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- RockMelt hits beta 5, makes Chome's Omnibox a gateway to Facebook
- Tizi app turns your iPhone into a pricey iPad remote, enlists Siri for channel surfing
- Smart ForTwo EV gets delayed until September, 'unspecified problems' to blame
- Engadget Mobile Podcast 118 - 12.26.2011
- Boxee 1.5 nears release, will be final desktop version
- LG announces ICS upgrades to begin in Q2 2012
- Matt Richardson turns Arduino, Twitter and lasers into art (video)
- Seiko Epson marks Boxing Day by announcing Nokia lawsuit settlement, 'extraordinary loss'
- Apple kicks off 12 Days of iTunes, offers a dozen freebies to last into 2012
- Amazon UK opens its doors for the Christmas sales, adds hundreds of Kindle books from 99p
- CUPP's PunkThis graduates to tablets, earns a degree in security (hands-on video)
- Hacked Powermat lets you touch-to-charge your iPhone in stop-and-go traffic
- FCC approves mysterious Archos DECT device, may or may not be secret death ray
- Sony sells its stake in Samsung LCD team-up for $939 million
- Tetris played on microscopic level with lasers, thanks to Amsterdam's rigorous curriculum (video)
- Human Birdwings combines Wiimote, smartphone in DIY flying initiative (video)
- How would you change Logitech's Harmony Link?
- LG's 55-inch 'world's largest' OLED HDTV panel is official, coming to CES 2012
- XDA dev provides means to block Nook Tablet OTA updates
- Inhabitat's Week in Green: hydrogen fuel cell-powered laptop, hybrid buses and bioluminescent bacteria
- IMEC working with holograms, mirrored pixels to prevent 3D movie headaches
- Switched On: The Year of Reversal
- Apple's Newsstand application aiding digital magazine sales, says 'I told you so'
- Notre Dame heralds paint-on solar cells, wants to smear your home with its goop (video)
| RockMelt hits beta 5, makes Chome's Omnibox a gateway to Facebook Posted: 26 Dec 2011 11:04 AM PST  |
| Tizi app turns your iPhone into a pricey iPad remote, enlists Siri for channel surfing Posted: 26 Dec 2011 10:10 AM PST  It's time to show your iPad who's boss -- your iPhone, naturally. The Tizi Remote app is presently available for free via iTunes, letting you use your iPhone to change channels, record shows and pause live TV on iPads connected to the Tizi or Tizi Go TV receivers -- and if you happen to have a 4S, you can harness the power of Siri to change channels for you. Sadly, neither of the aforementioned pieces of hardware are available stateside at the moment, so for now, you'll just have to watch TV shows on your iPad the old fashioned way. |
| Smart ForTwo EV gets delayed until September, 'unspecified problems' to blame Posted: 26 Dec 2011 09:29 AM PST  |
| Engadget Mobile Podcast 118 - 12.26.2011 Posted: 26 Dec 2011 08:48 AM PST  Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen Guest: Richard Lai Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International) 00:01:07 - Xiaomi Phone review 00:10:56 - Meizu MX review 00:29:53 - Samsung Captivate Glide review 00:47:10 - Samsung Stratosphere review 00:53:55 - AT&T abandons T-Mobile merger plans (updated) 01:13:33 - Amazon reportedly considered a RIM purchase, 'commercial partnership' still on the table 01:22:05 - ITC sides with Apple, bans sale and import of some HTC phones (updated) 01:25:55 - Dell's Streak Pro 101DL to become Baidu's first Yi phone, shows up in FCC's database Hear the podcast Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) Contact the podcast podcast (at) engadgetmobile (dot) com. Follow us on Twitter @tnkgrl @phonewisdom @engadgetmobile @richardlai This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Boxee 1.5 nears release, will be final desktop version Posted: 26 Dec 2011 08:16 AM PST  |
| LG announces ICS upgrades to begin in Q2 2012 Posted: 26 Dec 2011 07:59 AM PST  In the second quarter we should expect to see updates for the LG Optimus LTE, Prada 3.0, Optimus 2X, Optimus Sol, myTouch Q and the Eclipse. Fast forwarding to the third quarter, the Optimus 3D, Optimus Black, Optimus Big, Optimus Q2 and the Optimus EX will all be lucky recipients. As can be expected, LG was careful not to lump carrier-branded devices into the mix here, as a large portion of the timing depends on the carrier's testing procedures. Head on past the break to see the full statement by LG. LG's statement:
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| Matt Richardson turns Arduino, Twitter and lasers into art (video) Posted: 26 Dec 2011 07:18 AM PST  |
| Seiko Epson marks Boxing Day by announcing Nokia lawsuit settlement, 'extraordinary loss' Posted: 26 Dec 2011 05:59 AM PST  With Christmas behind us, it's time to get back to the real world. For Seiko Epson, that means some serious downer news. The company announced today that it has finally opted to settle with Nokia over antitrust lawsuits filed in the US and UK. The company will pay the Finnish handset maker a cool $80 million over the lawsuit, which stems from issues with LCD supply. That sum that will result in an "extraordinary loss" for Q3, according to Epson, though the company has opted not to adjust full-year earnings forecasts. Check Epson's press release after the break.
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| Apple kicks off 12 Days of iTunes, offers a dozen freebies to last into 2012 Posted: 26 Dec 2011 04:41 AM PST Find yourself something Apple-flavored underneath the Christmas tree yesterday? Need some gentle coaxing into using iTunes? Well, you're in luck; Cupertino's annual download giveaway starts today and runs through January 6th. The free gifts kick off with some Coldplay tracks and videos from the band's latest Apple-sponsored festival appearance. But don't let that put you off; we expect to see more music, some apps and even books over the next few days. Each one's available for just 24 hours, so it could be worth checking the dedicated app daily. It's up for grabs at the link below. |
| Amazon UK opens its doors for the Christmas sales, adds hundreds of Kindle books from 99p Posted: 26 Dec 2011 04:15 AM PST Got some Kindle hardware burning a hole in your pile of festive gifts? Well, British bookworms have been given some extra yuletide joy courtesy of Amazon UK which has also started a 12-day sale, focusing on its e-book wares. The site vows to add more digital reads each day and it looks like all the additions will stick with their shrunken price tags for the extent of the sale. Head to the source below for some one-click literary gratification.
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| CUPP's PunkThis graduates to tablets, earns a degree in security (hands-on video) Posted: 26 Dec 2011 03:21 AM PST  The tablet we tested was running Windows 7 Home Premium and Android 2.3.4 simultaneously, and was equipped with an additional button for switching between x86 and ARM modes. Since the Asus EP121 already uses a mini-PCIe SSD instead of 2.5-inch SATA storage, a prototype PunkThis board was designed to fit alongside a modified battery. Gingerbread didn't break a sweat supporting both the 1280x800-pixel capacitive touchscreen and pen-based Wacom digitizer thanks to some additional hardware and software tweaks. Beyond the ability to switch between Windows for heavy lifting and Android for improved battery life, it's possible to use both x86 and ARM side-by-side. Imagine antivirus and firewall software running on the PunkThis board in mission-critical security applications for enterprise, and it's easy to see where CUPP Computing is going with this. Check out the gallery below and our hands-on video after the break. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Hacked Powermat lets you touch-to-charge your iPhone in stop-and-go traffic Posted: 26 Dec 2011 01:21 AM PST  |
| FCC approves mysterious Archos DECT device, may or may not be secret death ray Posted: 25 Dec 2011 11:01 PM PST  |
| Sony sells its stake in Samsung LCD team-up for $939 million Posted: 25 Dec 2011 09:52 PM PST Sony and Samsung Shift to New LCD Panel Business Alliance • Samsung to acquire all of Sony's shares of S-LCD, making the joint venture its wholly-owned subsidiary • Sony and Samsung enter into a strategic agreement for supply and purchase of LCD panels. Tokyo, Japan - Sony Corporation ("Sony") and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. ("Samsung") today announced that the two companies have signed agreements to transition the current business relationship with respect to LCD panels. Under the agreement, Samsung will acquire all of Sony's shares of S-LCD Corporation ("S-LCD"), the two companies' LCD panel manufacturing joint venture, making S-LCD a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung. In consideration for the share transfer, cash consideration of approximately KRW 1.08 trillion* will be paid to Sony by Samsung. Concurrently, the two companies have entered into a new strategic agreement for the supply and purchase of LCD panels with a goal of enhancing the competitiveness of both companies. The agreement also allows Sony and Samsung to continue cooperative engineering efforts focused on LCD panel technology. For Sony, this transaction will enable it to monetize its shares in S-LCD and aims to secure a flexible and steady supply of LCD panels from Samsung, based on market prices and without the responsibility and costs of operating a manufacturing facility. With whole ownership of S-LCD, Samsung anticipates heightened flexibility, speed and efficiency in both panel production and business operations. Established in April 2004, S-LCD has continued to deliver advanced and cost-competitive LCD panels to both of its parent companies, contributing to the expansion of the respective parties' TV businesses, and the large-sized LCD TV market overall. However, LCD panel and TV market conditions have now changed. In order to respond to such challenging conditions and to strengthen their respective market competitiveness, the two companies have agreed to shift to a new LCD panel business alliance. The share transfer and payment are targeted to close by the end of January 2012, subject to necessary approvals from regulatory authorities. As a result of this transaction, a non-cash impairment loss of approximately JPY 66 billion is expected to be incurred by Sony in the third quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, due to the reevaluation of its S-LCD shares. This loss includes an impact from the fluctuation of exchange rate. Despite this one-time loss, Sony estimates that the transaction will result in substantial savings on and after January 1, 2012 in respect of costs associated with its procurement of LCD panels. The current estimate of the yearly savings in respect of such costs is approximately JPY 50 billion, compared to LCD panel procurement costs estimated for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. Neither the one-time loss nor the estimated cost savings were included in Sony's forecast of consolidated financial results for the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, announced on November 2, 2011. Sony is currently reevaluating this forecast, taking into account this transaction and other factors that might affect its full year FY2011 consolidated financial results forecast. Facts about S-LCD Established: April 26, 2004 Capital: KRW 3.3 Trillion (Samsung Electronics: 50% plus 1 share, Sony: 50% minus 1 share) Representative: Location: Production Items: Donggun Park, CEO Tangjeong, Chung Cheong Nam-Do, South Korea 7th and 8th generation Amorphous TFT LCD *Note: The final amount of such payment will be determined based on S-LCD's financial statements as of the end of December 2011. |
| Tetris played on microscopic level with lasers, thanks to Amsterdam's rigorous curriculum (video) Posted: 25 Dec 2011 09:23 PM PST  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Human Birdwings combines Wiimote, smartphone in DIY flying initiative (video) Posted: 25 Dec 2011 07:58 PM PST  |
| How would you change Logitech's Harmony Link? Posted: 25 Dec 2011 06:23 PM PST  Remote controls suck, but touchscreen phones and tablets aren't smart enough to replace them, yet. Logitech's Harmony Link is there to bridge the gap between your WiFi device and TV, but we found it inflexible, unreliable and unspectacular. Some of those issues might have been fixed in the recent update -- but what would you do differently to make it the must have gadget of 2012? Ladies and gentlemen, when you've finished your turkey dinners (happy holidays!), sound off in the comments. |
| LG's 55-inch 'world's largest' OLED HDTV panel is official, coming to CES 2012 Posted: 25 Dec 2011 05:37 PM PST   LG Display Announces World's Largest OLED TV Panel 55" Panel to Advance Popularization of OLED TV Market Seoul, Korea (December 26, 2011) – LG Display [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220], a leading innovator of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) technology, today announced that it has developed the world's largest 55-inch OLED(Organic Light Emitting Diodes) TV panel. The 55-inch panel is a significant step forward in the popularization of OLED TVs and demonstrates the effective application of AM OLED technology to larger panel sizes at a more cost efficient level. "Our objective has always been to actively define and lead emerging display technology markets," said Dr. Sang Beom Han, CEO and Executive Vice President of LG Display. "Although OLED technology is seen as the future of TV display, the technology has been limited to smaller display sizes and by high costs, until now. LG Display's 55-inch OLED TV panel has overcome these barriers." Superior Image Quality in an Ultra Thin Design LG Display's 55" OLED TV panel produces remarkable image quality with no after image due to its high reaction velocity, as well as high contrast ratio of over 100,000:1 and wider color gamut than that produced by LCD panels. OLED, a medium that controls pixels is a departure from LCD panels which utilize liquid crystals. The new technology allows light emitting diodes to self-generate light and features a reaction velocity to electric signals over 1000 times faster than liquid crystal. The environmentally conscious will also appreciate LG Display's 55" OLED TV panel. While light sources in backlight units, like LCD panels, must always be kept on, the OLED panel allows diodes to be turned on or off which enables lower power consumption than conventional LCD panels. With no need for a special light source, LG Display's 55" OLED TV panel is also able to utilize a simplified structure thinner than that of a pen (5mm), and lighter than LCD panels. The panel's minimalist structure also allows for the realization of unique design elements. Advancing the Popularization of OLED TVs Although industry watchers anticipate OLED as the future of TV display, to date, the technology has faced challenges due to limitations on the sizes of displays it can be applied to and a high level of investment required. LG Display has successfully addressed these issues with its 55" OLED TV panel. The panel adopts an Oxide TFT technology for backplane which is different from a Low Temperature Poly Silicon (LTPS) type generally used in existing small-sized OLED panels. The Oxide TFT type that LG Display utilizes is similar to the existing TFT process, with the simple difference lying in replacing Amorphous Silicon with Oxide. Moreover, the Oxide TFT type produces identical image quality to high performance of LTPS base panels at significantly reduced investment levels. Additionally, LG Display uses White OLED (WOLED). WOLED vertically accumulates red, green, and blue diodes. With white color light emitting from the diode, it displays screen information through color layers below the TFT base panel, which leads to a lower error rate, higher productivity, and a clearer Ultra Definition screen via the benefits of small pixels. Further, it is possible to realize identical colors in diverse angles via color information displayed through a thin layer. Lower electricity consumption in web browsing environments for smart TVs is another key strength of WOLED. Showing at CES 2012 The world's first 55" OLED TV panel from LG Display will be made available for showing to select media and customers at a private booth starting on January 9 in Las Vegas through the end of CES 2012. For information regarding a product tour, please contact the individuals listed below. About LG Display LG Display Co., Ltd. [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220] is a leading manufacturer and supplier of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels, OLEDs and flexible displays. The company provides TFT-LCD panels in a wide range of sizes and specifications for use in TVs, monitors, notebook PCs, mobile products and other various applications. LG Display currently operates eight fabrication facilities and five back-end assembly facilities in Korea, China and Poland. The company has a total of 55,000 employees operating worldwide. Please visit http://www.lgdisplay.com for more information. Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Additional information as to factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements can be found in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. |
| XDA dev provides means to block Nook Tablet OTA updates Posted: 25 Dec 2011 05:05 PM PST  Worried that an OTA update will put a crimp in your Nook Tablet modding activities? Then you may want to follow the lead of xda-developers member Indirect, who has managed to tweak the tablet to block all OTA updates and kindly provided the means for you to do the same. That involves installing a few files on your device (another method is also available that involve tweaking some files), but Indirect says that the process "holds no risk," and that it won't prevent you from buying books from Barnes & Noble. Complete details can be found at the source link below. |
| Posted: 25 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.  The newswires were buzzing with alternative energy developments this week as Inhabitat reported that Apple filed a patent for a hydrogen fuel cell-powered laptop that can last an entire week without needing a recharge. We also celebrated the warm winter holidays with a look at the world's first solar-powered menorah, GE unveiled an awesome set of 3D-printed Christmas tree ornaments, and we brought you a first look at the dazzling LED-studded 2012 Times Square new year's eve ball. We also showcased several amazing examples of paper technology as Sony flipped the switch on a paper-powered battery and Joon & Jung unveiled an alarm clock with a cute paper shell. Eco transportation was a hot topic as well this week as Porsche unveiled plans to develop the third generation of its flywheel-boosted 911 GT3 R hybrid and the UK's new hybrid double-decker busses hit the streets of London. We also showcased plans for a greenery-filled AirTrain that harnesses Nasa-patented air purifying technology and we brought you Foster + Partner's plans for a striking new high-speed rail station in Galicia, Spain. In other news, this week we saw Waterstudio launch plans for a floating Sea Tree skyscraper that provides habitat for flora & fauna, a scientist has harnessed bioluminescent bacteria to combat pollution in a fragile Florida ecosystem, and researchers developed a new breed of self-fixing electronics that use liquid metal capsules to heal themselves. Finally, we brought you several hot developments in wearable tech - a set of 3D printed eyeglasses, a site that uses your webcam to measure your clothing size, and the world's first pair of over-ear headphones made with sustainable materials. |
| IMEC working with holograms, mirrored pixels to prevent 3D movie headaches Posted: 25 Dec 2011 02:47 PM PST  |
| Switched On: The Year of Reversal Posted: 25 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.  Back in 2005, Switched On dubbed its first full year of existence "The Year of the Switch" as IBM sold its PC business to Lenovo, Apple announced plans to leave the PowerPC platform for Macs and Microsoft moved to PowerPC processors for the XBox 360. But the dramatic reversals we saw in 2011 made even some of those decisions look tame by comparison. HP. Perhaps no tech company exhibited as much public expression of regret and uncertainty than the company often identified as the founding rock of Silicon Valley. A year after acquiring the hardware and software of Palm, Inc. and mere weeks after releasing its first webOS tablet, HP exited the webOS device business in which it had repeatedly vowed to "double down" (a kind of bet that indeed incurs some risk of loss at the card table) and ultimately decided to give the software to the open source community while retaining Palm's patent portfolio. Now webOS is off to forage for developer support with the promise of HP ultimately getting back into the webOS tablet business in 2012 or beyond. Of course, the even bigger question swirling around the company was whether it would spin off its PC business entirely, which it ultimately decided against. That second guess extended its 1990s decision to enter the consumer PC market and its 2001 merger with Compaq. It will take some time for all the implications of the webOS decision to be made clear. For now, though, HP's consumer computing product line has essentially the same Windows-driven scope as it did before it acquired Palm.  AT&T. In contrast to HP, which developed its second-guessing internally, AT&T had its pushed upon it externally. Its bold move to acquire T-Mobile and once again become the largest carrier in the U.S. and extend its spectrum holdings collapsed under pressure from the Department of Justice and the FCC. AT&T's decision to give up on the merger required it to pay $4 billion to its historical GSM rival, proving that reversals can be costly. Meanwhile, Verizon snatched up spectrum from cable companies Comcast, TimeWarner Cable, Bright House Networks and Cox that themselves second-guessed their plans to do something with the wireless spectrum they had acquired. Cox withdrew from the cellular service market earlier in the year. While Verizon's moves are also attracting the interest of federal regulators, they are unlikely to create as much of an uproar as T-Mobile's potential market exit did. As for T-Mobile USA, assuming its parent company Deutsche Telekom still wishes to sell the group, a whole new round of suitors may now express interest, including Sprint. In late 2011, Sprint announced it would be moving away from WiMAX and embracing LTE, leading many to second-guess whether WiMAX had been the right move for the carrier after all.  Nokia. Months before HP decided to send webOS to the world of open source, Nokia, which had for years fought Microsoft via its support of Symbian and later the Symbian Foundation, embraced the company's Windows Phone platform as its strategic platform (jumping from a "burning" one) for smartphones moving forward, and marginalizing MeeGo, which had been its open OS of the future being built in collaboration with Intel. Nokia followed up this decision by releasing the MeeGo-based N9, which received broad accolades, and introduced design elements in Nokia's first Windows Phone-based flagship, the Lumia 800. Microsoft also had to bend a bit to woo Nokia to the Windows Phone party, allowing the Finnish phone maker the flexibility to make virtually any kind of change it wanted to the operating system, a term that it does not extend to its other licensees. Nokia was not the only major handset multinational to see major changes in its business, particularly when it came to ownership. After a decade of participating in the Sony Ericsson joint venture, Sony will again go it alone in the handset business, seeking to stem the momentum of its rival Samsung in that space. And Motorola will become part of Google, although Google promises it will be just about business as usual for the favored maker of Droids.  Adobe. Heading into 2011, Adobe seemed confident in a future filled with Flash everywhere, servicing iOS with a cross-compiler that Apple had relented in approving. Whether it was Apple's blocking of the playback technology or an inevitable move to HTML5, Adobe decided to discontinue development of both the mobile and TV Flash clients. For Adobe, it represented a difficult reality check in the difficulty of maintaining a platform war, even using a platform that ride atop other operating systems.  Microsoft. Windows Phone was a huge bet for Nokia, but when CEO Steve Ballmer was asked what was Microsoft's riskiest product, he replied the next version of Windows. That generally wouldn't be much of a surprise as so much of the company's fortunes are tied to its desktop operating system. However, in the case of Windows 8, which was rolled out at its BUILD conference, it was easy to see why this was especially so. Windows 8 will employ a new Metro user interface optimized for touch in a bid to recapture the slate market Microsoft first tried to drive with Tablet PC but saw stolen away with the iPad. Toward that end, will also be the first version of Windows to run on ARM processors like those from Qualcomm, NVIDIA and TI, helping to deliver sleek form factors and long battery life. The new processor support marks the first extension beyond x86 since the days of Windows NT, which ran on PowerPC and MIPS processors in addition to those from Intel and AMD. As we head into 2012 for the tech industry, one thing is for sure. On the other hand, maybe it isn't. 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. |
| Apple's Newsstand application aiding digital magazine sales, says 'I told you so' Posted: 25 Dec 2011 11:44 AM PST  |
| Notre Dame heralds paint-on solar cells, wants to smear your home with its goop (video) Posted: 25 Dec 2011 10:22 AM PST  Leave it to the Fighting Irish to take a stab at solving the world's energy woes. Notre Dame researchers have successfully developed solar cells that can be easily painted on to any conductive surface. Imagine, for a moment, applying this solution to your home rather than attaching solar panels to the roof. The paint mixture incorporates quantum dots of titanium dioxide, which is then coated with either cadmium sulfide or cadmium selenide, and is then suspended in mixture of water and alcohol to create a spreadable compound that's capable of generating electricity. While its efficiency isn't currently much to crow home about -- which hovers around one-percent -- scientists are now actively pursuing ways to improve this aspect while making a more stable compound. Most importantly, the paint can be made cheaply and in large quantities, which suggests that even if efficiency remains in the doldrums, it may be a very worthwhile pursuit. Touchdown Jesus is already watching the video after the break. |
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