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- Apple iPhone 4S now shipping in 'one to two' weeks, over 200,000 AT&T pre-orders in first 12 hours
- GSM Nexus Prime passes through the FCC, possibly heading to AT&T?
- Mobile Miscellany: week of October 3, 2011
- ViaSat-1 scheduled to launch October 19th, spreading high-speed satellite service across North America
- Cooler Master launches Silent Pro Hybrid Fanless Series of power supplies
- Facelock app hits the Ovi Store, Symbian handsets frame your face for security
- US Department of Homeland Security developing system to predict criminal intent
- CLASH is an adorable, cloth-climbing roach-bot (video)
- Starbucks brews up free, two-click WiFi in the UK
- Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu plan birthday Hangout on Google+
- Ice Cream Sandwich leak outs Music 4.0.1 for download, previews Google+ 2.0
- CEATEC Japan 2011 wrap-up
- Minecraft Pocket Edition rolls out to non-Xperia Play Android devices
- Sony Reader WiFi review
- LG Optimus 3D app converter starts roll-out this month, why settle for only two dimensions?
| Posted: 08 Oct 2011 11:52 AM PDT  If there was any question of how hot a tamale Apple's iPhone 4S would be, the answer's edging toward muy caliente. AT&T's stated that the iPhone 4S has ushered in its best iPhone launch to date, receiving over 200,000 pre-orders for the device during the first 12 hours of availability (crediting its success to having the only US version operating over 14.4Mb/s HSPA+, aka FauxG). While that's good news for Ma Bell, as of today, you'll be looking at a wait time of "one to two weeks" after placing an order for this latest iThing (Sprint and Verizon included). We've yet to hear how the latter two telecoms have fared, but we'd imagine it won't be a secret for too long -- the iPhone 4S is officially available on October 14th, after all. Full AT&T PR just past the break. [Image from Skyline/Shutterstock] AT&T Statement on iPhone 4S Preorders DALLAS, Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T has seen extraordinary demand for iPhone 4S with more than 200,000 preorders in the first 12 hours alone, the most successful iPhone launch we've ever had. It's obvious customers like AT&T's 4G network, which is the only one that lets their iPhone download twice as fast and talk and surf simultaneously. *AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. About AT&T AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT. © 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. SOURCE AT&T Inc. |
| GSM Nexus Prime passes through the FCC, possibly heading to AT&T? Posted: 08 Oct 2011 09:49 AM PDT  [Thanks, Samer]  |
| Mobile Miscellany: week of October 3, 2011 Posted: 08 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT 
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| Posted: 08 Oct 2011 06:07 AM PDT  ViaSat-1 Launch Scheduled For October 19 Carlsbad, Calif. – ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) has announced that the launch of the ViaSat-1 high-capacity satellite is scheduled for Wednesday, October 19 at 11:48 am PDT and 2:48 pm EDT. The satellite will be launched from the historic Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:48 am local time (October 20) in Baikonur. The fueling of the ViaSat-1 spacecraft was completed on Monday, October 3. In the next phase of pre-launch preparations, the satellite will be mated to the launch vehicle payload adapter to begin the joint operations phase of the program. The combined assembly will then be joined with the Breeze M upper stage in preparation for mating to the Proton launch vehicle early next week. ViaSat-1 is designed to transform the economics and quality of service that satellite broadband can provide, with the capacity to serve the accelerating growth in bandwidth demand for multimedia Internet access over the next decade and enable satellite to compete with terrestrial alternatives. The high-capacity Ka-band spot beam satellite has planned coverage over North America and Hawaii, enabling a variety of new, high-speed broadband services for WildBlue in the U.S. and Xplornet in Canada. With a capacity estimated at 140 Gbps, ViaSat-1 will become the highest capacity satellite in the world once it is safely on orbit. For more information and to watch a webcast of the launch, visit the ILS mission page at www.ilslaunch.com/mission-control/mission-viasat-1 or the ViaSat update page at www.viasat.com/viasat-1-launch. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, specifically statements about the future launch date of ViaSat-1. ViaSat wishes to caution you that there are some factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to: satellite failures, performance degradation, in-orbit risks and anomalies, launch delays, and launch failures or improper orbital placement of ViaSat-1 or satellites owned by other operators that are scheduled for launch by ILS before ViaSat-1. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in ViaSat's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including ViaSat's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. ViaSat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason. |
| Cooler Master launches Silent Pro Hybrid Fanless Series of power supplies Posted: 08 Oct 2011 03:55 AM PDT  Silent Pro Hybrid Fanless Series Cooler Master, an industry leading chassis, thermal solution, peripheral, and accessory manufacturer, is proud to announce a world's first in power supply technologies, the Silent Pro Hybrid Series. Equipped with fully modular cables, centralized control of power supply and system fans, a noise-free operation mode, and an included 5.25" drive bay fan controller module, the Silent Pro Hybrid Series becomes the industry benchmark to aspire to. A New Revolution Silent Pro Hybrid represents a paradigm shift in the way power supplies will be perceived within a system setup. It includes the features that many enthusiasts demand such as full control over cable management with fully modular cables, over 90% efficiency with 80Plus Gold Certification, noise-free operation, and other value-added features that ensure these users get the most out of their purchase. Direct Fan Control With a power supply integrated 7V fan power port and included 5.25" drive bay fan controller module, the Silent Pro Hybrid Series removes the middleman by taking an unnecessary load off of the motherboard. This direct connection between power supply and fan controller provides the user with immediate on-the-fly control over the 135mm Super Silent Hydraulic Bearings power supply fan and up to 3 other system fans. The power and system fan speeds are adjusted independently via two dials. Users may determine the level of control they would like to wield by switching between automatic and manual modes for the power supply fan. Noise-free Operation The first to offer a "fanless" mode, the Silent Pro Hybrid Series seeks to eliminate unneeded fan noise. The power supply fan can be completed turned off to essentially operate as if it were fanless. This mode persists until loads become greater than 200W. At this point, a safe mode will activate the fan and cool according to the level of the load. Simple Setup and Maintenance Needs differ between systems and a fully modular cable setup allows the user to determine what is critical to their setup. This individualized approach provides for easier management of cables that open the door for a professional cable routing look with less overall effort. Maintenance and upgrades on the main power supply unit become extremely efficient and effective. Upgrade from one wattage to another by simply detaching all cables from the power supply and replace it with another, more powerful, unit in the Silent Pro Hybrid Series. All of this is done without disconnecting cables from the system itself. A computer can now be back up and running to work or game in a matter of seconds. Price and Availability The Silent Pro Hybrid Series will come in 850W, 1050W, and 1300W models and will be available for US region and Asia in October, and Europe region on November 2011, with price $199.99, $249.99 and $299.99 MSRP (USD) at retail and online locations that carry your favorite Cooler Master, CM Storm, and Choiix products. About Cooler Master Cooler Master was founded to provide the best thermal solutions to our customers worldwide. Since its establishment more than a decade ago, we continue to invest in product development in order to provide the leading-edge innovations to people and businesses. Cooler Master's enclosure technology line-up includes heat sinks and fans, chassis, power supplies, function panels and accessories. Cooler Master has its headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, with global branch offices located in Europe, America and APAC, so that we can offer to our customers the best service in time. For more information on Cooler Master, please visit www.coolermaster.com. |
| Facelock app hits the Ovi Store, Symbian handsets frame your face for security Posted: 08 Oct 2011 01:43 AM PDT  [Thanks, Jerry] |
| US Department of Homeland Security developing system to predict criminal intent Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:31 PM PDT  |
| CLASH is an adorable, cloth-climbing roach-bot (video) Posted: 07 Oct 2011 09:22 PM PDT  |
| Starbucks brews up free, two-click WiFi in the UK Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:17 PM PDT  Starbucks Free Wi-Fi goes 'one-click' for Customers Two million customers a week to benefit from free high speed Wi-Fi London, October 7 2011 – Starbucks has announced the launch of one click, free high-speed Wi-Fi access for all its customers in the UK. Customers with Wi-Fi enabled laptops, tablets and mobile phones now have unlimited Internet access to surf the Web and connect with social networks at over 650 company-owned stores across the country. The move means that customers no longer have to be members of the Starbucks Rewards programme to access free Wi-Fi, and is a direct response to customers who were asking for a simplified service. The new, unlimited Wi-Fi offering features a one-click entry point, so a username or password will not be required. The initiative reflects a broader move by Starbucks to prepare for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The challenge of greatly increased footfall and diverse international visiting customers is being met head on by the company. This includes a suite of store redesigns and openings, including in Westfield Stratford last month, and moves enabling customers to use Starbucks as a place to work and connect with friends. Starbucks will continue to work with BT Openzone as its Wi-Fi provider, a relationship that's been in place since 2009 when free Wi-Fi for Starbucks Reward customers was launched. BT Total Broadband customers can download the handy BT FON app to their mobile devices, to map and connect to their nearest Starbucks. Brian Waring, vp Marketing & Category for Starbucks UK & Ireland said: "Our customers told us that they liked our free Wi-Fi, but they wanted it to be easier and faster to access. Starbucks is a place to take time out, but it's also a social and digital hub and customers now expect to be able to connect with family and friends, find entertainment or even run their businesses from our stores. This summer the UK will have millions of visitors from around the world for London 2012 and they'll be able to stay in touch with a single click in Starbucks. This is one of many ways we're getting ready to welcome them." Chris Bruce, CEO, BT Openzone said: "The UK is the most exciting place in the world in the run up the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Starbucks is supporting small and medium businesses, commuters and visitors with free Wi-Fi, allowing them to work, send photos, videos and emails to share in the buzz." |
| Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu plan birthday Hangout on Google+ Posted: 07 Oct 2011 05:03 PM PDT  |
| Ice Cream Sandwich leak outs Music 4.0.1 for download, previews Google+ 2.0 Posted: 07 Oct 2011 02:34 PM PDT   |
| Posted: 07 Oct 2011 01:58 PM PDT  Richard Lai contributed to this report. CONSUMER ELECTRONICS Umiushi Smapho 2800 portable charger hands-on: one plug for iPhone, another one for micro-USB Sony DEV-5 Digital Recording Binoculars sample photos and video Fujitsu Lifebook AH77/E and SH76/E hands-on NEC LaVie Touch hands-on (updated) Rohm and Lumiotec create $450 OLED Hanger lamp, we go hands-on (video) Fujitsu Arrows Tab LTE F-01D with gesture control hands-on (video) Toshiba Regza DBR-M190 stores 15 days of HDTV from six channels, we go hands-on (video) Toshiba's 4K, glasses-free 3DTV announced in Japan with more specs this time Only in Japan: Toshiba's Regza DBR-M190 serves 5TB of home media PS3 will support 4K stills after a future update, moving pictures remain out of reach PROTOTYPES Knowles Electronics Mems Joystick for Samsung Galaxy Tab, Nintendo 3DS hands-on (video) Rohm Wireless Power Transmission system hands-on (video) Murata Tactile Controller TV remote hands-on (video) Cyberdyne HAL robotic arm hands-on (video) Panasonic Cockpit digital dash prototype hands-on (video) Murata Wireless Power Transmission System supports laptops, we go hands-on (video) NTT DoCoMo menu translator app hands-on (video) NTT DoCoMo Shared Bicycle Initiative hands-on (video) NTT DoCoMo bad breath, body fat and food analyzers hands-on (video) KDDI shows off sensory enhancements for smartphone users, throws a free-viewpoint virtual concert NTT DoCoMo battery claims 10-minute charge time, we go hands-on (video) We're live from CEATEC 2011! |
| Minecraft Pocket Edition rolls out to non-Xperia Play Android devices Posted: 07 Oct 2011 01:32 PM PDT  |
| Posted: 07 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT  HardwareThe PRS-T1 will look familiar to anyone who has spent time with a Sony reader. It's long and slender, with a series of silver buttons lining its bottom bezel: menu, back, home and two arrow keys. On the bottom of the device is a power button, micro-USB port, reset hole and a headphone jack, which can be used to listen to MP3 and AAC files -- functionality stripped from the new Kindle and unavailable on the current Kobo and Nook devices. The reader will ship in three different colors: red, black and white. The black number we tested has a glossy front plate and a lighter, matte back. At 6.9 inches, the device is a bit taller than the 6.5-inch-tall Kindle, though it's a few fractions of an inches slimmer, fitting quite easily into a pant pocket. At 5.9 ounces, the reader's being touted as the lightest six-inch reader on the market, and indeed it beats out the 5.98-ounce Kindle -- but just barely.  Like the Reader Pocket Edition before it -- not to mention the Kobo, Nook and Kindle Touch -- the Reader WiFi has an IR touchscreen, allowing you to flip through pages with a swipe. There are no page buttons on the sides of the screen, but if you're really into using physical buttons to turn pages, the arrow keys on the bottom left are easy to press when holding the device in one hand. The reader comes with 2GB of internal storage -- that's on par with most of the current generation readers, plus, like the Nook and Kobo, there's a microSD slot to expand things a fair amount. As suggested by the name, this device also has built-in WiFi -- an otherwise standard feature that was sorely lacking on the entry-level Sony Reader Pocket Edition that we reviewed late last year. DisplayThe six-inch screen has 600 x 800 resolution and is capable of displaying 16 levels of grayscale -- the same specs as the new Kindle. Also like the Kindle, the Sony is built around E Ink's sharp Pearl technology -- the standard for the current generation of readers. The touch technology is quite responsive, allowing you to scroll through pages in the browser with a far less noticeable lag than on the Nook. The page rate matches the Kindle, Nook and Kobo devices, though unlike those readers, the PRS-T1 does a full refresh with every turn, momentarily flickering black. On the bright side, the display supports to pinch to zoom, which feels rather slow on detail-heavy web pages, but otherwise works quite well with text, letting you adjust size with ease. Software The device's primary home screen is all about reading, offering up your current book, three recently downloads and links to your library, periodicals, the Reader Store and Collections (i.e., all of the books and periodicals on the reader). An arrow at the bottom of the screen brings you to a second page that reveals just how many bells and whistles the Reader WiFi offers. At the top are Network selections: Public Library, Google Books, Browser and Purchased Content. Clicking into Public Library will bring you to an Overdrive portal via the browser. Entering your location brings up a list of local library branches. If your local library is on the list, you can check out a book using a library card number -- it's a lot like using the Reader Store, only with no fee, a download limit, an expiration date on the books and, of course, frequent waiting lists. Of course, we can hardly dock Sony for the latter, and having library content so easily accessible on the device is certainly a plus, but hopefully our local library system will start offering up more digitized content in the near future.  The browser is fairly bare-bones, as it is on all of these E-Ink reading devices, with a field at the top for entering URLs. From there you can bookmark your favorites and access your browsing history. You swipe to turn pages and you can zoom either by pinching or clicking the magnifying glass that pops up when you scroll. Not too long ago, iRiver was pitching the inclusion of Google Books as a major selling point for its Story HD reader. Of course, there was nothing stopping other companies from adding the functionality to their devices, and as such, Sony is offering up the site as a resource for getting content on the WiFi Reader. Again, any e-reader with a browser can access Google Books, but it's a nice to have access to free, public domain books on the home screen. Moving along, there's the Reference section, which features a link to the device's built-in New Oxford American Dictionary and buttons for Handwriting and Text Memo. The Text Memo feature offers up the virtual keyboard for entering simple notes. The Handwriting feature, meanwhile, takes advantage of the reader's touchscreen to let users make handwritten notes and draw pictures. The handwriting functionality is surprisingly responsive, making it possible to draw and write with a fairly fine point, making even our often difficult to read cursive legible. Neither are totally necessary, as many e-reader owners likely also have a smartphone with similar functionality, but they're certainly nice bonus features on a device like this. The secondary home screen also includes a Multimedia section, with buttons for stored images and audio files that have been dragged onto the device via USB. The audio player offers up some basic functionality, including the ability to play / pause, adjust volume, skip and advance through tracks and even display cover artwork for the song that's playing. The music will continue to play as you read, so you can listen to your Stravinsky while reading Dostoevsky.  When you're reading, the text monopolizes the entire page, save for a page number at the bottom. The text can be adjusting by pinching or bringing up the menu, which offers up seven font styles and eight sizes. Also in the menu are options for making notes on the text by typing or drawing directly on the page using the touchscreen. Tapping the top right corner of a page will dog-ear it, bookmarking it for later. Touching and holding a word highlights it, bringing up options to add a note, find all other instances of it in the book and search for it on Wikipedia or Google. Once dragged onto the device, PDF files will appear in the Books section. As with other readers, the overall experience of viewing PDFs is laggy. They take a while to load, and the whole thing stutters a bit when you try to scroll. Thanks to the WiFi Reader's dual-touch functionality, however, you can pinch to zoom the PDF images and scroll across using a finger. Despite its limitations, this is the best PDF reading experience we've seen in one of these devices thus far. Wrap-up There's a lot to like about this new guy. The WiFi Reader has a lot of compelling functionality, including dual-touch pinch to zoom, handwritten note taking, audio playback and built-in access to public library and Google Books content. At $149.99, it's also quite reasonably priced for a Sony reader, down $30 from the Sony Reader Pocket Edition (which, it's worth noting, failed to include WiFi). That number still marks a premium over the $79 starting price for the new ad-supported Kindle and the $99 ad-supported Touch, and with that in mind, don't expect Sony to overtake Amazon on these shores any time soon. |
| LG Optimus 3D app converter starts roll-out this month, why settle for only two dimensions? Posted: 07 Oct 2011 12:34 PM PDT LG's 2D to 3D app converter will finally arrive on the Optimus 3D (AKA the Thrill 4G) this month. In order to play nice with it, apps and games need to be using OpenGL. The converter is packaged inside the company's maintenance release for the 3D smartphone and will be available on European handsets any day now, followed by a gradual global roll-out over the next few weeks. You can expect to find a few more tri-dimensional nuggets, including 3D video editing and the ability to view 3D video in 2D. LG says that it will also add Dolby Mobile sound and automatic image-stabilization for 2D video-capture. But, we're more interested in that app converter -- we want those furious fowl to really pop out at us. |
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