you may already know that the attractively priced Xiaomi Phone will support both MIUI and vanilla Android ROMs (though not simultaneously on its dual-partition system); but earlier today, CEO Lei Jun confirmed that October will see the release of said device's vanilla Android 2.3.5 ROM, meaning the keen beans won't have to wait long after the Xiaomi Phone's launch in the same month.

More interestingly, Lei also announced that his Beijing-based chums will be rolling out a vanilla 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich build in January, which is about two or three months after Eric Schimdt's expected launch date. Sounds about right if you look at previous releases, and we shall look forward to observing the epic 4.0 battle between the Xiaomi Phone, the ASUS Padfone and the rumored Nexus Prime.

Google+ moves from field trial to beta, adds Hangouts on phones, search and more

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 09:21 AM PDT

Well, it looks like the "field trial" is officially over. Google today announced that its Google+ social network has moved up to beta status and, as a result, it's now open to everyone (no invitation required). It's also rolled out a slew of new features for the occasion, including a number of improvements to the Hangouts video chat service. That includes Hangouts on your phone (Android 2.3+ only, for now), a new Hangouts On Air feature for public broadcasts, and a number of "extras" including screensharing, a sketchpad and shared Google Docs (not to mention Hangouts APIs). Google's now also finally added search functionality across the site, and it's renamed the Huddle group chat feature to Messenger (which also includes a number of new tweaks). Hit the links below for the complete rundown on what's new.

The Engadget Show is live tonight, with Jonathan Coulton, Maker Faire, Keepon, and more!

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 09:09 AM PDT

We're getting closer! We're shooting tonight at 6PM ET, and if you're lucky enough to be in NYC we have a few tickets left over. If you'd like to attend, e-mail jon dot turi at engadget dot com including your full name and confirmation that you can show up tonight. Do it quick enough and we'll save you a seat.

If, however, you're not lucky enough to join in on the fun in person in NYC, you can follow from home right here.

We have an interview with musician / internet sensation Jonathan Coulton, who will be discussing his viral rise to the top of the guitar-playing YouTube masses and treating us to a familiar song or two.

We'll also be traveling to Maker Faire in NYC to take a look at robots, racing turtle shells, fire breathing iron dragons, and a lot of 3D printers. And Make:Live co-hosts Matt Richardson and Becky Stern will be joining us live in the studio to discuss some of their favorite DIY projects.

Then we'll be paid a visit by the creators of the Keepon, to discuss the origins of their adorable little dancing 'bot. Tim will take a trip through the mean streets of New York City on the Grace One electric bike and Brian will pop by Frog's Manhattan location to take a look at the company's latest industry-defining designs.

Subscribe to the Show:

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NVIDIA releases Kal-El white papers, announces a fifth 'Companion' core for less demanding tasks

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 08:50 AM PDT

We've known about Kal-El -- the quad-core mobile processor from NVIDIA -- for a fair amount of time, but a lot of the finer details have remained a secret as we've anxiously awaited its debut in tablets and smartphones. Fortunately, we have some reading material to bide our time as the company published white papers discussing benefits of the new CPU, and for the most part it's what you'd expect: NVIDIA touts higher performance, better battery life and improved physics-based gaming when more cores are involved and working together.

What came as a surprise to us was the fact that this quad-core CPU actually utilizes five cores: in addition to the standard four main Cortex A9 high-performance cores, Kal-El throws in a fifth Cortex A9 "companion" core specifically designed to handle less demanding tasks in effort to minimize power consumption caused by active standby processes. How is it done? The Companion core's max operating frequency gets capped at 500MHz, offering higher performance and greater efficiency per watt when running menial tasks such as push email, Twitter / Facebook sync, widgets, background apps and live wallpapers. This leaves the four main cores free to take care of the stuff it does best -- games, web browsing, transcoding / editing audio and video, 3D, physics simulations and image processing, to name a few -- allowing performance bumps of up to 50 percent when compared to Tegra 2. We can tell that quad-core devices are going to make us very, very happy. If charts and geeky stats brighten up your day like it does ours, head to the source to read the papers in their entirety.
NVIDIA Tegra Kal-El

'Personalized Wireless' launching September 26th (update: it's Cellular South, and it'll be regional)

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 08:42 AM PDT

Does America need another wireless operator? Is the MVNO boneyard really due for another? Are you eager for a carrier that adapts to your needs, and magically delivers "stuff" that matters to you? Have you watched Napoleon Dynamite with your closest friends within the past week? We can't promise that "Personalized Wireless" (or whatever it ends up being called) is destined to answer all of those inquiries, but it'll at least strive to formulate a logical response to one of 'em. A newly-aired teaser clip promises a network of a different color here in the States, and the company's product page (captured above) leads to believe that all will be revealed come September 26th. We're surmising that this has something to do with either Comcast or Clearwire given the token "C" logo at the end, but we'd be happy hear other opinions of the origin down in comments below. Vid's after the break, vaquero.

Update: We have it on good authority that the launch here relates to Cellular South's recent buyout of a number of southern cellular shops, with this being the merger of those. There aren't any details yet on what it'll mean for prospective customers in that region, but it seems -- at least for now -- that this won't be a national rollout.

HTC Rhyme with Sense 3.5 hands-on (video)

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 08:04 AM PDT

We're here at HTC's swank New York City press event where the mood lighting and floral centerpieces are as unabashedly girly as the Rhyme, its newest handset for lady folk. We just spent a few minutes wrapping our hands around the device, exploring the ports (not that there are many) and poking around the latest version of Sense (v3.5). Do you like purple? Are you a person of style? Sure you are. So what are you waiting for? Meet us after the break where we'll run down our first impressions and see what this thing has to offer beside that cute design.
HTC Rhyme hands-on


Maybe it's because yours truly is a woman, but the Rhyme doesn't feel small, per se; it's just not as gargantuan as all the 4-, 4.3- and 4.5-inch handsets we've been manhandling lately. It does feel positively featherweight, though. And why shouldn't it? There's really not much to this device. HTC's playing up the minimalist design but, as is the case with so many gadgets aimed at women, it skimps in the ports department. You've got a 3.5mm headphone jack, lock button, volume rocker, USB port and... that's it. The device comes with 4GB of internal storage on board, which isn't too shabby, along with an 8GB microSD card that you'll unfortunately have to access by sliding off the battery cover.

In terms of build quality, this feels like a typical HTC product. Which is to say, it feels solid, well made -- not unlike the Incredible 2, cut down to size. Though Verizon's version bears that plum hue you'll see repeated throughout our photo gallery, the one headed to Europe and Asia will come in a more gender-neutral silver (and be dubbed "Hourglass"). Either way, that tri-tone design on the back is quintessential HTC -- the kind of design language you'll also find on the Status and Flyer tablet.

The phone packs a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm processor. And yes, we realize that might be a turn-off for you, our readers, but hey, you're not the target customer, now are you? (Okay, you might be!) For what it is, the performance was brisk and precise as we swiped the display and pinched it to get an aerial view of all seven home screens. Speaking of those home screens, this runs HTC's Sense UI on top of Gingerbread, though what you might not have anticipated is that this is the next generation of the software. We have to say, we're digging the redesigned clock widget. HTC says it's more modern, but we just got the immediate impression that it's less obtrusive. You'll also find the home screens peppered with customizable icons with preview panes that update with new photos and the like. Also new to this version: the ability to control music from the home screen and a "paper-like" quality to the icons (whatever that means). Jargon aside, this still feels like Sense -- just a more streamlined version of it.

We also got a chance to play with the Charm Indicator, an oddball of an accessory that plugs into the headphone jack and flashes when you have a call. The idea is that you'll be able to find your ringing handset if it's buried in your purse bag. The cable's roughly two and a half feet long, topped off with that flashing geometric bit -- a design that makes it look not unlike an antennae. The catch, of course, is that you can't have headphones plugged in, which stinks for anyone who uses her phone as a music player. One interesting tidbit: we're told that the light will keep flashing for five minutes, even after the phone stops ringing. Assuming your friends get impatient, then, and only wait a few rings, this is more of a clumsy, secondary notification light than anything else.

So that's all she wrote, folks -- at least until we can get this pretty little thing in for a review.

Zach Honig and Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

Layoffs underway at HP's webOS division, hundreds of employees may be in jeopardy

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 07:28 AM PDT

HP's webOS-powered devices are riding off into the sunset and so too, apparently, are hundreds of jobs. Sources close to the company tell All Things Digital that upwards of 525 employees at HP's Palm division are slated to lose their jobs in the near future, as part of a layoff process that began this week. In a statement, an HP spokesperson explained the decision thusly:

"As communicated on August 18, HP will discontinue the development of webOs devices within the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011, which ends Oct 31 2011. As part of this decision, the webOS GBU is undergoing a reduction in workforce. Today's actions are part of this initiative. During this time, we stand by our commitment to our webOS customers and will work to ensure that support and service for customers are not adversely affected."

The company went on to say that it's still "exploring ways to leverage webOS software," but declined to specify the exact number of hardware-related jobs that would be cut.

HTC Rhyme official: 3G, 3.7-inch display, single-core CPU, headed to Verizon for $199 on contract

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 07:08 AM PDT

Well, well. Looks like those leaked press shots (and hands-on photos and video walk-through) were on the money. HTC just officially announced the Rhyme -- that womanly handset otherwise known as the Bliss. As it happens, HTC isn't explicitly marketing this as a lady phone, though it bears all the markers of a device pandering toward those of us with XX chromosomes. Which is to say, it's petite and purple with middling specs. What you're looking at is a handset with a 3.7-inch WVGA display, a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm CPU, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage space, a non-removable battery, microSD expansion slot, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS radios and dual 5MP / VGA cameras. The phone runs Android 2.3 with "next-generation" Sense (that would be version 3.5) layered on top.

And, as rumored, you can pair it with an optional "Charm Indicator," a bubble that glows purple when the phone is ringing so that you'll never again miss a call because your phone is buried beneath nail files and fifty tubes of lipstick. Other accessories include a wireless dashboard speaker for the car, a dock and a workout armband. As that tell-tale FCC report revealed, the purple version you see up there will land on Verizon as a 3G device, with a silver version arriving in Asia and Europe next month. HTC has yet to confirm pricing or availability. If leaks are to be believed, though, those of you with small hands and deep murses should be able to pre-order yours any day now.

Update: We're told that it'll sell for the typical $199 on a two-year contract (which includes all accessories), with pre-orders starting on the the 22nd and availability pegged for September 29th. A bit steep given the specifications, but hey -- you'll pay a premium for style, right? Right?

Update 2: As for global aspirations, we heard from an HTC representative that it'll soon be available on an unspecified amount of European carriers, where it'll be hawked as the "Hourglass," tinged in a "sand-like color." All other specifications and accessories will remain the same, though.

Update 3: Check out our hands-on (with video!) right here.
HTC Rhyme

HTC Explorer, formerly HTC Pico, is back in black

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 06:50 AM PDT

Anyone turned off by the HTC Pico's blueish guise may be happy to see the phone's dark and serious makeover in these press shots. Now going under the name of the HTC Explorer, the render also gives us our first look at the new HTC Sense Zero skin. Alongside a refreshed bar at the bottom, linking you to the app list and phone, it looks to be a visually lighter skin, hopefully allowing the Explorer's rumoured 600MHz processor to juggle both HTC's home-made interface and Gingerbread with ease. The petite Explorer lacks the 850 / 1900 WCDMA bands necessary for a US launch, so we doubt we'll see it at HTC's big event later today in New York, though we are expecting to get our hands on at least some of those codenamed phones currently doing the spy shot rounds.

German engineers want to halve EV manufacturing costs by 2018, seem confident about it

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 06:26 AM PDT

Yearning for an EV that can fit within your budget? You may not have to wait too long, according a group of engineers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), who are aiming to halve plug-in manufacturing costs by 2018. It's all part of something called Competence E -- a €200 million ($273 million) initiative that will draw upon the expertise of 250 scientists from 25 different institutes, in the hopes of creating new and more cost-effective methods of producing power trains and batteries. Under the publicly funded project, which was announced at last week's International Motor Show, KIT's researchers will construct a "research factory" where they'll develop and demonstrate their processes and technologies. According to project leader Andreas Gutsch, the idea isn't to create concepts that could bear fruit a few decades down the road, but to develop more pragmatic solutions that can be integrated at the industrial level within a relatively short time frame. "We are no longer focused on studying individual molecules or components, but on developing solutions on the system level, which meet industrial requirements," Gutsch told Science|Business. "We are actively approaching industry and will even intensify these efforts...We are conducting excellent research for application, not for the drawer." A full 50 engineers will begin working on Competence E next year, with the project scheduled to wrap up by 2018. Purr past the break for more details, in the full press release.
Show full PR text
IAA 2011: Reducing Costs of Electric Vehicle Batteries

KIT Closes Gaps in the Innovation Chain of Electromobility / Reference Factory Planned as Devel-opment Platform for Industry and Science

Costs of manufacture of batteries and power trains of electric vehicles can be halved by 2018, if the gaps in the innovation chain can be closed. For reaching this objective, KIT scientists develop concrete, close-to-industry solutions for energy stores and power trains and combine them on the system level. A close-to-industry "research factory" is planned to be constructed on the premises of KIT. KIT will present its concept of the 200-million-Euro project in the coming week at the IAA International Motor Show.

"It is no longer focused on studying individual molecules or components, but on developing solutions on the system level, which meet industrial requirements," explains the project head Andreas Gutsch. Under the "Competence E" umbrella project at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 250 scientists from 25 institutes cooperate in an interdisciplinary manner in order to commercialize innovations from research.

The list of developments made by KIT is long: Nanomaterials based on iron-carbon already have twice the specific capacity compared to conventional batteries. A new process reduces the filling time of batteries with electrolytes to one tenth. The corresponding patent has been applied for. Modular battery and power train concepts will allow for a massive cost reduction in mass production. "To make use of the large innovation potential resulting from the high number of partial improvements, we will consistently pursue further development on the system level," announces Gutsch. For this purpose, a so-called "research factory" is being planned at KIT. Here, the gap in the chain of innovation and added value between research and industry will be closed by the construction of demonstrators and prototype fabrication lines for novel batteries and electric motors based on KIT's know-how.

The project costs for construction and development are calculated to amount to about EUR 200 million until 2018. Similar to other publicly funded big research facilities, such as accelerators and clean-room laboratories, the "research factory" will be opened to all partners from industry and research and, thus, contribute to a rapid and wide dissemination of new technologies in Germany. "It is a central objective of Competence E to rapidly commercialize innovations from Karlsruhe," emphasizes Gutsch. Apart from teaching and research, innovation is one of the three pillars of KIT. "We are actively approaching industry and will even intensify these efforts. We are conducting excellent research for application, not for the drawer."

Under the Competence E project of KIT, about 150 new positions are to be occupied by engineers. The first 50 engineers will be employed in 2012 already. In an extra-occupational qualification program at KIT, they will be trained to become specialists in the field of electromobility. Applications for the positions will be invited in Germany and Spain.

App developers must play nice with Ice Cream Sandwich if they want a bite

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 06:07 AM PDT

Google's Android developer blog is warning creators of Honeycomb apps to rework their code for Ice Cream Sandwich or suffer unsightly consequences. The 'problem' with ICS is that it gets rid of the tablet/smartphone divide, such that HC apps designed specifically for tablets will suddenly be allowed to run on small-screen devices. Needless to say, in many cases that won't be pretty. Creators of HC apps must therefore either disable installation on smaller displays (at least temporarily) or make sure they are fully compatible. Either job will require some time and, by the looks of it, that commodity is quickly running out.

HTC Rhyme preorders said to begin September 22, Plum-colored exclusive at Target? (updated)

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 05:40 AM PDT

Ahead of HTC's big announcement, a tipster has leaked this screen-grab from Target Mobile showing the HTC Rhyme (formerly the Bliss), ready for eager fans to pre-order from September 22nd -- apparently the official launch date. Target Mobile looks to have exclusive rights on a plum-colored version of the Verizon handset, previously seen in white and green. The leak also adds some early details on the rumored charm notifier, which lights up to announce incoming calls and messages. It appears to connect to the headphone jack and will apparently work "outside of clothing." In-ear buds appear to be included and, while it's still unclear whether these will also be Beats Audio offerings, it certainly would be name-appropriate. Handset details sound pretty concrete, seemingly confirmed by another leak at Unwired View, with a 3.7-inch WVGA Super LCD screen (matching that on the HTC Desire S), Android Gingerbread and a rear-facing five megapixel camera. According to the leaks -- and even the official-looking renders -- it will be one of the first phones to arrive with HTC's refreshed Sense 3.5 UI. The smart money is on an appearance at HTC's soiree later today, and we'll be there to find out for sure.

Update: We just got word from Target's PR team that the Rhyme will go up for pre-order tomorrow, September 21st, instead of the 22nd. The rep also confirmed that the retailer will be accepting pre-orders at 1,492 Target Mobile locations through the 26th (the Rhyme goes on sale on the 29th).

Researchers convert soundwaves into electromagnetic energy, silence no longer golden

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 05:24 AM PDT

Researchers in Japan and Germany have converted energy from soundwaves into electromagnetic energy, trapping a magnetic "spin current" between metal layers. In the experiment, when sound waves are directed at an interface between the thin metal layer and magnetic material, electrical signals are generated at a pair of electrodes attached above. When the soundwaves reach the magnetic material, this creates a spin current that gets picked up by three layers of metal. This is where the exercise class-sounding reverse spin Hall effect kicks in, transforming it into an electrical voltage.

Not to be confused with Orange's Sound Charge T-Shirt, scientists believe that it should be possible to generate that mystical electromagnetic energy from any material in the future. At the moment, the project is looking into materials that are able to eke out more voltage from the process -- perhaps a few years later screaming at our phones will give their batteries a boost? Watch the video after the break for more technical details and close-ups of the equipment.

iTwin's filesharing USB gets official OS X compatibility, still plays nice with Windows too

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 04:59 AM PDT

Sure, iTwin's USB filesharing drive has had Mac OS X (Lion and Snow Leopard) support in beta for some time now, but things just got official. If you'll recall, the iTwin's a double-sided splittable USB plug that allows you to play James Bond and remotely access files over the web under AES encryption of the 256-bit variety. Whether you're moving files between two Windows rigs, OS X devices or Mac to PC while globe-trotting, the iTwin promises to easily let you get your secure share on. As it stands, the iTwin remains priced at $99, and if you need a refresher on how it works, check out the video and PR just past the break.

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iTwin Reinvents the USB Drive for Mac Users

Mac and PC users can now share files between any two computers in the world without the security risks of the cloud

iTwin provides peace of mind and full control of your digital lifestyle

Singapore / Boston, MA – Sept. 19, 2011 – iTwin, creator of the award-winning iTwin USB device that enables users to privately access, share and edit their files and media from anywhere in the world, is excited to announce compatibility with Mac OS X (Lion and Snow Leopard). Now both PC and Mac users can effortlessly share files via iTwin, a device that fits into the palm of a hand.

iTwin is a revolutionary Plug'N'Play USB device that allows two online computers to share military-grade encrypted data from anywhere in the world. Comprising two identical parts, iTwin can be activated on any computer with an internet connection, and files from that computer can be shared anywhere the matching half, or "twin" goes.

Other iTwin benefits include:

State of the Art Security – iTwin uses hardware-based two-factor authentication and military grade Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256 bit encryption to protect all data communication. When two halves of the iTwin are paired, the owner is sent a Remote Disable Code via email, which can be used in the event one half of the iTwin is lost or stolen.

No Storage Limit – Files reside on the shared computers, not the iTwin device itself, so capacity is only limited to the size of each shared computer's hard drive (and any connected drives). There are also no monthly storage fees, as compared with cloud storage and remote access software.

Ease of Use – Simply Plug'n'Play, no setup or configuration is necessary. Just connect two computers (Mac or PC) with internet access and iTwin enables file transfer anywhere in the world. As new features and enhancements are rolled out, free updates are install automatically.

"We are excited to be able to offer iTwin to both OS X and Windows customers," says Lux Anantharaman, co-founder and CEO of iTwin. "We are confident that Mac users will be satisfied with the features iTwin offers, and which both consumers and small businesses have come to enjoy. Now both Macs and PCs will have full, cross-platform capabilities with this revolutionary device that is perfect for their sensitive file sharing needs."

Small businesses are especially finding iTwin useful for sharing information. Tom Overton is a U.S. based lawyer handling a sensitive matter for a client in Asia, and states, "By using the iTwin we can easily and securely transfer files and share information. Without the iTwin, securely transmitting confidential information was cumbersome and time consuming. With the iTwin, the process is fast and easy." He adds, "Personally, I am thrilled with the new OS X support - this is the flexibility needed for both my business and personal use. iTwin is a perfect solution for people like me who don't want to deal with the storage-size limits and security concerns of a cloud service or of a standard USB flash drive."

iTwin is currently available for $99 USD at www.iTwin.com/buy_iTwin and at Amazon.com. Existing Customers can get the free Mac OS X compatibility upgrade from iTwin.com/Mac. Every time there is a new version of the iTwin software, users will be automatically upgraded when plugging the device into a computer.

Follow iTwin via @iTwinTweet or at www.facebook.com/iTwinFeed.

About iTwin
iTwin is a USB device that enables users to securely access, share and edit all their files and media from anywhere in the world, simply and safely. Only iTwin offers a plug-and-play USB device that lets users remotely access all their files and media from any online computer. Unlike other offerings which have space limitations, ongoing fees and security risks, iTwin's compact design offers limitless capacity for a one-time fee and also secures data via two-factor authentication, military-grade end-to-end encryption and remote disable functionality. iTwin enhances productivity by enabling people to privately and painlessly access, share and edit files on-the-go. For a one-time fee, iTwin eliminates security concerns and gives mobile users peace of mind and full control of their digital life. For more on iTwin, please visit www.iTwin.com, or follow us via @iTwinTweet & www.facebook.com/iTwinFeed.

Magisto edits videos automagically, deluges the interwebs with idiot auteur savancy

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 04:30 AM PDT

Oh, the plague of social media and its irrational empowerment of at-home, amateur media moguls. Well, truth be told, not everyone has the tenacity to sit and slog through hours of footage to create a skillfully made, ready-for-prime time upload. Not to worry you talentless hacks, Magisto's got a web-based tool that'll automate your lack of video editing expertise, and churn out YouTube-worthy, ADD-style clips replete with background music and fancy multi-window effects. The service, which makes use of an algorithm to recognize "people, pets and landscapes and can even...[analyze] sounds and images," had formerly been available in a private beta, but is now open and free to anyone with a camera, a computer and a decent internet connection. We've seen the results of the company's handiwork and it's all pretty much the same thing -- an incoherent, tune-laden mashup. Which is to say, ideal for the Twitter and Facebook IV drips we've come to subsist upon. Go ahead and test the hyper-editing software out at the source below -- it's not like you actually have to do anything, anyway. Just click.

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Magisto Turns Anybody's Unedited Video Footage Into a Short, Fun Movie With A Click Of A Button
Secures $5.5M Series B Funding Round Led By Horizons Ventures, Including Original Investor Magma Venture Partners

San Francisco, CA – Sept 20, 2011 – Magisto today announced the public availability of the company's free, web-based video editing service that automatically turns any unedited video footage into short, fun movies to share with friends and family. Additionally, the company also announced a $5.5 million Series B Round led by Li Ka-shing's private investment arm, Horizons Ventures that also includes original investor Magma Venture Partners.

Starting today, anyone can use Magisto to turn unedited video footage into high quality, share-worthy movies with titles, music, and all the best scenes. People no longer need to learn new software or spend days sifting through videos trying to do their own video editing. With Magisto, users simply upload their videos, pick a title, select their music, and with the click of a button Magisto goes to work. The company's proprietary technology automatically finds the best footage in the videos and edits them into a short, fun movie that is ready to share on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or via email.

"Kids. Special events. Family vacations. Everybody is shooting hours and hours of video, but nobody knows what to do with it," said Magisto Co-Founder and CEO Oren Boiman. "The average person doesn't edit videos. It's hard to do, and most people don't have the desire or time to learn video editing programs. So they either post long boring videos nobody wants to watch, or they save them on their hard drive – unwatched, unedited, unshared. We made Magisto to give people a way to take their videos and turn them into movies that are fun to watch and easy to share."

Additionally, Magisto has secured a $5.5M Series B round of funding led by Horizons Ventures, a Hong Kong-based investment manager looking after the private investments of Mr. Li Ka-shing and the Li Ka-shing Foundation in the TMT sector globally. Magma Venture Partners also participated in this round, having previously led the Series A Round in 2010.

"Do-it-yourself video editing is dead. Magisto is an entirely different video editing experience that delivers great quality video editing that has never been seen before," said Frank Meehan, Magisto Board Member for Horizons Ventures. "Magisto is the first company to actually make this automated editing work and bring it to market in an easy to use web service. The potential for this technology is significant, especially given the tremendous growth of video capable devices in recent years."

The Technology that Powers Magisto
Magisto uses revolutionary new technology that understands every aspect of video footage. More than just facial recognition, Magisto knows the difference between people, pets and landscapes and can even infer the "intent" of the filmmaker by analyzing the sounds and images on the video. Magisto's sophisticated technology and unparalleled understanding of video footage make the automated editing service seem like Magic to its users.
Magisto is free to users and can be found at http://www.magisto.com/. Users can select up to 16 video clips to upload, pick a title, choose their music and with a simple click-of-a-button, turn them into a high-quality movie ready to share.

VMK Way-C tablet shows off its full figure, on sale for $300 in select countries this October

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 03:32 AM PDT

We got a look at the back of the African-designed VMK tablet awhile ago, and today we got a bit more info about its pending release. The slate, now named the Way-C, is set to go on sale in October -- a month later than initially expected -- for $300, and we finally got a look at the front side of the thing. If you like what you see, hopefully you're reading this in Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Gabon, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal or Belgium, 'cause those are the only places you can pick one up. If not, well, the plethora of pics in the gallery below will have to suffice.
VMK Way-C tablet shows off its full figure, on sale for $300 in select countries this October

Cellular South files antitrust lawsuit against AT&T over proposed T-Mobile takeover

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 02:42 AM PDT

Sprint and Uncle Sam aren't the only ones taking issue with AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile, because Cellular South has a bone to pick, as well. Yesterday, the provider filed a lawsuit against AT&T in a DC federal court, charging that its $39 billion merger with T-Mobile would violate US antitrust laws. "The merger of AT&T and T-Mobile is anti-competitive, and will result in consumers facing higher prices, less innovation, fewer choices and reduced competition," Cellular South said in a complaint. The company went on to argue that legal evaluation of the merger must incorporate the perspectives of smaller, regional carriers who, like Cellular South, will "find it harder to secure both wireless devices at competitive prices and times and nationwide roaming." An AT&T spokesman declined to comment on the case, but you can find more details about it at the source link below, or in the full press release, after the break.
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Cellular South Files Suit to Block AT&T's Takeover of T-Mobile

Washington, D.C. – Cellular South today filed suit to block AT&T's planned acquisition of T-Mobile. The suit was filed under Section 7 of the Clayton Act in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit has been filed as a related case to both the Department of Justice (and seven state Attorneys General) and the Sprint Nextel antitrust litigation against the proposed transaction.

Cellular South's complaint states that AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile must incorporate a review from the perspective of regional carriers, like Cellular South.

"AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile would profoundly impact the interests of the wireless industry as a whole," said Eric Graham, Cellular South Vice President for Strategic & Government Relations. "If AT&T were to complete this deal, not only would it substantially lessen competition, but it would essentially consolidate the market into the hands of the 'Big Two' – AT&T and Verizon."

Graham added: "Today's filing is another step in Cellular South's unwavering effort to pursue the best interests of competition, wireless consumers, and our nation's economy."

Cellular South's complaint explains that further consolidation of market power in the hands of AT&T and Verizon would mean that:

- regional carriers, like Cellular South, will not be able to obtain the latest wireless devices in a timely fashion and at a reasonable cost;

- Cellular South and other regional carriers will be forced to pay higher roaming prices – assuming that they are able to obtain roaming agreements at all; and

- consumers throughout the country will face higher prices, less innovation, fewer choices, and reduced competition.

LG LU6200 spotted in the wild, with 720p HD display taking center stage

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 01:46 AM PDT

If LG's tease routine didn't whet your appetite for the LU6200, these freshly leaked pics might do the trick. Obtained by Korean site Money Today, these in-the-wild images appear to corroborate many of the specs we've already heard about, including that 4.5-inch AH-IPS display at 720p resolution, eight megapixel camera and 1.3 megapixel front-facing shooter. This device is also rumored to feature a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of built-in storage and will reportedly ship with Android 2.3.5, though it'll be ready to update to the forthcoming Ice Cream Sandwich, as well. The LU6200 is expected to hit the Korean market sometime next month, where it'll run on LG Telecom's U+ LTE network, but you can check out an extra image of its commodious display after the break.

Logitech's Harmony Link transforms your iOS device or Android phone into a universal remote (video)

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 01:00 AM PDT

Logitech isn't exactly a stranger to universal remotes, and if you've been yearning for an Android or iOS aimed solution from the Swiss company, its new $100 Harmony Link should have you covered. The Link is a WiFi-enabled infrared puck and app combo, that allows you to control up to eight devices in your home theater from the comfort of your touchscreen sans pesky dongles or cases. After downloading a free app, pocket-sized iDevices and Android smartphones can act as universal remotes over your home network, while iPad users also get the benefit of personalized TV listings from Rovi. It's similar in price and function to Peel's Fruit, but drops the extra wireless dongle and adds a native iPad app. Notably, the Link can interface with multiple iPads at once, and Logitech's also thrown in a mini IR blaster to make controlling your AV gear that much easier. If another one of your home theater dreams just came true, the Harmony Link is up for pre-order now from Logitech and due out in October. While you're still here, there's quick video overview past the break along with the the usual PR spiel.

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Logitech Harmony Link to Enable One-Touch Control of Home Entertainment System from iPad

Harmony Link Also Transforms iPhone, iPod touch and Android Smartphones into Full-Featured Remote Control

FREMONT, Calif. - September 20, 2011 - With thousands of TV channels and seemingly unlimited choice of shows and movies, getting to the content you are looking for is often a challenge as you navigate among programming guides and juggle multiple remotes to control your home entertainment system. With this in mind, today Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) unveiled Logitech Harmony® Link, a small device designed to fit in next to your TV and media electronics and communicate over Wi-Fi® with the free Logitech Harmony Link App for iPad®. After setup, the Logitech Harmony Link and the Logitech Harmony Link App work together to let iPad users browse a personalized schedule of their favorite shows, channels and genres to find something good to watch and - with one touch - turn on all the right devices and tune to the right channel.

"Logitech Harmony Link extends our vision of removing barriers between people and their entertainment by replacing the clutter and confusion of multiple remotes and different program guides with a single intuitive touch interface," said Ashish Arora, vice president and general manager of Logitech's Digital Home Group. "Our research revealed that many iPad owners are using their iPad on the sofa while watching TV, many of them seeking ways to find out what shows are on. We set out to make this experience easier. Using Logitech Harmony Link and the Harmony Link App, iPad users can browse for what is on television, and with one touch of "watch now" icon next to the show of their choice, they can automatically turn on their TV and other electronics, and tune directly to the show they want to watch."

Logitech Harmony Link delivers more than just a personalized program guide to iPad users. By leveraging Logitech Harmony technology, it offers the activity- and device-based control provided by the award-winning line of Logitech Harmony Advanced Universal Remotes. Just select what you want to do, such as "Watch a Movie" or "Listen to Music," and Harmony Link automatically switches your devices to the right settings - meaning you won't be fumbling with multiple remotes or manually switching inputs anymore.

Control from Your iPad

The Logitech Harmony Link connects to your existing home wireless network to receive Wi-Fi signals from the Harmony Link App and turns them into IR commands that home-entertainment devices can understand. Harmony Link can control up to eight devices, is compact (about the size of a hockey puck) and was designed to integrate neatly and discreetly with your home entertainment system. Harmony Link includes an IR mini-blaster accessory so you can control entertainment devices both inside and outside of a closed entertainment cabinet.

And because the Harmony Link App transforms simple swipes and taps into useful actions, such as volume control and video playback, you can stay in control of your entertainment without taking your eyes off whatever you're watching on your big screen.

Harmony Link can even connect with more than one iPad at a time, letting multiple family members use their own iPad - with their own set of favorite channels - rather than fighting over a single remote.

Turn Your Smartphone into a Remote Control
The remote control functionality of Logitech Harmony Link also works with the iPhone® or iPod touch® as well as with Android smartphones. Initially, smartphones will not receive personalized program guides from the downloadable App; however, Harmony Link will deliver complete activity-based control over up to eight devices in your entertainment system. Now you can essentially turn your smartphone into a great universal remote.

Program Information Provided by Rovi

Logitech has teamed with Rovi Corporation to provide program information behind its free Harmony Link App. An important element to entertainment discovery, Rovi data includes show synopses, movie overviews, and images to give you an in-depth and visually rich experience as you navigate through entertainment content and connect to your television guide.

Pricing and Availability

The Logitech Harmony Link is expected to be available in the U.S. in October for a suggested retail price of $99.99. The Harmony Link App for iOS tablets and smartphones and the Harmony Link App for Android smartphones are expected to be available as free downloads in October from the iTunes App Store and Android Market, respectively.
About Logitech

Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech's combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

Telus launches Optimus Black in white, doesn't believe in paradoxes

Posted: 20 Sep 2011 12:20 AM PDT

For those who like a good dose of irony with their Cheerios, there's the LG Optimus Black -- now available in white. Like its darker cousin released in Canada earlier this summer, the Black in white (seriously...), will feature the same specs as the original (a 5 megapixel camera, unlimited Skype-to-Skype calling and a 4-inch IPS display) as well as an identical contract-dependant price tag. Starting tomorrow, the phone will be available on the Telus network, but there's no word yet whether its American twin will get the same whitewash treatment. This latest pair of handsets now joins a distinguished list of ebony and ivory favorites: Oreos, tuxedos and Michael Jackson songs (video after the break).

Samsung taking Bada open source in 2012?

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 11:23 PM PDT

Samsung invited the world to adventure with its own smartphone OS, Bada, almost two years ago and so far most of us have turned down the offer. Of course, that trip could look more appealing if a Wall Street Journal rumor is true and the company is planning to open source it for use by developers and other manufacturers alike next year. Citing the usual "person familiar with the situation", Samsung apparently isn't interested in snagging any outside companies like, say, webOS, but wants to strengthen its independence from Android after Google announced it will purchase Motorola. Right now, it feels like we've already seen this story play out for the still-kicking Symbian. On the other hand, maybe Samsung, with its massive manufacturing capabilities and current hit-making prowess, can strike the right balance of hardware, software and apps to make it worthwhile. If it tries and fails, well, maybe the folks in Redmond will be looking for another close friend.

Aperion Audio's second-gen Zona Home Audio Link cuts the musical tether for $150

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 10:27 PM PDT

No need for the bookshelf speakers? No problem. Aperion Audio just introduced the second-generation Zona Home Audio Link system, enabling cable detesters to send music from any USB / 3.5mm-enabled source to, well... just about anything. The basic HAL package is comprised of a compact wireless transmitter and receiver, and since there's no proprietary shenanigans going on, it's about as universal in nature as you'll find. Needless to say, folks who've been trying to find an easy(ish) way to convert their existing indoor / outdoor speakers into wireless speakers should certainly have a gander, and given that it'll stream uncompressed 16 bit/48 kHz CD-quality audio to up to three simultaneous zones, the $149 price tag just might be justified. Hit the source to learn more (or place your order, if you've heard enough).
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Aperion Audio Cuts Wires on Sound Inside and Out of the Home

The Zona® Home Audio Link System Lets Music and Movie Enthusiasts Wirelessly Send High-Fidelity Sound Where They Want It

Portland, OR – (September 15, 2011) – Aperion Audio, a direct-to-consumer maker of award-winning home theater speakers, today launches the second generation of the Aperion Zona® Home Audio Link (HAL) System. Like its predecessor, the new HAL System remains an easy way to send music and movie sound wirelessly to audio systems anywhere in the home. The second-generation HAL System also employs the latest wireless technology to provide enhanced fidelity and the capability to stream to an unlimited number of audio systems or Aperion Zona® speakers-at no additional cost.

The Aperion Zona HAL System consists of a compact wireless transmitter and receiver. Compatible with virtually every MP3 player, computer, receiver, or other audio device, music fans can connect the Zona HAL via computer USB port or a headphone jack and listen on speakers throughout their homes. For greater flexibility, they can place Aperion Zona Wireless speakers where they desire and let the music follow-even outdoors. Movie buffs can use HAL to connect audio wirelessly from their audio/video receiver to powered subwoofers or surround speakers.

"When we introduced the first generation of HAL two years ago, customers were finally able to connect their computer-based music, existing sound systems and home theater subwoofers wirelessly with robust digital audio quality," says Mike Hopkins, Aperion Audio product development manager. "Then last year, we introduced Zona Wireless Speakers. Pairing HAL to the Zona wireless platform makes it even simpler for music lovers to stream tunes inside and out."

Without losing sound quality, the transmitter can feed an endless number of additional HAL receivers (available separately). Once connected, the system streams uncompressed 16 bit/48 kHz CD-quality audio. HAL also accommodates up to three simultaneous channels, so that at the press of a button users can select any of three "zones" to receive the selected music to different sound systems.

Zona® HAL System features include:

• Wirelessly send sound from your computer, home theater, MP3 player, or other audio source to any audio-video receiver or audio system – indoors or outdoors
• Connect your powered subwoofer and speaker systems wirelessly to eliminate wire clutter and hum
• Add multiple receivers to stream a single audio source to as many rooms as you want, and even outside
• Plug and play ease of use, audio input via computer's USB or the Audio-In Jack

The Aperion Zona HAL System (one transmitter, one receiver) is priced at $149. Additional receivers are available for $70. The one (1)-year limited warranty covers all defects in material and workmanship.

Polyamorous Google Wallet adds Visa to its arsenal

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 09:34 PM PDT

To the delight of shopaholics everywhere, Visa has announced that it's jumped on the Google Wallet bandwagon -- giving card users access to the snazzy, new NFC payment system. Much like MasterCard's announcement last week, the licensing agreement will allow Visa users to link their credit, debit and prepaid cards to Google's offering for fast mobile payments in places that accept the service. The credit card company has dabbled in mobile payments before through payWave, but with plans to integrate into GW, we'll surely be seeing more of it in the near future. As momentum over the NFC-powered mobile phones grows, it will be interesting to see if the Real Housewives can part with their phones long enough for their assistants to pay for those Manolos. Check out the full PR after the break.
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Visa and Google Sign Licensing Deal to Boost Mobile Payment Adoption

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Visa Inc., Visa Europe and Google today announced that Google has received a worldwide license to Visa payWave, an innovative NFC-based payment technology. Visa payWave enables consumers to make fast and secure payments at retail locations by waving their mobile phone in front of a payment terminal and is currently accepted at hundreds of thousands of retail locations worldwide.

"This agreement extends Google Wallet to Visa account holders worldwide"

The agreement sets the stage for Visa-issuing banks worldwide to enable Visa account holders to add their credit, debit and prepaid accounts to Google Wallet – a mobile application that turns a smart phone into a digital wallet. This is the latest effort by Visa and Google to simplify the consumer shopping experience by enabling them to make mobile payments using their mobile phones.

"Mobile technology is transforming how people pay for goods and services," said Jim McCarthy, global head of product, Visa Inc. "This agreement builds on Visa's strategy of enabling consumers to make mobile payments with whatever device they choose using the trusted accounts they already have."

"This agreement extends Google Wallet to Visa account holders worldwide," said Stephanie Tilenius, vice president of Commerce and Payments at Google. "This is a crucial step towards realizing our shared vision for the future of mobile commerce – one that creates a rich shopping experience for consumers and merchants alike."

Today's news furthers Visa's progress in making its products available as a payment option in any digital wallet. This includes Visa's own digital wallet announced earlier this year which is designed to provide consumers with "click-to-buy" payment functionality and access to their Visa and non-Visa accounts using a personal computer or smart phone, to make purchases online and at retail locations.

Google Wallet is designed to enable an open commerce ecosystem enabling consumers to carry payment cards, offers, loyalty and gift cards -- and eventually much more. Google is also working with top retail brands to create a new mobile shopping experience.

Microsoft locks Metro-style apps to Windows Store, developers and enterprise keep sideloading privileges

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 08:49 PM PDT

Microsoft's battening down its hatches, and restricting distribution of Metro-style apps to its Windows Store. Developers and enterprise customers (as well as Win32 desktop apps) get the slide this time 'round the OS reboot, with continued and unfettered access to sideloading on the platform. The decision, much like Apple's approach to iOS, falls in line with Redmond's current Windows Phone 7 app policy, leaving the wild, wild west of unpoliced apps to users of Android's open-source ecosystem. Of course, it's only a matter of time before denizens of the interweb's shadowy underworld hobble together a means of bypassing MS' security measures, and open the floodgates to nefarious apps. We're still waiting to get our hands on those Win8 slates, but in the meantime, look forward to a curated experience.

Windows Phone Starter Kit for Wordpress hopes to lure developers, beef up marketplace offerings

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 08:12 PM PDT

There's nothing worse than that "womp womp" moment for Windows Phone users when they find out a favorite website doesn't have an optimized mobile app. Seriously. It's proven. Now, however, Wordpress aficionados can spread the love with the Windows Phone Starter Kit -- a package that promises quick and easy development for Microsoft's mobile marktplace. With the included skeleton code, admins only need to replace one line, insert the blog URL and tweak some settings in the CMS until presto -- the app's finito. Like other Wordpress dev kits, this one allows users to view posts and moderate comments. Hopefully, the promise of a super simple platform will be enough to entice developers to sit at Ballmer's table and fatten up the app store, particularly with Mango positioned as the next course.

Game on: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G ready at AT&T for $50

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 07:39 PM PDT

Just over four months after the unique device hit Verizon stores, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G has now made it past AT&T's front door and onto shelves nationwide. The unique factor on this particular version of the "PlayStation Phone" is the inclusion of 14.4Mbps HSPA+ -- with enhanced backhaul, naturally -- and will be the first PlayStation-Certified smartphone on AT&T's network. At $50, the pricing is certainly competitive since it ships with Android 2.3.3, a 1GHz single-core CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, 4-inch 854 x 480 display, and seven pre-loaded games. At a full $150 less than Big Red's launch price, the carrier may move a few units. If you're one of those that could be persuaded, head to the source link and get your shopping on.

Lion Ultimatum brings desktop-like functionality and file manager to jailbroken iOS (video)

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 07:14 PM PDT

Sure, OS X Lion borrowed many of its design cues from Apple's iOS platform, but now users of jailbroken iPhone and iPod Touch devices may bring much of the desktop Mac's functionality onto their handset with Lion Ultimatum. In essence, this beta project is a theme for Dreamboard (which is required software), but it's rather far-reaching, with a functional file manager and Finder menus, a scrollable dock and draggable windows, along with Stacks, Launchpad, Mission Control and Dashboard. There's also a customizable lock screen that provides access to the dialer, email and messages. Even the keyboard can be modified to resemble the design of MacBook Pro or the traditional Apple Keyboard, thanks to integration with ColorKeyboard. If you're thirsty for more, hop the break for an extended video preview, or just follow the source for the full install instructions.

[Thanks, Adam]

Amazon Appstore goes global: available now in Europe, Australia and India (update: not so fast)

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 06:46 PM PDT

Amazon's Appstore hasn't set the world on fire just yet -- perhaps due to the fact that it was a US-only store since launch. That could soon change, with a number of Amazon customers reporting that the curated Android marketplace is now open for business across western Europe, also working in India and Australia. We've tested it for ourselves, and can confirm it's functioning with our Amazon UK account, though its dedicated webpage is still based at Amazon.com. Register with the site, and you'll be able to rush the free daily app downloads, which has previously offered the likes of Angry Birds Rio and SwitftKey -- worth a regular visit, regardless of what time zone you're in.

[Thanks Nate]

Update: Looks like we jumped the gun, as the Appstore is now no longer functioning for our friends across the pond. (Thanks, Felix)

MSI demos X79 motherboards with PCI Express 3.0 and UEFI BIOS at IDF 2011 (video)

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 06:19 PM PDT

While MSI wasn't quite ready to publicly divulge all the details of its forthcoming X79-based motherboards, it was more than happy to give us a teaser. We were shown three upcoming models from the company at IDF, all toting PCI Express 3.0 slots, overclocking buttons and that snazzy UEFI BIOS. The latter makes changing settings a snap, and is carried over from the company's existing Sandy Bridge boards -- it even comes with a button that launches a browser, but unfortunately the machines in the booth weren't configured to support it. We'll know more in Q4, but in the meantime a gallery awaits you below, along with a video after the break.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
MSI demo's X79 motherboards with PCI Express 3.0 and UEFI BIOS at IDF 2011

Touchstone mod blesses Samsung Epic 4G Touch with inductive charging powers

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 05:57 PM PDT

The Touchstone's future is just as unclear as any other webOS product at the moment, but it's sure getting a fair share of love from the mod community. Not only did we witness the inductive-charging unit work on a modded Samsung Galaxy S Plus, a bold and daring AndroidCentral Forums member also accomplished the feat on his three-day-old Epic 4G Touch in a process that's definitely not for the faint of heart. The modder (who goes by the name of "darrenf" on the forum) offers a full step-by-step guide on exactly how to do it, but advises that it's "a pretty delicate mod" and attempting it will likely void any warranties or return policies that were attached to the phone when purchased. It also doesn't result in the most aesthetically pleasing look since the charging coil had to be attached to the outside of the phone, but it's gotta give you some massive street cred if you pull it off, right?

Intel: Ivy Bridge GPU to support 4K resolutions

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 05:26 PM PDT

Color us unsurprised that Ivy Bridge is destined to be faster and smaller than its predecessor, but unbeknownst to us is an interesting tidbit concerning the upcoming architecture's GPU. The revamp will support resolutions in excess of 4K (topping out at a maximum of 4,096 x 4,096) -- a sizable jump from the WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) limitation of its Sandy Bridge's forebearer -- opening the door to all sorts of resolution independent goodness. Guess that means you won't need a discrete GPU in the future to power that bodacious (but pricey) pro-level display. Have a peek in the links below if you're hungry for more.

This DIY Daft Punk helmet is way cooler than your DIY Daft Punk helmet (video)

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 05:02 PM PDT

Harrison Krix may never actually be invited to join Daft Punk, but at the very least, he'll likely have the coolest Halloween costume in the room for pretty much the rest of his life. It's true, we've seen plenty of folks have a go at the French electronic duo's signature headware in the past -- including one from Krix himself -- but few if any have shown quite the attention to detail as this project from the Atlanta-based graphic designer. At the center of the project is an Arduino-controlled LED with text that can be changed over WiFi with an iOS device. Relive the four month project in the three and a half minute video after the jump. And if you've ever wondered what Back to the Future might have looked like with Thomas Bangalter as Marty McFly, check out the source link below.
at 12:25 PM

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