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Sunday, November 20, 2011

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Gogo announces agreement with Air China, will begin live trials in early 2012

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 09:28 AM PST

Your somewhat boring flights between cities in China are about to get a little less boring. Wireless in-air entertainment outfit Gogo has announced that the company has reached an agreement to provide a trial of its service on Air China flights. The first live trial on a commercial flight was conducted on November 15 on a Boeing 737 en-route from Beijing to Chengdu and live trials are expected to continue through the first quarter of 2012. Gogo is currently available on in-flight entertainment systems and can be installed on an aircraft overnight. Now if Gogo could provide full service for the 13+ hour flight from New York to Beijing and your laptop or smartphone's battery would last for that duration, you'd be set.
Air China Launches Trial of Gogo's In-Flight Entertainment Equipment

ITASCA, Ill., Nov. 18, 2011 – Gogo, a leader of in-flight connectivity and an innovator of in-flight entertainment solutions, has reached an agreement to provide a trial of its wireless in-flight entertainment equipment on Air China. The first live trial on a commercial flight was conducted on November 15 on a Boeing 737 en route from Beijing to Chengdu. Live trials are expected to continue through the first quarter of 2012.

"We are excited to bring Gogo's wireless in-flight entertainment system to Air China and look forward to working with them on providing affordable entertainment options to their passengers," said Michael Small, Gogo's president and chief executive officer. "As the first international air carrier to offer Gogo's in-flight entertainment equipment, this represents a significant milestone for Gogo and for Air China."

"Gogo has a proven track record of providing wireless solutions to the aviation industry and currently is the only company to have a wireless IFE solution in market and available to consumers," said Zhang Yang, Air China assistant president. "We look forward to working with them as we become the first Chinese air carrier to leverage their equipment to bring a wireless entertainment option to our passengers."

Gogo's wireless in-flight entertainment system offers airlines a light weight, easy to install solution that can be installed on an aircraft overnight.

About Gogo:
By allowing travelers to get online, in air, Gogo keeps them connected to life. Using Gogo's exclusive network and services, passengers with laptops and other Wi-Fi enabled devices can get online on all domestic AirTran Airways, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines flights, on all domestic mainline Delta flights and on select Air Canada, American Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways flights.

Back on the ground, Gogo's 350+ employees in Itasca, IL and Broomfield, CO are working to continually redefine flying as a productive, socially connected, and all-around more satisfying experience. Connect with us at www.gogoair.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gogo and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/gogo.

PlayStation Home lets friends watch free movies together now, UStream and radio next month

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 08:43 AM PST

Sony's recently redesigned PlayStation Home project has always been about bringing online social experiences to the PS3 that mirror their real-world counterparts: hanging out in your apartment with friends, window shopping at the mall, Quincying. Now it can add one more notch to its virtual world experience belt by offering the ability to view full length movies for free, streamed by Sony's Crackle network. If you're a frequent user of Xbox Live's Netflix Movie Parties this may sound like old hat (were we the only ones using that feature?), but now all PS Home users -- in North America -- can do social viewing with up to 60 users or private parties with up to 11 at a time. Crackle's selection of movies and TV shows are available today, while live broadcast UStream events (Engadget podcast party anyone?) and musical stations provided by RadioIO are scheduled to debut in December. Press play on the video above for a quick preview or check after the break for a celebratory press release.
Show full PR text
Sony DADC Launches New Era of Media Consumption with Real-Time Social Experiences for Feature Films, TV, Radio, and Live Events on PlayStation®Home

Crackle, Ustream, and RadioIO Channels Join Virtual World in LOOT™ Entertainment on Demand (EOD) System

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Entertainment and social networking come together like never before as Sony DADC's LOOT™ group partners with leading digital media companies to bring virtual world experiences to feature films, television, radio, and live events to Sony Computer Entertainment America's PlayStation®Home social game platform. With the addition of Crackle, Ustream, and RadioIO social experiences to PlayStation®Home, users can invite friends to share traditional entertainment experiences in a virtual environment, communicating with each other in real time-whether across town or on the other side of the world.

"The PlayStation®Home platform provides an opportunity to change the way people interact with online media and our LOOT team thrives on introducing new types of fun and exciting experiences to PlayStation® users," said David Sterling, vice president of business development at Sony DADC. "We are very excited to bring familiar social experiences from the real world into a virtual environment, so people around the globe can connect and communicate with each other while sharing their favorite movie, show, music, or event. This is the next big step in social networking and it will transform the way people consume media."

Created by LOOT, Sony DADC New Media Solutions' internal development team, the PlayStation®Home real-time social game platform is available on PlayStation®Network to all users of the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Users in North America are able to explore a world of entertainment and unparalleled interactive capabilities either using LOOT's Public Theater virtual spaces which offer "Social Viewing" experiences with up to 60 users or invitation-only private spaces such as Sunset Yacht, Hollywood Hills House, and the LOOT Space Apartment where hosts can invite up to 11 friends to watch content together and communicate via voice and text. Now, PlayStation®Home users will be able to share the experience of the platform's Entertainment on Demand (EOD) system with content provided by three leading online media companies.

Crackle: Social viewing for feature films and TV

Crackle, a multi-platform video entertainment network features hundreds of full-length Hollywood movies and television shows plus Crackle originals. Short-form content from Crackle has been available on PlayStation®Home since November 2010; now, all Crackle content is available on the social platform, including movies such as STEP BROTHERS, RESIDENT EVIL, GLORY, A FEW GOOD MEN, and STARSHIP TROOPERS, TV shows such as "Married...with Children," "NewsRadio," and "Jackie Chan Adventures," over 1,000 anime episodes including "Samurai X," "Blood +," and "Blue Exorcist," and over 40 Crackle originals including the award-winning "The Bannen Way," "Issues," and "Why It Crackles." New titles are added monthly. In a rich virtual world experience, user avatars can get together with friends in the LOOT Space Station public space, the LOOT Sunset Yacht personal space, and other spaces to watch ad-supported Crackle content on-demand. Real-time text and voice communications bring users together in the kind of shared experience movie and TV fans have always loved.

Ustream: Real-time interactivity around live broadcasted shows

The Ustream network features online lifecasting and live video streaming produced by more than 12,500,000 registered users. PlayStation®Home will now feature a broad range of live Ustream events. Ustream content will be available in both public and personal LOOT spaces, allowing PlayStation®Home users to enjoy the entertainment of their choice, the way they choose.

RadioIO: Streaming music pioneer takes listening social

RadioIO (IWDM.OB), PlayStation Home and LOOT bring another option for "Social Listening" to PlayStation®Home by recreating the social experience of listening and discovering music with your friends. The new LOOT virtual item called Entertainment On Demand Active Radio lets PlayStation®Home users invite friends into their private spaces, or listen on their own in the LOOT Space Station public space, to enjoy high-quality Internet radio from RadioIO with their choice of more than 60 music and talk channels from Classical, Jazz, Rock, and Pop to Hip Hop, R & B, Country, Electronic, Dance and many more specialty niches including live shows from nationally syndicated radio talk show host Bubba the Love Sponge® and additional programming from Shannon Burke and Dangerous Conversation with Scott "Ledge" Ledger. Concerts and sporting events will be available in the future, as well as virtual goods to extend the fan experience.

Crackle content is available now in PlayStation®Home. Ustream content and RadioIO and the Entertainment On Demand Active Radio will debut in December. To see LOOT's Entertainment on Demand system in action, please visit and subscribe to LOOT's YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/lootgear.

"PlayStation®" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

About Sony DADC New Media Solutions

Sony DADC New Media Solutions provides complete digital supply chain solutions to power a new era of media consumption. Major film studios, broadcasters, music labels, game companies, software providers, and other content providers rely on us for innovative technology to keep pace with rapidly evolving consumer demand and emerging multichannel distribution models. Our market insight, proven expertise across both physical and digital media, and strategic partnerships throughout the industry enable us to provide unmatched end-to-end services that deliver the speed, efficiency, and quality required by today's digital media businesses and the audiences they serve. For more information, please visit newmedia.sonydadc.com.

About Crackle, Inc.

Crackle, Inc. is a multi-platform next-generation video entertainment network that distributes digital content including original short form series and full-length traditional programming from Sony Pictures' vast library of television series and feature films. Crackle is one of the fastest growing entertainment destinations on the Internet today, offering audiences quality programming in a variety of genres, including comedy, action, sci-fi, horror, music and reality. Crackle reaches an impressive audience through its diverse online and mobile distribution network. Visit Crackle's site at www.crackle.com

About Ustream

Ustream, Inc. is the leader in live and interactive video streaming. The interactive platform connects broadcasters and viewers of unlimited size through innovative technology, including: Facebook and Twitter social engagement tools, real-time chat and notifications, custom-designed channels, and embeddable features across multiple websites and platforms. Users are also able to broadcast, view, and engage with others in real-time, directly from mobile phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. The company attracts millions of high-profile brands, celebrities, musicians, athletes, politicians, animal enthusiasts, and gamers. Ustream recently earned the Guinness World Record for the "Most Content-Ingested by an Online Video Service". For more information about Ustream, visit www.ustream.com and follow us on our socials: Twitter (@Ustream); Facebook (www.facebook.com/Ustream).

About RadioIO

Streaming pioneer, RadioIO, has been streaming internet radio made for individuals, by individuals since 1998. Each channel is an independent, original creation, featuring handpicked music sets crafted by stream hosts – not computers. RadioIO currently delivers in excess of 15,000,000 monthly stream initiations across all distribution platforms. Channels provide users a variety of listening choices from Classical, Jazz, Rock, and Pop to Hip Hop, R & B, Country, Electronic, Dance and many more specialty niches.

SOURCE Sony DADC

Refresh Roundup: week of November 14, 2011

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:30 AM PST

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup after the break. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout attips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Official Android updates
  • Huzzah! The Gingerbread update for the original Droid Incredible is finally rolling out. Again. Having been pushed out and subsequently pulled right away, it's ready to go for its second attempt as build 4.08.605.2. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
  • A bug fix is rolling out to the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G. Among the enhancements are improved device stability, the ability to turn off the optical trackpad, and improved DriveSmart performance over Bluetooth. [TmoNews]
  • Android 2.3.4 is getting pushed to the Motorola Atrix in Europe. [Unwired View]
  • The Samsung Galaxy S 4G is now graciously accepting Gingerbread into its firmware. [TmoNews]
  • The Galaxy Tab 10.1 wasn't the only tablet getting an update to Android 3.2 this week -- so was the Toshiba Thrive. And this time, no WiFi connectivity issues were to be found. [MobileBurn]
  • Here's a little mystery: Motorola has some sort of project in the works that involves the Droid Bionic, and it wants testers to help out. That's about all we know at this point. [Droid-Life]
  • It appears that Verizon's field testing Android 2.3.5 on the Samsung Fascinate, though no official announcement's been made. The build number is EH03. [Droid-Life]
Other platforms
  • The Windows Phone Team is finally pushing Mango out to Samsung Focus units running 1.4 firmware on AT&T. The update has also been scheduled for the Omnia 7 on Telefonica in Spain. [Windows Phone Blog]
Refreshes we covered this week

Lumia heads all the way to China in spring 2012, Nokia to fill the hole in their hearts

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 04:23 AM PST

Statesiders aren't the only ones waiting on the Lumia line to launch. You can add China to the list of countries beholden to Espoo's "coming soon" promise. According to a report in Chinese magazine Global Entrepreneur, an unnamed Nokia exec has pinned down a release for the company's flagship WP 7 handsets, stating they'd likely hit sometime in April of 2012. True, that date may seem a bit far off, but the Finnish company's got quite a bit to tackle before next spring, as certain aspects of the Redmond-made OS require localization to keep in line with the government's media censorship. As for pricing, well, look for the phones to retail between 4888 to 4999 yuan (about $768 - $786) -- that's bank-breaking territory, indeed. But, if it's a bargain Windows Phone you're after, we hear those are available in spades.

Samsung's modified Galaxy Tab 10.1N for Germany gets examined

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 03:17 AM PST

As you may recall from earlier this week, Samsung has started selling a slightly modified version of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in Germany to satisfy a recent court ruling, which deemed the original model a little too Apple-like in some respects. Just how modified is the new 10.1N model? Well, you can thank NewGadgets.de for our first real look at it. As expected, the changes are all found around the edges of the device, including a more pronounced metal lip that creeps further across the bezel, some repositioned speakers, and... that's about it, really. Hit the source link below for some additional hands-on shots, and head on past the break for a video.


Turn your Kinect hack into a startup with Microsoft's Accelerator program

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 01:21 AM PST

Wanna turn your Kinect hack into, um, money? Microsoft can help you out, now that it's teamed up with TechStars to launch the Kinect Accelerator -- a program designed to turn Kinect-based ideas into real world startups. To participate, innovators must first apply to the Accelerator before the January 25th deadline. Ten applicants will then be accepted to a three-month incubation program, and rewarded with $20,000 in seed money. To participate, however, you'd have to relocate to Seattle for the duration of the program, scheduled to kick off this Spring. Plus, if you manage to bring your company to market, you'll have to set aside a six percent common stock stake for TechStars, which is both funding and spearheading the initiative. For more details on how to apply, hit up the source link below.

Is this Nikon's D800 DSLR?

Posted: 20 Nov 2011 12:12 AM PST

Grab the salt shaker folks -- if Nikon Rumors is to be believed, what you're gazing at is Nikon's hotly rumored D800 DSLR. The camera is reportedly packing goodies like a massive 36 megapixel sensor capable of 7360 × 4912 resolution, and an ISO range of 100 to 6,400 that's pushable to 25,600. Furthermore, you can expect to find the same 51-point AF system found in the D3s, slots for SD and CF cards, USB 3.0 connectivity and over three-inches of display on back -- all while being "smaller and lighter" than the current D700. Notably, Nikon is apparently stepping up its DLSR video chops with this cam as well, as it's said to be capable of filming 1080p HD video at 30 fps, while 720p grants you up to 60 fps. Of course, this type of primo kit won't come cheap -- if it all proves true you can expect to slap down roughly $3,900 (¥300,000) to make one yours, although, a release date is still anyone's guess. You'll find another shot of this purported beauty after the break and the full rumor rundown at the source link below.

Tiny Tower breaks ground on Android

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 10:07 PM PST

Android takes another step closer to iOS's arguably superior gaming offering, adopting cult low-fi sim Tiny Tower. Froyo is the minimum requirement for the game run, but given the very dominant status of Android 2.0 and up, most won't find it an issue. This management sim lets you create a mix of businesses and attractions to draw Bitizens (the pixelated chaps you see above) to come live, work and play in your property. There looks to be some kind of smartphone game exchange going on, with this not-so-tiny timesink transfer following the recent appearance of Minecraft on iOS. Those willing to write off the rest of the weekend can download it now at the source below.

[Image credit: Box Brown]

Apple patent application aims to keep iPhones shatter-proof with shock mounted glass

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:06 PM PST

From 'smart' pens to a smarter Siri, Apple's always attempting to find new ways to improve the iPhone, and the company's latest patent application wants to keep its crack-prone glass blemish free. Aptly named a "shock mounting cover glass in consumer electronic devices," the invention claims a tunable shock mount sandwiched between the phone's glass and other hardware. There's also plans for a sensor that can distinguish a "drop event" from normal phone movements and an actuator to prepare the shock mount for impact. Given that it's only at the application stage, we won't be seeing bombproof iPhone displays any time soon, but here's hoping it'll become a product reality someday. Mostly so we can see just how much of a beating it can take.

Android.com easter egg has the robot doing the moonwalk (video)

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 07:02 PM PST

It's Easter in November! At least over at Android.com. The website's latest refresh brought us a whole lot of Ice Cream Sandwich, but the real treat's a bit of a hidden gem. Google's new site's packing an easter egg in the lower-left hand corner that has the little green robot doing the moonwalk, waving hello and juggling among other things. You can check it out in the video after the break, but the real fun awaits you at the source link below.

Ask Engadget: best DIY wireless home security (and fire) system?

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:52 PM PST

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Roger, who is just about tired of hearing "ADT." If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I'm moving into a new place, and I need a good wireless home security and fire system. But here's the thing -- I only have a broadband internet connection and a cellphone. I can't use one of those traditional ADT systems that require a landline, and moreover, the $40+ per month they charge is outrageous. I need a DIY option that monitors both security and fire, and I'm fine paying up to $25 or $30 a month for UL-certified off-site monitoring. SimpliSafe and Lifeshield seem decent, but the former doesn't monitor fire yet. Support for live feeds and alerts on my smartphone would be a huge plus. Thanks!"

Looks like SimpliSafe will be the perfect solution when it adds fire support in 2012, but Roger needs help in the here and now. Any paranoid homeowners out there have any other awesome suggestions? Drop 'em in comments below!

3D-printed tail hooks up with Arduino, wags the dog (video)

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 04:29 PM PST

In the year 3000, surgeons should be able to graft animal body parts onto our willing flesh. But, let's be real, aside from a reanimated Walt Disney (ok, not really), most of us won't live to see that scifi horror-filled day. Filling in, for the time being, is a nifty Arduino hack from the mind of one Artharis that breathes erratic life into a 3D printed tail. Its clumsy flailing is more disturbed-dragon-with-ADHD than aroused puppy, but we'll take what we can get for now. Shame, though, that Halloween's already come and gone, otherwise this would've made for a nice house party icebreaker. Peep the spastic animatronic in motion after the break.

Engadget Mobile Podcast 113 - 11.19.2011

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 04:00 PM PST

Everyonce in a while, a phone so huge, so spectacular, so...galactic comes along that it eclipses all other news, distracting podcast hosts to the point of almost-no-return. The Galaxy Nexus did that for Myriam this week, and luckily Brad and Joseph had an extra pair of hands to bring her back from the fold: Aaron Baker of phonedog.com. More than two hours of mind-bending mobile analysis lies within.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen, Joseph Volpe
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

00:02:00 - Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ first impressions (video)
00:31:30 - Verizon-branded, LTE-enabled Galaxy Nexus confirmed in official Google video
00:49:30 - HTC Rezound Review
01:18:00 - Samsung Focus S Review
01:19:44 - HTC Sensation XL Review
01:23:25 - QNX-based BlackBerry 'London' purportedly shown off, dummy unit-style
01:25:30 - BlackBerry Bold 9790 hands-on (video)
01:27:20 - RIM unveils BlackBerry Bold 9790, Curve 9380, hitting the market within weeks
01:33:06 - Gmail app for iOS returns, promises to stay
01:33:58 - AT&T releases on Nov 20: Pantech Pocket, Samsung Captivate Glide and Doubletime
01:40:00 - Aaron Baker of phonedog.com










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Say hello to the iShred, snowboarders' tribute to Steve Jobs (video)

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 03:13 PM PST

Every third Thursday, the team at California based Signal Snowboards like to spice things up some and make something a little more outside the box. This time around the team decided on creating a fitting tribute to Steve Jobs -- a custom ride complete with built-in iPad -- and thus the iShred was born. By no means a cut-and-shut affair, the team take inspiration from the simple, yet creative, design principles that led to ideas like the iPad Smart Cover. A layer of ABS with a cut out for the screen sits atop an all aluminum base, sandwiching an Apple-esque illuminated Signal logo -- presumably so you know when your WiFi is on while heading off-piste. Power is cleverly supplied only when contact is provided by the presence of a rider. If you think this is all just for show, think again, as they final product gets taken out on the slopes and put through its paces, complete with a bit of après-ski Facetime.


Freescale Home Health Hub wants to usher in the era of connected medical devices

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 02:07 PM PST

Home Health Hub
Freescale has its little silicon hands in all sorts of things: e-readers, smartphones, tablets, even refrigerators. Now the manufacturer is looking to make a dent in the healthcare industry with a connected platform called Home Health Hub (HHH). The i.MX28-based HHH isn't an actual product, but a reference platform for others to build on. The ARM9 processor is connected to a host of networking interfaces, including WiFi, Bluetooth (as well as its low-power implementation), Zigbee, sub-1GHz and Ethernet. The Hub is supposed to be just that, a central point for connecting various medical devices like blood pressure monitors or glucometers that then feeds data to a tablet. Developers and other interested parties can get their hands on the reference platform from Digi International as the iDigi Telehealth Application Kit for $499. Check out the full PR after the break.
Show full PR text
Freescale Introduces 'Home Health Hub' Solution for Telehealth Applications

Comprehensive reference platform helps accelerate development of medical devices with seamless connectivity and data aggregation capabilities
MEDICA 2011-World Forum

DUSSELDORF, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) today introduced a home health hub (HHH) reference platform to help medical equipment manufacturers quickly and easily create remote-access devices that can collect, connect and securely share health data for improved healthcare management.

The HHH reference platform is based on Freescale's i.MX28 applications processor and ZigBee® and sub-1 GHz transceivers. It enables secure WiFi and Ethernet connectivity to remote devices with displays, such as tablets, smartphones or PCs with medical-specific remote user interface (UI) options. The platform also can provide wired and wireless connectivity to end healthcare devices, such as blood pressure monitors, blood glucometers, weight scales, pulse oximeters and more via ZigBee, sub-1 GHz, USB, Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy including medical-class-specific device profiles.

According to the World Health Organization, there are 860 million chronic disease patients worldwide, and 75 to 85 percent of all healthcare spending can be attributed to chronic disease management. Many of those who suffer from chronic diseases are 65 years or older – a demographic that the U.S. Census Bureau estimates will represent 19 percent of the U.S. population, or about 72.1 million individuals, by 2030.

Societies around the world continue to look for ways to reduce health care costs for these chronic patients while improving their quality of life. Remote patient monitoring devices can be made based on Freescale's home health hub reference platform and can allow patients to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits which both saves money and helps improve patient outcomes.

"The changing dynamics of the aging global population are creating an increased demand for new technologies and tools that can offer peace of mind to the family members of seniors living at home," said Steven Dean, manager of Freescale's Global Healthcare team. "There's also a need to provide access to healthcare in remote and growing regions of the world to improve the quality of life for millions of people. Our new home health hub reference platform is designed to simplify development of connected medical devices and help our customers more easily address these growing needs."

Freescale's HHH reference platform provides comprehensive functionality and can be used as the foundation for connected medical product designs, giving developers a head-start to help them get to market faster. The Freescale HHH reference platform delivers a hardware implementation and the necessary software components to provide pre-validated, secure connectivity for healthcare devices and user interfaces.

"We have proven technology out there to monitor patients and connect their data to the cellular network, such that a healthcare professional could intervene instead of the patient having to go to the emergency room," said Kent Dicks, founder and CEO of MedApps. "We've found this to be extremely effective."

The HHH reference platform software adheres to Continua device profiles to provide consistency and compatibility with other Continua-certified medical devices such as blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters and weight scales. The platform also enables connection to the Microsoft HealthVault, a privacy- and security-enhanced online data repository that lets users organize, store and share their health information.

The HHH reference platform consists of an aggregator/gateway board based on the low-power i.MX28 applications processor (built on the ARM9™ processor) running various connectivity interfaces to healthcare end devices and wireless or wired connectivity for a remote user interface. Also included is a panic alarm sensor based on Freescale's MC12311 sub-1 GHz radio, providing personal emergency response system (PERS) functionality. To complete the reference platform, software such as board support packages (Linux® and Windows® Embedded Compact 7) and example code are included.

"If you think about all of the different devices in a healthcare ecosystem, Windows Embedded allows our partners to align on one trusted technology platform," said Lorraine Bardeen, marketing director for Windows Embedded EMEA at Microsoft. "This collaboration with Freescale builds upon Microsoft's vision for the evolution of intelligent systems by helping medical manufacturers and healthcare organizations capture the full potential of connected medical data."

Pricing and availability

The HHH reference platform consists of the aggregator/gateway board, panic alarm sensor, quick start guide, cables and software. Freescale has partnered with Digi International to bring the HHH reference platform to market. The iDigi Telehealth Application Kit is available for purchase through Digi International for $499 (USD) at www.digi.com/hhh. Digi has extensive experience with the i.MX portfolio and provides customized system on module and design services. For more information, visit www.freescale.com/homehealthhub.

"Network connected medical devices improve quality of care by providing real-time access to critical patient data," said Frederic Luu, VP of Sales and Marketing, EMEA, Japan and Asia, Digi International. "We are excited to partner with Freescale to make it easier for medical device manufacturers to develop network-enabled products."

About Freescale

Freescale (NYSE:FSL) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing and sales operations around the world. http://www.freescale.com/

Freescale, the Freescale logo are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off., ARM is the registered trademark of ARM Limited. ARM9 is a trademark of ARM Limited. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © 2011 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.

How-to: use Google Music from anywhere (yes, outside of the United States)

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 01:02 PM PST

Now that Google Music has finally clawed its way out of the realm of beta-ware, anybody in the US can sign up to play without an invitation. Of course, that leaves many folks out of the equation, so we thought it a good time to point out at least one other route to let you get involved in the service, no matter where you live. See, the rub seems to be that Google checks your IP address on your first attempt to log in, and accept its terms of use -- only the first time, and yeah, you're definitely going to be ignoring that doc by following this guide.

So, in essence all we need to do is find a way to gently tiptoe past that gatekeeper and we're home free. Keep in mind that while you can upload your music, buying new tracks isn't going to happen until it rolls out in your neck of the woods in a more official way -- but hey, most of a good thing is still a good thing. There are various means to get this done, and we've found a pretty straightforward route, and if you're up to it click on through to the guide.

We've made this how-to as straightforward as possible, but it will require a couple tools to help game the system and a bit of time to get it all running smoothly. First and foremost, since the Google Music app isn't available in markets outside of the States you'll need to source that – don't ask us where to get this, we simply don't know, but a Google search can do wonders. Once you've dug up com.google.android.music.4.0.9.apk, put it aside somewhere safe.

Next step is to head on over to the Tor project website and grab the Tor bundle for your operating system. What's Tor you ask? Tor is a network of virtual tunnels that can increase security and anonymity while playing on the internet. The military uses it, police services use it, and now, dear reader, you're about to use it. We're not really interested in the privacy aspect of Tor in this case, but we are interested in our exit node from the Tor network. Our goal is to ensure that when our login request lands at Google Music's door our IP address is one from the United States, so grab it and extract it to your desktop.

Fire up Tor from your desktop, the Vidalia control panel should start and get connected to the network -- watch for the onion icon in the UI to turn green and for an integrated browser to start. Kill the browser as we won't need it 'til a little later on.
Now, we're going to find a US-based Exit Node, copy its info down and then edit Tor's config file -- don't worry, we'll include screenshots of each step, and then, if that wasn't enough a video walkthrough is available at the bottom of the guide. From the main window, hit the "View the Network" button and a new window should open with a map of the world with a list of nodes on the left side.

We need to select a US node – see the little map icon? Find one with an American flag that's close to the top of the list, right click on it and choose copy --> fingerprint.
Exit out of the Network Map window and back to the Vidalia Control panel. Next step is to take the fingerprint we so carefully copied and edit the config file to force Tor to only use this node. Click settings, and then hit the advanced tab. In the middle of this tab you should see a button to edit the torrc file, click that and you'll be presented with a text editor that sets up some of Tor's behaviors.

Plop your cursor down at the very top of the file and add the following replacing XXX in our example with the fingerprint you just finished grabbing:

ExitNodes XXX
StrictExitNodes 1

When done, your changes should look like the image below and if it does, now's the time to push the OK button to save your work. Once back at the config window, we'll need to exit Tor and then restart it with our fix applied.


At this point, the tougher stuff is done. If you're still with us, we're almost home free -- and we're super impressed with your vigilance. Once Tor has restarted, the integrated browser will eventually open confirming you're using Tor. Now we can login to https://music.google.com using this inbuilt browser. You may get redirected to a Google notice page asking for confirmation that you're really you, as you're logging in from a new location, but no sweat, this is a good sign so answer the question and proceed. If the cosmos aligns, you'll log into Google Music and a terms of service pop up should appear, accept them.


After you've accepted the terms, close out the Tor browser and then exit from Tor by shutting the program down -- we won't need it again, so feel free to delete it if you wish. Now we can test to make sure Google Music will let you in: start your favorite browser, surf to https://music.google.com and login. You should be whisked straight to the Google Music desktop where there will be a link to get the music upload client. All that remains to be done on your desktop is to install the upload tool and start uploading music. To wrap up the entire deal, now's a great to time to install the Google Music Android client on your phone or tablet and finally associate it with your account.


We're done! You can now upload your most favorite 20,000 songs to enjoy on any of your devices, no matter if online or off. Hit up the video if all these words made your mind numb, or you simply can't be bothered to decipher them.

Update: As we said, there are other ways to get this working. Hotspot Shield has been suggested in the comments, and if that works for you, well done. Less steps are less painful. We also tried a pile of web proxies and had rough results so settled on this which works every time. Toss in your alternatives in comments below!

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

Didn't get the AppleCare+ with your iPhone? Worry not, you now have 30 days to change your mind

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 12:13 PM PST

AppleCare+, Cupertino's latest protection plan, debuted on the same day the iPhone 4S was unveiled, but anyone wanting to take advantage of the two-year warranty and accidental damage coverage was required to fork out an extra $99 at the same time they bought their phone. While Apple allowed early adopters to buy the service until November 14th because they weren't offered it upon pre-ordering, it appears the company's extended that window until December 15th, according to an internal memo leaked to SprintFeed. What's better, it seems that Apple's softening up its policy for everyone else during the holidays, as the company now offers a 30-day window just in case you walk out of the store with your glass-laden treasure unprotected and change your mind later. Apple's site confirms the policy (shown below), but as always, there's a catch: if you choose to get it after point of purchase, you'll need to either call up Apple directly or schedule a Genius Bar appointment, bring your receipt in and have the phone inspected to ensure it's not already damaged. Seems like a lot to do, but just make sure you use that Reminders app to keep track of it all.

Wave Glider robots set out to explore the seven seas, break the Guinness record

Posted: 19 Nov 2011 11:04 AM PST

It's a bird, it's a plane, nope, it's Liquid Robotic's four Wave Gliders on a mission to snag the Guinness World Record for longest distance traveled on Earth by an automaton. Setting out today from the San Francisco Bay, the autonomous sea-faring crafts will travel far and wide to gather data about the world's oceans. Powered by the water's movement, the vessels are fuel-free, using "flapping" wings to move forward without human command. Tricked out with various solar-powered sensors, the robots can capture location, weather, temperature, wave height, barometric pressure and more throughout their travels. The 198.4 pound machines cost between $250,000 and $500,000 each depending on how many sensors are built-in -- a small price for scientists or commandeering pirates hoping to learn more about the 95 percent of ocean that has yet to be explored. Let's just hope they don't run into one of these guys.
at 11:53 AM

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