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Friday, October 28, 2011

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Apogee Jam guitar adapter review

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Musicians have long needed ways to catalog ideas and capture rough recordings of new material without the anchor that is a full-fledged recording setup. Apogee offers just that with its Jam guitar adapter for the iPad, iPhone and Mac, which allows you to strum your way to a record deal via an iOS device. Whether you're on the road or in your living room, the ability to connect a Les Paul to a mobile device and crank out the demo for your next hit is super helpful. But, is it worth the $100 investment to have recording-on-the-go at your fingertips? Read on to see what we discovered.
Apogee Jam guitar adapter review


Hardware


We'll be honest, there's nothing flashy here, but we don't think that something like the Apogee Jam necessarily needs to be another piece of eye candy. The adapter is pretty straightforward on the outside: guitar cable jack on one end with an output to USB (Mac) or iPad / iPhone on the other. There's only a single gain control wheel and a lone LED indicator that lets you know when the Jam is connected (but not ready), down to rock out or your input level is too high. Each of the aforementioned statuses has its own color -- blue, green or red. This is a nice touch, we have to admit -- especially the bit about warning you when your axe may be turned up to 11.


The major beef we have with the adapter is the cables. In addition to the adapter itself, there are two separate wired connectors -- one for your iOS device and the other for you Apple laptop or desktop. Add those to the fact that we were already packing a guitar cable and would most likely have a charger in tow as well. If you're super concerned about every piece of kit in your bag, that's a decent amount of space dedicated to cables for mobile recording. In general, the length of the cables were also a bit cumbersome and seemed longer than they needed to be. We were using a guitar cable that provided all the distance we needed from the iPad, so the extra connector cable range never came into play. Perhaps a shorter, or even cableless, attachment would work a better. Something that clips directly on to the Apogee Jam itself whenever you needed to switch between capturing devices could provide relief from our cable woes.

Software


Apogee recommends that you use its guitar adapter with Apple's GarageBand -- either the app for the iPad / iPhone or the desktop version that comes standard on a Mac. Sure, we'd like to see some proprietary software, especially with the $99 price tag, but device compatibility makes up for this to some degree. The adapter works great with GarageBand and with Amplitube, the recommended app for the iRig guitar adapter. We also took the Apogee Jam for a spin with AmpKit, the software portion of Peavey / Agile Partner's guitar connector, the AmpKit LiNK. Connecting with the adapter was pretty simple, just plug in and play for the most part, adjusting settings in each app or on the axe itself as you go. Ease of use wasn't lost when we connected to GarageBand on a MacBook Pro either, as our experience was just as painless as our slate recording session.


Recording went off without a hitch. We used an iPad for our main test partner, with the monitor option checked, we could hear the "amped" sounds from GarageBand with or without earbuds. You bandmates will probably lobby for the first option, but when you're safely in your home studio (read: living room), the latter is a nice choice to have. We tested the adapter with both a Washburn acoustic electric and a Fender Standard Telecaster -- both worked great and were captured on our slate with no issues. Don't fret if you're a bass player, Apogee promises that this rig will work for capturing your grooves as well.

The competition


As far as guitar adapters for the iPad and iPhone go, there are a couple of other options that we've already mentioned and they could save you some dough as well. First, you could add the iRig and its software partner-in-crime, Amplitube, to your tour supplies. You can snag the adapter and a free version of the app for under $40, but if you're looking to go crazy with custom tones, you'll have to splurge for the $20 full version of the software. You'd end up with hardware and software for around $60, saving you a couple Hamiltons over the app-less Jam alone. You could also opt for the Peavey AmpKit LiNK for $30 and its application cohort AmpKit. While there is a free version of this software as well, you'll need to spring for the $20 paid version to get the full experience of building a customized mobile guitar rig. With AmpKit though, beware that you'll have to shell out even more if you want to expand you effects libraries or add extra amp emulators to your arsenal.

The major difference with both of these options: the inability to connect directly to a Mac. In this case, it really comes down to a matter of preference. If you're goal is to hitch your mobile recording wagon to an iOS device, you could save yourself some coin with the aforementioned options. However, the extra perk of connection to a Mac is a pretty nice one and could come in handy from time to time. The real question is if its worth a few more dollars -- about $40 or $50 for the connector and base software. We're inclined to think that PC compatibilty is worth the added investment.

Wrap-up


The truth is, the Apogee Jam is simple, straightforward and works well. We didn't encounter any connectivity or recording issues while we had our hands on the adapter. Aside from the cable length and lack of companion software, there's little we can gripe about. This would be a nice pick-up for anyone needing to capture tunes on-the-go who's looking for something a little better than a voice or digital audio recorder. We recommend that you spend some time with the free versions of both Amplitube and AmpKit to see if either of those cater to your axe-wielding sensibilities a bit better -- especially if you're not looking to turn your demos finished tracks via GarageBand on your PC. The Jam definitely accomplishes its goal, though, keeping you mobile and being able to record with ease, which is always a good thing.

Engadget Podcast 262 - 10.28.2011

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 10:40 AM PDT

Nokia World: it's like Disney World with a funny accent and with higher pixel density. And we've got the whole scoop, with help of the mobi-omniscient Myriam Joire. The Engadget Podcast: dial it up!

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guest: Myriam Joire
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Try It Out

01:30 - The Nokia World 2011 keynote liveblog!
02:00 - Nokia announces the Lumia 800, the 'first real Windows Phone' (video)
02:30 - Nokia Lumia 800 vs. Nokia N9: the tale of the tape
05:00 - Nokia Lumia 800 unboxed: we shed some light on what's inside
14:40 - Nokia's Lumia 710 Windows Phone announced alongside the 800, hitting select markets by end of year
23:30 - Nokia Asha 200, Asha 300 and Asha 303 hands-on (video)
32:00 - Nokia's kinetic future: flexible screens and a twisted interface (video)
36:30 - Future Nokia phones repellent, says water (video)
41:05 - Richard Kerris moves from HP to Nokia, becomes Global Head of Developer Relations
42:00 - HP will keep PC division, hope alive
45:50 - Mythical snow-white N9 spotted at Nokia World
50:05 - Sony to buy out Ericsson's stake in joint venture, call it quits after ten years
50:39 - Motorola Atrix 2 review
53:02 - Porsche Design P'9981 BlackBerry provides a long-awaited design jolt, compensates for a lot
55:05 - Amazon focusing on 'lifetime' Kindle revenue, anticipating record device sales for Q4
01:01:30 - HTC Rhyme review
01:03:00 - Listener questions



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White Galaxy Note appears, developers wanted to pen third-party apps for its stylus

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 10:21 AM PDT

We've already inspected every inch of Samsung's big bad phone-tablet hybrid, but a soupçon of extra news has trickled out from the Galaxy Note's bombastic launch event in London yesterday. Those looking for brighter color scheme to match the striking glow of its HD Super AMOLED display are in luck, as the Galaxy Note looks set to arrive in white; the ethereal ying to its companion's midnight blue yang. Sammy added that the Galaxy Note's S-Pen SDK will be available to third-party developers starting December, hopefully bringing more uses for that slide-out stick. And that's despite the latest Android OS offering native stylus support -- the Galaxy Note remains a Gingerbread affair. The current smartphone king was unable to confirm if the UK would be getting the white model on the November 3rd launch day, or ever. Similarly, we're still waiting on Samsung to put S-Pen to paper on pricing and any possible US launch details.

Apple's lossless ALAC goes open source, it's like FLAC for iPods

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:55 AM PDT

iTunes LogoWell, it's not nearly as exciting as a new iPhone, but Apple recently announced a bit of news that will set people in certain circles abuzz. The company's lossless audio codec, ALAC, is going open source. Similar to FLAC, the Apple Lossless Audio Codec offers some file compression while still delivering a bit-for-bit recreation of the original source material. The primary difference being that Apple devices and software do not support FLAC (at least without some tinkering) but can handle the Cupertino developed ALAC. The decision to release the code under the Apache license won't have much of an immediate impact on your digital audio routine, but expect support for ALAC to start popping up in more media players (both hardware and software) soon.

How Arduino got its start: a behind the scenes revelation

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:27 AM PDT

Plenty of tales have cropped up through the years focusing on the roots of Arduino -- a tiny circuit board that holds a special place in the heart of every modern-day DIYer -- but a recent expose from the folks at Ieee Spectrum has a behind-the-scenes look that'll impress even historians. Massimo Banzi is the name, and Bar di Re Arduino is the place. The former is hailed as an Italian cofounder of the project he dubbed Arduino in honor of the latter, and in time, four more folks would join him to create what would become a complete gamechanger in the universe of homegrown electronics. We've covered initiatives built on Arduino for years here at Engadget. Everything from sigh collectors to early warning systems for pastry chefs has been built around the platform, and the story of how we got to the place we are now is a fascinating one. We won't introduce any spoilers here -- tap that source link below to enjoy at your own pace.

Xbox Companion app for WP7 shown off at Nokia World, leaks Vudu integration (video)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:13 AM PDT

Even if you're not planning on picking up one of Espoo's latest handsets, Microsoft is also on the scene at Nokia World 2011 giving live demos of the upcoming Xbox Companion remote app for Windows Phone 7. It allows for simple remote control of video playback on one's console, plus content browsing / search with Bing and other metadata display, as seen in two demo videos from the show floor embedded after the break. Also seen in both of the demo videos? An orange tile suspiciously labeled Vudu Movies, despite the lack of any official announcement that the (currently PS3 exclusive) Wal-mart owned service is coming to Xbox Live. A third demo shows off gaming integration with Kinectimals that lets animals jump back and forth from console to phone. Now that the Xbox 360 will integrate search and playback from more video services than ever after the fall update, we'll see if the remote app draws Xbox fans to Microsoft's phone platform.

[Thanks, @AttilaG]





FCC Fridays: October 27, 2011

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 08:51 AM PDT

We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we've gathered up all the raw info you may want (but probably don't need). Enjoy!

Note: The FCC site appears to be at least partially down right now, so don't panic if you receive an error message over the weekend as you attempt to view some of these documents.

Read - Fujitsu F05D
Read - Fujitsu FJI11
Read - HTC PJ03110
Read - HTC PJ03120
Read - Huawei E303S-6
Read - Huawei E303S-65
Read - Huawei U739
Read - Huawei U8510-5
Read - Mobo Monza
Read - Motorola P56ME2
Read - Motorola P56MJ3 (tablet)
Read - Nokia RM-809
Read - Panasonic EB-4052
Read - Panasonic P-03D
Read - Samsung GT-S5380D

Ubuntu and Dell rekindle their love, in China

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 08:33 AM PDT

Ubuntu on Dell in China
In 2007 Dell started a highly publicized experiment with loading Ubuntu on some of its machines. Suffice to say, it wasn't a resounding success -- despite Michael Dell's ringing endorsement. Though their relationship seems to petered out (US customers won't find a single machine running Canonical's open-source OS on Dell's site), the two companies aren't quite ready file for separation just yet. The two are looking to rekindle their love by heading across the Pacific, to China. Initially the Linux-loaded lappies will be available in 220 retail locations across the country with accompanying branding to promote Ubuntu. Clearly only time will tell if this attempt to save their marriage will be successful, but we're pretty confident Chinese consumers will be more receptive to an alternative OS than Americans were. One more pic after the break.
Dell and Ubuntu in China

Google TV, take two, arrives next week with Honeycomb, Android Market

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT

It has been a long year for Google TV. The first (and only, so far) round of hardware started shipping in October 2010 and at the time, promised the Android Marketplace with its wealth of third party apps early in the next year. That clearly didn't happen, and it quickly became most notable for what it was being blocked from doing, like streaming video from TV providers like Hulu and various network TV websites. After various false starts and delays, Sony Google TV and Logitech Revue hardware will finally receive updates to Android 3.1 Honeycomb (congratulations Google, now where's Ice Cream Sandwich?) starting this weekend with Sony up first and Logitech "shortly thereafter." The biggest additions are the aforementioned apps, a new interface, and a refocused system for content discovery that starts with the new TV & Movies app pictured above. Check out the gallery for more pictures of the new Google TV, while more details and videos follow after the break.
Google TV Honeycomb, Android Market screenshots

Talking to VP of Product Management and Head of Google TV Mario Quieroz and Lead Product Manager Rishi Chandra it's evident that much has changed since we witnessed our first demo last May. At the time, they showed off its ability to search across different video sources by including episodes available for free streaming on network TV websites and playing them back, but that was quickly snuffed out. While that puts a serious kibosh on the plans of those who'd like a Google TV to become their optimal cord cutting device, much of the focus this time around is about showing how it plays well and expands upon the traditional pay-TV experience most viewers are still tied to. As you can see in the new TV & Movies app, there's an emphasis on including content that's available both airing live and for streaming from services like YouTube, Amazon and Netflix. It can sort content in a variety of ways, but the plan is to make this a preferred option by including a whole new level of personalization in the TV experience.


While simplifying the user experience and "getting out of the viewer's way" was their first mandate after observing the initial reaction to Google TV, the second is finding a better way to answer that eternal question: What is there to watch? Other than just aggregating sources in search, what Google TV is able to do now is create an entire channel of content from all of those sources based on a query. We'll still need to see some way to tie in access to VOD and DVRed recordings from providers other than Dish Network to make this truly appealing, but it's a start. Expanding upon the traditional sources of TV with online video is a theme, and one that Mario describes as the way cable TV expanded on network TV a few decades ago. While the major television networks didn't go away, we added hundreds of cable channels. This time around, Google sees the ability to wrap content people are interested in viewing from the millions of internet video source out there, most notable on YouTube. YouTube and Google Music have both received new dedicated apps in the update, with a clear focus on bringing both the stuff you're used to, and introducing new internet options alongside them.


Other than finding new things to watch on TV in a few new ways, the addition of Market apps is the biggest difference between Google TV and all the other connected TV platforms out there. So far, there aren't yet APIs to tell third party apps what you're watching and allow them to interact with it, but they're described as "heading down that path." Some of the 50-or so apps that will work on Google TV at launch include ones we've seen from TBS, TNT and other providers, as well as TV friendly versions of common apps like Flixster and IMDB. For music there's still Pandora and Napster, joined by Plex, Qello and more right out of the gate. Sports fans can try out Thuuz and Are You Watching This?! XL to get alerts and immediately tune to whatever game is deemed the most interesting, while there's also an AOL HD app that brings some of our videos to the TV as well. One of Google TV's strength has always been its ability to handle a wide range of internet content, and that's not changing this time around. The Chrome browser and search is a little more simplified, along with a My Photos app that checks another box on the "family friendly" features list by pulling in pics from your online albums.


As important as new hardware will be to determining the quality of Google TV's second chance, the situation there is still unchanged. While current partners Sony and Logitech remain on board as Samsung and Vizio wait in the wings, definitive word on ARM processors, new control interfaces, or additional manufacturers will have to wait until 2012. For now, the biggest question is if Google really can provide a new kind of content discovery experience that thrills viewers and reels in wary content partners; and more importantly, can they do it before efforts from familiar mobile competition like Microsoft and Apple take over the living room game? One thing is clear, as Mario and Rishi refer to the future as a marathon and not a sprint, whether or not Google is the most successful in changing our TV experience, we're sure they won't stop trying.

MadCatz proves its soul still burns with Soul Calibur V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 07:25 AM PDT

If you're a fan of arcade-style fighting games, you're surely hip to MadCatz's FightStick Tournament Edition for PS3 and Xbox 360. As it's done with Street Fighter in the past, the company is back with another variation of the arcade stick, this time officially themed for the upcoming Soul Calibur V. Launching near the game in January 2012, the Soul Calibur V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition features the usual masher-friendly eight button with joystick layout, but sports a casing endowed with visuals inspired by the game -- and an extremely unfortunate mix of hues. The crazy Cat hasn't announced a price yet, but considering these have gone for about $150 in the past, we'd imagine this one won't be too far off. Full details in the press release after the break.
Show full PR text
Mad Catz® Enters into Agreement with Namco Bandai Games Inc® to Create SOULCALIBUR™ V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition

SOULCALIBUR™ V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition Is Expected to Launch Worldwide January 2012

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. ("Mad Catz") (AMEX/TSX: MCZ) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Namco Bandai Games Inc, to produce the SOULCALIBUR™ V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition, a Tournament Edition fighting game controller for use with the upcoming SOULCALIBUR V videogame. The agreement gives Mad Catz worldwide rights to ship products for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system from Sony®.

"The FightStick product category continues to perform well for us globally and the addition of the popular SOULCALIBUR franchise leverages both our brand and market leadership." said Darren Richardson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. "Leveraging licenses on a global basis is part of our long term growth strategy to build our worldwide business."

AUO's flexible e-paper to take on Stretch Armstrong in battle of the bendiest

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 06:59 AM PDT

There's nothing better than unplugging on a Sunday afternoon with a newspaper and a cup of Joe, which is exactly what AU Optronics hopes to facilitate with its 6-inch Rollable Organic TFT E-paper. We've heard rumblings about the foldable photovoltaic device before, but the company has finally delivered a working prototype that is completely solar powered and elastic enough to make even Gumby jealous. Made of organic TFTs, the SVGA e-paper has an amorphous silicon PV battery, which turns natural or indoor light into solar energy without requiring a power plug. The only downside? Unlike the dead tree variety, wrapping presents in this stuff is a no-go. Check out the extended PR after the break.
Show full PR text
AUO Showcases Diverse Applications and Innovative Display Technologies at Japan's FPD International 2011 (2011.10.24)

AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) announced today that it will present its latest display technologies at FPD International 2011 in Japan during October 26-28. AUO will showcase its achievements in various display technologies based on the theme of "innovative applications", including its 65" Extreme-PR 3D Gesture display panel, 46" Scanning Retarder 3D display panel, 65" Transparent display panel, 46" Super Narrow Bezel panel, 6" Flexible displays, its smartphone display panels with high resolution and low energy consumption, and the popular AMOLED line of display technologies and applications. The choices are sure to satisfy customers' diverse needs in multi-function, high value-added and integrated display technologies.

AUO continues to integrate and extend its leading 3D display technology to offer more complete 3D total solutions. AUO is presenting its 65" Extreme-PR 3D Gesture Display with its One Glass Solution, which integrates cover glass with a pattern retarder to make panels slimmer. AUO's 65" Extreme-PR 3D Gesture Display utilizes a proprietary motion-detection technology with dual-camera system to detect a player's position and motion, so that users can manipulate the 3D TV's control interface by means of gestures only. In addition, with light and comfortable polarized 3D glasses, AUO's new 46" 3D Scanning Retarder 3D TV panel allows audiences to experience Full HD, high-resolution 3D images and enter a lifelike 3D stereoscopic world.

In terms of public information displays, AUO has integrated resources and implemented different innovative technologies to create various applications. AUO's 65" transparent display panel boasts three times higher transparency than conventional designs. AUO's 65" transparent display panels offer vivid and clear images and can be applied to buildings, car windows, function displays of consumers home appliances, shop windows, or vending machines. In addition, AUO is presenting its 138" LED Display Wall assembled using AUO's 46" Super Narrow Bezel LED display panels with the distance between each bezel of the 46" panels only being 5mm. AUO's 46" Super Narrow Bezel LED panel is a leading specification against all similar mass produced products, and utilizes LED backlight to make panels lighter, slimmer and more power efficient, thus offering full HD high-definition images suitable for shopping malls or public information walls.

Regarding touch panel technologies, AUO will also exhibit its 27" FHD One-Glass-Solution Touch panel and 10.1" AHVA (Advanced Hyper-Viewing Angle) One Glass Solution Tablet. AUO utilizes its One-Glass-Solution to make products slimmer and transparency higher through integrating touch sensors and cover glass. AUO's 27" FHD One-Glass-Solution Touch panel is the world's largest OGS touch panel. It offers Full HD, high-resolution images and supports ten touch points, thus allowing users to move their fingers freely about the surface of the panels. In order to enhance the personal portable flat panel as a high-definition multimedia entertainment center, AUO's 10.1" AHVA One Glass Solution Tablet has been fitted with AHVA technology. Through the total solution, the weight of the product has dropped 33%, making it easy to carry, while still offering WUXGA (1920 x 1200) high-resolution images.

AUO is not only showcasing innovative applications trends, but is also presenting various new display technologies. For example, AUO will present its 32" Full HD AMOLED TV for the first time; the TV set with Metal Oxide TFT as backplane driver and is only 3mm thick, has quick response time, high contrast ratio, and offers full HD high- resolution images. For flexible display technologies, AUO's 6" Rollable Organic TFT E-paper is made pliable with high efficiency parts and plastic materials (PEN). Users can place the E-paper in their briefcases or purses without worry of damage. In addition, with its optimized charging circuit design, AUO's 6" Unplugged Flexible E-paper offers considerable power-savings, and its eco-friendly design allows it to be charged through solar power or indoor lighting with no plug in necessary. AUO also presents 4" Flexible AMOLED with Low Temperature Processed Metal Oxide TFT as backplane driver. It is only 0.3mm thick, and is trendy, ultra slim, and resistant. The panel can be applied to diverse personal portable display products in the future.

The exhibition area is divided into seven sections in which various innovative technologies and product applications will be demonstrated: 1) 3D Display Technologies and Applications; 2) Public Information Display Technologies; 3) Integrated Touch Display Technologies; 4) Innovative Display Technologies; 5) Flexible Display Technologies; 6) Smartphone Display Technologies and 7) AMOLED . Meanwhile, Dr. Frank Ko, AUO's Vice President of Executive Strategic Planning Division, will deliver a speech on the afternoon of October 26 (Wednesday) at a special seminar.

*Based on available market research information as of Oct. 24, 2011.

Samsung claims top spot in global smartphone shipments for Q3 2011, Apple slips to number two

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 06:37 AM PDT

On this edition of As The Smartphone World Turns..., we've got Samsung violently snatching victory from the jaws of Apple, claiming its spot at the top of global smartphone vendors once more. Dramatics aside, the latest shipment figures tallied up by Strategy Analytics are showing that worldwide smartphone shipments are up 44 percent year-over-year, reaching a staggering 117 million units in Q3 2011. Digging into that a bit, we're told that Samsung has overtaken Apple from a units-shipped standpoint, with Sammy moving 28 million smartphones and claiming 24 percent of the market share. If you'll recall, Apple briefly grabbed hold of numero uno last quarter, but has now fallen a rung with 15 percent of the global pie. Of course, things could be dramatically different when we see Q4 2011 figures roll out -- remember, Q3 2011 was the last quarter in a long string with the aging iPhone 4 as Apple's "newest" device. Stranger still, Nokia is slotted third with just 14 percent of the global share, representing a precipitous drop from 33 percent a year ago. Similarly, Nokia's fortunes are apt to change with both the N9 finally out and its spate of Windows Phone devices heading out in short order. Hop on past the break for the full breakdown.
Show full PR text
Strategy Analytics: Samsung Becomes World's Number One Smartphone Vendor in Q3 2011

BOSTON, Oct 27, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 44 percent annually to reach a record 117 million units in the third quarter of 2011. Samsung overtook Apple to claim top spot as the world's number one smartphone vendor.

Alex Spektor, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, "Global smartphone shipments grew 44 percent annually to reach a record 117 million units in Q3 2011. Samsung shipped 28 million smartphones and overtook Apple to become the world's largest smartphone vendor by volume with 24 percent market share. Samsung's rise has been driven by a blend of elegant hardware designs, popular Android services, memorable sub-brands and extensive global distribution. Samsung has demonstrated that it is possible, at least in the short term, to differentiate and grow by using the Android ecosystem."

Neil Mawston, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, "After just one quarter in the top spot, Apple slipped behind Samsung to second position and captured 15 percent share. Apple's global smartphone growth rate slowed to just 21 percent annually in Q3 2011, its lowest level for two years. We believe Apple's growth during the third quarter was affected by consumers and operators awaiting the launch of the new iPhone 4S in the fourth quarter, volatile economic conditions in several key countries, and tougher competition from Samsung's popular Galaxy S2 model."

Tom Kang, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, "Nokia reached 14 percent global smartphone share in Q3 2011, more than halving from 33 percent in Q3 2010. The transition from Symbian to Microsoft as Nokia's main smartphone platform has clearly been a very challenging process this year. The recent launch of the new Microsoft Lumia portfolio has helped to raise Nokia's profile, and Nokia will be hoping the partnership with Microsoft can drive at least an L-shaped recovery in its global smartphone market share over the next few months."

Exhibit 1: Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments and Market Share in Q3 2011 (1)



Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments (Millions of Units) Q3 '10 Q3 '11
------------------------------------------------------ ------ ------
Samsung 7.5 27.8
Apple 14.1 17.1
Nokia 26.5 16.8
Others 32.9 55.3
------------------------------------------------------ ------ ------
Total 81.0 117.0
====================================================== ====== ======
Global Smartphone Vendor Marketshare % Q3 '10 Q3 '11
------------------------------------------------------ ------ ------
Samsung 9.3% 23.8%
Apple 17.4% 14.6%
Nokia 32.7% 14.4%
Others 40.6% 47.3%
------------------------------------------------------ ------ ------
Total 100.0% 100.0%
====================================================== ====== ======
Total Growth Year-over-Year % 86.5% 44.4%


The full report, Samsung Becomes World's No.1 Smartphone Vendor in Q3 2011, is published by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Smartphone Strategies (WSS) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/64cqrpr .

Engadget Distro Issue 10: It's alive! And ready for download

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 06:15 AM PDT

They're creepy, they're kooky, they're your favorite Frankengadgets and they've invaded the latest issue of Engadget Distro. But fear not, this edition of our fine weekly isn't all about chopping and screwing the devices you love, we've got plenty of other real-life gadgets on hand as well. See that tiny silver sliver on the cover? That's ASUS' Zenbook UX31, perhaps the most viable candidate for the Ultrabook throne. It may not be as thin and light, but we're also bringing you a review of Dell's lightweight XPS 14z, an ergonomically sound laptop with a sizable asking price. On the mobile front, Myriam Joire says hello and goodbye to Nokia's N9 MeeGo phone and Zach Honig gets his hands on its brother from another operating system, the Lumia 800. Nokia's claiming its latest is the "first real Windows Phone," but Sharif Sakr's review of the HTC Titan might just prove otherwise. We'll also bring you a look into Tech News Today host Iyaz Akhtar's geeky upbringing, our latest installation of In Real Life and an exclusive comic from Ed Piskor. So what are you waiting for? Hop on that iPad or hit the PDF download link below, and soak up all that Distro goodness.

Distro Issue 10 PDF
Distro on the iTunes App Store
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

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Escort's SmartCord Live brings radar detection, KRS-One to your smartphone (video)

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 05:54 AM PDT

Evading the long arm of the law, as we all know, is infinitely easier with a radar detector onboard -- and even easier if said detector is hooked up to a cloud. That's the idea behind the SmartCord Live, a new power cord from the eagle-eyed folks at Escort. Once connected to your car's radar detector and lighter socket, this Bluetooth-enabled bundle will communicate with your iPhone or Android handset through a specialized app. Once that's taken care of, you'll be hooked up to Escort Live -- a so-called "social network for the road." There, you'll find access to Escort's Defender database, full of real-time geographic information on verified speed traps, red light cameras and other roadway surveillance systems. Once your detector picks up a threat, you can press a "report" button on the cord or app to instantly send out a big "five-oh" to all other Escort users in the area, while boosting your Karma quotient, in the process. Find out more about the cord and its corollary system, after the break.

Mystery Motorola devices headed for Verizon, could be the long-awaited Xoom 2s?

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 05:33 AM PDT

Is Big Red gearing up for a tag team Moto tablet refresh? From the looks of this internal screen grab (and the oodles of pre-release leaks), that may very well be the case. Despite the lack of official confirmation from both parties, we're pretty certain those two mystery model numbers shown above -- MZ617 and MZ609 -- belong to the oft in-the-wild spotted Xoom 2 and its 8.2-inch "Media Edition" sibling. Unfortunately, that listed October 23rd date has come and gone with nary a mention of the slates' existence, so we'll just have to content ourselves with evidence of their apparent 4G capabilities and storage configurations. Folks keen to snag the full-fledged 10.1-incher will purportedly be able to select from 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, whereas lil' bro Fleming offers up 16GB and 32GB options. With Google's Motorola acquisition looming overhead, these could be your go-to tabs for an unadulterated Ice Cream Sandwich experience. And, hey, at least they'll ship with LTE this time.

ITG xpPhone 2 to get some Windows 8 love, starts living large in January

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 04:59 AM PDT

Let's be honest: with the size of a brick and a relatively short battery life, it's no surprise that ITG's xpPhone hasn't quite dominated the smartphone market since its launch back in November. In fact, we haven't even seen one in the wild, and we certainly wouldn't have missed it if there ever was one on the street. That said, ITG hasn't given up, as the company's just announced its second-generation Windows-powered smartphone. The reason? Well, interestingly enough, ITG prefers Windows' greater range of compatible software compared to those of mobile OSes, namely Android and iOS. Let's just leave it at that for now.

Simply dubbed the xpPhone 2, this beast of a QWERTY slider packs a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 chip, along with 2GB RAM, up to 112GB of SSD storage, 4.3-inch display and compatibility with both Windows 7 and Windows 8 -- obviously the latter OS will depend on its final release date. Not only has battery life been bumped up to around 18 hours of call time or 46 days on standby, but the phone's also been slimmed down to 140mm x 73mm x 17.5mm, which is a huge improvement compared to its bulky predecessor. With the touch-friendly Windows 8 on board along with a non-underclocked CPU, we have a feeling that the xpPhone 2 will at least fare much better than Fujitsu's F-07C; as for the rest, we shall see when it comes out in January next year. And no, it probably won't run Crysis.

Update: Looks like we were misled by the company's other promotional photos and thus mistakenly thought the xpPhone 2 will have a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. This would explain the slimmer body then.
ITG xpPhone 2

Samsung Galaxy Note review

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 04:15 AM PDT

Remember the display on your first mobile phone? If you've been chatting on the go for as long as we have, it was probably barely big enough to fit a complete telephone number -- let alone a contact name or text message. And your first smartphone? Even displaying scaled-down, WAP versions of web pages was asking a lot. Now, those mobile devices we couldn't live without have screens that are much, much larger. Sometimes, though, we secretly wish they were even bigger still.

Samsung's new GT-N7000 Galaxy Note is the handset those dreams are made of -- if you happen to share that dream about obnoxiously large smartphones, that is. It's as thin as a Galaxy S II, lightning fast and its 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display is as gorgeous as it is enormous; the 1280 x 800 pixels you once could only get with a full-size laptop (or in the Galaxy Tab 10.1) can now slide comfortably into your front pocket. Its jumbo display makes it the perfect candidate for a notepad replacement and, with the included S Pen stylus, you'll have no problem jotting notes on the fly, marking up screenshots or signing documents electronically. But, is that massive display too much of a good thing? You'll need to jump past the break to find out.
Samsung Galaxy Note review
Samsung Galaxy Note vs. Galaxy S II

Hardware


If you were holding out for a device that bridges the gap between smartphone and tablet, you'll want to take Note. It's an absolutely massive Android handset and a high-res pocketable tablet rolled into one. If you have the hands to support it, it may just be the best thing to happen to mobile devices since the capacitive touchscreen. You can take notes, doodle between (or during) meetings and make phone calls. Those calls can be placed using the built-in earpiece and mic, or via a Bluetooth headset, which we would recommend. Holding something this large up to your ear can be rather unpleasant -- and unsightly.

If you've used a Samsung Galaxy S II, then you're already familiar with the Note -- the design is quite similar, though it's significantly larger, measuring 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65mm, compared with 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49mm for the GS II. It's significantly heavier too: 178 grams (6.3 ounces) compared to its 116g (4.09-ounce) predecessor. There's an eight megapixel camera with LED flash on the back and a two megapixel shooter up front. The Note may be awkwardly large for some functions, but snapping photos feels natural enough. There's also 1080 / 30p HD video recording, with support for MPEG-4, H.263 and H.264 codecs. You can store all that multimedia on the 16GB of internal memory, expandable by up to 32GB with a microSD card -- both of which can be accessed via the micro-USB port. There's also Bluetooth 3.0+ HS support and 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi.


With support for 21Mbps HSPA+ (850, 900, 1900, 2100Mhz), LTE, EDGE and GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz), the Note is first and foremost a mobile phone -- one that would be quite happy on AT&T if you wanted to import. You could carry it in one pocket with your celly in another, but you don't need to. It's running Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor, which performed incredibly well during our benchmark tests (more on that later). The Note offers a full suite of sensors, including an accelerometer, compass and barometer, along with proximity and light. There's also A-GPS and GLONASS for enhanced positioning -- even in Russia.

There's an earphone grill up top, just above the Samsung logo, followed by ambient light and proximity sensors to the right, then a front-facing cam near the edge. A single rectangular button at the bottom peeks out from beneath the display, flanked by touch-sensitive backlit return and menu controls. On the top right of the sleek silver bezel you'll find the power button, with a 3.5mm headphone jack up there too and volume slider on the left. The micro-USB connector is centered at the bottom, just to the left of where you slide in the S Pen. That's flush with the Note's flimsy plastic rear panel, which will only need removing when you want to insert a SIM or microSD card -- or swap out the generous 2,500mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy Note size comparison shots

Display


1280 x 800 pixels in a smartphone display is quite a feat, and it's just as impressive to behold as it sounds. The Note's 5.3-inch Super AMOLED screen is incredibly bright, vibrant and detailed, thanks to its 285ppi resolution. It doesn't have the highest pixel density in the world (the smaller Galaxy Nexus trumps it slightly, as does Apple's Retina panel in the iPhone 4 and 4S), but it's enough to make graphics amazingly smooth -- you'll have a hard time seeing individual pixels with the naked eye. Viewing photos and graphics, web pages and even newspaper articles in PressReader is quite the treat when you have this much visual real estate to work with.

Colors on the Note pop just as they do on the GS II, that eye-pleasing contrast and saturation we've come to love from Samsung's AMOLED displays, and little vibrancy is lost when viewed from the side. However, color accuracy does start to wander a bit. This is indeed a PenTile display, just like the upcoming Galaxy Nexus, and so there are more green sub-pixels than any other color. This gives everything an ever-so slightly sickly tinge, especially when viewed off-angle. Still, you'll have no problem watching videos or reviewing your sketches with a group of friends -- assuming none of them are hue purists.

If you fall within the camp of smartphone users that absolutely swears off onscreen keyboards, the Note's display may just win you over. A larger display means larger keys, which are easier to see and simpler to tap accurately -- if you can reach them. You can also use the S Pen to replace the keyboard entirely, letting you write in individual letters or entire words. Character and handwriting recognition isn't perfect, but it is quite good. When we scribbled "hello" as you can see in the picture below it was recognized perfectly, though less common words (particularly web addresses) were a little less reliable.

Loudspeaker / earpiece

The Note's speaker sure is loud, though Samsung hasn't pulled any magic tricks out of the hat here when it comes to audio quality. Do you like listening to music or watching movies through tinny desktop speakers? Well, then you might not mind the Note. There's nothing exceptional about the little tweeter inside here besides its volume, so you'll want to take advantage of that 3.5mm headphone jack whenever possible. The only accessory Samsung included with our review sample was a UK power cord, so we can't speak to the pack-in headphones the company will provide, but unsurprisingly our own pair worked just fine.

There's an FM radio app, just in case you run out of stored tunes or want to leave the playlist generation up to a professional. You'll need to plug in a set of earphones to use as an antenna and our generic buds naturally seemed to do the trick -- though we could only pull in a half dozen stations while standing next to a window in Central London, and the ones that we did get were mostly static.


If you do plan on making phone calls with the Note, you can expect average performance. We placed a few test calls -- some local and some across the Atlantic -- and things sounded just fine on both ends, though not overly crisp. Callers on the other end of the line were barely able to distinguish between calls made using the earpiece and those placed with the speakerphone, even when speaking a foot or two away from the handset. The Note's strengths clearly lie in what you can do with that generous display and S Pen, though it's a perfectly functional phone just the same.

Camera



It's safe to say that the device offered more than acceptable performance. That's to be expected, as it appears to be using the same sensor and camera getup we've loved in the other Galaxy S II iterations thus far. During our indoor shoot, the camera was able to balance color and exposure properly with most subjects in still mode. The autofocus worked well most of the time and the built-in flash popped with the correct amount of power -- our subjects were not blown out. We needed to stay a few inches away from subjects in order to get the camera to focus, even in macro mode -- so don't expect to be able to snap extreme close-ups. Also, noise was an issue in darker scenes and the camera was unable to compensate for low light in some areas.
Samsung Galaxy Note sample shots

In video mode, noise was a problem too, but in a different sort of way: the mic seemed a bit overboosted, picking up quite a whoosh with the slightest hint of a breeze. When filming, the camera had a difficult time focusing and exposing at times, with some elements left soft or overexposed. White balance was generally acceptable, but it did take a few seconds for the camera to adjust when moving quickly between scenes.


Software and S Pen


Don't call it a stylus! Samsung prefers S Pen and, with features that you won't find on just any plastic poker, it might even deserve the distinction. One of our favorites is the ability to tap and hold to capture an instant screenshot, which is then immediately opened up in an image editor. There you can mark up the grab, circling elements, signing documents, making doodles -- whatever you want to do, really. From there you can send it on to social media sites, email addresses or save it on the device.


Next up are some gestures that can be executed by holding the button on the S Pen and swiping. It's worth noting that button is practically microscopic. Our fingers often had a hard time finding it. But, once located, you can hold it down and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to emulate pressing the menu button. Swipe on from the right to emulate the back button. There's no gesture replicating Home, but since it's an actual, physical button here you can always just stab at it with the stylus -- or a finger, we suppose.

The phone has an integrated quick note function, which lets you pull up a sticky-size memo pad from any page on the device. Simply press the S Pen button and double tap -- you can make a note, save it and pull it up easily later. The pad doubles in size when you access if from a dedicated app, giving you more space to make additional doodles. Like all of the drawing applications, you have a selection of pen styles, sizes and colors to choose from.

There are a variety of unique apps designed to take advantage of the S Pen, including the preloaded S Memo app, which collects your quick memos and provides a platform for creating longer form notes, and a handful of downloadable apps, available through the S Choice store. Hello Crayon is designed for children to create colorful sketches with crayons and markers in a variety of colors -- it may have been created with kids in mind, but we still had a good time scribbling with it. Hello Color Pencil is quite similar but, as you've possibly guessed, swapping crayons for colored pencils. There's also Hello Chalk, and you can surely infer the medium of choice there.

Other than that we're looking at Android Gingerbread -- a bit of a shame as the onscreen buttons in Ice Cream Sandwich would work much more cleanly with the S Pen. The UI has certainly been Touchwiz'd, but as with the other recent Galaxy products we're fond of the customizations here.
Galaxy Note screenshots

Performance and benchmarks

The Galaxy Note may slot squarely in between a phone and a tablet in terms of physical dimensions, but when it comes to performance we're happy to report it leans much closer to the latter than the former -- in many cases surpassing even that class of devices. We ran it through the gamut of typical benchmarks and found nearly everything predictably out-pacing this device's Galaxy S II predecessor.

In quadrant this husky phone threw down a 3,998, compared to the GS II's 3,200. Linpack single and multi found 64.30 and 95.66 MFLOPS, compared to 55 and 81. Nenamark 1 and 2 resulted in 57.67 and 32.8, it hit 51.77 at Neocore and ran through SunSpider in 2,902ms. These are very, very good scores, out-classing the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in most cases and really raising the smartphone bar.

Galaxy Note Galaxy S II Galaxy Tab 10.1
Quadrant 3,998 3,200 1,769
Linpack (single-thread) 64.30 55 23.67
Linpack (multi-thread) 95.66 81 41.22
Nenamark1 56.67 59.8 42.7
Neocore 51.77 59.8 N/A
SunSpider 9.1 2,902 3,369 2,330

Wrap-Up


The Galaxy Note is one of those devices that you'll either completely love or totally hate -- its sheer size alone will certainly be a barrier for those with smaller hands (or pockets). With the Note, Samsung has managed to create one of the world's largest smartphones, but cunningly it's also an incredibly compact tablet with a high-resolution display -- the same as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet -- without the high-resolution footprint. It's compact enough to slip in your pocket and powerful enough to replace both of your portable devices. Still, it won't be for everyone. This is one case where you'll definitely want to get your own hands on one before signing up to any two-year commitments, if only to see if it will fit in your hands as well as your budget.

Note: At this time Samsung has not provided US availability or pricing. The Note will go on sale in Germany on October 31st, and the UK on November 2nd. Pricing will be carrier-dependent.

Update: Others are reporting a date of the 3rd for the UK now. A bit longer to wait, but it'll be worth it.

James Trew, Sharif Sakr and Myriam Joire contributed to this review.

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

Korean researchers create stretchy transistors made of graphene

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 03:10 AM PDT

Graphene's greatness comes from its flexibility, both figurative -- you can make everything from transparent speakers to stain resistant pants with the stuff -- and literal. And now researchers in Korea have given us another pliable graphene product by creating a stretchy transistor from the carbon allotrope. The trick was accomplished by first layering sheets of graphene on copper foil and bonding it all to a rubber substrate. To complete the transistor channels were etched onto its surface, then electrodes and gate insulators made of ion gel were printed onto the device. What resulted was a transistor that could stretch up to five percent without losing any electrical efficiency, and the plan is to increase its elasticity through continued research. Keep up the good work, fellas, we can't wait for our flexible phone future.

Garmin announces FR70 fitness watches to keep you on track

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 02:34 AM PDT

Looking to keep those New Year's resolutions past the first week of January in 2012? Garmin's out to help you stay the course with its FR70 fitness watches for both guy and gals. Using this trainer's timepiece, you'll be able to track your workout time, heart rate and calories burned right on your wrist. Powered by ANT+ technology, the FR70 can connect to compatible devices like treadmills, bikes, elliptical machines, your boyfriend's Segway, etc. For avid runners, pairing the watch with a wireless foot pod will clue you in on speed, distance and cadence during your training sessions. If biking is more your style, a pace sensor is available for you as well. Combine an FR70 with the Tanita BC-1000 system and you can track weight, water levels, body fat and a handful of other measurements that will be stored right on the device. Once all the data is collected, it can be sent to Garmin Connect whenever you return with range of your PC. The pair will be available in the UK, starting in November, for £129 / €139 ($197). If you need some reading while you're lacing up those Nikes, hit the PR button for the full skinny.
Show full PR text
Garmin FR70 Fitness Watch That Keeps You Motivated
Posted October 27, 2011

Garmin the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the FR70 fitness watch – a sleek fitness watch plus workout tool that tracks users' time, heart rate, calories burned and when combined with one of Garmin's powerful accessories will track pace and speed. The FR70 is available in both a men's and women's version and comes with a premium heart rate monitor.

"A lightweight, comfortable and stylish watch that helps users accomplish their goals is what the FR70 is all about," said Andy Silver, Garmin's EMEA Product Manager for Fitness. "Wear it as an every day time piece and keep it on during walks, runs or fitness routines to monitor these activities and progress. The FR70 is also the perfect Christmas gift for those looking to be inspired to return to fitness. A great gift idea that will motivate the recipient to stick to those New Year Resolutions for longer in 2012."

Garmin the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the FR70 fitness watch – a sleek fitness watch plus workout tool that tracks users' time, heart rate, calories burned and when combined with one of Garmin's powerful accessories will track pace and speed. The FR70 is available in both a men's and women's version and comes with a premium heart rate monitor.

"A lightweight, comfortable and stylish watch that helps users accomplish their goals is what the FR70 is all about," said Andy Silver, Garmin's EMEA Product Manager for Fitness. "Wear it as an every day time piece and keep it on during walks, runs or fitness routines to monitor these activities and progress. The FR70 is also the perfect Christmas gift for those looking to be inspired to return to fitness. A great gift idea that will motivate the recipient to stick to those New Year Resolutions for longer in 2012."

The new FR70 men's and women's devices are expected to be available in November 2011. The FR70 has a suggested retail price of £129/€139.

FR70 is the latest solution from Garmin's expanding fitness segment, which focuses on developing technologies and innovations to enhance users' lives and promotes healthy and active lifestyles. Whether it's running, cycling, or other athletic pursuits, Garmin fitness devices are becoming essential tools for athletes both amateur and elite. For more about features, pricing and availability, as well as information about Garmin's other fitness products and services, go to http://www.garmin.com/uk/products/sports-fitness/, http://garmin.blogs.com/uk/ and http://twitter.com/garminuk.

Pure Music looks to give Spotify a run for its money, but only in the UK

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 01:19 AM PDT

If you're looking to save a little coin on your Adele streaming habits, Pure Music may be worth a look. Beginning in December, you can have millions of songs at your fingertips for £4.99 (about $8) a month -- but only in the UK. Music on-demand, internet radio and other programs will be available for your laptop, iOS device or one of the company's many WiFi capable devices, all for a monthly sum that's slightly cheaper than Spotify. Should you make use of the Tag bookmarking system on one of Pure's radios, you'll be able to access those highlighted tracks on your smartphone or computer as well. Don't worry Android faithful, an app tailored for you is in the works. Need a peek at the fine print? No worries, just hit the source link below and read away.

Warpia's StreamHD Value Edition does wireless USB to HDMI on the (kinda) cheap

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 12:15 AM PDT

Warpia StreamHD Value Edition
Were you intrigued by Warpia's StreamHD, but turned off by its $170 price? Well maybe the new Value Edition (or VE to the cool kids) will make you crack open that piggy bank. At $130 we still wouldn't call the StreamHD VE an impulse purchase, but it's certainly not a budget buster. In the package is the same USB adapter, a wireless receiver and an A/V base with an HDMI out -- and the company still throws in an HDMI cable to boot. What do you lose to land that $40 discount? Well 5.1 surround sound for one. There's no S/PDIF out and only stereo audio is supported over HDMI. The A/V dock also cuts out the 3.5mm audio out jack, but chances are you weren't using it anyway. Check out the complete PR and one more pic after the break.
Warpia StreamHD Value Edition
Show full PR text
New Value Edition StreamHD from Warpia Brings Wireless PC-to-TV Content Streaming for Less

San Jose, CA. – Warpia, a premier technology brand dedicated to delivering intuitive connectivity solutions, announces the StreamHD Value Edition (StreamHD VE), a lower cost version of their popular StreamHD. The StreamHD VE with HD video and stereo audio enables users to stream any content from their notebook or PC wirelessly to an HDTV in 1080p full high definition. Content such as streaming video, pictures, movies, presentations, Facebook, Twitter and other applications can be shown on your HDTV in the room without the hassle and clutter of wires while you continue to use your laptop screen to surf the web, check email, and more. Two screens at once, Warpia now extends your world wirelessly for $129.99 SRP at www.warpia.com/products/streamhd-value-edition-swp110a

Streaming True 1080p Resolution

The StreamHD VE streams your video content in true 1080p (1920 x 1280) high definition. Connect the receiver base to your display via HDMI, and then attach the wireless USB adapter to your computer. The digital content on your PC or laptop will come to life on your HDTV, all wirelessly.

Extend Your Entertainment Space with HDMI

Whether wirelessly connected to an HDTV in the living room or a projector in a meeting room, Warpia allows users to easily and conveniently extend their PC workspace. The StreamHD VE provides users with a simple HDMI single-cable connection to their target display.

Enjoy content from your favorite video streaming sites at full resolution and turn the Internet experience into a home theater experience. You can stream content with ease to your HDTV from Hulu, Netflix, CinemaNow, YouTube, Amazon Video on Demand, and more.

The StreamHD VE has a 30-foot wireless range for streaming content between your computer and your display. Whether your computer is across the room or in the next room, as long as it's in the 30' line-of-sight, you can enjoy full 1080p playback of your digital video and audio.

Extend and Mirror Modes

The StreamHD VE allows unmatched flexibility for users. Displays can be set in mirror mode so that both screens show the same image. Users looking to multi-task can set displays in extend mode, which allows one image to stream wirelessly to your TV while maintaining full use of your laptop or PC screen.

About Warpia:

Warpia, a premier technology brand, is dedicated to delivering advanced connectivity solutions to the mainstream. Providing superior technical support and customer service, Warpia uses UWB technology to optimize your home office or home entertainment experience. For more information, please visit www.warpia.com.

Microsoft: Windows Phone Mango now being delivered to '100 percent' of compatible devices

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 11:11 PM PDT

We just heard last week that the Windows Phone Mango update was available on nearly every compatible device, and Microsoft has now made things completely official. In a post on the Windows Phone blog today, Microsoft confirmed that it's "now delivering Mango to 100 percent of eligible phones around the world, regardless of carrier." That feat was reached less than a month after Microsoft announced that Mango was available on half of Windows Phones, which certainly an improvement on the pace of the earlier NoDo update. Included in this last batch is the LG Optimus 7 on Telefonica is Spain and the Samsung Omnia 7 on Deutsche Telekom. Now, about that Apollo update...

Amazon's gift card restriction patent: puts some thought in your otherwise thoughtless present

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 10:07 PM PDT

We all have that one friend or family member that's nigh impossible to shop for, whether it's because they have everything or like nothing. Gift cards are the quick and dirty solution to this gifting conundrum, but what if you don't trust that special someone to make a purchase you'd be proud to call your present? Never fear, Amazon is here... with a new patent that lets you, the gift-giver, control which of the retailer's wares can be bought with its gift cards. Of course, those who aren't such control freaks can simply have the card make purchase recommendations instead. Plus, this gift card of tomorrow can also let you know what was bought with the card to give you some insight for future gifting occasions. Maybe then you'll be able to give your mother-in-law something she'll like, instead of just some repurposed retail cash.

Murata Manufacturing shows off self-balancing electric walking aid

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 09:03 PM PDT

Walking assistants of the future come in all shapes and sizes -- from exoskeletons to high-tech walkers -- and you can now also this electric walking aid from Murata Manufacturing to the list of possibilities. It's inspired by some of the standalone robots that the company has built and, much like the Segway, it's able to maintain its balance and stand upright on its own (with an extra set of wheels for some added security). Unlike traditional walkers, however, it requires virtually no effort to push, with built-in sensors able to detect how much the person's body is tilted, and how fast or slow it should move to keep up with them -- it's also apparently powerful to carry a person's luggage or groceries. As you might have suspected, however, it's still just a prototype, and the company isn't ready to say when it might become an actual product. Head on past the break for the company's recent demonstration at CEATEC.

iHome iW1 AirPlay wireless audio system finally available now, again, sort of

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 07:54 PM PDT

Remember back to September 26th when iHome's iW1 AirPlay speaker was supposed to be available? Curiously, the company's website continually listed the $300 system as "coming soon" (at least the times we checked), leaving iOS and iTunes users yearning for this cable-free audio ware in the proverbial dust. Now, a full month later, iHome has again announced the release of this flagship wireless speaker, even though it's still out of stock itself. According to the company, a quick trip to an Apple Store, Best Buy or Crutchfield should let you snag one, although, the latter's site won't have any until November 3rd. Here's to hunting -- and waiting for the smaller iW2 and iW3 units to get proper release dates. Full details in the press release after the break.
Show full PR text
iHome Delivers Wireless Audio Experience With Release of New iW1 Airplay Rechargeable Speaker System

Only Portable Rechargeable AirPlay® Speaker System on Market Now Available at Apple Store, Best Buy and Crutchfield

RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new era of wireless entertainment has arrived as iHome, a leading supplier of innovative iPad, iPhone and iPod speaker solutions, today released the iW1 Wireless Rechargeable Speaker System with AirPlay®. The iW1 is a portable speaker system that is easily set-up via the free iHome Connect app to stream crystal clear audio within Wi-Fi network range from your iTunes library or iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

"The portability, premium sound and proprietary app that ensures easy set-up, are all delivered at an affordable price; giving owners a perfect audio solution for their home."

"We're very excited with the final result of the iW1 and all it offers from both a design and feature standpoint," said Ezra S. Ashkenazi, President of iHome. "The portability, premium sound and proprietary app that ensures easy set-up, are all delivered at an affordable price; giving owners a perfect audio solution for their home."

Powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and controllable by the sleek, capacitive touch panel, iOS device or included remote control, the iW1 enables a truly wireless listening experience that employs Bongiovi Acoustics Digital Power Station (DPS) technology and four (4) active speakers for premium audio performance in a compact design. Using AirPlay, owners can wirelessly stream music over Wi-Fi to the unit from iTunes on their Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and enjoy music in any room of the house. AirPlay requires iTunes 10.1 or later and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 4.2 or later.

The iW1 is currently available for purchase at Apple Store, Best Buy and Crutchfield for $299. For detailed product information, please visit http://www.ihomeaudio.com/iW1BC/.

Samsung's Q3 2011 overall profit falls despite incredible phone sales

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 06:57 PM PDT

Ready for more dollars and cents earnings news? It's Samsung's turn, and when it comes to phones the news couldn't be better, where it notched an operating profit of $2.3 billion on record sales. Unfortunately, other parts of its massive business selling displays, memory chips, appliances, and more weren't as profitable, leading a quarterly profit of $3.8 billion, down 13% from the same period last year. We'll wait for a press release in English for more details, for now you can paw through bar graphs and figures in the accompanying slides.

Update: Now with English language press release included after the break.
Show full PR text
Samsung Electronics Announces Third Quarter 2011 Results
Consolidated operating profit reaches 4.25 trillion won on revenues of 41.27 trillion won
SEOUL, Korea
October 28, 2011

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced revenues of 41.27 trillion Korean won on a consolidated basis for the third quarter ended September 30, 2011, a three-percent increase year-on-year. For the quarter, the company posted consolidated net income of 3.44 trillion won, representing a 23-percent decrease year-on-year. Consolidated operating profit for the quarter was 4.25 trillion won.

In its earnings guidance disclosed on October 7, Samsung estimated third-quarter consolidated revenues would reach approximately 41 trillion won with an operating profit of 4.2 trillion won.

Highlighting the quarterly performance, the Telecommunications businesses recorded all-time high quarterly sales of 14.90 trillion won, up 37 percent from the previous year, with growth mainly driven by strong sales of Samsung's GALAXY smartphones. Operating profit for the businesses also hit a record 2.52 trillion won.

The Semiconductor unit also saw sales hit 9.48 trillion won during the June-to-September period, after posting 9.16 trillion won in the second quarter. Increased demand for NAND flash chips used in mobile devices and enhanced revenue in the System LSI Business, which creates mobile application processors and CMOS Image Sensors, supported overall profitability.

"Despite the difficult business environment due to the economic slowdown in developed markets, Samsung achieved a solid performance and recovered its double-digit operating profit margin in the quarter, driven by strong sales of our smartphones," said Robert Yi, Vice President and Head of Investor Relations.

Yi said Samsung's efforts to achieve balanced earnings across its component and sets businesses were beginning to materialize. "In anticipation of explosive growth in the mobile market, we have been focusing on fostering growth of certain component businesses, such as Mobile DRAM, application processors, NAND and OLED panels. These industry-leading technologies, combined with our design and software capabilities, have enhanced the competitiveness of our set products," he said.

Looking ahead into the fourth quarter – when industry demand is traditionally at its peak – Samsung expects sales of mobile devices to remain strong and flat panel TV shipments to increase. However, Yi cautioned that due to lingering global economic uncertainties, "We cannot rule out the possibility of demand growth slowing compared to previous years."

Capital expenditure in the third quarter amounted to 4.9 trillion won, bringing year-to-date total investments to around 16 trillion won. Samsung will announce Capex plans for fiscal year 2012 in the fourth quarter earnings report.

On the non-operating side, the rapid depreciation of the Korean won against the US dollar in September resulted in foreign exchange-related losses of around 420 billion won due to translation of foreign currency- denominated assets and liabilities. However, Samsung expects to recover the translation loss in the fourth quarter, considering the current strengthening of the won against the greenback.

NAND Demand Strong Amid Mobile Market Growth

Samsung's Semiconductor businesses – including Memory and System LSI – registered sales of 9.48 trillion won and a consolidated operating profit of 1.59 trillion won in the third quarter, declining both on-quarter and year-on-year.

The Memory Business posted 5.50 trillion won in sales for the quarter, down from 7.49 trillion won posted the same period of 2010 and 5.89 trillion won in the second quarter of this year. Profitability in DRAM remained weak despite growth in global PC shipments in the high-single digit percentage quarter-on-quarter and a push in sales of mobile and server DRAM. Despite sluggish market conditions, Samsung maintained solid profitability through its differentiated memory solutions and cost leadership based on its migration to 30-nanometer-class DRAM production.

The demand for NAND flash memory, which is a core component in mobile devices, remained strong as market growth in smartphones and tablet PCs continued to drive up orders. Spot prices for NAND flash memory rebounded in the third quarter due to decreased channel supply.

In the fourth quarter, demand for PC memory will remain weak but DRAM for mobile devices and servers is projected to keep growing with the introduction of new products and a boom in the smartphone business. Samsung expects to keep its frontrunner status in the global memory semiconductor industry with competitive products and differentiated cost structure.

OLED Panel Sales Brighten Outlook

The Display Panel Business recorded an operating loss of 90 billion won on revenue of 7.08 trillion won, representing a decline in sales of 13 percent compared with the same period last year.

Global market demand for large size LCD panels was flat with shipments rising just 1 percent quarter-on-quarter to 179 million units, while average sales prices of panels fell across the notebook PC, monitor and TV panel segments. However, Samsung's overall on-quarter profitability improved on the back of demand for OLED panels from the growing tablet device market. Sales of light-emitting diode (LED) panels for TVs also showed continuous growth.

Affected by the global economic slowdown, panel sales growth will continue to be limited in the fourth quarter although the year-end and Chinese New Year holidays are expected to lift demand. As demand for tablet devices increases, Samsung expects to maintain strong earnings momentum in the OLED business by broadening its customer base and offering a diverse product lineup.

The evolution of the industry will continue with LED TV panels sales expected to rise to account for more than 50 percent of the global market in the fourth quarter.


Record Profit Driven By Smartphone Sales Growth

The Telecommunications businesses – including mobile communications and telecommunication systems – posted a record operating profit of 2.52 trillion won on revenue of 14.90 trillion won. This represents an operating profit margin of 16.9 percent for the quarter.

Samsung's Mobile Communications Business saw revenues rise 39 percent year-on-year to 14.42 trillion won. Handset shipments rose more than 20 percent quarter-on-quarter, driven by growth in the smartphone segment where sales were up more than 40 percent on-quarter and 300 percent year-on-year. Samsung continued the global rollout of its flagship GALAXY SII, which has now sold more than 10 million units in the five months since its introduction.

Despite enhanced price competition, the average sales price of Samsung's handsets increased on-quarter, while sales volume for the GALAXY Tab portfolio of tablets increased with the expansion of the 8.9- and 10.1-inch devices into the lineup.

Samsung expects strong seasonal demand to drive sales of its diverse portfolio of smartphones in the fourth quarter assisted by the launch of new premium devices, including GALAXY Nexus which features the latest Android 4.0 operating system for the first time in a smartphone, and the 5.3-inch GALAXY Note which is opening a new mobile device category. Strong demand in developed countries will sustain tablet growth in the quarter.

For the Telecommunications Systems Business, sales and profitability improved year-on-year due to the expansion of its 4G Long-term Evolution (LTE) business and 3G network upgrade business. Samsung expects strong network sales growth with expansion of LTE business in North America and Asia as well as 3G network upgrade business globally.


Digital Media & Appliances Defies Market Conditions

The Digital Media & Appliances businesses – including Visual Display, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging and Digital Appliances – posted revenues of 14.36 trillion won for the third quarter.

Samsung's shipments of flat panel TVs outstripped market growth of more than 10 percent on-quarter, which was led by demand in emerging markets. Profitability also improved quarter-on-quarter as LED TV sales passed 50 percent of all Samsung LCD TVs sold for the quarter, reflecting the growing acceptance of the new technology.

With peak season demand in the fourth quarter expected to increase 30 percent on-quarter, Samsung aims to outperform the market and enhance profitability through marketing and sales expansion of premium products such as LED TVs and Smart TVs supported by customized TV applications.

For the Digital Appliances Business, the economic slowdown in developed markets resulted in weakening revenue and profitability, though sales grew in some emerging markets including the CIS and Africa. In the fourth quarter, the challenging global economy will continue to limit demand in developed markets although Samsung will look to target premium products for growth. Additionally, Samsung expects to capitalize on a slight increase in demand in emerging markets by expanding sales of its localized models.



About Samsung Electronics



Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of nine independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Microsoft cracks open a window to the future, anticipates our laziness (video)

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 06:31 PM PDT

In the future, we'll all be slaves to rectangles. No, really. Well, at least that's the prognosis, albeit sanitized, Microsoft has slickly pieced together in its Productivity Future Vision concept video. It's a mostly seamless world where all of our interactions are made to be mobile, virtual, efficient and white-washed, but it actually just reads as too darn fussy and overcomplicated. Sure, we could get behind contactless payment, tablets with holographic displays and eyeglasses that translate conversations when you've just stepped off a red eye into some foreign destination -- that's all incredibly useful. But car windows with agenda overlays and transparent refrigerator door displays? Some things are better left lo-tech. For Redmond's part, the company's merely aiming to project ways these various implementations of "real technology" will intersect and "actively assist" us with our harried lives. Take a peek at MS' sanctioned tomorrow land and its sparse piano soundtrack after the break.

$35 Aakash Android tablet gets the hands-on treatment

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:24 PM PDT

While everyone was in a tizzy about Amazon's $199 Kindle Fire price point, the Indian government was busily working to help bring out the $35 Aakash Android tablet. The tablet was developed with similarly good intentions as OLPC's XO laptop before it -- an attempt to get low-cost computing devices into the hands of students. One of the tablets landed in the VentureBeat offices this week. The site spent some hands-on time with the Froyo slate, and mostly liked what it saw, noting that seeming compromises made for price and a speedy release date ultimately benefit the whole of the device. The tablet will start hitting India next month, at the $35 government-subsidized pricepoint (actual retail price is a still mega-cheap $60).

Archon Genomics X Prize offers up $10 million for sequencing 100 human genomes

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:01 PM PDT

Sure, we've come to love the X Prize for all of its crazy futuristic car building and moon racing contests, but the latest competition is decidedly smaller -- at least in one sense. For the Archon Genomics X Prize, the foundation is asking teams to sequence "medical grade" human genomes -- 100 of them, in fact -- using the DNA of 100 centenarians (folks who've made it to the ripe old age of 100), referred to pithily as the "Medco 100 Over 100." The centenarian DNA may contain secrets to overcoming disease -- after all, they made it to 100 for a reason. The competition opens to teams on January 3rd of next year -- once completed, the data gathered will be opened up to researchers. Press info can be unlocked after the break.
Show full PR text
Introducing the Archon Genomics X PRIZE presented by Medco

The Archon Genomics X PRIZE presented by Medco is a $10 Million incentivized Competition, challenging scientists to design rapid, inexpensive and accurate whole human genome sequencing technologies.

How will you benefit from advancements in whole genome sequencing? A complete and accurate genomic sequence will be a vital diagnostic tool. Then you and your doctor would be able to make informed decisions about your health care, ushering in a new era of personalized medicine.

Teams registered in this competition are required to sequence 100 human genomes to a degree never before achieved, contributing to the first 100 "medical grade" genomes. To make the competition scientifically valuable for all of us, every team will be given the DNA of 100 centenarians (100 years old or older) to sequence. These 100 genomic pioneers are known as the 'Medco 100 Over 100.'

Centenarians may carry genetic variations that avoid or repress common ailments. With more than 7,000 diseases recognized; sequencing the Medco 100 Over 100 may further our knowledge of the secrets to a long and healthy and life.

Upon completion of the Competition, researchers from around the world will have open access to the data gained by sequencing the Medco 100 Over 100. This rich data may well benefit research efforts into common as well as rare diseases.

By decoding the secrets to a long and healthy life, therapies and drugs may be developed creating radical medical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity.

I hope you will follow our X PRIZE Team on this blog, Facebook and Twitter. We promise exciting news and fascinating stories as the Archon Genomics X PRIZE presented by Medco counts down to the Competition date, January 3, 2013.

Nokia N8 clicks its heels three times, finds a Symbian Anna service pack update

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 04:35 PM PDT

What's a megabyte and is heading to the Nokia N8? Surprisingly, it's a service pack update for Symbian Anna. It's not too often wonderful things come in small packages, but we appreciate the fast download so we can move on with our daily grind pretty fast. Among the entries in the update's change log are performance and usability enhancements, faster email and messaging, better GPS locks and plenty more. It only appears to be finding its way to the N8 for now, though we imagine it won't be too long before it makes cameo appearances on the other Anna devices. If you want to get cracking on the service pack, it's available over the air and through the Nokia Suite. Now, if only Belle would come knocking on the door...

FCC's 'Connect America Fund' redirects phone fees to provide rural broadband

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 03:57 PM PDT

The Federal Communications Commission has just unveiled a new plan that'll overhaul an $8 billion fund that's currently used to "subsidize phone service in rural areas and for the poor," pointing that money towards buildouts in the ambitious rural broadband initiative. Most critics suggest that the existing fee model is severely outdated, and in fact, encourages "perverse schemes by carriers to stimulate certain kinds of phone traffic." Not surprisingly, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has said that he "doesn't expect" phone rates to increase for most consumers, and the agency's currently estimating a $2.2 billion savings from fees that are currently paid out to phone companies. Politics aside, the goal here is to provide broadband access (however that's defined) to every American by the end of the decade, with Genachowski quipping: "We are taking a system designed for the Alexander Graham Bell era of rotary telephones and modernizing it for the era of Steve Jobs and the internet future he imagined." Pretty sure more than just Jobs had visions of a connected future, but we're following the logic, Jules.
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FCC CREATES 'CONNECT AMERICA FUND' TO HELP EXTEND HIGH-SPEED INTERNET TO 18 MILLION UNSERVED AMERICANS; CREATING JOBS & INCREASED CONSUMER BENEFITS

Agency delivers bipartisan vote to modernize America's communications infrastructure and expand broadband throughout the nation

Washington, D.C. – In the most significant policy step ever taken to connect all Americans to high-speed Internet, wherever they live, the FCC voted unanimously to comprehensively reform its Universal Service Fund and intercarrier compensation systems. Those systems have been widely viewed as broken, and long overdue for reform. Efforts to expand high-speed Internet to rural America over the next six years will increase economic growth by $50 billion over that period, the FCC estimates.

These reforms create a new Connect America Fund with an annual budget of no more than $4.5 billion, which will extend broadband infrastructure to the millions of Americans who currently have no access to broadband. As a result, today's action has the potential to be one of the biggest job creators in rural America in decades. The FCC estimates that approximately 500,000 jobs will be created over the next six years by expanding high-speed Internet access to over 7 million Americans living in rural areas. And by increasing the overall size of the U.S. marketplace, small Main Street businesses across the country will benefit from the opportunity to sell to new customers.

As part of this reform, the FCC recognizes the growing importance of mobile broadband and makes it an independent universal service objective for the first time in history. Dedicated support to expand mobile broadband nationwide will be provided through a new Mobility Fund.

The Connect America Fund will put America on the path to universal broadband and advanced mobile coverage without increasing costs to consumers. By eliminating waste and targeting support where it is most needed, these reforms put universal service funding on a firm budget, and they will impose strict new accountability on fund recipients.

The Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking reflect broad input received by the FCC in over 2,700 comments from a diverse array of stakeholders. Further details are provided in the attached Executive Summary. The outlines of this comprehensive reform are as follows:

• INCREASED CONSUMER BENEFITS: The FCC estimates that, over the next six years, the Connect America Fund will expand broadband access to over 7 million residents of rural areas who are currently unserved, and will put the country on the path to universal broadband within a decade. The Mobility Fund will expand advanced mobile broadband access to tens of thousands of road miles, where millions of people work, live, and travel, and will include dedicated support for Tribal areas. Intercarrier compensation reform will eliminate hidden costs in consumer bills, providing economic benefits to long distance and wireless consumers across the nation of $2.2 billion annually in the form of lower prices, better value for the money, or both. Expanded broadband access will generate approximately 500,000 jobs over the next six years. As part of this reform, some consumers may pay, on average, an additional 10 to 15 cents a month on their bills; but for every dollar in cost, reform will provide $3 in benefits for consumers. And no additional charges can be imposed on consumer phone bills that are at or above $30 a month (inclusive of most fees consumers pay on their bills), nor can such charges be imposed on low-income consumers served by the FCC's Lifeline program. Any new charges will begin to decline after six years.

• COMMIT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: A firm annual budget set at current levels-$4.5 billion-will prevent growth in the Fund and help protect consumers from increased contribution fees. Programs that provide subsidies where they are not needed are eliminated, and compensation for corporate overhead expenses is reduced. Market-based mechanisms, including competitive bidding, will be used to distribute money more efficiently.

• DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY: In order to receive Connect America Fund support, carriers must demonstrate they are deploying broadband to their customers. These networks must meet performance criteria that enable the use of common applications such as distance learning, remote health monitoring, VoIP, two-way high quality video conferencing, Web browsing, and email.

• ENCOURAGE DEPLOYMENT OF MODERN NETWORKS: Intercarrier compensation distorts investment in technology and discourages investment in modern Internet Protocol networks. It is also unfair to consumers, forcing wireless and long distance customers to provide billions of dollars per year in hidden subsidies to phone companies. Reform will ensure fairness to consumers, promote competition, and foster innovation in communications services. In addition, the Order takes immediate action to end wasteful and costly gaming of the intercarrier system, including schemes such as phantom traffic and traffic pumping.

Action by the Commission, October 27, 2011, by Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 11-161). Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners Copps and Clyburn, with Commissioner McDowell approving in part and concurring in part. Separate statements issued by Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners Copps, McDowell, and Clyburn.


Docket Nos.: 10-90, 09-51, 07-135, 05-337, 01-92, 96-45, 03-109, 10-208
Wireline Competition Bureau Staff Contacts: Amy Bender, at 202-418-7400, and Victoria Goldberg at 202-418-1540

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Staff Contact: Margaret Wiener at 202-418-2176

-FCC-

HP to announce ARM-based servers next month, throw Intel a curveball

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 03:31 PM PDT

Sources close to Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal say that HP is primed to help ARM wrestle its way into the server game next month, citing unannounced plans that may challenge Intel's corner on the market. HP is said to be working with Calxeda, an outfit with dreams of outclassing today's servers by selling OEMs an ARM-based system on a chip that can be used to build high performance racks with low energy footprints. ARM, HP and Calxeda all declined to comment, although a spokesperson for Calxeda mentioned that it has a product release event scheduled for November 1st. Intel doesn't seem too concerned, and told the Wall Street Journal that ARM architecture still had a few hurdles to jump before it was ready for the server game. "We believe the best-performing platform will win." Spoken like a true sportsman, Intel. Game on.

Self-moving robot leads automatons in impending robot apocalypse (video)

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 03:06 PM PDT

Just in time for All Hallow's Eve shenanigans, scientists at MIT's DARPA and Boeing funded Chembots program have just introduced an uber creepy self-propelling robot quite capable of leading the robot apocalypse single-handedly. The automaton moves with the help of a pneumatic battery -- a power source that utilizes a hydrogen peroxide catalyst to inflate a soft silicone pod, in turn forcing the bot forward. With electropermanent magnets to regulate built-in valves, all it takes is a small current to activate the bot, which can regulate just how much H202 it will employ for a completely solo and super creepy zombie-like C-walk. Jump past the break to check out the video... if you dare.

AMD reports $1.69 billion in revenue for Q3, net income of $97 million

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 02:39 PM PDT

AMD
Things were starting to look pretty bleak in Q2 for AMD, but Q3 is an entirely different story. The company reported a revenue of $1.69 billion, up 7-percent from last quarter. More importantly, net income climbed to $97 million, up from just $61 million in Q2 and a far cry from the $118 million loss posted this time last year. Even the graphics division had good news to share. After the former ATI ran at an operating loss of $7 million last quarter, it netted $12 million in operating income in Q2. We wouldn't exactly call this the second coming of the CPU underdog, but it certainly should make fans and investors sleep a little better at night. Check out the complete PR after the break.
Show full PR text
AMD Reports Third Quarter Results

SUNNYVALE, CA, Oct 27, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- AMD AMD +4.87%

-- AMD revenue $1.69 billion, 7 percent sequential increase and 4 percent
increase year-over-year
-- Net income $97 million, earnings per share $0.13, operating income
$138 million
-- Non-GAAP(1) net income $110 million, earnings per share $0.15,
operating income $146 million
-- Gross margin 45 percent
-- More than 60 percent sequential increase in mobile Accelerated
Processor Unit (APU) shipments drives record mobile microprocessor
revenue and unit shipments

AMD today announced revenue for the third quarter of 2011 of $1.69 billion, net income of $97 million, or $0.13 per share, and operating income of $138 million. The company reported non-GAAP net income of $110 million, or $0.15 per share, and non-GAAP operating income of $146 million.

"Strong adoption of AMD APUs drove a 35 percent sequential revenue increase in our mobile business," said Rory Read, AMD president and CEO. "Despite supply constraints, we saw double digit revenue and unit shipment growth in emerging markets like China and India as well as overall notebook share gains in retail at mainstream price points. Through disciplined execution and continued innovation we will look to accelerate our growth and refine our focus on lower power, emerging markets, and the cloud."

GAAP Financial Results(2)


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q3-11 Q2-11 Q3-10
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenue $1.69B $1.57B $1.62B
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating income $138M $105M $128M
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income (loss) / Earnings (loss)
per share $97M/$0.13 $61M/$0.08 $(118)M/$(0.17)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------



Non-GAAP Financial Results(1)


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q3-11 Q2-11 Q3-10
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenue $1.69B $1.57B $1.62B
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating income $146M $114M $144M
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income / Earnings per share $110M/$0.15 $70M/$0.09 $108M/$0.15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Quarterly Summary

-- Gross margin was 45 percent.
-- Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities balance, including
long-term marketable securities, was $1.86 billion at the end of the
quarter.
-- Computing Solutions segment revenue increased 6 percent sequentially
and 5 percent year-over-year. Sequentially, higher mobile and server
microprocessor revenues were partially offset by lower desktop
revenue. The year-over-year increase was primarily driven by higher
mobile processor and chipset revenue.
-- Operating income was $149 million, compared with $142 million in
Q2 11 and $164 million in Q3 10.
-- Microprocessor ASP increased sequentially and decreased
year-over-year.
-- Leading notebook manufacturers including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP,
Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba continued to increase global
availability of their notebook platforms based on the AMD A-Series
APUs, bringing brilliant HD graphics and up to 10.5 hours of
battery life(3) to users worldwide.
-- Acer, ASUS, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba also
introduced ultraportable notebooks with improved performance and
battery life based on the updated AMD C- and E-Series APUs.
-- AMD introduced the first processors based on the next-generation
x86 "Bulldozer" architecture.
-- AMD launched the AMD FX series of desktop processors,
including the first-ever eight-core desktop processor that
enables extreme multi-display gaming, mega-tasking and HD
content creation. The 8-core AMD FX desktop processor also set
the Guinness World Record for 'Highest Frequency of a Computer
Processor'.(4)
-- The next-generation AMD Opteron(TM) processor codenamed
"Interlagos" began shipping in the quarter and has been
integrated into a significant number of new or upgraded
supercomputer installations including the High Performance
Computing Center Stuttgart, the UK's National Academic
Supercomputer Service, the Swiss National Supercomputing
Center and the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (ORNL) "Titan," which is expected to be one of the
world's fastest supercomputers.
-- AMD announced two advances in its work with the software
community to promote development of applications that take
full advantage of the computing power found in APUs and
discrete graphics processor units (GPUs).
-- AMD announced an AMD Fusion Fund investment in BlueStacks,
whose software enables Android applications to run on
Windows(R)-based devices.
-- AMD software partner MotionDSP announced that it has
optimized the industry-leading Ikena real-time video
reconstruction software for OpenCL(TM), to enable a 60
percent improvement on AMD FirePro(TM) professional
graphics.
-- Graphics segment revenue increased 10 percent sequentially and 4
percent year-over-year. The sequential increase was driven primarily
by seasonality in the add-in-board market. The year-over-year increase
was primarily driven by increased discrete mobile graphics revenue.
-- Operating income was $12 million, compared with operating loss of
$7 million in Q2 11 and operating income of $1 million in Q3 10.
-- GPU ASP increased sequentially and year-over-year.
-- AMD demonstrated the industry's first 28 nanometer mobile GPU.
AMD's next-generation family of high-performance graphics cards is
expected to ship for revenue later this year.
-- AMD launched the AMD Radeon(TM) HD 6990M GPU, the world's
fastest mobile graphics product(5) with support for
DirectX(R)11 gaming, AMD Eyefinity Technology multi-monitor
configurations driving up to six monitors, and AMD App
Acceleration that enhances the performance of a growing number of
games as well as multimedia and productivity applications.
-- AMD expanded the company's professional graphics solutions to the
real-time professional video and broadcast graphics market with
the launch of AMD FirePro(TM) SDI-Link.


Current Outlook

AMD's outlook statements are based on current expectations. The following statements are forward-looking, and actual results could differ materially depending on market conditions and the factors set forth under "Cautionary Statement" below.

AMD expects revenue to increase 3 percent, plus or minus 2 percent, sequentially for the fourth quarter of 2011.

For additional detail regarding AMD's results and outlook please see the CFO commentary posted at quarterlyearnings.amd.com.

AMD Teleconference

AMD will hold a conference call for the financial community at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) today to discuss its third quarter financial results. AMD will provide a real-time audio broadcast of the teleconference on the Investor Relations page of its Web site at AMD. The webcast will be available for 10 days after the conference call.

Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income (Loss) to Non-GAAP Net Income(1)



--------------------------------------------------
(Millions except per share
amounts) Q3-11 Q2-11 Q3-10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GAAP net income (loss) /
Earnings (loss) per share $ 97 $ 0.13 $ 61 $ 0.08 $ (118) $ (0.17)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity income (loss)
and dilution gain in - - - - (186) (0.25)
investee, net
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-GAAP net income
excluding GLOBALFOUNDRIES 97 0.13 61 0.08 68 0.09
related items
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amortization of
acquired intangible (8) (0.01) (9) (0.01) (16) (0.02)
assets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loss on debt
repurchase (5) (0.01) - - (24) (0.03)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-GAAP net income /
Earnings per share $ 110 $ 0.15 $ 70 $ 0.09 $ 108 $ 0.15
----------------------------------------------------------------------------



Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Operating Income(1)


----------------------------
(Millions) Q3-11 Q2-11 Q3-10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GAAP operating income $ 138 $ 105 $ 128
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amortization of acquired intangible assets (8) (9) (16)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-GAAP operating income $ 146 $ 114 $ 144
----------------------------------------------------------------------------



About AMD AMD AMD +4.87% is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its groundbreaking AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) that power a wide range of computing devices. AMD's server computing products are focused on driving industry-leading cloud computing and virtualization environments. AMD's superior graphics technologies are found in a variety of solutions ranging from game consoles, PCs to supercomputers. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com .

Cautionary Statement This release contains forward-looking statements concerning AMD, its fourth quarter 2011 revenue, demand for its products, supply of products from GLOBALFOUNDRIES, growth opportunities in low power, emerging markets and the cloud, and the timing of future product releases, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are commonly identified by words such as "would," "may," "expects," "believes," "plans," "intends," "projects," and other terms with similar meaning. Investors are cautioned that the forward-looking statements in this release are based on current beliefs, assumptions and expectations, speak only as of the date of this release and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Risks include the possibility that Intel Corporation's pricing, marketing and rebating programs, product bundling, standard setting, new product introductions or other activities targeting the company's business will prevent attainment of the company's current plans; the company will be unable to develop, launch and ramp new products and technologies in the volumes and mix required by the market and at mature yields on a timely basis; GLOBALFOUNDRIES will be unable to manufacture the company's products on a timely basis in sufficient quantities and using competitive technologies; the company will be unable to obtain sufficient manufacturing capacity or components to meet demand for its products or will under-utilize its commitment with respect to GLOBALFOUNDRIES' microprocessor manufacturing facilities; the company will be unable to transition its products to advanced manufacturing process technologies in a timely and effective way; global business and economic conditions will not continue to improve or will worsen resulting in lower than currently expected demand; demand for computers and consumer electronics products and, in turn, demand for the company's products will be lower than currently expected; customers stop buying the company's products or materially reduce their demand for its products; the company will require additional funding and may not be able to raise funds on favorable terms or at all; there will be unexpected variations in market growth and demand for the company's products and technologies in light of the product mix that it may have available at any particular time or a decline in demand; and the company will be unable to maintain the level of investment in research and development that is required to remain competitive. Investors are urged to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 2, 2011.

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Opteron, AMD Radeon, and combinations thereof, and are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and used to identify companies and products and may be trademarks of their respective owner.

(1) In this press release, in addition to GAAP financial results, the Company has provided non-GAAP financial measures, including for non-GAAP net income excluding GLOBALFOUNDRIES related items, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP earnings per share. These non-GAAP financial measures reflect certain adjustments as presented in the tables in this press release. The Company also provided Adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP Adjusted free cash flow as supplemental measures of its performance. These items are defined in the footnotes to the selected corporate data tables provided at the end of this press release. The Company is providing these financial measures because it believes this non-GAAP presentation makes it easier for investors to compare its operating results for current and historical periods and also because the Company believes it assists investors in comparing the Company's performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that it does not believe are indicative of its core operating performance and for the other reasons described in the footnotes to the selected data tables. Refer to corresponding tables at the end of this press release for additional AMD data.

(2) For the year 2010, the Company accounted for its investment in GLOBALFOUNDRIES under the equity method of accounting. Starting in the first quarter of 2011, the Company started accounting for its investment in GLOBALFOUNDRIES under the cost method of accounting.

(3) Testing conducted by AMD performance labs using a 2011 Sabine Reference Design "Torpedo" showed 628 minutes (10:28 hrs) using Windows Idle as a "Resting" metric. "Active" battery life using FutureMark(R) 3DMark(TM)06 as workload test showed 218 minutes (2:58 hrs). Battery life calculations are based on using a 6 cell Li-Ion 62.16Whr battery pack at 98% utilization. AMD defines "all-day" battery life as a score of 8+ hours.

(4) Testing conducted in AMD performance labs using liquid helium. Final frequency obtained was 8.429GHx on August 31, 2011. AMD's product warranty does not cover damages caused by overclocking, even when overclocking is enabled via AMD hardware or software.

(5) In tests conducted in AMD performance labs at 1920x1080, simulating mobile performance with a down-clocked desktop test system the AMD Radeon(TM) HD 6990M-based system was measured to be faster than the Nvidia GeForce 580M in the following benchmarks: Dragon Age 2 at 4AA/16AF (23.69% faster), Total War: Shogun 2 at 2xAA/16xAF (10.36% faster), Aliens vs. Predator at 2xAA/8xAF (13.19% faster), Batman: Arkham Asylum at 4xAA/16xAF (16.85% faster), ET: Quake Wars at 8xAA/16xAF (25.82% faster), Just Cause 2 at 0xAA/2xAF (14.22% faster), Left 4 Dead 2 at 0xAA/0xAF (8.30% faster), Metro2033 at AAA/4xAF (11.40% faster), The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena at 4xAA/8xAF (15.32% faster), Wolfenstein MP at 8xAA/16xAF (16.59% faster). Tests conducted with the following configuration: Asus M4A89GTD PRO/USB3, AMD Phenom(TM) II X4 965 (2.4GHz), 4GB (2GBX2GB), DDR3 system memory, Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 7 64-bit Ultimate operating system. Drivers: AMD Catalyst 8.861 RC1, Nvidia Driver 275.33 WHQL.


ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Millions except per share amounts and percentages)

Quarter Ended Nine Months Ended
---------------------------- ------------------
Oct. 1, Jul. 2, Sep. 25, Oct. 1, Sep. 25,
2011 2011 2010 2011 2010

-------- -------- -------- -------- --------

Net revenue $ 1,690 $ 1,574 $ 1,618 $ 4,877 $ 4,845

Cost of sales 934 854 879 2,710 2,627

-------- -------- -------- -------- --------

Gross margin 756 720 739 2,167 2,218

Gross margin % 45% 46% 46% 44% 46%

Research and development 361 367 359 1,095 1,053

Marketing, general and
administrative 249 239 236 749 684

Amortization of acquired
intangible assets 8 9 16 26 50

Restructuring reversals - - - - (4)

-------- -------- -------- -------- --------

Operating income 138 105 128 297 435

Interest income 3 2 3 8 9
Interest expense (42) (47) (56) (137) (160)
Other income (expense),
net (7) 4 (6) 8 297

-------- -------- -------- -------- --------

Income before equity
income (loss) and
dilution gain in investee
and income taxes 92 64 69 176 581

Provision (benefit) for
income taxes (5) 3 1 - (4)

Equity income (loss) and
dilution gain in
investee, net - - (186) 492 (489)

-------- -------- -------- -------- --------

Net income (loss) $ 97 $ 61 $ (118) $ 668 $ 96

-------- -------- -------- -------- --------

Net income (loss) per
share

Basic $ 0.13 $ 0.08 $ (0.17) $ 0.92 $ 0.13

Diluted $ 0.13 $ 0.08 $ (0.17) $ 0.90 $ 0.13

-------- -------- -------- -------- --------

Shares used in per share
calculation

Basic 729 724 713 725 710

Diluted 741 743 713 742 732



ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Millions)

-------- -------- --------
Oct. 1, Jul. 2, Dec. 25,
2011 2011 2010
-------- -------- --------

Assets

Current assets:
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable
securities $ 1,807 $ 1,861 $ 1,789
Accounts receivable, net 908 759 968
Inventories, net 540 642 632
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 157 176 205

-------- -------- --------

Total current assets 3,412 3,438 3,594

Long-term marketable securities 50 - -
Property, plant and equipment, net 697 686 700
Investment in GLOBALFOUNDRIES 486 486 -
Acquisition related intangible assets, net 11 19 37
Goodwill 323 323 323
Other assets 257 272 310

-------- -------- --------

Total Assets $ 5,236 $ 5,224 $ 4,964
======== ======== ========

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

Current liabilities:
Accounts payable $ 467 $ 455 $ 376
Accounts payable to GLOBALFOUNDRIES 151 117 205
Accrued liabilities 590 575 698
Deferred income on shipments to distributors 131 132 143
Other short-term obligations - - 229
Current portion of long-term debt and
capital lease obligations 489 4 4
Other current liabilities 27 29 19

-------- -------- --------

Total current liabilities 1,855 1,312 1,674

Long-term debt and capital lease obligations,
less current portion 1,571 2,195 2,188
Other long-term liabilities 66 76 82
Accumulated loss in excess of investment in
GLOBALFOUNDRIES - - 7

Stockholders' equity:
Capital stock:
Common stock, par value 7 7 7
Additional paid-in capital 6,652 6,637 6,575
Treasury stock, at cost (107) (106) (102)
Accumulated deficit (4,800) (4,897) (5,468)
Accumulated other comprehensive income
(loss) (8) - 1
-------- -------- --------

Total stockholders' equity 1,744 1,641 1,013

-------- -------- --------

Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 5,236 $ 5,224 $ 4,964
======== ======== ========


ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
(Millions)
Nine
Quarter Months
Ended Ended
-------- --------
Oct. 1, Oct. 1,
2011 2011
-------- --------
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income $ 97 $ 668
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
provided by operating activities:
Equity income and dilution gain in investee - (492)
Depreciation and amortization 79 247
Compensation recognized under employee stock plans 22 69
Non-cash interest expense 5 16
Other (5) 4
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable (150) (337)
Inventories 102 92
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 6 42
Other assets (4) (3)
Accounts payable to GLOBALFOUNDRIES 34 (54)
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other 3 (57)
-------- --------
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 189 $ 195
-------- --------

Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property, plant and equipment (58) (163)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 16 16
Purchases of available-for-sale securities (509) (1,461)
Proceeds from sale and maturity of available-for-sale
securities 585 1,415
Other - (17)
-------- --------
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities $ 34 $ (210)
-------- --------

Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from borrowings, net of issuance cost - 170
Net proceeds from foreign grants - 10
Proceeds from issuance of AMD common stock 2 17
Repayments of debt and capital lease obligations (153) (158)
Other (1) (5)
-------- --------
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities $ (152) $ 34
-------- --------
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 71 19
-------- --------
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period $ 554 $ 606
-------- --------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 625 $ 625
-------- --------


ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.
SELECTED CORPORATE DATA
(Millions except headcount)

Quarter Ended Nine Months Ended
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Segment and Category Oct. 1, Jul. 2, Sep. 25, Oct. 1, Sep. 25,
Information 2011 2011 2010 2011 2010

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Computing Solutions (1)
Net revenue $ 1,286 $ 1,207 $ 1,226 $ 3,693 $ 3,598
Operating income $ 149 $ 142 $ 164 $ 391 $ 438

Graphics (2)
Net revenue 403 367 390 1,183 1,239
Operating income (loss) 12 (7) 1 24 81

All Other (3)
Net revenue 1 - 2 1 8
Operating loss (23) (30) (37) (118) (84)

Total
Net revenue $ 1,690 $ 1,574 $ 1,618 $ 4,877 $ 4,845
Operating income $ 138 $ 105 $ 128 $ 297 $ 435

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Data

Depreciation and
amortization
(excluding amortization
of acquired intangible
assets) $ 71 $ 71 $ 79 $ 221 $ 244
Capital additions $ 58 $ 67 $ 31 $ 163 $ 110
Adjusted EBITDA (4) $ 239 $ 205 $ 245 $ 642 $ 790
Cash, cash equivalents
and marketable
securities (5) $ 1,857 $ 1,861 $ 1,726 $ 1,857 $ 1,726
Adjusted free cash flow
(6) $ 131 $ 143 $ 91 $ 428 $ 344
Total assets $ 5,236 $ 5,224 $ 4,595 $ 5,236 $ 4,595
Long-term debt and
capital lease
obligations, including
current portion $ 2,060 $ 2,199 $ 2,188 $ 2,060 $ 2,188
Headcount 12,019 11,599 11,021 12,019 11,021

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

See footnotes on the next page


(1) Computing Solutions segment includes microprocessors, chipsets and embedded processors.

(2) Graphics segment includes graphics, video and multimedia products developed for use in desktop and notebook computers, including home media PCs, professional workstations and servers and also includes revenue received in connection with the development and sale of game console systems that incorporate the Company's graphics technology.

(3) All Other category includes certain operating expenses and credits that are not allocated to the operating segments. Also included in this category are amortization of acquired intangible assets and restructuring charges. It also includes the results of the Handheld business unit because the operating results of this business unit were not material.

(4) AMD reconciliation of GAAP operating income to Adjusted EBITDA*


Quarter Ended Nine Months Ended
----------------------------- ------------------
Oct. 1, Jul. 2, Sep. 25, Oct. 1, Sep. 25,
2011 2011 2010 2011 2010
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------
GAAP operating income $ 138 $ 105 $ 128 $ 297 $ 435
Payments to
GLOBALFOUNDRIES - - - 24 -
Legal settlement - - - 5 -
Depreciation and
amortization 71 71 79 221 244
Employee stock-based
compensation expense 22 20 22 69 65
Amortization of
acquired intangible
assets 8 9 16 26 50
Restructuring reversals - - - - (4)
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------
Adjusted EBITDA $ 239 $ 205 $ 245 $ 642 $ 790
========= ========= ========= ========= ========






(5) Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities also include the long-term portion of marketable securities of $50 million.

(6) Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow reconciliation**



Quarter Ended Nine Months Ended
---------------------------- ------------------
Oct. 1, Jul. 2, Sep. 25, Oct. 1, Sep. 25,
2011 2011 2010 2011 2010
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
GAAP net cash provided by
(used in) operating
activities $ 189 $ 174 $ (124) $ 195 $ (199)
Non-GAAP adjustment - 36 246 396 653
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Non-GAAP net cash
provided by operating
activities 189 210 122 591 454
Purchases of property,
plant and equipment (58) (67) (31) (163) (110)
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Non-GAAP adjusted free
cash flow $ 131 $ 143 $ 91 $ 428 $ 344
======== ======== ======== ======== ========






* The Company presents "Adjusted EBITDA" as a supplemental measure of its performance. Adjusted EBITDA for the Company is determined by adjusting operating income (loss) for depreciation and amortization, employee stock-based compensation expense and amortization of acquired intangible assets. In addition, for the nine months ended October 1, 2011, the Company also included an adjustment related to a payment to GF and adjustments related to a legal settlement with a third party, and for the nine months ended September 25, 2010, the Company included an adjustment for certain restructuring reversals. The Company calculates and communicates Adjusted EBITDA in the financial schedules because the Company's management believes it is of importance to investors and lenders in relation to its overall capital structure and its ability to borrow additional funds. In addition, the Company presents Adjusted EBITDA because it believes this measure assists investors in comparing its performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that the Company does not believe are indicative of its core operating performance. The Company's calculation of Adjusted EBITDA may or may not be consistent with the calculation of this measure by other companies in the same industry. Investors should not view Adjusted EBITDA as an alternative to the GAAP operating measure of operating income (loss) or GAAP liquidity measures of cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA does not take into account changes in certain assets and liabilities as well as interest and income taxes that can affect cash flows.

** Starting in the first quarter of 2010, the Company also presents non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow in the earnings release as a supplemental measure of its performance. In 2008 and 2009, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the "AMD Parties") entered into supplier agreements with IBM Credit LLC and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the "IBM Parties"). Pursuant to these supplier agreements, the AMD Parties sold to the IBM Parties invoices of selected distributor customers. Because the Company does not recognize revenue until its distributors sell its products to their customers, under GAAP, the Company classified funds received from the IBM Parties as debt on the balance sheet. Moreover, for cash flow purposes, these funds were classified as cash flows from financing activities. When a distributor paid the applicable IBM Party, the Company reduced the distributor's accounts receivable and the corresponding debt resulting in a non-cash accounting entry. Because the Company did not receive the cash from the distributor to reduce the accounts receivable, the distributor's payment was never reflected in the Company's cash flows from operating activities. Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow for the Company was determined by adding the distributors' payments to the IBM Parties to GAAP net cash provided by (used in) operating activities. This amount was then further adjusted by subtracting capital expenditures. Generally, under GAAP, the reduction in accounts receivable is assumed to be a source of operating cash flows. Therefore, the Company believes that treating the payments from its distributor customers to the IBM Parties as if the Company actually received the cash from the distributor and then used that cash to pay down the debt is more reflective of the economic substance of the transaction. On February 11, 2011, the Company terminated its supplier agreements with IBM Parties. As a result, during the third quarter of 2011, there were no outstanding invoices related to the financing arrangement with the IBM Parties, and the Company did not make any adjustments for distributor payments to the IBM Parties to its GAAP net cash provided by (used in) operating activities when calculating non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow. The Company calculates and communicates non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow in the financial schedules because the Company's management believes it is of importance to investors to understand the nature of these cash flows. The Company's calculation of non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow may or may not be consistent with the calculation of this measure by other companies in the same industry. Investors should not view non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow as an alternative to GAAP liquidity measures of cash flows from operating or financing activities. The Company has provided reconciliations within the press release and financial schedules of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

Boxee updates iPad app to version 1.2, adds global Spotify support

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 02:31 PM PDT

It's only been a couple of months since Boxee unleashed its much anticipated iPad app, but the company has already come out with that much needed update to version 1.2. With the upgrade, users will be able to navigate across content sent to their Boxee Boxes using a remote control interface that's now located at the bottom right corner of the app. iPad owners can also pause video sent to their Box and pick up later where they left off, using the Boxee Media Manager. And, as expected, AirPlay sessions can now run in the background, giving you one less thing to worry about while lazing on the couch. On a related note, Spotify users can now use Boxee to access their accounts from anywhere in the world (previously, access was only granted in countries where Spotify is available). To get your app up to speed, check out the coverage link, below.

Redbox's $1 per night DVD rentals jump to $1.20 October 31st, Blu-ray and games stay the same

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 02:21 PM PDT

While its movie rental rivals Netflix and Blockbuster have struggled for varying reasons recently, it seemed like Redbox could be just the ticket for thrifty renters. That may be tougher now that it has announced Monday we'll see a slight increase in pricing for DVD rentals, from $1 to $1.20, citing increased debit card fees. So far, nightly pricing for Blu-ray discs ($1.50) and videogames ($2) is staying the same, but with studios already pushing for longer rental delays, there's fewer safe ports or those pursuing cheap, current movies. On the conference call, executives floated the idea of using the first sale doctrine to buy and rent retail discs if necessary. Overall, as seen above Redbox's share of the disc rental market rose last quarter, while there's still no word on plans to jump into online streaming.

Check below for parent company Coinstar's full Q3 earnings report plus a FAQ that helpfully points out this is Redbox's first increase in eight years and that discs reserved online will still be just $1 for the first night through November. The actual email customers are receiving is included after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Show full PR text
New Daily DVD Rental Price

Redbox is making an announcement about its prices today, and we want to make sure that you hear it from us first.

Starting on Monday, October 31, the daily rental charge for DVDs will change to $1.20 a day.* The price change is due to rising operating expenses, including new increases in debit card fees. Daily rental charges for Blu-ray™ Discs and video games won't change.** Additional-day charges for DVDs rented before 10/31 won't be affected, either.

In order to make the transition easier, Redbox will discount the first day of all online DVD rentals to $1.00 from 10/31 through 11/30. Additional rental days will be $1.20.***

If you have any questions, please visit redbox.com/pricechange. There, we've provided additional information.

This marks our first price change in more than eight years as we work hard to keep prices low for our customers.

Thank you,

Redbox

University of Minnesota researchers flex the mind's muscle, steer CG choppers

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:59 PM PDT

You've undoubtedly been told countless times by cheerleading elders that anything's possible if you put your mind to it. Turns out, those sagacious folks were spot on, although we're pretty sure this pioneering research isn't what they'd intended. A trio of biomedical engineers at the University of Minnesota have taken the realm of brain-computer interfaces a huge leap forward with a non-invasive control system -- so, no messy drills boring into skulls here. The group's innovative BCI meshes man's mental might with silicon whizzery to read and interpret sensorimotor rhythms (brain waves associated with motor control) via an electroencephalography measuring cap. By mapping these SMRs to a virtual helicopter's forward-backward and left to right movements, subjects were able to achieve "fast, accurate and continuous" three-dimensional control of the CG aircraft. The so scifi-it-borders-on-psychic tech could one day help amputees control synthetic limbs, or less nobly, helps us mentally manipulate 3D avatars. So, the future of gaming and locomotion looks to be secure, but we all know where this should really be headed -- defense tactics for the Robot Apocalypse.

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:41 PM PDT

Tim and Brian have escaped another Engadget Show mostly unscathed, and now it's time to get back to the wild, unpredictable world of audio podcasting. This time out, they'll be joined by Myriam, direct from Nokia World. Bet you can't guess what they'll be talking about.


]

Motorola Mobility reports $3.3 billion in revenue and $32 million net loss, offers more details on Google buyout

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:32 PM PDT

Just in time for the company to be acquired by Google, Motorola Mobility is beginning to right the ship, as evidenced by today's quarterly earnings report. The company reported total net revenues of $3.3 billion -- precisely the same amount earned last quarter, incidentally, and up 11 percent from this time last year -- and a GAAP net loss of $32 million. While the number may put frowns on a few faces, it's still an improvement from Q2's loss of $56 million, and more than half ($18 million) of the losses were attributed to expenses from the Google acquisition. Mobile device revenues are up 20 percent year-over-year and 11.6 million devices were shipped, including 4.8 million smartphones and 100,000 Xoom tablets.

On the regulatory front, Moto offered a few new details about the progress of the company's acquisition. It announced that it will hold a meeting with stockholders on November 17 to gain approval of the Google merger, and -- pending antitrust clearance by the US Department of Justice, the EU and several other government entities -- expects to close the transaction by the end of this year or early 2012 at the latest. Check out all of the numbers after the break.
Show full PR text
LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., Oct. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Third Quarter Financial Highlights

Net revenues of $3.3 billion, up 11 percent from third quarter 2010
Non-GAAP net earnings of $0.12 per share compared to net earnings of $0.13 per share in third quarter 2010; GAAP net loss of $0.11 per share compared to net loss of $0.12 per share in third quarter 2010
Mobile Devices revenues of $2.4 billion, up 20 percent from third quarter 2010; Non-GAAP operating loss of $15 million; GAAP operating loss of $41 million
Shipped 11.6 million mobile devices, including 4.8 million smartphones
Home revenues of $825 million, down 10 percent from third quarter 2010; Non-GAAP operating earnings of $77 million; GAAP operating earnings of $54 million

Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today reported net revenues of $3.3 billion in the third quarter of 2011, up 11 percent from the third quarter of 2010. The GAAP net loss in the third quarter of 2011 was $32 million, or $0.11 per share, compared to a net loss of $34 million, or $0.12 per share, in the third quarter of 2010. On a non-GAAP basis, the net earnings in the third quarter of 2011 were $35 million, or $0.12 per share, compared to net earnings of $38 million, or $0.13 per share, in the third quarter of 2010.

Total cash at the end of the quarter was $3.3 billion and includes cash, cash equivalents and cash deposits. Operating cash flow was $25 million for the quarter.

Details on non-GAAP adjustments and the use of non-GAAP measures are included later in this press release and in the financial tables.

"Our third quarter revenues in Mobile Devices increased by 20 percent, driven by continued strong growth in international markets. With the recent launch of our iconic Motorola RAZR™, we now have several 4G LTE devices in our portfolio. Our Home business is creating innovative solutions for our customers, taking leadership in the transition to all-IP networks, and delivering solid levels of profitability," said Sanjay Jha, chairman and chief executive officer, Motorola Mobility. "We are also excited about the proposed merger with Google and continue to make progress to close this transaction."

Operating Results

Mobile Devices net revenues in the third quarter were $2.4 billion, up 20 percent compared with the year-ago quarter. The GAAP operating loss was $41 million compared to an operating loss of $43 million in the year-ago quarter. The non-GAAP operating loss was $15 million compared to operating earnings of $3 million in the year-ago quarter. The company shipped a total of 11.6 million mobile devices, including 4.8 million smartphones and approximately 100,000 Motorola XOOM™ tablets. In the third quarter of 2010, the company shipped 9.1 million mobile devices, including 3.8 million smartphones.

Mobile Devices highlights:

Announced global launch of the iconic, ultra-thin RAZR smartphone, featuring sculpted glass face, diamond-cut aluminum accents, KEVLAR® fiber and vibrant 4.3-inch super AMOLED Advanced display.
Announced award-winning Motorola ATRIX™ 2, offering enhanced entertainment experiences with dual-core processor, full 1080p video capture and free app for music and pictures.
Unveiled MOTOACTV™, the new lightweight, wearable fitness performance tracker and smart music player rolled into one. Sync MOTOACTV with your PC so you can check out the music you perform to best, or track your workouts over extended time periods, set goals and even create workout competitions with your friends via the MOTOACTV Web Portal.
Shipped DROID BIONIC™, combining dual-core 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, 4.3-inch qHD display and webtop application with 4G LTE speeds.
Rolled out 4G LTE upgrade to existing Motorola XOOM customers to enhance the tablet experience with faster speeds and connections, and announced the Motorola XOOM Family Edition tablet, preloaded with family-friendly software including KidZone by Zoodles and MotoPack by Motorola.

Home segment net revenues in the third quarter were $825 million, down 10 percent compared with the year-ago quarter. GAAP operating earnings were $54 million, compared to $49 million in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP operating earnings were $77 million, the same as in the year-ago quarter. Set-top shipments were down 3 percent compared to the year-ago quarter.

Home highlights:

4Home software platform chosen to power Verizon's new Home Monitoring and Control service in North America for the smart, digital home.
Introduced family of advanced video processing technologies to drive bandwidth efficiency and video quality in the European market, including the SE-6000 video encoder and the ST-6000 transcoder.
Expanded Internet Protocol (IP) growth and leadership in Russia, extending IPTV set-top rollout with leading telecom provider, Vimpelcom Ltd.
Selected by Henan Cable to deliver Video On Demand and Network Digital Video Recording services to its 3.6 million subscribers in China, using M3 Media Server family.

Merger Update

On Aug. 15, 2011, Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. and Google Inc. announced a definitive agreement for Google to acquire Motorola Mobility. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is subject to customary closing conditions, including various regulatory approvals, and the approval of Motorola Mobility's stockholders. Motorola Mobility will hold a special meeting of stockholders on Nov. 17, 2011, to seek stockholder approval of the proposed merger with Google. The record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting is Oct. 11, 2011.

Antitrust clearances will be required in the U.S., by the European Commission, and in Canada, China, Israel, Russia, Taiwan and Turkey. Regulatory filings have been submitted to the appropriate regulatory body in each of these jurisdictions. In the U.S., Motorola Mobility and Google have each received a Request for Additional Information and Documentary Material (commonly referred to as a "second request") from the Department of Justice.

Subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including antitrust clearance, the transaction is expected to close by the end of 2011 or early 2012. The failure to meet the closing conditions or other factors outside of our control could delay the transaction or prevent the companies from completing the merger.

Third quarter 2011 GAAP results include approximately $18 million of expenses attributable to the planned merger. These costs are included in Other Charges on the income statement. Third quarter results presented on a non-GAAP basis exclude these expenses.

For more information on the proposed merger, please visit http://investors.motorola.com.

HP will keep PC division, hope alive

Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:07 PM PDT

There's been plenty of speculation about what the future holds for HP and its Personal Systems Group -- a group that CEO Leo Apotheker seemed intent to shed -- but the crew now led by CEO Meg Whitman has just confirmed that division is staying home, where it belongs. Meg says the company "objectively evaluated" the idea of spinning PSG off but decided that keeping it in-house is "right for customers and partners, right for shareholders, and right for employees." Or, maybe her reserve wasn't met. Either way, the press release after the break goes on to confirm that the board believes PSG will continue to "drive profitable growth" in these challenging times. Maybe good 'ol Leo was right when he said "You still need larger machines to handle heavy-duty tasks." Heavy indeed.

Update: Oh, and in case you had any doubts, HP is actually going to use Windows 8 (when available) to make its tablets appealing. And now you know.


Show full PR text
HP to Keep PC Division

Continued combination of HP and its Personal Systems Group expected to deliver greater customer and shareholder value

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced that it has completed its evaluation of strategic alternatives for its Personal Systems Group (PSG) and has decided the unit will remain part of the company.

The strategic review involved subject matter experts from across the businesses and functions. The data-driven evaluation revealed the depth of the integration that has occurred across key operations such as supply chain, IT and procurement. It also detailed the significant extent to which PSG contributes to HP's solutions portfolio and overall brand value. Finally, it also showed that the cost to recreate these in a standalone company outweighed any benefits of separation.

The outcome of this exercise reaffirms HP's model and the value for its customers and shareholders. PSG is a key component of HP's strategy to deliver higher value, lasting relationships with consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and enterprise customers. The HP board of directors is confident that PSG can drive profitable growth as part of the larger entity and accelerate solutions from other parts of HP's business.

PSG has a history of innovation and technological leadership as well as an established record of industry-leading profitability. It is the No. 1 manufacturer of personal computers in the world with revenues totaling $40.7 billion for fiscal year 2010.

"As part of HP, PSG will continue to give customers and partners the advantages of product innovation and global scale across the industry's broadest portfolio of PCs, workstations and more," said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP. "We intend to make the leading PC business in the world even better."

More information is available at www.hp.com/investor/PSG-Decision.
at 11:42 AM

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