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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

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BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 review

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 10:00 AM PST

Research in Motion, regardless of how you may view its recent history or its long-term future, still has a stronghold on the corporate world. Its lineup of BlackBerry smartphones are known for great battery life, comfortable keyboards with intuitive shortcuts, top-notch native email and Enterprise clients and -- most important to businesses -- unrivaled security features. Sure, its influence is waning as competitors have caught up in some areas (and surpassed it in others), but there are plenty of companies that have clung to their CrackBerries and held on tight.

RIM's been hard at work trying to regain lost momentum by introducing a series of new devices featuring its latest OS, BlackBerry 7, and the BlackBerry Bold 9900 / 9930 series has been the star of the show so far. The problem is, it's not flashy enough. How is a C-level exec supposed to walk proudly on the golf course with a $300 (subsidized) phone? Talk about embarrassing. Have no fear, poor corporate top dog, luxury brand Porsche Design has come up with a solution: the $2,300 BlackBerry P'9981, a Vertu-ized version of that lesser handset you wouldn't be caught dead using.

The P'9981 is available only in the UK and the Middle East for now, so until the device arrives in the US this Spring, anyone who lives stateside will have to rely on retailers to import some in. Fortunately we got the hookup by our friends at Negri Electronics, who happily lent us one of the few handsets they have in stock. As a result, we're now able to discuss the real questions circling around such a Richie Rich smartphone: what in the blue blazes makes this so expensive? Is it even worth it? How different is it from a standard BlackBerry Bold 9900? You'll find these answers and plenty of mysteries unravelled after the break.
BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 overview


Hardware


Handsets that cost more than two grand -- the Nokia Oro, Tag Hauer Link Phone, Motorola Aura and anything Vertu come to mind -- aren't meant to be blockbusters. In fact, most are purely intended to be sold as limited editions, with only a small number rolling off the production line. Porsche Design decided to follow the same strategy, and the company paired up with RIM to craft a new masterpiece using some of the finest materials lying around.

The brand's choice of manufacturer may come as a surprise to many, given the company's recent rocky history, but it shouldn't. After all, Porsche Design CEO Juergen Gessler and several of the executive underlings use a BlackBerry as their daily driver. It's only natural, then, that if they were going to begin selling premium smartphones through their very own stores, they'd buddy up with their favorite phone maker to make it happen, right? Gessler met with RIM to inquire about a collaboration, and boom -- the rest is history.


Let's begin digging into what will interest the business elite -- the phone's design and hardware. First off, we'll need to answer the first burning question: does the P'9981's cost have anything to do with functionality? After all, a device that costs that much should certainly do our laundry for us, right? Nope. Wash the dishes? Nuh uh. Walk our dogs? Strike three. The use of "fine materials," as well as the limited production and eye candy factor, all contribute to the sky-high costs, and it has absolutely nothing with what you can do with it. But then again, if functionality is all you're looking for, you can find that just as easily in top-notch mainstream devices for less than $700 unlocked. In the case of the P'9981, stamping the Porsche Brand logo across the top is what draws curious eyes (and wallets).

We'll offer a disclaimer here: when mentioning that the P'9981 is eye candy, allow us to point out that we're not smitten with its looks, per se. However, there's no question it's an artfully made piece. Porsche and RIM appeared to put a solid amount of TLC into the thing, and it shows in its craftsmanship. Save for the plastic bottom, which lets the antenna do its thing without unnecessary interference, the entire body is forged out of stainless steel. The battery cover is wrapped in real leather, each individual key on the QWERTY keyboard is made of metal and the navigation buttons sitting below the screen are fashioned out of individual pieces of glass.

And yet, its resemblance to the 9900 is unmistakable. There's a reason for this: they're essentially the same phone. Much like its sibling, the P'9981 sports a 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU and 768MB of RAM, 2.8-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 640 x 480 (giving it a pixel density of 286ppi), BlackBerry OS 7.0 with Liquid Graphics, a 1,230mAh battery, GPS, NFC and a 5MP rear camera with an LED flash and 720p HD video capture. For all intents and purposes, Porsche Design pretty much took a Bold 9900 and stuck it in a more arresting chassis.


Measuring in at 115 x 67 x 11.3mm (4.53 x 2.64 x 0.44 inches), it's one millimeter wider, an eight of a millimeter thicker and 25 grams (0.88 ounces) heavier, but it justifies its extra heft with a reassuringly solid feel. This hasn't been much of an issue in the past, as most BlackBerry devices we've tested have felt as though they'd survive two years worth of sporadic drops. Sure, the P'9981's sticker price is motivation enough to keep a death grip at all times, but truly, it feels as durable and well-constructed as its brethren.

The button selection should look mighty familiar too: they're all in nearly the same place as they are on the 9900, with a few minor adjustments. The top is reserved solely for the lock button, while the bottom has two connector ports -- one on each end -- that allow the phone to fit perfectly on the desktop docking station that comes included in the box. Over on the left sits the micro-USB charging port and 3.5mm headphone jack, while on the opposite side you'll find BlackBerry's signature convenience key just below the volume rocker and mute button (which is sandwiched in between). Turning to the back will reveal the leather-wrapped battery cover, which features a metal bar on the top with "P'9981" engraved in the middle, and the camera and LED flash to its sides.


Unsurprisingly, the battery cover also bears the BlackBerry logo underneath the metal bar, embossed into the leather. The Bold 9900 lump is still present, though the one found on the P'9981 is slightly more subtle. Speaking of which, the two covers are also different in the way they attach to the body -- the Bold's is smaller, comprising only the bump, whereas the Porsche Design model fits over the entire back of the phone.

Lastly, we move to the front where we find the LED notification light, touchscreen display, the standard set of BlackBerry navigation buttons -- call, menu, trackpad, back and end / power -- and uniquely designed keyboard. More on that soon.

Performance is exactly what we'd expect from a BlackBerry: great reception, wonderful call quality and robust battery life despite only offering a 1,230mAh juicepack. Our SunSpider 9.1 tests resulted in better scores than with the 9900, interestingly enough -- we averaged 2,495ms, a convincing 150ms lead over the phone's fraternal twin. Our intensive battery rundown test, however, kept the juice flowing for eight hours and fifteen minutes, which we found to be about the same as the Bold.

Keyboard


Truth be told, the keyboard may very well be the most interesting thing about the P'9981. As mentioned earlier, each key is individually crafted from metal, which should do an even better job withstanding your repeated phalangic abuse over the years. On the version we reviewed, each key has a letter and symbol / number inscribed that glows white when you're in a low light area, and an Arabic character which glows red at the same time.

Of course, it wouldn't be a BlackBerry keyboard -- at least, not a high-end one -- without the frets, and they're present here. Granted, they're located in a radically different position than the 9900, found on the lower half of each key instead of on the side. This, along with its shorter and wider keys, contribute to a more difficult typing experience. The buttons are rather clicky, yet it's not as easy to spring from one to another. The keyboard in general was still pleasant to use, but it just wasn't as good.

Camera
BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 sample shots

We were hoping that some extra expense would go into making the P'9981's camera more magical than the Bold's, but it wasn't meant to be. Indeed, the five megapixel rear shooter -- complete with an LED flash and 720p video capture -- produced very similar results. Much like its brother, the P'9981 uses an EDoF sensor that's unable to take macro shots and thus up-close images are unfortunately blurry. The pictures taken from a greater distance turned out better, though we had to mess around with the white balance settings a bit to get some decent shots. As BlackBerry cameras are typically stripped bare of any other special settings, the ability to manipulate such features as exposure, saturation, ISO or anything else manually was unfortunately not an option.


With 720p video, too, we achieved roughly the same results as the Bold. Because the camcorder is fixed-focus, footage remained crisp throughout the entire clip, with the exception of excessive jiggle distortion. At first we just chalked it up to having somewhat shaky hands -- a direct result of not eating our veggies, we figured -- but then we recalled having the same experience with the 9900. That's not to say it's impossible to film a home video free of the shakes, but it will definitely involve an incredibly steady hand or an armrest to make it possible.

Software


The P'9981 runs BlackBerry 7.0, and we won't spend too much time delving into the OS; we cover the topic at length in our review of the Bold 9900 / 9930. However, one thing that really sticks out in the device's firmware is -- drumroll, please -- its custom theme. That's right, proud owners of the phone can feel comfortable knowing they're using a hoity-toity Porsche Design BlackBerry 7 theme. Honestly, very little is new outside of the home panels, which now offer a special set of icons and background options. Aside from this, the differences between firmware are very few, if any. For instance, the menus are the same, the UI elements aren't dissimilar and you have the same applications pre-loaded on each phone.

BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9981 screenshots


This new skin was designed to be exclusive to the phone, giving users a chance to feel elite and oh-so special. Do you feel like your life isn't yet complete because you don't have this special theme? You can now die satisfied, as someone has unsurprisingly found a way to port it to the Bold. For better or worse, that gives theme lovers one less reason to go with this device. Although, how many reasons did you have to get it in the first place?

Wrap-up


The P'9981 isn't going to change the world. It won't fight hunger or cure diseases. Yet to the general population, that's exactly what it's expected to do for a whopping $2,350 sticker price. The first Porsche Design smartphone will be a screaming deal to anyone who has way too much money to burn and just happens to crave a "fashionable" BlackBerry. For the rest of us, we see this for what it truly is: a BlackBerry Bold 9900 in a fancy Halloween costume.

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Boxee Box Live TV starts shipping, Boxee 1.5 software update now rolling out

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 09:37 AM PST

Both have been promised as coming soon in recent weeks, and now Boxee has confirmed that two fairly big new rollouts are underway. The first is the Boxee Box Live TV dongle, which is now shipping and will let you augment your Boxee Box with some OTA TV channels for $50. You can get a closer look at it in our hands-on from CES earlier this month. Alongside it, Boxee is also rolling out its Boxee 1.5 software update, which boasts a new UI and a number of other refinements including better search, new library screens and filtering options, browser pop-up management, and the addition of Rotten Tomatoes listings. Boxee says it's staggering the release over the next 72 hours, but those eager to check it out can find instructions for a manual update at the support link below.

Klipsch Mode M40 noise-cancelling headphones review

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 09:00 AM PST

Around these parts, we've generally had favorable opinions of Klipsch's audio products. Whether it's been something as small as its S4 line of smartphone oriented in-ears or grand speaker systems like its AirPlay-enabled G-17 Air, we've usually ended up awarding the brand our highest praise. If you'll recall, it was little over a year ago that Klipsch introduced its $150 Image One on-ear headphones -- the company's first set ever that weren't of the intra-aural variety, and a favorite of our own James Trew.

Fast forward to the present, and the company's unleashed its second proper over-the-head headphone, the Klipsch Mode M40 with active noise-cancellation. In recent years, headphones have exploded in popularity -- many companies have been furiously trying to blend good sound with fashion-forward looks. It's safe to say that's Klipsch's end game here, and is asking that you part ways with 350 bones to get in on the action.

Put simply, these aren't a follow-up to the Image Ones, but rather, a luxury pair that takes cues from the company's reference series headphones. Of course, as we've come to expect from Klipsch, the M40s do have some notable tricks up their yokes aside from their debatably fashionable looks -- the company promises they'll cancel noise for a massively long 45 hours on a single AAA battery, and both earcups feature an interesting dual-driver array with a 15mm tweeter and a 40mm woofer. So, have the M40s made us smitten with Klipsch all over again? Or not? Maybe something a bit more complicated? Click on past the break to find out!
Klipsch Mode M40 noise-cancelling headphones review

Hardware


Upon unboxing the M40s, we came across the usual assortment of audio-related accessories. Digging our way through, we were welcomed by the headphones themselves, a duo of cloth-wrapped cables (including one with an inline three-way remote / mic for iDevices) and adapters for 1/4-inch jacks and airliners. We're happy to note that Klipsch also adds in a few extras beyond the normal call (and it should, for that price). For one, you'll get two options for storing the headphones, with a choice between a posh hard-shell leather case or a cinch pack if you're tight on space. Additionally, you'll notice a duo of included AAA batteries (for those keeping count, that's one more than you'll normally find with most headphones).


Moving on to the M40s themselves, we'd be remiss not to point out that they look strikingly similar to headphones in the vein of the Beats by Dre studio and Soul by Ludacris lines. Factor in the similar $350 price point and some key design choices like the overall shape, hinged collapsible earcups and even the noise-cancellation toggle switch on the right earcup, and you've got some sincere flattery going on. Not to say that it's a deal-breaker, but we're definitely knocking off some points for originality here. That aside, we're enamored by the refined look of the copper and caramel hues used on the outside of cans, and the soft-touch coasting the inner areas -- the translucent bits are made from the same type of nylon you'll find on designer sunglasses. While you won't find other colors, Klipsch aficionados will surely find the color at home with the company's other high-end ear gear.

Noting what may be problematic for some, the headphones are massive, weighing in at a beefy .78 pounds (~354 grams). To make matters worse, the M40s are ridiculously wide -- we managed to lightly scuff the see-thru nylon more than once while opening doors (of course, we'll detail how this affects the fit a bit later in this review). Our last qualm with the design are all the divets and seams between sections. Within a few days these areas lined themselves with an unpleasant amount of lint and dust, similar to our experience with the late Nox Audio's Scout.


On the underside of the left earcup you'll find a 3.5mm input for either of the included cables. Despite numerous tugs and cable pull-outs, the jack remained tightly in place and the plastic around it didn't show signs of cracking. Both cables proved incredibly durable as well and we found little in the way of cable noise, although they were slightly prone to bunching up. If we have one complaint about the cabling, it's that the ends have straight-angle plugs, and not the kind of resilient right-angles we typically prefer for in-pocket PMP use.

Owners of iDevices will be pleased to know that the inline remote used here is now one of our favorites. The rubber buttons are easy to command while on the move, with a pleasing throw to each push and reassuring clicks that confirmed our every press. According to callers on the other end of the line, the omni-directional microphone on the back delivered crisp, clear sound, even when we were standing next to busy intersections with traffic rumbling by. For the most part, we were told it sounded nearly as good as the mic on our iPhone 3GS, if a little bit lower in volume. Unfortunately, though, the metallic shine is merely plastic, while the backside and cable tips are emblazoned with tacky Klipsch branding.



Plastered in the middle of the left earcup, you'll notice the units spring-loaded battery door. As a nice touch, the door is almost seamlessly affixed, aside from the flick-tab you'll need to open it. In use, it remains snug against the headphones and we never had a worry that it would pop open. Further up each yolk are the folding hinges we mentioned earlier, which allow the headphones to compress for storage. The earcups click firmly in and out of place, and notably, Klipsch states that they're tested to 10,000 cycles for durability. While we had no problems with the hinges' functionality, it became apparent that the paint used on them easily chipped, making us worry how new our new headphones would look within a few weeks.


Rounding things out, on the right earcup there's a toggle switch for enabling noise cancellation (we'll detail how effective it proved in the sound section). Nestled in its center is a red indicator light, which stays lit to indicate power and changes to blinking when the battery is running low. Unfortunately, it's all but useless unless you're indoors since it's hard to view outside -- even on cloudy days. One of the boldest claims that Klipsch makes with the M40s, is that they'll last roughly 45 hours with ANC functioning -- more than double that of many competitors we've checked out in the past. For the most part, we were able to leave the headphones powered on for two to three days at a time. Similar headphones considered, we're amazed that the M40s can manage roughly double the amount of powered running time on the oft-used AAA. To put that in perspective, while reviewing Sony's MDR-NC200Ds we needed to change its battery (rated for 21 hours) about once a week. Best of all, if you do manage to run out of juice before you can pick up more, the headphones function passively (more details below).

Fit and Comfort



On paper, the M40s read as if they're a dream to wear, with leather-wrapped memory foam earpads. Sadly, however, the design of the M40s killed any chance of them being remotely comfortable for more than 20 minutes. To start, the headband doesn't use a traditional pad, but rather a slab of rubber, which Klipsch notes is to keep with the overall look of the headphones. Although the headband did blend in well, it did a miserable job of staying planted on our head and balancing the heft of the cans around our ears. We usually either felt a small amount of pressure from the band or found it sliding toward our forehead.


To further complicate matters, the earcups have a rather snug fit, despite being so girthy, and their flat driver-plates aren't set very deep. There's no padding on the interiors aside from a thin layer of cloth attached to the earpads that covers them, and it consistently pushed against our ears. As if that wasn't frustrating enough, the center section of the plastic raises by a few millimeters, making for an extra pressure point. Part of the problem lies in the M40's nylon construction, which makes the cans far from flexible. The inner cups do swivel and tilt on a small axis to help contour to heads, but we still found our ears suffering from cartilage cramps all too soon. The M40s fit us tighter than most supra-aural headphones we've used and the promisingly thick pads proved to be of little comfort for our average-sized noggin. Ours ears also tended to get fairly sweaty because of the leather, making a us wish there was an option for microfiber or cloth pads as well.



On a more positive note, the head-rails adjust enough for smaller and larger heads -- counts for something, right? Furthermore, in speaking with the company, it's let us know that it's currently reducing the headphones', "clamp force" by around twenty percent in the headband on all future models. This will hopefully lend the headphones a looser fit, and we'll be sure to update this review if we can spend time with the revision.

Sound and noise cancellation



On the noise cancellation front, Klipsch curiously doesn't detail how much ambient noise reduction is actually applied. Taking the headphones on a few bus commutes through New Jersey and New York City, we noticed slight a dip in the level of engine rumble with the feature enabled, but the difference wasn't quite as dramatic as with other headphones we've tested. In other words, you might need something more powerful if you spend a lot of time in the sky, sharing cabin space with crying babies and snoring seatmates. Notably, we didn't experience the sensation of pressure on our eardrums that tends to occur with many ANC headsets. Essentially, bass frequencies will get drowned out to a small extent, but in quiet areas you'll still notice the tsss of that noise-cancellation technology doing its thing.

As we mentioned earlier, the M40s will also function passively, so it's worth noting that isolation from earcups themselves was acceptable. In comparison with our go-to B&W P5s, the M40s proved nearly as good at blocking out background noise without any powered help, ensuring we didn't need to crank the volume too high in louder areas to compensate. Put it this way; Klipsch's smaller, closed-back Image One headphones sound like they may as well be opened-back in comparison to the M40s.

In describing the sound of the M40s, the words silky, smooth and squashed come to mind. The M40s are some of the thickest, warmest sounding cans we've ever had the pleasure of using. Unlike our experience with fit, the voicing of the headphones was incredibly comfortable and warm, saving us from listening fatigue. On the other hand, the voicing is totally colored, so if you're aiming for clinical, these are without a doubt not the sound reproducers for you. Furthermore, bass aficionados will be pleased to learn that with ANC enabled, you'll get about two clicks of extra volume, along with a slight bump to the low-end when you'd like some extra thump. Thankfully, adding in the extra kick doesn't do much to drown out the mids or the highs.

In describing the sound of the M40s, the words silky, smooth and squashed come to mind.

Either way, while we could discern the sonic gems laid out within our tunes, there was a noticeable lack in dynamics. Especially with cymbal and snare drum hits, it was as if a pillow was being placed between our ears and the headphone's woofers and tweeters, muting much of the resonance. Putting it in terms a musician can appreciate, it would be similar to adding a compression pedal between a music source and the headphones themselves. It's especially surprising given the dual-driver setup, which one could imagine having the opposite effect as opening up the sound. Oddly enough, the Image Ones appeared to offer a much more spacious soundstage, though we still have to give a nod to the M40s, as their audio reproduction proved less hollow.

Overall, it's a fun, creamy voicing that's not far off from that of the G-17 Air -- the key difference being that we didn't notice as drastic of a dip in balance of mid-range tones. Fans of Klipsch's S4 in-ears will find that the M40s are not so sonically dissimilar with their tight and focused sound -- something to consider given the $250 price differential. Of course, it all comes at the cost of a natural, airy tone in the treble department, but the good news is that there's nary a trace of sibilance or harshness (that ear stabbing feeling) going from dubstep, to rock, to pop to everything in between. Furthermore, the cans will be very forgiving with tracks of less than stellar quality, making these perfect for when you just want to simply relax and enjoy your playlist.

Wrap-up



Reaching the end of our review, we're torn here. Klipsch's Mode M40s offer the perks of noise cancellation, a sleek (though unoriginal) design, ridiculously long battery life and exceptionally pleasing audio quality from the woofer and tweeter setup. On the other hand, the headphones are incredibly bulky and thus, cumbersome for extended use or travel (and that's despite the folding design). That said, it's worth repeating that Klipsch is already adjusting the tightness, which should mitigate some of our complaints about the fit.

While the $350 price feels commensurate with the total package, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out other options worthy of audiophiles --- not that that's Klipsch's target customer anyway. So would we recommend 'em? It's a tough call -- if you like the style and find the fit comfortable, the M40s are easily worth it. However, for $350,we can think of a few options we'd recommend sooner.

Orange offers free Wikipedia access to mobile users in Africa and the Middle East

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 08:41 AM PST

There are more than 70 million Orange customers across Africa and the Middle East, but only about 10 million are able to access the web from their handsets. That gap may be narrowing, though, now that the provider has decided to offer free mobile access to Wikipedia for users throughout the region. Under the program, users with an Orange SIM card and a web-enabled phone will be able to access the site as many times as they want, without incurring any data charges. Heralding the partnership as the first of its kind, Orange says its new initiative should make it easier for emerging market consumers to access the online encyclopedia, which Wikimedia Foundation director Sue Gardner described as a "public good." The offer is slated to roll out across 20 countries in Africa and the Middle East, beginning early this year. Find more details in the press release, after the break.
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Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation Partner to offer Wikipedia in Africa and the Middle East at no Extra Cost

PARIS, January 24, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In the first partnership of its kind, Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation will provide more than 70 million Orange customers in Africa and the Middle East (AMEA) with mobile access to Wikipedia - without incurring data usage charges

Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation today announced a major partnership designed to make knowledge more easily available to Orange mobile customers throughout Africa and the Middle East. In the first partnership of its kind for Wikipedia, Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation will provide customers in both remote and urban areas of AMEA with access to Wikipedia.

In 2009, Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation formed the world's first mobile and Internet partnership to expand the reach of Wikimedia's projects through channels on Orange mobile and web portals in Europe.

This new partnership will be gradually launched throughout 2012 across 20 African and Middle Eastern countries where Orange operates, with the first markets launching early in the year. The initiative is part of the Wikimedia Foundation's mobile strategy that aims to reach the billions of people around the world who access the internet solely through mobile devices.

Any customer with an Orange SIM and mobile internet enabled phone will be able to access the Wikipedia site either through their browser or an Orange widget. They can access the Wikipedia encyclopaedia services for as many times as they like at no extra charge as long as they stay within Wikipedia's pages.

"Wikipedia is an important service, a public good -- and so we want people to be able to access it for free, regardless of what device they're using," said Sue Gardner, Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation. "This partnership with Orange will enable millions of people to read Wikipedia, who previously couldn't. We're thrilled to be Orange's partner in this important endeavour."

Marc Rennard, Group Executive Vice President, Africa, Middle-East and Asia at Orange, commented: "In countries where access to information is not always readily available, we are making it simple and easy for our customers to use the world's most comprehensive online encyclopaedia. It is the first partnership of this kind in the world where we are enabling customers to access Wikipedia without incurring any data charges; and shows Orange's ability, once again, to innovate in Africa and the Middle East, and bring more value to our customers."

Stephanie Hospital, Executive Vice President, Orange Audience & Advertising division, commented: "Since we first partnered with the Wikimedia Foundation two years ago, we have remained committed to helping them spread knowledge to as many people in the world as possible. We're proud to once again be the Wikimedia Foundation's first partner in Africa and the Middle East."

Researchers use lasers to supercool semiconductor membranes, blow your mind

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 08:22 AM PST

Ah, lasers. Those wonderful, super intense beams of light that we've seen used in headlights, projectors, and naturally, death rays. Like us, researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen figure there's nothing lasers can't do, and have figured out a way to use them to cool a bit of semiconducting material. This bit of black magic works using a membrane made of gallium arsenide and is based upon principles of quantum physics and optomechanics (the interaction between light and mechanical motion).

Turns out, when a one millimeter square membrane of gallium arsenide is placed parallel to a mirror in a vacuum chamber and bombarded with a laser beam, an optical resonator is created between them that oscillates the membrane. As the distance between the gallium arsenide and the mirror changes, so do the membrane's oscillations. And, at a certain frequency, the membrane is cooled to minus 269 degrees Celsius -- despite the fact that the membrane itself is being heated by the laser. So, lasers can both heat things up and cool them down simultaneously, and if that confuses you as much as it does us, feel free to dig into the science behind this paradoxical bit of research at the source below. In other news, left is right, up is down, and Eli Manning is a beloved folk hero to all Bostonians.

Burn baby burn: HP pays out $425,000 to prevent a disco (laptop) inferno

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 08:01 AM PST

The Haus of Meg will pay $425,000 in order to settle a claim that it consciously flogged laptops with batteries that could overheat or catch fire. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission slapped the company on the wrist for not issuing a recall quickly enough. It claimed that HP knew about 22 incidents involving battery 'splosions by September 2007 -- including one instance of a user being hospitalized, but didn't begin issuing a recall until ten months later. By May 2011, the company had recalled over 90,000 affected units that were prone to the odd bout of spontaneous combustion. If you're concerned you've got a duff battery, check out our list here.
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Hewlett-Packard Agrees to $425,000 Civil Penalty for Failure to Immediately Report Lithium-Ion Battery Packs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Hewlett-Packard Company (HP), of Palo Alto, Calif., has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $425,000. The settlement agreement (pdf) has been provisionally accepted by the Commission (3-1).

The settlement resolves staff allegations that HP knowingly failed to report immediately to CPSC, as required by federal law, that certain lithium-ion battery packs contained a defect or created an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. The lithium-ion battery packs can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers. The packs were shipped with new HP Notebook computers, sold as accessories or provided as spare parts for various HP models.

CPSC staff alleges that by September 2007, HP knew of about 22 incidents associated with the lithium-ion battery packs. At least two of these incidents resulted in injuries to consumers. HP also was aware that at least one consumer apparently went to the hospital. HP did not receive any information on the consumer's injuries or treatment, if any. CPSC staff also alleges that between March 2007 and April 2007, HP conducted a study, from which it obtained additional information about the lithium-ion battery packs.

HP did not notify the Commission about the incidents or the study until July 25, 2008. By that time, CPSC staff alleges that the firm was aware of at least 31 incidents involving the lithium-ion battery packs.

In October 2008, HP and CPSC announced a recall of about 32,000 lithium-ion battery packs. HP sold notebook computers for between $700 and $3,000 that contained the lithium-ion battery packs, as did computer and electronics stores nationwide and various Web retailers. Lithium-ion battery packs that were sold separately for use with the notebook computers retailed for between $100 and $160.

Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to report to CPSC immediately (within 24 hours) after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or fails to comply with any consumer product safety rule or any other rule, regulation, standard, or ban enforced by CPSC.

In agreeing to the settlement, HP denies CPSC staff allegations that the lithium-ion battery packs (or the notebooks with which the packs were used) could create an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or that HP violated the reporting requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Act.

Canon EOS C300 to hit Japanese stores on the 31st, PL version coming in March

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 07:39 AM PST

Do you have deep pockets? And do those pockets happen to be located in Japan? Well if you're also in the market for Canon's EOS C300 cinema camera, you might be in luck. The company has confirmed that its motion-picture-shooting flagship will be available in Japanese retail stores by January 31st -- exactly one week from today. As the story goes with expensive electronics in Japan, pricing is "open" at this point, meaning you might have to hit up a retailer for an amount before making two dozen trips to the ATM. But if money's no object (just that pesky release date), you should be on your way to making Cinema EOS magic before the month is out. And if your kit is best suited for the PL-mount version, expect that to ship in late March, "open" pricing in tow.

Facebook Timeline feature, unflattering photos being pushed out to all users in next few weeks

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 07:16 AM PST

Okay, so now that we've all had sufficient time to go on an untagging spree, Facebook is finally getting ready to begin pushing its new layout to all users. Timeline will be rolled out to everyone over the next few weeks, with the social network giving you seven days to preview it before going live, you know, just in case...

Droid RAZR Maxx hits Verizon on January 26th for $299 on contract

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 07:00 AM PST

While good handsets do tend to come in small packages, longer lasting ones are undoubtedly a bit fatter. And so, dear chubby phone chasing fans, Verizon's girthy revamp on its branding mash-up -- the Droid Razr Maxx -- is set for an official bow. After softly leaking the handset's launch date on its site, the operator's finally ready to roll out the Big Red carpet for the Moto-made device on January 26th. For $299 on contract, you're still getting the same dual-core, Gingerbread handset and 4.3-inch qHD display, but this time the zip and sip of the network's LTE won't do much damage to the truly beefy 3,300mAh battery. See? It's definitely deserving of that clunky, Maxximum moniker. Hop on past the break for the company's official presser.
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Verizon Wireless Takes DROID RAZR™ To The MAXX™ On Jan. 26


The DROID RAZR™ MAXX™ by Motorola will be available on Jan. 26 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. At just 8.99 mm, the RAZR MAXX is the longest-lasting smartphone on the block and still impossibly thin. Customers can have a smartphone with the endurance to talk on the phone for more than 21 hours straight on a single charge. Equipped with the same great features as the original DROID RAZR, customers can expect to rip through the Web at blazing speeds with a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and Verizon Wireless 4G LTE. Verizon Wireless leads the way in 4G with the fastest and most reliable 4G network in the United States, covering more than 200 million people in 195 markets.

Additional features:

Powered by Android™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, upgradable to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Powerful 3300 mAh battery
8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video capture and image stabilization technology for crisp and clear videos
Front-facing HD camera for video chat over 4G LTE, 3G or Wi-Fi
4G LTE Mobile Hotspot capable – customers can share 4G LTE speed with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices
Remote wipe, pin lock and government-grade encryption for email, calendar and contacts, as well as voice and video chat conferencing
32 GB memory – 16 GB on-board memory and 16 GB microSD™ card pre-installed (actual formatted capacity is less)

Customers that purchase a DROID RAZR MAXX will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Apple now the largest buyer of semiconductors according to Gartner

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 06:47 AM PST

No one would be shocked to learn that Apple is a major purchaser of semiconductors. Heck, hearing that the company is number one on that list might not even raise too many eyebrows. But, what if you we told you last year the Cupertino crew wasn't the biggest purchaser, or even the second. In 2010 the House that Jobs Built was a distant third behind Samsung and HP but, following a significant surge thanks to the iPad 2 and the updated MacBook Air, its bumped those companies back a slot. In 2011 Apple increased its semiconductor spending by 34.6 percent, from $12.8 billion to $17.3 billion. Samsung stayed in the number two spot with a 9.2 percent jump in spending to $16.68 billion. Meanwhile HP dropped from first, spending only $16.62 billion and settling for the bronze. Check out the source link for the complete rankings from Gartner.
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Gartner Says Apple Became the Top Semiconductor Customer in 2011

Top 10 Original Equipment Manufacturers Represented $105.6 Billion of Semiconductor Demand, Accounting for 35 Percent of Total Semiconductor Chip Revenue in 2011
STAMFORD, Conn., January 24, 2012-


Leading electronic equipment manufacturers remained the center of the semiconductor world in 2011, accounting for $105.6 billion of semiconductors on a design total available market (TAM) basis - 35 percent of semiconductor vendors' worldwide chip revenue, according to Gartner, Inc. This represented a year-over-year increase of $1.8 billion, or 1.8 percent from 2010.

Design TAM represents the total silicon content in all products designed by a certain electronic equipment manufacturer or in a certain region, while purchasing TAM represents the total silicon content purchased directly by a certain electronic equipment manufacturer or in a certain region. Design TAM is a useful index for semiconductor vendors when they are considering how to allocate their sales or field application engineer resources by customer or region. Purchasing TAM is a useful index for semiconductor vendors when they are considering how to establish an efficient distribution network by customer or region.

"The major growth drivers in 2011 were smartphones, media tablets and solid-state drives (SSDs)," said Masatsune Yamaji, principal research analyst at Gartner. "Those companies that gained share in the smartphone market, such as Apple, Samsung Electronics and HTC, increased their semiconductor demand, while those who lost market share in this segment, such as Nokia and LG Electronics, decreased their semiconductor demand. Media tablets were also a growth driver for the semiconductor market throughout 2011."

"Given the rapidly changing competitive structure of the IT and electronics industry, no semiconductor device vendor can afford just to monitor the requirements of the current market leaders," Mr. Yamaji said. "Vendors need to be constantly looking for new market entrants who will, in turn, be tomorrow's market leaders."

Within the top 10 rankings, three companies were from the Americas, three from Asia/Pacific, three from Japan and one from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Apple led the market in 2011 (see Table 1), achieving significant growth, as it has done for the past five years. As a result, Apple became the biggest customer of semiconductor chip vendors in 2011, climbing two places in the ranking, from third in 2010.

Apple gained a much greater share of the smartphone market, and its media tablet business was also highly successful in 2011. While DRAM prices fell drastically in 2011, and many PC vendors decreased their total semiconductor demand accordingly, the success of the MacBook Air enabled Apple to increase semiconductor chip demand even in its PC business.

Mr. Yamaji said that as more brand-name companies are increasing their production outsourcing to original design manufacturers (ODMs) and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers, semiconductor procurement by ODMs and EMS providers has increased year over year. Currently, three of the top 10 purchasing TAM companies are so-called contract manufacturers.

"Semiconductor chip vendors must pay attention not just to the design TAM and purchasing TAM by company, but also by region," said Mr. Yamaji. "This is the key to avoiding inappropriate sales resource allocation. They must keep an eye on design-win opportunities in the U.S., while also establishing a strong distribution network in China."

*Note to Editors on Nokia and Sony
In the ranking table, two joint ventures are included as stand-alone firms, as they are independent buying centers: Sony Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks. They are still considered independent companies in this report. This means Nokia does not include the TAM of Nokia Siemens Networks, and Sony does not include the TAM of Sony Ericsson.

Additional information is available in the report "Market Insight: Apple Led OEM, ODM and EMS Semiconductor Demand in 2011." The report is available on the Gartner website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1517414.

Murtazin: 'Nokia Lumia 910 will arrive in May, pack 12MP camera'

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 06:18 AM PST

Ah, Eldar Murtazin. Sometimes he's (sort of) right, sometimes he's wrong. But he manged to predict the Nokia-WinPho love-in ahead of any official announcement and that still counts for something, right? His latest missive concerns the news of the Lumia 900's likely summer-time flight across the Atlantic. While it's not going to tout the LTE radios of the American edition, Eldar's more concerned about a phone that no-one's yet heard of. Yes, the Lumia 910, which according to the thorn in Nokia's side, will land in the old country sometime in May -- ahead of the posited June launch for the Lumia 900 in the UK. Murtazin is keeping any other details close to his chest for now, aside from the tantalizing mention of a whopping 12 megapixel camera. We know that Nokia knows exactly how to craft a good cameraphone, but we're keeping this rumor firmly in the maybe-could-be-possibly camp, right next to the salt mines.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail comes to Blu-ray March 6th, brings an iPad app

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 05:51 AM PST

Even in 2012 there are a number of classic films that have yet to be released on Blu-ray, but we can knock one off that list March 6th when Monty Python and the Holy Grail comes home from Sony Pictures. Beyond being remastered in HD and featuring a 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack, the release will also bring exclusive Lost Animations, extended scenes and outtakes features running for over 30 minutes. iPad owners will also be able to snag a companion Second Screen app called The Holy Book of Days that includes special background content from each of the 28 days of the movie's filming. It will cost $4.99 on its own, but for a "limited time" there's a $5 rebate available for those who purchase both disc and app. The disc comes with an Ultraviolet Digital Copy and has an MSRP of $19.99, but Amazon's preorder pricing is already down to $12.99. Check out the full list of extras in details in the press release after the break, and if you're not already familiar with the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow (African or European) we've included the old DVD trailer from a few years ago as well.




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The Comedy Classic Debuts on Blu-ray™ with UltraViolet™ March 6th
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL

Loaded with Over 30 Minutes of
New Blu-ray Exclusive Special Features

Second Screen Functionality and Rebate Offer for the Interactive iPad App "The Holy Book of Days," Launching on the Apple App Store

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (January 23, 2012) – From the fertile minds of the 20th Century's most brilliant and outrageous comedy troupe comes their most highly regarded comedy classic - Monty Python and the Holy Grail - debuting on Blu-ray™ with UltraViolet™ March 6th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Their second feature film stars Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin as we follow King Arthur and his knights in their search for the Holy Grail. Encounter the Black Knight, the Killer Rabbit, The Knights Who Say 'Ni'! and the Black Beast of Aaaargh! The Blu-ray set is brimming with coconuts, shrubberies and swallows (African or European), OOPS, we mean loads of bonus materials, including over thirty minutes of new Blu-ray exclusive special features. The Blu-ray will also feature UltraViolet! With UltraViolet, owners of the Blu-ray will be able to add Monty Python and the Holy Grail to their free Digital Rights Library, enabling them to instantly stream or download the film. This medieval madness will be available on Blu-ray for $19.99 SRP.

Also debuting on March 6 is the first Monty Python interactive iPad app. "The Holy Book of Days" is a rich companion to the film, letting fans explore each of the 28 days of the filming of the movie through outtakes, diaries, audio recordings, scripts, and scores of stills. New illustrations, animations, and the story of the filming in the Pythons' own words make each day of the Holy Grail come alive. The app offers a second screen experience too, letting users control and navigate the Blu-ray™ from the iPad. "The Holy Book of Days" will be available for $4.99 in the App Store. For a limited time, Sony is offering a $5 mail-in rebate when consumers purchase both the Blu-ray and iPad app.

Blu-ray Exclusive:

§ The Film re-mastered to high definition standards never before seen

§ The Holy Book of Days Second Screen Experience

§ Lost Animations with introduction by Terry Gilliam

§ Outtakes & Extended Scenes with introduction by Terry Jones


Blu-ray Features:
§ Scintillating commentaries by Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones and even more revealing commentaries by John Cleese, Eric Idle & Michael Palin

§ Quest for the Holy Grail Locations with Michael Palin & Terry Jones

§ Lego Knights: The Knights of the Round Table in Lego

§ Special Japanese Version

§ How To Use Your Coconuts (an educational film)

§ BBC Film Night on location

§ Three Songs to sing-along

§ Cast Directory Photo Gallery



Monty Python and the Holy Grail has a running time of 92 minutes and is rated PG.

Google + Nicknames = Hilarity

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 05:27 AM PST

Google's so desperate for the boys to come to its yard that it won't be long before it buys a milkshake factory. Until then, it's relaxing its ban on nicknames for Google+ users: now amusingly nicknamed composer W.G. "Snuffy" Walden can get back to being himself. Just remember that any name change will carry through Google's entire online service, so try to avoid anything too raunchy if you also use Gmail for work. If you use a pseudonym (say "Madonna") then you'll have to submit scanned copies of you getting papped in Hollywood before you'll be able to use your assumed name. The service will be quietly rolling out to users in the next week, to add your own hilarious nickname, just edit your profile's name and hit the More Options text to the right.

Microsoft outlines Windows 8 wireless improvements

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 05:10 AM PST

It wasn't long ago that wireless networking in Windows was a hodgepodge mess of vendor-specific drivers and apps all conspiring against Microsoft's default interface. Windows 7 solved this in part by streamlining WiFi connectivity, but it appears once again that Microsoft wants to extend the idea to 3G and 4G networking in Windows 8 -- with built-in data activation and usage tools to boot. So, if you've been longing to show VZAccess Manager the door, you'll find more details in the source link below.

Living la vita hacker: PS3 firmware exploit expands Vita Remote Play options

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 04:50 AM PST

Those gosh-darned hackers just refuse to get off Sony's lawn, serving up yet another exploit for the outfit's latest baby, the PlayStation Vita. Well, sort of -- the Vita's own code hasn't been breached, but it sure plays nice with PlayStation 3 custom firmware 3.55. The PS3 tweak apparently recognizes the Vita as a mobile phone, which somehow allows it to Remote Play a wider assortment of PS3 games than normal. It's not all unicorns and double rainbows, however, as input lag appears to be an issue -- but it should help tide over enterprising Vita owners until Sony officially expands its list of Remote Play-compatible titles. In the meantime, those on the straight and narrow can console themselves with the Vita's recently updated 3G data plan. Hit the break to see the trick cram Battlefield 3 onto the small screen.

PlayStation 3 video editor to hit Europe in Q1, 10 euros at launch

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 04:34 AM PST

While Mr. Blurrycam already spotted the upcoming PlayStation 3 video editor at CES, he was unable to divulge any details on release dates. We were similarly unable to wring out much more when we hit the show floor ourselves. Now, Sony has finally outed a few key tidbits, including the fact that Europe can expect it to arrive by the end of Q1 and that you'll have to fork out for the pleasure -- priced at around €10 ($13). According to Electricpig, the PlayMemories Studio will offer up cropping and zooming tools, slow-mo, and a medley of sound and visual effects. Incoming versions of the movie editor for iOS and Android, however, will still arrive gratis. Are you willing to stump up to get your Spielberg on? While there's nothing concrete on a US launch date just yet, we'd expect to see the editor to make a similar appearance over the next few months.

Verizon releases Q4 results, sees jump in revenue, broadband subscribers, net loss

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 03:52 AM PST

Verizon has just come out with its Q4 results this morning, ending the fiscal year with yet another solid revenue report, and a decidedly less rosy net loss. According to the provider, total revenue reached $18.3 billion during the final quarter of 2011, up 13 percent from last year. Verizon saw a particularly notable spike in data revenue, which reached $6.3 billion, representing a 19.2 percent increase over the year, and comprising nearly 42 percent of all revenue. Overall, though, VZW finished the quarter with a net loss of $2.02 billion, compared to the $2.64 billion profit it saw last year. The company also saw an increase in its subscriber base, adding 98,000 broadband customers in the span of a quarter, including 201,000 FiOS internet users, 194,000 new FiOS video subscribers, and a net addition of 1.2 million postpaid customers. As far as demographics go, smartphones now comprise a full 44 percent of Verizon's consumer base, up from 39 percent last quarter. For the full year, total revenue finished at $70.2 billion, up 10.6 percent from Big Red's 2010 figures. For more stats and breakdowns, check out the full PR after the break.
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Verizon Reports Record Revenue Growth in 4Q, Fueled by Strong Demand for Wireless, FiOS and Strategic Services

Verizon Generates Strong Cash Flows, 18.2 Percent Shareholder Returns in 2011; 4Q Earnings Impacted by Non-Cash Pension Items

NEW YORK – January 24, 2012 –

4Q 2011 HIGHLIGHTS

Consolidated

7.7 percent year-over-year quarterly revenue growth in 4Q, a company record.
A loss of 71 cents in diluted earnings per share (EPS), impacted by non-cash pension items, compared with earnings of 93 cents per share in 4Q 2010.
52 cents per share in adjusted EPS (non-GAAP), which excludes $1.23 per share in non-operational items, compared with 54 cents in adjusted EPS in 4Q 2010.
Wireless

$18.3 billion in total 4Q revenues, up 13.0 percent year over year; data revenues of $6.3 billion, up 19.2 percent, representing 41.6 percent of service revenues; $15.1 billion in service revenues, up 6.4 percent.
1.5 million retail net additions (excluding acquisitions and adjustments), largest increase in three years, includes 1.2 million retail postpaid net customer additions; 108.7 million total connections, includes 92.2 million retail customers.
2.6 percent growth in retail service ARPU over 4Q 2010; retail postpaid data ARPU up 14.3 percent.
23.7 percent operating income margin; 42.2 percent Segment EBITDA margin on service revenues (non-GAAP).
Wireline

201,000 FiOS Internet and 194,000 FiOS Video net additions, with increased sales penetration for both products; net increase of 98,000 broadband connections from 3Q 2011.
8.5 percent year-over-year increase in consumer ARPU; FiOS ARPU was more than $148 per month.
14.7 percent increase in strategic services revenues, representing 51 percent of global enterprise revenues.
3.0 percent operating income margin; 23.8 percent Segment EBITDA margin (non-GAAP), compared with 23.5 percent in 4Q 2010 and 21.4 percent in 3Q 2011.
NEW YORK - Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) posted the highest year-over-year quarterly revenue growth in the company's 11-year history in fourth-quarter 2011, fueled by continued strong demand for Verizon Wireless services and handsets, FiOS fiber-optic services, and strategic business products and services.

'Great Momentum for 2012'

"Verizon finished 2011 very strong, both in terms of revenue growth and by delivering an 18.2 percent total return to our shareholders for the full year, and the company has great momentum for 2012," said Lowell McAdam, Verizon chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Verizon Wireless produced particularly strong growth in the fourth quarter. While that diluted wireless margins in the short term, it is good news for revenue and margin growth over the long term, particularly given our leadership in the rapidly developing 4G LTE ecosystem."

McAdam added: "Wireline margins recovered from third-quarter pressures, and we expect wireline margin expansion in 2012. With recent strategic moves and our investments in FiOS, LTE, and global IP and cloud-based strategic services, Verizon has set the stage for accelerated growth across our business units, and we look to continue to build significant value for shareholders in 2012."

Verizon's total shareholder return is a combination of stock-price appreciation and dividend payments. Regarding recent strategic moves, Verizon last month strengthened its ability to provide fully integrated solutions by creating Verizon Enterprise Solutions, a sales and marketing organization, to harness all of Verizon's solutions for business and government customers globally. In addition, Verizon Wireless announced agreements to purchase AWS (Advanced Wireless Spectrum) licenses, an important step toward meeting customers' needs for wireless data and broadband services.

4Q and Full-Year Earnings Results

Due primarily to the impact of previously announced non-cash pension items, Verizon reported a loss of 71 cents in EPS in fourth-quarter 2011, compared with earnings of 93 cents per share in fourth-quarter 2010.

Adjusted fourth-quarter 2011 earnings (non-GAAP) of 52 cents per share exclude $1.20 per share, or $3.4 billion after-tax, due to the actuarial valuation of Verizon's benefit plans, and 3 cents per share for the early extinguishment of debt. This annual valuation adjustment, resulting from changes in actuarial assumptions, is in accordance with a Verizon accounting policy adopted last year. Comparable adjusted fourth-quarter 2010 earnings were 54 cents per share, excluding the impact of non-operational items, the largest of which was a gain from benefit-plan valuation of 44 cents per share.

On an annual basis, Verizon reported 85 cents in 2011 EPS, compared with 90 cents per share in 2010. Adjusted annual EPS (non-GAAP) was $2.15 in 2011, compared with $2.08 on a comparable basis (non-GAAP, excluding results from divested businesses) in 2010.

Consolidated Revenue Growth, Strong Cash Flows

In fourth-quarter 2011, Verizon's total operating revenues were $28.4 billion on a consolidated basis, an increase of 7.7 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2010. For full-year 2011, revenues totaled $110.9 billion, a 4.0 percent increase compared with 2010, when results included revenues from operations that have since been divested. On a comparable basis (non-GAAP), Verizon's 2011 full-year revenues increased 6.2 percent compared with 2010.

Consolidated EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) totaled $29.4 billion in 2011. On an adjusted basis (non-GAAP), EBITDA increased by more than $950 million in 2011 compared with 2010.

Cash flow from operating activities totaled $29.8 billion in 2011, and capital expenditures totaled $16.2 billion. Free cash flow (non-GAAP, cash flow from operations less capex) was more than $13.5 billion in 2011. From this total, Verizon returned $5.6 billion in quarterly dividends to shareholders in 2011, as the company's Board of Directors approved a fifth consecutive year of dividend increases.

Verizon Wireless Delivers Strong Customer and Revenue Growth

In fourth-quarter 2011, Verizon Wireless delivered the highest number of retail net additions in three years and strong growth in revenues, driven by increased smartphone penetration and increased retail postpaid ARPU (average monthly service revenue per user).

Wireless Financial Highlights

Total revenues were $18.3 billion in fourth-quarter 2011, up 13.0 percent year over year. Data revenues were $6.3 billion, up more than $1.0 billion or 19.2 percent year over year, and represented 41.6 percent of all service revenues. Service revenues were $15.1 billion, up 6.4 percent year over year. For full-year 2011, total revenues were $70.2 billion, up 10.6 percent over full-year 2010, and service revenues were $59.2 billion in 2011, up 6.3 percent year over year.

Retail service ARPU grew 2.6 percent over fourth-quarter 2010, to $53.14. Retail postpaid ARPU grew 2.5 percent, to $54.80. Retail postpaid data ARPU increased to $22.76, up 14.3 percent year over year.

In fourth-quarter 2011, wireless operating income margin was 23.7 percent, and wireless generated $6.4 billion of EBITDA. Segment EBITDA margin on service revenues (non-GAAP) was 42.2 percent, down 530 basis points from fourth-quarter 2010. For full-year 2011, operating income margin was 26.4 percent, down 310 basis points from full-year 2010; Segment EBITDA margin was 44.8 percent, down 210 basis points.
Wireless Operational Highlights

Verizon Wireless added 1.0 million total net connections in fourth-quarter 2011. The company added 1.5 million retail customers, including 1.2 million retail postpaid customers. While the wholesale channel grew during the fourth quarter, a loss of telematics customers resulted in a net decrease of 490,000 wholesale and other connections in the quarter. These totals exclude acquisitions and adjustments.

At year-end 2011, the company had 108.7 million total connections, a 6.3 percent increase year over year, consisting of 92.2 million retail connections and 16.5 million wholesale and other connections.

At year-end 2011, smartphones accounted for 44 percent of the Verizon Wireless retail postpaid customer phone base, up from 39 percent at the end of third-quarter 2011.

Retail postpaid churn was 0.94 percent in fourth-quarter 2011, an improvement of 7 basis points year over year. Total retail churn was 1.23 percent, an improvement of 14 basis points year over year.

Verizon Wireless continued to roll out its 4G LTE mobile broadband network, the largest 4G LTE network in the U.S. As of Monday (Jan. 23), Verizon Wireless 4G LTE service was available to more than 200 million people in 195 markets across the U.S.

Verizon Wireless introduced six new 4G LTE devices in fourth-quarter 2011: the Droid Razr by Motorola; the Samsung Stratosphere; the HTC Rezound; the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung; and Droid Xyboard tablets in 10.1-inch and 8-inch form factors. Earlier this month, the company announced that six additional 4G LTE devices would be available in the coming weeks, including two mobile hotspots, now called Jetpacks, from ZTE and Novatel; three smartphones - the Droid 4 and Droid Razr Maxx from Motorola, and the Spectrum from LG, which launched last week; and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7.

In December, Verizon Wireless announced agreements to purchase AWS licenses from SpectrumCo - a joint venture of Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House Networks - and from Cox TMI Wireless. The spectrum licenses under the two agreements cover 93 percent of the U.S. population, and the purchases are subject to regulatory approval.

Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network was ranked No. 1 on PC World's 100 Best Products of 2011 list. In October, RootMetrics ranked Verizon Wireless tops for network performance in Boston and 21 other cities nationwide; in November, Verizon Wireless won the RootMetrics RootScore award for data performance in 36 markets.
FiOS, Strategic Services Contribute to Revenue Growth

In fourth-quarter 2011, revenues and customers continued to increase for FiOS services, and sales of strategic services to business customers remained strong. Segment EBITDA margins (non-GAAP) also increased both sequentially and year over year.

Wireline Financial Highlights

Fourth-quarter 2011 operating revenues were $10.1 billion, a decline of 1.5 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2010. Consumer revenues grew 1.3 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2010.

In fourth-quarter 2011, wireline operating income was $300 million, up 18.6 percent from fourth-quarter 2010. Segment EBITDA (non-GAAP) was $2.4 billion in fourth-quarter 2011, flat compared with fourth-quarter 2010 and an increase of $243 million from third-quarter 2011, when the Segment EBITDA was impacted by storm-related repair costs and a two-week strike. Operating income margin was 3.0 percent in fourth-quarter 2011. Segment EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 23.8 percent, compared with 23.5 percent in fourth-quarter 2010 and 21.4 percent in third-quarter 2011.

Consumer ARPU for wireline services was $96.43 in fourth-quarter 2011, up 8.5 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2010. ARPU for FiOS customers totaled more than $148 in fourth-quarter 2011, rising approximately $2 year over year. FiOS services to consumer retail customers represented 61 percent of consumer wireline revenues in fourth-quarter 2011.

Global enterprise revenues totaled $3.9 billion in the quarter, up 1.3 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2010. Sales of strategic services - including Terremark cloud services, security and IT solutions, and strategic networking - increased 14.7 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2010 and represented 51 percent of global enterprise revenues in fourth-quarter 2011.
Wireline Operational Highlights

Verizon added 201,000 net new FiOS Internet connections and 194,000 net new FiOS Video connections in fourth-quarter 2011. Verizon had a total of 4.8 million FiOS Internet and 4.2 million FiOS Video connections at year-end.

FiOS penetration (subscribers as a percentage of potential subscribers) continued to increase. FiOS Internet penetration was 35.5 percent at year-end 2011, compared with 31.9 percent at year-end 2010. In the same periods, FiOS Video penetration was 31.5 percent, compared with 28.0 percent, respectively. The FiOS network passed 16.5 million premises at year-end 2011, up more than 900,000 from year-end 2010.

Broadband connections totaled 8.7 million at year-end 2011, a 3.3 percent year-over-year increase. FiOS Internet connections more than offset a decrease in DSL-based HSI connections, resulting in a net increase of 98,000 broadband connections from third-quarter 2011. Total voice connections, which measures FiOS Digital Voice connections in addition to traditional switched access lines, declined 7.2 percent to 24.1 million - the smallest year-over-year decline since first-quarter 2006.

Verizon continued to enhance its global portfolio of secure IT and advanced communications platforms and industry-focused solutions. In fourth-quarter 2011, this included an expansion of the company's Voice-over-IP service within the Asia-Pacific region and the rollout of an automated healthcare fraud-detection platform for private health insurers and government agencies.

Multinational corporations, leading businesses and government agencies - including Accenture plc; Chrysler Group LLC; the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; GXS Inc.; MagnaCare Holdings Inc.; Tyson Foods Inc.; Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc.; and Orange and Rockland Utilities Inc., a Con Edison subsidiary - completed new agreements or expanded their relationships with Verizon for a range of advanced communications and information technology solutions. Verizon also announced that it had been named a prime contractor under the U.S. General Services Administration's CONNECTIONS II contract to provide professional and managed services and custom networking solutions at federal facilities.

Verizon continued to broaden the scope and capabilities of its network infrastructure. In fourth-quarter 2011, the company completed deployment of its next-generation 100 gigabit-per-second network route between New York City and Chicago and kicked off seven additional routes in the U.S.; expanded the Ethernet footprint to an additional 80 nodes supporting 23 areas in the Eastern part of the U.S.; expanded the global Private IP network into six additional countries in Africa and two more countries in the Middle East; and activated the first phase of the Europe India Gateway (EIG) submarine cable connecting Europe to the Middle East and Africa with 40G high-speed connections.

Nokia penalised for texting tips to Aussie users, regrets not adding unsubscribe option

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 03:31 AM PST

Here's a bit of bad news for those who actually enjoy receiving Nokia's regular tips via SMS: Reuters reports that the Australian Communications and Media Authority has slapped the Finnish company a hefty A$55,000 ($58,000) fine, with the reason being that there was no way to unsubscribe from said messages. This kind of flaw sure is a surprise at this day and age, but Nokia's already taken action by simply axing this spammy service entirely in Australia, while at the same time "ramping it down elsewhere" just to be safe, according to Reuters. If Pope Benedict is still going about his texting business over there, we sure hope he won't be next on the Aussie naughty list.

[Image credit: Ester Inbar]

Dutch court rejects Apple appeal, says Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is legal

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 02:33 AM PST

A court in the Hague has just cleared the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for sale in the Netherlands, rejecting Apple's requests for a nationwide ban. As NU.nl reports, a different Dutch court had already issued a similar ruling in October, which Cupertino promptly appealed, claiming that Sammy's slate was too similar to its own iPad 2. Today, though, the Court of the Hague shot down Apple's arguments, determining that there are enough differences between the two products to legally justify their coexistence. Granted, this is only one of many patent battles that the two companies are currently waging, but for today, at least, it looks like Samsung has come out on top.

[Thanks, Rolfski]

Judge forces defendant to decrypt laptop, fuels debate over Fifth Amendment rights

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 02:13 AM PST

A judge in Colorado yesterday ordered a defendant to decrypt her laptop's hard drive at the prosecution's request, adding new fire to the ongoing debate surrounding consumer technology and the Fifth Amendment. The defendant, Ramona Fricosu, is facing charges of bank fraud, stemming from a federal investigation launched in 2010. As part of this investigation, federal authorities used a search warrant to seize her Toshiba Satellite M305 laptop. Fricosu's legal team had previously refused to decrypt the computer, on the grounds that doing so would violate her Fifth Amendment rights to avoid self-incrimination. On Monday, though, US District Judge Robert Blackburn ruled against the defendant, arguing that the prosecution retained the right to access her device, as stipulated under the All Writs Act -- a law that requires mobile operators to comply with federal surveillance.

"I conclude that the Fifth Amendment is not implicated by requiring production of the unencrypted contents of the Toshiba Satellite M305 laptop computer," Blackburn wrote, adding that there was strong evidence to suggest that Fricosu's computer contained information pertinent to the case. Fricosu's lawyer, Phil Dubois, is hoping to obtain a stay on the ruling, in the hopes of taking the case to an appeals court. "I think it's a matter of national importance," Dubois explained. "It should not be treated as though it's just another day in Fourth Amendment litigation." It remains to be seen whether Dubois succeeds in his appeal, though civil libertarians are already paying close attention to the case, since the US Supreme Court has yet to weigh in on the matter.

NBC News grows a digital publishing arm, plans 30 titles for 2012

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 01:15 AM PST

Because you can never have your fingers in too many media pies, the powers that be at NBC News are now extending their reach into the eReader space. Under the company's newly minted NBC Publishing imprint, coverage related to current events, docs and bios, in addition to content culled from other NBC Universal divisions, will get a second life as either digital singles (think: longer than an article, shorter than a few chapters) or straight-up eBooks, with about 30 titles slated for this year. The venture, spearheaded by GM Michael Fabiano, will also reportedly serve as a platform for indie authors that rely heavily upon NBC's own archives for sourcing in their work. So, will this brave, new embrace of a 21st century business model manage to wean news junkies off that 24/7 cable drip and back into the Peacock's greedy eager arms? Hard to say until that first title hits virtual stands next month. But when it does, here's to hoping it's more Brian Williams: A Man Mad About Lana Del Rey, than Telemundo: Inside the Telenovela. Just sayin'.

Lumia 900 hits Carphone Warehouse, possibly coming to the UK in June

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 12:04 AM PST

We bet some of you over in the UK were just a wee bit little jealous when it was revealed that we here in the good ol' U-S-of-A would be getting first dibs on the Lumia 900 (a little payback for keeping the 800 all to yourselves). Well, lucky for you, we're not so greedy and you'll get your own shot at Nokia's latest and greatest... eventually. Carphone Warehouse has the dual-camera sporting Mango phone listed as "coming soon" with an expected launch date of June 2012. These plans are clearly still unofficial at the moment, but you can sign up for more info from the outlet as it becomes available. The biggest question, though, is whether or not the Lumia 900 will ship with LTE on board. The product page makes no mention of 4G and, with compatible networks still in trial stages at best, we wouldn't get our hopes up. Still, even without "blazingly fast" downloads, the front-facing cam, RGB matrix screen and beefy battery present plenty of reason for excitement.

Chevy Volt safe from fire hazard after all, says government

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 10:03 PM PST

The Chevy Volt isn't prone to catching fire after all, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The all-electric car came under scrutiny last year after one caught fire following a side-impact crash test. GM offered a buyback program for Volt owners concerned their cars might suddenly immolate, then the company made "enhancements" to the Volt's battery coolant system. That set things right, as far as the NHTSA is concerned: it says "no discernable defect trend exists" in the Volt, and that GM's revisions "reduce the potential for battery intrusion resulting from side impacts." Chevy dropped the Volt's price by $1,000 for 2012, too. So what do you think? Is a $39,000 starting price and less of a chance of burning to death enough to make you go electric?

SITA and Orange develop NFC-based airport check-ins, let you bump the TSA (video)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 08:16 PM PST

You've been there before -- fumbling in-front of a non-enthused security agent, trying to download your fancy mobile boarding pass over an uncooperative network. It's that kind of awkwardness that SITA and Orange are trying to avoid with their NFC-based check-in solution. In their joint proof-of-concept, the duo embedded ticket credentials into an NFC-capable SIM card -- meaning phones without NFC circuitry can also use the tech -- which enables airport plebes to check-in, get through security, board planes and even enter lounges with just a wave of your phone. And because you're not futzing with loading a webpage, nor relying on a fussy image-based scanner, the tech should mean less time spent waiting at checkpoints. Writing that info onto the SIM has other advantages, as it can still be read even when your device runs out of juice. So, next time you're jet setting into Geneva -- you know, to deposit something totally non-nefarious into your Swiss bank account -- peep the demonstration area at SITA's HQ. Or, if you're not the globetrotting type, a video explaining all awaits after the break.


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

VoiceUtils makes your iPhone 4S wish into a Siri command (video)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 07:12 PM PST

In the event you haven't tired of Siri hacks, here comes yet another unintended use of the ole robo-handmaiden. This time, however, her jailbroken powers of automation are strictly for vanilla iOS purposes, so you won't find any demonstrations of car stereo or TV channel changing here. Instead, recently liberated iPhone 4S owners can look forward to a software package called VoiceUtils, available through Cydia, that allows Cupertino's best gal to open first- and third-party apps, unlock your phone (barring password protection) and even reboot. See? It's not exactly the most exciting exploit of Apple's much-touted software, but it is resoundingly practical. If you haven't taken a swig of greenpois0n's Absinthe just yet and are keen to extend your iDevice's voice recognition functionality, now might be the time to drink deeply.

Google, MIT bestow App Inventor to the unwashed masses

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 05:52 PM PST

Google must be feeling generous: it donated Sky Map to undeserving armchair astronomers and it's letting the great unwashed get at its App Inventor development platform. The software toolset was cooked up in partnership with MIT: a web-based interface that lets anyone build Android apps without getting elbows-deep in code. Those Massachusetts king-geeks won't be accepting submissions just yet, however: it's still got to work out how it's going to deploy the public server and foster a "robust and active open-source project" under its new name: the moderately unimaginative MIT App Inventor.

Nook Simple Touch gets USB host mode support via hack, plays nice with low-power devices (video)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 04:58 PM PST

Codemonkeys exhibiting the kindness of strangers? Why, yes, this is such a tale. When XDA Developers member verygreen came across the pleas of one user obsessed with attaching an external USB keyboard to an eReader, he did what any decent hacker would and created a workable solution. Using a loaned Nook Simple Touch, this self-styled Make-A-Wish Hack was able to patch Barnes & Noble's existing kernel, which already supported USB host mode, and send commands over ADB to enable the connection. It's not a foolproof workaround, though, as only low-power devices will function without additional juice and even so, at a great cost to the greyscale device's battery life. Sure, this may not excite you much, but it's certainly made for one very satisfied forum dweller out there in cyberland. After all, isn't that what haxxors are for?

Rollin' Justin learns to throw like a robot

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 04:11 PM PST

Our pal Rollin' Justin proved the old adage about teaching old robots new robo tricks wrong back in April, when he learned to catch balls by tracking moving objects, calculating their flight paths and then snapping shut his cold metal claws at the moment of impact. Now he's besting himself, thanks to a handful of improvements imparted upon him by way of his fleshy masters at the German Aerospace Agency. Among the upgrades are are an improvement to old Justin's dynamic performance -- he's now 1.5 times faster in his arms, thanks to new gear ratios, helping to make his game of robo catch two-sided, with the ability to actually throw. He's also adopted the more flattering moniker Agile Justin and likes to play catch with his older, similarly named sibling. Video evidence of his new-found skills after the jump.

In the wake of Megaupload crackdown, fear forces similar sites to shutter sharing services?

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 03:42 PM PST

The Feds put the smackdown on Megaupload and its whole executive team last week, charging them with criminal charges for copyright infringement and racketeering in addition to conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and money laundering. As a result, it appears that several other cloud locker companies have curbed their sharing ways to avoid similar DOJ entanglements. FileSonic and Fileserve have eliminated file sharing from their service menus, and Uploaded.to is no longer available to those of us in the US. Naturally, none of these companies have said that Megaupload's legal problems are the reason for the changes, but the timing suggests it's more than mere coincidence. Disagree? Feel free to speculate about the possibilities in the comments below, and let us know if any other online storage services have made similar moves while you're at it.

HTC Velocity runs impressive speed test on Australia's new 4G network

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 03:14 PM PST

How fast is Telstra's new 4G network? Pretty darned fast, according to a recent speed test that Ausdroid ran on an HTC Velocity -- Australia's first 4G handset. As the above image clearly demonstrates, the device impressively managed to reach download speeds of 32.82Mbps, with upload rates of 11.26Mbps. Ausdroid was quick to point out that speeds will likely vary across Telstra's network, though it wasn't the only one to report astronomic numbers. Trevor Long, in fact, actually managed to top Ausdroid's results, with a whopping 39.85Mbps downstream, and 11.88Mbps upstream. He also posted an image to his Twitter account, just to rub it in.

Update: Long has actually outdone himself yet again, reaching speeds of 40.77Mbps (down) and 20.07Mbps (up). Photographic evidence after the break.

[Thanks, Jason]

Texas Instruments 2011 Q4 earnings: $3.42 billion in revenue, $298 million in profit

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 02:38 PM PST

It's that special time of year after CES, when many tech companies regale us with their latest earnings reports. Texas Instruments is the most recent firm to divulge its financials, and while the company isn't breaking any records, it did beat Wall Street's expectations. TI pulled in $3.42 billion in revenue, a three percent dip from the previous year, and profit dropped to $298 million from the $942 million it made in Q4 2010. While the company's spinning the numbers as a positive, stating that orders for its chips are up and its revenue beat estimates, the fact that TI's closing two manufacturing plants over the next year and a half doesn't paint such a rosy picture. Of course, if the future with OMAP 5 is as good as we think it is, Texas Instruments should be just fine.

RIM stock falls eight percent following CEO transition

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 02:07 PM PST

We rarely meddle with stock news around these parts, but this was a pretty significant piece of meat to chew on. After Research in Motion introduced Thorsten Heins as the new CEO last night and again in a conference call this morning, the company's stock price tumbled a whopping 8.47 percent. When it comes to what kind of difference the transition will make for the struggling company, we haven't had a high amount of confidence; while we hope for the best and want to see RIM turn things around, the falling stock appears to indicate that we're not alone in expressing concerns about this morning's events. Here's some food for thought: when rumors that Samsung was interested in purchasing RIM flooded the internet, the latter company's stocks spiked by nearly ten percent.

Must See HDTV (January 23rd - 29th)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 01:56 PM PST

The new year is well underway and there's plenty to watch, including more Blu-ray discs with accompanying iPad apps like Real Steel and the season premiere of House. While we pause before the Super Bowl our normal football schedule finally comes to an end, with only the Pro Bowl available for viewing by the most diehard fans Sunday night. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Touch
Kiefer Sutherland is coming back to broadcast TV after a brief foray into the online realm with Touch, the story of a widower who suddenly discovers his mute 11-year old son is apparently capable of predicting the future. Whatever. We're not really pulled in by the plot, but when you combine Jack Bauer and Tim Kring, the creator of Heroes (we choose to remember it as a show that only lasted one season), we'll give it a shot. Also, our international readers should have a shot at viewing this one eventually, since the show is apparently scheduled to debut in over 100 countries starting in March -- this week's episode is a one-off special preview.
(January 25th, Fox, 9PM)

Chuck
The adventures of our favorite Buy More employee come to a close this week with a double episode of Chuck Friday night. After five seasons it's about time things got wrapped up and we'll finally see if Chuck and Sarah ride off into the sunset together, or if he ends up back on the couch playing videogames with Morgan. Check out a quick preview trailer embedded after the break, and get your Subway subs, Jefster CDs and other related memorabilia ready.
(January 27th, NBC, 8PM)

NBA
A compressed lockout-shortened schedule means all the stars are playing all the time, and that's as obvious as ever this week. 2003 draftees LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony will all share the court (pending returns from injury) Friday night on ESPN, while the Lob City Clippers are all over national broadcasts, facing the Lakers Wednesday and the Grizzlies Thursday night.





Blu-ray & Games
  • Real Steel
  • 50/50
  • Paranormal Activity 3
  • WWII in 3D
  • Manhattan
  • Annie Hall
  • Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious

Monday

  • House (winter premiere), Fox, 8PM
  • Rock Center with Brian Williams: Republican Candidates Debate (special presentation), NBC, 9PM
  • Gossip Girl, CW, 8PM
  • Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family, 8PM
  • Who's Still Standing, NBC, 8PM
  • Alcatraz, Fox, 9PM
  • Being Human, Syfy, 9PM
  • WWE Raw, USA, 9PM
  • First Week In, Discovery, 9PM
  • Hart of Dixie, CW, 9PM
  • The Lying Game, ABC Family, 9PM
  • Castle, ABC, 10PM
  • Lost Girl, Syfy, 10PM
  • Grizzlies/Warriors, NBA TV, 10:30PM

Tuesday

  • State of the Union Address (special presentation), ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, 9PM
  • All Star Dealers (series premiere), Discovery, 8PM
  • 90210, CW, 8PM
  • Switched at Birth, ABC Family, 8PM
  • Jane By Design, ABC Family, 9PM
  • Remodeled, CW, 9PM
  • Justified, FX, 10PM
  • Southland, TNT, 10PM
  • White Collar, USA, 10PM
  • Flashpoint (season finale), Ion, 10PM
  • Ink Master, Spike, 10PM

Wednesday

  • Touch (special preview), Fox, 9PM
  • American Idol, Fox, 8PM
  • One Tree Hill, CW, 8PM
  • Whitney, NBC, 8PM
  • Are You There, Chelsea?, NBC, 8:30PM
  • Criminal Minds, CBS, 9PM
  • Nova, PBS, 9PM
  • Sons of Guns, Discovery, 9PM
  • CSI, CBS, 10PM
  • Royal Pains, USA, 10PM
  • Mistresses, BBCA, 10PM
  • Face Off, Syfy, 10PM
  • Clippers/Lakers, NBA TV, 10:30PM

Thursday

  • Russell Simmons presents The Ruckus (season premiere), Comedy Central, 10 & 10:30PM
  • Inside Comedy (series premiere), Showtime, 11PM
  • Celtics/Magic, TNT, 8PM
  • Grizzlies/Clippers, TNT, 10:30PM
  • American Idol, Fox, 8PM
  • 30 Rock, NBC, 8 & 9PM
  • The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 8PM
  • Wipeout, ABC, 8PM
  • Parks & Recreation, NBC, 8:30PM
  • Rob, CBS, 8:30PM
  • The Finder, Fox, 9PM
  • Impact Wrestling, Spike TV, 9PM
  • Less Than Kind, DirecTV, 9PM
  • NY Ink, TLC, 9PM
  • Call Me Fitz, DirecTV, 9:30PM
  • Up All Night, NBC, 9:30PM
  • Archer, FX, 10PM
  • The Firm, NBC, 10PM
  • Unsupervised, FX, 10:30PM

Friday

  • Chuck (series finale), NBC, 8 & 9PM
  • Spartacus: Vengeance (season premiere), Starz, 10PM
  • Shark Tank, ABC, 8PM
  • WWE SmackDown, Syfy, 8PM
  • Knicks/Heat, ESPN, 8PM
  • Fringe, Fox, 9PM
  • The Life & Times of Tim, HBO, 9PM
  • Grimm, NBC, 9PM
  • Merlin, Syfy, 10PM
  • Portlandia, IFC, 10PM
  • The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, IFC, 10:30PM
  • Thunder/Warriors, NBA TV, 10:30PM

Saturday

  • Swamp Volcano (special presentation), Syfy, 9PM
  • John Mulaney: New In Town (special presentation), Comedy Central, 10PM
  • UFC on Fox 2, Fox, 8PM
  • US Figure Skating Championships, NBC, 9PM
  • Kings/Jazz, NBA TV, 9PM
  • The Fades, BBCA, 9PM

Sunday

  • Luck (series premiere), HBO, 9PM
  • A Smile As Big As The Moon (special presentation), ABC, 9PM
  • 2012 NFL Pro Bowl, NBC, 7PM
  • 60 Minutes, CBS, 7PM
  • Once Upon A Time, ABC, 8PM
  • The Simpsons, Fox, 8PM
  • Napoleon Dynamite, Fox, 8:30PM
  • Desperate Housewives, ABC, 9PM
  • Family Guy, Fox, 9PM
  • Shameless, Showtime, 9PM
  • American Dad, Fox, 9:30PM
  • House of Lies, Showtime, 10PM
  • CSI: Miami, CBS, 10PM
  • Pan Am, ABC, 10PM
  • Californication, Showtime, 10:30PM
  • Angry Boys, HBO, 10 & 10:30PM

Sony Xperia Ion pricing revealed?

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 01:38 PM PST

Yup, it's another crumb of information making its way from the decidedly leaky ship that is Sony Mobile Communications -- as with all these, let's keep our tinfoil helmets set to skeptical. This time it looks like we've got rumored pricing for the Xperia Ion handset we played with at CES. A pre-order page has appeared at Negri Electronics that offers the handset for $569.50 unlocked. That sum of money will get you the AT&T-LTE phone with 16GB storage, a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 4.6-inch 720 x 1280 display and, erm, Gingerbread (we know ICS is coming to this device, but perhaps not in time for launch). Still, if you're prepared to take the leap, head on down to the source link to mark your place at the front of the post-Ericsson queue.

Teenage Engineering introduces Oplab musical prototyping platform

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 01:11 PM PST

After finally getting the OP-1 up for order last January, Teenage Engineering is getting its second product to market -- Oplab. The latest offering is meant to compliment its slick synth, but we can see plenty people falling in love with it on its own. The Oplab is a tinker kit and DIY platform, akin to Arduino or Microsoft's .NET Gadgeteer, but designed explicitly for generating and manipulating sound. The main board, which retails for $299, is home to a trio of USB ports (two of them hosts), three MIDI connections (one in, one out and one sync) and a pair of CV in and CV out jacks. There's also a bank of switches for changing settings and a host of connectors for plugging in various sensors. The Swedish company is offering a number of add-ons for $49 apiece: an accelerometer (Flip), a piezo microphone (Tap) and a pressure sensor (Poke). Strangely enough, there's also a $149 a sneaker that has a rubber pouch that you can slip one of the aforementioned sensors into. Hit up the source link for more details and to order yours now.

Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30 pm

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 12:45 PM PST

CES is over and we're back to our regular time when we let you peek into the recording booth where the Engadget HD podcast goes to mp3 at 5:30 pm. And we don't know about anyone else, but it sure feels good getting back to our old time slot. Embedded Ustream tools and a list of topics after the break.


CES 2012: HDTV and connected devices round-up
Microsoft acknowledges Xbox 360 color space problem in last update
Netflix is looking for a new Chief Marketing Officer, if you think you can do better
Comcast's extra ads ruin NFC championship game conclusion in some areas
Must See HDTV (January 23rd - 29th)






Online video chat by Ustream


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

KDJ-One: the Game Boy of music making is real(ly coming, in a bit) (video)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 12:23 PM PST

Cyberstep sent our hearts aflutter-ish at last year's NAMM with its prototype KDJ-One, a Game Boy with gigantism that held a portable digital audio workstation inside. Now, twelve months later, the company's pulled the dust sheets from a version that's ready for prime-time. Inside its roomy bowels you'll find a 1.0GHz Intel Atom processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB SSD and a 5-inch WVGA (800 x 400) touchscreen that'll let you control that piano-roll score editor. There's also 15 chunky rubber LED-lit keys, a Jog dial, D-Pad and a rumble pack so you really know when you've got a poppin' choon going. You'll be able to pre-order the vanilla kit for $800, but for $830 you'll also find WiFi baked inside, in either Game Boy White or Black'n'Red -- but be warned, orders are said to be fulfilled within six months. After the break we've got some new footage of the unit being put through its paces, which at no point shows it being used to play Super Mario Bros, shame.

HP Mini 1104 tickles budgets, tackles on-the-go needs

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 12:04 PM PST

As Ultrabooks give us one more reason to eschew the cramped dimensions of low-powered netbooks, outfits like HP continue to churn out the little laptops that could've despite the deafening ring of that category's death knell. So, if you're a student on a crunched budget, a business-y type with low-cost computing needs or just a wee PC fetishist, this latest Mini should suit your tiny tastes just fine. Starting at $399, the 1104 runs Windows 7 Home Premium on a dual-core Intel Atom N2600 clocked at 1.6GHz, sports a 10.1-inch WSVGA display, 320GB of storage, 2GB of DDR3 SDRAM, Bluetooth 3.0 and support for WiFi a/b/g/n networks. You'll also have the option to swap out the standard battery with a six-cell Li-ion for up to nine hours of productivity. And if security's your major concern, the embedded TPM 1.2 chip along with Computrace Pro software should help you keep tabs and control over your data. Wondering if this lil' guy fits your bill? Then check out the gallery below for additional shots while you ponder the merits of subnotebooks.
HP Mini 1104

AT&T and T-Mobile file request for FCC approval of spectrum transfer

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 11:47 AM PST

It looks like AT&T is ready to uphold its end of the bargain. As promised, the GSM giant is poised to hand over spectrum to T-Mobile valued at $1 billion as a result of the proposed merger failing, and once again the FCC is the gatekeeper that holds the keys to the success of the transfer. According to the Wall Street Journal, the companies need permission from the Commission in order to make the handover work out according to plan, though we haven't seen a specific deadline set for the transition. We don't imagine the government will have quite the same concern with this particular transfer as it did with the entire merger itself, but we wonder if AT&T is secretly hoping -- for once -- that the FCC will say no.

Comcast's extra ads ruin NFC championship game conclusion in some areas

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 11:22 AM PST

It wasn't just RIM that had designs on the limelight during the football action last night. Comcast commercials appeared over the NFC Championship game last night, thoughtfully playing over the climax of the match 'twixt the Giants and the 49ers. Frustrated fans who missed out on parts of the fourth quarter and overtime promptly began voicing dissent on the company's support forums. The Washington Post has a quote from spokesperson Amiee Metrick indicating the problems were due to a possible "equipment failure" at a local Fox affiliate, WTTG, resulting in the ill-timed ads reported in Washington D.C. We've heard that of customers receiving a $10 credit and an apology, but it seems unlikely to soothe the brow of those -- like the person who recorded video of the incident you can see after the break -- thinking of switching to FiOS.

Update: We've received a response from Comcast (included after the break), and updated the post to clarify the apparent breakdown was at local Fox affiliate WTTG.
[Thanks, John]
Show full PR text
- We know some DC-area viewers missed portions of last night's NFC Championship game due additional ads inserted locally, and we sympathize with their frustrations.

- Please know that WTTG, the local FOX affiliate in DC, is continuing to investigate the issue, but believes it was due to an equipment failure at the station.

- We know they are working to ensure it cannot happen again.
at 11:47 AM

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