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Friday, September 30, 2011

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Swatch Touch watch reacts to your, well, you know

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 12:58 PM PDT

Admit it, you've either owned or lusted after some sort of quirky Swatch in your lifetime. If not, its new Touch watch may be the one to finally give you a case of GAS. According to T3, the timepiece sports a convex LCD touchscreen, used for swiping or tapping through settings. Aside from displaying the time and date in an eye-caching (nearly unreadable) manner, it features an alarm, a timer, chronograph functionality and keeps track of two timezones. The Swatch Touch is said to hit the UK scene on October 1st, in a choice of six colors for $100 (roughly $157). Looks like Tokyoflash just got itself a worthy foe.

Growing Up Geek: Ben Drawbaugh

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 12:29 PM PDT

Welcome to Growing Up Geek, an ongoing feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. Today, we have our very own Contributing HD Editor, Ben Drawbaugh.

Unlike many adults I knew growing up, I don't think being a kid is easy. Maybe it is for some, but growing up geek in the small hick town of Clewiston, Florida means you learn you're a geek the hard way. This story of struggle turned out great, though, and now I wear that geek badge proudly as it's no doubt the secret to my success in almost every facet of my life.
CapselaMy first realization of my future geek status was my fascination with Legos and later Capsela. My two brothers and I weren't exactly nice to our toys and when my mom noticed I actually took care of these, she continued to nurture the interest. After I followed the directions and built what was on the box, I loved to make my own creations and discover what worked and what didn't.

Unlike most other geeks I know today, I'm not a gamer, but I was in Nintendo's golden age. My mom bought me the original Nintendo and Zelda for my birthday, which totally sucked up much of my life until I was about 15; though, I haven't done much gaming since. It was one of my first passions that I geeked out on. I remember receiving the very first edition of Nintendo Power Magazine, I read it cover to cover the day it hit my mailbox. If my photography skills were as good as my gaming skills, you'd be able to see the high score in the image below.


I finished playing Final Fantasy about the same time my older brother got a car, at which time my new passion became car stereos. I transferred my subscription from Nintendo Power to Car Audio Magazine and spent my high school years designing speaker boxes and wiring up amps to speakers. I never accomplished anything truly amazing, and learned I wasn't a carpenter, but enjoyed traveling to shows and working at Circuit City selling and installing stereos while I was supposed to be going to class at Tallahassee Community College.


Still refusing to accept that I was a geek, as well as face the realities of adulthood, I sold my amps and woofers and used the money to buy an intake and header for my '88 Honda CRX SI. My best friend and I both preferred working on cars to going to class and we applied our ambitions to starting a small business -- and stopped going to class almost completely. This is when my geek status really started to bloom; I had no fear when it came to swapping car engines, rewiring cars to facilitate other ECUs and even mixed and matched gears to get the optimal ratios for racing our high revving Honda engines. It was tuning automobiles when I first realized what my high school friend's dad told me years ago was true: with the right tools and documentation, there was almost nothing I could not do. I believe this realization is the source of power of a true geek. It is the closest feeling I'll ever have to the one Neo experienced when he started to see The Matrix.


Cars are fun, sure, but not even I could postpone my adulthood forever. I soon realized that turning wrenches wasn't the life for me, so I turned to my next passion -- computers. This time around I hit the books harder than ever, always went to class and ripped through thousand page Microsoft Press books like they were dime novels. I excelled at it for the same reason as my previous obsessions, because I really liked it. I did eventually earn my degree in Information Studies from Florida State University and my main gig is still in IT today.


I think the best way to ruin an avocation, though, is to turn it into your vocation. Lucky for me, a colleague and friend exposed me to the wonders of HDTVs, and my next passion. Our weekly talks about the development of the HDTV industry turned into a weekly podcast, and eventually, lead to my Contributing HD Editor status at Engadget. It's funny to find where your geekness will take you. You see, I've always struggled with the English language, both verbal and written -- certainly a result of growing up in a small hick town -- so learning to express myself in print at the level Engadget demands was a challenge. The skill, though, is one that I can apply to everything I do, no matter what my next passion may be. Speaking of which, I'm still looking. I suspect it'll be related to something one of my two small children will get involved in. Personally, I hope it is karting, but then again, who knows. The only thing I do know is that as long as I'm alive I'll geek out on something, and will love every minute of it.

Ben Drawbaugh can be found recordings the Engadget HD Podcast live on Mondays, or on Twitter at @bjdraw.

Asus Eee PC 1025 treads a Cedar Trail through the FCC

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 12:09 PM PDT

Attracted by all that Cedar Trail gossip about 10-hour battery life and weeks of standby time? Then you'll be pleased to see that Asus's Eee PC 1025C and higher-end 1025CE models have received their nods from the FCC. Both pack the latest 32nm Atom processor under their 10.1-inch hoods, along with an HDMI-out, Kensington lock and flush trackpad. The CE additionally serves up a USB 3.0 port, 4x zoom on its webcam and a metallic finish. NetbookNews got some hands-on time with these babies at Computex and reported prices of $249 and $279 for the C and CE respectively -- whet your appetite at the More Coverage link.

IBM's THINK Exhibit invades NYC, aims to inspire (video)

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:47 AM PDT

Leaving the confines of a Manhattan apartment, Lincoln Center has the uncanny ability to make one feel dwarfed. Home to the performing arts and haunt to New York City's glitterati, the landmark received the IBM makeover as part of the company's THINK exhibit -- an interactive installation designed to weave the story of technology as it applies to the fabric of life, achievement and change.

The first thing that catches the eye is IBM's sparkling 123-foot long, 12-foot high LCD wall lining a tunnel leading into the bowels of the NYC landmark. The "living" wall thrives off the surrounding environment, visualizing traffic patterns and analyzing corresponding air quality from nearby Broadway. It also shows the solar potential of every rooftop in the city, financial transactions and the amount of water leaking from the main aqueduct. As the event's producer Lee Green simply put it, the idea behind the set up is to "delegate understanding" to "intrigue and inspire" even the least technologically-inclined.
IBM THINK Exhibit NYC September 2011

Entering the main exhibit, we're met by darkness and 40 seven-foot screens that will soon come to life, telling stories of space exploration, weather prediction and medicine. The fun-house feel of the 360-degree video presentation give patrons a look into how inspired thinkers have used technology to solve world problems. Sound idyllic? Well, it is. Part of its "Smarter Planet" initiative, one of the vignettes describes how some do-gooders used IBM software to map the rice genome, identifying what was killing crops and helping to end hunger. After the video presentation, visitors can meander through the maze of touchscreens to explore various achievements -- and hopefully leave feeling inspired to give it a go themselves.

Outside the exhibit stands the company's achievement wall -- showing off IBM's humble beginnings as a punch card clock company and ending with Watson. The biggest takeaway is just how many achievements IBM has actually has been a part of -- everything from typewriters and the modern day credit card magnetic strip, to the computing power behind the Apollo space mission.

The set up is there to remind us that technology isn't just about the iPhone 5. It's there to inspire action and change the way we think, really. To pull a quote from the THINK website, "Change is easy. It happens by itself. Progress, on the other hand, is deliberate."

You can come check out the free exhibit in Lincoln Center through October 23rd, but if a trip to the Big Apple isn't in your cards, check out the video below.

AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II review

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Here comes the second episode of a thrilling three-part saga. Not content with simply selling ten million units of the GT-I9100 -- its flagship device -- in the course of the last five months, Samsung's ready to flood the good ol' US of A with a healthy dose of the Galaxy S II, and it has three carriers -- Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile -- already signed up on the dotted line. The Epic 4G Touch has already made its way into stores (not to mention the hearts of customers), and Ma Bell's next in line to appease the masses.

This time, things are a smidge different. Whereas Sprint opted to enlarge the screen and add in a few other select design tweaks, it appears that AT&T wanted to keep its variant -- appropriately named the Galaxy S II -- as close to the international smash hit as possible, opting for the same display size, squared corners and battery (albeit, with a twist). As it turns out, the tweaks are much more subtle than they were on last year's Samsung Captivate, which arguably looked almost nothing like the original Galaxy S. So does AT&T's model fit in with its two close compadres? Was its design choice the right decision for this go-round? Follow us below to get the full scoop.
AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II gallery



Hardware

The Galaxy S II lineup is launching in a much similar fashion (and with seemingly higher expectations) as its predecessor: the US models are reaching the market several months after the phone's global release, and carriers have made a few design tweaks along the way. What's so different this time around is the selection of devices. Last summer, each mobile operator took the concept of "carrier customization" to extremes, tweaking the S to their every whim -- in some cases changing the chassis altogether. For instance, the Epic 4G added a full QWERTY keyboard, the Captivate had a metal battery cover along with sharp edges and the Fascinate sprinkled Bing throughout the device's firmware. The three US variants of the sequel, however, have been a deal more subtle, making only slight adjustments in the design where the carriers see fit, and each one has even retained the Galaxy S II name in at least some way (the full title of Sprint's darling, for example, is "Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch.").

At first glance, it's apparent that the carrier didn't attempt to take much of a departure from the master copy. We'd like to think that it's adopted the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality, but we're not entirely sure what the reasoning is. We won't complain, though -- we gave high praises to the global model's design, and continue to do so here, since it's practically a spitting image. The only significant tweak we could find is the inclusion of four capacitive-touch navigation buttons at the bottom, as opposed to the three found on the I9100. 'Course, a set of four keys here is nothing new for the US; dedicated search buttons come standard around these parts, while it doesn't have a presence on the global version.


Anyone searching for the thinnest smartphone on the market won't find it here, though most casual observers will be perfectly content. Coming in at 8.89mm (0.35 inches) at its thinnest point, the Galaxy S II on AT&T is marginally thicker than the I9100, which measures at 8.49mm (0.33 inches). Unless you're viewing the two side by side, this slight difference won't be noticeable. With that said, it's still the thinnest of the US trio: the Epic 4G Touch is 9.65mm (0.38 inches) and T-Mobile's GS II comes in at 9.4mm (0.37 inches). At 4.3 ounces (122g), it's also the lightest of the three, though it's a full 0.2 ounces heavier than the global ditty.

As with the others, we can enjoy the GSII's 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos CPU, a full gigabyte of RAM, an 8MP camera with 1080p HD video capture, a 2MP front-facing cam, 16GB of internal storage and quadband GSM and tri-band UMTS / HSPA (850 / 1900 / 2100) to make for smooth international travelling. A slot for a microSD card is included, but that'll be a separate accessory you need to purchase on your own if you require more space.


AT&T opted to include a 1,650mAh battery, which is the same size as the I9100's, but there's one intriguing twist -- a Near-Field Communication (NFC) chip. Or, at least, the words "Near Field Communications" are inscribed on the battery itself -- lending credence to the presence of an embedded chip. We've previously reported that instances of NFC are littered throughout the device's firmware, and after some digging through the task manager we found a NFC Service app which proffers little details and can't be opened. In reaching out to Samsung, we were told that the AT&T Galaxy S II is not NFC-enabled, but the company didn't volunteer any details about chip placement or if it will be enabled at a later date. Our theory is that the NFC functionality is laying dormant for now, perhaps until the carrier is ready to unleash the fruits of its partnership with ISIS. We'll update if we get any more clarification.

We'll try not to be too much of a bore by talking about what comes included in the box, but in addition to the standard charger and user manuals, AT&T sought fit to throw in an HDTV adaptor as well -- an accessory that was missing with the Epic 4G Touch. Granted, the Samsung Galaxy S II lineup has MHL enabled, which gives the phone the opportunity to use a single cable to pump out uncompressed 1080p HDMI while charging up at the same time. It's easy enough to find an MHL or HDMI cable to fit your needs, but it's a nice gesture on AT&T's part to at least include the adaptor for anyone who prefers to connect that way.

This particular model of the Samsung Galaxy S II uses an identical display to that of the international version, with a stunning 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus with WVGA (800 x 480) resolution. It's been said with the other two phones, but it's worth repeating: regardless of how many pixels it packs in, it's still one of the most gorgeous and color-saturated displays we've had the pleasure to cast our eyes upon. The colors are brighter, more vivid and saturated than most displays you'll see on the market today, and just like the others, it's easy to view in direct sunlight. It's in close competition with the Retina Display found on the iPhone 4 -- we'll see if there's any change to that statement next week, of course -- but has the larger screen size to give Sammy a major plus (pun not intended, but greatly welcomed).

It's true that Sprint and T-Mobile decided to go with a larger display, which may be a bit intimidating for anyone with smaller hands. For what it's worth, our average-sized hands didn't have any more difficulty holding the Epic 4G Touch than we did the AT&T version, mainly because of the small difference in width (4mm) between the two devices.

One aspect we loved in the Epic 4G Touch and wished we could've seen here was the LED notification light. Unfortunately AT&T stayed so true to the original I9100's design, it seems, that the little blinking alert was left out.

Software

The Galaxy S II runs on Android 2.3.4 out of the box, but you're mostly seeing the TouchWiz user interface that Sammy's elected to add to every phone in the series (not to mention most of its non-Nexus devices, for that matter). The version we see running here is 4.0, which is the best iteration of TouchWiz that we've used so far. It's no secret that we typically prefer vanilla Android over a UI overlay, but we appreciate user interfaces that least try not to interfere with our full experience on the phone. More specifically, TouchWiz is a nice skin that allows us a schload of customization, which is a nice gesture for most users.

Speaking of gestures, this is an area where TouchWiz excels. Several motion sensor-assisted gestures are available, offering a unique twist on how we pinch-to-zoom, move icons, and silence our media. When moving an icon on the home panels, you can simply tilt your phone left or right to shift that icon to other front screens. Pinch-to-zoom can be replicated by pressing two fingers simultaneously on the screen and tilting the phone up or down, which admittedly was more cumbersome to use because it doesn't feel as natural to us as its alternative. Double-tapping the top of the device when you're in voice control mode will prompt you to begin dictating. Finally, you're also given the option to flip the phone onto its front to pause media playback or silence incoming phone calls -- this particular feature has been done on HTC devices before, but we appreciate the fact that it's starting to reach out to other manufacturers.

Samsung Galaxy S II for AT&T screenshots

The lock screen isn't nearly as crafty as what you'd find on HTC Sense 3.0, where you can drag a pre-determined shortcut into the ring and have it take you directly there, but it has a few nifty additions. For one, you can access missed calls and messages directly from little tabs on the left and right sides of the screen, and when a phone call comes in, you're treated to an added option to reject the phone call with a text message response -- and lets you slide the screen up to view the different messages you can send the caller.

The app menu is also heavily customizable, which is one of our favorite features of the TouchWiz skin. The menu still uses panels in a left-right orientation (compared to vanilla Android, which uses one scrollable up-down panel), and not only lets you choose the way you want to organize your apps -- an option that more and more skins now allow -- it also lets you put folders directly into the app menu itself. In other words, all of the pre-installed apps that we will never use and can't uninstall can now be tucked away in a folder, hidden in plain sight. So if you're the kind that prefers to organize apps and not leave dozens of them sprawled across several screens, you're in for a treat.

Bloatware is a subject of constant consideration with carrier-subsidized devices. Some pre-installed apps just cannot be uninstalled without going through the extra effort of rooting your device, which is frankly an option that roughly 95 percent of the average user base probably won't think of or even care about. On the AT&T version you'll find: Kindle, Yellow Pages, YouTube, Qik Lite, Quickoffice, Live TV, Featured App (a hub that shows -- brace yourself-- some of AT&T's featured apps) myAT&T, AT&T code, AT&T Family Map and AT&T Navigator, in addition to the apps that come standard with Android and / or TouchWiz. On a good note, however, we're happy to report that a healthy chunk of the AT&T apps can be uninstalled. This hasn't always been the case, and we'll root for more of this in the future.

The AT&T Galaxy S II comes with two Samsung Hubs, a stark contrast to the four found on the I9100. We felt that the Epic 4G Touch did the right thing by only including a Media Hub and Social Hub, and this model appears to have followed the same wisdom. The Social Hub has space for feeds, which gives you the option to integrate Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as you please, and messages, an option that doesn't seem to have much of a point aside from offering a universal inbox for Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo and Exchange accounts. Interestingly enough, there are several more quick email setup options available here than on the Epic, which only offers support for Exchange and "others."

Not a fan of the default Swype keyboard on the Galaxy S II? True, it's not for everyone -- we find ourselves torn in an epic love / hate battle with it all the time. The phone comes with not one, not two, but three options for virtual keyboards; in addition to Swype, you can choose between the standard Android and Samsung 'boards.

Camera
AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II samples

The praiseworthy experience we had using the camera in the I9100 and Epic 4G Touch was, to no surprise of ours, exactly matched on the AT&T Galaxy S II. Using the same 8 megapixel rear camera sensor and 2MP front-facing cam, it continues to leave us in awe no matter how many times we use it. As of this writing, the only phone available in the US with a better camera is the 12 megapixel Nokia N8, which is easy enough to find -- at a significantly higher cost upfront. In other words, the Epic 4G Touch and Galaxy S II for AT&T (and, presumably, the T-Mobile variant) are the absolute top of the line on their respective carriers. Simply put, Samsung continues to produce phones with camera sensors that have a seemingly higher quality than their megapixel count implies, which unfortunately is something that can't be said about many other OEMs.

We're impressed by the buffet-style spread of various camera settings that give the phone even more of a point-and-shoot feel: ISO, metering, focus modes, scene modes, anti-shake and exposure adjustments aplenty are found embedded within the UI itself. The left side of the camera app has slots for five icons; the fifth slot is always reserved for the settings menu, but the other four squares are completely customizable shortcuts that let you choose which settings you'd like to quick-jump into.


Our images turned out as beautiful as they did on the other two phones. The colors seem to pop out in all the right places, the macro focus mode did well capturing close-ups in wondrous depth and we were able to capture important moments instantaneously, thanks to the camera's ability to first lock in focus and exposure before we're ready to actually take the picture. In essence, it functions the same way a double-detent button normally would on a standard digital cam, and is the next best thing to actually having a dedicated button on the right side of the phone -- a feature left out of every Galaxy S II so far.

The LED flash, while not a subject of great emphasis on any handset, is worth a mention here because it's bright -- really bright. When taking pictures around our backyard in the dark, the flash captured far more depth and color than we've previously seen on a phone. But where most devices use the flash like it's going out of style, the Galaxy S II is wise enough to know how and when it should be employed; it was smart enough to tell when flash was needed for actually taking the picture and when it was only necessary to help focus on an object.

Again, as we expected, the Galaxy S II for AT&T has the same concern with the narrow dynamic range. In short, this causes a sharp contrast between dark and well-lit areas, which can create deeper shadows and blown-out highlights, depending on where you're attempting to focus. But this was the only nitpick we had with any element of the camera's performance on the Galaxy S II, and otherwise was an absolutely thrilling contribution to the phone's appeal.


Samsung offers 1080p HD for video capture, but just make sure you have the camcorder turned to the correct setting if you want to bump it up to the max, since it keeps the default at 720p. If you want to zoom in, the higher resolution isn't going to do it for you -- every lower-res setting will give you the chance to zoom up to 4x, if it so fits your fancy. In general, the vids turned out great and were able to capture motion without trying to refocus on moving objects. The only shaky movements that could be seen in the videos were due to our admittedly shaky hands.

And much like its counterparts, the AT&T version of the Galaxy S II also comes with a homegrown Photo Editor, which takes the images you've so carefully taken with your camera and gives you the chance to screw around with them. It's not as elaborate as you'd see in any professional photo editing software, of course, but it still gives options to touch up your pics by adjusting brightness and saturation, adding blurs, cropping, resizing and more.

Performance and battery life

We're pretty hefty multitaskers on our phones. We normally have our email and social networking syncing 24 hours a day, and we're constantly texting, checking news sites, playing games, and trying to keep our lives organized in the process (emphasis on "trying"). As a result, we're consistently pushing our phones to the limit, demanding more out of them than anyone should. We still couldn't get a flutter, flicker, or any other sign of weakness to come out of the Galaxy S II. It's tough to beat Samsung's proprietary Exynos CPU, a 1.2GHz dual-core darling that translates into top-tier phone performance in almost every area of the device. We witnessed very little lag -- and when we did, it was negligible -- and the device didn't crash once. Not to say it won't ever crash, but we could definitely tell that the Galaxy S II doesn't skip a beat.

In our standard benchmarks, Quadrant performed as expected, typically hovering between 3,200 and 3,300. Neocore and Nenamark nearly hit the max framerate by scoring 59.8, and we saw Linpack give results that were much the same as the Epic 4G Touch, typically producing 55 MFLOPS for single threads and 81 MFLOPS for multi. AT&T's browser performance also matched wits with Sprint's version, notching a top score of 3,369ms.

When it comes to the call quality and speaker volume, we'd be happy campers if every single phone could perform as well as the Galaxy S II. We found ourselves having to turn the volume down in order to converse with friends and family comfortably, and the speakerphone was no weakling either. The reception was also on par with other AT&T devices we've reviewed.

Without a doubt, the Galaxy S II series has made a name for itself by providing some of the best battery life we've seen from any Android device; even the multitaskers should be getting at least a full day of use out of it, and resigning yourself to moderate usage will likely extend the life of your phone an extra half-day. What we were curious about was the difference between the AT&T model, packing a 1,650mAh juice pack like the global version, and Sprint's, which comes in at a healthy 1,800. Surprisingly, AT&T lasted longer in a direct side-by-side video test, which consists of playing a full-length movie on an endless cycle until the phone keels over and begs to be recharged. Here's the big surprise: while the Epic 4G Touch lasted 8.5 hours this time around (which was interesting by itself, because it lasted 5 hours when we initially did the review), the AT&T Galaxy S II kept cranking out the moving pictures for 9.5 hours before giving up the electronic ghost. Needless to say, we were quite stunned by the revelation.

Wrap-up

We'd like to think that selling ten million units in the space of nearly five months means the Galaxy S II is a top-notch device, and being available on three of the four major US players won't hurt its numbers one iota, either. The AT&T version of Sammy's flagship is no less praiseworthy than any of the others that came under our microscope before it. Anyone who gave the international version a second look, which normally sells for $600-700 in the US as an unlocked and unsubsidized device, should give even more consideration to this one now that it's available for $200 -- provided you don't mind getting locked into a two-year commitment, that is.

Once T-Mobile launches its variant of the Galaxy S II, we'll have four different tantalizing options to choose from, each with their own set of pros and cons. Is there a clear winner between the Epic 4G Touch and the AT&T version? Not really -- it all comes down to personal preference. The AT&T version is ideal for anyone who likes the features of the I9100 but doesn't want to take out a second mortgage to get one; when factoring in support for international roaming, an HSPA+ radio and a 4.3-inch display that's slightly smaller than Sprint and T-Mobile's namesakes, this unit inherited a heavy amount of charm from its mobile precursor.

Red Nikon D3100 now available exclusively at Best Buy

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:41 AM PDT

Nikon may be generous with the paint colors for its more compact cameras, but it's been a decidedly different story for its DSLRs (unlike some other camera makers). There is one new non-DIY option available courtesy of Best Buy, however, which is now offering an exclusive red version of the Nikon D3100. Unfortunately, while it has the same $650 list price as the regular D3100 (including an 18-55mm VR kit lens), it doesn't have the same $100 discount that Best Buy's currently offering on the standard black model.

Sharp's Aquos 104SH monster phone hits Softbank next spring, colors it blue like an orange

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:23 AM PDT

Softbank's on a roll -- doling out the updated mobile kit to lucky denizens of Japan. After treating us to news of Dell's dual-core beastie and Sharp's comparatively lower end Aquos 102SH, comes word of this true wireless brute -- the Aquos 104SH. Rocking a dual-core 1.5GHz TI OMAP4460 processor beneath a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 HD LCD display, this handset's certainly no forward-looking specced slouch. Prospective owners can mark their calendars for a spring 2012 debut, at which point you'll get to enjoy speeds of up to 21Mbps down, useful for recording and uploading HD video on its 12.1 megapixel rear camera. Oh, and did we mention the device's loaded with tri-band GSM / WCDMA radios for that global roaming trip around the continents you've been putting off? We haven't yet seen pricing for Sharp's orange and blue (a Syracuse fan, we presume) wonder, so sit tight and wait for a future announcement.

ZTE N860 heading to Sprint, granted FCC and BlueTooth SIG approval

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:01 AM PDT

ZTE N860 for Sprint
It's not often that a phone swings through the FCC with its carrier branding already in place, but here is the ZTE N860 with a nice big Sprint logo emblazoned across its regulatory label. Interestingly, it doesn't appear that the N860 (which we hope picks up a catchier name on its way to market) packs a WiMAX radio. Instead this Android smartphone only has test entries for its EVDO connection, but we wouldn't rule out a 4G hiding in some of the unreleased documents. In addition to its trip through the FCC, the handset also hit up the BlueTooth SIG and we can tell it sports A2DP capabilities - but, beyond that (even what particular version of Google's mobile OS it's running) this thing is still a mystery.

Engadget Podcast 258 - 09.30.2011

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 09:40 AM PDT

If you didn't notice, Amazon was really on one this week, and we were there with pad and pen in hand to document the drama. Come along with us, won't you, to discuss the silkier and more fiery points of the tablet smörgåsbord that was the week in technology news.

Host: Brian Heater
Guest: Richard Lawler, Terrence O'Brien
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: All Along The Watchtower

02:35 - Live from Amazon's tablet event in NYC!
03:15 - Amazon Kindle Fire impressions (video)
04:15 - Kindle Fire vs. BlackBerry PlayBook... Fight!
05:15 - Amazon Kindle (2011) impressions
12:30 - Is a 10-inch Kindle Fire coming? Amazon says 'stay tuned'
16:39 - Amazon Silk browser spins a faster mobile web, courtesy of cloud servers (video)
19:39 - Amazon Kindle Touch impressions (video)
30:20 - Windows Phone 7.5 Mango review
38:40 - Ice Cream Sandwich gets a two-minute tour, courtesy of a lucky eBay shopper (video)
41:30 - Apple wants to 'talk iPhone' on October 4th
44:37 - Windows Phone 7.5 'Mango' update begins rolling out today

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Acer Iconia Tab A501 for AT&T review

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT

We waited nearly the entire summer for the Acer Iconia Tab A501 to break daylight. Now that it's finally shone its uber-glossy face, we were anxious to see if the "4G" HSPA+ model is worth the extra coin (or two year ball-and-chain, should you go that route) over the standard A500. If you have little fear of commitment, signing the dotted line will get you one 16GB slate for $330 -- plus the added cost of a capped data allowance or a pay-as-you go plan. Not down to hitch up to the contract wagon? Cool with us... but you'll pay $150 more to get your hands on one of these. So is settling down for two of the Earth's rotations with the same tablet a wise move? Are you better off sticking with the WiFi-only model? Read on to see what we discovered when we took the A501 for a spin.
Acer Iconia Tab A501 for AT&T review


Hardware
You'll hear us say this a lot during the course of this review, but the A501 houses predominantly the same features as the A500 -- with the exception of a WWAN radio, of course. So much so that placing them side by side would make them appear identical. That said, we're still big on the aluminum enclosure that sets this tab apart from many of its plastic-backed brethren. We also still dig the volume rocker up top with its orientation locking sidekick, as well as the extra effort in the sound department shown by the Dolby Mobile speakers. Just as we surmised when scoping out the A500, that empty slot beside the microSD receptacle is indeed where the AT&T SIM resides. Like many similar devices, the cover for the duo is super flimsy and could very well be the first thing on this tablet to bite the dust. We're also still digging the full-size USB port... you know, in the event we want to hard wire in to a keyboard or connect to an external storage device.

Display


Even with the onslaught of Android tablets we've seen in the past few months, the display on the A501 remains near the top of the class. Its 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 TFT LCD is still in the glare-reflecting and fingerprint-collecting businesses, but the excellent viewing angles help make peeping the latest Dark Knight flick pretty enjoyable. At times, individual pixels can be seen with the naked eye -- which is less than ideal -- but for the most part, our complaints here are minimal. As to be expected, the super high-gloss screen makes outdoor use almost impossible, so don't count on getting much work done at the beach. Sure, there are some flaws, but for a slate, the scenery here is stellar.

Camera


Don't get your hopes up for a camera upgrade though, as the same mediocre five megapixel offering from the WiFi-only A500 rears its ugly head again. The images from this camera look pretty bad once you get them off of the device and on to a larger screen -- which makes using them for anything other than a quick reference a pretty frustrating endeavor. Video and video chatting also showcase poor quality in the front-facing cam, so trying to Skype your sweetheart becomes a less than enjoyable task. Sure, we're used to subpar performance out of tablet cameras, but we can still hope, right?
Acer Iconia Tab A501 sample shots



Performance and battery life


Like its elder statesman, the A501 is quicker than the Xoom and G-Slate in Quadrant. The slate averaged out at 2,172 and broke 2,300 on multiple occasions, keeping it comfortably out in front of the above mentioned tablets. It notched above the A500's SunSpider Javascript benchmark, completing the test in 2,015ms -- which keeps it a smidge under the Xoom's time of 2,042ms. Not a huge difference there, and you probably won't be able to catch the disparity in working scenarios, but numbers are numbers nonetheless. Playing 720p (H.264) clips still goes off without a hitch, but from time to time, a bit of pixel corruption creeps up in certain videos or graphics-heavy games -- much like what we saw out of the A500.

The first time around, our biggest disappointment with the Acer Iconia Tab A500 was its battery life. Well, the HSPA+ model was no exception and actually fared worse that its WiFi-only mate.


Battery Life
Acer Iconia Tab A501 6:26
Acer Iconia Tab A500 6:55
Apple iPad 2 10:26
Apple iPad 9:33
Motorola Xoom 8:20
T-Mobile G-Slate 8:18
Archos 101 7:20
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 7:01


During a span of moderate email use, surfing the web and hourly tweeting -- using only the data signal -- the battery read 68 percent after 3 hours. We left it idle for 18 hours -- until the next morning -- still with only the HSPA+ active, and when we awoke the battery was at 53 percent. The real bummer came when we performed our battery drain test (video looping, brightness fixed at 50 percent with one push e-mail account active and Twitter updating every 15 minutes) on both WiFi and HSPA+ connections. While it managed to last six hours and 26 minutes on WiFi, it dropped to five hours and 25 minutes when we used the HSPA+ connection. This puts the WiFi runtime at about a half hour less than the A500. Sure, that'll probably get you through a normal workday, but for that DC to Boston road trip, you better remember to pack a charger. And when you consider the performance of other Honeycomb-equipped tablets in regards to battery life, the A501 puts up a fairly lackluster effort.

Software


We've discussed Android 3.0 at length since its release, but for the sake of A501, we'll give you a little refresher. Honeycomb is a quite beautiful OS that works nicely in regards to this particular slate. Gestures feel smooth and, with carefully designed hardware like we see here, perform almost flawlessly. As far as bloatware goes, AT&T slapped its WiFi app on the slate, which we never even used except to see what it was -- since connecting to a network through the OS itself is a breeze. However, Acer did take the same liberties as it did with the A500, so your tablet will come primed with several duplicate apps where Google's own version is in close proximity. The two exceptions still being Media Server and Photo Browser 3D, both of which could come in handy from time to time.

Wrap-up


If you loved the Acer Iconia A500, and you need the added connectivity of a data plan from Ma Bell, you'd be better off opting for a tethering plan with a device you're already toting around. AT&T makes the addition quite easy for your smartphone or mobile broadband device, and you'll be able to share the connection with your other tech and not just the tablet. Going this route also lends itself to any number of alternatives in the Android realm that could end up being a much better deal, including the more expensive Galaxy 10.1. You'll have to forgo the USB port and microSD slot should you settle on Samsung's offering, though. The Eee Pad Transformer 16GB WiFi model is another solid option and can be picked up for a cool $399. Not only is the price comparable to the Acer Tab, but for another $150 you can grab a keyboard dock that adds two USB 2.0 ports, an SD slot and hours of extra battery life. At $330 with a contract, the inclusion of a WWAN radio on the A501 simply becomes more of a financial burden and not much else. But, if you've got some coin to spare and you don't mind paying for a data connection for only one device, you could certainly do much worse.

Nokia passes off Symbian and 2,300 employees to Accenture

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:41 AM PDT


After placing all bets on Windows Phone, Stephen Elop announced that Nokia would slowly phase out its OG operating system, Symbian. Today, it's officially passed the torch, handing over all Symbian-related duties to Accenture, a consulting and outsourcing firm. 2,300 former Nokia employees will also be repurposed, getting a new name on their paycheck as they tend to the ill-fated OS. The Finnish mainstay says the arrangement will last until at least 2016, and plans to continually roll out updates during this time. Not everyone is hanging on another five years though, as it seems that at least 500 employees have jumped ship or found new gigs within the company since the original announcement predicting 2,800 reassignments. Head past the break to find the full (and very terse) press release.
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Nokia and Accenture Close Symbian Software Development and Support Services Outsourcing Agreement

ESPOO, Finland, Sep 30, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nokia and Accenture have closed the agreement for Nokia to outsource Symbian software development and support activities to Accenture. Under the agreement, originally announced on June 22, 2011, Accenture will provide Symbian-based software development and support services to Nokia at least until 2016 and also become the preferred supplier for Nokia in its transition to Windows Phone. Following the close, approximately 2,300 employees from China, Finland, India, the United Kingdom and the United States are transferring from Nokia to Accenture.

"We are focused on growing our business in mobility and embedded software. The addition of these highly skilled technologists and engineers to Accenture will strengthen our capabilities in these areas," said Marty Cole, chief executive, Accenture Communications, Media & Technology operating group. "We look forward to supporting Nokia in the execution of its strategy."

Accenture will work with Avanade, a technology service company that is majority-owned by Accenture and focuses on Microsoft technologies, to provide further services to Nokia.

Samsung announces the Series 7 all-in-one, its first desktop for the US market

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:16 AM PDT

There must be something in the water: first Toshiba decides to give this all-in-one thing a whirl and a few months later, Samsung's jumping on the bandwagon, too. The company just added a desktop to its Series 7 lineup, making it Sammy's first all-in-one for the US market. It'll be available in two configurations, but either way you're in for a 23-inch, 250-nit display with 1080p resolution and support for two-finger gestures. Other specs include four USB 2.0 ports built into the base (along with one of the 3.0 persuasion), a 1TB 7,200RPM hard drive, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth 3.0 and dual four-watt speakers. And, depending on which config you choose, you'll get either a 2.6GHz Core i3-2120T CPU and 6GB of RAM or a 2.7GHz Core i5-2390T processor with 8GB of memory. Sadly, both models cap the graphics off with Intel's integrated option, which means this may or may not be the right choice for game-loving Samsung fans. Look for them on October 10th for $999 and $1,199, depending on the model. Oddly, the company isn't issuing a press release until Monday (we'll update this post when we see it) but for now, skip past the break for one extra pic.

Future SpaceX rockets will set you down gently after your long commute (video)

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 07:55 AM PDT

Elon Musk's space ferries will one day require nothing so prosaic as parachutes to soften their landings. Instead, SpaceX's latest 'Dragon' design will rely totally on rocket boosters for the final leg of its descent. In fact, take that notion and triple it: it's intended that each of the Dragon's three sub-sections will be able to return to earth separately under boost power, making the system 100 percent reusable. Check out the slick animation after the break and then see this for a dose of reality.

New Datel Xbox 360 controller packs LCD screen, parties like it's 1998

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 07:23 AM PDT

Datel's latest controller for the Xbox 360 is inducing waves of nostalgia, with a curious LCD display channeling the ghost of the Sega Dreamcast's VMU. The Turbofire EVO also packs in button mapping and fine-tune rumble options alongside third-party controller staples like turbo button settings. These can all be tweaked through the 1.7-inch screen, with extra custom profiles available if you connect the proudly unofficial controller to a PC. Check the video after the break and if a baked-in display presses your buttons, it's available now direct from Datel.

Griffin's Multidock system charges and syncs up to 30 iPads at once

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:53 AM PDT

Don't you hate it when all of your iPads collectively run out of juice? Well, praise Griffin for announcing its first business centric iOS "accessory" in the shape of the Multidock. It has its own power connection for simultaneous charging of ten iPads, but it can be chain-linked to two other docks for syncing of up to 30 tablets with a single Mac. With each server-esque tower measuring up at 18.6 inches (47.2 cm) tall and priced even higher at $700, this one's for IT pros and Scrabble aficionados only.

Griffin Multidock press shots

Samsung Galaxy W gets the FCC once over (again), appears ready for AT&T

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:32 AM PDT

In a Samsung Galaxy soon coming your way, are a stable of alphabetically ranked handsets. Among these newly hatched Korean mobile offspring is the 'W' line -- meant to imply wireless wonder. Well, wonder about its US bow no more because that handset -- previously announced for the British Isles -- is getting a double take at the FCC. The time 'round, the Commission's filings reveal GSM / WCDMA 850MHz / 1900MHz bands, making this variant prime for Canada's networks and our own AT&T -- at speeds of 14.4Mbps down. We know from previous reports that this 3.7-incher sports a Super LCD display, in addition to a single-core 1.4GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera, 4GB of storage, WiFi and Bluetooth. Now, all we need to complete the picture is an official announcement and an offering in virgin white. Check out the source below if spectrum testing rings your bell.

Keepin' it real fake: Chinese Nokia N9 makes but minor sacrifices

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:22 AM PDT

Chinese rip-off merchants have been crafting N9s since before the handset even existed and by now they're pretty good at it. This latest bogie comes in at just $64 -- way cheaper than a genuine budget smartphone -- but it still manages to pack in dual SIM slots, a mock iPhone UI and a resistive touchscreen that gives you the ergonomic pleasure of pressing everything three times. Sure, we have a few misgivings about the lack of functioning apps and the blurry 1.3MP rear camera, but then even the N-Man himself has the occasional phony moment.

Update: We switched the pic to show you the iOS version, rather than the mock Sense variant depicted earlier. Yes, it seems you do get a choice.

SwiftKey X for Android hits v2.1, fingers party everywhere

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Rejoice, virtual keyboard aficionados! SwiftKey X 2.1 for Android tablets and smartphones just became available today, and brings a bunch of new features and bug fixes to your favorite touchscreen device. Since our hands-on with v2.0, TouchType has updated its on-screen keyboard using the feedback it gathered from its 25,000+ VIP members. The new version of SwiftKey X adds blog personalization, insights about your typing (shareable with friends), heat-map visualization (see screenshot above), localization / language enhancements, and an auto caps toggle. We've been using the final build of SwiftKey X 2.1 on our Nexus S for the past couple of days and noticed some improvements in terms of typing speed and accuracy. Pricing remains $4.99 for SwiftKey Tablet X and $3.99 for SwiftKey X. Full PR after the break.
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Update: SwiftKey X 2.1

September 30, 2011

The TouchType team's been busy listening and taking feedback from its more than 25,000 VIP members since its public launch. They're excited to tell you some of the company's new updates going live today, Friday 9/30.

These updates include a robust number of new features that VIP members clamored for, as well as fixing a number of bugs. The latest version of SwiftKey X for Android Smartphones and Android Tablets will be available today, Friday 9/30.

New Features with Clear Benefits:

- Blog Personalization: In addition to support for Facebook, Twitter and Gmail, SwiftKey X can now intuitively learn your typing style from your blog posts
- New Insights Into Your Typing: Track how you type, keystrokes saved, words completed and typos/words corrected with SwiftKey X, then share your results with your friends via links.
- Heat-Map Visualization: See how SwiftKey models your typing accuracy to help tailor predictions more effectively. Share your visual results on how you use your keyboard.
- New Localization: Fully localized app support for more than 20 languages, including -- French, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
- New Languages: Support for predictions in five new languages; Bulgarian, Finnish, Greek, Slovenian and Ukrainian. This brings the app's support to 33 total languages supported.
- Language Switching: Transition between two language keyboards by simply gesturing to the right or left on the spacebar.
- Autocaps Toggle: Now you can choose whether your sentences automatically begin with a capital letter or not.

And More Improvements:

- Alternative character selection: Now select special characters with a slide rather than a new tap (works for smileys too).
- Instant language updates: Refresh your language list to see new languages and new updates as soon as they are ready.
- Various layout and user interface usability improvements.
- General performance and memory usage improvements.

Pour one out for the Tevatron particle accelerator, because it's shutting down today

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 05:43 AM PDT

The eyes of the physics community are collectively fixed upon Illinois today, where, later this afternoon, researchers at Fermilab will shut down the Tevatron particle accelerator... for good. That's right -- the world's second-largest collider is being laid to rest, after a remarkable 25-year run that was recently halted due to budgetary constraints. Earlier this year, Fermilab's scientists and a group of prominent physicists pleaded with the government to keep the Tevatron running until 2014, but the Energy Department ultimately determined that the lab's $100 million price tag was too steep, effectively driving a nail through the accelerator's subterranean, four-mile-long coffin. First activated in 1985, the Tevatron scored a series of subatomic breakthroughs over the course of its lifespan, including, most notably, the discovery of the so-called top quark in 1995. Its groundbreaking technology, meanwhile, helped pave the way for CERN's Large Hadron Collider, which will now pursue the one jewel missing from the Tevatron's resume -- the Higgs boson. Many experts contend that the collider could've gone on to achieve much more, but its ride will nonetheless come to an inglorious end at 2PM today, when Fermilab director Pier Oddone oversees the Tevatron's last rites. "That will be it," physicist Gregorio Bernardi told the Washington Post. "Then we'll have a big party."

AndyPad Pro review

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 05:22 AM PDT

Picture the scene: you're checking your emails on a shiny new device (worth two months pay) and from nowhere, a greasy-fingered infant is screaming at you to play. Reluctantly, you pass it over, watching your own hands cup the air beneath any potential drop zone, wondering how best to explain the jam-smeared calamity to your insurance company. Then you wonder if there isn't a useful, hard-wearing and cheap device you could let them play on without fear of bankruptcy. That's what prompted Norwich-based bedding magnate Andrew Kerry to conceive the AndyPad, an inexpensive, 7-inch Android tablet he could fling at kids. It wasn't long before jealous adults were demanding their own version, so a tooled-up edition of the device called the AndyPad Pro was born.

The tablet is currently UK-only and it retails for a lot less than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 (£280; $345 on Amazon) and Acer Iconia Tab A100 (£273 for the 8GB version; $328 on Amazon), and HTC Flyer (£330; $499 on Amazon). What's more, Verticool, an outfit founded by a man more famous for his Mattressman chain than any interest in technology, believes it can match the competition in a fair fight. Do the electronics giants have something to fear from the bargain-basement tablet or does it promise much and deliver little? Read on to find out.

AndyPad Pro review

Hardware


In the box, you'll find the tablet, a micro-USB cable, wall adapter and a pair of earbuds so large that inserting dinner plates into your ear canals would seem to be an easier proposition. The 5 x 8-inch device weighs in at 0.8 pounds (370 grams), measures 0.5-inches thick and is pleasingly chunky without feeling heavy. It also happens to be thinner than most of the other devices in its class. The only significant drawback is a creaking in the thin plastic rear shell that reduces one's confidence in its durability. The white device hides fingerprints well, though it is a veritable dust magnet. Even so, a quick wipe on the back of the sleeve will prevent people from thinking you live in a cotton mill.


In portrait mode, the power button, reset pin and speakers are on the top edge of the device, the right side houses a volume rocker and the bottom contains mini-HDMI and micro-USB ports, a headphone jack and a microSD slot. Up front is a 0.3 megapixel VGA camera and round the back, a 2 megapixel camera (in the pictures you'll see what appears to be an LED-flash beneath it; it's actually a light-sensor.) Beneath the display are three touch buttons: home, back and menu. Button placement presents a challenge when using the device in landscape -- hold it on the right and the heel of your hand will invariably catch enough of the button sensor to take you out of your app or media. Hold it on the left and you will utterly obscure the speakers housed on the other side.


Steve Jobs may think that the 7-inch form factor is "DOA" but once we learned the best way to hold the device, it was very comfortable to hold for long periods of time. The screen is large enough to comfortably enjoy full-screen apps with movies and can even fit into a pants pocket, although we wouldn't recommend you use it that way. It's sufficiently compact enough that you can even comfortably use it one-handed, as long as your fingers are agile enough.

Display and sound


The tablet's 1024 x 600 capacitive display has weak backlighting, which means it won't win a fight against direct sunlight. Still, it has a wide viewing angle and the matte covering won't attract fingerprints as easily as its high-gloss cousins. It handles video pretty well, with a detailed picture, good black levels and only minor colour bleaching -- well enough, in fact, that it's a worthy replacement for a similarly endowed PMP. The display supports multitouch gestures, and in most apps they feel surprisingly fast and responsive. In the home screen, specifically, the tablet became sluggish and unresponsive, giving the impression of being far slower than it actually is.

Taking the device on a train journey with a pair of high-end Radiopaq earbuds, video refused to play stereo sound correctly even after several restarts. Afterward, testing with a pair of JVC Marshmallow earbuds and a variety of cheaper pairs, the problem seems isolated, but it's worth noting that it can throw a fit with the wrong accessories. Build quality rears its ugly head when you plug in headphones -- any pressure, like a finger tap on the rear shell causes any sound you hear to be replaced by an electrical buzzing.

Camera


On the back is a 2 megapixel camera, which provides reasonable shots and a 0.3 megapixel VGA lens for video chatting on the front. Sadly, none of the bundled apps, nor Skype can take advantage of the camera and only Fring was able to do anything useful with the snapper. Again, this is a software issue that should have been addressed before the device went on sale. At least you can get away with not putting any makeup for a video chat, it's highly unlikely anyone will notice.
AndyPad Pro sample shots



Performance and battery life


The company rates battery life at six hours, and in our test (WiFi on, Bluetooth off, video looping) it actually went over that benchmark by a few minutes, which was a pleasant surprise. Six hours of battery life puts it in the same ballpark as the Galaxy Tab 7 and you feel as if this could go a full day, maybe two, without a recharge if it's only being used casually.

Benchmark AndyPad Pro Iconia Tab A100
Quadrant 1,281 Would not run
Linpack 14.933 MFLOPS (single thread) / 13.7 MFLOPS (multi-thread) 28.38 MFLOPS (single thread) / 55.36 MFLOPS (multi-thread)
Nenamark 1 43.8 fps 57 fps
Nenamark 2 24.6 fps 24.5 fps
Vellamo 418 1,057
Neocore 36.0 fps Not tested


We can't be as effusive about the general performance of the device. Running the show is a Rockchip RK2918 Cortex A8 1.2GHz with 512MB RAM, and while it's a budget chip, it's no slouch. In general, apps run smoothly and video playback is fluid. Punctuating it all, though, is that lingering annoyance with the home screen, where performance slows to a crawl. Button pushes and swipes take far too long to register, and the icons have a habit of disappearing momentarily. It's worth repeating that the home screen's lagging performance makes a poor impression, even though it's otherwise an adequate performer.

Software


The AndyPad Pro runs a barely-modified version of Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), Swiftkey X replaces the standard Android keyboard as default, although the split layout in landscape mode takes some getting used to. Aside from Dropbox, Evernote and Facebook, the majority of the apps are free or demo versions of popular Android market games (Chess, Drag Racing, Checkers, Four in a line, Glow Hockey, Mouse Trap, Move it!, Reversi, Jewels, et cetera), which at times makes the device feel cluttered and bloated. You also get Android Market access to download most anything you want.


Aside from UI tweaks, Verticool has bundled the Andy App, its own software designed to hold the hand of novice users. It can handle OS updates, install apps and includes a series of short video tutorials that explain how to use the device -- something we wish came with all devices to teach impatient relatives.


The browser contains no surprises -- nearly everything renders quickly over WiFi, apart from element-intensive sites like, erm, this one. Trying to load the desktop versions of many sites means waiting for everything to load before you can commence browsing. We expected the device to collapse at the idea of a full-Flash page like GetTheGlass.com and yet it actually ran it, nearly keeping up with the constant stream of animation that the California Milk board threw at it.

Wrap-up


When reviewing an Android Tablet, the question to ask is "Why this device over another?" In this case, it's because for the price of an iPad 2, you can have two £180 ($280) AndyPad Pros with enough change left over for a meal out. It's wise to mention that UK gadget prices are substantially higher than in the US. In sterling, the 16GB AndyPad Pro is very aggressively priced: £90 cheaper than the 8GB Iconia A100 (£273; $328 on Amazon), £100 cheaper than the 16GB Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 (£280; $345 on Amazon) and nearly half the price of the 16GB HTC Flyer (£330; $499 on Amazon).

This is a device that high-end users will struggle to appreciate. Suspect build quality, fussy with accessories and the operating system all detract from the tablet's strengths. There are performance issues with the AndyPad Pro, nearly all of which can be laid at the feet of Gingerbread. The company is currently investigating porting Honeycomb onto the device. If it can achieve that and improve the build quality without inflating the price, it would be hard to justify the higher prices of tablets in the same class. Until then, this is a budget tablet that will appeal to price-watching novices only.

Tango releases video calling on PCs, we go hands-on (video)

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 05:00 AM PDT

It's been exactly a year since Tango's free video calling service hit iOS and Android smartphones, and the startup is marking its anniversary with another big release: Tango for PCs. We had a chance to catch up with CTO Eric Setton and the crew, and gave Tango's latest a test-run -- let's just say it's been a very good year for these guys. Earlier this month, Microsoft teased Tango as the harbinger of video calling for Mango, and, since its debut, the outfit's drawn in over 23 million users. So how did Tango fare in its move from the handset to the desktop? We'd say it's a smooth transition -- perhaps too smooth. Check out our first impressions after the break.

One of the major features that sets Tango apart from similar services is its look. The new desktop app, which is available for download at the source link below, holds tightly to its mobile roots with an iPhone-inspired skin (we're told more popular device skins will be available soon). Once in action, it actually had us poking at a touch-less monitor. Done laughing? It's still a bit gimmicky for our taste, but, hey, it had us fooled. Tango's other big boast is its quick and easy start up, which means no password is required, just your name and phone number. Once that's in, Tango will start searching for folks you might actually know; it accurately pulled up our mobile editor, Myriam Joire, who we found hitting the floor at a conference in Seattle. We could keep on typing, but instead let's let the video do the talking.



Show full PR text
TANGO EXTENDS SERVICE TO INCLUDE THE PC

Company Achieves Many Milestones in First Year

PALO ALTO, Calif., September 30, 2011 – Tango, the leader in mobile video communications, announced that its free video calling service used by more than 23 million people worldwide, is available today on the PC – one year since the company's initial launch on iOS and Android devices.

The new PC product shows its mobile roots with the same look and feel as Tango on the phone. Once downloaded, people enter their existing mobile number to create their Tango account, and the app automatically finds friends to video call. For existing Tango members, it's easy to sync accounts. People can also invite friends to connect with through email or text. Tango for the PC was built to be intuitive and as simple as making a phone call.

People can Tango between the PC, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch, iPad, and hundreds of Android phones and Tablets.

"Our ability to develop Tango for personal computers, while continuing to ensure that Tango is available on more than 450 mobile devices within our first year, is a testament to the dedication and efforts of our team in the U.S. and China," said Uri Raz, Tango's co-founder and CEO. "Introducing Tango for the PC has been the number one request by our users, and with 1.5 billion PCs in use worldwide today it's a platform we wanted to embrace. We've doubled our usage since June and introducing Tango for the PC will accelerate our growth."

Tango Turns One
Since debuting on September 30, 2010, Tango achieved several milestones over the past year. Tango surpassed one million registrations in its first 10 days, and debuted as the number one Social Networking application in the App Store in its first week. It has since remained one of the top 10 Social Networking apps in the App Store and Android Market. Today, Tango has more than 23 million people in 190 countries using the service, and is adding 70,000 to 80,000 new members each day.

Tango's rapid growth stems from invitations sent by users within the application to friends and family, and by word-of-mouth, which accounts for 75 percent of new registrations. The remaining 25 percent comes from discovery in the application stores.

To keep up with growing demand, Tango has also grown internally. At launch, the company employed 20 people, mostly engineers, and has grown to a team of 85 people in the U.S. and China. The company is also fast on execution, delivering a new release to the market on average, every two weeks.

The adoption of Tango has moved from iOS to Android. At launch, 80 percent of all Tango downloads were for iOS devices compared to only 35 percent today, due to the larger volume of available Android devices. In fact, Tango supports 450 Android phones and tablets, more than any other video calling service, and is present on nine percent of all Android devices in use globally. Tango continues to ensure its service is available on emerging smartphone platforms.

"Last year we hit the ground running and pushed the limits of what could be done on mobile," said Eric Setton, cofounder and CTO of Tango. "We lead the market on mobile and will continue to based on new partnerships paired with our aggressive product roadmap. We've delivered on virality and growth, quality, hiring, and coverage of devices and platforms, and the next 12 months will focus on monetization."

Tango is available in the App Store and Android Market, and for the PC, available as a free download at www.tango.me.

Lovefilm player goes mobile, now available on iPad

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 04:31 AM PDT

We've already seen UK movie rental service Lovefilm expand its streaming service on Blu-ray players and consoles, and now -- since parent company Amazon isn't bringing the Kindle Fire over anytime soon -- it has moved on to the iPad. While its existing Lovefilm app allows for disc browsing and queue management, the new Lovefilm Player app handles most of those functions, plus the aforementioned subscription streaming access (no VOD, yet.) Check out a quick video intro after the break or hit the source links below for the FAQ or to download on iTunes.


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Sep 29, 2011 04:00 ET

LOVEFiLM Player Debuts on the iPad

LONDON, September 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Streamed Movies at Your Fingertips -

LOVEFiLM is proud to announce the LOVEFiLM App is now available on the iPad. The App allows users to instantly watch, pause, fast-forward and rewind their movie stream, view trailers and add to their DVD rental list on the go.

Subscribers can instantly watch titles from leading and independent studios such as Colin Firth's A Single Man, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the critically acclaimed drama The Wrestler, and access exclusive movies such as the global phenomenon The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and RED starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren.

"LOVEFiLM's debut on iPad is a huge win for our customers as the latest platform to support the service. This is a huge leap in movie watching for the 21st Century - making LOVEFiLM more portable than ever before," said Simon Calver, CEO of LOVEFiLM. "LOVEFiLM on iPad is the latest step in giving film fans total control over their viewing schedule and our commitment to expanding the ways in which members can stream movies and TV series on a range of devices."

Subscribers can now easily access instant movies in and out of the home by linking their account with LOVEFiLM. Subscribers on packages of £5.99 or above can use the app at no extra cost by simply entering their login details.

The LOVEFiLM Player for iPad is available for free from the App Store on iPad or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore.

Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, packing 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and coated in Honeycomb

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 03:37 AM PDT

Samsung has just unveiled a rather unexpected addition to its fleet of tablets, with the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. Available in both 16GB and 32GB varieties, this new slate is fueled by a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb and features a seven-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution. It also packs a two megapixel front-facing camera, along with a three megapixel shooter that supports 720p video, boasts 1GB of RAM and ships with Sammy's TouchWiz UI baked-in. In terms of connectivity, you'll find support for quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3G with 21Mbps HSPA and the usual smattering of Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS capabilities. In addition, this little guy offers WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, along with support for channel bonding and apt-X Codec for Bluetooth. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the 7.0 Plus is slated to hit Indonesia and Austria by the end of October, before rolling out internationally. Slide past the break for more details, in the full PR, or check out the gallery below for more images.
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Samsung reloaded more possibilities on the go with GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus
Advanced 7-inch tablet experience on the go within a premium design

SEOUL, Korea – September 30, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a leading mobile device provider, today announced the launch of the GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus. Offering a portable, rich multimedia experience on a 7-inch display, the GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus packs power and productivity into a chic lightweight design. The GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus runs Google AndroidTM Honeycomb, enabling an easy and intuitive user experience.
"Samsung pioneered the seven-inch tablet market with the launch of the GALAXY Tab, marking an innovation milestone in the mobile industry. Building on the success of the GALAXY Tab, we're now delighted to introduce the GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus reloaded with enhanced portability, productivity and a richer multimedia experience" said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business. He added "GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus is for those who want to stay productive and in touch with work, friends and content anytime, anywhere."

Enhanced Portability
With 7-inch display, GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus provides enhanced portability, weighing just 345g and measuring at just 9.96mm thin. Enhanced portability ensures that it fits easily into an inside-jacket pocket or a handbag, making it an ideal device for those who need to stay productive and entertained while on-the-move.

Advanced Productivity
GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus delivers a smooth and intuitive user experience with powerful performance powered by 1.2GHz dual core processor. Mini Apps allows seamless multitasking by consolidating 7 applications easily accessed from a bottom-side tray on main screen. Users can launch favorite features such as music player or calendar as pop-ups over full screen applications. Not only that, users can design an individualized up-to-the-minute interface through Live Panel.

Web browsing is also enhanced by Adobe Flash and super-fast HSPA＋ connectivity, providing download speeds up to three times faster than a conventional HSPA connection. On top of that Wi-Fi Channel Bonding bonds two channels into one for improved network connection and data transfer at up to twice the speed.

Furthermore, the GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus offers voice and video call support, with no need for a headset.
Users can see friends and family from anywhere in the world in high quality thanks to the device's larger screen.

Rich Multimedia on-the-move
Full HD videos can be enjoyed on the 7-inch WSVGA PLS display, with DivX & multi codec support ensuring the device is capable of supporting a variety of different formats. An improved virtual clipboard, which stores text and images enabling easy copy and paste, further adds to these capabilities.

Additionally, the GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus features Social Hub, Readers Hub and Music Hub services. Social Hub aggregates the user's contacts, calendar and email along with instant messaging and social networking connections all within one easy-to-use interface. Readers Hub provides e-reading content such as e-books, newspapers and magazines. Music Hub enables access to over 13 million songs even when out and about.

GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus will be available starting in Indonesia and Austria from end-October and gradually rolled to globally including Southeast and Southwest Asia, US, Europe, CIS, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Japan and China.

Samsung offers Apple a deal to allow Galaxy Tab 10.1 sales in Australia

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 02:58 AM PDT

Could Apple and Samsung's Australian patent battle be nearing an end? We're not sure yet, but things are looking slightly rosier, now that Sammy has approached its rival with a proposed compromise. As the Wall Street Journal reports, Samsung offered Apple a deal today that would allow its Galaxy Tab 10.1 to hit the Australian market as early as next week. Justice Annabelle Bennett pointed out that the agreement wouldn't allow Samsung to receive a final ruling on the dispute, but attorney David Catterns explained that it would at least allow the manufacturer to sell its slate ahead of this year's holiday shopping rush. Less clear, however, is what Apple would stand to gain from any compromise. The company's lawyer, Stephen Burley, acknowledged that "[Samsung's] inconvenience would be diminished and we would be comforted" by an agreement, though the details behind Samsung's offer remain unclear, and Burley declined to elaborate upon Apple's stance after today's hearing. As always, we'll keep you up to date with the latest.

Thrustmaster's Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On takes you from zero to hero in $200

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 02:02 AM PDT

You may never get the chance to join Ferrari's Formula 1 team, but indulging your imagination is about to get a lot easier, now that Thrustmaster has unveiled its new Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On -- a life-sized replica of the wheel you'd find within the 150° Italia. Announced yesterday, this rubber-textured wheel features a full slate of professional-grade rotary knobs, switches and action buttons -- including two rotary encoder switches, eight push-buttons and a set of "push and pull" sequential shifters that, true to form, are attached directly to the wheel face. Designed to seamlessly attach to your T500 RS, the accessory will be available in two models: a PC- and PS3-compatible mode, with 13 action buttons and three D-Pads, or an advanced PC-compatible mode, with 25 action buttons and one D-Pad. No mention, however, of that And if you look in the upper left corner, you'll even find your very own boost button. The Add-On is slated to start shipping in early October for $200, so buckle up and steer past the break for more details, in the full PR.
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THRUSTMASTER RELEASES A GENUINE REPLICA OF THE FERRARI 150° ITALIA RACING WHEEL

Thrustmaster Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On allows T500 RS owners to take the ultimate Formula 1 racing challenge

New York, NY – (September 29th, 2011) - As the Formula Racing season hurtles into the final straight, Thrustmaster, the innovative PC and console accessory brand, invites the T500 RS sim racing community to join the Formula 1 team paddocks with the release of the Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On.

With the Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On, T500 RS owners can now enter the world of the ultimate automotive racing challenge: Formula 1! The temperature is rising fast as the championship enters the final stretch and Codemasters® releases the game Formula 1 2011.

The Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On is a removable, life-size replica of the racing wheel that equips the Ferrari 150° Italia. Designed to attach to T500 RS (*) wheel base, it offers the power and precision that make this racing wheel such a unique experience. The Thrustmaster Quick Release attachment system enables users to easily attach the wheel face to the T500 RS base in just a few seconds. This innovative concept allows all RS Series wheel base owners to invest in the wheels alone to enjoy optimum realism in all types of races.

The Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On features a scratch-brushed reinforced metal facing ensuring optimum solidity and inertia. In addition, the scratch-brushed metal F1 Push & Pull sequential shifters are directly attached to the wheel in true F1 tradition and feature rubber-textured grips.

The extensive built-in equipment – rotary knobs, switches and action buttons – boasts professional quality, enabling each driver to make precision adjustments according to his own racing style and the conditions on the track. The racing wheel offers two rotary encoder switches (allowing direct, on-the-track optimization of the car's race settings), eight push-buttons (with a 6.5 N dual-detent pressure), three 4.5 N metal switches with 3 positions and an automatic centering feature, two 2.5 N 8-directional D-Pads and two up/down shifters.

When it comes to system compatibility, 2 game modes are available: a PC & PS3™-compatible normal mode (offering 13 action buttons and 3 D-Pads, i.e. 17 programmable functions) and an advanced PC-compatible mode (offering 25 action buttons and 1 D-Pad, i.e. 29 programmable functions).

The Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On will be available in early October at the suggested retail price of $199.99. For more information on the Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On or to see the full range of Thrustmaster products, visit www.thrustmaster.com.

* A T500 RS firmware update (available from http://ts.thrustmaster.com) is required to operate the F1 Ferrari racing wheel with the T500 RS wheel base.

Toyota Prius C undergoes name change, comes out feeling 'Aqua' blue

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 01:04 AM PDT

Ladies and members of the so-hip-it-hurts demographic, Toyota's got a Prius hybrid just for you. The curved, futuristic-looking EV first did the dais spin for us at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year and now, armed with a hue-matching 'Aqua' moniker, is prepping to rollout to lots in January of 2012. A report in Nikkei indicates this fuel efficient gas / electric car will get just about 40km/l (or 94mpg), besting its current Prius family member's 32km/l (about 75mpg). And as for that price tag, look for it to retail at around 1.7 million yen (or $22,000) when it makes its eventual splashy blue bow in the Japan and US next year.

New NFC spec enables two-way communication, potentially makes Bump obsolete

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 12:14 AM PDT

NFC
The NFC Forum just released the latest update to the growing close-range standard and it includes a nice little treat called SNEP, which stands for Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol. (Side note: the NDEF in SNEP, stands for NFC Data Exchange Format -- it's like a matryoshka doll of abbreviations.) What makes SNEP exciting is that it allows for sending and receiving of data between two devices. This could be used to exchange contact information between phones (similar to Bump, but without the need for an app) or collect links to trailers from movie posters which could be played back on your TV at home. It's potentially exciting stuff, so long as manufacturers actually make use of it. Check out the PR after the break for a few more technical details.
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NFC Forum Advances Seamless Data Exchange and Simplifies Development with Publication of 16th Specification
Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol Enables Common Data Format for Peer-to-Peer and Reader/Writer Modes

WAKEFIELD, Mass., USA - Sept. 29, 2011 - The NFC Forum, a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, has released its 16th specification, the Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol (SNEP). SNEP is an application-level protocol suitable for sending or receiving messages between two NFC-enabled devices. The new SNEP specification is available to the public for download at no charge.

The SNEP specification was published following an approval ballot of NFC Forum voting members. Information on all NFC Forum specifications can be found at http://www.nfc-forum.org/specs/.

The extension of the NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) to peer-to-peer use in SNEP is a significant advance. Previously, NDEF was applicable only to NFC tags in reader/writer mode. Now, SNEP enables the use of the openly standardized NDEF in peer-to-peer mode, making seamless interchange of data a reality (see sample use cases below). Application developers no longer need to concern themselves with how their NDEF data gets transferred between NFC-enabled devices. This capability is similar to the way that NFC Forum Tag Type specifications encapsulate the differences between communication layers. By providing this capability, the SNEP specification makes the difference between reader-writer and peer-to-peer operation modes disappear - a major step towards global interoperability of NFC applications.

SNEP Use Cases
Here are two examples of potential applications for NFC technology developed with the new SNEP specification:

Simplified transfer of contact information - one person's phone can be configured to automatically send business card information when an NFC peer-to-peer connection is established. The recipient doesn't have to do anything other than to accept the business card and allow it to be entered into his phone book.

Collecting movie posters for later use - a consumer can retrieve and store movie posters with NFC tags onto an NFC-enabled phone while just passing by. Back home, the consumer can display the movie information on a flat-screen TV and navigate to the films' web pages, simply by tapping the phone to an NFC-enabled TV remote control.

"By extending NDEF to peer-to-peer communications, our SNEP specification adds to the usability of NFC technology and broadens its possibilities, enabling enterprises to offer new, creative, and appealing applications to businesses and consumers," said Koichi Tagawa, chairman of the NFC Forum. "Specification development is an important part of the NFC Forum's mission; the extensive suite of NFC Forum specifications is testimony to the hard work of our members, whose activity yields benefits for the entire NFC ecosystem. We are grateful to everyone who participated in the effort to deliver SNEP."

SNEP Technical Information
SNEP allows an application on an NFC-enabled device to exchange NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) messages with another NFC-enabled device when operating in NFC Forum peer-to-peer mode. The protocol makes use of the NFC Logical Link Control Protocol (LLCP) connection-oriented transport mode to provide a reliable data exchange.

SNEP is a request/response protocol. A SNEP client application sends a request to a SNEP server application to either retrieve data from the server with a GET method or push data to the server using the PUT method. The protocol handles segmentation and reassembly of large messages as well as early cancellation of transfers that would exhaust receiving capabilities.

Beyond the protocol definition, the SNEP specification defines a default server that is available as a well-known service on an NFC-enabled device. This default server functions as a simple Inbox that applies locally defined processing to received NDEF messages. An NFC-enabled personal computer could, for example, open the web page that is provided in a Smart Poster NDEF message sent from an NFC-enabled mobile phone.

About Near Field Communication Technology
NFC technology makes life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch.

A standards-based connectivity technology, NFC harmonizes today's diverse contactless technologies, enabling current and future solutions in areas such as access control, consumer electronics, healthcare, information collection and exchange, loyalty and coupons, payments, and transport.

NFC technology is supported by the world's leading communication device manufacturers, semiconductor producers, network operators, IT and services companies, and financial services organizations. NFC is compatible with hundreds of millions of contactless cards and readers already deployed worldwide.

About the NFC Forum
The NFC Forum was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum's mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's 160 global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.

The NFC Forum's Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: Broadcom Corporation, INSIDE Secure, MasterCard Worldwide, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Samsung, Sony Corporation, STMicroelectronics, and Visa Inc.

Galaxy cluster research supports Einstein's Theory of Relativity on a cosmic level

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:08 PM PDT

In one small win for Einstein, one giant win for mankind, scientists at the Niels Bohr Institute have proved his General Theory of Relativity on a cosmic scale through their research of large galaxy clusters. Accordingly, the clusters -- which are the largest known gravity-bound objects -- have such a strong pull that they should cause light to "redshift," or proportionally increase in wavelength, shifting towards the red end of the visible spectrum. To test it, researchers measured beams from 8,000 clusters, revealing that they do indeed cause a change in light's wavelength, supporting Einstein's theory to a T. One good turn deserves another, right Albert? Armchair cosmologists can hop on over to the source link to learn more.

Tiny 'jumping robots' have more in common with firecrackers than Johnny 5

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 10:27 PM PDT

Jumping robot
Perhaps calling an immobile plastic bug with explosives strapped to its underside a "jumping robot" is a bit of a stretch, but who are we to argue with the Army Research Laboratory and the University of Maryland. The two groups have collaborated to create a pair of "robots" that measure just a few millimeters in size but can jump several centimeters in the air. One uses a spring like mechanism (which an operator must press down with a pair of tweezers) to propel it, while the other uses a small rocket, which can be triggered either by current applied over wires or a phototransistor (for untethered flight). It all makes for a pretty neat video, which you can find after the break - even if your sister's Furby was more robot than these tiny things.

Some cable companies are pushing for unbundled channels -- but not for you

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 08:41 PM PDT

Sick of paying for cable TV channels you don't watch? Reportedly some operators are looking for a way -- through negotiation or regulation -- to end channel bundling, where to get certain channels (like MTV) they're compelled to pack others (like TV Land) owned by the same company into their basic lineups. According to Reuters, smaller operators like Suddenlink and Mediacom are leading the charge, while even bigger companies like Comcast, Time Warner and DirecTV are feeling squeezed in retransmission fee disputes. However, as the LA Times points out, it's still doubtful you'll be able to pick and choose specific channels for a cheaper bill. What may be available however are cheaper packages of smaller bundles, like the lineup shown above that Comcast is testing in certain areas. What's stopping true a la carte programming choices? Hybrid cable and content companies, like Comcast with NBC Universal and Time Warner, and sports -- someone has to pay for that billion dollar ESPN Monday Night Football deal.

Intel to acquire Telmap, dole out easy to implement location APIs to AppUp developers

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 08:05 PM PDT

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/29/intel-to-aquire-telmap-dole-out-easy-to-implement-location-apis/In case you weren't watching, Intel's Elements 2011 Keynote slipped in a sly acquisition announcement: the firm recently signed a deal to absorb Telmap, an Israel-based outfit whose location platform is the backbone of countless navigation apps. Intel's Peter Biddle says the navigation firm is to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Intel, and will help AppUp developers pack their apps with unique location capabilities via Telmap's standardized APIs. Biddle wraps it up simply enough: "New advanced capabilities with just a few lines of code." Details on the deal are scarce, but hit the source link below to see Biddle's full statement in Intel's AppUp wrap-up.

LG seeks ban on South Korean BMW and Audi sales, sticks out its LED lit tongue at Osram

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:08 PM PDT

Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where we all just got along, people worked for the thrill of it, and knowledge was free? Yeah, fat chance dreamers. 'Sue', our new millennium's most oft-used verb, is getting some heavy play at the hands of the tech industry. The latest court room combatants? Why, that'd be LG Group and Osram. You see, once upon a time LG was late to the LED patent game, and was content to fork over the cash to Osram for use of its tech. Skip to now, and the electronics giant's claiming it can get its lighting goods elsewhere, picking from a plethora of relevant IP-holding companies and combining that with its own patents. Despite having already countersued Osram in July to prevent the import of that company's allegedly infringing products into South Korea, LG's gathered its legal arsenal once again to block the sale of Audis and BMWs throughout the entire country -- cars that include Osram's LED tech. It's hard to imagine the courts would grant such a wide-sweeping ban on major auto players' bread-and-butter. And all grandstanding aside, it's more likely the two fisticuffing parties will come to some sort of revised financial agreement.

Tag Heuer concept watch beats 3.6 million times per hour, $89,000 price tag gives heart palpitations

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:13 PM PDT

Tag Heuer's high-end concept chronograph is so precise, blink and you'll miss it -- literally. The Mikrotimer Flying 1000's watch movement runs at 500Hz. Compare that to other high-end chronos plodding along at 5Hz, and you start to see the sort of power and precision Team Tag are working with -- this mesmerizing piece of wrist jewelry is capable of banging out 3.6 million beats per hour. Initially planned as a one-off, the concept watch will now go on sale for a lucky few timepiece obsessives. Be prepared to reach for your severely over-burdened money clip, though; the price is set at €65,000 ($88,580), with a limited run of ten arriving before the end of the year. Gawp in awe at the brief video after the break. You may have to sell the Batmobile.

Adidas builds intelligent soccer cleats that can outwit even Joey Barton

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:20 PM PDT

Impoverished football soccer clubs, with their massive stadiums, billionaire owners and millionaire star players have it awful hard, you know. If a club wanted a statistical analysis of the team's movements over the 90 minutes (more if Sir Alex Ferguson is involved) then it needs to spend big on a ProZone statistics system. That's all due to change, thanks to Adidas' new adizero f50 miCoach -- an "intelligent football boot" that includes a space for the miCoach Speed Cell, a tracking device that works like a souped-up Nike+iPod. The chip records your speed, sprint times, distance, step and stride rates, stores it for up to seven hours and pushes it over WiFi or USB to the device of your choice. You'll be able to share your stats online with friends via Facebook and compare them to pros like diminutive pitchman Lionel Messi, diminutive Welshman Gareth Bale and the, ah, not-so-diminutive Emmanuel Adebayor. A pair of boots, Speed Cell and dongle will require your bank account to shrink to the tune of €245 ($330) and will hit the stores in November -- just in time for you to sit indoors during the snowy January transfer window.
Adidas adizero f50 Powered by miCoach
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adidas Launches adizero f50 Powered by miCoach

- The Boot with a Brain - adidas unveils the intelligent football boot -
Herzogenaurach, 29th September 2011 - Today, adidas unveils the intelligent football boot, the adizero f50 powered by miCoach. Soon to be made famous as the ground breaking 'football boot with a brain', the 2011 adizero f50 is bringing smart technology to the field of play.
Football is faster than ever before and the need for speed has never been greater. Now powered by miCoach, the adizero f50 is not only the fastest boot on the planet, it is also the smartest. miCoach turns the adizero f50 into the ultimate digital training tool by letting you track and upload performance data including speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels and time.

The adizero f50 boot includes a cavity in the outsole unit which houses the revolutionary miCoach SPEED_CELL™. The miCoach SPEED_CELL™ captures 360° movement and measures key performance metrics including speed, average speed (recorded every second), maximum speed (recorded every five seconds), number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels, steps and stride rates. The on-board memory stores all your measurements during your game or training for up to seven hours and then wirelessly transmits the on pitch performance data to your tablet, PC or MAC.

The stats can then be shared with friends on Facebook, introducing a fun and competitive edge to training as stats can be compared between each other, or even with adidas professional players such as Leo Messi, as they upload their personal results. The stats can also be uploaded to existing training plans via the miCoach website, which are then built into personalised coaching programmes that miCoach technology creates specifically for a user.

And the revolution continues in 2012 when you will be able to play the miCoach football video game online using your own real-life abilities. Whether online or in the stadium, the adizero f50's electrifying, speed-inspired looks will leave zero doubt as to who is the fastest.

adidas Vice President of Global Football, Markus Baumann said "We have been working to develop a boot with a brain for some time and what we have produced will revolutionise the football industry. What makes the boot unique is that for the first time you will be able to compare yourself to some of the best players in the world''.

The launch of the adizero f50 also heralds an exciting new stage of development for miCoach technology. miCoach technology has always proved adidas' position as market leader in the use of data in sport to enhance athlete performance and the introduction of miCoach in the adizero f50 clearly demonstrates the capabilities of capturing and evaluating every athlete's performance by making it available to all.

"Data has been monitored and evaluated to increase performance in elite athletes for many years. adidas will now bring this service to the consumer, firstly with the launch of the adizero f50, and then through a further range of intelligent products capable of storing, monitoring and evaluating performance on the field of play" commented Simon Drabble, Director of Interactive Technology at adidas.

The adizero f50 includes other key adidas technologies including Sprintweb, which provides stability during high speed movements, Sprintskin, a revolutionary single layer synthetic for incredible ball-feel and reduced weight and Sprintframe, which uses geometrics and a new stud construction to offer the perfect balance between lightweight and stability. The adizero f50 is also lightest in class, weighing in at only 165g.\
The new adizero f50 powered by miCoach will be available at adidas own retail outlets and specialist stores worldwide from November in high energy / electricity / white and black / warning / electricity at €210. Additionally, the adizero f50 miCoach bundle is available from wholesale outlets at €245 and includes a pair of adizero f50 boots (in colorways as before), a Speed Cell™ and a smart device dongle miCoach CONNECT for iPod and iPhone as well as the miCoach CONNECT for PC / MAC.

For further information please contact:
Robert Hughes
Global PR Manager Football
Email: Robert.Hughes@adidas.com
Tel: +49-160 884 6856

Harman Kardon's MS 150 speaker dock supports multiple devices, $600 pricetag (video)

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:24 PM PDT

Some folks get along just dandy with an iPod and a speaker dock, but if you need a rig that'll handle more sources, Harman Kardon hopes to have you covered with MS 150 -- which bears more than a passing resemblance to the Zeppelin Mini. This stereo system comes loaded with an iPhone dock, CD drive and FM tuner, along with a flood of auxiliary connections not limited to its headphone jacks and subwoofer output. It's even sporting an LCD display so you'll know what's pumping out of its 30 watt drivers. The MS 150 is available now from Harman Kardon, but all of its functionality will cost you -- it's priced at a whopping $600. Hey, at least it comes with a remote. You'll find full details in the PR and video demo below.

Striking Harman Kardon® High-Performance Stereo Delivers Dynamic Sound from Multiple Sources

Whether you're an Apple or Android™ fanatic, a video-game buff or radio enthusiast, the Harman Kardon MS 150 is built to please music lovers seeking desktop convenience

STAMFORD, Conn. – In the latest gadget news, HARMAN International Industries today announced availability of the Harman Kardon® MS 150, a high-performance stereo system that includes an iPhone/iPod dock, slot-loaded CD player and FM radio tuner. Designed for the music lover who wants the convenience of a beautiful stereo system to place on a shelf or desk, the Harman Kardon MS 150 features two fully integrated 30-watt bass-reflex loudspeakers to produce crisp, room-filling sound in a living room, home office or bedroom.

The sleek, black Harman Kardon MS 150 was designed for flexibility. In addition to the CD player and iPhone/iPod dock, it includes three auxiliary audio inputs to plug in a portable music player or an Android™ smartphone as well as front-and-back 3.5-millimeter headphone jacks for private listening. A front-panel audio input can be used with video-game consoles to take advantage of the sophisticated audio tracks embedded in games. The FM radio tuner includes RDS technology to display text from radio stations, including song and artist information.

"Our customers have high expectations when it comes to audio gear, and the Harman Kardon MS 150 is sure to delight the most discriminating listener," said Sachin Lawande, EVP and co-president of HARMAN's Lifestyle and Infotainment divisions. "It's a powerful, exquisite system that is a complete, high-performance stereo. It looks beautiful in any room, but more important, brings vitality to sound from a CD, iPhone, or Android smartphone."

Audiophiles new gadgets lovers will also appreciate the MS 150's subwoofer output for direct connection to a powered subwoofer to deliver a more dynamic bass impact. Additional connections include composite and S-Video outputs for photo-and-video sharing using an appropriate iPod model. A remote control with IR sensor ships with the MS 150. The music player includes an alarm, sleep timer and dimmer to reduce screen brightness in the evening. It adheres to European energy standards and consumes less than 1 watt of power in standby mode.

Pricing and Availability

The Harman Kardon MS 150 has a suggested retail price of $689.95. For additional information or to purchase, visit HarmanAudio.com.

India caps text messages to curb telemarketing, Desi teens plot mutiny

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:37 PM PDT

SMS-based telemarketing is a serious problem in India -- so serious, in fact, that the government has decided to crack down in a pretty severe way. As of this week, every Indian mobile user or company is allowed to send only 100 text messages per day, as part of a new anti-spam initiative from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The move is just the latest in a series of campaigns to combat a boom in aggressive telemarketing that, according to some, borders on harassment. Authorities say spam phone calls have already declined significantly since 2007, when the government instituted a national "do not call" registry, yet the problem persists, with many users complaining of receiving commercial texts during the wee hours of the night. Regulators seem confident that these new rules will go a long way toward solving this riddle, though some have been left wondering why India's millions of mobile subscribers should pay the price, rather than the spammers themselves. The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, is reporting that subcontinental telemarketers have already begun circumventing the new regulations by re-focusing their efforts on junk mail, ad-based Twitter feeds and other ways to be just as annoying as they ever were.

[Image courtesy of Thomas Hawk]

Psystar loses appeal in battle with Apple, told to ditch Mac clones for-ev-ver

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:11 PM PDT

Psystar
We're sure Psystar, its lawyers and its tens of fans, didn't really expect to win the appeal it filed following the permanent injunction handed down against its commercial hackintoshes, but you can't blame the company for trying. A little over three years after the drama began, with Apple suing to ban Psystar's products, it seems the epic tale has come to an end. The company hasn't really been in business since December of '09 anyway, so today's ruling upholding the injunction won't make much of a difference either way. We're just sad that this may, in fact, be the last time we ever hear from Eugene Action -- let's take a moment to reminisce, shall we?

Spotify users get a 'private listening' mode, Facebook account still required

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 02:46 PM PDT

It may not be addressing complaints from those bemoaning the need for a Facebook account in the first place, but Spotify is now at least giving folks an easy way to listen to what they like without broadcasting it to their friends. That comes in the form of a new "private listening" mode, which can easily be turned on and off at will -- the other option is to unlink your Facebook account completely. Hit the link below for details on both options.
at 1:02 PM

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