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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

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Voddler's Windows Phone streaming video app is Lumia-exclusive

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 10:45 AM PST

Scandinavian video streaming site Voddler (think: Spotify for video) has teamed up with Nokia to launch a Lumia-exclusive app the company's current markets. Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and (the distinctly non-Scandinavian) Spain will get free, unlimited access to a wide library of movies and TV from April. Windows Phone users will also be able to schedule "Movie Night" streaming parties and riff on them, MST3k-style. If you're fortunate enough to be within those territories, head on past the break to find out more details. The rest of us will sit here, jealously eyeing-up the immigration service website and pondering how easy it would be to learn Danish.

[Thanks, Pradeep]
Show full PR text
Voddler and Nokia launch European-wide partnership, starting with unique Lumia-app

Voddler, the leading next-generation video-on-demand (VOD) service, and Nokia, global leader in mobile communications, today announced a Europe-wide partnership, where Voddler will bring its market leading service to Nokia Lumia smartphones, as an exclusive entertainment partner in Europe. The partnership also introduces a unique 'Voddler Lumia' streaming-app, which brings social back to online movie watching. The app will be available on all Nokia Lumia smartphones in Europe. The partnership will enable Voddler to continue its rapid international expansion.

The partnership, which was presented today at Nokia's developer keynote address at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, announced that Voddler will be the exclusive entertainment partner for Nokia Lumia smartphones in Europe. Voddler brings its Scandinavian market leading VOD service, with content from the world's leading film studios to the platform's customers, so they can watch their favorite movies when and where they want on their Lumia-device.

"Were partnering with Voddler to innovate both the way film studios reach audiences, and consumers enjoy movies, wherever they are. Voddler are industry leaders in movie streaming, and the combination of this, with Nokia's outstanding hardware, will create breakthrough mobile experiences for consumers, said Bryan Biniak, Vice President, Global Head of Partnering & Application Development, Nokia.

The partnership also marks the forthcoming launch of an exclusive Voddler-app for Nokia Lumia smartphone. Building on Voddler's movie platform, the app introduces a brand new concept: Voddler Lumia Movie Night. The functionality lets friends blend physical and online viewing by scheduling joint movie nights, using the mobile device not just for watching movies but also for scheduling, organizing, chatting, reviewing and more. Voddler Lumia Movie Night lets friends share movie moments, whether they are in the same room or continents away.

With our new Nokia Lumia app, watching movies just got social again, also on your mobile! Our app combines the inherent communication strength of a mobile device with online video's flexibility to let you and your friends decide when and where to watch, said Marcus Bäcklund, CEO of Voddler.

Stockholm-based Voddler is a next-generation cloud-based VOD-service, with a patented technology that enables streaming of high quality video content to computers, smart phones and a full range of other internet connected devices. In two short years, Voddler has gathered over 1.3 million registered users in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland – and the company also announced today that it has just opened Spain as its fifth market.

Voddler customers enjoy the latest blockbusters, the best classics and the most loved TV-shows from the world'sleading film studios, including the Hollywood giants.

The film industry is experiencing exciting times with new digital distribution methods, which enable wider access to film content via a broader range of devices. Providing consumers with more choices and improving the movie experience at home and on the go is at the heart of Warner Bros.' digital strategy and we are happy that consumers will be able to enjoy our film titles more easily through this innovation from Voddler and Nokia, said Stefan Lampinen, Managing Director, Warner Bros. Entertainment Nordic in a statement before the conference.

Voddler's has content agreements with industry leaders such as Warner Bros., Disney, Universal, Sony Pictures, Paramount, Dreamworks, and Miramax. Voddler's continuously growing catalog covers over 5,000 titles, where the most current releases are offered as easy rentals, leaving a dominant part of the Voddler catalog as ad-fundedand offered at no charge to the viewer. Voddler also offers offline functionality, so viewers can download Voddler movies and bring them.

We are both your local videostore with the latest releases and your favorite TV-channel for all the films you love to see, all available online so you can see great films and shows where and when you want, says Marcus Bäcklund, Voddler's CEO.

Voddler's new Nokia Lumia-app will first be launched in Voddler's current markets – Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland – and also in Spain during April 2012. Immediately following, Voddler and Nokia will start introducing the partnership and its spearhead app in all leading European markets.

Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus hands-on (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 10:37 AM PST

Really, Samsung? The Ace 2, Mini 2, S Advance and now, the Ace Plus? It's a wonder anyone at the company can still keep track. Unfortunately, this particular Android offshoot is a bit of a stinker, saddled with a pitiful 3.65-inch 480 x 320 display that does the opposite of the usual, saturated OLED-impress, offering no other spec distraction from its lower pixel density. Like its aforementioned cousins, the device runs a TouchWiz skin atop Android Gingerbread 2.3.6, powered by a single 1GHz processor that does an acceptable job moving things along without that essential dual-core briskness. And while Sammy's plastic builds are normally balanced out by superior software performance, here the chintzy look and feel of the unit and its overgrown silver trim further confirm its place as a budget entry. For now, the phone appears to be an overseas-only affair, as it's already hit global markets this past January. Follow on past the break for a video tour of this forgettable pint-sizer.
Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus hands-on




Mat Smith contributed to this post.

Samsung Galaxy S Advance hands-on (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 10:28 AM PST

Visualized: Huawei crafts smartphone pegasus, makes no mention of quad-core horsepower

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 10:16 AM PST

Crafted from 1,000 (or 3,000, depending on who you talk to) smartphones, Huawei's symybol for this year's MWC proudly stands in squarely in the middle of the mobile madness. However, the chinese handset manufacturer still remains a bit of a dark horse in this year's selection of OEM fillies.

'Connect Pritect to Protect Kinect:' for all your tinfoil helmet needs

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 09:50 AM PST

Have you considered that if a secretive governmental cabal seized control of your Kinect, it would be able to spy on you as you lurched awkwardly to Just Dance? Such is the price we pay for abrogating our right to privacy, or at least it was until Catalyst Components came up with a solution. Connect Pritect to Protect Kinect is a high-gloss plastic shield that clips over your device to block the sensor bar's cameras from prying eyes. The only chink in the armor is a tiny hole for the Xbox logo -- the efficacy of which is shown after the break. Freedom from surveillance will cost you a meager $15 from Target, Microcenter, Best Buy and Amazon.

Show full PR text
Connect Pritect to Protect Kinect
Safely Avoid Prying Eyes, Infrared Light and Dust Bunnies without Blocking Voice Command Function on Xbox® 360 Kinect™ or Kinect for Windows®

Diamond Bar, CA – When the Kinect for Microsoft Xbox 360 launched in 2010 the world was so captivated by this exciting new way to play video games via motion control that it became the Guinness World Record holder for fastest-selling consumer electronic product. With over 18 million sold to date, that's great news for Microsoft, but questions of in-home security and privacy have continued to plague the platform ever since. Now Catalyst Components has launched the Pritect Sensor Cover, the first and only product designed to address these security issues surrounding the Xbox 360 Kinect and Kinect for Windows.

Paul Harper, Pritect's inventor and the President of Catalyst Components, comments: "For the first time ever, we have invited into our living rooms a technology which can not only capture video and sound data, but can also identify specific individuals using advanced biometrics, or 3-d facial recognition. The Kinect can see everything when powered on and for most users, has a direct connection to the internet. It's like a giant window into your home, but you can never know who might be looking in. With Pritect, you can now close the blinds."

"The Pritect Sensor Cover is the first and only product designed to protect the Kinect's lenses, eliminate the camera's view when not in use, and block the LED and infrared sensor lights for an optimal home theater," continued Harper. "Pritect does not interfere with Kinect's startup calibrations or voice command functions; it simply eliminates the light necessary for the camera to operate."

By Microsoft's own admission, the Kinect camera has the potential to record advertising data in any room where it's placed. According to Microsoft's COO of Interactive Entertainment Business, Dennis Durkin, if people are watching a sports event, the Kinect's camera can identify what jersey they are wearing so it can determine the team they support. Such data is valuable to advertisers who can then tailor their advertising to that household. Whether by this type of business practice, malicious hackers, or some other unforeseen threat, if the camera is on, even when not in use, and remains exposed to the room, personal privacy has the potential to be compromised for anyone who owns a Kinect.

Identifying these issues early on, Catalyst Components developed Pritect, a simple device that can ensure in-home privacy, but easily allow access to Kinect when desired. Made in the USA from high gloss injection molded plastic, Pritect fits seamlessly onto the Kinect, perfectly complimenting the Kinect's aesthetics while providing a protective shell that blocks the camera and LED/infrared lights while safeguarding against dust and debris.

"The Kinect is an amazing device that will continue to assert itself as an integral part of gaming and in many other applications" commented Paul Harper. "The ability to play games without a controller has added an entirely new level of fun and excitement. However, it also has some questionable and, some might say, chilling implications that we should all be aware of. As a father, privacy and safety is my number one concern. Pritect allows the user to determine how and when the camera is exposed and provides an additional layer of security that doesn't detract in any way from the Kinect's entertainment value to the family."

Product Highlights:

Designed specifically for Xbox 360 Kinect and Kinect for Windows
Designed to obstruct Kinect's camera view when not in use
Ensures privacy and security against potential prying eyes
Blocks LED and infrared light for home theater environments
Protects optical lenses from dust and debris
Does NOT interfere with voice command or calibration
Easily slips on and off Kinect
Conforms to Kinect's sleek black aesthetic
Available at Best Buy, Microcenter, Target and Amazon.com
Suggested Retail Price: $14.99
Made in the USA

Best Buy boosts return window from 14 days to 30

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 09:29 AM PST

That adage of "less is more" definitely doesn't apply to retailer return policies, so we have no complaints here. Best Buy is reportedly going to offer a more lenient 30-day window for device returns, up from the company's current 14-day policy. Naturally, this also covers price matches, and applies to all products, including those from Apple, where two weeks is the norm. You'll find the full details over at our sister site TUAW, when you hit up the source link just below.

Nikon D4 hands-on with sample images, video

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 09:09 AM PST

Remember when we were in a tizzy about the Nikon D4, way back in January? We got to play with this tank of a DSLR a bit, but sadly weren't permitted to actually publish any of the photos or video that we shot with the thing. Sure, we've seen some samples of it in action, but it's not quite the same. Thankfully, the company made our late-February that much better, allowing us to take the D4 on a jaunt around the city, a couple of weeks ahead of its mid-March launch. We strolled around Washington Square Park and 6th avenue, with the beast of a camera in-hand, shooting tourists and scenery, before popping by a subway station to have a go with the camera's purported excellent low-light capabilities that we've been hearing so much about. Click on through to take a look at some sample video.
Nikon D4 sample shots
Nikon D4 sample shots
Nikon D4 hands-on shots
Nikon D4 hands-on shots


The first thing you'll notice when you pick up the D4 is just how massive it is --- the camera's $6,000 pro body is big and a bit heavy, but it's only fitting, seeing as how Nikon managed to fit just about everything onto the camera, like the a proprietary port for a TW-5A plug-in WiFi adapter, an Ethernet jack, remote connector, headphone jack, mic in, mini-USB and HDMI port that does uncompressed live preview feeds all on the left side. Despite its giant size, the D4 was extremely easy to hold, though you might want to exercise your upper body a bit, if you plan on using it for an extended period.

The full-time autofocus is extremely fast on the camera, but it's quite loud (see the top video) -- the clicking sound picked up audibly as we were shooting video, so if you're also capturing sound, you'll want to set it to manual (directly above). Dialing it down to medium helps a bit, but the clicking is still present. Unfortunately, our shooting was hampered a bit by the 50mm f1.8 lens on our demo unit (which was dwarfed by the massive camera body) -- thankfully, we'll be getting some extended time with the camera soon enough and will be able to couple it with some lenses that will do it justice. Shooting in the relative low light of the subway station, things got a bit blurry (again, we're blaming the lens here), though there was no noise on the image. The colors really popped with the D4, as well. We stopped by a flower shop and took some shots outside -- colors don't get much more bright and vivid than that.

All in all, we liked what we saw with the D3's successor, though we wish we got a bit more time with it. As soon as we do, you'll be hearing more about it.

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

Qualcomm, Microsoft giving Snapdragon S4 PCs to Windows-on-ARM developers

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 09:08 AM PST

Microsoft spent a big chunk of MWC today telling everyone about Windows 8 and if you're the coding type, the news gets even better. If invited, you'll be expecting something nice in the mail to arrive from Redmond very shortly. It's sending out test PCs powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 that includes the beefy LTE, camera and sensor gear we played with in our hands-on. It's intended to give developers a head-start in building and refining Metro-style apps ahead of the operating system's big debut. You can check out the consumer preview of what was shown today here and if you'd like to know more, head on past the break for a sprinkling of PR.
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Qualcomm and Microsoft to Provide Developers with Snapdragon-Based Windows on ARM Test PCs

- Companies Provide Systems for Developers to Create Windows Metro Style Apps on Snapdragon-Powered Test PCs -

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that its Snapdragon™ processor will be joining Microsoft Corp.'s Windows on ARM developer seeding program. Qualcomm is working with Microsoft to provide test PCs to select developers in order to test and optimize apps for forthcoming Snapdragon-powered Windows on ARM PCs and tablets. This invitation-only program will combine a pre-release version of Windows on ARM with next-generation, high performance Snapdragon S4 test PCs. These test PCs are not representative of commercial form factors or the final Windows on ARM experience; they are designed to give developers early access to building and testing Windows Metro style apps on Qualcomm's latest technology.

The Windows on ARM developer seeding program will help ensure that Windows Metro style apps available in the Windows Store work great on all Windows 8-based PCs, including those with Qualcomm's ARM-compliant Snapdragon processors.

"Microsoft's development tools and the Qualcomm Snapdragon test PCs will enable developers to build and test Metro style apps for Windows on ARM PCs," said Stefan Kinnestrand, director of business planning, Windows Division, Microsoft. "Based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor, these systems will equip developers to create Metro style apps and offer a rich set of hardware peripherals that plug in and help enable seamless user experiences on the Windows on ARM platform."

Qualcomm, with Microsoft, is among those leading the shift to anytime, anywhere connectivity. The Snapdragon mobile processor will offer a combination of processing performance, rich multimedia, GPS, high-performance graphics, wireless connectivity and power efficiency with Windows on ARM.

"Qualcomm is committed to the Windows on ARM ecosystem and knows that enabling developers is a crucial factor for its success," said Luis Pineda, senior vice president of product management, computing and consumer products at Qualcomm. "We are now providing Snapdragon S4 test PCs with built-in 4G LTE, activated in some regions, to software application developers."

Qualcomm's participation in the Windows on ARM developer seeding program provides select developers with the latest generation Snapdragon S4 test PCs running a pre-release version of Windows on ARM. These test PCs contain Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor with second-generation high performance, power efficient CPU, hardware accelerated Adreno® graphics, full multimedia, GPS, sensors, and peripherals that will enable development and test of next-generation Windows Metro style apps for the coming wave of Windows on ARM PCs.

Navy test-fires weaponized railgun with explosive results (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 08:46 AM PST

You're about to watch a test firing of BAE's experimental railgun demonstrating why the technology isn't science fiction anymore. Load an aluminum projectile into the 12-meter barrel and one million amps will hypersonically propel it toward the target. The conflagration you'll witness is due to the metal slug burning off in the charged air. In April, General Atomics will supply its own prototype so the military can identify which one is closer to making its way aboard the battleships of the 2020's. Anyway, now you can go watch the video fully aware of what's going on, try not to sit there with your mouth open.

Make Angry Birds awesome again with DIY slingshot controller

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 08:23 AM PST

Look, we're as tired of Angry Birds as you are -- the phenomena has certainly run its course. But, if we had Simon Ford's home-made slingshot controller, we might still be addicted to hurling the pissed-off poultry through the air. The DIY peripheral is built around an mbed microcontroller, three-axis accelerometer and a stretch sensor. Pinching and pulling the band initiates a click and drag, while the position of the slingshot itself determines the angle of launch. It's not the easiest gaming controller hack we've ever seen but, if you can follow directions, you could build your own courtesy of the instructions at the source link. If you're a little too intimidated to try it yourself, check out the video after the break to see it in action.

Microsoft Windows 8 on 82-inch touchscreen hands-on (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 07:54 AM PST

We don't have 100 fingers -- theoretically the supported limit of Windows 8 on the 82-inch capacitive touchscreen display we just had a chance to go hands-on with at the company's latest OS demo at Mobile World Congress -- but things looked pretty impressive even with just 10. The display we saw is manufactured by a company called Perceptive Pixel, and it may even look familiar -- it's the same glass screen used by television news networks like CNN. But, unlike the giant touchscreens you've seen on TV, this guy is connected to a standard off-the-shelf PC running Windows 8 Consumer Preview. The glass panel is constructed of optically-bonded Gorilla Glass, so there's very little space between the picture and your hand, making for a much more realistic user experience. Naturally, this monitor is all about the visuals, so you really need to see it in action to get an accurate impression of just how slick the experience can be. Jump past the break for our hands-on.
Windows 8 running on an 82-inch Gorilla Glass display

Hands-on with FXI's Cotton Candy, now available for pre-order (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 07:38 AM PST

By now, we hope you're mighty familiar with FXI's Cotton Candy -- the much anticipated pocketable computer that just became available for pre-order. We've previously shown photos of the device running both Ice Cream Sandwich and Ubuntu, but now we're able to bring you a video demonstration that may help you better understand what this tiny beast is all about. At the core of the Cotton Candy system is the Exynos 4210 SoC, which capably pushes 1080p video without batting an eye. As such, FXI hopes the miniature computer will gain traction with consumers who want an unobtrusive (and silent) media center or gaming setup in their home. To this end, the company will include the Polkast app for easy access to content and will also bundle games with the system -- though it's not yet able to share specific titles. Those with a sweet tooth may taste the delights of Cotton Candy in March, which will sell for $199.


"For more coverage of MWC 2012, visit here."
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FXI Launches Cotton Candy Developers Site, Take Pre-Orders

TRONDHEIM, Norway and BARCELONA, Spain -26 Feb. 2012 @ Showstoppers MWC – FXI Technologies, Inc. today introduced the launch of cstick.com, a community website and technical forum where Cotton Candy development units are immediately available for pre-order.

"The world is anxiously awaiting Cotton Candy's release," said Borgar Ljosland, CEO and founder of FXI. "We've had interest in the any screen computer for everything from portable set top box gaming and entertainment to mobile any screen computing, in addition to a host of specialized medical, automotive and other applications. The size, raw horsepower and combined HDMI, USB and MicroUSB connectivity bring unprecedented flexibility to the portable market."

On display at this week's Mobile World Congress tradeshow in the Innovation Norway Booth (Hall 2.0-2A67), Cotton Candy is the world's first any screen cloud computer, weighing only 21 grams. It's unique architecture will allow the device to serve as an ideal companion to smartphones, tablets, notebook PCs and Macs as well as will add smart capabilities to existing displays, set top boxes and game consoles.

Specifications include an ARM® Cortex™-A9 (1GHz) CPU from Samsung, an ARM Mali™-400 MP (Quad-core, 1.2GHz) GPU, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, HDMI output and the Android operating system. It decodes MPEG-4, H.264 and other video formats and display HD graphics on any HDMI equipped screen. Operating systems supported to date include Android Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich as well as Ubuntu. On-screen content can be controlled a wide variety of ways – wirelessly using smartphones with an app, Bluetooth peripherals like mice and RF remote controls; or by leveraging a notebook's integrated keyboard and touchpad.

To join the Cotton Candy development community, visit www.cstick.com.

Fox, Warner, SanDisk and Western Digital's Project Phenix: promotes DRM, misspelling

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 07:19 AM PST

Studios Fox and Warner Bros. have teamed up with SanDisk and Western Digital to create "Project Phenix." Beneath the orthographically offensive name, it's pitched as DRM that'll permit you to organize, move and watch high-definition content on more than one device. It's the brainchild of the Secure Content Storage Association (SCSA), which has ensured compatibility with UltraViolet, so that users will be able to download cloud-based media to compliant WD and SanDisk storage -- to play on any alliance-approved TVs, tablets and display devices. We'll see the technology available to license later in the year, which promises to render content ten times faster than streaming media on "over the top internet" (translation: streaming services). Yes, there's PR after the break, but we'd only suggest taking a look if you've got a good pair of waders.
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Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, SanDisk and Western Digital® to Advance Digital Ownership of High Definition Movies

"Project Phenix" (working title) will Enable Consumers to Buy, Store and Playback HD Versions of Movies and TV Shows at Home or On-the-Go, Easily and Seamlessly

BURBANK and LOS ANGELES, Calif., Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, SanDisk (Nasdaq: SNDK), and Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) today revealed "Project Phenix" (working title), an initiative that will give consumers an easier and faster way to organize, store and move their high definition digital movies and TV shows – including new releases in up to full 1080p quality - across multiple devices. In addition to local storage, the content will also be backed up via the UltraViolet industry standard as well as other cloud-based services.

The project is being developed by the newly formed Secure Content Storage Association (SCSA). Established as an LLC, this coalition will create and license solutions that secure high definition and other premium copyright-protected content on local and portable hard drives, and flash memory products such as USB flash drives, SD™ cards and solid state disk drives (SSDs). Once content is downloaded to a hard drive or flash memory product, it could then be accessed, online or offline, on any SCSA-enabled device such as a connected TV, laptop, Blu-ray™ player, tablet, mobile phone or game console. The optimized content will be made easily available for purchase via digital download, digital files bundled with physical media, kiosks in retail stores, or other means of secure digital delivery.

"Developing solutions that will allow consumers to easily access and store true HD digital content is a critical component supporting digital media and entertainment consumption," said Darcy Antonellis, President, Warner Bros. Technical Operations. "Through the SCSA, we will accelerate the development of products that will make it easy for the consumer to download, store and playback their high definition digital movies and TV shows, in full 1080p, on any SCSA-optimized device at home and on the go."

"The vision for this new product is to store, play and back up in the cloud personal and professional content," said Mike Dunn, President, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. "The device renders content up to 10 times faster than over-the-top internet. We see Project Phenix as a key component of the emerging digital ecosystem."

The SCSA's solutions will be designed to work with the industry-backed UltraViolet (UV) ecosystem and aimed to complement other next-generation high definition content protection technologies already in the market such as Intel® Insider™. The SCSA expects to make its solutions widely available for license this year.

"The SCSA will provide consumers with a digital solution for movies and TV shows that is as simple to use as DVD and Blu-ray discs," said Bert Hesselink, CTO of Western Digital Branded Products. "The SCSA solution will allow the consumer to store high definition purchased content, including copies of certain DVD content, in a secure, consumer-owned digital home library on a hard drive, along with their personal photos, music, and videos. Digital library content can be easily viewed inside the home on a TV, PC or tablet, or when owners are on the move with a portable library copy, providing mobile viewing even when a reliable Internet connection is not available, such as a plane, car, train or remote location."

"Consumers around the world will finally be able to enjoy locally stored premium Hollywood content in up to 1080p quality anywhere they desire on a broad range of electronic devices," said Sumit Sadana, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at SanDisk. "With the involvement of major Hollywood studios and leaders in the HDD and Flash memory industries, the SCSA alliance's openly licensable security standard holds the promise of fostering new device capabilities, new business models and ultimately improved value for consumers. SanDisk is very pleased to participate in this ground breaking alliance."

Companies interested in learning more about the SCSA can contact: INQUIRIES@SCSALLC.COM

SD is a trademark of SD-3C, LLC. Other brand names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holders.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to expected SCSA technology solutions, expected benefits to consumers and expected availability dates. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including delays in the development and introduction of new technologies and products, the introduction of competing technologies, the new technologies and products may not work with current or new technologies or perform as expected, the impact of continued uncertainty and volatility in global economic conditions; and other risks and uncertainties listed in the aforementioned companies' recent SEC filings. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

Atari's Pong Indie Developer Challenge is a real coin opportunity

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 06:57 AM PST

Atari's legendary Pong has captured plenty of hearts and minds over the years. Now, to celebrate its fortieth birthday, the gaming stalwart is offering up $100,000 for you to re-invent it for iOS as part of its Indie Developer Challenge. To be in with a chance of winning the cash, developers are being asked to recreate the time-honored classic in a new and original way. Then, simply submit your idea, or playable demo and keep your paddles crossed. Those creations that make it to the final will get published under the Atari brand as an official release, and you get eternal bragging rights (and the cash). The competition is open now, and you've got until March 31st to be in the game. Feel like a winner? Then bat your eyes down to that source link for the full deets.

Hands-on with the Acer Liquid Glow at MWC 2012 (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 06:36 AM PST

Given the phone's name, you'd think the Acer Liquid Glow would be best shown off in an infomercial, but in reality it's the next in line for the long-running smartphone series. The Glow hasn't been quite as popular as the CloudMobile at this week's MWC, and for good reason -- its bigger brother won an award in product design, after all. But that doesn't mean it should have to suffer the anguish of living in the shadows. The Liquid Glow is quite a bit smaller, offering a 3.7 inch WVGA display, 5MP rear camera, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 CPU and 512MB of RAM. The device will run on its own customized ICS ROM at launch, but it was using stock Android ICS this week. The UI, we've been told, will be lightweight with a homegrown tweaks to the lock screen, status bar, messages and the phone dialpad.

The Liquid Glow is just a tad thick, but we enjoyed how it felt when holding it as a result of the phone's curves matching the contours of our hand. If you have large hands or just crave a device with a bigger screen, this will probably be a little too small for you. In fact, the handset feels like it's smaller than it really is -- for those who prefer tinier phones but still desire as big a display as possible, this may be a rather good compromise. Its overall design scheme actually reminds us a lot of the CloudMobile, especially given those curves and Acer's signature arcs found on the top and bottom of the device. There are some major differences in terms of overall design, such as the inclusion of capacitive navigation buttons on the Glow as well as the lack of a soft-grip textured back, but the family resemblance is certainly there. We didn't notice any lags in software performance, but we'll need to check back when production-quality firmware is available at its launch. All in all, we think the Liquid Glow will wind up being a worthy competitor as long as it's reasonably priced. No availability date has been set, but we should expect to see it in stores sometime this summer. Our video and image gallery will guide you through the radiant goodness below.


For more coverage of MWC 2012, visit our hub!

Option XYFI is 'world's smallest' personal hotspot -- we go hands-on!

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 06:29 AM PST

Option's XYFI (pronounced ex-WiFi) was announced earlier this week with little fanfare but piqued our interest with its claim to being the world's smallest personal hotspot. We had an opportunity to look and discuss it at a quiet table at MWC today, a nice change from a showy booth. Option has been out of the data connectivity game in any significant way -- for what seems like forever -- in a segment it once led with some 70% of market share. The XYFI is indeed small and at first glance looks like a simple USB modem and not an access point that can support up to 8 people's roaming internet needs via WiFi or 3G connectivity. The USB plug swivels open in switchblade-style -- we found that little button somehow so soothing -- and then pops into your desktop for a quick 4-step setup. As you've likely sussed, the XYFI doesn't have a battery of its own but rather relies on a beautiful 4000mAh xpal adapter the Option device plugs into -- and once connected we're told you can expect about 8 hours of battery life. Option's other accessories for the XYFI include a plug for the car and AC adapter. We'll admit that Option has a steep hill to climb in the mobile hotspot world, but we're sold already. Pricing should be sub $100 for the XYFI alone and we'll be back with details on the accessories and launch date as soon as can. Gallery of this really sharp looking device follows.
Option XYFI is 'world's smallest' personal hotspot -- we go hands-on!

ZTE PF 100 hands-on at Mobile World Congress 2012 (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 06:18 AM PST

ZTE's been making some slow, but steady progress as it transitions from no name, white label manufacturer to more of a well-known brand. Aiding the company in that exact mission is one of its latest tablets, the PF 100, shown off by NVIDIA at this year's Mobile World Congress. The apparently stock Android 4.0.3 slate packs a Tegra 3 CPU inside and 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 display. The unit we saw is far from a finished production model, given the fact that it was literally bursting apart at the seams and appeared as if it'd been roughly handled. We imagine the final product will be a bit more hardy than the one we had in-hand, but that shoddiness aside, it's still a hulk of a tablet.

Indeed you won't find the design at all charming; it's rough, thick and inelegant with a chunky bezel on front and mix of hard, grooved rubber and plastic on back. All of the ports and hardware keys are relegated to the top edge of the device with slots for both SIM and microSD covered by a single flap. There's also a dual camera setup, as well as stereo speakers and a proprietary dock connection on the base. As you might expect, performance on the tablet was incredibly fast thanks to its 1.5GHz quad-core processor and the one game we demoed loaded quickly, showcasing responsive controls. No further details about pricing, markets or availability have been announced at this time, but we expect those important tidbits to be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. You can check out a hardware tour of the tablet in the gallery below and be sure to jump past the break for a full video walkthrough.
ZTE PF 100 hands-on

Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview detailed impressions

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:45 AM PST

The early days of Windows were inauspicious ones. Sitting on top of DOS, it was hardly a revolution in personal computing -- instead it felt like a disjointed platform perched uncomfortably atop a command prompt, ready to come crashing down at any moment. That's what it was, and often that's what it did. The early days of Windows required constant jumps from GUI to shell as users ran a wide assortment of apps, only some of which played nice inside a window.

It was over a decade later, after Windows 95, that the operating system would truly ditch its DOS underpinnings and feel like a totally integrated system. Why are we reminiscing? Because we're reaching that same point again. With the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, Microsoft is showing off the most complete version of the company's most modern operating system, yet in many ways it feels like 1985 all over again -- like there are two separate systems here struggling to co-exist. How well do they get along? Join us after the break to find out.
Windows 8 Consumer Preview

The setup


Since you'll surely be wondering, let's run down exactly what we're working with here. This is the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, build 8250 -- for the moment, the latest and greatest version of the latest and (arguably) greatest version of Windows yet.

The hardware isn't so important here, but just the same our build is running on a Samsung developer tablet outfitted with a 1.6GHz Intel Core-i5 processor and 4GB of RAM. Yes, this is an x86 tablet running the non-ARM version of Windows, so it has full backwards compatibility with all the legacy apps Windows users have come to know and love over the years.

We alternated between using the tablet handheld, relying on its 1366 x 768 capacitive touchscreen, and sitting in its dock, where we instead turned on a Bluetooth keyboard and a wireless mouse. So, we had a good mix of general tablet use as well as a more desktop-like experience, and our impressions here will cover both. Also, we'll refrain from giving detailed performance figures, as it's still far too early for that -- though we will say we were quite impressed by the boot time (10 seconds, cold) and the overall responsiveness of things.

The basics


If you're completely unfamiliar with Windows 8, you might want to take a moment to engross yourself into our deliciously comprehensive look at the Developers Preview on a laptop, or our impressions of the same on a tablet. To get you up to speed quickly, Windows 8 marks the biggest change to the OS since the aforementioned 95 flavor (which, shockingly, turns 17 this year). There are a huge number of changes, and these are just a few of the highlights.

With Windows 8 comes the introduction of a Metro-style interface, inspired by the lovely and intuitive presentation found in Windows Phone. In it, apps and functions are pinned to tiles and, to interact with those apps, you simply tap those tiles. The former Start Menu has been replaced by a full-screen view of tiles that you can scroll through horizontally. You can pin applications, shortcuts, documents, webpages and any number of other things, customizing the interface in any way you like -- so long as what you like is rectangular and only extends from left to right. (Perhaps Windows 9 will take a hint from GridOS and extend vertically as well.)

Power users in Windows 8 will be Alt+tabbing far more than ever once Metro apps start taking over the Store.

Additionally, developers can choose to create Metro-specific apps. These can't be run in a traditional, resizeable window as they're intended to be run full-screen, though they can be tacked on to either the left or right of the display, where they'll take up roughly one quarter of available pixel real estate. The lack of windowing greatly simplifies development of these apps, but it also puts a bit of a governor on GUI multi-tasking -- power users here will be Alt+tabbing far more than ever once Metro apps start taking over the Store.

Thankfully, Microsoft has introduced a series of gestures and keyboard shortcuts to help alleviate some of that frustration and give those more intense users the means they'll need to stay in control. Let's take a look at some of them.

The gestures


There are a whole suite of special swipes and taps at your disposal, trying to make up for a general lack of visual indicators. With earlier versions of Windows, everything that needed clicking or attention was usually easy to pick out -- buttons were raised, window edges were highlighted, you get the picture. With Windows 8 a lot of that goes out the window and you're left having to know your way around a bit better. The gestures help to make up for that, though you'll need to learn them. And, yes, each one has a mousy equivalent for those averse to smudges. Here are a few highlights.

Right bezel: charms


Hidden off the right of the screen is a set of so-called charms, which give quick access to a high-level set of system commands. From the top they are:
  • Search - Opens up the searching interface.
  • Share - Brings up a list of applications capable of sharing whatever this app is offering.
  • Start - Takes you back to the Start interface. This is conveniently located right in the middle, where your thumb would presumably be.
  • Devices - Gives you a list of all connected devices.
  • Settings - Brings up a high-level list of settings. This is nowhere near as comprehensive as what you can get through the Control Panel, but it is much easier to get to and to parse.
To load up the list of charms, just swipe a finger in from the right bezel. With the mouse, throw the cursor in the upper- or lower-right corner.

Bottom and top bezels: commands


Hiding just off the top and bottom are app-specific commands. For example, the URL bar in the Metro-flavored Internet Explorer sits off the bottom of the screen and the list of tabs is off the top. Drag a finger in from either side to make them appear, or right-click with the mouse.

Left bezel: multitasking

This is the place you'll be reaching for quite often if you're a heavy multitasker. Drag in from the left and your last used app will appear in a small window. Drag it all the way over and it pops to take up the full screen. Drag it only part of the way, though, and it docks onto the left quarter of the display. (You can also drag it over and have it take up the right side of the screen.) Drag out and back and you'll get a list of your most recent apps, and you can select any of them with a tap.

With the mouse it's a little different, but start in the upper-left and you'll see the most recent app. Drag down from there and the list of other apps appears. From here you can just click the one you want, or drag it around if you'd rather.

Start button


With this version of Windows Microsoft has killed off the Start button, and there's no way to get it back.

Okay, so pressing a hardware button isn't exactly a gesture, but if you have a Windows 8 tablet it will have a physical Start button beneath the display. Pressing this brings up the full-screen Start menu. For the mouse you might be thinking the equivalent would be to just click the on-screen Start button that has resided in the lower-left since Windows 95 -- but you'd be wrong. With this version of Windows Microsoft has killed off that button, and there's no way to get it back. Instead, you need to drag down to the lower-left corner of the screen, where that button used to live, and click.

This is probably the most befuddling change in this version of Windows. Even when you get down to the raw Windows desktop there's no graphical Start button to be found on the screen, just the hidden hot-spot waiting for your hovering cursor. You can of course use the Start key on the keyboard (officially called the "Windows logo key"), but we can imagine some novice users on a laptop or desktop dropping down to the desktop view to run some app or another and having absolutely no idea how to get back.

The keyboard shortcuts


Don't worry, mouse-hating power users: Microsoft hasn't forgotten about you.

Don't worry, mouse-hating power users: Microsoft hasn't forgotten about you. Windows 8 features a suite of keyboard shortcuts -- some familiar, others that make the Windows logo key a little more powerful than before. There are hundreds of the things, but here are a few notable highlights.
  • Windows + arrow keys - This combination, with the left and right arrow keys, moves Metro-style apps into their left or right docked positions. For Windows desktop apps, they do what they do in Windows 7 -- popping over to the left or right half of the screen. Up maximizes, down minimizes.
  • Windows + C - This brings up the charms bar. You can also replace C with I, K or H to pop straight to the Settings, Connect or Share charms.
  • Windows + Tab - This toggles between applications, and in this case the Windows desktop is counted as an application. This differs between the classic Alt + Tab, which still works here, tabbing between each individual window on the desktop and the Metro-style apps.
  • Windows + PrtScn - This captures a PNG of the current screen and saves it in your Pictures directory. As you can imagine, we used this one quite a bit.

Xbox integration

Xbox Live is one of the most prominent pins in the new Start menu.

The Xbox 360 has been an undeniable slam dunk success for Microsoft, so it's natural that we'd see it making an appearance in the company's latest OS. Indeed, Xbox Live is one of the most prominent pins in the new Start menu, and once tapped you'll be prompted to sign in to your account.

After a few moments of pondering, the machine will display all your gaming habits in a presentation that's not too dissimilar to the one found on the console. Even your avatar will strut his (or her) smug little self across your screen, dressed as you remember them, and you can indeed make costume changes here -- they'll show up back on your console momentarily.

But that's just fluff. The real interesting bit comes when you start navigating through your recently played games and accessed Xbox apps. You can launch those titles directly from your Windows 8 device and, once they're up, even control them -- though there are naturally a number of restrictions.


To begin with, your controls are limited to up / down / left / right and you only have access to the four face buttons, so you can really only navigate through menus and make selections. That's just fine for cruising through the Netflix app -- less so for a round of MW3. You also are naturally limited to launching games that are downloaded to the console or are printed on a disc that's sitting in the console's tray. Sadly, Windows 8 will not get off the couch and put in a new game for you.

The interface here is a bit clunky and sluggish; we'd definitely prefer reaching for a controller or a Harmony remote or the like, but the potential is quite intriguing. We'd love to see the Netflix integration taken a step further, for example, where you choose your movie on the tablet and it plays on the console. And we can't help dreaming of Wii U-like console / tablet harmony as well, with games played on both the slate and the screen, but perhaps that's just a bit optimistic.

The apps
Windows 8 naturally includes a suite of apps to make it more than the foundation of an operating system. This is no different than previous versions of Windows, but these provided apps are, by and large, Metro-themed and well-integrated to the new Start menu. In other words, they help encourage that feeling of excitement about our tiled future-- or of dread if you're the sort who is going to be dragged kicking and screaming away from your desktop.

Mail, People and Messenger

The Mail and People apps quickly tie to your chosen email and social networks, pulling in contacts and updates and letting you push your own out there. There's also the Messaging app, which connects to Microsoft's own Messenger service and Facebook as well.

SkyDrive and sharing


SkyDrive is effectively Microsoft's version of iCloud, and while it's a little more manual it's also potentially more powerful.

SkyDrive makes uploading and downloading files from one machine to another very easy. First launched in 2007, this is effectively Microsoft's version of iCloud, and while it's a little more manual it's also potentially more powerful. You can push files of nearly any type up to your cloud account, even marking them as public for sharing. That said, you'll need to explicitly select which files are uploaded and where they go.

Microsoft is exposing SkyDrive to developers so that future apps can tie directly in to it. In fact, in true MS fashion, the best parts of the operating system are completely open to interaction by developers. For example, there's the Share charm on the right, which enables the quick and easy sharing of content from one app to another.

You can, for example, share a photo with the Mail app, which emails it as an attachment. Share a page from IE, though, and it includes it as a link. That, of course, is just the beginning, with Microsoft exposing hooks so that third-party apps can not only share their content, but also accept the shared content of other apps. This is a stark contrast to OS X Mountain Lion, where Apple is tightly controlling which apps will be doing the sharing -- and the receiving.

Internet Explorer 10 and Internet Explorer 10

The Metro-styled Internet Explorer 10 is a huge part of the OS, where "every pixel of the page" is presented for viewing. In other words, there's no chrome, no UI at all until you swipe in from the top or bottom bezel to reveal some controls. It is, then, much like other tablet browsers.

You have two wholly independent versions of IE 10 sitting here, a situation that is endemic to this version of Windows 8 as a whole.

There is, however, another version of Internet Explorer 10 waiting for you on the Desktop. This one looks like versions of IE of yore and is wholly disconnected from the Metro version. Bookmarks are not shared, cookies and passwords are not shared, nothing is shared -- sign in to Twitter on one and you'll have to do it again on the second one. Run them both and they'll show as separate entries in the new Task Manager. You have two wholly independent versions of IE 10 installed here, a situation that is endemic to this version of Windows 8 as a whole.

The overall experience

Disjointed is the key word that comes to mind after you spend some time with Windows 8. As a tablet OS, if you can keep in Metro land, things feel good. Very good. The gestures are a bit more complex and less intuitive than we've seen on other tablet operating systems, but more savvy users will appreciate that. That said, Windows is still primarily a desktop operating system, and once you get to that level the cracks in the foundation start to show.

Jumping back-and-forth between Metro and desktop is hugely disorienting and, at least in the early days of Windows 8, you'll be doing a lot of that. The simple task of switching between apps using the mouse has become painful. In Windows 7 it's just a matter of clicking in the task bar on the icon of the one you want. Now, if it's a Metro app you want back it's a matter of going to the upper-left corner, then dragging down and trying to figure out which of the little pop-up windows is the one you want. Meanwhile, desktop-style apps are listed along the task bar on the bottom as before.

It feels like Windows 8 wants you to run everything maximized, and that is going to be a problem for heavy multi-taskers who are used to a traditional windowed environment.

You can of course dock those Metro apps to the left or the right side of the screen, and multiple monitors are very much supported as you'd expect, but it feels like Windows 8 wants you to run everything maximized. That is going to be a problem for heavy multi-taskers who are used to a traditional windowed environment. The idea is to stack and arrange windows exactly how you want them, then click quickly between them with the mouse. You simply can't do that here, and that feels like a step backwards.

Take Winamp, for example. It's an old-school app but an enormously popular one nonetheless, and something you'll often see hanging out at the top of people's screens -- shrunk down so it only takes a few pixels of vertical space, but always on top of every other window so you can see what is currently playing. You can set that up here, too, but once you hop into a Metro app Winamp -- and everything else running on the desktop -- disappears.


Wrap-up


We really liked Windows 7 when it launched. It felt like a big step forward in the short time that had passed since Vista. Now, as we creep closer to a likely release near the end of this year, we can't shake a sense of doubt. Windows 8 still feels like two very different operating systems trying to be one. The potential is hugely alluring -- a single OS to rule both the tablet and the desktop -- and with each subsequent version we keep hoping this will be the one that ties it all together. Sadly, as of the Consumer Preview, we're still seeing a lot of loose threads.

As it stands, Windows 8 is a considerably better tablet operating system than any previous version has managed to be. However, it's still a clumsier desktop OS than Windows 7. That's a problem Microsoft must fix before release.

Update: We've clarified the reference regarding iCloud and SkyDrive that made it sound as if SkyDrive was a response. SkyDrive, of course, predates iCloud by quite a few years.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview now available for download

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:42 AM PST

Don't say we didn't warn you. As anticipated, Leap Day is all about Microsoft in Barcelona, and Microsoft is all about you, the consumer. Redmond today officially unveiled the Consumer Preview of its forthcoming desktop operating system. Want to get an early look at the OS? Peep the source link below. Keep in mind: you'll need a 1GHz processor, either 1GB (32-bit) / 2 GB (64-bit) of RAM, 16GB (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit) available disk space, DirectX 9 graphics with WDDM 1.0 or higher and 1024 x 768 minimum screen resolution to run the new OS. Or, for the more faint of heart, check out our detailed preview and have a look at the press info after the break. The beta version of Windows Server "8" is available now as well for those who may be interested, via the TechNet link that follows.

[Thanks, all]

Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Show full PR text
Microsoft Announces Availability of Windows 8 Consumer Preview

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview - the next milestone of the Windows operating system. This latest preview will be made available for download starting today at http://preview.windows.com. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview offers a more robust experience for testing the world's most popular operating system and is available to the widest range of people yet following the initial release of the Windows 8 Developer Preview late last year. The Developer Preview received more than 3 million downloads.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)

"With Windows 8, we reimagined the different ways people interact with their PC and how to make everything feel like a natural extension of the device, whether using a Windows 8 tablet, laptop or all-in-one," said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft. "The Windows 8 Consumer Preview brings a no-compromises approach to using your PC."

At a Windows 8 Consumer Preview event in Barcelona that was attended by partners from Europe and around the world, the company shared some key new updates in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview:

Broad range of product changes and improvements. Since the Developer Preview in September, designed to preview the programming platform, Windows 8 has progressed across every dimension. From completing the user experience for touch, keyboard and mouse to refining the development platform, the Consumer Preview improves performance, quality and reliability across all subsystems. With the added features, it represents a more complete view of the capabilities of Windows 8.
Windows Store with new apps. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview marks the beta opening of the Windows Store, which is filled with a variety of new Metro style apps from both third-party developers and Microsoft. During the Consumer Preview, these apps are available to try and experience at no cost to users. The Windows Store will offer personalized recommendations, and Windows 8 gives users the ability to take their apps and settings with them across multiple PCs, making it easy to discover and try new apps while offering developers the greatest opportunity of any platform.
Connecting to the cloud across Windows-based PCs and Windows Phone. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview offers seamless integration with the content people care about across their devices. An optional additional sign-on with a Microsoft account provides access to a host of features, including the ability to roam all settings, use cloud storage, communicate with email, calendar and contacts, and connect to a broad range of services. Your connection to the cloud works across your Windows-based PCs and your Windows Phones.
Internet Explorer 10 Platform Preview 5. The best way to experience the Web on Windows is with Internet Explorer 10. The browser has been re-imagined to create a new experience designed specifically for Windows 8 devices. It provides an edge-to-edge user interface that is all about less browser and more Web. Fast and fluid, Internet Explorer is hardware-accelerated to enable Web performance.
Preview of new hardware capabilities. At the event, Microsoft also showcased Windows 8 running on a wide range of new x86- and ARM-based reference hardware. This hardware will be available to select developers for trial and testing as previously announced.

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview will be available worldwide for download in English, French, German, Japanese and simplified Chinese languages. More information about Windows 8 and how to download the Consumer Preview is available at http://preview.windows.com or http://windowsteamblog.com.

Toshiba Excite 10 LE gets March 6th launch date, confirmed $530 price, yet another name

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:34 AM PST

First it was the AT200, then the Excite X10, and now it's the Excite 10 LE. But behind the onion-like layering of names sits a singular and rather beautiful slate, with a 10.1-inch LED backlit display, a 7.7mm (0.3-inch) chassis and a righteous 1280 x 800 resolution. Toshiba says it'll arrive at select US retailers on March 6th, which happens to coincide pretty closely with another possible technology incident. And since there could well be some tough buying dilemmas on the horizon, let's recount just a few more specs: The $530 version of the 10 LE has 16GB of storage, while 32GB can be had for $600. Both variants are WiFi-only and will run Android 3.2 out of the box, but they'll be upgradeable to ICS sometime in the spring. The 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor will whirr for up to eight hours on a charge; connectivity includes micro-USB, HDMI and microSD; the rear camera shoots 1080p video and 5-megapixel stills. There, does that make things any easier? No? Then there's a full press release after the break. Gosh, you're demanding.


Show full PR text
Toshiba Brings World's Thinnest 10-Inch Tablet to U.S. Market

World's Thinnest and Lightest 10-inch Tablet, Excite 10 LE, Available for Purchase on March 6, Starting at $529.99

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced that the Excite™ 10 LE tablet will be available for purchase from select U.S. retailers on March 6. Previously introduced as the Excite X10, the Excite 10 LE is the world's thinnest and lightest 10-inch tablet measuring just 0.3 inches (7.7mm) thin and weighing just 1.18 pounds (535g).

"We have engineered this tablet with premium materials and components, given it elegant yet durable styling and more connectivity options than any other tablet in its class, while fitting everything into an astonishingly thin and light design."

The Excite 10 LE tablet, powered by Android™, carries a starting price of $529.99 MSRP2 for the 16GB model and $599.99 MSRP for the 32GB model.
"Excite 10 LE embodies what a luxury tablet should be," said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "We have engineered this tablet with premium materials and components, given it elegant yet durable styling and more connectivity options than any other tablet in its class, while fitting everything into an astonishingly thin and light design."

A More Premium Design with All the Essentials

The thin and light Excite 10 LE features a vivid high-resolution 10.1-inch diagonal AutoBrite™ display3, delivering optimum browsing, reading and entertainment. Designed for durability and style, the device also features a high-quality magnesium alloy surface and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass display with an anti-smudge coating for greater resiliency.
The tablet also comes with an array of connectivity interfaces and ports on board, including micro-USB and HDMI® ports, a micro-SD slot to share content and files with other devices, plus Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® connectivity. Stereo speakers with exclusive sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS® Labs deliver superior audio capabilities. Front and back HD cameras provide convenient photo capture, plus 1080p video recording and video chatting.

Smart Multicore Performance with Long Battery Life
Powered by the 1.2GHz Texas Instruments OMAP™ 4430 multicore mobile processor4 and dual-channel memory, the Excite 10 LE offers smooth web browsing and multitasking plus the performance for high definition video and entertainment. Extremely power efficient, the Excite 10 LE delivers up to 8 hours of battery life.

Powered by Android

The Excite 10 LE tablet features Android 3.2, Honeycomb, and will be upgraded to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich later this Spring. Also included is a full suite of familiar Google™ Mobile Service applications, including the Android Market™, YouTube™, Gmail™, Google Maps™, Music, Videos. Additionally, the tablet comes pre-loaded with a mix of Toshiba software and third-party applications including TOSHIBA App Place, TOSHIBA Book Place, TOSHIBA Media Player, TOSHIBA File Manager as well Netflix™ and Zinio™.

Docking and Accessories

Toshiba will also offer a suite of tablet accessories for the Excite 10 LE, including a docking station, multiple cases and more.

Specifications

• Android 3.2, Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich)
• 10.1-inch diagonal LED Backlit widescreen Corning Gorilla Glass display with IPS technology and 10-finger multi-touch support
• 1280 x 800 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio
• Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 multicore processor; 1.2GHz with 1GB LPDDR2 RAM
• 16GB and 32GB configurations6
• 2 megapixel front-facing camera
• 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash
• Micro USB, Micro HDMI ports
• Micro SD card slot
• Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Gyroscope, Accelerometer, GPS, eCompass and Ambient Light Sensor
• Stereo speakers with sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS Labs
• Built-in 25 watt-hour rechargeable lithium ion battery
• 10.1" (W) x 6.9" (D) x 0.3" (H)
• 1.18 pounds (535g)

Image Gallery: http://bit.ly/Excite10LE

Live from Microsoft's Windows 8 press event at Mobile World Congress 2012!

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:00 AM PST

Tianyu K-Touch Treasure V8 hands-on at Mobile World Congress 2012 (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 04:59 AM PST

Ever heard of Tianyu? You probably haven't, but that's why the Chinese manufacturer left most of the heavy PR lifting for its ICS-equipped, quad-core phone to NVIDIA at this year's Mobile World Congress 2012. Details on this Tegra 3-based Android handset are admittedly scarce for the time being, but from what we were able to glean, the 4.3-incher should be able to hold its own in the high-end smartphone market. Aside from an 8 megapixel shooter with single LED flash on its back and the aforementioned CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, there's not much else to divulge spec-wise.

In terms of build, the design is a mixed bag. From afar, the Treasure V8 appears sleek and even (dare we say it?) sexy, but once the unit's in hand, you'll notice the cheapness of the glossy, white plastic enclosure. A metal trim borders the device lending to the mix of high and low quality materials used in its construction, but actually makes the phone uncomfortable to hold. The screen also tapers in towards the edges, leaving a ridge to form that's unpleasant in the hand. It doesn't appear that this is the final build of the product and it could even wind up becoming sleeker as it approaches an indeterminate launch, so there's room for improvement. Of course, pricing and availability for China are also unknowns, but we have a feeling that could very well be resolved in the coming weeks. Check out the gallery below and head on past the break for a brief video tour.
Tianyu K-Touch Treasure V8 hands-on



Dana Wollman contributed to this report.

Microsoft Flight reinvents itself as free-to-play simulator (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 04:45 AM PST

Microsoft's Flight Simulator has long prodded gamers to splash out on hardware upgrades and insane joysticks. Like Madonna, it's reinvented itself for the 21st century as a single-named free-to-play game for those who want to zoom around the skies of Hawaii. The company will make its money by selling premium add-ons including new aircraft and "adventure packs." The game is now ready for download (at the source link) and, if it proves popular, Redmond should expect a nice gift basket from AMD and NVIDIA this Christmas.

Visualized: Nokia's 41-megapixel PureView sensor (updated with video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 04:23 AM PST

If you thought a bigger pixel count just meant bigger file sizes, then take a look above. That big guy at the bottom is the 41-megapixel sensor responsible for those awesome Nokia 808 PureView shots we saw at MWC on Monday. The two above it are 8- and 5-megapixel sensors respectively, and give you an idea of the real-estate cost of packing a superior snapper. At two and a half times the physical size of the N8's prized optics, we think the PureView system earns its title as the biggest thing in mobile imaging somewhat convincingly.

Update: In case you're still confused, one of Nokia's chief camera experts Damian Dinning gives a thorough walkthrough of the technology in the video after the break.

Doro PhoneEasy 740 smartphone hands-on at MWC 2012

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 04:02 AM PST

Don't recognize the name? If so, it's probably because Doro is a completely new player in the smartphone industry, as it doesn't necessarily quench the appetite of power users. The vendor primarily focuses on providing the elderly with simple handsets, which in the past equated to offering nothing but feature phones. Doro's got a few new tricks up its sleeve which may be the most ridiculously easy transition from old-school to new-school yet. Their creation, with a title nearly as simple as the device itself, is called the PhoneEasy 740. It's a phone running essentially a forked Android OS with an incredibly user-friendly launcher -- called the Doro Experience -- that consists of only a few major functions, such as phone, messages, email and pictures. As for the handset itself, you're looking at a meager spec sheet: 5MP rear camera, 3.2-inch HVGA shooter, four hours of continuous talk time, FM radio, 512MB of RAM and 4GB internal memory. The software itself isn't fully functional yet, so we were only able to scroll through the main menu. We're anticipating the device to be ready in time for a summer release in markets around the world.

Speaking of the Doro Experience, the UI's going to be available on tablets this spring as an optional Android launcher. Fortunately the software can be paired with a desktop-specific app -- the Doro Experience Manager -- that gives the user the ability to remotely customize and manage the device. This is actually quite ideal, due to the fact that it's not limited to a proprietary Doro-made tablet. We haven't heard details on pricing and availability, but we'll get that information as it comes in. For now, anyone intrigued by the idea should hightail it to our gallery below.
Doro EasyPhone 740 hands-on

For more coverage of MWC 2012, go here.

Sony's 2012 Xperia series gets together for awkward family portrait

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 03:42 AM PST

While Sony's newly-christened Xperia phones are a bit difficult to tell apart, there's nothing quite like getting the whole clan together to tell these statement slabs apart. It's largely about the size and build differences here -- while the 4.3-inch Xperia S readies itself for retail stores very soon, the middleweight Xperia P is showing off its aluminum unibody frame. The Xperia U then shyly rounds out the series with the smallest footprint of the bunch. Hopefully our gallery will help you decide exactly which Sony phone is the one for you.
Sony Xperia family portrait at MWC 2012

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera to ship on March 31st? (update: now April)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 03:39 AM PST

If a ship date pops up on Amazon for a date in the not-so-distant future, we're typically inclined to listen up -- after all, the world's largest e-tailer probably has a fairly good idea of when its products will first leave the warehouse. This time, it's the Olympus OM-D E-M5, which just appeared on the distributor's Japanese site with an estimated release date of March 31st. There's no mention of a date on the company's U.S. site, however, so it's still unclear whether or not the Micro Four Thirds cam will hit North American shores on the 31st as well. Still, unless a trip to Japan is in the cards for the end of Q1, your best bet for getting early access to the highly-anticipated mirrorless cam would probably be to get your pre-order on at our coverage link below.

Update: We're now seeing US retailers listing the device with an April 10th release date. Check the More Coverage links below.

PixelQi has heavy night, wakes up married to French 'PadPro' tablet

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 03:06 AM PST

What has Mary Lou Jepsen been up to since 3M's cash injection? It's hard to say, but her sunlight-readable PixelQi panels are still popping up on the odd device -- like this Windows 7 slate from little-known Evigroup. The 10-inch PadPro is aimed at graphics types who are willing to bid adieu to €599 ($800) in return for a pressure-sensitive display, a 1.6GHz Atom processor (no mention of Cedar Trail), 1GB RAM and 160GB hard-drive. They also need to really hate Android.

Nokia Drive 3 teased at MWC with commute alerts via live tiles (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 02:31 AM PST

When the folks at Nokia took us aside and asked if we'd like a preview of the latest features slated for Nokia Drive, we knew something good was in store. Our intuition wasn't wrong. The next version of Nokia's navigation software will focus on commutes -- aiming to make the daily chore easier by learning driving habits, identifying regular trips and providing users with live tile updates that estimate journey times and traffic flow. Nokia Drive 3 will automatically query this data 30 minutes before an established commute is expected to begin, and will also provide drivers with suggested quicker routes to their destination. The traffic data is gathered both from traditional navigation sources and other Nokia Drive 3 users -- we're told this latter bit is completely optional and, while the privacy policy is quite explicit, the company insists it doesn't personally identify users.

Nokia tells us the software interface isn't finalized, so what you see in the Flash demonstration may change before Nokia Drive 3 arrives in the coming months. You'll find a demonstration of the new My Commute feature, from the creator himself, right after the break.


"For more coverage of MWC 2012, visit here."

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) hands-on (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 02:10 AM PST

It's easy to get confused by the variety of 7-inchers coming out of Samsung's gate; you might even speculate that the category is getting a bit crowded. But with the arrival of the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), it appears the popular Android manufacturer has an ace in its sleeve. The slate leaps past its cousins with the latest build of Ice Cream Sandwich out of the gate, although it still reps the same 1024 x 600 PLS TFT display, 3MP rear camera, 4,000mAh battery and dual-core setup. We had a chance to get a real feel for the tablet, so join us after the break as we parse through our initial impressions.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) hands-on


If you've ever held any of Sammy's previous 7-inch slates, you'll immediately notice that this iteration is a bit thicker. It's unclear exactly why the Tab 2 (7.0) sports a slightly fuller 10.5mm waistline as compared to the Plus' 9.96mm, but it's by no means a deal breaker. Certainly, the device is well-crafted and much thought has gone into how it rests in the hand. With a smooth, matte plastic enclosure that sidesteps the collection of smudges, 12.2 ounces (345 grams) and its curved edges, you likely won't experience much fatigue when holding onto the unit for long stretches of time to consume video or carry on an extended Gchat.

Much of the design incorporated into the Plus remains the same here, as covered slots for microSD and SIM cards take up the left side of the device, power and volume hard keys are relegated to the right, the 3.5mm headphone jack sits up top, while the proprietary charging / connector port lies surrounded by dual speakers at the base. There are a few downgrades where specs are concerned, as you won't find the same 2 megapixel camera up front; here, it's VGA. And that dual-core processor (of which, Sammy won't specify) powering this TouchWizzed Android 4.0.3 affair is clocked at a lower 1GHz and buffered by 1GB RAM. Again, that's a step down from the Plus's 1.2GHz CPU, but the difference in performance is hardly noticeable. In fact, overall navigation throughout the UX is fluid and unfettered.

As we just mentioned, touch recognition on the tablet is exceptionally responsive -- most notably when utilizing the software keyboard and scrolling through web pages. As for the browser, we noted that full desktop sites loaded fairly speedily, at just under 15 seconds and evincing no lag or stutter. Pinch to zoom was similarly brisk, though there is a bit of delay for images to re-render. The only performance quirk we noticed had to do with the unit's accelerometer, which had a hard time registering the change in orientation from portrait to landscape and often required abrupt movements to be triggered.

All told, it's a solid product and one that should make for a smart purchase when it hits the UK this March in 8GB / 16GB / 32GB versions, although at the wrong price point that summation could reverse itself. Our only concern is that without the massive marketing support currently bolstering other Sammy devices (the Note 10.1, for one) consumers will certainly have a hard time discerning the appreciable differences between this 7-inch line and the Galaxy Tab 2 might not get the attention it deserves. The end result? This fab tab might get lost in the clutter.

Dana Wollman contributed to this report.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) hands-on (video)

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 01:58 AM PST

As far as product launches go, the 10-inch Galaxy Tab 2's debut was relatively discreet. Announced with little fanfare, it's not even on display in Samsung's booth here at Mobile World Congress; you'll have to talk your way into a private room if you want a shot at getting hands-on.

And we can see why: with a 1280 x 800 display, 1GHz dual-core processor and 3-megapixel rear camera, its specs are nearly identical to what you'll find in last year's Galaxy Tab 10.1. Sure, it has a redesigned back cover and ships with Android 4.0, but otherwise, it's the same tablet. But with the new Galaxy Note tablet replacing the original 10.1 as Samsung's premier 10-inch tablet, the new 10.1 could be the budget-friendly option its predecessor wasn't. So does it hold promise as a mid-range tab? It'll be impossible to say until we know the price, but watch our hands-on video after the break and decide for yourselves just how much you'd pay for this thing.

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) hands-on

Hardware


We guess Ice Cream Sandwich adds a few calories, because the 10.1 has expanded in size from 8.6mm to 10.5mm thick, putting it roughly on par with the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 Note. (That's a jump from .33 to .41 inches, for all you Americans reading this.) If you do a side-by-side comparison, the difference in thickness and weight (588g vs. 565g) will be obvious, though on its own it still registers as relatively thin (it's no Thrive, anyway).

Flip the device over and you'll see that Samsung has traded the first-gen's semi-glossy white plastic for a matte silver cover. As fond as we were of the old design, we're pleased this budget tab doesn't pick up any fingerprints, and seems fairly resilient to scratches too (imagine how many hands this lone pre-production model has passed through!). Either way, the build quality hasn't changed: it feels well-made, though not as premium as the various aluminum tabs we've been testing. Then again, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is no longer a premium device, and based on some conversations with Samsung PR, it sounds like it won't be priced like one either.

Need more proof this isn't a high-end device? The proof is in the product tour. Around back, you'll see Samsung's removed the LED flash that used to accompany the 3-megapixel rear shooter. Suffice to say, a different approach to cost-cutting than removing the camera altogether, which is precisely what Acer did with the 10-inch Iconia Tab A200.

But! Samsung did add a microSD slot this time around, which seems like a perfectly fair trade for what wasn't a great camera setup anyway. At the entry level, the tablet comes with 16GB of internal storage, with the higher-end configuration packing 32GB.

Otherwise, the list of sockets and buttons should be completely unsurprising: Samsung's proprietary charging connector, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a volume rocker and a power / lock button There's also a SIM slot and 3G radio, which supports HSPA+ (850, 900, 1900 and 2100MHz) with theoretical download speeds as high as 21 Mbps.

Display

The display, too, should ring familiar to anyone who's handled the original 10.1. You're looking at a 1280 x 800 PLS panel -- the same one used on the first-gen 10.1, as well as the 10.1 Note. Though it can't compete with the non-pentile Super AMOLED Plus display crowning the Galaxy Tab 7.7, it's still quite bright, and the viewing angles are suitable enough that we were able to watch YouTube videos with the tablet placed flat on a table. Likewise, you should be able to rest it on your legs while watching movies, though darker bits (say, the dim audience in an Academy Awards recap) might be tougher to make out.

Software and early performance impressions

Inside, you'll find 1GB of RAM and an unnamed dual-core 1GHz processor. (Samsung won't confirm it's the same Tegra 2 chip used in the original 10.1.) In our brief hands-on, we found the tablet was nimble enough at opening apps and responding to swipes, though it stumbled when we fired up the browser. As you can see in that video up there, scrolling through pages is a stuttering affair. Expect some jagged rendering when you pinch to zoom, too.

Software-wise, you're looking at Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.3, to be exact), with Samsung's TouchWiz UX skin layered on top, of course. Sammy hasn't made any significant changes to the UI recently, so we'd encourage you to check out our reviews of the 7.0 Plus, 8.9 and 7.7 to get a better feel for the customized interface.

Outlook


The new 10.1 will ship in the UK starting in March, and will later make its way to an untold number of other markets (ignore that part in the video where we say we know nothing about availability -- yours truly just misspoke). For now, we don't know the price, and it's also unclear which countries will get a choice between this and the higher-end 7.0 Plus. We're also waiting to test battery life, and all that. Still, with the 7.0 Plus going for $300 in the US, we're cautiously optimistic the 10.1 could be quite affordable. If that's the case, this could be quite the contender in the budget 10-inch category

Broadcom: 802.11ac chipsets already in preproduction, preparing router invasion in summer

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 01:57 AM PST

Broadcom might have unveiled a bevy of 802.11ac chipsets back at CES, however when it came to availability the chipmaker played more than coy as to when they'd sashay their way out of developmental labs and into the hands of actual consumers. Fast-forward to MWC and the chipmaker's isn't nearly as shy, proclaiming its future WiFi solutions were "beyond the sampling phase" and now in preproduction. Also of note, was the estimate that finished products (read: the ones you can buy) containing this tech would go on sale by mid-2012. With competitor, Qualcomm, also previewing its 802.11ac concoction, could this year possibly shape up to golden era of speedy wireless transfers? Bring it on, we say.

Google aids accessibility with ChromeVox reader, better YouTube captions and more

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 12:43 AM PST

Engineers from Google have commandeered a booth at this year's CSUN accessibility conference and they're keen to talk up their latest efforts. For the visually impaired, there's now a beta version of a Chrome screen reader called ChromeVox (demo'd after the break), plus improved shortcuts and screen reader support in Google Docs, Sites and Calendar. Meanwhile, YouTube boasts expanded caption support for the hard of hearing, with automatic captions enabled for 135 million video clips -- a healthy tripling of last year's total. Check the source link for full details or, if you're anywhere near San Diego, go and hassle those engineers the old-fashioned way.

Whole Foods experimenting with Kinect-powered shopping carts that are smarter than you (video)

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 11:39 PM PST

Here's a little secret Whole Foods doesn't like to advertise: they want, nay, demand, that a rather large percentage of residents near its highfalutin grocery stores have a college degree. Apparently you've gotta be smart to navigate its aisles crowded with over-priced organic wares and exotic condiments. Perhaps, though, the company has realized the error of its ways and wants to move in to new markets. That doesn't mean it trusts you and your high school diploma to decipher all those labels with difficult to pronounce words on them. A new experimental shopping cart is being tested by the market that puts a tablet and a Kinect in the driver's seat -- literally. Because you can't be expected to multi-task, the cart drives itself, monitors your shopping list and can even warn you if you grab the wrong item, thus protecting you from your own inability to avoid aggravating your peanut allergy. Check it out in action after the break.

Envia's GM-backed battery delivers huge energy density, lower costs, headaches for competitors

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 10:24 PM PST

If you're one of those worried about the battery on your expensive EV running out, look away now. Envia has unveiled a new cell that boasts a record-breaking energy density of 400Wh/kg (most currently offer between 100 and 150). It's estimated that when commercialized, this could bring the cost of a 300-mile range EV down to as little as $20,000. The performance gains come from a special manganese-rich cathode and silicon-carbon nano-composite anode combination. The battery maker is also partly owned by GM, which unsurprisingly means we're likely to see these very cells in its EVs in the future. Perhaps with the right choice of upholstery, we might see even better savings? Want to know more? Tap the fully charged press release parked just after the break.
Show full PR text
Envia Systems Achieves World Record Energy Density for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries

Breakthrough 400 Watt-hour/kilogram Lithium-ion Battery Poised to Revolutionize Cost, Range and Safety in Electric Vehicles

NEWARK, Calif., Feb 27, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Envia Systems, a technology leader in high-performance, low-cost lithium-ion energy storage solutions today announced test results that verify the company's next-generation rechargeable battery has achieved the highest recorded energy density of 400 Watt-hours/kilogram (Wh/kg) for a rechargeable lithium-ion cell. When commercialized, this 400 Wh/kg battery is expected to slash the price of a 300-mile range electric vehicle by cutting the cost of the battery pack by more than 50 percent.

The testing of Envia's next-generation lithium-ion battery was performed by the Electrochemical Power Systems Department at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in Crane, Ind., under the sponsorship of ARPA-E. Tests at various cycling rates at NSWC confirmed that Envia's automotive battery cell demonstrated energy density between 378-418 Wh/kg for rates between C/3 to C/10 for a 45 Amp-hour (C/3) cell. Similar cells have been cycling in Envia's test labs for over 300 cycles. NSWC Crane will also test these cells to validate cycling performance. [See excerpts of the test results here: http://enviasystems.com/announcement .]

"Since the inception of Envia, our product team has worked tirelessly and logged over 25 million test channel hours to optimally develop each of the active components of the battery: Envia's proprietary Si-C anode, HCMR cathode and EHV electrolyte," said Dr. Sujeet Kumar, Envia Systems co-founder, president & CTO. "Rather than just a proof-of-concept of energy density, I am pleased that our team was successful in actually delivering 400 Wh/kg automotive grade 45 Ah lithium-ion rechargeable cells."

"Envia's new battery technology represents exactly the kind of innovation and breakthroughs that ARPA-E is looking for from the American research and development community," said ARPA-E Director Arun Majumdar. "We hope that this low cost and high density battery technology enables wide spread adoption of electric vehicles across the country and around the world."

"In an industry where energy density tends to increase five percent a year, our achievement of more than doubling state-of-art energy density and lowering cost by half is a giant step towards realizing Envia's mission of mass market affordability of a 300-mile electric vehicle," said Envia Systems Chairman and CEO Atul Kapadia.

Raspberry Pi credit-card sized Linux PCs are on sale now, $25 Model A gets a RAM bump

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 09:00 PM PST

The good news is that Raspberry Pi's highly anticipated teeny-tiny Linux computers are on sale now, just barely making the promised February launch window (good thing it's a leap year). The better news, is that the $25 Model A version has gotten an upgrade from the planned 128Mb of RAM to 256Mb matching the Model B, which still throws in an extra USB port and an Ethernet hookup for $10 more. Unfortunately there is some bad news as well, while the Model A is going into production "immediately", cheapskates will have to hold off a little, as the Model B is the only one on sale right now. Built on a Broadcom BCM2835 700MHz ARM11 processor, they're intended as a cheap computing option that require only a keyboard and RCA or HDMI-connected display to give a full desktop experience including gaming and HD video playback . The team also announced it has secured manufacturing and distribution agreements that should guarantee a steady supply, without the previous limitation of 10,000 at a time batches. Need more technical details? Hit the FAQ page below, or put down a few Hamiltons -- they can be ordered directly from distributors Premier Farnell / Element 14 and RS Components -- and find out how it runs (Fedora, Debian and ArchLinux are currently supported) for yourself.

Update: It appears the servers of both retailers are completely crushed by traffic at the moment, and we're told RS will ship in the UK only. Good luck in your struggle with that most difficult of questions: Keep mashing F5, or get some sleep and try again in the morning? Raspberry Pi's Twitter account reports Farrell appears to have already sold out, so keep that in mind. A press release and video demo from the BBC follow after the break.


Show full PR text
February 29, 2012 01:00 AM Eastern Time
RS Components Announces Launch of Raspberry Pi $35 Computer

New low cost credit card sized computer now available to pre-order from RS websites

OXFORD, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, today announced that the revolutionary credit card sized single-board computer from the Raspberry Pi Foundation is now available to pre-order from RS websites around the world. Created for educators, programmers, developers and IT enthusiasts, the kits can be pre-ordered at rswww.com.

"Raspberry Pi provides a revolutionary low cost platform, which opens up programming to a whole new audience. We are very honoured to have been chosen to work with the Foundation as a distribution partner at the launch of this exciting new tool."

The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a charity established to promote the development of computer development skills in education across the globe. Its vision is for Raspberry Pi to provide budding IT developers and programmers with a base platform to exploit the full power and potential of computing within the Linux environment, at a remarkably low cost. As such, Raspberry Pi computers act as an enabler for the next generation of programmers to enter the IT industry.

RS was selected as a distribution partner for Raspberry Pi because, in the eyes of the Foundation, it connects with engineers across the globe throughout their careers. As such, the company is well positioned to provide Raspberry Pi adopters with support, advice and access to additional resources as they embark on new development activities. It was particularly impressed with the DesignSpark community and resources provided for new developers working on Open Source designs.

"RS has always been a trusted and reliable partner for engineers across the globe. The RS DesignSpark community and their free PCB design software connects with engineers throughout their career, and is being adopted by many universities around the world," said Eben Upton, founder and trustee of Raspberry Pi. "This ethos of providing resources for engineers, along with the company's support for open source design, makes RS the ideal distribution partner for Raspberry Pi."

Glenn Jarrett, Head of Marketing, Electronics, at RS Components, added, "Raspberry Pi provides a revolutionary low cost platform, which opens up programming to a whole new audience. We are very honoured to have been chosen to work with the Foundation as a distribution partner at the launch of this exciting new tool."

Further information on the Raspberry Pi Foundation can be found at www.raspberrypi.org. For more details on the RS DesignSpark community please visit www.designspark.com. Raspberry Pi can be pre-ordered from the RS website at rswww.com.

-Ends-

NYC's WPIX resurrects Intellivision gaming segment for Morning News

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 08:07 PM PST

Those of you out there over the age of about 26 who live in the New York metro area might remember a popular call-in segment on WPIX. During day time children's programming, like the classic Magic Garden, viewers were encouraged to dial in and play a simple Intellivision game by shouting "PIX" to fire at falling blobs. Well, the TV station is bringing it back courtesy of a console direct from creator Keith Robinson. Only now, instead of calling, participants will be brought into the studio live to shout alongside the anchors. We're already trying to figure out how to get ourselves on the list. Check out a retro commercial promoting the segment after the break.

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 ready for May takeoff, pre-orders start March 1st

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 07:22 PM PST

It's been a few weeks since we stumbled upon the AR.Drone 2.0's unattended self-promotion back at CES. And, shortly thereafter took it for a spin. Now, Parrot's finally announcing its $299 next-gen quadrocopter will be ready to take off in May, with you early adopters being able to pre-order as soon as March 1st. The company's also added two fresh bits that were absent during our time with the 720p-packing drone in Vegas, one of which will let you bust out a barrel-roll move while in flight. The other is the inclusion of a USB port that'll let you grab whatever creepy amazing pics and vids you've been shooting with it and record them on any jump drive. You still have a couple months to go before you can grab one of these, in the meantime be sure to check out the glamorous press shots and PR below.
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 press shots
Show full PR text
Parrot 'AR.Drone 2.0':
High-Definition Excitement!

The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0, the new generation of Parrot's renowned high-tech quadricopter that can be controlled by Wi-Fi using a smartphone or tablet[1], will land in the US in May 2012.
With a new high-definition camera, video and photo recording and sharing, new piloting mode, increased stability and brand-new look, the AR.Drone 2.0 offers an experience like no other!

A flying HD camera
While in flight, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0's front camera transmits real-time what the quadricopter sees onto the pilot's device screen.
For the first time the AR.Drone 2.0 camera, with a 1280x720 resolution, shows a view from the sky in high definition with smooth and unbelievable images.
The pilot enjoys an experience like never before, as if he was on board. For gaming purposes, this camera also can recognize specific shapes and colors to show augmented-reality elements on the smartphone's screen.

Record and share flying experiences
Thanks to the new AR.FreeFlight 2.0 piloting application, players can record their own HD flight videos and pictures on their piloting smartphone's or tablets' memory and share them with the AR.Drone community using YouTube or Picasa.
The pilot can also save images or videos on a USB key (not included) using the dedicated USB port hidden under the hull, close to the battery.

AR.FreeFlight 2.0, a new piloting and sharing platform
In addition to flying the AR.Drone, new application AR.FreeFlight 2.0 – available to download for free from the AppStoreSM and AndroidTM Market – offers players a new interface and several options.

FreeFlight: Access to the piloting application.
Recording flights' HD pictures and videos in the piloting device or a USB key.
Photos/Videos: Directly access your own videos and photos. Watch or upload to YouTube or Picasa for the community to enjoy.
Drone Update: Access the AR.Drone 2.0's free software updates.
AR.Games: Access applications/games available for the AR.Drone.
Get your AR.Drone: See an overview of the AR.Drone 2.0, videos and practical information.
Coming soon - AR.Drone Academy: Place for meeting and sharing content with the AR.Drone community. Get geolocation data of the best flight zones, watch other pilots' videos and access their shared flight data (high, speed, duration, geolocation...).

'Absolute Flight', a revolutionary ultra-intuitive flight mode
After the AR.FreeFlight 2.0 pilot application has been loaded onto an iOS or AndroidTM smartphone or tablet, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 connects to the device via Wi-Fi. After connection, all the on-board instruments appear on screen with a cockpit view.

Press the take off button briefly and the four brushless motors turn on. The AR.Drone 2.0 takes off.
Flying is very simple. With your thumbs placed on either side of the screen, a control button automatically forms beneath:
· Press and hold the left button and the AR.Drone 2.0 follows the movement of the pilot's device: it moves forward, backwards or sideways when you tilt the tablet forward, towards you or to the left or right.
· Slide your finger over the right button, and the quadricopter rises, descends or rotates right or left.

Thanks to Parrot's patented new 'Absolute Control' mode, the player accesses an even more intuitive piloting system.

With a 3D magnetometer, the AR.Drone 2.0 knows its precise orientation with respect to the smartphone, which becomes the reference point. The pilot no longer needs to care about the orientation of the AR.Drone 2.0's front camera, which will accurately track the smartphone's motion and tilt.
Experienced players will select 'Relative Flight' mode, the conventional flight mode. This disables Parrot AR.Drone 2.0's magnetometer. The pilot manages the quadricopter's orientation with no assistance.

AR.Drone 2.0 stunts
For more enjoyable and exciting flights, the AR.Drone 2.0 is equipped, for the first time ever, with a 'Flip' feature.
Double tap on the button placed on the right side of the piloting device screen and the AR.Drone 2.0 will perform a loop. Both experts and untrained can be a stunt pilot!

Surprising stability at any altitude
The heart of the AR.Drone 2.0 contains MEMS (microelectromechanical systems).
A 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis magnetometer and a pressure sensor give the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 surprising stability, complete with:
2 ultrasound sensors, which analyze flight altitude up to 6 meters.
A pressure sensor completes the device and provides great vertical stability.
4 blades, specially designed for the AR.Drone 2.0, make it possible to carry out smooth flights.
A second camera, placed beneath the quadricopter and connected to the central inertial unit, measures the craft's speed using an image comparison system.

2 hulls made for both types of flight
The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 has 2 hulls with specially designed contours. Made of EPP (a material used in designing car bumpers), they are light, highly resistant and protect the quadricopter.
For outdoor flight, the contoured hull, available in three colors (orange/yellow; orange/green; orange/blue), reduces wind resistance and preserves the AR.Drone 2.0's handling and stability.
When indoor, a second hull protects the blades from any impact. The black-and-white cockpit, underlined with a red stripe, reinforces the quadricopter's mysterious, thrilling appearance.

Finally, light-emitting diodes (green in front, red in rear), positioned on the landing gear, help the pilot track the orientation of the AR.Drone 2.0 for easier flying.

An Open Development Platform
In order to expand the use of the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 and its compatibility with other operating systems and to develop new flying games and applications, Parrot is providing developers and members of the Apple® and AndroidTM communities with a software development kit.
By logging in at https://projects.ardrone.org and accepting the terms of the license, developers can access the source code used to fly the AR.Drone 2.0. A wiki and a tutorial also are available. A forum is available to discuss new developments and share feedback with Parrot engineers.
***
The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 runs on a rechargeable lithium-Polymer battery (included).


Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 will be available for purchase at selected retailers in May 2012
in the United States for $299 MSRP

Pre-orders can be placed online or in-store at Brookstone starting March 1, 2012

Motorola asks business users to defect, offers $200 for new Android handset purchase

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 06:50 PM PST

Motorola Mobility wants business users on Android handsets, and to accomplish this the company has decided to put its money where its mouth is. Starting today, Moto will offer up to $200 to smartphone users that trade in their old, BLUR-less set for a new Android device. The company is also offering converts its MotoAssist service, which should -- in theory -- make the data migration process as painless as possible. The Droid RAZR Maxx, Droid 4 and Atrix 2 are just a few of the handsets up for grabs. Saunter on past the break for the full PR, and be sure to let us know if a pair of Benjamins in your pocket is just what you've been waiting for to make the switch.
Show full PR text
Motorola Mobility Now Making it Easier than Ever for Business Users to Switch to Android

Company launching new trade-in program and offering dedicated MotoAssist IT service with new Business Ready smartphone purchases

(PRNewsFoto/Motorola) LIBERTYVILLE, IL UNITED STATES

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Business users who are looking to trade in their old smartphone and bring an Android-based device to work now have a more compelling reason than ever to make the leap, with Motorola Mobility's new program designed to help professional consumers – or "prosumers" -- make the switch. Starting tomorrow, the company will be offering up to $200 cash back for a consumer's old device when a Motorola Business Ready smartphone is purchased, providing an instant online quote, pre-paid shipping label, and payment within four to six weeks of receipt. In addition, Motorola Mobility will be offering the MotoAssist™ IT service to give business users access to IT professionals who can help set up accounts, transfer contacts seamlessly, and even work directly with corporate IT departments.

The new program will go live on Tuesday, Feb. 28th at http://www.motorola.com/switch.

Foursquare PS Vita app hits US PlayStation Store, gives you another reason to consider 3G

Posted: 28 Feb 2012 05:46 PM PST

Good news for all you socially connected (and hip) regulars of local retail establishments -- who have PS Vitas, of course. Sony's just announced that the free Foursquare app has officially landed at the PlayStation Store (US), and it can be yours for a paltry 4.5MBs of space on your precious proprietary memory card. The app works over WiFi, however, the fine print advises that users may want to use 3G for the best results to help alongside the Vita's GPS. Notably, the rear touchpad and cameras are listed as being compatible with the app, as well. We've poked around the app for a few minutes, and it does feel peppy compared to what we experienced with Facebook (while it was available, anyway) -- the only oddity that's arisen lies with the map functionality, which opens a Google Maps page within the Vita's browser rather than its Maps app. Now that we can watch Netflix over WiFi, and view our Flickr albums along with Tweeting and "Checking In" between our ModNation racing tours, how's about finally letting us get our Skype on? (P.S. We'd really like Facebook back in the store, too!)
Foursquare PS Vita app (screenshots)
at 12:01 PM

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