Sponsoer by :

Monday, December 5, 2011

Engadget News

Sponsored

Engadget News

ComScore: Android continues to boom, RIM and Microsoft decline

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:22 AM PST

Numbers, numbers, numbers. ComScore is back with a few more of them, this time covering the mobile market during a three-month average period ending in October. The results aren't going to shock you: Android not only continues to dominate the market, it's on the up-and-up. Out of 90 million smartphone users in the US, Android held strong at 46.3 percent (up from 41.9 between May and July). Apple bumped up a full percentage point, while RIM's BlackBerry OS took the largest fall from 21.7 to 17.2 percent. What about Windows Phone? Microsoft's mobile OS fell slightly from 5.7 to 5.4. Moving from mobile platforms to OEMs, Samsung was still the top vendor at 25.5 percent, though it didn't grow or diminish that number. Rounding out the top five was LG (20.6 percent), Motorola (13.6), Apple (10.8) and RIM (6.6). If more numbers are what you crave, check out the full press release -- as well as another chart -- after the break.
Show full PR text
RESTON, Va., Dec. 2, 2011 PRNewswire/ -- comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending October 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.5 percent market share. Google Android continued to gain ground in the smartphone market reaching 46.3 percent market share.

OEM Market Share
For the three-month average period ending in October, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.5 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 20.6 percent share and Motorola with 13.6 percent share. Apple strengthened its position at #4 with 10.8 percent share of mobile subscribers (up 1.3 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 6.6 percent share.

Smartphone Platform Market Share
90 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in October, up 10 percent from the preceding three month period. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 46.3 percent market share, up 4.4 percentage points from the prior three-month period. Apple maintained its #2 position, growing 1.0 percentage point to 28.1 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 17.2 percent share, followed by Microsoft (5.4 percent) and Symbian (1.6 percent).

Mobile Content Usage
In October, 71.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device, up 1.8 percentage points. Browsers were used by 44.0 percent of subscribers (up 2.9 percentage points), while downloaded applications were used by 43.8 percent (up 3.2 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 2.2 percentage points to 32.3 percent of mobile subscribers. Game-playing was done by 29.2 percent of the mobile audience (up 1.4 percentage points), while 21.2 percent listened to music on their phones (up 0.9 percentage points).


Read more: comScore Reports October 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share - FierceMobileContent http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/press-releases/comscore-reports-october-2011-us-mobile-subscriber-market-share#ixzz1fgtSH3iJ
Subscribe: http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/signup?sourceform=Viral-Tynt-FierceMobileContent-FierceMobileContent

HP and Box.net team up to offer some business customers some storage some of the time

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 11:01 AM PST

Fact of the day: Hewlett Packard and Box.net's corporate headquarters are only one block away in Palo Alto, so Meg Whitman could have sealed this deal in a street corner branch of Starbucks. The two companies are teaming up to offer cloud-based collaboration and storage tools to select buyers (but only if they grab the gear via the Smart Buy program). Purchase a HP Compaq 6200 or 6005 Pro Series PC and you'll find 10GB free space waiting for you, plus discounted upgrades. Customers who go for the 8200 Elite Series PC instead, will find a year's free unlimited storage and sync on offer. If that all sounds so exciting that your palms are getting sweaty, head on past the break to find out more.
Show full PR text
HP and Box Accelerate Business Collaboration in the Cloud

Companies deliver Box cloud collaboration platform on select HP business PCs

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 5, 2011 - HP and Box today announced they are working together to provide businesses an integrated collaboration experience to a range of users – from the individual to the enterprise – for storing and managing content in the cloud.

HP is offering the Box cloud content-management and collaboration platform on select small and midsize business and enterprise devices, delivering greater opportunities for business customers who want added value from their critical information.

Customers who purchase select HP Compaq Elite and HP Compaq Pro business desktops will have access to special offers from Box that include increased storage capacity and enterprise sync for enhanced collaboration and content management in the cloud.

"Our customers are entering a new era of data management and storage, and they need a simple, cost-effective way to collaborate and share information in the cloud," said Stephen DiFranco, senior vice president and general manager, Americas, Personal Systems Group, HP. "HP's broad range of PCs plus Box's scalable service provides the desirable security, functionality and features to meet the needs and budgets of our customers."

Gartner estimates that while $74 billion was spent on public cloud services in 2010, it represented only 3 percent of enterprise spending.(1) Gartner predicts that public cloud services will grow five times faster than overall IT enterprise spending (19 percent annually through 2015). With the massive market opportunity for enterprise collaboration in the cloud, HP and Box are focused on redefining the way organizations manage and share information.

"To be successful in today's enterprise, businesses of all sizes must provide their end users with the right tools to drive innovation, foster collaboration and increase customer adoption," said Aaron Levie, co-founder and chief executive officer, Box. "Box and HP are focused on helping redefine the way organizations manage and share information in the cloud. Together, we can empower the next generation of knowledge workers."

Customers who purchase select HP business PCs will have access to a free account on the Box platform:

HP Compaq 6200 and 6005 Pro Series PCs: U.S. customers who purchase an HP Compaq 6005 or 6200 Pro Series PC through the HP Smart Buy program can choose to open a free Box account with 10 gigabytes (GB) of storage, with the option to upgrade to additional capacities at a reduced annual rate.(2)
HP Compaq 8200 Elite Series PCs: U.S. customers who purchase an HP Compaq 8200 Elite Series PC through the HP Smart Buy program can choose to open a Box account with unlimited storage and sync at no cost for one year.(3)

More information about the Box offer for HP PCs is available at hp.com/go/box.

Ainol launches the NOVO7, the world's first Android 4.0 tablet, for $100 plus shipping

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 10:26 AM PST

Just as we were geeking out to the Jaguar 7's Ice Cream Sandwich demo and anxiously awaiting the Transformer Prime, Ingenic and MIPS completely took us by surprise by announcing the Ainol-branded NOVO7, the very first commercially available tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich officially loaded. To be specific, the device isn't brand new -- it's been previously available as a Honeycomb tablet and is now shipping with ICS pre-loaded. It's packing an Ingenic JZ4770 mobile applications processor and 1GHz MIPS-based XBurst CPU, which means this Android 4.0 slab isn't going to be the toughest workhorse in the market. What more would you expect from a $99 tablet? The Novo7 also comes with a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, a Vivante GC860 GPU clocked at 444MHz, 1080p video decoding, rear 2MP camera with VGA front-facing cam, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3, microSD slot and an endorsement from Andy Rubin himself. If temptation is just too much to overcome, you can head over to the More Coverage link to order one. However, if you'd rather wait a while to save a few bucks in shipping -- it's over half the cost of the tablet itself -- MIPS informed us that it'll be coming to the States and other parts of the world over "the next several months," and 8- and 9-inch versions of the NOVO are in the works as well. Head below for a video and press release. Oh, and existing NOVO7 customers may be wondering why their tablet hasn't received ICS yet; MIPS assured us that there's an upgrade path for those customers as well, though no announcements have been made.

Show full PR text
MIPS Technologies and Ingenic Semiconductor Announce
Availability of World's First Android™ 'Ice Cream Sandwich' Tablet

1GHz, Low-Power Tablet Sets New Market Standard at Sub-$100 Price Point

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – December 5, 2011 – MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIPS), a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital home, networking and mobile applications, and Ingenic Semiconductor, a leading China-based CPU provider for mobile multimedia applications, today announced worldwide availability of the world's first tablet based on Android ™ 4.0, known as 'Ice Cream Sandwich', that is retailing for less than $100 (U.S). The tablet is powered by Ingenic's JZ4770 mobile applications processor, which leverages a MIPS-Based™ XBurst™ CPU running at 1GHz.

According to Andy Rubin, senior vice president of mobile at Google, "I'm thrilled to see the entrance of MIPS-Based Android 4.0 tablets into the market. Low cost, high performance tablets are a big win for mobile consumers and a strong illustration of how Android's openness drives innovation and competition for the benefit of consumers around the world."

The new Android 4.0 tablet is available in China and online through Ainol Electronics Co., Ltd. It will be available in the United States and other geographies within the next several months under brands from companies including Leader International Inc. and OMG Electronics Ltd.

The new tablet is available with a 7" capacitive multi-touch screen. 8" and 9" form factors will be available soon. All versions include support for WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3 and microSD, as well as 3D graphics with the Vivante GC860 GPU, 1080p video decoding and dual front/rear cameras. The XBurst processor's power-efficient architecture provides extended battery life-the 7" tablet draws less than 400mA during active web browsing.

"We are pleased to join with MIPS to announce these breakthrough high-performance, low-power, low-cost Android 4.0 tablets. Combining the elegance of the MIPS architecture and Ingenic's innovation in processor design, we are bringing a new level of processor technology to mobile devices. As we continue to collaborate with MIPS to broaden the mobile ecosystem around the legendary MIPS architecture, we anticipate even broader proliferation of our devices worldwide. We believe the mobile world will be more versatile and colorful with another processor joining in," said Qiang Liu, chairman and CEO, Ingenic Semiconductor.

"The openness of Android is enabling a new level of connectedness and interaction between devices and between people across the globe. We are excited to be a part of the Android ecosystem delivering on that vision. We applaud Ingenic's accomplishment in developing this new high-performance, feature-rich Android 4.0 tablet, and offering it at a price point that makes it widely accessible. We look forward to teaming with Ingenic as it continues to develop MIPS-Based mobile innovations," said Sandeep Vij, president and CEO, MIPS Technologies.

Ingenic JZ4770 SoC
The Ingenic JZ4770 SoC inside of the new tablet is one of the first MIPS-Based systems-on-chips (SoCs) targeted for mobile devices that delivers 1GHz+ frequency, increasingly a requirement for tablets and other devices that incorporate rich multimedia and high-performance applications/functionality. The JZ4770 SoC is powered by a MIPS32 compatible XBurst CPU designed by Ingenic. The XBurst CPU core adopts an innovative ultra-low-power pipelining architecture which consumes less than 90mW in 1GHz (with L1 cache), and the entire SOC consumes ~250mW with the CPU and video engine operating under full load. In addition to the XBurst CPU, the JZ4770 SoC integrates an optimized 1080p video processing engine, OpenGL ES 2.0 3D graphics processing unit from Vivante Corp. and numerous on-chip analog and application blocks such as audio codecs and GPS.

Pricing and Availability
Ingenic's JZ4770 SoC for Android 4.0 tablets is available now. The new Android 4.0 tablet is available in China and online through Ainol Electronics Co., Ltd. at www.ainovo.com. The 7" tablet retails for less than $100 (U.S.) non-subsidized. The tablet will be available in other geographies within the next several months.

Verizon lights one candle for LTE, confirms Xyboard Droid tablet name, December launch

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 09:48 AM PST

Today marks one full year after Verizon first flipped the switch on LTE, with 365 days of 4G speeds for customers in 39 markets. By the end of next week, Big Red will light up a few more cities, bringing the total number to 190, with access available to more than 200 million Americans. Buried below the PR cake, however, is an even juicer tidbit -- two "hot new Xyboard Droid tablets from Motorola coming out this month." And what might those be? Well, if this weekend's accessory leak is any indication, the Xoom 2 is headed to VZW -- before the year is out. And we're not surprised to see the Galaxy Nexus getting some love as well, though you'll have to make due with a "coming soon" release commitment for at least a short while longer. Jump past the break for the PR.
Show full PR text
Happy 1st Anniversary, Verizon Wireless 4G LTE!

Alabama, Arkansas, California . . . West Virginia, Wisconsin . . . and all over. On Dec. 15, more than 200 million Americans will be able to experience the blazingly fast speed and reliability of our 4G LTE network.

And today, on Dec. 5, we're celebrating big time because it's the one-year anniversary of our initial deployment of 4G LTE. We started in 38 major markets, plus a 39th – West Lafayette, Indiana – the home of Purdue University. Our friends at Purdue were incredibly anxious to begin developing uses for 4G LTE on campus and we made sure they had the resources to keep their technology mojo humming.

Network Reach

Those initial 39 markets weren't all small, of course. They were places like metro New York City, San Francisco, Chicagoland and Atlanta. And on that first day, we covered more than 110 million people with 4G LTE: a very strong showing.

This is what leadership is about. Some of our competitors in the marketplace talk about 4G LTE a lot. What they're planning, when they might have services in lots of cities, when they might get an abundance of 4G LTE smartphones and other devices so users can actually, well, use the network.

On Dec. 15, Verizon Wireless will be in 190 markets, covering more than 200 million people, with numerous different devices. Which means you have a great selection of smartphones, tablets, mobile hotspots and USB modems to access the network.

We build and maintain the best wireless networks in the world. That's why Popular Science and PCWorld have both recently acknowledged our 4G LTE network as one of the great technological developments of 2011.

Hats off to the Verizon Wireless network engineers who are building 4G LTE from the ground up. Cheers to our major network infrastructure partners at Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson and Cisco.

It's time to blow out the candle and know that "Year 2" will be twice as bright.

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Facts

200 million Americans covered with 4G LTE (as of Dec. 15)
190 Markets covered (as of Dec. 15)
16 Devices currently available, including eight smartphones
Two hot new Xyboard DROID tablets from Motorola coming out this month
One anxiously awaited GALAXY Nexus smartphone running Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, from Samsung, coming soon

4G LTE Devices

Smartphones: HTC Rezound™, DROID RAZR™ by Motorola, Samsung Stratosphere™, Pantech Breakout™, DROID BIONIC™ by Motorola, Revolution™ by LG, DROID Charge by Samsung and ThunderBolt™ by HTC
Tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 with 4G LTE and Motorola XOOM™
Notebooks and Netbooks: HP® Pavilion dm1-3010nr Entertainment PC and Compaq™ Mini CQ10-688nr with built-in 4G LTE
Hotspots: Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot MiFi™ 4510L and Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot SCH-LC11
Modems: Verizon Wireless 4G LTE USB Modem 551L and Pantech UML290 USB modem

Gowalla confirms move to Facebook, service to shut down in January

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 09:22 AM PST

Reports of an acquisition first surfaced on CNN Money late last week, and now Gowalla has confirmed that it has indeed been acquired by Facebook. According to the company, the Gowalla service itself will be winding down at the end of January, and the team will instead focus all of their attention on developing Facebook features (namely, Timeline). Gowalla's Josh Williams also assures users that their personal information isn't a part of the acquisition, although the company will be providing users with a way to export their Passport data and other information. You can find his full post announcing the deal at the source link below.

[Thanks, Bram]

Samsung SE-208BW Smart Media Hub packs DVD writer, we ask why then take it for a spin (video)

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 08:54 AM PST

Is there any better way to ring in 2012 than to drop 129 bills on a shiny new wireless-enabled DVD burner? Absolutely. But if your New Year's resolution includes archiving smartphone pics to optical media and steaming DVD flicks over WiFi, Samsung is prepared to make those nostalgic dreams a reality, with its SE-208BW Smart Media Hub. The premise here is quite familiar -- little black box takes content from an attached storage device and streams it to connected devices over WiFi, or over the Web. Samsung's twist on the traditional model brings optical media into the equation, however, with a CD/DVD burner enabling music and movie playback, along with remote file archival. You'll need to wait until late January (or perhaps early February) before introducing Samsung's shiny streamer to your wired or wireless network, but we got an early look at the new DLNA-enabled gadget today.

If you've used an external DVD burner made in the last decade, you're already familiar with the form-factor employed here -- there's a slim disk tray up front, with full-size and mini USB connectors, Ethernet and a DC input on the rear. This is strictly a streaming device, so there's no HDMI or other AV connectivity -- you'll need to use an Android, iOS or smart TV app, along with Samsung AllShare or an FTP client to access content. We tried steaming 720p video and a few photos using the Android app and the AllShare application included with most recent Samsung devices, and everything worked as expected, with content loading quickly without any hiccups.

You can access files on a connected HDD or USB flash drive remotely from the built-in FTP server, but you'll need to use Samsung's apps to stream DVDs and music CDs from that built-in optical drive, or to burn smartphone pics or other remote files to a blank disc. You can view content directly on your smartphone or tablet, or on a connected TV, using the former device to control playback. The hub also serves as an internet bridge, so you won't lose web access when connected directly over WiFi. There's nothing groundbreaking here, unless the absence of an optical drive has been keeping you from adding such a device to your collection, but jump past the break to see it in action.
Samsung Smart Media Hub hands-on

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

LG reveals X-Note Z330 Ultrabook, claims it cold boots in ten seconds

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 08:29 AM PST

Not to be confused with the bulkier P330 13.3-incher we saw last month, the new X-Note Z330 looks to have toned up to gain membership to the mwah-mwah Ultrabook clique. It's a mere 14.7mm (0.58-inches) in thickness, 1.21kg (2.67 pounds) in weight and sports a solid state drive to help it boot up in under ten seconds. What's not so Ultrabookish, however, is the price: the Z330 has been announced in Korea starting at ₩1,700,000 ($1,500) for the Core i5 variant with 4GB RAM, a 120GB SSD and a fairly usual range of connectivity, including HDMI, USB 3.0 and Intel WiDi for streaming content wirelessly to your HDTV. Opting for a Core i7 and a 256GB SSD will add a hefty ₩900,000 ($800) on top of that. We've duly prepared a rant about value for money, but we're going to save it until there's official US price tag instead.

OTA Honeycomb update rolling out to wealthy HTC Flyer owners

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 08:02 AM PST

You see that? It's a screenshot from a 32GB 3G + WiFi model of HTC's 7-inch Flyer that's suddenly updated to Honeycomb 3.2 without so much as a note from its mother. A tipster to the French site HTC Hub has revealed that the update (version 3.55.405.1) weighs in at 210MB and updated over the air, but so far no-one with a cheaper 16GB WiFi-only edition has been able to replicate the experience. Either the company is staggering the roll out of Google's tablet-optimized software, or it's only interested in looking after the high-rollers.

Update: HTC just confirmed over on Facebook that the GSM 3G version of the Flyer gets the Honeycomb update today, the update for WiFi-only users is "coming soon."

[Thanks, Bruno]

Cox TV Connect app brings more live cable TV streaming to iPads

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:36 AM PST

The list of pay-TV providers that don't have an app that turns your iPad into another TV screen has grown one shorter today, as Cox Communications announced its Cox TV Connect app. Like other apps from Cablevision, Time Warner, and DirecTV it's restricted to use within the home (and for jailbreakers, judging by error code 144 you may be restricted once again) while connected to Cox internet service. The description promises "over 35 " channels available, a glance at the listing on Cox's support site reveals a distinct lack of Viacom offerings (Spike is shown in the screenshots, but isn't on the list), which isn't surprising given the video giant's legal wrangling over other similar apps. We're not seeing any support for any kind of second screen interaction with what's on TV or remote control features, although the existing Mobile Connect apps have some of that covered. It does however support viewing on up to 5 tablets at once, so if your family is squeezed for screens this may be just the ticket, check after the break for a press release or hit the iTunes link below to download the free app.

[Thanks, Stephen]
Cox TV Connect iPad app
Show full PR text
Cox Communications Introduces Cox TV Connect(SM)


iPad® serves as an additional screen to watch live programming in the home
COX COMMUNICATIONS TV CONNECT APP Cox launches TV Connect, the ability to watch live television on your iPad within your home.

ATLANTA, Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications announced today that many of its customers can enjoy the ease and flexibility of using their iPad as an additional screen to watch live, streaming video in their home at no additional charge. The Cox TV Connect application that launches today includes access to national cable television channels that offer a variety of news and entertainment programming.

"Cox offers convenience through convergence and TV Connect is a new way we are making viewing more convenient and flexible for our customers," said Steve Necessary, vice president of video product development and management. "Our TV Connect offering will continue to evolve and expand, adding even more value to our services."

TV Connect includes a convenient on-screen guide, and customers can select a full-screen viewing option once a program has been selected. The first version of the TV Connect app is now available at no additional charge in the Apple App Store. At initial launch, Cox customers with Preferred, Premier or Ultimate Cox High Speed Internet service, Cox TV Essential service or higher and a DOCSIS modem can download and use the free application on their iPad.

Access to linear programming through Cox TV Connect marks a significant expansion of Cox's online offering. Last May, the company introduced TV Online at www.cox.com/tv, which gives Cox Advanced TV customers access to a library of thousands of television and movies titles on demand. Many of the television shows available at cox.com/tv are available for online viewing starting the day after the premiere. Earlier this year, Cox also introduced Mobile Connect, an iPad, iPhone and Android app that gives Cox Advanced TV and Cox Telephone customers the ability to control and manage their Cox DVR and Telephone services.

A&E
ABC Family
AMC
Animal Planet
Bravo
Cartoon Network
CNBC
CNN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN 2
C-SPAN 3
Discovery
Disney Channel
E!
Food Network
Fox News
FX
Golf Channel
HGTV
History Channel
HLN
HSN
Lifetime
msnbc
National Geographic
OWN
QVC
Speed
SyFy
Turner Classic Movies
TLC
TNT
Travel Channel
truTV
USA





About Cox Communications:

Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet and telephone services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves more than 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising.

Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For seven years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; for five years, Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity, and the company holds a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

SOURCE Cox Communications

Fujitsu Arrows ES IS12F coming to Japan next year: thick name, thin phone

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 07:10 AM PST

KDDI's au network in Japan has revealed that it'll be stocking the slender Fujitsu Arrows ES IS12F starting January 2012. Fujitsu fans may recall seeing a very similar handset with the same (mostly) 6.7mm profile when NTT DoCoMo's version sashayed into those stuffy FCC offices. The phone runs on a single core processor, which is responsible for powering the image-stabilizing five megapixel camera and Gingerbread OS. The 4-inch, 480 x 800 AMOLED screen is cocooned in the same water resistant armor found on other Arrows devices, helping to protect those essential keitai functions like the One-Seg digital TV tuner and IR receiver. The skinny smartphone will go on sale in both black and red options on KIDDI, while NTT DoCoMo customers will have to settle for black.

Sony Ericsson to become Sony in mid-2012

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 06:45 AM PST

Sony and Ericsson's decade-long partnership may have humbled Kim Kardashian, but dwindling market share and an over-reliance on feature phones signaled the end of the affair. Ericsson will have until "mid 2012" to clear its things from the spare room before the electronics giant begins a new solo venture. The revitalized enterprise will leverage its parent company's brand strength, R&D and content (since it owns a massive chunk of the entertainment industry) and in comments made to Times of India, company Vice President Kristian Tear said there would be a "fierce" advertising push to restore the company's reputation as a major player worldwide -- before taking a Pilates class to try and fit back into its bachelor pad.

Grand Central Apple Store opening December 9th, giving New Yorkers eight billionth way to buy an iPad

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 06:35 AM PST

It's been a long time coming, but it looks like Apple's finally ready to take the wraps off its latest store. The company's latest New York City outpost is set to get its grand opening in landmark Grand Central Terminal on December 9th, leaving only a few weeks for some combative holiday shopping amidst tourists, fellow commuters and kids from the suburbs. According to an email sent to customers, the store will open its doors for the first time on Friday at 10AM, so you should probably start lining up in an hour or two -- after all, nothing beats claustrophobia, a little elbowing and that new Apple Store smell, right?

[Thanks, David]

New periodic table elements finally get names, will probably want to trade them in

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 06:10 AM PST

Flerovium and livermorium. Prime names for really ugly babies -- or, equivalently, new elements on the periodic table. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry opted for the latter last week, baptizing elements 114 and 116 just about six months after they were first ratified. Back in June, as you may recall, Russia's Joint Institute for Nuclear Research proposed flerovium and muscovium as names for the two ultraheavy elements, while deferring to the IUPAC for final say on the matter. At the time, the organization said it would likely accept any name, as long as "it's not something too weird." Flerovium (Fl), named after Soviet nuclear physicist Georgiy Flerov, apparently passed that litmus test. Muscovium, sadly, did not. Instead, slot 116 will belong to livermorium (Lv), named after California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which collaborated on the discovery of the element, back in 2000.

Bill Goldstein, associate director of Lawrence Livermore National Labs' Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, heralded the decision as a celebration of his institute's collaborative contribution to chemistry: "Proposing these names for the elements honors not only the individual contributions of scientists from these laboratories to the fields of nuclear science, heavy-element research, and super-heavy-element research, but also the phenomenal cooperation and collaboration that has occurred between scientists at these two locations." The nomenclature isn't entirely set in stone, however, as the two names must first endure a five-month public comment period before appearing in chemistry textbooks.

Samsung teases flexible, transparent display in concept video

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 05:47 AM PST

Samsung's flexible display technology isn't slated to hit the market until 2012, but the Korean manufacturer is already giving us a glimpse of how it may transform our lives, with a freshly released concept video. Yes, it's just a concept ad, and a relatively brief one at that, but it still paints a pretty mouth-watering portrait -- one full of transparent, flexible screens, smartphone-tablet hybrids, and augmented reality. Check it out for yourself, after the break.

Leaked Intel roadmap hints at Ivy Bridge's future

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 05:23 AM PST

Considering how frequently Intel roadmaps leak out, you have to wonder which super-spy is smuggling all those diplomatic bags out of Santa Clara. The latest seems to contain detailed plans for 2012's Ivy Bridge desktop chips (and the sad news that the release has been pushed back to Q2). There are no big surprises in the documents, since the company just shrunk some Sandy Bridge CPUs in the wash. Going down from a 32nm to 22nm microarchitecture has managed to wring 19 percent better power usage, which enabled Chipzilla to concentrate on beefing up the range's integrated graphics performance, making it (reportedly) 60 percent faster than its bigger brother. The chipset will sit neatly atop your current Sandy Bridge motherboards, (You'll just need to flash your BIOS), which is good because we're stuck with the asthmatic, geriatric processor for at least another few months.

PingChat! becomes Touch, delivers real-time social collaboration to Android, BlackBerry and iOS (video)

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST

13 million PingChat! users will soon find their cross-platform instant messaging companion taking on a more social and interactive life. Today, Enflick is announcing a new platform for communication known simply as Touch. In addition to being available as a separate download, existing PingChat! users will be presented with an upgrade that maintains their existing user names and contacts. Rather than working from predefined lists or blasting messages to all contacts, Touch allows users to determine specifically who to share a message or photo with, and also bring new friends and family members into the conversation on-the-fly. The program also shows when someone is typing, and the push-style system allows users to see exactly when messages have been read. The free app will launch today for Android, BlackBerry and iOS users. Sorry, Windows Phone fans, Enflick has no immediate plans for your platform, although it promises to continue to monitor demand. Be sure to check out the full gallery below, along with a quick video and the full PR after the break.
Enflick Touch
Show full PR text
Makers of TextNow and PingChat! Launch First Mobile-Centric Social Connectivity Platform to Support Closest Interpersonal Relationships

"Touch" Delivers Instantaneous, Intimate and Seamless Connectivity, Enabling Users to Keep in Touch with Innermost Circle of Family and Friends On-Demand from Mobile Devices


WATERLOO, Ontario – December 5, 2011 – The inventors of TextNow, the leading free and unlimited picture and text messaging application, and PingChat!, a free cross-platform instant messaging application, today launched "Touch," the industry's first mobile-centric interpersonal connectivity platform designed to support users' closest personal relationships. Touch redefines online interpersonal connectivity with one "go-to" platform that can be easily downloaded onto mobile phones to facilitate real-time communications that are entirely seamless, intuitive and intimate, allowing users to keep in touch with their innermost circle of family and friends on-demand. With Touch, Experiences can be immediately, privately and selectively shared with individuals' most significant relationships – as opposed to blasting hundreds of acquaintances or groups with specialized common interests.

The Touch Experience can be downloaded immediately at touch.com. Existing PingChat! users will also be upgraded, establishing an initial customer base of millions of users on the Touch platform from day one.

"We want to give people the power to instantly connect with their closest friends and family – whenever they want, right from their mobile phones – and to make that Experience unlike anything else that exists today," said Derek Ting, co-founder and CEO, Enflick. "With a design focused on emulating our real-world personal interactions, Touch takes online connectivity to an entirely new level, transforming the way that we can keep in touch with the relationships that are the most important to us."

Touch Delivers the 'Magic Touch' for Staying Socially Connected in a Mobile World

The Touch platform makes it fast, effortless and reliable to connect with users' most significant relationships. As a mobile-centric social connectivity platform, Touch can be easily deployed and accessed on mobile devices and includes the following unique features:

• Ability to share Experiences as they happen by easily capturing and delivering photos;
• Typing indicators so users can instantly see when their connections are typing for real-time conversations;
• Visual alerts showing when text and media messages are delivered and read;
• Capability to quickly add multiple conversation participants for spontaneous group chats; and
• Profile pages that allow friends and family to look back and reflect on a journey of mutually shared Experiences.

Social networking growth on mobile devices is surging. The mobile social networking user base, currently accounting for approximately 1.1 billion worldwide, is set to grow at 11.8 percent CAGR over the next five years to reach 1.9 billion users, according to a new market research report entitled "Mobile Social Networking 2011-2016" recently published by Market Publishers, Ltd.

Touch fills an emerging need for mobile connectivity solutions and is a natural technology evolution that leverages Enflick's extensive social networking expertise gained through its highly successful TextNow and PingChat! applications, which combined serve more than a billion impressions per month and enjoy over 21.5 million users worldwide.

The result is an Experience that integrates seamlessly into users' lifestyles, allowing them to focus on staying in touch rather than figuring out how to get in touch.

Touch supports iOS devices (OS version 3.0+), as well as the Android (1.5–2.3) and Blackberry (5.0+).

Motorola Xoom 2 review

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 04:30 AM PST

Motorola's Xoom 2 arrives at a point where Apple's iPad (first- or second-generation...) still dominates the tablet market. The original Xoom was the first tablet to arrive with Android Honeycomb, an OS dedicated to the tablet form. In the months since we gave it a middling review, plenty more tablets arrived, faster, thinner, and more longevous (like the Galaxy Tab 10.1).

So what now? Well, Motorola has recast its Xoom: it's made it faster, slimmer and lighter.
They've beefed up the disappointing screen found on the original, it's now a Gorilla Glass-coated IPS screen that promises 178-degree viewing angles. But Motorola has also cut more corners than the four you see before you -- ones that it hopes customers won't miss.

However, with a certain quad-cored, ICS-imminent transforming tablet already stealing the hearts of many an Engadget reader (and editor), does this slimline sequel do enough to make up for its past mistakes? Is there now enough in the Android market to make Google-powered tablets a viable alternative to the iPad? Is £396 ($620) now too much to pay for a 16GB Android tablet that's merely dual-core? We'll be sure to try and answer all these right after the break.
Motorola Xoom 2 review

Hardware


Do you remember the old Xoom? Perhaps it's best described as a slab; half an inch thick, it weighed in at a pound and a half. Well, the Xoom 2 has certainly gone lean, it's now 0.22 pounds lighter, and honed to mere 8.8mm thick. Those corners, apparently "strategically designed" to make the tablet easier to handle do exactly what they're meant to do. We suffered a lot less "tablet palm" from extended gaming and video-watching sessions, although we're not sure why the curves aren't reversed. As it is, the Xoom 2 is super comfortable in portrait mode, but less so in landscape. The tablet does, however, feel reassuringly rigid. Although it may lack the shiny concentric stylings of the Transformer Prime, there's no wobble in its aluminum-framed build. The tablet has also been given an all-over water resistant coating, similar to what you'll find on the Droid RAZR. The front of the tablet has a bezel that's slightly less substantial than its Android competition, around 13mm on the vertical sides, and just under 20mm on the horizontal borders. It's marginal-- we're talking fractions of a millimeter less than both the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Transformer Prime, but comparing it to tablets from the first half of this year is a testament to how far Android tablets have come.


The first Xoom's comedic digital camera stylings on the back are now, thankfully, gone. A soft plastic edge runs around the tablet's lower edge and sides, surrounding a gun metal-colored panel. A rubbery power button, now accompanied by the volume rocker, is located on the back. These are accessible by your right hand when held in landscape, and are resistant enough to ignore when you accidentally brush over them to hold the tablet.

Our review model packs the bare minimum of what we'd allow storage-wise on a tablet: 16GB. Despite this, there are also no expansion options.

Two stereo speakers are located at the top, away from the softer edge, and thus less likely to be covered while you hold the device. At the top of the rear, a five megapixel camera is now placed (more logically) in the center, with an LED flash alongside it. On the top edge, there's the customary headphone jack which is accompanied by something a little more exotic -- an IR emitter. We managed to get this easily working with Dijit, and also its broad list of compatible TVs and devices. Along the base of the device, ports include a micro-HDMI and micro-USB port that deals with both data and charging. Yes, Motorola has retired the dedicated AC pin, although you'll probably want to stick to the meatier in-box charger rather than attempt to eke out a charge from phone adapters or, dare we say it, a USB cable. Our review model packs the bare minimum of what we'd allow storage-wise on a tablet: 16GB. Despite this, there are also no expansion options - no microSD slot, let alone SD. Granted, there's a very strong trend towards cloud-based music collections, but we'll be clutching to our files until the revolution truly takes off. There doesn't appear to be any 32 or 64GB models of the ten-inch tablet incoming, so it's something to be aware of. What's even odder is that there's a hatch along the bottom edge that could certainly receive either a SIM, if not some form of removable storage. We've been in contact with Motorola to confirm exact what it's all about, and will update this review when they get back to us.

Screen


Motorola has made a conscious effort with the Xoom 2 screen. Sure, it's the same 1200 x 800 resolution, but it's now an IPS panel. Viewing angles approach the stated 178 degree mark, although you'd be hard-pressed to see much from there. The upgraded IPS TFT display makes pictures, video and, well, everything, far more vibrant. The latest Motorola tablet does, however, still have issues with bright and outdoor lighting. The screen also seems to be more hungry for fingerprints and smudges than anything we've seen before. We're talking original iPhone-levels of fingerprint magnetism: be prepared to carry a microfiber cloth, or wear long sleeves.

Camera


While it may not be a core feature for many users, the Xoom 2 still has a five megapixel auto-focus shooter. We found stills we're generally good quality, although colors were often slightly muted. One plus of photography on tablets of this size is the ability to view your shots, full-screen immediately. Unfortunately, given the greater degree of control available on a 10.1-inch screen, there's no touch to focus feature. Instead, the Xoom 2 attempts to concentrate on what it thinks you want focused. Photography options consist of a few preset modes, color effects, exposure settings, size, quality and the ability to switch between macro, infinity and auto focus. The front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera is still here. Fortunately, nine months since we first saw the Xoom, Honeycomb's app offering has expanded and compatible voice-call services (did someone mention Skype?) make this a far more valid addition than it did on the first Honeycomb tablet.
Motorola Xoom 2 sample shots

Video capture is capped at 720p at 30fps, and the results are pretty sub-par, largely due to the poor, slow autofocus. Recording moving subjects results in some pretty hazy footage. You'll find that video recording -- and playback -- will suffer from some very pronounced clipping if you have a handful of apps running at the same time, so it's worth restarting or doing some task management before you hit record.



Performance and battery life

Motorola Xoom 2 Galaxy Tab 10.1 Motorola Xoom Transformer Prime
Quadrant 1,841 2,083 1,745 3,023
Linpack (single-thread) 45.51 MFLOPS 16.9 MFLOPS 32.5 MFLOPS 43.35 MFLOPS
Linpack (multi-thread) 68.87 MFLOPS 36.7 MFLOPS 59.8 MFLOPS 67.05 MFLOPS
Nenamark1 20.1 fps 42.5 fps 30.5 fps 60.1 fps
Nenamark2 19.6 fps 18.6 fps 19.3 fps 46.1 fps
Vellamo 1,060 886 923 953
Sunspider 0.9.1 2,229ms 2,200ms 2,192.7ms 1,861ms

The Xoom 2 manages to squeeze in an ARM 1.2GHz dual-core processor alongside 1GB of RAM, giving noticeable improvements in both the benchmark scores and daily use when compared to the original Xoom. Whether that's the 20 percent processor improvement, or testament to the Google and Moto's special relation, we don't know, but the old guard is unsurprisingly beaten across all bar one of our benchmarks. But it makes more sense to compare the sequel against its main tablet competitors.

The Xoom 2 seems to offer up some very strong Vellamo web browsing scores, above even the Transformer Prime.

Admittedly, the quad-core Transformer Prime has a bit more under the hood, but the Xoom 2 seems to jump through the technical hoops better than the Galaxy Tab 10.1, a similarly sized and specced dual-core tablet. It's worth noting that the Xoom 2 seems to offer up some very strong Vellamo web browsing scores, besting even the Transformer Prime. Number-crunching aside, the tablet runs smoothly, able to load up graphically intensive apps and websites without much of a struggle, though it's still suffering a Honeycomb hangover of occasional stutters, and random app crashes.


Despite the slimmer style, the battery still manages to outperform its older brother. The IPS screen doesn't seem to take much toll either; with almost nine hours of continuous video playback from a full charge, running on 50 percent brightness, WiFi enabled. It's a strong performance, but the competition is stronger. On day-to-day use, it's more frugal; we got a good day and a half of casual use, with Twitter and email notifications throughout the day, and a heavy dose of Shadowgun action at lunch.

Tablet
Battery Life
Motorola Xoom 2 8:57
Apple iPad 2 10:26
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime 10:17
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 9:55
Apple iPad 9:33
HP TouchPad 8:33
Lenovo IdeaPad K1 8:20
Motorola Xoom 8:20
T-Mobile G-Slate 8:18
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus 8:09
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 8:00
Archos 101 7:20
Archos 80 G9 7:06
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 7:01
Acer Iconia Tab A500 6:55
T-Mobile Springboard (Huawei MediaPad) 6:34
Toshiba Thrive 6:25
Samsung Galaxy Tab 6:09
Velocity Micro Cruz T408 5:10
Acer Iconia Tab A100 4:54

Software

Fortunately, Motorola has taken a pretty laissez faire approach to Honeycomb (version Android 3.2, to be exact) It flies in the complete opposite direction to the heavily styled backgrounds, widgets and apps found on the Droid RAZR. Pre-installed apps are lightweight, inoffensive additions. There are several business-oriented apps here, like Quickoffice HD, Twonky and Citrix, while Motorola's own music streaming app, MotoCast requires pre-registration, but is a relatively painless way to add your collection of music, photos and videos to the Xoom 2.


Motorola has added what it's calling Intelligent Grip Suppression to both the Xoom 2 and its Media Edition sibling. We're calling it a great idea; it allows you to grip the tablet's screen while still allowing multitouch scrolling and zooming. In practice, it's pretty good at detecting your grip, though the web browser will occasionally zoom, rather than obey your commands to scroll. The browser itself often gets confused by flash content, with video often clipping like the camera does when several apps are already open. The stock keyboard here is the typical fare, with buttons plenty large enough to avoid mistakes. However, the wide-screen nature of the Xoom 2 in landscape means we found that we had to stretch in landscape mode to reach the middle range of the keyboard. Again, we reverted to SwiftKey Tablet X, where a split-up board solves this problem.

Stylus


An optional extra, we managed to get our hands on the Motorola Active Stylus, priced at £22 ($34), and working exclusively with software found on the 10.1-inch Xoom 2. Motorola has told us it won't be playing with the smaller screened Media Edition. Well, it will -- it'll work on any capacitive screen, you'll just miss out on the dedicated Floating Notes app. The stylus (which requires an AAAA battery) works across the full gamut of Honeycomb apps and menus. There's a decent heft to it, and it makes a satisfying tap noise on the Gorilla Glass display. Motorola hasn't yet revealed who is responsible for the digitizer, but we'll be updating here when we do.

Hitting the ever-present notepad icon in the lower right corner will proffer a few options: launch the Floating Notes app replete with a blank canvas, open any previous sketches or annotations, or finally, Evernote. The final option is semi-integrated into Motorola's stylus software. It's a little half-baked as any stylus interactions have to be done in Floating Notes and then shared across to Evernote. Sadly, there appears to be no ability to make quick 'n dirty annotations on the top of emails, photos or webpages, something that was a boon to using the stylus-centric HTC Flyer. The lack of a native screen grab - and we know there are other ways -- also works against the stylus. Apps willing to interact with the stylus are a bit short on the ground -- Diopen is the best handwriting input app we've found so far, but that will also work with your finger.

Wrap-up


The Xoom 2 is a stylish successor to the original Honeycomb tablet. The build quality is much improved, and Motorola is on the right track with those oddly shaped corners and built-in IR emitter. There has been an explosion in Honeycomb tablets since the first Xoom launched, and while the sequel does plenty right, it isn't enough to claim the head seat at the Android tablet family table. Fortunately, the Xoom 2 has bypassed Moto's tendency to over-tinker with the core Android experience on its phones, resulting in a pretty reliable tablet, although it still behaved erratically with video content.

Competition's a lot tougher, and while Motorola's upped it's game, it's not by enough to come out on top.

While camera shortcomings on a tablet may not be a massive deal-breaker, lack of tap to focus and poor auto-focus on the video camera are frustrating. Because of a lack of expandable storage (and beefier models), users will be drawn into the world of cloud media management, whether they want to or not. It's telling that the Google Music app comes preinstalled on this UK review model -- somewhere the beta isn't yet available. While the Xoom was -- for a time -- the best Honeycomb tablet, it was also the only Honeycomb tablet. But competition's a lot tougher, and while Motorola's upped its game, it's not by enough to come out on top.

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

Lenovo S10 and S10e fan noise gets user fix, involves minor surgery

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 04:16 AM PST

It's admittedly been a while since we heard about some Lenovo S10 users' issues with heat dissipation and increasingly aggressive fan noise. Two years on, and one frustrated owner has taken it upon themselves to get inside the netbook and solve the issue. The result? The removal of a metallic-looking dust filter from within the left side vent, which is apparently enough to pacify the fan on this particular machine. We'd temper this solution with a warning: that cover was there for a reason, presumably a dust-related one. But, if a quieter machine is worth the price of a new netbook in the (not-so) long-run, it may be worth a try.

[Thanks Redcode sic]

iFaith v1.4 allows downgrade to iOS 5.0, jailbreaker's dream come true

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 03:54 AM PST


In the game of Apple versus the jailbreakers, Cupertino threw the community a curveball with iOS 5's newly restricted downgrade system which blocks devices from restoring to old 5.x firmware. With the help of his noble steed iFaith (a custom Windows tool), hacker iH8sn0w has found a way around the firmware block, making it possible for dumped iOS 5 signature hash blobs (SHSH blobs) to permit unsigned restores. Why all the fuss about downgrading to prohibited firmware? Prominent iOS hackers MuscleNerd and pod2g have stated that the first untethered jailbreak will arrive on iOS 5.0 and, as such, may require iFaith's downgrade process to facilitate user restores. While the jailbreak is still under construction, iFaith should assure disheartened users in the community that all is not lost. Want to learn about blobs, blobs, and more blobs? Continue past the break to view iH8sn0w's informative video.

Dell halts online sales of Streak 7 tablet, turns toward a new mobile future

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 03:32 AM PST

You might wanna pause for a moment of silence, because it looks like Dell has just discontinued its Streak 7 tablet. As the folks over at Streak Smart recently noticed, the Android slate has mysteriously disappeared from Dell's website, replaced only with a note to confirm that it's no longer available online. Dell, which axed the smaller Streak 5 back in August, provided us with the following statement:

Dell remains committed to the mobility market and continues to sell products here and in other parts of the world. Streak 7 delivered a unique experience for customers who wanted a larger screen-size yet the freedom of staying connected to their personal and professional content while on the-go. It continues to be available in many markets through retail, distributors and carrier partners such as Optus in Australia. A 10-inch version of the tablet, Streak 10 Pro, is currently offered in China, offering the ultimate digital divide between work and life. The Venue and Venue Pro devices, as well, continue to earn accolades for performance, design and functionality around the world. We also recently launched the Latitude ST, a 10-inch Windows 7-based touch-screen tablet designed for vertical markets such as education, finance and healthcare in November of this year. We remain committed to expanding our reach beyond PCs with a targeted set of open, standards-based mobility solutions and services designed for commercial and mobile professional customers.

So Dell isn't leaving the mobile space entirely, and it doesn't look like the Streak 7 is completely dead, though based on the above statement, it certainly seems to be on its way to pasture.

Asus Padfone with Tegra 3 coming in early 2012

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 03:05 AM PST

Just as we were settling down to another calm and banterful Engadget Mobile Podcast, our special guest had to go and throw us some hard news. Yup, and rather than making you sit through the entire two-hour recording (pleasant as that would be), we're just going to come right out with it: Nicole Scott from netbooknews.com has it on good authority that the Asus Padfone will be coming out at MWC 2012 in February. What's more, it won't be powered by a Qualcomm Krait S4 as suggested by that strange GLBenchmark we saw earlier -- it will in fact sport a Tegra 3, just like its highly capable big bro the Transformer Prime. See? That's the kind of juicy reward our podcast listeners get for tuning in each week.

ZiiLabs demos Ice Cream Sandwich on its Jaguar 7 tablet, looks swift and tasty (video)

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 02:36 AM PST

It's been few months since ZiiLabs introduced more hardware designs for its Jaguar line of OEM-oriented reference tablets, and now, the company has released a brief demo video of its seven-inch variant tasting Android Ice Cream Sandwich. Up until this point, we'd only seen the devices rocking Honeycomb atop Zii's ZMS-20 dual-core processor, but it appears to handle Google's latest frozen treat -- specifically Android OS version 4.0.1 -- with relative ease. The clip highlights quick transitions through a few menu interfaces, followed by a showcase of the slate's OpenGL graphics and StemCell media acceleration with decidedly smooth looking multitouch interactions. Curious to see for yourself? You'll find the whole 57 seconds of video goodness just past the break.

[Thanks, Tim]

Hexxeh adds a splash of lime to Chromium OS, brings extra hardware and plugin support

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 02:03 AM PST

The open source version of Google's Chrome OS just got a zesty refresh. Capable of being housed in a mere USB stick, the latest image improves on Hexxeh's Vanilla release with hardware support for more WiFi models and NVIDIA 6 series GPUs and above. It will still benefit from regular updates to the latest Chromium build, while this Lime flavor arrives with full Java support and the promise of more plugins soon. The maker is also willing to accept suggestions for future device support. Chromium obsessives with hardware compatibility woes can try getting in touch at the source below.

HCI Roommate III puts Android powered TVs in hospitals

Posted: 05 Dec 2011 01:00 AM PST

Many companies have tried their hand at Android-powered TVs and set-top boxes outside of the Google TV ecosystem before, but HCI's Roommate III is apparently the first line destined for the sterile environment of hospitals. These 22- to 42-inch wall mounted LCD HDTVs run an unspecified flavor of Android that supports apps, web browsing, and a built-in whiteboard. Things like accreditation status, outcomes studies, and incidence of medical errors will probably still be our main concerns in picking a hospital, but if these displays catch on then our doctors can describe our next elective surgery with the help of Google Body.

ESA abandons Russian space probe, hopes it doesn't plummet to earth

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 11:52 PM PST

Things have gone from bad to worse for the orbit locked Phobos-Grunt space probe, having lost contact with the European Space Agency, the probe faces abandonment and disaster. The soviet star-gazer got stuck in Earth's orbit shortly after launch, stunting its two and a half year jaunt to the Martian moon Phobos. Attempts to send commands that would break the craft loose of the Earth's grip have failed, and the ESA has since given up hope of contacting the probe. The Russians will continue to try and reestablish contact with the probe, hopefully avoiding an expensive disaster. Weighing 13.2 metric tons, most of which is fuel, the probe threatens to return to Earth with a bang, crashing down to terra firma with a toxic payload. It's certainly not been a good couple of months for Euro based space travel. In the meantime let's just hope it doesn't bump into anything else while it's up there, or you might miss the big game.

Plex app available on Kindle Fire, media servers and other clients get new updates too

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 10:30 PM PST

For a media software package to survive these days, it has to be able to run pretty much anywhere and just recently Plex added the Kindle Fire to its list of supported platforms, uploading its Android client onto Amazon's Appstore. The team hasn't stopped there either, delivering updates across a slew of products starting with its Media Server v0.9.5.2 which added autoupdate and start on login features, while the Media Center package has reached 9.5.2, with support for refresh rate switching as well as a number of other tweaks and fixes. The various clients haven't been forgotten either, with a brand new alpha available for Linux users, individual apps for Android and Google TV, and a new v2.1 for iOS that supports myPlex cloud streaming without the need for users to run the Plex server software locally. Hit the source links for changelogs and more details or just check an app store near you where updated software is no doubt residing for your picture, music, and video streaming pleasure.

Xbox Companion app for WP7 will launch alongside the new dashboard December 6th

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 08:51 PM PST

The fall 2011 dashboard update for Microsoft's Xbox 360 is just a day or so away from arriving and while certain video partners may not be ready to ring the bell day one, its slick Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone 7 (caught on video here and here) will be there. The app lets users search the Xbox catalog of games, movies, and more directly from their phone, get second screen information on what ever the console is currently playing, see friend activity, or act as a remote control. It's free for all WP7 users and will be available Tuesday, check the gallery below for a few more screen shots and Major Nelson's blog for specific details.
Xbox Companion App for WP7

Xbox 360 Dashboard update review (fall 2011)

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 08:01 PM PST

Kiss that old "New Xbox Experience" goodbye -- the Xbox Dashboard just went full Metro. Microsoft teased the console's latest overhaul back at E3, promising to "change living room entertainment forever." The following months saw leaks, previews and betas, all leading up to today, the eve of the Xbox 360's Fall Dashboard update. Is the new dash the game-changer it hopes to be? Hit the break, and we'll find out together.
Xbox Live 2011 Fall Dashboard update

User Interface


If you didn't catch the hint from Redmond's Windows Phone and Windows 8 interfaces, let Xbox Live deliver the final word: Metro is Microsoft's new baby. Last year's dashboard update flirted with the new look by flattening out NXE's cascading tiles. The contemporary update keeps the Metro, but abandons NXE's crossbar-style navigation for a horizontally oriented experience. The console's various channels now headline the top of the screen, listing the familiar "games," "music" and "video" sections between the new Bing search feature and the console's settings page. A few of the channels have been renamed -- "My Xbox" is now "home" and a very Zune-esque "social" replaces "friends." Core content hasn't changed much, but the way you access it has, with yesterday's single-file tiles retired in favor of single page Metro layouts, packing more than twice as much information on screen as the previous Dashboard. Sound cluttered? It isn't. Most of the space was saved by cycling spotlight content through a large, central tile, and the entire layout is padded by a liberal amount of free space. If anything, the new design highlights how much extraneous content each channel has -- two to three tiles in each major category seem to be exclusively dedicated to advertisements or spotlight content.

That's not to say there isn't plenty of content to sift through; each channel leads to a wealth of subcategories. Games, for instance, ultimately ushers users to the games marketplace, which pulls up a six page line-up of categories, listing Picks, Featured, Games, Add-ons, Extras and Demos, each with their own layout of options. You can scope out a "season pass" subscription landing page, various advertisements, a pre-defined "most popular" filter, or simply dive in to the alphabetized games marketplace.


Although we typically dig the cleaner Metro layout, the games marketplace was the one place where we missed the old dash's crossbar. At its core, the revision is quicker, more efficient and a generally better experience, offering a horizontal scroll of five items per page, teasing a sixth one off of the end -- but if you want to hop to another letter in your alphabetical search, you'll have to retreat back a level and start over. A minor gripe to be sure, but we would have liked to flick a thumbstick north or south to switch letters. Overall, the marketplace layout is clean, and is shared by most apps. Category filtering and other options sit just above the horizontal scroll's west side, creating a uniform look across the games, music and video marketplaces that's easy to navigate.

The new Dashboard layout is sleeker, snappier, and just a hair quicker than its predecessor. Placing all of a channel's options front and center make it easier to find what you're looking for, and the single page revision eliminates all but the most necessary and basic of scrolling. By embracing Metro, the Xbox finally looks like a Microsoft product, donning the same uniform as the outfit's smartphone OS and upcoming Windows revision.

Kinect integration: sound and motion



When we last saw the Metro Dashboard update, it reminded of us Windows 8, with Metro pages sliding left and right at the flick of a finger -- or at least the wave of an arm. Today's Xbox brings Kinect integration to the top level, refining the ideas behind the now defunct Kinect hub, and implementing motion control through most of the console's menus. The process isn't new, but the console wide implementation is. Waving into Kinect summons the familiar hand-shaped cursor, allowing you to hover over menu items and navigation icons to select them, and hovering over the teasing slivers of the next and previous pages will allow you to swipe your arm to change screens. With the exception of the settings menu, a few pop-up windows, and the Xbox guide, Kinect motion control permeates the entire Dashboard experience. It's a neat, satisfying trick, but performing somewhat grandiose gestures just to navigate a menu can wear on a man. Tired of holding our arms in front of us, we decided to try something else.

"Xbox," we commanded, "games." Whoosh, went the console, quickly landing us in the games hub. Voice control goes almost as deep as gesture control, and is infinitely easier to use. This too, was once available in the Kinect Hub, but the contemporary implementation is heavily refined. Choosing an item on screen? Now you can call it what it is -- picking "Netflix" from an app list instead of "item 3." The console prompts you for the correct command, pulling up a menu at the foot of the screen with a list of option, and peppering the menus speaking text for each item. Generic "item" prompts do pop up from time to time, but most content can be called upon with its own name.

Even though everything about voice control is a marked improvement over the basic functionality of the Kinect hub, it has its share of rough edges. Utilizing the new Dashboard's media controls by voice was an exercise in frustration, movies and music repeatedly overpowered the Kinect's microphone, leaving us shouting awkwardly at our TV and reaching for a proper controller. We stuttered a bit on navigation as well -- although voice control is fairly persistent, the Kinect sensor will stop listening if you jump between applications of functions. Hopping over to the games marketplace after finding the title of your choice in a Bing search? Be ready to prompt the console to listen again, voice control will close in the interim. Hiccups like this break the flow of control, stopping an otherwise smooth experience dead in its tracks. We also had a tendency to mix up the console's "previous" and "go back" commands, which backpedals search or list results, and return to the previous menu, respectively. Despite a few minor gripes, Kinect voice control is by far the laziest content navigation system we've ever used (the good, relaxing kind of lazy), and stands out as an exceptionally cool novelty. It's not the most efficient way to navigate the Dashboard -- that honor is still held by the traditional Xbox 360 controller -- but it is by far the most fun.

Bing search



Much like Metro itself, Microsoft's single-syllable search brand is becoming a staple in the outfit's products -- it's integrated into Windows Phone, it's bound to make an appearance in Windows 8 and now it's on your Xbox. Despite the search engine's digs on the web, you won't be perusing the archives of Engadget on your console anytime soon -- Bing search Xbox is a strictly local affair, and will only sift through content available over Xbox Live. Sound limiting? It isn't -- the Xbox games marketplace is jungle, and until now navigating it was a tiresome, unintuitive task.



Looking for the classic X-men cartoon? Great, Bing found it -- now do you want to buy it on the Zune video marketplace, or watch it using your Netflix subscription?


Today? "Xbox, Bing Fallout 3." There's your game, plus a wealth of related trailers, premium themes, add-ons and even related music selections. Bing search is comprehensive, it doesn't just search the games, music, video marketplaces independently, it searches everything simultaneously, even apps. Looking for the classic X-men cartoon? Great, Bing found it -- now do you want to buy it on the Zune video marketplace, or watch it using your Netflix subscription? The console gives you the option upfront, immediately telling you where you can find what you're looking for, and giving you the chance to choose how the content is delivered.

Bing doesn't mind unspecific searches, and allows you to search by title, director, actor and genre. The experience is very sleek, and is one of the finest features of the Dashboard update. It's worth noting, however, that a lot of the joy of the Bing experience is tied to its implementation of voice recognition -- yes, the same comprehensive search is available to Kinect-deprived gamers, but the hunt and peck text entry the traditional controller offers is decidedly less magical. Silent types and diehard Xbox 360 chatpad users aren't too bad off though, Bing autofills suggestions as you type, which ought to keep chicken-peck data entry to a minimum.

Beacons



As you may have guessed from the "friends" section's modified moniker, Xbox Live is a social community -- playing with friends is half of the point. If you're hankering to use your Gold status for more than convenient access to Netflix, you'll want to pay attention to Beacons. Quietly announced at E3, and recently introduced on Xbox.com, Beacons let Xbox users flag their multiplayer cravings and broadcast them over Facebook. We didn't get to put Beacons to practical use during out testing period, but our friends' flagged games hovered over their avatar's head in our friends list -- had any of us actually wanted to play the same thing, our consoles would have notified and nudged us in the right direction.

We noticed, however, that not all Beacons are equal. Set your flag on Xbox.com, and you'll be immediately be able to add a custom comment, but won't be able to broadcast it to Facebook. Activating a Beacon via the Xbox Dashboard gives you easy access to "share on Facebook" option, but initially forces you to use a generic "I want to play this game with friends," comment, only allowing you to edit the Beacon after the fact. Both avenues lead to the same Beacon, but the discrepancy seemed a bit odd. Still, we see these flags as a welcome addition to Xbox Live; they're easy to use and ought to make multiplayer sessions a little easier to organize.

Achievements are getting a social bump as well, scoring their own "share on Facebook" brag button. Selecting and sharing a particular achievement is a fairly minor update, but at the very least gives you something to throw back in the face of your PSN spamming friends.

Apps and TV


The old Dashboard can still be seen peppered throughout a handful of old apps (last.fm, in particular), something Microsoft told us would be rectified as new and updated apps roll out in the coming weeks. A new set of design standards have been pinned to ensure that partner apps don't stray too far from the Dashboard's uniform experience, while still adding their own touch of flair. Netflix is a prime example -- while the Hulu Plus, Epix and Dailymotion apps embrace Redmond's Metro layout, the stream king offers its own design evolution. The new Netflix app retains its vertical list, but previews each category's horizontal scroll in a vertical cascade of film covers. Highlighting a title drops a brief description at the foot of the screen, and selecting it jumps right in to the program. A mini guide is available while content is playing, allowing users to change episodes, rate the title, and even jump to related content without exciting the stream -- these features area all unique to Netflix, which, in contrast to the basic design and function of its neighboring apps, shows how vanilla or custom a particular app can be.

The beta Microsoft lent us wasn't equipped with the Dashboard's impending live TV integration, but we visited some representatives from the outfit in San Francisco to get a brief look. Like Netflix, Hulu, and Last.fm, TV on Xbox is an app-based affair -- but don't ditch your cable box just yet, most of the console's television offerings will only be available to subscribers of each respective service, and even then some networks will only offer on-demand content, or limited selections of their full library of channels. Still, the app integration is appealing, offering an aesthetically pleasing (and Metro flavored) alternative to your chosen provider's standard program guide.

Cloud storage



Xbox Live profiles are now universally accessible from the cloud. Players behind the Xbox Live Gold paywall also have access to cloud based storage for save games -- a boon for gamers who migrate between consoles, or upgraded to slimmer Xbox, for various reasons. The Xbox's cloud storage feature needs to be activated through the console's settings page before it can be used -- our system offered us 511MB of cloud space after we switched it on. Uploading data to the cloud was as easy as saving games to a memory card, we effortlessly traded data with the Xbox hard drive using the console's data management tools.

Naturally, cloud saved games won't be available if you aren't connected to the internet, but a sudden disconnection won't ruin your day. We pulled our console's ethernet connection out midway through a session of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but the Xbox had no trouble loading or saving our game, and didn't default back to its hard drive until we exited to the Dashboard. When we plugged the console back in, the saved games we created while offline were right there, in the cloud, seemingly stored locally in the interim. Half a gig of cloud storage isn't a ton of space (heck, our Skyrim save data totals over 1.3GB in of itself), but we can definitely dig the convenience of accessing saves remotely without lugging around a memory card. We didn't get the chance to access our Xbox Live profile remotely via the cloud, but as we understand, it's as simple as signing in at home -- the old "gamertag recovery" feature is dead and gone.

Wrap-up


We were pretty tickled by this year's dash update when we played with it back in September, and not much has changed today. The final product is sleeker than the developer build we saw last, which was already a cut above the old dash. The flat, Metro squares put the console in a Microsoft uniform while providing better access to content in a more appealing style. Navigation is quicker, snappier, more enjoyable, and downright futuristic feeling when paired with a Kinect sensor and voice integration. The new dash even seemed to boot our old Xbox 360 Elite up a few seconds faster than the old guard, clocking in 22 seconds from "on" to home screen as opposed to the previous Dashboard's 25 second clock time. By the time the new dash caught up to the old, the Kinect sensor had finished its warm up and was ready to take commands.

We would have liked to see motion or voice control dig a little deeper -- there are still some corners of the Xbox that need a controller to be navigated properly, namely the settings page, Avatar editor, and a handful of prompt screens. But, other than these minor shortcomings, the Dashboard's Metro overhaul succeeds in revamping the console interface into a more intuitive, user-friendly and appealing environment. It is, without a doubt, the biggest and best change since NXE, and we won't miss the old "new experience" one bit.

Xbox 360's new video services won't all launch right away; Comcast, Verizon, and HBO Go delayed

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 08:00 PM PST

Microsoft's new dashboard for the Xbox 360 is close at hand (read our full review for the details) but not all of the video partners that were announced for the new Kinect-centric experience will be launching alongside it. As of launch December 6th the list will look basically the same as it does now, with Lovefilm and Epix joining options like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Sky Go. Later on in the month more new providers like Crackle, Dailymotion, Rogers On Demand, Vudu, and Verizon FiOS TV will filter in, while the UFC app is timed to launch December 20th. Finally, a few highly anticipated additions including MLB.tv, HBO Go and Comcast's Xfinity On Demand are among those slated for arrival in "early 2012". Check after the break for the complete list (update: and a video trailer), we'll let you know about more specific launch dates as they become available.
Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard update 2011 Video Service screenshots



Show full PR text
The Future of TV Begins Now on Xbox 360
Kinect for Xbox 360 brings voice control to living room entertainment with update that launches Dec. 6.

REDMOND, Wash. - Dec. 4, 2011 - A revolution is happening in the living room. Xbox 360 is transforming how you enjoy TV entertainment and is giving you the power to control it with your voice. The next generation of TV entertainment begins with the announcement by Microsoft Corp. of the launch of an all-new Xbox 360 experience including the first group of new, custom applications from world leading TV and entertainment content providers on Xbox LIVE.

"A new era in entertainment begins where all your entertainment is together in one place - your games, movies, TV shows, music and sports," said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "With this update, Xbox 360 system owners will experience Kinect voice control integrated with Bing search, making your TV and entertainment experiences more social and personal than ever."

"Microsoft has just built and delivered it: A single box that ties together all the content you want, made easily accessible through a universal, natural, voice-directed search. This is now the benchmark against which all other living room initiatives should be compared," said James McQuivey of Forrester Research in "Engaged TV: Xbox 360 Leads The Way To A New Video Product Experience,"* Sunday, Dec. 4. "...with more than 57 million people worldwide already sitting on a box that's about to be upgraded for free, Microsoft has not only built the right experience, it has ensured that it will spread quickly and with devastating effect."

You Say It, Xbox Finds It
How long does it take you to search and find your favorite movie or TV show? Do you find yourself searching hundreds of channels and multiple services and TV inputs? What if the entertainment you craved was simple, discoverable and exactly what you wanted at that particular moment?

Now, finding your favorite entertainment is easier than ever. Last year, Kinect for Xbox 360 revolutionized controller-free entertainment by letting you use your body and voice to play your favorite games and entertainment, turning you into the controller. The power of Kinect combined with the intelligence of Bing search is turning your voice into the ultimate remote control. With Bing on Xbox, you can use your voice to effortlessly find the games, movies, TV shows and music you want and discover the best offerings on Xbox LIVE, by simply saying what you're searching for. You say it, Xbox finds it. Beginning tomorrow and over the coming weeks, Bing on Xbox voice search will initially be available in English in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. for Zune video, Xbox LIVE Marketplace and select content partners. For those who do not have a Kinect for Xbox 360, text search will be available in Xbox LIVE markets.
All Your Entertainment, All in One Box

This holiday, in addition to offering the best blockbuster and Kinect games, Xbox 360 consoles are set to deliver live and on-demand TV shows, movies, videos, sports, music and news, becoming the best device to experience all your entertainment. TV and movie fans can instantly stream their favorite episodes of current television shows all season long, as well as past favorites and new-release movies.
Xbox 360 is building on its expansive catalog of movies, sports, television and music available through Hulu Plus, Last.fm, Netflix, Zune music and video and ESPN®, as well as on its existing lineup of great TV providers, such as AT&T U-verse® TV in the U.S., TELUS in Canada, BSkyB in the U.K., CANAL+ in France, Vodafone Portugal, VimpelCom in Russia and FOXTEL in Australia, by also now rolling out the following new entertainment partners and apps**:
Dec. 6:

· EPIX. United States
· ESPN on Xbox LIVE (ESPN). United States
· Hulu. Japan
· Hulu Plus. United States
· LOVEFiLM. United Kingdom
· Netflix. Canada, United States
· Premium Play by (MediaSet). Italy

· Sky Go (SkyDE). Austria, Germany
· Telefónica España – Movistar Imagenio. Spain
· TODAY (MSNBC). United States

Later in December:

· 4 on Demand (C4). United Kingdom

· ABC iView (Australian Broadcasting Corp.). Australia
· AlloCiné. France (AlloCiné), Germany (Filmstarts), Spain (Sensacine), United Kingdom (Screenrush)
· Astral Media's Disney XD (Astral Media). Canada
· blinkbox (Blinkbox). United Kingdom
· Crackle (Sony Pictures). Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States
· Dailymotion. Available in 32 countries globally
· Demand 5 (Five). United Kingdom
· DIGI+ (CANAL+). Spain
· GolTV (Mediapro). Spain
· iHeartRadio (Clear Channel). United States
· Mediathek/ZDF (ZDF). Germany
· MSN. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom
· MSNBC.com. United States
· MUZU.TV. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
· ninemsn. Australia
· Real Sports (Maple Leaf Sports). Canada
· Rogers On Demand Online (Rogers Media). Canada
· SBS ON DEMAND. Australia
· TMZ (Warner Bros.). Canada, United States
· TVE (RTVE.es). Spain
· UFC on Xbox LIVE (UFC). Canada, United States
· Verizon FiOS TV. United States
· VEVO. Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
· Vudu (Wal-Mart). United States
· YouTube. Available in 24 countries globally

Early 2012:

· Antena 3 (Antena 3 de Televisión). Spain

· BBC (BBC). United Kingdom
· CinemaNow (Best Buy). United States
· HBO GO (HBO). United States
· MLB.TV (MLB Advanced Media). Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States
· Telenovelas/Sports (Televisa). Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom
· Xfinity On Demand (Comcast). United States

In October, nearly 40 leading TV and entertainment providers around the world announced they would bring customized, voice-controlled experiences to Xbox 360 systems. Today, MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, and VUDU became the latest leading entertainment providers to announce they are bringing their experiences to Xbox 360 consoles. MLB.TV subscribers will be able to access every regular season game, live and on-demand, in HD picture quality with an array of interactive functionalities. VUDU offers more than 45,000 blockbusters, Hollywood classics, independent films and TV shows, including the largest library of HD content available anywhere, with the highest quality streaming and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound. With VUDU, movies are available the same day they are released on DVD and Blu-ray. More information is available at http://www.VUDU.com.
The Best Entertainment Platform Offers Choice
Whether choosing the movie you want to watch or the service you want to watch it from, the best entertainment platform gives you a variety of options. Not only is Microsoft bringing all your entertainment and entertainment services to Xbox 360 consoles, it is giving you multiple choices in how you interact with that content, including your voice, your controller and now your Windows Phone. Starting Dec. 6, the free Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone will let you find, learn more about and control content from popular entertainment services on Xbox LIVE.

About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system. Thanks to the addition of Kinect, Xbox 360 has transformed social gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play - no controller required. Xbox 360 is also home to the best and broadest games as well as one of the world's largest on-demand libraries of music, standard- and high-definition movies, TV shows and digital games, all in one place. The entertainment center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with a leading social entertainment network of more than 35 million Xbox LIVE members to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home or across the globe. More information about Xbox 360 can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.
About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE is the online entertainment service for your Xbox 360, connecting you to an ever-expanding world of games, movies, TV, music, sports and social entertainment. Xbox LIVE lets you play the best games, enjoy one of the world's largest on-demand libraries on any console, listen to millions of songs and share the fun with friends around the world. Xbox LIVE is also the exclusive home of controller-free online entertainment through Kinect, making your Xbox 360 more intuitive and interactive than ever before. With an active community of more than 35 million people across 35 countries, Xbox LIVE, together with Xbox 360, provides you with instant access to the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, wherever you are. More information about Xbox LIVE can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/live.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
* "Engaged TV: Xbox 360 Leads The Way To A New Video Product Experience," Sunday, Dec. 4, Forrester Research,
http://blogs.forrester.com/james_mcquivey/11-12-04-introducing_engaged_tv_xbox_360_leads_the_way_to_a_new_video_product_experience
** Schedule subject to change. Available features and content subject to change. Xbox LIVE Gold membership and/or additional subscriptions/fees may be required. Kinect functionality available with select Xbox LIVE content and varies by feature and country. For additional details and availability, see http://www.xbox.com/live.

For more information, press only:
Tina Yu, Edelman, (206) 268-2248, tina.yu@edelman.com
Jessie DiMariano, Edelman, (206) 268-2211, jessie.dimariano@edelman.com

For assets, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/xbox.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

How would you change Motorola's Droid Bionic?

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 06:51 PM PST

Two Droid units, two weeks in a row here at HWYC? Say it ain't so! This go 'round, we've got Motorola's Droid Bionic, yet another LTE handset in Verizon Wireless' stable, and with a $300-on-contract asking price, we're pretty sure the early adopters will have some pointed things to say. Still feeling like your chunk of change was spent on something worthwhile? How's the battery life? Would you have jazzed up the overall design in any way? Feeling like you should've waited for the Galaxy Nexus? Good or bad, we're eager to hear your comments now that you've had a few months to play around with it -- drop 'em in comments below!

AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 05:34 PM PST

In case you forget that AT&T's latest LTE-equipped smartphone hit shelves today, consider this a friendly reminder from your mobile obsessed friends here at Engadget. We're talking about the LG's Nitro HD, the 4.5-inch device we lovingly handled last week -- loaded with a skinned version of Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, running atop its peppy 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 dual-core processor. If you'll recall, it's notably packing a 1280 x 720p screen resolution with an ultra-crisp looking 329ppi, an 8 megapixel rear camera (1.3 MP up front) and a healthy 4GB of internal storage supplemented by an included 16GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB). Thankfully, bloatware on the Nitro is at an all time low, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that's it's been confirmed to be loaded with the ickyness of Carrier IQ. Sure, it's not as tasty as an Ice Cream Sandwich, but if your hungering for LTE-enabled 4G speeds on Ma Bell, at least you now have a third option. It can be yours now for $250 with a two-year renewal of service, and you'll find more info at the source link below.

Switched On: Keeping the 'app' out of Apple's TV

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 04:24 PM PST

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

Rumors continue to heat up that Apple will enter the television market next year, stepping up its Apple TV "hobby" into a greater revenue-generating vocation. The company would clearly like to repeat the kind of rousing success it has seen in smartphones. There, it entered a market at least as crowded and competitive as that for televisions whereas most of its Windows rivals have barely been able to eke out a few models with nominal share.

Indeed, the challenge is not as much about competition as commoditization. At first glance, this would be a curious time for Apple to enter the TV space. The HD and flat-panel transitions on which premium manufacturer brands and retailers once feasted has long passed. "Flat-panel TV" and "HDTV" are now just "TV." And prices for smaller sets are settling into a range familiar to those who remember what they cost back in the heyday of CRTs.

The company has clung to the idea of TV as a passive experience.

What's different, though, is that the state of the smart TV market looks strikingly like the smartphone market did before Apple's entrance. The market essentially has "feature TVs" that present a few popular canned services (YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, etc.) and "smart TVs" that are a fractured mixture of homegrown offerings (from companies such as Panasonic, Samsung, LG and Toshiba) and an experience-challenged licensed OS (Android from Sony and Vizio).

This doesn't mean, though, that Apple would necessarily see its television as a way to extend the iOS developer base any more than it has opened up the Mac to such apps, at least at launch. Switched On has previously discussed the challenges that TV-based apps face. If putting such apps on a TV was Apple's plan, why wouldn't it get it started via support on today's Apple TV box? Even if Apple exceeds its wildest dreams for success with an Apple-branded television, there will be a much, much larger base of Apple TV-accessible HDTVs from other brands available for the foreseeable future.

The company has clung to the idea of TV as a passive experience. Indeed, enabling iPhone-like apps on a TV would likely require some Magic Trackpad-like remote, which is not, in the words of Steve Jobs, "the simplest user interface you could imagine." So, what is Apple's opportunity then? There are at least two paths it can take to creating a compelling, differentiated TV experience. They are:

Aggregation: Switched On has also previously discussed the promise of an iTunes-based subscription alternative to cable. Alas, it has been difficult for any company to coax content owners to abandon their lucrative cable compensation deals. And while Apple may have the cash to do so, it doesn't seem like the sort of spendy deal in Apple's character. Of course, user interface and input would play a huge role. Siri or some Siri-like agent could pluck shows from across services such as Netflix and Hulu if Apple can't pull together an integrated subscription service of its own and repeat the disruption it originally made with the iTunes Music Store..

Integration: The cliche "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" hasn't worked in the world of broadband television. As difficult as it has been to assemble a competitive show lineup to facilities-based incumbent TV service providers, it hasn't been much easier to integrate the richness of that platform. Most have tried either the kludgey (IR emitters used by early TiVo boxes and the Logitech Revue) to the obscure (CableCARD, used by modern TiV0 boxes, which is hardly universal in the U.S. much less Apple's other global markets).

If Apple were to find some way to remix the content that most consumers were already paying for, it would have a huge advantage versus other TV makers. But Comcast and TimeWarner have been slow to provide the keys to the content kingdom to even current high-volume TV companies such as Samsung and Sony. Historically, Apple has been one ring away from Netflix on cable company dartboards, although many of them can't seem to rush enough video to the iPad today. Perhaps Apple could use the iPad as a leverage point. After all, a simple cable or AirPlay support is all that separates its display form a television today.

Over the next few years, Internet connectivity will become a common feature in TV sets. It is already becoming so in 40-inch+ models. Apple seems to be under no pressure to enter the market. With its current Apple TV,it can send a wide range video content up to a television with ease, and future versions of Wi-Fi will easily support the ability to do so in the best quality available. It's almost certain that an Apple-branded television would (and would have to) differentiate on user experience well beyond an engagement level that Apple TV delivers today. Beyond that, optimizing the selection and presentation of the content consumers want is the critical task for any company that would seek to reinvent the TV.

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) is executive director and principal analyst of the NPD Connected Intelligence service at The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.

Lovefilm's movie streaming will switch from Flash to Silverlight on PCs in 2012

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 02:22 PM PST

As it prepares for Netflix's 2012 UK invasion, Lovefilm appears to be taking a page out of its competitor's strategy, and it's all because of the studios. When streaming to Windows PCs and Macs it will only support Silverlight as of the first week in January (we should mention it's coincidentally timed alongside a particular electronics show), ditching Flash encodes for its video. Like Watch Instantly, that will mean a lockout for non-Intel Macs and Linux users who don't have a player that supports the necessary DRM, but it's just those three letters that are behind this. Streaming Project Manager Paul Thompson writes on the company blog that Silverlight beat out Flash and new challenger HTML5 in order to meet studio's anti-piracy requirements, as well as take advantage of its Smooth Streaming adaptive bandwidth adjustments. Everything will stay the same on other streaming devices, while Netflix has been able to support Chromebooks via plugin and is rumored to be working on a Netflix solution, we'll have to wait and see if Lovefilm can do the same.

Kobo offers one free book a month, brings peashooter to the e-reader gunfight

Posted: 04 Dec 2011 12:18 PM PST

In a slightly underwhelming attempt to match Amazon's Lending Library proposition, Kobo will start to offer a free download each month to new Touch eReader owners. Starting in January, customers will be able to pick from the decidedly broad selection of Pride and Prejudice, HBR's 10 Must Reads: On Managing People and Star Wars Vs. Star Trek. Unfortunately, the offer is limited to devices purchased between November 24 and March 31 2012, but Kobo is hoping that the ability to hold on to the titles indefinitely will cancel out Amazon's legion of free rentals. Users can sign up to the ebook's offers mailing list for the full details. Remember: A book is for life, not just for Christmas.
at 12:28 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

My Blog List