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Monday, October 3, 2011

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iHome iW1 AirPlay wireless audio system review

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:20 PM PDT

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Believe it or not, it was way back at CES that we first caught an in-person glimpse of iHome's flagship AirPlay-enabled audio system -- a guy dubbed iW1. We've seen a steady trickle of AirPlay devices announced in the time since, but the iW1's been one of the earliest to splash down for the fall season. Priced at a moderate $300, it's a potential option for A) those who aren't keen on smacking down at least double the Benjamins for systems like the B&W Zeppelin Air or Libratone's Live or B) an alternative to other wireless systems like the similarly priced Sonos Play:3.

Despite the iW1's low(ish) cost of adoption, though, it's packed with a bevy of tantalizing features (including app support, capacitive controls and a rechargeable battery), and a classy appearance, to boot. We put this modern-age boom box through its sound-reproducing paces for the past few weeks (much to our neighbors dismay). So, if you want to find out whether or not the iHome iW1 will pack a bang for your buck, hit that "read more" link below for our full review.
iHome iW1 AirPlay wireless audio system review

Hardware


Out of the box, there's a fair amount of stuff to sort through. We were welcomed by the iW1 itself, a charging platform with a detachable wall-wart, a three-foot USB to 30-pin cable, iHome's Rz10 remote and lastly, an Apple-esque manuals box. As we mentioned while introducing the iW1, it's an elegant looking number. The majority of the unit is wrapped in black mesh, while nearer the bottom, there's a chrome strip to give it a pinch of pizazz. It really could do equally as well as a spotlight piece or an incognito sound source -- aside from the iHome logo, the unit's almost nondescript. Hidden behind the front cloth, there's also a multi-colored LED, which indicates whether the unit is out of battery or charging, and when a button on the remote is tapped.


While some AirPlay-endowed audio units leave it mostly to pumping out music, the iW1 serves up a healthy amount of extras and tricks -- starting with a massive touch-control panel on its top. From the left, you'll find capacitive buttons for standby, wireless and direct-input modes, a strip of 16 dots in the center for displaying volume and battery levels and basic play / pause and forward / back controls. The touch panel is extremely responsive and always registered finger taps or slides -- too bad that it's a magnet for scratches and fingerprints. Notably, the panel was readable in direct sunlight, and while the unit is in sleep mode the standby light pulsates à la most modern Macs.


Flipping the unit around back reveals many of its auxiliary controls and inputs. You'll notice a battery indicator button, main power slider, a 3.5mm jack (no cable included), a USB connector for docking and iDevice charging (no power for iPads, though), a firmware LED-button and lastly, a WiFi status LED next to its network setup tab. We wish the battery button was within easier reach, but it makes sense that rest of the controls are on the back -- you'll rarely use them after initial setups to new WiFi networks. The buttons and doodads don't stop there, though!

See, that included remote isn't something to misplace if you AirPlay with iTunes; you can't access some potentially fundamental controls using a computer. The Rz10 remote mimics the iW1's top, but it adds other functions like mute, shuffle and repeat buttons. Here's the real kicker, though: it's got a button to enable Bon Jovi Bongiovi Acoustics DPS for "improving" sound, and simpler than that, there are also the bass and treble controls.


If we did misplace the remote, iHome's free Set app allows for controlling the equalization functions from iThings -- but only while docked via USB. To put it briefly, the geek in us welcomes all of the tweaking options and input methods -- it's just a shame that the current implementation feels a bit fragmented. Hopefully, iHome will eventually make the Set app wire-free, at the least.

Moving onto greener pastures, if you check the iW1's rear side again you'll notice there's a carrying handle. This allows the six-pound system to be carried boombox-style to another room (we promise, it's not that bad), and thanks to an internal 2,600 mAh Li-ion battery it can go cord-free for a few hours. Doing so was quite simple as it merely sits on the charging base ready to be lifted at a moments notice. Streaming wirelessly from iTunes with Bongiovi enabled and the volume just past 50 percent, the iW1 managed five and a half hours of playback before it needed a re-juice. It's certainly not shabby, but we're told that it should last up to ten hours at "moderate" volumes.


During our time with the iW1, it was always ready to play from standby within seconds, but annoyingly its cold bootup times took up to 45 seconds. Considering many of the devices we used (MacBook Air and iPad 2, for instance) are usually up and crunching within a shorter amount of time, it's hard to be okay with a speaker rig that takes its sweet time to power on. That being the case, it's obviously meant to stay in a standby like, say, a cable box or PS3. So, while the slow boot times are notable, it wasn't something we suffered more than a handful of times.

Installation, setup and AirPlay


Sure, we could've just plugged into the iW1 over USB like any 'ol dock, but of course you're ideally ditching the audio cord by investing in an AirPlay-enabled system. The iW1 supports 802.11b/g WiFi networks but of course, before it can rock there's some setup involved. Thankfully (for iOS users, at least), iHome's got another free app, called Connect, to help get the rig hooked up to local WiFi networks. After opening the app and plugging in an iDevice, it was a cinch to connect it to a network and rename the iW1, all within a few painless seconds. Better yet, the app will even pull up the instruction guide if needed (pssst: If you're on an iPad you'll be stuck with an iPhone view, but iHome says an optimized variant is due out soon).

While the iOS hookup was smooth, we had no such luck with our MacBooks. Using a computer for hook up requires an ad-hoc wireless connection to the iW1 -- or the AirPlay IP setup shuffle, as we like to call it -- similar to what we experienced with the Zeppelin Air. That said, no matter how many times we tried, getting the setup screen to pop up in a browser was troublesome. It took numerous attempts -- and bouts of teeth gritting -- until the iW1 was able to sync up with our network. The good news is that (as with any AirPlay-equipped system) once the iW1 is connected it can receive audio streams from anything that can support the standard. Basically, getting things going was a breeze using an AirPlay-compatible iDevice and a hair-pulling session with computers. By the way, it'll still work with computers hooked up via Ethernet into a wireless router / modem (that's how we do it), but WiFi is required for setup.


If you're not familiar with the audio side of AirPlay, it's fairly simple. Using iTunes or the iPod and supported apps on an iGadgets, a drop down menu becomes accessible for connecting to AirPlay-enabled speakers in the area. Selecting the iW1 usually put us in business after a few seconds, although there were instances were it took multiple tries before any sound waves made it out of the drivers.

We've said this before with other AirPlay rigs and we'll say it again: there's totally some noticeable -- and slightly annoying -- latency between commands (excluding pauses for some reason). Whether we hit play or just changed the volume, it took a second or two for the actions to happen. That gripe aside, the signal cut out only occasionally, and for only a handful of seconds at most -- our jams generally kept flowing so long as our devices were within our router's range. We should also note, if you'll recall, that iHome also has iW2 and iW3 extension speakers in the works and mix and match combos are possible for multi-room setups.

Sound


So, you've made it this far -- the part about how the iW1 performs on an auditory level! Maybe a question as such is lingering in your mind, "how does AirPlay perform in comparison to docking into the iW1?" You might be wondering what affect, if any, relying on AirPlay has on sound quality versus plugging in, the old-fashioned way.

As far as our ears were concerned, the sound was identical. After all, it's the same digital file being transferred over for playback. The only difference, which we touched upon earlier, is that the wireless signal does have the tendency to occasionally cut out for a few seconds. That aside, let's talk about how our tunes fared through this rig.

Upon initially firing up the system, Bongiovi DPS will be enabled by default, while the bass and treble levels will be flat. Putting it simply (according to iHome), B DPS continuously analyzes the music playing in real time, and aims to have the levels better match up to where the vocals are in the mix. To our ears, it translated into an overall volume boost along with a bigger and fuller kick than the iW1 itself could pull off. Without it enabled, the iW1 sounds lifeless really; thin like a small, drab AM / FM bedside radio. Suffice it to say, the Bongiovi DPS is a welcome -- and needed -- addition to the driver's natural voicing. We did notice, however, that in the last few clicks of volume there was distortion and crackling. From this point forward we'll be referring to the quality with B DPS enabled.


Running our usual playlists from rock to pop and more, we were generally happy with how the iW1 could fill our medium-sized living room with respectable audio quality. As we'd expect with something this size, though, any sense of spacial separation is lost unless you're pretty much right up against the thing. For the spec-heads, it's packing two three-inch woofers and a duo of one-inch tweeters rated for total of 13 x 2 watts of power. Surprisingly, this little rig managed to reproduce the extra-low bass in any dubstep thrown at it, whereas similarly sized docks tend to fall flat.

Still, those deep notes tended to be on the anemic side even with it near a wall. Putting it bluntly, this rig's low-end handling gets the job done, but bassheads need not apply. Kicking the bass up in the EQ a few notches gave a rounder sound with electric bass guitars, but not much in the way of that thumpy thump. To further elaborate using rock tunes, kick drum hits had clear initial attack, but seemed to lack fullness and decayed abruptly.

Set flat, the highs appeared slightly veiled, but thankfully, a boost of one or two clicks let cymbals and the like breathe some and feel much less trapped. The drivers do a great job in the mid-range -- vocals were full, guitar licks had discernible clarity and bass lines were pleasingly present in the mix. Overall, the iW1 performs adequately for this size of speaker dock, but it's obvious you're paying more of a premium for wire-free luxury than exceptional sound quality

Wrap-up


As you've probably figured out by now, the iHome iW1 is a really nice AirPlay-enabled speaker system, but it's got some design jitters and AirPlay itself can be finicky. Setup for folks using a computer can be frustrating, some of the control methods are scattered and then, of course, there's that pestiferous latency issue. On more positive notes, this is a feature-loaded AirPlay rig at a relatively low starting price, that'll give you a wire-free music experience and keep your wallet on the chubby side (not to mention it can make multi-room audio more than a pipe dream). When the iW1's up and running, we can't deny that it operates soundly. Plus, iHome's Connect app should make setup a breeze for folks who may not be so techy-savvy. Of course, AirPlay isn't for everyone, but thankfully there are other viable options like the Sonos Play:3.

But let's say that your heart's set on adopting Apple's wireless streaming standard. If that's you, the iW1 should be worth a go -- just keep in mind that in the coming months more selections from iHome and others should be available. iHome's iW1 AirPlay wireless audio system blends a tempting balance of features, portability and audio quality -- just don't expect a totally seamless experience.

WSJ: Sprint places $20 billion order for next iPhone, hinges company future on Apple's handset?

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 12:01 PM PDT

Oh, iFaithful, your newest Apple phone(s) are only a day away. Which is even more reason to hunker down into this latest chunk of pre-announcement gossip. According to information obtained by the Wall Street Journal, Sprint's betting the farm on a 30 million-plus order of next-generation iPhones to put it on an even battle ground with heavyweight rivals AT&T and Verizon. The cost of this loss-absorbing gamble? That would be about $20 billion, with the Hesse-led co. subsidizing the $500 cost of each handset. For the third place operator it's matter of do-or-die, as there really isn't an alternative to the critically-praised, Jony Ive-designed handset that set off this smartphone race. Hesse's purported admission to the company's board that customer churn is directly linked to its iPhone omission only serves to underscore the uncomfortable plight his company faces. It remains to be seen if Sprint can convert its base of 52 million subscribers (mostly pre-paid) into the contracted customers it needs to stay financially afloat. While an iPhone on Sprint certainly seems a given, it's unclear whether this next device will opt for a WiMAX or LTE radio.

Vodafone Data Test Drive enables users to experiment with data, see what tier fits best

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 11:46 AM PDT

At the same time that kindly Mr. Vodafone released the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S to the children of the world, it announced a new program that helps you gauge your mobile data needs. Data Test Drive gives you three months of unlimited, kid-in-a-candy-van access for as much mobile Tweeting, Spotifying and YouTubing as your eyes and ears can handle. At the end of that period, the company will let you know if your current data plan would cover your usage and provide the option to increase if necessary. The program's only open to new customers, and there's no mention if you can down-shift your charges if you sip miserly at your data. Still, it's better than getting a slap in the face with the wet fish of a penalty data charge.

PS3 will support 4K stills after a future update, moving pictures remain out of reach

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 11:31 AM PDT

Once you've cleared the $25k or so in your budget that it will take to snag one of Sony's 4K VPL-VW1000ES your next problem will be finding some 4096x2160 res content to view on it. While showing off the new beamer for its Japanese audience at CEATEC today, Sony announced the PS3 will get a firmware update around the beginning of 2012 that will allow it to natively output 4K stills. There's a PlayView "visual magazine" already available on the PlayStation store in Japan that supports 4K and 3D, but this update will bring super high res viewing of your vacation pics, or any other high res image files you can snag, to the living room. While your friends will no doubt be impressed by the museum-quality art gala you're now capable of hosting, we're starting the timer for 4K video sources -- if we don't hear anything concrete at CES then we'll be incredibly disappointed.
Sony VPL-VW1000ES 4K projector

Amazon Kindle review (2011)

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

There's little question that the Fire stole the show at last week's Amazon event. After all, the new tablet marks a change for the company's Kindle line, which until now has been defined by relatively simple E-Ink-based devices. The Kindle Touch, meanwhile, stepped up to bat to take on the likes of new Nook and Kobo touchscreen readers. But while most expected that device to become the heir to the Kindle throne, the company made a something of a surprise move, offering up a new device that will bear the reader's name. Now in its fourth generation, the Kindle has shed its keyboard and been reborn as a pocket-sized, lighter-weight reader. And a cheap one, at that -- $109 for the standard version and $79 for the ad-supported. So, is the new Kindle worthy of the name that has become synonymous with e-readers? Or did the company make too many sacrifices in the name of slashing prices? Find out in our review after the break.
Amazon Kindle review (2011)
Amazon Kindle review (2011)

Hardware


The new Kindle really is rather small compared to past versions, and the company isn't kidding when it calls the thing pocket-sized -- it slips quite nicely into a pant pocket. You might run into a bit of trouble attempting this after putting the reader in Amazon's proprietary case, but even then we managed to fit the device in our jeans with little effort. The reader shaves an inch from the height of its predecessor and 0.3 inches from its width, though it expands a hundredth of an inch in thickness to 0.34 inches -- a pretty indistinguishable change, to be honest. The new Kindle's dimensions are pretty much on par with the latest Kobo reader (though Amazon's reader does come in a few fractions of an inch thinner), making the 0.47-inch thick Nook Wi-Fi look downright beefy by comparison. At 5.98 ounces, the new Kindle is also easily the lightest of the bunch, weighing in at about 2.5 ounces lighter than the last-gen model.

The device owes much of its smaller footprint to the company's decision to abandon the keyboard this time out -- a decision that may rub some Kindle devotees the wrong way. Though at the moment, the QWERTYriffic Kindle 3 is still on the market, on sale under the moniker Kindle Keyboard, with a $99 / $139 price tag for the WiFi and 3G versions. In the case of the new Kindle Touch, Amazon stole a page from the Sony / Nook / Kobo playbook, replacing the keyboard with an infrared touchscreen. The new $79 Kindle, on the other hand, has neither of these things, and instead requires you to interact with it using physical buttons.


You'll find long, skinny page buttons flanking the display on both sides. The rear of the device is rubberized to prevent slipping, but isn't quite as grippable as the Nook's concave back, so attempting to flip through pages while holding the device with a single hand is a fairly clumsy task. The loss of some real estate also makes the device more difficult to hold than the last generation Kindle. A row of small physical buttons lines the device's bottom bezel -- Back, Keyboard, Menu and Home. In the middle of the row is a small toggle pad with arrows for navigating the reader's menus, with a small button in the center for choosing items. The power button is located on the bottom edge of the device on a slightly protruding lip alongside the microUSB slot. Along the bottom of the reader's back are two small metal pads, which, when plugged into one of Amazon's $60 cases, power a built-in light to illuminate the non-backlit screen.


Not surprisingly, there's no 3G option on the new Kindle. Amazon no doubt assumed that anyone who was willing to shell out for such functionality would also likely drop the extra cash for the Touch version. Support for audio files like MP3s and text-to-speech has been dropped as well. And really, it would be silly to dock the company for the lack of that option on what's truly meant to be a low-cost, entry-level device. As with past Kindles, Amazon opted to forgo the expandable memory here, instead relying on the device's built-in 2GB for downloaded texts That's the same amount of storage included on the Nook and Kobo, which both have microSD slots and half of the previous generation Kindle (and the Touch, for that matter). But while the relative lack of storage is less than ideal, keep in mind that Amazon also lets you store texts in the cloud, taking some burden off the device itself.

For such a low-cost device, the Kindle's build feels really solid with a strengthened plastic faceplate that feels almost metallic and a sort of solid construction that belies its weight. Drop the extra dime for one of Amazon's cases, and you have a device that should stand up to hours spent in a book bag or another carrying case. Amazon has also bumped up the processor to 800MHz (from 532), the same as the ones found in the Nook and Kobo readers.

Display


Despite shaving off a precious inch from its footprint, the new Kindle manages to maintain its industry-standard six-inch display. Like the Nook, Kobo, Sony, et al., theKindle is built around a sharp Pearl E-Ink screen, offering up the same 600 x 800 resolution and 16-level gray scale as its predecessor. The text really does pop, and unlike its LCD-based competition, it's quite readable in sunlight, a long-time selling point for Amazon. The reader's page turn rate is on-par with the latest generation readers, as well -- we put it up against the new Nook and Kindle 3, and couldn't detect a difference in speed, with both devices doing a full page refresh about once every six pages.

As with the last version of the Kindle, you can lop a significant chunk off of the product's price by opting into the ad-supported version. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos suggested during last week's event that the device's advertising is so "beautiful" that a user who didn't know any better would just assume that they were standard screen savers. Not surprisingly, this isn't really the case here -- at least not with the ads we saw. All were pretty clearly advertisements, including ones for AT&T, the film Anonymous and, of course, Amazon itself, which was far and away the biggest advertiser we saw. That said, the ads aren't very intrusive, as they only pop up when you put the device to sleep or when you're looking at the home screen, which has small banners lining the bottom. For those who don't mind one ad delivery method in an already saturated world, the option may well be worth the $30 savings.

Software


The Kindle's lack of a touchscreen isn't a particular nuisance until it comes time to type. Clicking the keyboard button on the button bezel will bring up a virtual QWERTY. In this bare-bones model, typing means cycling through the letters using the navigation pad, which can be a pain when searching for books in the store. For anyone who plans on doing some serious typing on the thing -- though we're not entirely sure why someone would -- it may be worth the extra $20 to upgrade to the Touch.

Firing up the device will bring you to a simple homepage with a list of all of the items you've purchased and a link to Archived Items, which gives you access to content stored on other Whisper Synced devices. A bar along the top lets you know the time, the strength of your WiFi single, battery life and how much storage you've got left. Clicking the Menu button while on the homescreen gives you the option to visit the store, sync your content, rotate the screen's orientation and visit the settings.

There's also a search feature, which brings you to a central page where you can find keywords on the device, the Kindle Store, Wikipedia, the built-in Oxford American Dictionary, Wikipedia and the Web. Entering text in the search field requires hitting the Keyboard button. The browser is, of course, quite basic, with a simple search bar on the top, where you can enter a URL or a keyword, using the toggle switch to switch between Go To, Wikipedia and Google. Press down on the arrow key will display a large box with a magnifying glass for zooming into a page.


The page layout is fairly simple, with the vast majority of the space taken up by the text, with the menu bar from the homepage carrying over. Hitting menu brings up options to search the text, read a description and, in the case of a sample, purchase the book. You can also adjust the font from here, choosing from seven sizes, three typefaces and three line spacing options. At the bottom of the page there's a progress bar, letting you know how far you are in the book. With the toggle pad, you can also select words to look up and annotate.

As with past versions, the new Kindle reads TXT and PDF files, which you can drag onto the device onto the device via micro-USB. When looking at PDF files, the Kindle lets you zoom in and out and adjust the contrast. As with other readers, the whole process is fairly clunky and slow, but it's a nice feature for anyone who wants to review business documents on the go or import their own non-Kindle Store files.

Wrap-up


If you've ever played with a Kindle, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that the fourth-generation is one solid device. The hardware is well made, the processing is snappy and the screen is extremely easy to read. It is, however, sorely lacking in the bells and whistles department, with a renewed, almost one-track focus on reading. Nowhere is this more evident that in the lack of a keyboard or touchscreen, making browsing quite the chore. Naturally, though, typing is at best a secondary feature on a device like this. And if you felt strongly enough, you could always get the Kindle Touch for an extra twenty bucks.

Ultimately, though, this question of value comes down to price. The Kindle is $79 with ads and $109 without -- a steal compared to the $139 launch price of the Kindle 3 and Nook WiFi. We've heard that the Kindle tends to be a money-loser for Amazon, with the company earning back its hardware losses with strong book sales, and that may well be the case here. But at that price, the new Kindle is likely to end up in the hands of users who have been eyeing e-readers, but are loathe to part with $140. And while this certainly isn't the best or most fully featured e-reader we've seen -- and can't be considered an upgrade over last years model, the new Kindle is the best e-reader $100 (or less!) can buy.

Rhapsody announces plans to acquire Napster

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:38 AM PDT

Details are fairly light at the moment, but Rhapsody has just announced that it plans to acquire Napster, and that the deal is expected to be complete as soon as the end of November. In a statement, Rhapsody president Jon Irwin said that the deal "will further extend Rhapsody's lead over our competitors in the growing on-demand music market," and that "this is a 'go big or go home' business, so our focus is on sustainably growing the company." According to Rhapsody, the company will acquire Napster's subscribers and "certain other assets" under the agreement, and Best Buy (Napster's current owner) will receive a minority stake in the company. Press release is after the break.
Show full PR text
Rhapsody to Acquire Napster

America's largest on-demand music service to add Napster's subscriber base to extend leadership position

SEATTLE, Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhapsody, the nation's largest premium on-demand music service, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Napster, a unit of consumer electronics retailer Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY). Under the terms of the agreement, Rhapsody will acquire Napster subscribers and certain other assets, and Best Buy will receive a minority stake in Rhapsody. The transaction is expected to close on or around November 30, 2011.

"This deal will further extend Rhapsody's lead over our competitors in the growing on-demand music market," said Jon Irwin, president, Rhapsody. "There's substantial value in bringing Napster's subscribers and robust IP portfolio to Rhapsody as we execute on our strategy to expand our business via direct acquisition of members and distribution deals."

The transaction will combine the subscriber bases of the two largest premium on-demand music services in the United States, and will allow Rhapsody to further enhance its product line to deliver even more value to its members.

"Rhapsody has demonstrated that it has what it takes to build a profitable business in the increasingly competitive on-demand music market," said Chris Homeister, senior vice president and general manager of entertainment for Best Buy. "We are confident they are the right partner to provide Napster's existing subscriber base with an immersive digital music experience moving forward."
"This is a 'go big or go home' business, so our focus is on sustainably growing the company," said Irwin. "We're excited to welcome Napster music fans to the best on-demand music experience anywhere. Our new members will have more places to connect to the music they love and to discover new favorites, guided by Rhapsody's rockstar editorial team and the tastes of other Rhapsody members via our innovative social features."

To learn more about Rhapsody, please visit www.rhapsody.com/plans. You can also follow Rhapsody on Twitter and Facebook.

About Rhapsody
The Rhapsody® digital music service (www.rhapsody.com) gives subscribers unlimited on-demand access to more than 13 million songs, whether they're listening on a PC, laptop, Internet connected home stereo or TV, MP3 player or mobile phone. Rhapsody allows subscribers to access their music through more touch-points than any other digital music service, including mobile phones from Verizon Wireless and MetroPCS, through Rhapsody applications on the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, RIM BlackBerry and Android mobile platforms as well as through devices from Vizio, SanDisk, HP, Sonos and Philips. Rhapsody, and the Rhapsody logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Rhapsody International Inc. Follow @Rhapsody on Twitter and keep up with the latest on the Rhapsody Facebook page.

About Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is a leading multi-channel global retailer and developer of technology products and services. Every day our employees - 180,000 strong - are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that enable easy access to people, knowledge, ideas and fun. We are keenly aware of our role and impact on the world, and we are committed to developing and implementing business strategies that bring sustainable technology solutions to our consumers and communities. For information about Best Buy, visit www.bby.com and to shop at Best Buy, visit www.bestbuy.com.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 coming to T-Mobile on October 26th, price remains a mystery

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:36 AM PDT

Clue's in the title, really. Get ready to whip yourself into a frenzy at the news that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will arrive in T-Mobile stores on October 26th. You want proof? You can't handle the proof. Or, maybe you can. Once you've decided, head on past the break for a little... well, you know.

Sony A77 reviewed: A 24.3 megapixel game-changer?

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 10:18 AM PDT

It's been a long time coming, but the patience has paid off with Sony's A77 finally getting its first pro review. Sure, the $1,400 cost of entry (body only) will weigh heavily on even the most enthusiastic cameraman conscious. But, what's a few hundred dollars when it comes to a camera that Popular Photography says has "radically changed the world of DSLRs"? It seems only the rival Canon 7D holds a candle to this would-be king, besting Sony's latest when it comes to noise and performance at higher ISOs. However, the A77 wins on its all-around charm, with a 24.3 megapixel Exmor APS-C sensor, articulated LCD screen, world-first OLED EVF and impressive video-shooting chops. Video-wise, that top dollar gets you a high-end performance of 60fps at 1920 x 1080 with the fast phase-detection auto-focus we've also seen on its predecessors, the Sony A55 and A33.

Popular Photography does add a single caveat to the largely very positive conclusion: video enthusiasts should probably hold tight to see what Canon and Nikon counter with. Especially if you're in possession of multiple lenses. Aside from that, what's stopping you? Dig in to all the nitty-gritty details below, and we'd advise cutting down on those impulse eBay purchases -- this magnesium-alloyed beauty will certainly make a financial dent when it lands, if not a physical one.

Arduino-powered modder recreates 'first PC'

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 09:57 AM PDT

Before the Altair 8800, before the SCElBI, there was the Kenbak-1 -- considered to be the first personal computer by the Computer History Museum. Designed in 1970, it used Transistor-Transistor logic instead of a microprocessor -- which is one of the reasons only 40 of the units were ever sold, of which 14 are known to still exist today. That's what prompted modder funnypolynomial to produce his own using an Arduino. It may look a little more functional than the gloriously retro hexagonal design of the original, but it wouldn't take much to copy that look, too. What are you waiting for? Get ordering your blinkenlights!

White Galaxy S II gets not-so-festive October launch in Canada

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 09:38 AM PDT

Smartphone obsessives in Canada will be getting their hands on some snowy Galaxy S II goodness sooner rather than later. Yes, Samsung's dual-core bestseller has been leaked with an October 7th launch date on Bell, with prices matching the dark original: CAD$599.95 off-contract or CAD$149.95 for three years. And we know all phones look better in white, right?

Barely visible Bluetooth earphones from Novero spotted at the FCC

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 09:22 AM PDT

Walk along that sparse borderline between Bluetooth headset and pearl necklace and you'll eventually come across a company called Novero. It specializes in vaguely ridiculous bejeweled wireless things, but it has some serious products too -- including these surreptitious little Rockaway earphones that have just been approved by the FCC. They'll cope with hands-free calling, 5.5 hours of stereo music and 250 hours in standby -- plus they weigh just 10 grams. Perfect for any NYC cabbie wanting to flout the rules at 50MPH.

Nikon 1 J1 review (video)

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT

So, Nikon finally has a mirrorless camera, after what was quite possibly the most dramatic launch event the company has ever conducted. Sure, competing models from Panasonic, Olympus and Sony have already reached the second, or even third generation before Nikon lifted the veil on its J1, but did last month's long-awaited announcement bring us the ILC to rule all ILCs? Well, no, not at all. Nikon isn't targeting pros or even advanced amateur shooters with its latest addition to the interchangeable lens camera family. Instead, the company is marketing its J1 to soccer moms (and dads), fashion-conscious young folk, and casual shooters who want some of the versatility of a DSLR, but are willing to sacrifice excellent image quality for a more compact design. But what about the rest of us? Will Nikon one day reward our patience with a true class competitor? Perhaps, but that's definitely not what we have here.

Nikon built the $650 J1 "from the ground up" -- a reference to its 10.1 megapixel, CX-size sensor with a 2.7x crop factor, along with a handful of quirky features that we probably won't use, but that some of you (or perhaps your family members) may love. Jump past the break to see what we really liked about the camera, and what left us rather unimpressed. And it you're dying to judge its performance for yourself, you can check out a handful of untouched images at the coverage link below the conclusion, along with a variety of sample videos spattered throughout.
Nikon 1 J1 review

Hardware

The J1 is cute. Like, fluffy white kitten cute. It brightens your day just by hanging around and being fun to play with, but you probably won't be impressed when it comes time to capture some serious photos (like trying to get that tiny kitty to snatch up a family of mice). The rounded edges, well-disguised components and overall clean finish make it clear that Nikon designers put a lot of care into this camera's physical appearance. It's just as much a fashion accessory as it is a relatively capable imaging device, and, depending on which color you choose, it's likely to make quite a statement.


There's no flip-up LCD, as there is on Sony's NEX series, so you'll be spending a lot of time holding the camera at eye level. Fortunately, the 460k-dot, three-inch LCD has a decent viewing angle, which will come in handy if shooting from below or above is an absolute must. The display occupies most of the two-tone plastic J1's rear, and is complemented by a healthy selection of dedicated controls. A mode dial lets you switch between Motion Snapshot, Smart Photo Selector, movie and still image modes (the latter of which enables exposure mode selections like the default Scene Auto Selector, programmed auto, shutter- and aperture-priority, along with the ever-so-critical manual). You'll find a playback zoom rocker above the main dial, which also doubles as the shutter speed control in manual mode. To the left is a function button, which serves a variety of purposes depending on your mode -- exactly what it controls is defined with a text overlay when you switch to a different mode.


Further down is a display button, playback button, a five-position wheel with dedicated self-timer, flash, exposure compensation and auto exposure/focus lock controls, along with an OK selector in the center. There are menu and trash can buttons at the bottom, and a physical flash slider, which releases the tiny (and rather bizarre looking) flash arm. On the colored top panel, a power button, a shutter release and a movie record button sit all to the right of the retractable flash. The video record button only works when the mode dial is set to video, so you can't simply press it to start recording in any mode. Some users may find the record button's positioning to be a bit awkward -- it's at the top right corner, where you'd normally find a power button or shutter release.


Up front there's a lens release button, which lets you swap out the included 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens for any of three other compatible 1-series optics, including a 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 ($250), 10mm f/2.8 "pancake" lens ($250), or a 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6, which would be our lens of choice if it cost, say, a third of its $750 MSRP. Oh, and don't be fooled by those focal lengths -- Nikon opted to avoid including the CX sensor's 2.7x multiplication factor, making that last lens comparable to another manufacturer's 27-270mm, for example.


The camera itself is constructed almost entirely of plastic, but it still feels quite sturdy. You probably won't want to drop it on the street or even a football field, as you may have managed to do with one of Nikon's pro-level DSLRs, but we don't see it falling apart or even chipping with heavy use. We tossed the camera in the main compartment of a messenger bag (with the tiny lens cap attached, of course), and didn't notice any markings. The J1 is small and light enough to wear comfortably around your neck, but we opted to keep it out of sight more often than not, if only to avoid the bright white finish attracting awkward stares.


Performance

We certainly weren't blown away by the J1's performance. That $650 price tag may imply excellent, always consistent shooting, but that just wasn't the case. Instead, we found a camera that did quite well when shooting under a bright sun, but often had trouble selecting the correct white balance, exposing and focusing in dim light. Nikon designed this camera for less advanced photographers -- those making the jump from point-and-shoots to ILCs -- so we left most of the settings untouched during our test period (after disabling the annoying and unnecessary beep), considering many future J1 owners will probably stick to minor adjustments, staying away from things like manual white balance and exposure compensation.

We were, however, impressed with the J1's ability to capture sharp, smooth and vibrant video -- some of the time. We shot night scenes, a tricky pyrotechnics/fireworks display, and in bright sunlight. Unfortunately, as you'll see in the clip below, some conditions presented a challenge for the camera when it came to focusing and exposure, not to mention the bizarre flickering that we occasionally experienced, regardless of shutter speed (we reached out to Nikon regarding this issue and are awaiting comment).


Surprisingly, the camera offers full manual control while shooting video, letting you adjust the aperture, shutter speed -- even the ISO sensitivity -- before capturing both HD and slow motion videos. Manual control can be tricky when shooting video when you pan between scenes with varying brightness in a single clip, but aperture priority is an option as well, and the J1 can compensate by adjusting ISO in this mode. The camera can also capture high-res stills while shooting video. But you are limited to 15 stills per video clip (you can reset the counter but stopping and resuming your recording), and the photos you snap in video mode will be captured in 16:9 format. There's also a pair of front-mounted mics for stereo audio capture.


Perhaps our favorite J1 feature is its silent shooting. Because the camera lacks a mechanical shutter (unlike its V1 sibling), you can snap photos undetected, just as you're able to do with a point and shoot. This certainly comes in handy for photographers who desire a bit of discretion in order to avoid attracting the attention of their subjects. From our experience, again, you're going to want to opt for a more traditional body color -- our sample's white finish made the camera stand out much more than an audible shutter ever could. The electronic shutter also enables the camera to capture an image exactly at the same moment that you press the shutter release. The mechanical shutter in traditional ILCs results in a slight, but noticeable delay, that the J1 has managed to eliminate.

Image quality

It's certainly safe to conclude that the J1 photographs well. That is to say, it made a mighty fine subject when posing before the lens of our NEX-C3. But we're more concerned with what happens when those cameras switch roles. Sadly, many of the photos we shot looked like they came from a Nikon point-and-shoot -- perhaps even a pricey superzoom -- not a mid-range interchangeable lens camera. The camera offers a native ISO range of 100-3200 with a "Hi 1" ISO 6400 option. Unfortunately, noise was visible not only at ISO 3200, but even creeped in at 100 as well.


That said, it's important to put the camera into perspective. The user base Nikon is going after here with its J1 may not have any qualms with image quality -- pics won't look like they came from a high-end DSLR, but J1 owners will generally be able to shoot the photos they're aiming to capture, albeit at a slightly lesser quality than some competing models. Hit up the more coverage link at the bottom for a meaty zip file chock full of untouched samples.
Nikon 1 J1 sample shots

Shooting modes

We were generally unimpressed with the J1's performance, but it's tough to argue that designers didn't put significant thought into Nikon's new ILCs. There are four main shooting modes, all controlled using a dedicated dial on the rear. You'll likely spend the majority of your time shooting in the familiar still image mode, marked by a green camera icon. From there you can select between five exposure modes, including Scene Auto Selector, programmed auto, shutter-priority, aperture-priority and manual. There's a RAW option when shooting in still photo mode as well. Nothing too fancy. Once you turn that main mode dial, however, things get pretty interesting.


There's a wavy icon representing Motion Snapshot mode. This feature lets you capture one-second silent clips to pair with each image, along with an audio theme (Beauty, Waves, Relaxation and Tenderness). Then it presents the video with a 16:9 still, captured simultaneously. When you go to view your photo, that video clip plays in slow motion (one second becomes two), along with the audio theme you selected before you hit the shutter release. Stills and vids appear together when played back on the camera, but are captured as two separate files (one .MOV and one .JPG) with the same name -- so they're easy to find when browsing your SD card from a computer.

Next up is Smart Photo Selector. As its name implies, this mode allows the camera to snap a handful of consecutive images of your subject, then identify the frame that's not only sharpest, but that also offers the best composition. Because of the camera's silent electronic shutter, you won't need to deal with a rapid-fire shutter sound either. This feature is particularly useful for shooting in low light, or if you have a moving subject. Still, we preferred to use the more familiar manual or aperture-priority shooting modes, which offers the highest level of control for advanced shooters.

We've already provided an overview of the HD video capture options, which include 1080/30p, 1080/60i and 720/60p with H.264 compression. The J1 offers a few unique slow motion modes as well, though, including a bizarrely wide 8:3 (think 16:6, not 16:9) slow motion mode that snaps up to five seconds of 640 x 240-pixel video at 400 fps, played back at 29.97 fps. And if you don't mind tiny video clips, you can bump that video capture speed all the way up to a whopping 1,200 fps at 320 x 120-pixel res. You can shoot for up to five seconds in that mode as well, which will net you a whopping three minutes and 20 seconds of footage. It's not pretty, but it gets the job done.


User Interface

Nikon completely redesigned its user interface for its 1 cameras, making it intuitive enough for newbies to navigate without digging through a manual. The menu is divided into options for playback, capture, and system settings. You'll only see options relevant to the current shooting mode -- you can't adjust still photo resolution while in video mode, for example. Sure, it's not ideal for changing a handful of settings at once, since you'll need to jump between modes, but it certainly helps to keep things simple. As we mentioned earlier, there are a variety of dedicated buttons, so you'll really only need to jump into the main menu to make top-level adjustments.


The competition

If you're a diehard Nikon fan who absolutely won't consider a camera from another manufacturer, then you may want to jump past this section. However, more reasonable consumers will definitely want to read on. If the J1 had made it to market two or three years ago, we would have said, hands-down, this is the camera you need to own. Fortunately, we now have a variety of excellent options -- perhaps none as sleek as the J1, but we wouldn't go so far as to call any of the competing models ugly.


If image quality is more important than looks, advanced photographers will probably want to search elsewhere. $650 is a lot to spend on any camera, and when you consider that Sony's NEX-C3 is selling for the exact same price (and is available now), that has been, and still remains, our first choice. The C3 excels in nearly every area -- pro-level control, color and exposure accuracy, and overall image quality -- though the J1 does offer a few unique and clever features, including slow-motion shooting and Motion Snapshot, along with that silent shutter. So does that make this camera a close second? Sadly, not by a long shot. That title would go to the Olympus E-P3, which offers class-leading focus speeds and consistent performance. Nikon's new ILC is more class competitive with, say, the novice-friendly Panasonic GF-3 or Pentax's Q (though we haven't yet had a chance to thoroughly test the latter).

Wrap-up

We really wanted to like the Nikon J1 -- we've certainly waited long enough for it. So can you blame us for building up some great expectations? Sadly, this isn't the camera we were hoping for. From a range of colorful body options to the cutesy marketing video playing at in-store displays, it's clear that the company is aiming to make the mirrorless category more mainstream, while perhaps overlooking the wants and needs of its loyal professional and advanced amateur customer base. That said, we can still see the J1 being a big hit, and would even consider recommending it to a few select friends and family members, if it weren't for that $650 price tag. This camera would be a more reasonable option at, say, $499 -- especially if Nikon opted to throw in two lenses -- but until that happens, it's difficult to suggest the J1 as a top pick even for beginners. For now, we're just going to have to accept that the Nikon ILC of our dreams has yet to arrive, as we hold on to our credit cards and keep on waiting.

Developers get Google Wallet on original Nexus S, squares wiping your phone with $10

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 08:39 AM PDT

Previously the exclusive phone-swiping domain of Sprint's Nexus S 4G, it now seems possible to get the wonders of Google wallet on its decidedly 3G predecessor. However, it's not an operation for the faint-hearted. If the words Cyanogen, full wipe, flash and kernel resemble white noise, it's probably worth waiting for an official release. See how the forum members at XDA Developers got their NFC wallet fix at the link below.

[Thanks, John]

Energy Star 5.3 now in effect, some chunkier TVs left out in the cold

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 08:22 AM PDT

A revamped set of Energy Star requirements went into effect last week, much to the chagrin of plus-sized plasma TVs everywhere. Under the new specification (Version 5.3), sets bearing that vaunted blue sticker will have to be, on average, about 40 percent more energy efficient than standard models, while larger displays will be held to even stricter requirements. The latest iteration also calls for qualifying TVs to adhere to a "hard cap" of 108 watts (irrespective of size), essentially disqualifying any plasmas at least 50-inches in size, and any larger, non-LED-backlit LCDs. Among those sets that qualified for certification under Version 4.2, a full 14 percent consume more than 108 watts (mostly 2010 models), and only three are LED LCD-based (including Samsung's UN65D8000). Some newly disqualified 2011 models, however, may still bear blue stickers, due to Energy Star's ongoing transition process. "With the intention of seeing products that meet the newest requirements on retail shelves when 5.3 takes effect, EPA halted certification of new TVs that met the 4.2 requirements (but not the 5.3 requirements) as of May 31, 2011," Energy Star product manager Katherine Kaplan explained to CNET. "All new products certified since May 31 meet the 5.3 requirements. A product newly manufactured and certified in June had to meet the 5.3 requirements to be labeled." Hit up the source link below for more details.

Kindle Fire pre-orders heat up, reportedly reach 95,000

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 08:03 AM PDT

The Kindle Fire won't be out til November, but it's already giving off some strong pre-order smoke signals. According to digital marketing firm eDataSource, Amazon's first tablet has generated enough buzz to pick up just under 100,000 orders -- an estimate based on a sample of 800,000 e-mail users. Even with these rosy estimates, however, Amazon still has a long way to go before it catches up with Apple, which sold 300,000 iPads on its debut. But we're guessing that the Fire's $199 price tag probably won't hurt its chances.

T-Mobile and Walmart offer 4G with no long-term contract, avoiding the pain of divorce

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 07:42 AM PDT

Tree-Mobil... sorry, T-Mobile and Walmart are offering up an exclusive "No Annual Contract" deal for commitment-phobic customers who want to get 4G mobile data. The $30 a month Monthly4G plan gives you unlimited mobile data, with the first 5GB coming down through America's so-called largest 4G network. After you pass that limit, your data shuffles down at 2G speeds. You also get unlimited text messages and 100 included minutes of talk, but you're probably more interested at getting at that data, aren't you? The service will be available from October 16th, to coincide with Walmart swelling its range of budget T-Mob handsets to six, including its first pre-paid 4G handset. After the break we've got some official looking words, neatly arranged into a press release.
Show full PR text
Walmart and T-Mobile Introduce Exclusive No-Annual Contract 4G Offering

BELLEVUE, Wash., and BENTONVILLE, Ark. - October 3, 2011 - With increased consumer demand for both no-annual contract wireless plans and faster data speeds, Walmart and T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced today that T-Mobile will launch a $30 unlimited web and text monthly 4G prepaid service plan - providing customers great value on a no-annual contract 4G data offering. The plan will be sold exclusively in-store at more than 2,200 Walmart stores and online at www.walmart.com and www.T-Mobile.com and is expected to launch Oct. 16.

The new flexible and affordable plan will provide Walmart customers with access to America's Largest 4G Network™. In a survey of Walmart customers, approximately 60 percent cited that having a high-speed data network was a key factor in the purchase of a wireless service plan. With this new offering, available for $30 per month and no annual contract, customers can enjoy unlimited Web, with the first 5 GB at up to 4G speeds; unlimited text; and 100 minutes of talk, with 10 cents per minute after the first 100 minutes.

In further expansion of this offer, Walmart is increasing its line-up of affordable T-Mobile phones to six, including the addition of Walmart's first 4G prepaid handset.

"Walmart is proud to offer our customers fast and affordable mobile options, especially as texting and social networking become a regular form of communication," said Seong Ohm, senior vice president of entertainment, Walmart U.S. "Together with our suppliers we continue to ensure the products our customers want and need - from the latest smartphone and TV to groceries and toys - are available at every day low prices."

"T-Mobile is thrilled to offer this exclusive, affordable service plan, designed specifically with heavy text and data users in mind, to meet the demand for prepaid, which is expected to double by 2015," said Amy McCune, vice president of national retail, T-Mobile USA. "Walmart is known for providing consumers incredible value, making T-Mobile an ideal partner, and T-Mobile is delivering great prices, convenient options and a reliable nationwide 4G network, which we know Walmart customers appreciate."

Monthly4G plans provide access to wireless service for 30 days; capable device required to achieve 4G speeds. After high-speed allotment is used, speeds slowed to up to 2G speeds for remainder of month. T-Mobile's HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at T-Mobile.com.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at over 9,600 retail units under 69 different banners in 28 countries. With fiscal year 2011 sales of $419 billion, Walmart employs 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

About T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG (OTCQX: DTEGY). By the end of the second quarter of 2011, approximately 128 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group - 33.6 million by T-Mobile USA - all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS and additionally HSPA+ 21/HSPA+ 42. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations.

For more information about T-Mobile's 4G products, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

Showtime launches Anytime streaming portal, social iPad app

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 07:21 AM PDT

Just in time for the return of everyone's favorite serial killer, Showtime Anytime soft-launched recently, bringing online access to the network's library of movies, TV shows and more. Multichannel News reports AT&T U-verse subscribers are the first to gain access, although this same content has already been streaming on Comcast's Xfinity TV website and app. It's no HBO Go yet -- more cable companies and a few mobile apps will be necessary to match its rival there -- but the approach is the same, after pulling its shows from Netflix this TV Everywhere offering hopes to add enough value to keep viewers on the traditional pay-TV train a little longer. While there's no self-branded streaming app yet, the channel has also launched a Showtime Social iPad app to keep viewers tied in with their friends and other viewers while they watch -- let us know if it makes Dexter any more / less creepy.

Apple's 'Let's Talk iPhone' event is tomorrow -- get your liveblog right here!

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT

Apple pulled a fast one by leaving the iPhone 5 in its back pocket during WWDC, and little did we know that it'd be Tim Cook -- not Steve Jobs -- revealing the company's next-gen handset. 'Course, Tim already had a bit of experience by doing the honors alongside Lowell McAdam for the Verizon iPhone 4, but this is another beast entirely. Will the "Let's Talk iPhone" keynote bring about a cheaper, perhaps prepaid iPhone 4s? Will Sprint finally get an iPhone to call its own? Will the iPhone 5 read our minds? Will this change everything, despite everything already being changed? Bookmark this page here and return at the times below for our blow-by-blow coverage live from Cupertino!

Psst... and toss your own time zone / day in comments below!

07:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
01:00PM - Eastern
06:00PM - London
07:00PM - Paris
09:00PM - Moscow
02:00AM - Tokyo (October 5th)

The countdown to Oneiric Ocelot begins, Ubuntu 11.10 arrives October 13th

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 06:45 AM PDT

This is the countdown
A whole new world? A whole new computer? Those are some pretty epic promises coming from the folks at Canonical, especially since we've seen the most recent beta and Ubuntu 11.10 and, while its packed with welcome improvements over Natty, it's not exactly revolutionary. Still, we're excited that on October 13th the final release of Oneiric Ocelot will be hitting the web with an improved Dash that integrates search Lenses, new default apps, a spiffed-up app switcher and application syncing across multiple devices. There are plenty of other little tweaks and improvements that add polish to the popular Linux distribution -- more than we could possibly cover without inspiring a string of TLDR comments. If you're the adventurous type you can download the second beta now, but we suggest you wait till the timer at the source link reaches zero. If you want to spread the Gospel of Ubuntu you'll also find a printable flyer at the source with a QR code and tear-off URL strips that lead to ThisIsTheCountdown.com.

NTT Docomo battery claims 10-minute charge time, we go hands-on (video)

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 06:32 AM PDT

It's not uncommon for our batteries to need the occasional boost while we're running around a trade show, but spending more than a couple minutes tethered to a power outlet can be seriously detrimental to our productivity. And we're definitely not alone. NTT Docomo, one of Japan's largest carriers, has developed a prototype battery that's capable of achieving a complete charge in just ten minutes. NTT reps weren't willing to get into much detail about the new technology, which currently employs an external lithium-ion battery sleeve and is only designed to support NEC's super-slim Medias Android (Japan only) smartphone. They did let us take a look at the battery sleeve's AC adapter, which supports output of up to 6.0 amps, but otherwise appeared to be fairly generic.

A pair of amp meters compared the power draw of a standard battery with that of the ultra high speed charger, which pulled 0.55 amps and 5.86 amps, respectively -- at least according to the demo equipment on hand at NTT's CEATEC booth. The model we saw definitely looked very much like an early prototype at this point, and the carrier didn't seem to have any idea of when it may begin to be implemented in handsets and other devices, only committing to a release "as soon as possible." Still, we're pretty excited about the potential here (imagine being able to charge your phone completely with only a quick stop at an airport kiosk), and wouldn't hesitate to pick a battery up -- assuming of course that the final version is a bit more refined. Click on through the gallery shots below, or jump past the break for our hands-on video to get a closer look.
NTT Docomo 10-minute charging battery hands-on

We're live from CEATEC 2011!

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 06:11 AM PDT

From one messe to the next. We're on the ground at Japan's Makuhari Messe for CEATEC, on the hunt for robots, green tech, 3D, smartphones and a boatload of prototypes from every product category. The big news this week is obviously that mysterious smartphone we're expecting to see in Cupertino on Tuesday, but CEATEC is the highlight here in Tokyo, providing Japanese companies with an opportunity to shine on home soil, and giving us a sneak peek at what we can expect in the months and even years to come. We'll be bringing you hands-ons throughout the week, so use this link to stay on top of everything CEATEC.
We're live from CEATEC 2011!

Xperia Ray makes US debut, goes unlocked for $425

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 05:49 AM PDT

Giving you a new opportunity to tell your favorite carrier exactly where it can stick that nasty two-year agreement, the unlocked Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray has made its official debut in the United States. In partnership with NewEgg, the handset carries an MSRP of $425 (although it currently sells for $380), where shoppers may choose between gold, black, white and pink varieties. As carrier compatibility goes, the phone features quad-band GSM support, along with 3G capability over the 2100 / 1900 / 850MHz airwaves, which makes it best suited for AT&T in the US, or Bell, Rogers and Telus up north. The Xperia Ray packs an MSM8255 SoC -- which features a 1GHz CPU and an Adreno 205 GPU -- along with a 3.3-inch FWVGA display and Android 2.3. Of particular note, it also sports an 8.1 megapixel lens with an Exmor R sensor that's well-suited for low-light situations, along with an LED flash and the ability to record video at 720p. So, if you're mad as hell at two-year ordeals, here's a reason to not take it anymore. Howard Beale would be so very proud.

BlackBerry PlayBook native SDK opened to devs, time to get rich?

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 05:26 AM PDT

Selected app developers who impressed RIM with their source code struttin' have been rewarded with access to the closed beta of the PlayBook's native SDK. The kit includes the Mac-compatible QNX Momentics Tool Suite, updated APIs and samples as well as support for Adobe AIR extensions. We know there aren't millions of PlayBook users out there, but we also know a platform doesn't have to win gold to make gold.

[Thanks, Ferganer]

Kinect has no qualms about guessing a woman's age

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:56 AM PDT

Did you know that Microsoft's Kinect can measure your bodily proportions in 3D and hence ontogenetically estimate your age? Well grandma, it can. Aside from being incredibly impolite, a recent patent application from Redmond also highlights a more beneficial function: to prevent kids from watching or playing age-restricted media. The proposed system could even shut down inappropriate material automatically when an offending minor steps in the room and then resume it when they leave. On the other hand, we give it five minutes before some scheming rugrat with a distorting lens tweets a workaround.

Google Maps adds 3D bird's eye route previews for high-flying navigators

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:08 AM PDT

Sure, you could use Google Maps to find the shortest path from point A to point B, but what if you're interested in going from A to B via scenic route C? That's where Google's new 'helicopter view' comes in. Unveiled last week, this feature allows online navigators to visualize any driving, walking or mass transit route with a 3D, bird's-eye animation. All you have to do is enter your starting point, destination and mode of transportation, and click the new "3D" button that will appear next to each route. From there, you'll be launched into a Google Earth-powered flight, displaying all the buildings, mountains and other terrain that you'd encounter during your real-life journey. You can also pause the flight at any moment to check out any sights of interest, along with any geo-linked photos, videos or other online content. Buckle up and check out the source link below for more details and images.

Fitbit Ultra review

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 03:00 AM PDT

Oh, hey, Fitbit. Nice to see you again. Although we thought the original fitness tracker did too little for a $100 gadget, enough people apparently begged to differ, as the the outfit just trotted out a second-gen model, dubbed the Fitbit Ultra. Like its predecessor, this little guy analyzes eating, exercise and sleep patterns (largely with the help of an accompanying website). If you've been following along, you know that design hasn't changed much, while that website and hundred-buck price should be mighty familiar, too. This time around the company is adding a few new features, including Foursquare-esque badges and an altimeter for counting how many steps you've climbed. But does this series of minor enhancements add up to a significant improvement? Time to lace up your running shoes, kids, and meet us after the break.
Fitbit Ultra
Fitbit Ultra review

Hardware


Though the new Fitbit replaces the one that's been around for two years, its design hasn't changed a lick. It is, to this day, a clip-shaped doo-dad that could easily be mistaken for a Bluetooth headset. It's lightweight enough that it rarely feels invasive. In fact, even when clipped to a thin shirt, you might forget it's there. We're also pretty confident it won't chafe your skin when you clamp it onto the waistband of your running shorts -- a fault we've found with other fitness gadgets.

Like the last generation, this thing packs an accelerometer, along with an LED display you can use to glance at steps taken, calories burned and miles traversed. This time, though, it adds an altimeter to track how many "flights" you've climbed. We're using air quotes there because really, this just means changes in elevation. So, if you go on a hilly run, as yours truly did, you might log 36 flights, even if you didn't attempt nearly as many staircases. This generation also adds a clock -- something we can't believe Fitbit omitted the first time around -- along with motivational messages such (e.g.,"Burn it") and the ability to program a customized greeting when you turn the thing on (think: "Hi, Dana"). The screen only accommodates so many characters, though, so the Jonathans and Jennifers of the world are sadly out of luck.


Also new: a stopwatch that you can activate by holding down the all-purpose button on the front of the device. Annoyingly, though, once you press the button to freeze the clock, you'll have to do another long-press to see your time.

You won't find too many surprises in the box either. Like the last gen, it comes with a small, USB-powered dock that you'll use to charge it and sync it with Fitbit.com. The company says it should last up to seven days on a charge, so we were none too surprised to see that the battery life indicator hadn't budged after we spent five hours out and about. It also re-fuels quickly: in the time it took us to watch an episode of Modern Family, it ticked up from half-full to fully charged. And, like last time, it comes with a plastic holster as well as a soft wristband allowing you to wear the Fitbit while you sleep. To be honest, we're not wild about the thing, since the velcro strap can be irritating. If you have bony wrists (guilty), best to attach it loosely, as the velcro base only extends so far, and the last thing you want is to be left with a tail that'll scratch your skin and get on your last nerve.

The only other change we're aware of is that the clip is now available with subtle light blue or plum accents. Then again, if we're talking about a gadget intended to be clipped to a bra or pants pocket, does it really matter?

Getting started


Setting up the Fitbit Ultra is simple and eats up just a few minutes, though once again the company neglected to include any instructions in, or even print them on the box. Still, our intuition told us to go to Fitbit.com, at which point it was obvious we had to download some software (it's Mac- and PC-compatible) and create an account -- a process that requires you to hand over your city, state, country, birthday gender, height and weight. It's at this point that you can program a custom greeting, though you can always return to that later by digging around the device settings menu on the Fitbit site.

Throughout our testing, we found ourselves keeping the dock plugged into our computer, and tried our best to get into the habit of charging the thing while sitting at our desk -- a time when we're burning minimal calories anyway. Once you do clip the Fitbit onto its dock, you'll see the battery life indicator flash briefly to let you know it's charging, and pretty soon your latest calorie counts, et cetera will show up on Fitbit's website. We'll admit: there's something fundamentally addictive about seeing your numbers rise, but the question isn't so much whether this is fun, but if it's worth a hundred bucks when you could use any number of mobile apps to help you stick to a diet or fitness routine or what-have-you.

Interface


Fitbit's web interface remains clean, intuitive and free to use, though you'll still have to enter a good deal of information manually in order to get the most out of it. With food, you'll have to go out of your way to keep a food diary, but Fitbit doesn't exactly make it easy. The problem isn't even that you have to stop to log your morning Egg McMuffin. No, the bummer is that Fitbit doesn't have caloric counts for generic foods. Try and enter a bagel and cream cheese, for instance, and you'll have to choose between one sold by Friendly's and another by Bar Louie (one claims 160 more calories than the other). We ran into the same problem when we tried recording the squash and chicken apple sausage a friend served for dinner. Health and fitness magazines regularly give estimates for different kinds of produce, so it's a shame Fitbit doesn't. As it is, having to pretend you ate at Jason's Deli just to settle on a number that may or may not be right would seem to defeat the purpose of calorie-counting.

Fitbit also analyzes how well you've been sleeping, but it'll first need to know when, exactly, you got in and out of bed. (You can also do a long-press when you lie down and when you wake up.) Specifically, the website will tell you how many times you woke up during the night and how much time you actually spent sleeping, but even then, that data's closely tied to how often you moved. So, if you were lying awake with your mind racing, Fitbit may have thought you were sound asleep after all.

Fitbit will automatically track your steps, mileage, flights climbed and calories burned. But here's the rub: it's often wrong. One day, our mileage count was five miles higher than what we calculated using the service MapMyRun (22-some-odd miles versus 17). That's not to say MapMyRun is pitch-perfect either, but either Fitbit's off or the truth lay somewhere in between. And we have reason to believe it was Fitbit that made a mistake: because it uses an accelerometer to calculate steps, it'll interpret any movement as a step -- even your restless leg syndrome. On the flip side, Fitbit doesn't take into account the exercise you might be getting through other sports, such as cycling or skiing (forget swimming -- this thing's not waterproof), so you'll have to manually enter those, too, and keep a careful record of how long you were working out.
Fitbit Ultra screenshots

Still with us? Well, so far we've basically been describing Fitbit as you've known it for the past two years. The interface hasn't changed, with the exception of that dashboard you see down there. For the most part, though, the changes here are minor. You can now earn badges -- yes, the likes of which you'd expect to collect on Foursquare. You might nab one if you walk 5,000 steps in a day or climb the equivalent of ten flights of steps. Just one question, though: who are you competing with? The beauty of Foursquare is that you don't have to know anyone using the service to enjoy the thrill of ousting somebody as mayor. With Fitbit, there is a community, complete with forums, but you'd have to feel strongly enough about the product to get involved. You could also mine your Facebook account for fellow Fitbit users, but they don't appear to be a common breed. As it is, out of 646 Facebook friends, yours truly found only one with a Fitbit, and sharing step counts with an acquaintance like him would have been tantamount to oversharing. That leaves us collecting badges for the sake of decorating our homepage, which may or may not be interesting to you, depending on how motivated you already are.


Of all the changes on the software side, the addition of food goals would seem to be the meatiest (pun not intended). After entering your target weight, the number of suggested calories per day varies depending on just how active you've been. We're not sure this really helps justify the $100 cost of the hardware, but it's nice to know that not all of the tweaks here are gimmicks. And as minor as any of this sounds, it at least constitutes a free upgrade for all current Fitbit owners. That's right, while you can't retrofit your device with an altimeter, you can take advantage of all the new online features, gimmicks and useful stuff alike.

It's also worth noting that Fitbit devotees soon won't have to be glued to open a browser (mobile or otherwise) to check up on their stats -- the company is launching an iOS app this week, with an Android version coming soon. With the app, folks will be able to log their food intake and various activities, even if they're offline. As it happens, neither app was available while we were testing this, so we're just going to have to stop short at saying that adding mobile apps seems like a no-brainer for a service like this.

Wrap-up


If we were reviewing the Fitbit Ultra in a vacuum, we'd say this: it does what it claims to do quite well. Here you have a lightweight, long-lasting piece of hardware with some easy to use software to match that does, indeed, make weight loss and all that it entails (namely, calorie counting and exercise) just a bit more fun. Particularly for people who have already committed to weight loss programs that rely on or at least encourage pedometers (think Weight Watchers), Fitbit can be a convenient alternative to entering all that data manually -- even if it doesn't pick up on everything by itself.

And yet, it remains difficult to see Fitbit as much more than a pricey, gussied-up pedometer. If the hardware weren't $100, but instead closer to $50 (or less, even), we might be more forgiving. As it is, though, it's tough to recommend this to someone interested in making a few lifestyle changes when there are other, less costly tools out there -- not just pedometers, but a slew of apps that run the gamut from food diaries to step counters. And while the latest version adds some new features, none are enough to justify the price -- not even those gimmicky motivational messages. On top of all that, something tells us the forthcoming Jawbone Up might well give this a run for its money, as it, too, will analyze food intake, sleep habits and exercise. Until then, is this fun, admittedly addictive device worth all that money for people who want to lose weight? That all depends how many badges you need to stay on task.
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Fitbit Launches New Version of Popular Wireless Activity Tracker

Fitbit Ultra Offers New Features and Online Tools to Get You More Fit Including 'Stair Tracker'

San Francisco, CA – October 3, 2011 – Fitbit, the market leader in wireless activity tracking, today launched its newest tracker, the Fitbit Ultra. The Ultra contains all the core functionality of the original tracker: tracking steps, distance, sleep, wireless uploads to Fitbit.com, and free online tools, with a device display for real-time feedback. By combining new features with additional social and motivational online tools, plus Fitbit's first iPhone app, the Ultra aims to provide a more powerful and fun way for you to get more fit and active throughout your busy day.

Brand new features include:

- Stair Tracker – Track how many stairs or hills you climb each day; Ultra now contains a state of the art altimeter

- Chatter – Motivational messages like "Walk Me" appear throughout the day

- Greeting – Name your Fitbit Ultra and it will appear on your display – "Jane" or "FitBuddy"

- Stopwatch – Challenge yourself to beat a previous time or annotate specific workouts

- Clock – See the time directly on the display screen

- Colors – Choose between blue and plum

Additional new online tools and apps:

- Badges for climbing stairs, steps, and distance keep you motivated.

- New ways to share fitness achievements on Facebook or Twitter to tap into your support network.

- Easier ways to find friends to compete with or share out your fitness progress achievements.

- Food Goal, a weight management tool that dynamically changes based on activities you complete during the day.

- Fitbit's first iPhone App for tracking food and activities on the go.

"At Fitbit, we are dedicated to creating everyday health and fitness products that are easy for you to incorporate into your life. From our own research we have learned that for these products to be successful they must provide real-time stats to help people make smart decisions during the day, be comfortable and discreet to wear, upload wirelessly and be affordable," said James Park, CEO of Fitbit. "For Ultra, we held true to this."

The new Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity Tracker is currently available in the U.S. and Canada by ordering online at www.fitbit.com for $99.95 and will be available by mid-October in select retail locations across the U.S.

Walking and Taking the Stairs Adds Up, and Up and Up

Trend research indicates our shift to a more sedentary lifestyle is slowly taking its toll on our health. Health experts advise that we can minimize the negative impacts of low physical activity in our lives in simple ways: by walking and being generally more active throughout our day. Also, recent studies show that adding stair climbing into a daily routine is proven to lower body fat, minimize waist circumference and burn up to 400% more calories than walking.

"By combining stair climbing with social and motivational features, we think we can help people fit more fitness into their every day lives in a fun and easy way," said Park.

The new Fitbit Ultra is the only all-day activity tracker to measure floors climbed. Ultra's accelerometer and state-of-the-art altimeter technology work together to track movement from climbing the stairs. This smart technology combination understands the difference between climbing stairs and taking the elevator.

Fitbit also updated its online dashboard to better track personal fitness metrics and achievements for a more visually motivating, comprehensive experience. For example, Fitbit.com compares daily climb activities to well-known landmarks around the world such as The Eiffel Tower and Machu Picchu.

Voltage Pictures dismisses 90 percent of defendants in Hurt Locker file-sharing lawsuit

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 02:01 AM PDT

That record-breaking Hurt Locker lawsuit may not be so impressive after all, now that Voltage Pictures has slashed a major chunk of defendants from its file-sharing complaint. Last week, the company voluntarily dismissed about 90 percent of the 24,583 defendants originally named in the suit, according to documents filed with the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The dismissals were made without prejudice, meaning they could theoretically be re-targeted in the future, though the number of those that reached settlements with Voltage remains unclear. The company also identified some of the alleged file-sharers by name, but acknowledged that 2,278 IP addresses remain anonymous. For more details, check out the coverage from TorrentFreak, where you'll find the full list of dismissed IP addresses, along with the recently-named defendants.

'Humanity toward others' extended to Windows with Ubuntu One cloud storage

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 01:09 AM PDT


Are you a Windows user in need of yet another cloud storage option? Lucky for you, after a long-running beta, Canonical's Ubuntu One client has officially debuted on Microsoft's platform. First introduced with Ubuntu 10.10, the service offers 5GB of free storage, with file syncing across multiple machines, ala Dropbox. Android and iOS clients are already available. If you need more space, how about 20GB for $29.99 a year or $2.99 a month? And if portable tunes is your game, you can have that same 20GB along with music streaming apps (similar to Google Music Beta) for $39.99 a year or $3.99 a month. Click the source link to engage in some cross-platform storage.

Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard update video leaks, tours Metro in silence

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 11:58 PM PDT



Last month, we sat down with Microsoft for a quick look at the Xbox's upcoming Dashboard update -- it was sleek, searchable, and extremely camera shy. A quick trip to Europe seems to have cured it of its bashful ways, however, and the budding update can now be seen in a slightly blurry piece of French cinema. This leaked video shows a Dashboard with a smidge more polish than the demo we saw in September, and silently plods on without so much as a bleep or bloop. Our mute host briefly peeks at the Xbox Live Marketplace, casually glances at the Bing search page and scrolls leisurely through the new Dash's very Metro menu. The whole shebang is en français, of course, and the update's snappy voice-control gimmick is sadly absent. Sure, there's not a lot of depth here, but if you want a glimpse of what's coming when the update drops later this Fall, it's definitely worth a look.

[Thanks, John]

Mango kills Microsoft's always-on location tracking, makes good on letter to House of Representatives

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 11:06 PM PDT

Remember all that iPhone tracking hubbub back in April? Sure you do -- you probably also recall Apple's denial, the subsequent Senate hearing, and the rest of the fiasco's dramatic fallout. Amid the ballyhoo, Microsoft stepped out to admit that its Windows Phone also collected location data, but quickly promised to knock it off following the next scheduled update. According to ChevronWP7 collaborator Rafael Rivera, Windows Phone 7.5 cinches it: Mango "no longer sends location data prior to being granted permission to do so." Redmond previously told the US House of Representatives that it only collected location data if a user expressly allowed an application to send it along -- a claim which Rivera debunked last week, noting that simply launching the camera application captured and transmitted "pin-point accurate positioning information." The big M maintains that the collected location data was anonymous, and that it shouldn't have been sent at all unless the user allowed it. Either way, Microsoft's chapter in the big location tracking blunder of 2011 seems to be at a close, squaring the firm with Congress, its developers, and hopefully its customers.

New Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 holder comes with bike attached

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 08:59 PM PDT

For a tablet that prides itself in being thin and lightweight, the latest Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 accessory sure adds considerable heft to the device. The Korean manufacturer's UK branch has teamed up with 14 Bike Co to bring the world the Samsung Galaxy bicycle -- a mild-mannered bike with a custom paint job and a detachable holder for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 made from carbon fiber. So, why carry a tablet on a bicycle? For checking things like mileage planners and route trackers on the go, apparently. No word on pricing yet, but we're guessing that this'll be among the more expensive tablet accessories out there. Press information after the break.
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SAMSUNG UNVEILS THE ULTIMATE WAY TO TRANSPORT THE GALAXY TAB 10.1

29th September 2011, London, UK – Today, Samsung UK unveils the ultimate Galaxy Tab 10.1 accessory having collaborated with bespoke bike manufacturer, 14 Bike Co to create a custom made road bike and top of the range Tablet holder. Demonstrating the Galaxy Tab 10.1's 'lighter for performance' ethos the Tab holder is designed by F1 manufacturers, is super light at 125g and is complete with a super strong premium finish.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 features a 10.1 inch crystal clear WXGA TFT LCD screen, weighs only 565 grams and is the world's thinnest mobile tablet of its screen size measuring just 8.6 millimetres. Such features are complemented by the special edition bike's bespoke handling and elements of the tab have been used to influence the overall bike design.

The stunning hand built steel frame pedal bike boasts a striking custom paint job exposing sleek black paint on one side and cool white paint on the opposite, reflecting the colours the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is available in. The detachable Tab holder positioned in the triangular frame is made from quality Carbon fibre featuring the same Carbon specification used on F1 cars and has a fantastic strength to weight ratio. This means the holder is light yet robust – making it perfect for moving your Tab 10.1 with ease and in style.

Accessible from the side, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 holder allows for the device to be used easily whilst on the move. Applications such as dashboards tracking mileage, route planners and repair instructions for punctures, can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace to enhance everyday cycling routes or more adventurous trips – a handy addition for any cyclist.

14 Bike Co is a specialist bespoke bike manufacturer that intends to push modern British bike manufacturing back into the limelight. They use the highest quality materials, some of the best people in the industry and offer one of the widest varieties of bike designs.

How would you change Samsung's Chromebook Series 5?

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 07:31 PM PDT

It's compact, it's cute and it's weird. But it might be your perfect netbook. Google's Chromebook family isn't apt to ever be an end-all solution -- particularly for those that aren't married to the company's suite of web-based products -- and we're pretty sure Samsung's taking notes on how to make the eventual followup to the Series 5 even better. Battery life was stellar, and the matte display was a joy to look at, but we still found plenty of quibbles. Are you one of the early adopters who picked one of these guys up? If given the chance, how would you tweak the design / software / whatever else? Go on and get crafty in comments below!

Inhabitat's Week In Green: eco abodes, world's largest solar park and Axeon's new EV battery

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 05:21 PM PDT

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

It's been an epic week for green building and clean-tech, as the 2011 Solar Decathlon showcased 19 of the world's most stunning sun-powered prefab homes in Washington DC -- and Inhabitat brought you up-to-the-minute coverage on winning home designs. Several of the houses feature remarkably unconventional designs -- see Sci-Arc and Caltech's puffy inside-out prefab and Team Canada's teepee-inspired TRTL home -- while others like Purdue's INHome relied upon tried-and-true building typologies upgraded with state-of-the art solar systems. Ultimately the University of Maryland's innovative WaterShed House won first place in the competition with their greenery infused, water-focused, living home. Purdue University's more traditional INHome took second place, and Team New Zealand (Victoria University of Wellington) placed third with their beautiful wooden First Light home.

Speaking of major feats of renewable energy, this week Iceland announced plans to construct the first zero-carbon data center and Germany opened the world's largest solar park on top of an abandoned open-pit mine. We also took a look at the innovative new SeaTwirl turbine, which could be the most cost-effective wind energy generator to date, and we watched Pavegen reveal plans to power a shopping center with tiles that harvest energy from pedestrian footsteps. Google also made a major investment to bring solar power systems to 3,000 homes, MIT developed a working "artificial leaf" that generates hydrogen fuel from water and sunlight, and Axeon unveiled a new battery that could extend electric car range by 35 percent.

In other green transportation news, sun-powered vehicles soared towards the stars this week as NASA announced plans to launch the largest solar sail spacecraft ever created, and Japan's TOTO unveiled a crazy talking poop-powered motorcycle topped with a toilet. We also took a spin in the world's strongest electric train (which has over 10,000 horsepower), and we launched a competition to win a one year Zipcar membership. We also spotted a milk truck mobile breastfeeding unit, while scientists discovered a passive virus that can destroy breast cancer cells. Finally, from the realm of high-tech textiles we shared a student's plan to turn textile factory effluent into clean water, we showcased Janet Echelman's massive jellyfish-shaped string sculptures, and we dialed up an online tool capable of measuring your wardrobe's environmental impact.

Google and ITA's OnTheFly app update puts flexible flight planning in your pocket

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 04:38 PM PDT

Google went through a lot to buy ITA and its travel software, and we saw the acquisition first bear fruit in the form of Mountain View's web-based Flight Search. Now the partnership has produced version 1.2 of the OnTheFly airfare booking app for Android, iOS and BlackBerry. What's new? Flexible date searches that let you peruse departures 35 days at a time, plus a price graph that shows the most fiscally prudent times to travel. Additionally, globetrotters can access their itinerary search history and see price changes for those fares throughout the year. Nice job fellas, now let's work on bringing bargain-basement fare finding for the final frontier in the next revision.

HTC security vulnerability said to leak phone numbers, GPS data, and more, HTC responds (video)

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 04:17 PM PDT


The folks at Android Police seem to have stumbled across a rather jarring security vulnerability in HTC handsets running Android, giving common apps with internet access a peek at the device's vital statistics, user information and more. Demonstrated in the above video, developer Trevor Eckheart found that a recent HTC update packed in a suite of logging tools that collects data on user accounts (including email addresses), recent GPS locations, SMS data and encoded text, phone numbers, system logs, running processes and more -- all of which can be accessed by common apps requesting access to android.permission.INTERNET.

HTC is already looking into the issue, stating, "HTC takes our customers' security very seriously, and we are working to investigate this claim as quickly as possible. We will provide an update as soon as we're able to determine the accuracy of the claim and what steps, if any, need to be taken." If you're too antsy to wait for HTC's update, head on over to the source link below -- Eckheart says the issue can be resolved by removing HTCloggers from a rooted device.

Switched On: Assets in gear

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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

Ecosystems take years to build and depend on other companies. Really, who has the time these days? Plus, they kick in only if a product reaches critical mass. Microsoft and SanDisk demonstrated the risk a few years back with their digital media players in seeding the market with third-party cases and docks using their own proprietary and now abandoned connectors. Over the past year, though, we've seen a number of tech companies take a new approach to mobile product development -- the corporate showcase -- where they convincingly shun any notion of silos by throwing just about everything they've got into a product.

Windows Phone 7. When Microsoft went back to the mobile OS drawing board, it parted with its PC-like experience (at least until Windows 8 arrives) only to leave no Live Tile unturned in making its handset operating system into a tour de force of the company's products and services. These include deep integration of the Bing search engine, Office, Xbox Live, Windows Live (including SkyDrive), the Zune entertainment services and TellMe's voice platform. Microsoft has also tapped its investments, resulting in some of the best Facebook integration in any mobile platform, and will likely feature future integration with Nokia mapping technology.

Sony Tablet S. Sony's asymmetrical Honeycomb tablet is so brimming with technology and content from around the company that there wasn't even room to give it its own distinct subbrand like Bravia or Vaio. Sony may not own Android, but the Tablet S is loaded with Sony's music, video and book stores. It LCD uses Sony's TruBlack technology for deeper blacks and better color "pop." The camera uses the company's acclaimed Exmor imaging sensor, and it's the first tablet to be PlayStation-certified for running games form the original PlayStation catalog like the bundled Crash Bandicoot.

The tablet's infrared remote feature -- a first for a Honeycomb tablet -- borrows technology from Sony's longstanding product line of universal remotes. But Sony's tablets aren't just a "greatest hits" collection. For example, the company has tweaked Android's animation and responsiveness to create what it calls "saku saku" (loosely "quick and smooth") operation. This bears a curious similarity to the "fast and fluid" requirement for designing Metro apps on Windows 8.

Amazon Kindle Fire. "Ready!" and "Aim!" must have preceded the launch of the Kindle Fire as it was prepared to deliver a powerful payload back across the bow of Barnes & Noble's Nook Color. The 7-inch, $200 tablet looks PlayBook-like on the outside but is all Amazon inside. Much as Apple used its iOS products to extend its iPod music franchise into other media, the Kindle Fire does the same with the digitized wares of the Bezos-built bookstore. Books, Android apps and games, music and videos (delivered à la carte or via Amazon Prime subscription) are all provided via -- and likely exclusively via -- the Internet retailer. The company's B2B services -- usually invisible to consumers -- also play a role, providing cloud-based backup and the processing engine used to optimize Web access using the Amazon Silk browser.

One legacy that Amazon hasn't been able to bring over from e-paper-based Kindles, though, is free cellular access as particularly unlimited video delivered to Amazon Prime subscribers could cause the Kindle Fire to light up operator's networks. A future version could divvy up tasks, though, so purchasing books, most apps and Amazon Silk Web browsing might be free over a cellular network while more taxing media would be required to be accessed via WiFi.

On one hand, showcase products make for a compelling and differentiated story. On the other, even when corralling product and service components from across one company, integration takes time. In each case, these products entered the market long after those from major competitors did. For particular convergent devices, though, some now see no need to choose between kitchen sink and swim.

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

TWCable TV app update brings captions, search, and parental controls

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 01:35 PM PDT

Time Warner has been streaming live TV to the iPad with its TWCable TV app since March and the most recent update brings even more traditional TV standbys to the tablet experience. Now live in v2.5.0 is a basic search function (titles or episode name only, keywords, cast and crew are coming soon), support for closed captions and the ability to block certain channels on the app for parents. There's also a few bug fixes for those experiencing audio issues or not seeing their HD channels in the lineup -- subscribers can check out the official blog for more details or just grab the free app on iTunes.

Samsung Stratosphere lays it all out with spec sheet treatment

Posted: 02 Oct 2011 12:13 PM PDT

The upcoming Samsung Stratosphere for Verizon Wireless is hardly a secret, but other than a few rumored details, the specs for this LTE-equipped QWERTY slider have remained a bit of a mystery. Now, all that has changed, thanks in large part to its leaked spec sheet from Big Red -- just take a peek after the break. It'll be packing a 4-inch Super AMOLED display with WVGA resolution, a (presumably) single-core 1GHz processor, along with 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a 4GB microSD card that's pre-installed. Curiously, it'll be the first of Verizon's LTE phones to incorporate a Micro SIM in place of the larger, traditional offering. Other than that, it looks as if the speculation of Android 2.3, along with its 5MP rear / 1.3MP front cams were dead on. There will also be an LED flash in tow, although video capture will be limited to a rather mundane 480p. That said, if you're thirsting for speed but are needing a keyboard, the Stratosphere is looking like your obvious (albeit only) choice.

at 12:29 PM

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