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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

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Vodafone brings ARM and Ubuntu together for South African Webbook

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 11:35 AM PDT

Vodafone Webbook
If you don't know what Ubuntu is by now, we're not sure what tech blog you're reading -- 'cause it sure isn't this one. Ok, so finding a computer with the world's most popular Linux distro preloaded on it isn't exactly easy (there aren't any lurking in your local Best Buy, that's for sure). But, tracking down a machine running the Ocelot in South Africa will be getting a bit simpler. The country's Vodafone affiliate, Vodacom, launched the Webbook -- a 10-inch laptop running Ubuntu 11.10 on a Cortex A8-based Freescale i.MX51 processor (likely 800MHz). Inside is also 512MB of RAM and 4GB of flash storage, enough for basic browsing. The Webbook is available now, starting at R1,499 (about $190) for just the device, and climbing up to R1,899 (about $245) for the Webbook, modem and 100MB of monthly data for 12 months. There's also an on-contract option, which nets you the pile of hardware, plus 500MB of data for R189 a month and a two year commitment. Check out the pair of press releases after the break, as well as one more photo of the device

Vodafone Webbook
Show full PR text
Vodafone Webbook launched in South Africa with Ubuntu software
Tuesday, 18 October 2011

JOHANNESBURG, 18 0ctober 2011 - Vodacom today announced that it is the first Vodafone operating company to launch the Vodafone Webbook, which is expected to bring simplified, value-added internet access to thousands of South Africans, many of whom have until now had no access, or have depended on cellphones for internet connectivity.

The device is extremely compact and lightweight, weighing less than 1 kg. The Vodafone Webbook is presented with a 10" LCD screen, 512MB of memory and an additional 4GB of storage space.

"The Vodafone Webbook is going to offer the end user a compelling, mobile or at-home computing experience at an affordable price. We think this device is going to be particularly important and attractive for the emerging market," says Chris Ross, Managing Executive: Commercial Development at Vodacom.

With the Vodafone Webbook, Vodacom customers will be able to enjoy a portable internet experience with the Ubuntu operating system with various software applications, 24 months warranty and free software updates.

Ubuntu is a Linux-based operating system that is a free, fast, easy-to-use, and open source computer programme that was pioneered by Mark Shuttleworth.

Speaking about the Ubuntu software, Mark Shuttleworth said: "We are delighted to provide the operating system for the Vodafone Webbook. Ubuntu's founding principle is to remove the barriers of access to computing for everyone, and products like this give hope of connectivity to people all over the world."

The accessibility of the device will also be driven through its affordability with various pricing options available. The prices of the Vodafone Webbook are as follows:

• As a standalone device with a prepaid option: R1499 including VAT.

• With a prepaid Starter Pack: R1899 including VAT (Starter Pack includes a modem, SIM card and 100MB of data per month for 12 months).

• With a Contract option, the device with a modem will be priced at R189 on a standard My Meg 500 for 24 months.

• A Top Up option is also available and includes a modem and 100MB of data per month for 3 months @ R169 on a Top Up 135.

The Vodafone Webbook will be available at Vodacom World and all participating outlets on order from 19 October 2011.
Show full PR text
Vodafone Webbook with Ubuntu software launched in South Africa

London 18th October: Canonical today announces that Vodacom, the African subsidiary of Vodafone, has launched the Vodafone Webbook, which is available to users exclusively with the Ubuntu software. The goal of the product is to bring an affordable, full-featured online computing experience to millions of young South Africans to whom owning a personal computer has to date been impossible.

The Webbook is a slim, lightweight and sleek design that matches perfectly with the intended mobile computing usage. The product features Ubuntu's incredibly easy-to-use, intuitive and highly graphical interface. It comes packed with applications and access to hundreds more from the scientific research tools to fun games for the family. It also innovates through use of an ARM processor to drive the device, and reduce cost and power usage.

"Ubuntu's founding principle is to remove the barriers of access to computing for everyone," said Mark Shuttleworth, founder and product strategist at Canonical. "Products like this give hope of connectivity to the three billion people of our planet who are unconnected today. It's a step, we hope one of many more, that puts people on a level playing field in terms of the tools they use and the worlds they can explore," says Mark.

Speaking about the Webbook, Chris Ross, Managing Executive of Commercial Development at Vodacom said: "The Vodafone Webbook is going to offer the end user a compelling, mobile or at-home computing experience at an affordable price. We think this device is going to be particularly important and attractive for the emerging market."

The device is evidence of a growing trend in emerging markets to look at alternative technologies to drive the huge growth in IT and telco usage. Ubuntu has seen substantial growth in China, India and across the developing world as a legal, full-featured and flexible technology that offers manufacturers and purchasers a real alternative that embraces an operating system, a compelling application stack and access to the cloud. Ubuntu's ability to run on Intel and ARM chipsets also gives flexibility on cost, especially important in markets where every dollar saved can make a real impact on the success of a product.

IRL: Playseat Evolution, HTC Thunderbolt and a five-year-old iMac

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

Quick poll for the Android loyalists out there: anyone getting the Droid RAZR? Opting for the Galaxy Nexus instead? There's still one or two of us here at Engadget clinging onto our OG Droids and Nexus Ones, and after a week of high-profile handset announcements, we might be hemming and hawing for another month yet. We'll throw Michael in that boat, even though he took a chance on the Thunderbolt earlier this year and will be stuck with its battery-draining ways for at least another Revolution of the Earth. As for the rest of us not due for an upgrade, Joe is still justifying his $350 gaming toy while Billy is bringing up Team Luddite on his five-year-old iMac. You know the drill by now: join us past the break where we'll talk about the trusty (and embarrassingly old) gear we're using in real life.

A $350 gaming accessory

There comes a time in a virtual racer's life when desk-clamped wheels and office chairs don't cut it for an authentic feel. A few years back, my 19-year-old self was convinced of the need for a full-on racing game cockpit setup and settled on $350 Playseat Evolution (hey, no one said I was being rational). Despite the whopping price, it's actually one of the cheaper solutions for a cockpit-style virtual racing foundation. It accommodates most major racing simulator kits, even allowing for wheels and pedals to be bolted on for extra stability (unfortunately, I needed a huge does of patience assemble it). Some kits inevitably require you to drill new holes, but usually a mixture of Velcro, twist ties and elbow grease gets most any setup secured. It's easy to customize, too, thanks to a tiltable wheel plate sitting atop a vertical tube (adjustable by height and arm length), and a second tube within its base to adjust the distance between the seat and the pedal plate.

Within my first few days of use I felt the benefits -- namely, how the Playseat positions you as if you're sitting in a sports car with a fixed-back Sparco seat. There's ample leg room, and during the course of long races it feels more natural than sitting on a couch or chair. It's almost like having a piece of an arcade in my home, except that it folds up when I'm done using it.

That said, I have my fair share of gripes. The backrest could use more padding, and the twist locks for the extension tubes mar the finish rather quickly. Annoyingly, the wheel pole tends to wobble slightly on hard floors, and its placement can potentially cause you to smack your ankles during aggressive pedal hits. Perhaps most frustrating is the fixed angle of the pedal plate and the need for extra parts to comply with certain accessories. Of course, there are versions selling for hundreds more that address most of these issues -- funds that could be put toward pedals or a decent wheel. The Playseat Evolution is a ridiculous contraption, and at the end of day, I'm not ashamed to admit I own one.
-- Joe Pollicino

Staying patient with the Thunderbolt

In the beginning, my Thunderbolt was a disappointment. Those blazing download speeds I expected failed to materialize, and it wasn't just because of Verizon's fledgling LTE network either. More than once, I found myself suffering 3Mbps downloads while someone nearby with a laptop and Pantech UML290 modem was enjoying rates in excess of 20Mbps. The random reboot issue only added to my displeasure with this supposed flagship device, though a replacement handset and a software update eventually fixed the problem. Those LTE speeds also improved with time -- now my Tbolt regularly hits the 5-8Mbps range, although I've never gotten the mind-blowing speeds I was promised.

And, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the phone's meager battery life. At this point, I'm lucky to get four hours out of its 1400mAh cell under moderate use, and my default is to leave the LTE off until it's needed. Honestly, this shortcoming isn't that big a deal in my day-to-day, as it stays plugged in while I work. It is a problem, however, when I'm at a trade show or meeting -- I find myself constantly checking the amount of juice I've got left, and must plan my schedule around when I'll next be able to recharge. I could buy a massive and hideous extended battery, but the Thunderbolt is portly enough as it is, thank you very much. Instead, I carry a spare battery. Hardly the end of the world, but I did have to shell out an extra $30 for it and the phone's stubborn back plate doesn't allow for an easy swap. Yes, I realize that there's a price to be paid as an early adopter buying Big Red's inaugural LTE phone. But, I had hoped that HTC learned some lessons from the foibles that plagued the EVO 4G in its early days. Evidently, I was wrong.

It's not all bad, though. I love the ample screen with its excellent viewing angles and while it isn't as speedy as a dual-core phone, I've not found its performance lacking. Still, I lust after the saturated colors and superior outdoor viewing of an AMOLED display, and the thought of a thinner (or perhaps Nexus-flavored) phone is awfully attractive.
-- Michael Gorman

Still partying like it's... 2006?

Some people make a Mac upgrade an annual ritual. As soon as the new model's specs are rumored, they're figuring out how many extra shifts they'll need to pick up to pay for it. Not this guy. I'm still rocking the same iMac I purchased back in 2006 at the start of grad school -- the 20-inch model, specifically, so that I'd have adequate screen real estate for my design work. You may recall this model -- it's the first Apple all-in-one to include an Intel processor. That's right, I'm rocking a 2.0GHz Core Duo CPU that hasn't missed a beat.

For a five-year-old machine, this bad boy's still kicking pretty hard. I finally broke down and installed Snow Leopard back in the spring, but until then, I was proudly sportin' Tiger in all its glory. Back in 2008, I took an After Effects class that forced me to upgrade to the maximum allotment of 3GB of RAM. To keep things all nice and tidy, I put in two 2GB sticks, but that was more about me being OCD than anything else.

Back in 2009, a couple months before graduation and smack dab in the middle of my thesis, the hard drive started to fail. Needing to take care of the situation quickly, I replaced the HDD myself. I upgraded there as well, going from the stock 250GB to 500GB -- mostly because drives of that size got pretty cheap once terabyte models became the bee's knees. Other than the hard drive, I've had no issues and the thing still works great for a moderate to heavy graphic design workload.
-- Billy Steele

Google encrypts search for users, paranoiacs unsure how to respond

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 10:41 AM PDT

When Al Gore first created the internet (hard wink, everybody), we're pretty sure the plan was for Big Brother to collect your data, not Silicon Valley titans. Now Google, the company that mainly tends the gates to the web's vast array of information, is stepping up to its "Do No Evil" motto, and making encrypted search the norm -- for account users. While Gmail's long had SSL set as a default login, good ol' Joe Public's had to specifically access Mountain View's dedicated encrypted search page for anonymous surfing privileges. No longer, as Gmail users signed in to Goog's suite of web services will be automatically redirected to https://www.google.com where their searches and results will be stripped of identifiable data. The protection doesn't extend out to web advertisements, so those specific clicks will deliver the same metric-relevant info that helps marketers optimize their hyper-targeting. Any of that put you conspiracy theorists at ease? Good, now you can open those curtains again.

Nokia 800 press shots leak, Espoo's Windows Phone Mango lovechild now close at hand

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 10:22 AM PDT

Stephen Elop famously fumbled when shots of Nokia's "super confidential" Mango handset made their way to the interwebs. Since then, we've seen footage from the factory floor, and even teases of upcoming marketing materials outing the 800, or the phone formerly known as Sea Ray. Now, leaked press shots over on PocketNow, once again, treat us to a preview of the Espoo / Redmond mobile marriage and its candybar-shaped offspring -- available in blue, pink and black. From what we can see in these renders, the volume rocker, power button and apparent dedicated camera shortcut key are all placed on the right side of the handset, with a speaker grille located at the device's base. Of course, there's that familiar Windows Phone 7.5 live-tiled interface and three capacitive buttons on the handset's screen. For now, that's all she wrote, but is it enough to tide you over 'til its eventual reveal at Nokia World? Our trusty magic 8-balls says, "You may rely on it." We're inclined to agree.

HTC's new audio API Beats OpenSense into developers

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 10:02 AM PDT

Earlier this summer HTC scooped up a slice of Beats by Dr. Dre stock, and we're finally seeing the much-anticipated Beats Audio popping up in phones. We also know that HTC is throwing developers some neat API tools, so it's no stretch to imagine that the two projects might one day play nice together. Sure enough, a developer API is on its way -- good news for music loving app makers eager to hook into the tune-enhancing functionality. HTC told us the tools will "allow third-party developers to harness the potential of Beats Audio and bring that top-notch audio experience to their own apps," although with no release date, it's still out of ear-shot for the time being. That said, the timing might be perfect given that Google's download store just went official. While we're looking forward to hearing how those clever coders will make use of the tools, and exactly what goodies HTC is offering, we're hoping at least some ideas won't be given the Beats factor.

Apple solar patent wants a sunny display light for your Sunny (De)light

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 09:29 AM PDT

Let's begin with the usual disclaimer: Apple patent applications do not mean the outlandish technology will be arriving in the next iPhone, just that someone in a Cupertino basement cooked it up during a marathon "imagining" session (possibly while enjoying a cool glass of purple stuff). The company's latest drawings-and-charts masterpiece concerns the construction and placement of photovoltaic cells and, more importantly, using the sun's energy to illuminate a display. By using a mirror pointed at the sky, you could reflect some rays toward your screen to supplement an LED backlight, or by turning the top lid of your Macbook into a solar panel. Although we can see one minor drawback in using solar powered backlighting -- if you have to point your display toward the sun, you're gonna need some powerful shades.

PlayStation Store hits the Tablet S today, lets gamers relive the glory of the mid-'90s

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 09:03 AM PDT

Remember how badly you wanted a PlayStation phone, only to find out that "experience" was headed to a multitude of devices across the Android spectrum? Well, it looks like Sony's finally making good on that retro-gaming promise. Starting today, the company's one stop shop for its classic games of yesteryear goes live in nine countries -- although, you'll have to be a Tablet S owner to partake of the PlayStation Certified nostalgia. Helping Sony usher its fanbase back into the quaintness of 32-bit graphics are ten titles familiar to PSOne fans: Cool Boarders, Destruction Derby, Hot Shots Golf 2, Jet Moto 1 & 2, Jumping Flash!, MediEvil, Motor Toon Grand Prix, Rally Cross and Wild Arms. So, if you happen to be packing the electronic giant's non-foldable slate, get your thumbs primed for a capacitive walk down memory lane. No word on when those other certified devices will get to mine the company's gaming archives, but there's always the Vita for that.

Engadget Distro's first special edition traces the origins of the iPhone 4S

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 08:37 AM PDT

We promised you some unexpected surprises, and it's time that we delivered. Distro's very first special edition is ready for download (and yes, it's available on PDF too). This one's all about a device that's never failed to get folks talking. Yup! It's the iPhone special issue. Love it or hate it, Apple's flagship phone has had an undeniable impact on the mobile space. In this issue, we'll dive deep into Cupertino's latest with our iPhone 4S review and shed some light on the phones that came before with The Evolution of the iPhone. So hop on that iPad, or hit the link below, and download Distro's very special new issue.

Distro Special Edition PDF
Distro on the iTunes App Store
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Sprint unleashes the HTC EVO Design 4G, available October 23rd for $100

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 08:16 AM PDT

That HTC EVO Design 4G leaked a couple months ago? Oh, it's real -- and Sprint's finally ready to share its story with the world. The tale of the EVO Design 4G is simple enough: for a penny under $100, you can have a WiMAX-capable device with GSM roaming that features a 4-inch qHD (960 x 540) display, 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU, Android 2.3 with HTC Sense UI, Mobile Hotspot, a 5MP rear camera with HD video recording (720p, we presume) and a 1.3MP front-facing cam. In summary, the Design 4G is basically the Hero S with WiMAX and global roaming capabilities. Look for this device to show up online and in stores on October 23rd, and look after the break for the press release.
Show full PR text

Sprint Expands Award-Winning HTC EVO Family with HTC EVO Design 4G, First EVO with World Phone Capabilities

HTC EVO Design 4G debuts Oct. 23 for less than $100 – offering high-end 4G capabilities at an easily affordable price

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., & SEATTLE (BUSINESS WIRE), October 19, 2011 - Sprint (NYSE: S) continues the award-winning HTC EVO™ family legacy with the addition of HTC EVO Design 4G™, the first EVO family member touting World Phone capabilities. HTC EVO Design 4G boasts many of the "must-have" features of its predecessors, including Sprint 4G and a large touchscreen display, while sporting a slim, pocket-friendly aluminum unibody design at an easily affordable price.

HTC EVO Design 4G goes on sale Oct. 23 for just $99.99 (excluding taxes) with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1. It will be available in all Sprint sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Web Sales (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).

"Priced at under $100, HTC EVO Design 4G is the perfect device for consumers looking for both the benefits of 4G and the latest in device style," said Fared Adib, Sprint vice president-Product Development. "When matched with one of the Sprint Everything Data plans, our customers will unlock the value of unlimited without worrying about the cost or surprises on their monthly bill."

Designed for customers who want to stay connected and be entertained, HTC EVO Design 4G combines the acclaimed HTC Sense™ experience with a stylish and robust feature set to make the 4G experience more accessible than ever. Other key features include:

* Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread
* HTC Sense – Award-winning user experience taking social networking, navigation and customization to new levels
* Aluminum unibody design gives HTC EVO Design 4G a slim, streamlined profile –guaranteed to get attention and is nicely compact in your hand, pocket or bag
* 1.2GHz processor
* 4-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display
* Dual cameras: 5MP rear-facing camera/camcorder with flash and HD video recording and 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat
* World Phone capabilities to make and receive calls and texts, and to access email and news from locations around the globe
* 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, supporting up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices on the Sprint 3G or 4G network
* Wi-Fi® b/g/n capable

"With HTC and Sprint working together, the smash-hit HTC EVO 4G introduced the world to the possibilities of 4G," said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC America. "With the introduction of the fifth addition to the EVO family – HTC EVO Design 4G – HTC is expanding its diverse portfolio of 4G smartphones on Sprint's powerful 4G network."

HTC EVO Design 4G requires activation on one of the Sprint Everything Data plans plus a required $10 Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones. Sprint's Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $69.99 per month plus required $10 Premium Data add-on charge – a savings of $40 per month vs. Verizon's comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $10 per month vs. Verizon's 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web. The Mobile Hotspot option is available for an additional $29.99 per month and supports up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously2. (Pricing excludes taxes and surcharges.)

Verizon's My FiOS app puts your entire living room under one Android roof

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:49 AM PDT

Leaving home is hard, especially when you've got a backlog of on-demand movies and TV shows staring at you with big puppy dog eyes. Fortunately, however, Verizon has now come out with My FiOS -- a new app for Android users that promises to keep you constantly connected to all your home entertainment systems, and more. Released yesterday, this app allows users to remotely access movies, Flex View TV shows and home automation and monitoring systems directly from their handsets, while managing their accounts and billing via the provider's built-in customer service tools. Verizon clients can also use My FiOS to control their TVs, DVR players or home phones, and can even access some content straight from their devices. For now, the app is only available on Android 2.1 or above, though Verizon says an iOS version should hit the market "before year-end." Skim past the break for more information in the full PR, or hit up the source link below to download My FiOS for yourself.
Show full PR text
Verizon Simplifies Remote Access to Broad Range of Entertainment Services and Customer Tools With New 'MY FiOS' Application

New Mobile App Consolidates Remote Access to Entertainment and Customer Service Tools Under One Easy-to-Use, Customer-Focused Application

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon continues breaking the barrier between "home" and "away" with its new MY FiOS mobile application, offering customers on-the-go access to entertainment, personal content, TV controls, home monitoring, customer service tools and more. The application also adds smartphone simplicity to an already significant inventory of borderless lifestyle tools.

The new app will allow Verizon customers to more nimbly enjoy the company's expanding base of remote-access media and entertainment services, while also making it easier to manage their personal accounts anywhere and anytime on their favorite devices. It also paves the way for easy access to dozens of new remote applications currently in development by Verizon and the company's content provider partners.

The new app is available immediately on all Android devices and will be accessible on Apple devices before year-end. It provides Verizon FiOS customers with a single point of access to a vast variety of FiOS remote-access services, including FiOS Mobile Remote, which includes DVR manager, and Verizon's Home Monitoring & Control service, as well as personal content with Media Manager and movies and TV shows with Flex View. The easy-to-access app also provides users with the ability to manage billing and FiOS Digital Voice service. In addition, the app reflects Verizon's customer focus by organizing apps according to customer needs, like accessing entertainment on the go, checking in on your home, managing your account and other remote access benefits.

"Verizon is putting technology into customers' hands so that they can benefit from a borderless lifestyle with easy access to what's important to them – anytime, any place, over their favorite devices," said Eric Bruno, Verizon vice president of product management. "As our selection of remote applications continues to grow along with the number of connectible devices, customers face potential confusion over what mobile applications to use and where to find them. MY FiOS helps ensure that customers can easily find the best applications to improve their lives, and it educates customers about apps they may not even realize are there to help them."

Verizon customers can download the app from the Android Market. Once downloaded, customers can sign in with their proprietary Verizon.net username and password to receive anytime, anywhere access to the best features of the most powerful all-fiber-optic network in the nation. Verizon customers with High Speed Internet service, powered by digital subscriber line technology, also can use the app to manage their accounts. Verizon will continue enhancing the MY FiOS app by adding more functionality as new offerings are introduced.

Some examples of how Verizon customers will use the MY FiOS app include:

Viewing a live camera feed when away from home, using Verizon's new Home Monitoring & Control service to check on pets.

Watching a movie on a laptop or other mobile device during a travel delay at the airport, and selecting from the latest movies available on Flex View.

Scheduling a DVR recording of a favorite TV show, while away from home when they've forgotten to do so before leaving for the day.

Showing friends photos and videos of their children or a family vacation, using Media Manager.

With the use of easy-to-follow icons, the app includes a main menu with links to specific app functions; a shortcut tray that reveals links to full versions of the supported Verizon mobile device applications; controls at the bottom of each screen to navigate operations; and a rotating carousel at the top of the screen with information on various aspects of the app and more.

Note: The app's availability was announced Tuesday morning (Oct. 18) at the Emerging Technologies Conference at MIT during a presentation by Shadman Zafar, senior vice president of product development for Verizon, on the "Consumerization of Technology and TV Untethered."

The MY FiOS app is the latest in a long series of pioneering innovations from Verizon. The company already provides next-generation interactive services, including Flex View and FiOS TV Online, which extend FiOS TV beyond the home to the Internet and a range of mobile devices; an advanced interactive media guide; free interactive applications like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others; Media Manager, which allows customers to access on their TVs personal photos, music and videos from their computers; and In-Home Agent, which assists customers in diagnosing and resolving a range of service issues.

For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit www.verizon.com/newscenter and http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog.

Is C-Spire getting the iPhone 4S? Its website says so (Update: confirmed)

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:20 AM PDT

Whoa, stop the presses -- we're not sure if this is officially in the pipeline or if it's just a matter of wishful thinking, but Sprint may not be the smallest carrier in the US to offer an iPhone 4S for much longer. That's right: regional carrier C-Spire (formerly known as Cellular South) has the iconic device splattered front and center on its home page, stating that it's coming soon. We're not certain if the iPhone 4 will be offered as well, and no specific availability or pricing is given yet, but you can sign up to be notified as soon as more 411 is ready. The possibility of one of the little guys getting the iPhone is an exciting prospect, since it may lead the charge for more regional service providers to get Apple'd up. We love rooting for the underdog, after all.

Update: And just like that, it's official, folks! C-Spire just reached out to us to confirm that iPhone pre-registration begins today, with the device launch in "the coming weeks." Needless to say, if you're a C-Spire customer, your holiday wish list may have just grown.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Kobo quietly launches Vox Android tablet with 7-inch display, Gingerbread, $200 price tag

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 07:10 AM PDT

Canadian retailer Future Shop gave us an accidental sneak peek at the tablet last month, but now Kobo is making Vox official, complete with a 7-inch 1024 x 600 resolution AFFS+ display with multi-touch, a 7-hour battery and 8 gigs of internal memory with support for up to 32GB of SD storage. The $200 tablet is running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and is powered by an 800 MHz processor and 512MB of RAM. There's also a built-in speaker and 3.5mm headphone jack, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and a variety of pre-loaded apps (naturally you'll have access to Android Market as well). Vox is listed as in-stock on Kobo's online store, though you'll have to wait until October 28th for yours to ship. It'll also be available at Best Buy and Fry's Electronics stores in the U.S., and Best Buy, Future Shop and Indigo in Canada. Jump past the break for the PR from Kobo.

[Thanks, Mankie]
Show full PR text
KOBO EXPANDS EREADER FAMILY

ANNOUNCES THE NEW KOBO VOX WITH VIVID COLOR DISPLAY THE WORLD'S FIRST SOCIAL EREADER

INTRODUCING THE NEW KOBO VOX EREADER: INSPIRED BY VOX POPULI; VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
START CONVERSATIONS AND ENGAGE WITH FRIENDS AND OTHER READERS AROUND THE WORLD, DISCOVER NEW BOOKS THROUGH FACEBOOK

ENJOY READING OUTDOORS WITH THE MOST ADVANCED 7 INCH AFFS+ MULTIMEDIA TOUCHSCREEN WITH ANTI-GLARE
READ IN VIVID COLOR WITH RICH CONTENT FOR ALL AGES INCLUDING COMICS, COOKBOOKS, TRAVEL GUIDES AND CHILDREN'S BOOKS WITH READ-ALOUD TECHNOLOGY

EXPERIENCE MORE – BROWSE THE INTERNET, ACCESS EMAIL, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, LISTEN TO MUSIC, WATCH MOVIES, PLAY GAMES, READ NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES – PLUS ACCESS AN APP STORE WITH OVER 15,000 FREE APPS, ALL ON ANDROID

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER TODAY IN CANADA AND THE US FOR THE LOW PRICE OF $199.99

TORONTO, October 19, 2011 -- Kobo, a global leader in eReading with over 5 million users worldwide, today announced the New Kobo Vox eReader, the world's first social eReader. The Kobo Vox, inspired by "Vox Populi" meaning the voice of the people, enables readers to start conversations with other readers and discover new books and authors through their social network. With a vivid color display, Kobo takes the reading experience to a whole new level and offers even more content – rich color books, newspapers, magazines, games, music, video, games and social feeds – all on an open Android platform.

"Kobo Vox is the reader for your connected life, and opens the door to the next generation of eReading – social eReading - where books can come alive in color and conversation. Readers can get more out of their experience by connecting with Kobo's global community of booklovers." said Michael Serbinis, CEO, Kobo. "Plus, with Kobo Vox you have the freedom to connect with friends, listen to music, watch movies, play games and discover new apps with almost unlimited choices."

A WORLD CLASS READING EXPERIENCE

Based on Kobo's #1-rated Android eReading experience, Kobo Vox was built by readers for readers. People can access their entire library on the go, in an easy to hold, lightweight design with a comfortable quilted back. The Kobo Vox comes in a selection of four contemporary, fun, new colors – Hot Pink, Lime Green, Ice Blue and Jet Black, giving a choice of options to reflect personal style, and delivers a superior user experience that allows users to easily navigate their library, scroll through books, and turn pages with a tap or swipe, plus personalize their reading experience with highlights, annotations, adjustable fonts and more. The Kobo Vox has onboard storage for up to 8000 eBooks, with expandable storage to hold up to 40,000 books, and access to unlimited storage in the Kobo cloud. With Kobo, you can read continuously across devices with free top rated Kobo apps available for most popular smartphones, tablets and computers. Developed on Android 2.3, readers have the freedom to customize their experience to best suit their personal needs and preferences.

CAPTURING THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Building on the industry leading social platform, Reading Life, users can now choose to connect with friends or create book clubs and discuss their favorite reads on Facebook, track their reading statistics, and unlock fun and exciting awards just for reading. The recent innovation of Kobo Pulse™ takes social reading to a new level - readers can feel the pulse of a book, start conversations, share comments and thoughts and leave reviews by 'Liking', 'Disliking' and/or commenting, real-time, with others who are reading the same book. Kobo Pulse provides the ultimate source for book recommendations, as the suggestions come from friends and 'like' minded readers whose opinions and interests are similar and trusted.

Now, "The End" is never the end. Kobo is the first eReading platform to be integrated with Facebook Ticker and Timeline to enable further reading discovery and entertainment.

THE MOST ADVANCED MULTIMEDIA TOUCHSCREEN

Featuring a brilliant multimedia touchscreen, readers can experience text with high contrast resolution and immerse themselves in books, magazines, games and videos in vivid color. Kobo uses the most advanced 7 inch AFFS+ display, with anti-glare – the same technology used in airplane cockpits (there are no clouds at 30,000 feet) – for great reading indoors or outdoors and featuring an extra-wide angle for incredible viewing and ideal for shared reading and viewing.

NOW READ IN VIVID COLOR

Kobo's global ebookstore – 2.5 million books and over 1 million free – just got better with new color and enhanced multimedia content. Discover a new world of reading with rich color content for all ages, including cookbooks, engaging travel guides, comic books, and graphic novels. Parents and children can read together with Read Along children's books, a great way to spend quality time and a fun way to help children learn to read. The Vox eReader includes three free color books, so people can start building their color library right away; there is a selection of dessert recipes for the chef-in-training in Sweet Dreams, Lonely Planet's Europe Essentials for the avid traveler and Franklin and the Thunderstorm for young readers.

EXPERIENCE MORE – THE EREADER FOR YOUR CONNECTED LIFE

In addition to reading - Kobo Vox users can easily browse the Web, check email, listen to music, watch movies, play games and store personal photos. Choose from a selection of pre-loaded top ranked entertainment apps:

Magazines from Zinio® – plus 12 FREE popular magazines for Kobo Vox owners
Newspapers from PressReader™ – over 1,900 full newspapers from around the world – and a gift of 7 newspapers of your choice!

Unlimited music from RDIO®

Get social with Twitter® & Facebook®

Book lover must-have: Merriam Webster's Dictionary

Games like Cut the Rope®

Apps – over 15,000 FREE apps

Kobo and Facebook widgets that sit right on the home screen

Access to more music and video services in the app store


FREEDOM OF CHOICE

At Kobo, we believe you should have the ability to read on any device. Readers can download free Kobo eReading apps to read across the most popular devices including desktops, laptops, tablets, AndroidÔ phones, iPhonesÒ, iPadsÒ, Blackberry® Smartphones and PlayBooks. Readers can also download their ebooks and read on a wide range of dedicated eReaders.

Consistent with our open philosophy, Kobo Vox offers full access to Android 2.3, and includes an open app store with over 15,000 FREE apps for Android. With ultra-fast web browsing, the latest news, weather, and Hollywood gossip at your fingertips. Plus, a full-featured email client supports POP, IMAP and Microsoft® ActiveSync so you can get all your personal email like Yahoo and Gmail and work email too!

AMAZING LOW PRICE OF $199.99, AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER STARTING TODAY

The Kobo Vox will begin rolling out internationally today, starting with the US and Canada.

In Canada, Kobo Vox is available for pre-order online at leading Kobo retail partners:
Indigo Books & Music (www.indigo.ca), Future Shop (www.futureshop.ca), Best Buy (www.bestbuy.ca), and Kobo.com for a MSRP of $199.99

In the U.S., the Kobo Vox is available for pre-order at Best Buy (www.bestbuy.com), Fry's Electronics (www.frys.com), and at Kobo.com for a MSRP of $199.99.

For more information on Kobo and the new Kobo Vox eReader visit www.Kobo.com

Motorola RAZR to get updated to Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:55 AM PDT

We know that Samsung has the first crack at Android 4.0 with the Galaxy Nexus, but it'll only be a matter of time before we begin seeing it show up on rival devices. HTC has already made an official statement on its plans (or lack thereof), and now it's Motorola's turn. Alain Mutricy, SVP Portfolio and Product Management, was in Germany talking up the European announcement of the RAZR, and slipped in a few details about Ice Cream Sandwich. Mutricy mentioned that while the company's new flagship device was designed for Gingerbread, plans have been set to introduce the latest version of Android in the start of 2012, with a more precise date naturally on its way. Given past experience, however, it's probable that the unbranded version of the device will get the refresh ahead of the Droid RAZR on Verizon, so US users may need to exercise a wee bit of patience here. Regardless, it's time for the competition to step up -- if the RAZR is next in line to get the OTA update, the Galaxy Nexus will have the spotlight all to itself for a fair amount of time.

Google Docs presentation gets redone, wants to power your next keynote

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:27 AM PDT

Curiously absent from last year's Google Docs overhaul was any news on the presentation front. That changes today, with Mountain View flipping live a preview of its next-gen slide making tool. After enabling it in settings, you too can experience over 50 new features, including updated collaboration, the ability to animate slides with transitions and a bevy of fresh new themes. And just like Mountain View's other properties, the latest release now comes dressed the company's newfound design ethos. Made it this far? Well, you might as-well hop on over to the source for more details, but before you do, promise us you'll drop us a line if you make a 450-slide whopper, cool?

Audyssey's Lower East Side Audio Dock Air: square to be cool

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Not enamored by any upcoming AirPlay-enabled HiFi systems? Audyssey's curiously square Lower East Side Audio Dock Air could be worth a shot. This is the second wireless speaker from the company, which last year used its audio know-how for the South of Market Bluetooth Dock. The LESADA's light on features, but utilizes "Smart Speaker technology" to offer what Audyssey claims is best-in-class audio quality. The unit itself is loaded with two 1-inch tweeters, a duo of 3-inch midrange drivers and two thumping 4-inch passive bass radiators. Up top there's a single volume wheel, while on the front and back you'll find a headphone jack and a 3.5mm input (if you'd prefer the vintage experience of plugging in). The Lower East Side Audio Dock Air -- in all its cubey goodness -- is slated to hit shelves in November for about $400. Full PR past the break.
Audyssey Lower East Side Audio Dock Air press photos
Show full PR text
Audyssey Introduces the Lower East Side Audio Dock Air

New Music System with Airplay® Features Audyssey Smart
Speaker™ Technology

LOS ANGELES, CA – (Marketwire – October 19, 2011) – Audyssey, a leader in audio
technology for the home, automotive, mobile and theater markets, today introduced the Lower
East Side Audio Dock Air. The new music system with Airplay complements today's digital
lifestyle, enabling users to stream music wirelessly throughout the home from their computer,
iPod touch, iPhone or iPad. The Lower East Side Audio Dock Air is the latest Audyssey product
built on the company's Smart Speaker technology for rich and balanced sound.

"AirPlay represents a huge step forward in the pursuit of wireless audio and we believe our
Lower East Side Audio Dock Air will please even the most discerning listeners," said Robb
Mason, Audyssey's vice president of marketing. "Our Smart Speaker technology enables us to
generate audio output that's simply not attainable by other manufacturers – we're confident
our new dock will outperform any comparably priced AirPlay dock on the market."

AirPlay Wireless Streaming
Apple AirPlay® is opening up compelling new applications for wirelessly streaming music in the
home. AirPlay excels in terms of range as well as audio quality, which is why Audyssey fully
integrated AirPlay into its newest audio dock. Pair the dock with your chosen device and you
can enjoy your entire iTunes library anywhere in the house.

Bass So Good, You'll be Looking for the Subwoofer
For decades, speaker companies have relied on bulky subwoofers to compensate for their
speakers' lack of low-range output. If you think you need a massive subwoofer to get bass
from your speakers, think again. The Lower East Side Audio Dock Air is designed with passive
bass radiators and uses Audyssey's Smart Speaker technology to play deeper bass than
anything else its size.

Audyssey's Second Product in the Lower East Side Lineup
Audyssey's new AirPlay dock joins the recently announced Lower East Side Media Speakers to
expand the company's family of consumer audio products inspired by the culture and history
of New York's Lower East Side.

Pricing and Availability
The Audyssey Lower East Audio Dock Air will begin shipping in November of this year and will
have an MSRP of $399.

About Audyssey®

Established in 2002, Audyssey is the industry leader in research-based sound technologies for the professional
and consumer audio marketplace. For more information, visit www.audyssey.com or follow us on Facebook.

Audyssey Laboratories

350 S. Figueroa St., Suite 233 Los Angeles, California 90071 213.625.4300 audyssey.com

Spotify releases preview app for BlackBerry users, but not all of them

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 05:41 AM PDT

BlackBerry users haven't had a whole lot to celebrate in recent days, but at least they now have Spotify. Today, the Swedish startup unveiled a preview version of its music streaming app, available to download from its Previews page. At this point, the app is compatible with the 9780 Bold, 9700 Bold, 9300 Curve, 9000 Bold and 8520 Curve handsets, though the Torch 9800 has been left in the cold. It's also worth noting that the service only supports GSM networks (no CDMA, as of yet) and requires a Premium subscription of $10 per month. No word yet on when Spotify will arrive on App World, or whether it'll add extra support when it does, but early birds can grab their worm at the source link, below.

[Thanks, Daniel]

CE-Oh no he didn't: Steve Ballmer lays into Android

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 05:24 AM PDT

"You don't have to be a computer scientist to use a Windows Phone," said Microsoft's Steve Ballmer, "but you do to use an Android phone." He was addressing the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco, where we guess his audience must have included a large but silent population of Android-loving non-scientists. In any case, the Redmond CEO also revealed that he just can't get "excited" about Android phones, which proves that anything can be boring if you're rich enough -- including raking in up to $15 per Android handset in cross-licensing deals. On a serious note, though, HTC's latest Titan handset shows off the Mango experience at its best and it is simpler than Google's OS. If Windows Phone sales eventually pick up despite the buzz over Android 4.0, then the point beneath Ballmer's bluster might not seem so unreasonable.

Galaxy Nexus, Ice Cream Sandwich roundup: specs, details and insight, oh my!

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 05:01 AM PDT

Couldn't stay awake for Samsung and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich event? Fear not, because we were there, documenting and analyzing every second of it on the internet. You can either re-live the magic at our Homeric liveblog, or check out the links below to get educated and up to speed.

Galaxy Nexus
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Google's Andy Rubin: 'six million' Android-based tablets out there

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 04:43 AM PDT

Google's Andy Rubin kicked off the opening keynote here at the Asian branch of All Things D (that's AsiaD, if you're curious), and he finally cleared up a figure we've been wondering about for eons. During a back-and-forth with Walt Mossberg about the proliferation of the iPad and whether or not Android was "a flop" in the tablet market, he affirmed that around six million Android-based tablets were "out there." Of course, that's only tablets that access Google services, as those are the only ones Google can account for with any degree of certainty. For comparison's sake, Apple pushed 15 million iPads onto the market in 2010 alone, selling three million in just 80 days after the launch of the original. In fact, Apple sold 11.12 million iPads in its most recent quarter (9.25 million the one before that), which represented a 166 percent increase year-over-year. Moral of the story? Apple still owns the tablet market, but hey, at least we now know the score.

Google's 'very close' to launching a digital download store with 'a little twist'

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 04:08 AM PDT

Google Music may well be lacking a little spice right now, but here at AsiaD, SVP Andy Rubin just confirmed that his company's "very close" to coming up with a digital download store, just as rumored earlier this month. Additionally, this service will even include "a little twist" of some sort, so we should expect something more than just an ordinary MP3 store. While record companies weren't willing to bargain with the company in the way they were with Apple, Andy said he's feeling mighty optimistic that Google's "almost there" with ironing out the necessary deals, so Android fans should sit tight and keep an eye out for a launch soon.

Andy Rubin: Ice Cream Sandwich's Face Unlock is developed by PittPatt

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:49 AM PDT

Liking that Face Unlock on Ice Cream Sandwich we saw this morning? You can thank PittPatt for that. Here at AsiaD's opening session, Android head honcho Andy Rubin just confirmed that said Pittsburgh-based company -- acquired by Google earlier this year -- was responsible for this nifty security feature. While the demo didn't go as planned for Matias Duarte at the launch event, Andy was able to show us how Face Unlock's meant to work on the stage just now. In fact, Andy said his team even had to "slow down the process" as PittPatt's software was too fast to make folks believe that any security at all was involved -- for what it's worth, Walt Mossberg's beard couldn't get past the unlock screen on Andy's Galaxy Nexus. Head on over to our hands-on video to see us getting up close and personal with Face Unlock.

ASUS hints at next-generation Transformer in brief teaser video

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:34 AM PDT

ASUS has just posted a new video teaser for what appears to be a next-generation Eee Pad Transformer. Titled "The next Transformation," the clip is pretty light on details, though the mysterious device does make a brief appearance toward the end, sporting a design similar to what we saw last week, with ASUS' Zenbook lineup. No word yet on whether the forthcoming Transformer will be powered by NVIDIA's quad-core Kal El, as rumored, but you can see the teaser for yourself after the break.

[Thanks, Lorenz]

Liveblog from AsiaD: Andy Rubin, SVP of Mobile at Google

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 03:07 AM PDT



7:29PM And that's it for the opening session here at AsiaD! Hope you enjoyed, and we'll be back tomorrow with plenty more!


7:27AM Andy: "You know, TV is relatively passive -- I do think that having a tablet or phone on the couch while watching TV can create a great experience. I'm a platform. I have to tie those things together."

7:26AM Final question for the night is asking Google why it's insisting that an app written for a cellphone would work on a TV, in theory.

7:24AM Well, he said that they'll open-source it "a couple of weeks" after it lands on the Galaxy Nexus in November, so shortly after that. Probably before Christmas, if we had to guess.


7:23AM Andy's steadfastly saying that there's no time table for when Ice Cream Sandwich will come to tablets, but we get the impression that it'll go down sooner rather than later.

7:22AM Andy's making it super clear that ICS is killing this notion. If you're hunting for a Twitter app that looks different + takes advantage of the tablet screen space, don't count on it. Odd.

7:21AM Walt's suggesting that there are extremely few "tablet-optimized" apps on Android tablets. Andy: "There shouldn't be tablet-specific apps. It's not necessary to make the distinction. If someone writes an ICS app, it'll run on both. That's the remerging of these things. I want an app written on TVs to run on phones."

7:20AM Andy: "You can't think about having one screen size. Phones and tablets have different sized displays -- that's why the Android Market doesn't have segments of apps that specifically run on phones and specifically on tablets."

7:19AM Joanna Stern's up! She's asking about a time table for seeing more apps on Android tablets, and when ICS will hit tablets.

7:19AM Andy: "There's no way around this problem. Everyone has legacy. My job is to ensure that apps have some level of backwards compatibility." He clarifies that Ice Cream Sandwich is totally backwards compatible with the apps that are already out there.

7:18AM Andy: "I define fragmentation when a company like HTC and Samsung builds a phone, and somehow they aren't compatible. All companies have to pass our compatibility test suite. I've heard the media describe fragmentation when phones just look different -- that's not fragmentation, that's just differentiation." Walt accurately points out that we're raging on companies rolling out Android updates at random intervals, but Andy still says even that's not "called fragmentation." "It's called legacy," says Andy.


7:16AM When asked about HTML5, Andy's envisioning a world where HTML5 and app platforms overlap and integrate to some extent in the future. Industry standards move at a different pace compared to something like today's smartphone market.


7:14AM Andy says "stay tuned," and he realizes that Google's "a little behind" when it comes to discovering useful things in the Market, but that improvement are en route.

7:14AM Andy: "We're a search company, we know how to find things, and while we haven't applied all of that logic to the Android Market just yet, we're actively doing it. Two months ago, we integrated our actual Google Search into the Market, supplanted a homegrown search that we just used to get to market."

7:13AM A listener here is stating that the Android Market is totally discombobulated compared to the sleekness of Apple's App Store.

7:12AM Andy: "I think there are some innovation you can protect with patents, but some just happen. I could probably protect some things in Android, but I'm not so concerned with that -- I just want to build great products."

7:11AM Andy's aptly pointing out that a ton of this already takes place for one phone to call another, and "every phone has an MP3 encoder." He says that it "would be beautiful if there were a clearing house where companies could go to achieve this stuff -- it's not a new system. It's happening so fast, and the industry is so competitive. The legal system really hasn't caught up yet."

7:10AM Andy's hopeful that we can achieve "patent peace," so people aren't just suing each other, and companies can innovate and "just create great products." He even spoke of an industry-wide cross-licensing agreement, and Walt's prodding for more information on his grand scheme.


7:09AM Ha! Andy just said that Moto doesn't ask him anything when it comes to pricing strategy. That could change soon enough! Time for Q&A!


7:08AM Andy: "Don't think of this as putting Google in the hardware business. It'll remain pretty much how we've operated with them already."

7:07AM Andy: "I think Moto makes great products -- Sanjay and I have worked together a long time, and we thought it made sense to operate as one." He's not shying away from the value of Motorola's patents -- calls it "patent peace." Google's buying "patent peace." Glad we cleared that up!

7:06AM Walt: "One more question! Why should your other partners feel okay that you're going to become a hardware company if the Motorola Mobility acquisition goes through?"

7:05AM Walt's trying to focus on the LTE aspect, asking if it'll be on Verizon. Andy's not budging. We can smell VZW's publicity police breathing down his neck.

7:05AM Andy's stating that it'll be let out around the world, but he's not prepared to announce anyone beyond NTT DoCoMo in Japan.

7:04AM Walt: "What's the US carrier for the Galaxy Nexus?"

7:04AM Andy's still asserting that these kinds of things are good for the company. "If Amazon has an app store, Google would love to put their search within that store. This isn't some kind of walled garden, and that's the notion of openness. Anything that runs Android enables developers to develop for it! Perhaps this will solve the tablet problem."


7:02AM Pretty sure Lion Dance, Part II is about to break out.

7:02AM Andy: "I create an open operating system, and someone uses it." Of course he's happy about that! Walt's not buying it...

7:01AM Walt: "It's not the Google interface. It's a completely different layer. Operates differently, and in the case of the Fire, it's very content focused. How do you feel about that? Is it good for Google?"

7:01AM Changing topics back to tablets. Talking about the Kindle Fire and Grid10, both of which have taken extreme liberties with Android.


7:00AM Andy essentially confirmed rumors that Google was actively working to create a Google Music that included sales, but that record companies weren't willing to bargain with the company in the way they were with Apple. He also made clear that he's feeling mighty optimistic that Google's "almost there" with ironing out the necessary deals. Huge news!

6:59AM Andy just made super clear that Google's "very close" to coming up with a digital download store, that'll include "a little twist." "It won't just be buying songs for 99 cents."

6:58AM Walt asks why Google doesn't also sell the music. Andy: "Look, we're a different company. We've in the very early phases of adding consumer products. The media companies saw us as a search company, not as what we really are. We'll see the benefits of that really soon."

6:57AM Andy: "We found a unique offering that we thought was good enough to create a holistic solution, and particularly with music, we think the cloud is important." He's talking about Google's ability to remove syncs. Responding to Walt's suggestion that this all sounds like iCloud, Andy says: "Remember, Android had it first."

6:56AM Walt's talking up Google Music -- asking what happened with Google's efforts to directly sell that kind of media.


6:55AM Andy: "We can only count the tablets with Google services on them -- we know there's at least six million out there. When you consider that it only takes around half a million to pay for itself, six million is a nice number. It's not 30 million or something, but it's a healthy figure."

6:54AM Ha! Here we go!

6:54AM Andy: "Well, Walt. I wouldn't say they've *completely* flopped..."

6:54AM Walt: "How come Android tablets have completely flopped in the market?"

6:54AM Andy: "It seems to me like a repeat of history. It might not be a bad approach, just different. We'll have to see how it all plays out."

6:53AM Walt: "You're saying that the Microsoft approach... it's not letting people radically change it."

6:53AM Andy: "Everyone has to operate within the tile, because somebody says you have to. You lose some of the creativity. If you want to take over the screen, you should be able to. We build Android for that explicit purpose, to be customized by the OEM and then customized by the consumer." Bold words, Andy!

6:52AM Andy: "Windows Phone could be very dangerous for Microsoft. It reminds me of the PC business, where every beige box has the same general user interface -- things are commoditized."


6:50AM Walt: "Ok, so let's talk about Windows Phone. If a martian saw both your phone and WP7, they may say that they seem similar." Wait, seriously? Metro is about as unique as it gets -- we think iOS and Android look *way* more similar than Android and WP7!

6:50AM Andy: "I don't think so. I worked at Apple at one point, and the DNA in the people walking the halls at Apple -- it's the combination of creative + computer science. They're living within the same walls at Apple, and then I went on to found my own company and get acquired by Google. I think the combination at Apple has the opportunity to delight a lot of consumers, and we're trying as hard as we can to go after that at Google. With respect to Steve, it's time for a lot of other hugely talented people at Apple to step it up and carry the torch."

6:48AM Walt: "Let me ask you about Apple. Do you think they'll lose a step due to Steve's passing?"

6:48AM Argh, we've digressed from the RIM discussion. Though, Andy did say that vertical integration is hugely beneficial in some things, but it limits flexibility in an environment that requires you to be hugely flexible and dynamic.


6:47AM Walt: "When I visited RIM, I flew on Bearskin Airlines." Andy confirmed that he didn't. We're definitely interested in hearing more on this tangent in the AsiaD afterparty.

6:46AM Andy: "I think they're very smart. They're Canadian." Huge laughs!

6:46AM Walt: "So, what about RIM? What's your thoughts on RIM? I'm not asking you to kick anyone when they're down..."

6:46AM Andy: "It's anyone in the platform business. Apple, Microsoft, Intel, Nokia..." (It took a *lot* of effort to get that out of him.)

6:45AM Andy's dodging the question a bit. Walt's rephrasing it -- let's talk about rivals, not partners.

6:45AM Andy, talking early days: "Anyone that's still using this old model of building products. More like feature phones and early smartphones. Folks like Motorola, LG and Samsung."

6:44AM Walt: "Who is Android's main competition?"


6:43AM Andy's showing off some easter egg on the Face Unlock feature that warps Walt's face, much like mashing the C-arrows in the intro to Mario 64. Man, Mario 64. It's been a while.


6:42AM Andy: "We have tools that allow devs to run things on the GPU instead of the 1.2GHz dual-core chip, so it can be standardized across more devices."

6:41AM Walt, speaking about a glitch in the Face Unlock demo: "I hope it improves before I review it!" Laughs all around!

6:40AM Andy just confirmed that Pittsburgh-based PittPatt, which Google acquired earlier this year, was responsible for the front-facing Face Unlock feature that we saw this morning. In fact, Google had to "slow down the process" because PittPatt's software was too fast to make folks believe that any security at all was involved.

6:39AM Andy's busted out the Galaxy Nexus! TI dual-core OMAP processor confirmed, and he's now talking up the barometer, which aids GPS in telling how high you are off the ground. Walt jokes that he often wonders just how high he is off of the ground. Har!



6:37AM Matias took a bold step by making Honeycomb more virtual (according to Andy, "like Tron") instead of more like common commodities, like wood or metal, which other platforms have flocked to.

6:36AM Andy's talking up Matias Duarte, Google's Director of User Experience, explaining how he's been to places like Danger and Palm, and now he's been head-down on making Ice Cream Sandwich (and Android in general) "futureproof" to some extent.

6:35AM Andy: "We think about how to make things simple. Remember the G1? That wasn't simple -- it was a good 1.0 device, but we've evolved. We wanted to be intuitive. Extensions to user's daily activities. Creating unique UIs is hard, and we're never going to stop. ICS is the best we've ever done, and it's based off of some of those great aspects of Honeycomb."

6:34AM Walt: "I think once you said that Android is more for technies, and you'd prefer it became a bit more mainstream. Honeycomb actually surfaced a lot of things that didn't make you do so many extra steps. Was that a purposeful design goal?"



6:33AM Andy's talking about the thought process that went into ICS. Speaking about apps that are used on both phones and tablets, and how to make 'em "smart" for both, instead of just "blowing up" a phone app to fit on a tablet.

6:31AM Andy's agreeing: "What we did first was ship Honeycomb, and now with Android 4.0, we're supporting both phones and tablets."

6:31AM Walt: "It seems with Ice Cream Sandwich that you're fusing two worlds."

6:31AM Ha! Andy just confirmed to Walt that he's got "more than one" Galaxy Nexus on his person. Fancy!


6:29AM They're talking about the Galaxy Nexus that was outed this morning, and now Walt's probing Andy on "the purpose of Nexus devices."


6:29AM Andy Rubin's out on stage! He just told Walt there's "around 500" Android-based devices out around the world -- talking about types / models.




6:27AM Kara's shown on a video here, from the hospital. Her advice? "Don't get on a 14 hour flight with a couple of huge dudes beside you so you can't get up and walk around."

6:25AM Ha! Kara's brother Jeff just showed up on stage. Walt's "dashing his journalistic aspirations." But hey, he's a good sport.



6:24AM Sounds like Peter Kafka and Ina Fried will be stepping it up in order to help Walt out here.

6:24AM Wow, some other sad news -- Walt's here soloing it, as Kara's in a hospital across town. She developed a clot on her 15 hour flight across the world, and so this is "the first time in ten years she'll miss being at D." Sorry to hear it, Kara! Get well soon!


6:22AM Walt's announcing that Phil Schiller had to cancel his appearance here in order to be back in California for Steve Jobs' memorial.


6:21AM And out comes Walt! He aptly states: "I've never followed an act like that before."


6:20AM If you'd like this at your next gathering or birthday party, you seriously need to visit liondance.com.hk right now.

6:19AM Yes, this is happening. And it's still happening. Is that Andy Rubin in the red dragon?



6:18AM There's a full band up in here breaking it down. Asia has us. And we love it.


6:18AM Without question, the zaniest intro to a conference ever.



6:16AM Wow, some really insane stuff is going down here. Really insane lion dance. Really. Insane.

6:13AM We're getting underway! Still feels like it'll be a few before Andy climbs on stage. We're hearing a bit about how Asia has shaped our consumer technology universe.


6:11AM "Have you ever seen the rain?" I have, CCR, I have. And it's beautiful.


6:09AM Andy's supposed to take the stage here at at 6:00PM local time (that's 6:00AM back in New York), but in case it's not incredibly obvious, the show's running a bit behind. Lots of talking going on. Most people look at least semi-famous. iPhones are a rare spot. We're being told that things are about to start "momentarily!"

6:02AM Spotting a few Galaxy Nexus handsets floating around already. Mmm. Nexus.



5:58AM And we're in! "I wish I knew what I know now... when I was younger" playing in the background. Preach it, brother.
Thought today's festivities were over from Hong Kong? Think again. While Samsung and Google tag-teamed the morning with the introduction of the Galaxy Nexus, the first-ever AsiaD conference is kicking off as the sun sets over Victoria Harbour. The opening keynote is quite the impressive one, with Google's own Senior Vice President of Mobile, Andy Rubin, on the docket. Mr. Rubin's no stranger to these events -- in fact, we've liveblogged his interviews twice from All Things D events -- and we're expecting quite the talk tonight following the official unveiling of Ice Cream Sandwich. Join us after the break for the liveblog!

U-verse TV gets social with help from Miso, TV Foundry, Wayvin and BuddyTV Guide

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 02:46 AM PDT

BuddyTV screen shot
The fact is watching TV has always been social, which of course means it was only a matter of time before technology removed the physical proximity requirement from the mix. We've seen said requirement disappear from various content providers and now it's subscribers to AT&T U-verse's turn. The initial slew of options include Miso, TV Foundry, Wayvin and BuddyTV Guide. All four let you share what you're watching while at the same time help you discover new content by being exposed to what your friends are watching. Of course none of them are exactly Facebook and U-verse isn't anywhere near the most popular content provider in the country, but we're glad to see someone pushing hard into social TV that moves beyond just sending status updates via our remote.
Show full PR text
U-verse TV Goes Social With New Apps To Interact With What You're Watching, While You're Watching

Dallas, Texas, October 17, 2011

The way viewers watch TV today has become a multi-screen, multi-tasking experience. According to Nielsen, nearly 30 percent of TV viewers looked up info related to a TV program while they were watching it. AT&T U-verse® TV customers now have new and better ways to bring together their favorite social apps on their smartphone or tablet with what they're watching on TV.

With the U-verse IP platform, U-verse TV and High Speed Internet customers can now connect their qualifying smartphone or tablet to any U-verse receiver in the home to use a variety of apps that provide real-time TV content and social features on your device, since the apps recognize what you're watching on U-verse TV.

Today, U-verse customers can search for "U-verse Enabled" in the Apple app store to access the first apps available, including:

BuddyTV Guide, which provides personalized recommendations, a customizable TV guide, show reminders and real-time commenting as well as extra content on your mobile device based on what you're watching on TV. From BuddyTV Guide, you simply tap to tune into a show on your AT&T U-verse receiver.
Miso (gomiso.com/uverse), which lets you easily share what you're watching, discover new shows based on what your friends watch and get cool information about your favorite shows.
TV Foundry, will let you search for shows, trailers, interviews, songs and companion content, show it on the big screen and share it with friends via Facebook and Twitter.
Wayin, which allows you to share opinions with other Wayin community members as you post and receive photos and questions about the shows that you are watching. Wayin is able to understand the television program that you are watching and changes with you as you change programs.
Over their in-home U-verse Wi-Fi network, customers can open the apps on their smartphone or tablet, identify which U-verse receiver they're watching and start receiving social feeds and information within the app on their device, based on what they're watching on TV. Because AT&T U-verse is 100 percent IPTV, customers can connect their apps to any U-verse receiver in the home through channel 9301, without needing special equipment, such as Internet-connected receivers or TV sets.

"Customers want their TV viewing experience to be social, without distracting from the TV show on their TV screen, and they want their choice of apps from their smartphone or tablet to work seamlessly with their TV and enhance their favorite TV shows," said Jeff Weber, vice president of video services, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "These apps allow you to interact and share details about the shows you're watching in simple and engaging ways. And you can do that on the devices that are in your hands or right next to you on the couch."

Many of these innovative new applications are being developed at the AT&T FoundryTM, a group of collaborative centers that quickly turn ideas into marketable products and services. At the Foundry, AT&T has been working with developers through the U-verse Alpha Program announced earlier this year to develop innovative ways for mobile and tablet apps to interact with the TV experience.

The new apps build on AT&T's strategy to make advanced, interactive TV apps available to customers on a regular basis at no additional charge. AT&T U-verse TV is the fastest growing TV service in the country** and the only 100 percent Internet Protocol-based television (IPTV) service offered by a national service provider.

*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.

** Claim based on comparison of major TV providers' percentage growth in subscriber counts and national market share data.

T-Mobile internal doc leaks, BlackBerry Torch 9810 to bow this November?

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 01:49 AM PDT

A surprise Ice Cream Sandwich handset this is not -- for that news, you'll have to wait until later tonight. No, RIM's portrait QWERTY slider may not be the freshest bit of kit in the smartphone arena, but for those dedicated CrackBerry few on T-Mobile, it's 14.4Mbps speeds just might be enough. A leaked screenshot over on TmoNews shows the Torch 9810, currently available on AT&T, alongside a list of its well-known specs. Apart from the addition of WiFi calling and the new Magenta digs, not much here has changed. The capacitive touchscreen still measures in at 3.2-inches, and RIM hasn't bumped the quality of its 5 megapixel rear camera nor the phone's 8GB of storage. While this internal pic doesn't tip us off to an upcoming release window, we're pretty sure this is the same 4G "Dumoine" handset from that leaked fall roadmap, indicating a potential November 9th launch. So, will this tide you over until RIM gets BBX out into the wireless wild or are you in the market for something a little sharper?

Instapaper gets iPad refresh: more friends, more reading

Posted: 19 Oct 2011 12:51 AM PDT

Instapaper, the internet equivalent of a bookmark, has been given a top-to-toe makeover for its latest outing on the iPad. Fear not, your reading materials remain easy to read (and ad-free), but version 4 has now been smoothed over with a thick layer of tablet gloss. Navigation is all done through a bar on the left, and remains available for prodding as you read through your article selection. The upgrade also adds a subscription option for searching all your previous reads, as well as better social skills, with the ability to pick up and store articles and posts shared by your Twitter buddies -- ensuring that you'll probably never run out of reading material again.

Android Beam takes us to the future of close-proximity data exchange (video)

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 11:49 PM PDT

Android Beam takes us to the future of close-proximity data exchange (video)
Remember when HP showed off transferring webpages from the TouchPad tablet to the Pre 3 just by touching? Remember thinking "Wow, that'd be cool if I actually had a TouchPad and a Pre 3?" Android Beam is the answer to that problem, a version of that very same functionality that works across NFC-devices running Ice Cream Sandwich -- namely, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. We got the chance to play with a few phones that had the appropriate software builds and batteries, and found the functionality to be quick and useful -- when things weren't crashing. More after the break.


The NFC circuitry in the Galaxy Nexus is indeed built into the battery, not the backplate, and by touching two devices together you can exchange a multitude of things. The stock demo is of course exchanging websites, but contacts can also be swapped, along with directions and even apps -- well, links to apps. Touch one phone to another and it'll bring up the entry in the Android Market. Sadly no direct pushes of APKs.

Apps will be able to tie into this and do whatever they like down the road, so we should see some interesting applications for games and the like once Ice Cream Sandwich starts to be deployed on more devices. Hopefully by then things will be a little more reliable, as we managed to crash the demo exchanging one address to another device. It's still just pre-release software, remember.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Samsung: the LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus will be 'a little' thicker

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 11:36 PM PDT

We got it straight from the horse's mouth here at Samsung and Google's Galaxy Nexus launch event that the future LTE edition of the Galaxy Nexus will indeed be thicker than the HSPA+ model showcased today (and above). How much thicker? "A little," according to a company representative, but he wouldn't go so far as to talk millimeters. When asked if the additional size was there to hold the LTE package or just a larger battery, he also failed to elaborate. We'd be shocked if the LTE variant doesn't pack at least a bit more juice -- we've covered the damage that LTE does to a battery in great detail here -- but frankly, we'd rather have something a wee bit thicker than a phone that dies after four hours of use.

Ice Cream Sandwich face unlock demo (video)

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 11:23 PM PDT

When Matias Duarte tried to unlock his Nexus Galaxy on-stage at today's Samsung event things didn't go so well. Some combination of his makeup and the lighting conspired to keep him from getting into his device, but after spending a little time with one ourselves we can confirm that it does indeed work -- and quickly. To program the feature, go into the settings and it'll train itself to recognize your mug. As it locks in a ring of circles frames your face and, hey presto, it's ready. After that you set up a backup form of identification and you're good to go.

Once it's ready we found it takes only a second or two to recognize and unlock the phone, meaning this should be even faster than swiping or punching in an unlock code. But, you still will need to do that from time to time, either when the lighting conditions are less than optimal or, apparently, when you weren't born with it and were relying a little too much on the Maybelline.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Samsung Galaxy Nexus camera and 1080p video samples

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 11:14 PM PDT

Wondering what the 5 megapixel sensor within the Galaxy Nexus is capable of? So were we. We didn't have a huge variety of subjects to photograph here in our meeting room, but we ran about and captured as many as we could just for a quick comparison. As promised, snapping multiple pictures in a row was a cinch, with the camera taking just a fraction of a second before being ready to shoot again. In fact, we couldn't even tap the screen fast enough to find its limit. We have to say, though -- the built-in "Edit" menu could stand to be stronger. The "effects" were thoroughly underwhelming, and Instagram addicts will find plenty to laugh about. The cropping and twisting, however, is appreciated. Have a look at a rough-and-dirty comparison between the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus S in the galleries below (as well as a few panorama samples), and find a one minute 1080p sample video from the former just after the break.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus sample camera shots
Samsung Nexus S sample gallery

Pioneer's new music players give dancers some Steez

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 11:00 PM PDT

A walk in the park may never be the same again now that Pioneer has announced its new Steez range of dance-troupe friendly portable music players. In what appears to be a tango using its DJ and audio player skills, Pioneer's Steez relieves dancers -- solo or otherwise -- of the tyranny that is static music sources. Forget about getting your groove on in the privacy of your own condo, instead get busy on the subway, the drive-in car park, or with your favorite monkey. You have a choice of three models to express yourself in front of: the STZ-D10S-L "Solo"($299), STZ-D10T-G "Duo" ($349) and STZ-D10Z-R "Crew" ($499). Each model comes with the company's own special software which keeps your beats in time, lets you set cue points, change tempo along with many more booty shaking functions. Best of all is the special Battle Mode which plays your chosen sequence of tracks and lets you know when the next dancer, or robot, is up. These ghetto-blasters for the Tecktonik generation won't hit the shelves until next month, but feel free to tap your toes and read the PR below while you wait.
Show full PR text
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. embraces the art of dance with the launch of STEEZ(tm), a new brand of portable entertainment products designed for the youthful, passionate and culturally diverse dance community. A first in the industry, STEEZ addresses all dance levels and styles with exclusive product features that help dancers practice and perfect their techniques. Offered in three models, the STZ-D10S-L "Solo," STZ-D10T-G "Duo" and STZ-D10Z-R "Crew," STEEZ portable music systems incorporate mobility, durability, style and unique dance tools that make them a "must-have" for any dancer.

Dance to the Beat
Each STEEZ music system includes Pioneer's MIXTRAX software that transforms a dancer's music library into customizable tracks on a PC and makes it possible to change music tempo, set choreographed cue points, battle with friends, create smart playlists and more; all seamlessly on-the-fly via the STEEZ unit. The STEEZ products offer features typically found in stand-alone mixing software or professional DJ equipment and brings it into an all-in-one portable music system designed exclusively for dancers. Essential dance features incorporated in each offering include:

* Tempo Control - All three STEEZ music systems let users change the tempo of the music without changing the pitch. Song tracks can play at slower or faster speeds, enabling dancers to follow along with the pace of the music without distorting the song's characteristics.
* 8-Beat Skip - A standard for choreography, music analyzed by the MIXTRAX software is divided into eight counts, allowing users to skip forward and back by eight counts with the push of a button.
* Dance Cue - Eliminating the need to find a particular point in a track, users can set cue points to make playback begin at a desired spot in a piece of music extremely fast and easy.
* Auto DJ Mode - Each player offers non-stop music mix playback based on the genre organized by MIXTRAX. An entire music library is automatically categorized and grouped according to BPM, genre, etc., creating a mix based on the style of dance picked by the user.
* Dance Boost - The Dance Boost feature emphasizes specific instruments in a track such as the hi-hat and bass drum to make the beats more pronounced and easier to hear. This is ideal for training or teaching when used at low volume levels or in noisy (outdoor) environments.
* Remote Control - Each player also comes with an ultra-thin credit card-sized wireless remote that eliminates the need for users to run back and forth to the player.

STEEZ music systems also boast a cool Auto Battle Mode that enables users to automatically create a battle sequence, complete with a countdown timer on the player's LCD screen and voice and tone prompts to signal when 10 seconds of music is left before switching to the next
user.

Solo ($299) available in November
Duo ($349) available in November
Crew ($499) available in November

HTC: We're reviewing Ice Cream Sandwich and determining our plans

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:07 PM PDT

Samsung was awarded a precious head start in its upgrade path to Android 4.0, but how will its competition respond? HTC may have one of the most difficult jobs ahead, since it has integrated its Sense UI so deeply into the core Android user experience, but that doesn't mean the OEM isn't determining the best road it should take to get to the land of Ice Cream Sandwiches. The company released an official statement following this evening's announcement to confirm that it's looking over the update's new features and functionality, figuring out how to make it happen without forcing sacrifices to the usability and performance of each HTC product. We'll be interested to see what it comes up with, as many of the UI elements popular in Sense appear to now be a part of the stock ICS functionality. The company was careful not to commit to the new Android, nor did it give any particular timeframe or roadmap in the process. Check out the full statement below:

We are excited about the latest update for Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, and are currently reviewing its features and functionality to determine our upgrade plans. Our goal for Android updates is to give every customer an improved user experience, which means balancing each phone's unique hardware, HTC Sense experience and the Android kernel. While our goal is to upgrade as many of our recent devices as possible, we are committed to maintaining every phone's performance and usability first. Please stay tuned for more updates on specific device upgrade plans.

Google Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0): a hands-on screenshot gallery

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:03 PM PDT

Hello there, Ice Cream Sandwich! Google and Samsung just took the wraps off of the former's newest mobile operating system here in Hong Kong, and boy -- she's a beauty. Of course, we've known about ICS for months now, but outside of a few sneak peeks courtesy of Mr. Blurrycam, we didn't know precisely what to expect. Strangely, Motorola's recent introduction of the Droid RAZR only delivered the freshest offering of Gingerbread, but the Galaxy Nexus is oh-ficially the first smartphone in the world to launch with Android 4.0. Our test unit was actually running 4.0.1 for reasons unknown, but as we mentioned in our Galaxy Nexus hands-on, it was as smooth as ever. Without question, this is easily the slickest, most polished version of Android yet, and we invite you to take a tour yourself via the hands-on gallery below. Apologies for the quantity, but we wanted to explore every nook and cranny while we had the chance.
Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) screenshot gallery

Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Galaxy S II, Nexus One and Nexus S (macro hands-on)

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:16 PM PDT

Guess who posed for a family gathering here in Hong Kong? From left to right, we've got the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S II, Nexus One and Nexus S. The panels on all of these guys are stunning, but we're finding it mighty difficult to choose a favorite between the Galaxy Nexus and the GSII. Have a look at some close-ups in the gallery below, and a typical home video just after the break.
Galaxy / Nexus Android family gathering (hands-on)


See more video at our hub!

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Google confirms Nexus S will get Ice Cream Sandwich -- for real this time (Gingerbread devices, too)

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:04 PM PDT

Okay, so we've already seen Ice Cream Sandwich running on the Nexus S, but that was decidedly... unofficial. We've just heard straight from Google's Gabe Cohen that the Nexus S will definitely be getting ICS. In fact, both he and Matias Duarte think most Gingerbread devices will see an upgrade, saying: "Currently in the process for releasing Ice Cream Sandwich for Nexus S. Theoretically should work for any 2.3 device." It's hardly a surprise and there's no specific word on timing just yet, but hopefully it won't take long to move that vanilla Android device up to something with a breaded exterior.

Update: We also asked about whether the Nexus One is getting some ICS love, but there's no clear plan just yet.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Ice Cream Sandwich hands-on (video)

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 08:41 PM PDT

Remember the Droid RAZR? That's so yesterday. Or, earlier today. Whatever. The point is, Samsung's just busted out the planet's first Ice Cream Sandwich-based smartphone here in Hong Kong, a few days late but hardly worse for the wear. The Galaxy Nexus (formerly referred to as the Nexus Prime) carries on the Nexus torch in spectacular fashion, and we've just spent a few quality moments with one here at the launch event. Design-wise, it's clear that the Nexus S DNA is here, though the rear reminds us most of the Galaxy S II. Those who abhor physical buttons will also be delighted, and while we'd gotten used to the whole Power + Home for a screenshot on the GSII, Power + Volume Down works just fine on this fellow.

The 1.2GHz dual-core processor was startlingly fast. It actually felt a wee bit quicker than our Galaxy S II, and given that Ice Cream Sandwich and the Galaxy Nexus were apparently built for one another, we're assuming there's some deeply ingrained optimizations to thank. Swiping from pane to pane was faster than its ever been on Android, and the new Roboto font actually is super eye-pleasing. The touch response of the capacitive buttons -- much like those on the original Nexus One -- take a bit of getting used to, and we had to mash 'em just a touch harder than we anticipated to elicit a response. [Update: turns out our demo phone was a bit of an early build; we touched another model later in the day, and our response gripes were gone. Perfectly responsive. Hopefully that's the one that'll ship out.] Not necessarily a bad thing, just a thing worth noting. We've built our impressions after the break, replete with a video. Enjoy!
Samsung Galaxy Nexus hands-on!


The overall phone feels adequately thin, and while the 4.65-inch display sounds gargantuan, the handset itself doesn't feel so massive to hold. Until, of course, you grab the comparatively minuscule Nexus One. Still, we've been clamoring for a 1,280 x 720 display on a smartphone for what feels like forever, and now that it's here on the Galaxy Nexus, we aren't about to kvetch. Indeed, the panel looks downright gorgeous, with unbeatable viewing angles, remarkably crisp text and graphics and a beautiful feel as one swipes across it. The fingerprint magnet that is a glossy overcoat is still here, but it's the only feel niggle we've found on the screen as a whole.

Having the 3.5mm headphone jack on the rear seems like a necessary design choice given the tapering at the top, and unlike that other phone, there's no mute switch here -- you'll just have to hold the Volume Down button for a few seconds. The rear cover pops off in similar fashion to the Galaxy S II, but the ridged plastic cover has a far softer touch than the aforesaid contemporary. The camera is also situated right in the center, with branding kept to a minimum. Oddly enough, we're being told by Samsung that two models will be available in terms of capacity -- a 16 gigger and a 32GB sibling -- but neither will have a microSD slot for adding your own expansion.

The lack of a physical Home button may be disorienting for Galaxy S II loyalists, but the Galaxy Nexus is truly the first smartphone that expresses Google's desire to make "one Android for all" -- a mantra we heard about at Google I/O, but haven't seen birthed into anything until today. Digging into the particulars of Ice Cream Sandwich a bit, it's clear that folks who aren't elevated to Android 4.0 (we're still waiting on word of what phones will and won't make the leap) will be missing out on a fair bit. Face Unlock isn't particularly special in our estimation -- typical laptops have been using this forever, and we've never found 'em to be entirely intuitive. However, the bump-to-share functionality that was lost when webOS croaked will undoubtedly be cause for celebration. Also, just so it's known, the Galaxy Nexus we played with here was running Android 4.0.1.

The data usage manager is a total godsend in this nasty, depressing world of tiers, and while apps have done similar things for quite some time, tight integration like this is hugely appreciated. We found in our play time that ICS was amazingly responsive in every aspect. Swiping was a breeze. Gestures worked beautifully. The entire experience just felt polished. In a way, it's as if Android's growing a bit and maturing before our eyes, and it's obvious that Goog's focused on making its mobile OS as "enchanting" (Google's word, not ours) as iOS seems to be.

Overall, we're thrilled with how the first ICS handset has turned out. It's understated, sleek, beautiful and packs a display that's destined to drop jaws. Now, if only we knew how much, and what carriers...

Check out the rest of our Galaxy Nexus coverage right here!

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Droid RAZR by Motorola: the tale of the tape

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 08:19 PM PDT

Well folks, the wait is over. Now you can push the rumors, early introductions and other pre-announcement ramblings aside and focus on the real matter at hand: which of these shiny new handsets will you buy? Will it be the Galaxy Nexus or the Droid RAZR? Let us offer some insight into the matter as we dive head-first into the specs below.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus
 Droid RAZR by Motorola
Price (on contract) TBA $299
Processor 1.2GHz dual-core
likely Texas Instruments
OMAP 4460		 1.2GHz dual-core
Texas Instruments
OMAP 4430
Display 4.65-inch curved glass
HD Super AMOLED
1280 x 720		 4.3-inch
qHD Super AMOLED
960 x 540
Primary camera 5 megapixel with zero
shutter lag		 8 megapixel
Front-facing camera 1.3 megapixel 1.3 megapixel
Video recording 1080p at 30fps 1080p at 30fps
Cellular LTE or HSPA+, GSM LTE, CDMA / EVDO
or
HSPA+, GSM
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n
NFC Yes No
Memory 1GB RAM 1GB RAM
Storage 16GB / 32GB
internal storage		 16GB internal storage
16GB microSD card
Operating System Android 4.0
Ice Cream Sandwich		 Android 2.3
Gingerbread
Battery 1,750mAh 1,800mAh
Quoted Battery life TBD Up to 12.5 hours talk time

Up to 8.9 hours video
Weight 135g / 4.76oz 127g / 4.48oz
Thickness 8.94mm / 0.35in
(HSPA+ model)		 7.1mm / 0.28in

Google announces NFC-based Android Beam for sharing between phones (video)

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 08:04 PM PDT

Google's already embraced NFC for mobile payments, and it's now ready to do some sharing as well. That comes in the form of the new Android Beam feature for Ice Cream Sandwich, which the company just announced at its joint event with Samsung in Hong Kong. Much like HP's ill-fated Touch-to-share functionality, it will let you simply tap two NFC-enabled devices together to share a piece of information. That will work with a range of apps and services in Android, including YouTube videos, contact information, maps, web pages, and even links to apps in the Android Market. What's more, Google also announced that the SDK is available for download today -- get it at the source link below.

Update: We've now added a video of the demo from the keynote after the break. You're welcome.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Ice Cream Sandwich revamps Android camera and gallery features

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 07:59 PM PDT

It's been a long time coming, but with the introduction of Ice Cream Sandwich, Android finally takes a significant leap forward in terms of camera and gallery features. The camera interface is completely new -- it's faster and easier to use with instant access from the lock screen. Shots are taken immediately thanks to zero shutter lag and continuous autofocus with automatic face detection. Touch-to-focus with exposure lock is now supported, and the UI adds a proper digital zoom slider. The camera app also includes a new sweep panorama feature.

The gallery app is also significantly improved, with Instagram-like "hipster filters" and a built-in photo editor that lets you crop and rotate pictures at arbitrary angles. Any tweaks you make are saved in a separate file, keeping the original shot intact. Images can now be sorted by location (using geotagging), and by person (if manually tagged). Video also receives a serious boost in functionality with 1080p capture, continuous autofocus, and the ability to zoom while recording. Additionally, it's now possible to create time lapse videos right from your phone.

It's too early to tell if all these features will trickle down to legacy devices or remain exclusive to the Galaxy Nexus, but we'll find out soon enough.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich adds Face Unlock feature

Posted: 18 Oct 2011 07:42 PM PDT

There's no shortage of new features in Ice Cream Sandwich, but one sure to attract a lot of attention is Face Unlock. That, as you can probably surmise, lets you unlock your phone through facial recognition instead of a password -- hardly a new idea, but a first for Google. Unfortunately, the demo didn't go quite as planned during the keynote -- locking out Google's Matias Duarte -- but we'll be sure to give it a go ourselves and report back.
at 11:43 AM

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