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- Samsung Galaxy S III vs Galaxy S II and Galaxy S: meet the family
- Samsung Galaxy S III software impressions (video)
- Samsung Galaxy S III vs. rival flagships: iPhone 4S, HTC One X, Lumia 900
- Under the microscope: Samsung Galaxy S III's HD Super AMOLED display
- Galaxy S III vs. Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II: what's changed?
- Samsung Galaxy S III focuses on photography sharing features, not cutting-edge optics
- Samsung Galaxy S III is official: 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, quad-core Exynos processor and gesture functions
- Samsung Galaxy S III preview: hands-on with the next Android superphone (video)
- Samsung Mobile Unpacked liveblog!
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- IDC: Apple makes big gains in tablet market, Android stumbles
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| Samsung Galaxy S III vs Galaxy S II and Galaxy S: meet the family Posted: 03 May 2012 11:11 AM PDT
If you don't know where you came from, you won't know where you're going. That's why we're stacking up Samsung's Galaxy S III against the S II and the Galaxy S to see how the range has come on in the three years it's existed. If you fancy a trip down memory lane to the heady days of 2010, then join us after the break.
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| Samsung Galaxy S III software impressions (video) Posted: 03 May 2012 11:05 AM PDT
So, you nodded agreeably when all those hardware specs were listed, but are a bit more intrigued by what Samsung's done to the Android 4.0 interface. In short, TouchWiz is still here, but there are some noticeable differences between it and the legacy version seen on the Galaxy S II that bring the GSIII closer to a stock Android experience. But, there are also some things that are a rehash of what we saw on last year's Gingerbread hardware. We've delved into this latest interpretation, and tried out Sammy's S Voice and S Beam features along the way. Our deeper impressions are after the break, where you'll also find a quick video rundown and can see the new software in action.
There are several welcome additions that are obvious as soon as you turn the screen on -- a quartet of lock-screen shortcuts. Customizable, and available with a swipe, those shortcuts aren't the only way to access things in a pinch, however, as Samsung's new "human" gestures are on board as well. For example, one of these gestures lets you to jump straight to your camera from the lock screen by pressing and holding a fingertip to the display and rotating the handset into landscape mode. The physical button layout below the screen-- much like the global Galaxy S II -- dictates a similar navigation ethos, with multitasking accessible by a long press on the home button. The base style remains unmistakably TouchWiz, but there are some extra twists. Unlike stock ICS, there's now a settings option immediately available in the drop-down menu, and there are new gesture menu and sharing options, but the remaining look and layout is largely unchanged --save for little details, like on-off switches, that have been tweaked for Samsung's own design reasons. Samsung's added in Google's own ICS widgets alongside its own versions if you're picky about exactly which calendar app displays on your home screen. The camera app has been beefed up with more instant-access settings and is where Samsung's push for increased social connectivity comes through strongest. We've outlined these new features in detail, and suffice to say, they look to be traits many folks will be using often in their day-to-day. S Voice and S BeamIt's hard to describe S Voice as anything but Samsung's interpretation of Siri. The preview software wasn't able to unlock itself via our verbal command, although Samsung tells us this is one of its abilities. We had more luck launching apps and asking the voice assistant to perform other tasks like grabbing weather info. As with Apple's version, you need a data connection to get it working, and the voice detection worked reasonably well during our time with the device. Alongside the ability to play video clips in a window on top of any app, S Beam looks to be the highlight among the GSIII's new software offerings. The ability to shoot files wirelessly through a combination of NFC and WiFi is quite handy, assuming you've got a friend with the same phone and a wireless network within reach. Sending video files between handsets only takes tapping them together, and the ensuing transfer is fast -- we shot a 1080p sample video from one phone to the other in a matter of seconds. So, while Holo fans might balk, it looks like TouchWiz isn't going anywhere soon, because Samsung's looking to prove that it has something to offer beside top-shelf hardware specifications. The company's aiming towards a more, surprise, surprise, Apple-like strategy by focusing on "human" functionality and phone interaction. While gesture functions, S Voice and the like will help separate the company's flagship from both rivals and its existing smartphone line-up, Samsung's still got its work cut out to convince us that these will become desirable and core features of smartphones in 2012. That said, we're intrigued, and are looking forward to testing how well these software additions fare when we can put them through their real-world paces in our forthcoming review. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung Galaxy S III vs. rival flagships: iPhone 4S, HTC One X, Lumia 900 Posted: 03 May 2012 11:03 AM PDT
Oh yes, it's a good time to go shopping for a smartphone, particularly if you've acquired a taste for an abundance of pixels and silicon cores. But which phones ought to be considered flagships worthy of comparison with the shiny new GS III? Yes, we're including the Lumia 900 in this context, for the sake of platform neutrality and also in recognition of the fact that raw specs don't count for everything -- but we can't overlook that this handset is sorely lacking in terms of ppi and some other areas. The next two choices are more obvious: the eternal (or infernal) iPhone 4S and AT&T's version of the HTC One X. So here it is: one table to rule them all, right after the break.
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| Under the microscope: Samsung Galaxy S III's HD Super AMOLED display Posted: 03 May 2012 11:02 AM PDT
By now you should already know that the brand-spanking-new Samsung Galaxy S III sports a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display. That's right: no "plus" here, which means this 720p panel is featuring the same old PenTile RBGB pixel arrangement -- just like the 4.65-inch version on the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S II HD LTE. Needless to say, this is again pure ammunition for the folks over at LG; but as we've mentioned before, HD Super AMOLED's superb contrast and higher-than-before pixel density outweigh its shortcomings in most cases. For now though, let's examine these sub-pixels with a 230x zoom USB microscope and compare them with other phones that we have in hand. Starting off with the HTC One X's 720p SLCD 2 above, you can see how its denser sub-pixels produce a finer picture, but ultimately it's still behind HD Super AMOLED when it comes to contrast, especially with black. Read on for more comparisons.
Next up we take a look at the Galaxy Nexus. While the two share very similar contours and side profiles, the older phone has a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display, while its new cousin has a 4.8-inch panel sporting the same technology. Naturally, the pixel density is slightly lower for the latter (as you can see above), but we barely noticed any difference with our own eyes during our quick hands-on. Judging by the microscopic pictures above though, it does look like Samsung's made the red sub-pixels slightly smaller, so we shall perform some more comparison tests when we review the Galaxy S III. And finally, we put the Galaxy S III up against its main siblings from over the last two years: Galaxy S (4-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED), Galaxy S II (4.3-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus) and Galaxy S II LTE (4.5-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus). It's rather interesting to see PenTile floating in and out of each generation, but we sure hope an HD Super AMOLED Plus phone will materialize before the "Galaxy S IV" next year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Galaxy S III vs. Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II: what's changed? Posted: 03 May 2012 11:02 AM PDT
We're here live at Samsung's unveiling of the Galaxy S III and while it was going on, we furiously built this chart to see how the biggest phone of the year stacks up against its two progenitors. Here's some trivia: that 4.8-inch display is 22 percent bigger than the Galaxy S II's, but its overall dimensions only grew by 16 percent. If you're interested in those sort of details, then after the break is where you need to be.
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| Samsung Galaxy S III focuses on photography sharing features, not cutting-edge optics Posted: 03 May 2012 11:01 AM PDT
Samsung's Galaxy S III doesn't boast 41-megapixel captures or top-of-the-line optics. Instead, its camera's strengths are in its intelligent organization and social features, increasing the handset's appeal as a point-and-shoot alternative for casual photographers. Samsung's latest round of compacts and mirrorless dedicated snappers reaffirm suspicions that the company is taking a different approach to photography, focusing on connectivity and social enhancements, rather than updated sensor and low-light shooting technologies. While such decisions may prompt advanced shooters to bring their business to competitors, it highlights Samsung's strengths on a broader level, as a connectivity enabler, rather than a camera maker. The company is clearly committed to growing its ecosystem and uniting product divisions in an effort to increase penetration throughout different categories, developing sharing tools that simplify workflows and increase appeal. Samsung's latest flagship smartphone packs standard specs, like 8-megapixel stills and 1080p video, but it offers a handful of software features that combine to make the device a compelling upgrade, especially from an imaging perspective. Join us past the break as we detail the Galaxy S III's photography enhancements, from Best Photo to Face Zoom. Shooting enhancements We don't blame you for not being impressed with the Galaxy's camera itself, but that's not the point -- software enhancements improve the shooting experience without boosting specifications. Both cameras can shoot HD video (the 8-megapixel rear-facing module captures 1080p, while the 1.9-megapixel cam up front records at 720p), and a new feature enables still snaps as you capture clips, with an on-screen shutter button popping up in the top right corner. The S III also offers a burst shooting mode at 6 frames-per-second for up to 20 continuous shots and a new Best Photo mode, which snaps eight consecutive images (also at 6 fps) of the same scene, highlighting the most appealing frame, based on parameters that include sharpness, contrast and the subject's expression. Best Photo allows you to save the pre-selected image, or any of the other frames before discarding. S Voice Samsung's Siri-like voice recognition tool lets you launch the photo app and even snap a frame without tapping the screen. Assuming your phone is connected to the web, a command like "I want to take a picture!" brings you to the app, while saying "Cheese!" (as you smile, of course) prompts the phone to capture an image. There's no dedicated shutter release button, but there is S Voice. S Beam We've touched on S Beam a bit in our preview post, but the feature is most useful for sending photos and video, so it certainly has a place here. Using NFC, one Galaxy S III forms a connection with another when they touch, enabling instant transfers using WiFi Direct. You can send stills or movies directly to another handset with a few taps, at speeds of up to 300 Mbps. Group Tag This feature rewards those of you who keep your contacts list organized by group. If certain photos include an individual with a contact profile, that pic will automatically be assigned to a matching group in albums. For example, if John is listed under Family in contacts, he'll also appear in an album called Family, making it easy to locate images without taking the time to assign them to specific albums. Social Tag We saw a hint of this with the Google Glasses demo, but Social Tag is about to hit the mainstream. The feature matches subjects in photos to the profile image on their contact page, then displays contact info as an on-screen overlay during photo playback. Google+ content will pop up in full, in addition to a Facebook profile link (no embedded info) and a shortcut to your subject's contact page. Buddy Photo Share Expanding on those facial recognition and contact list enhancements is a feature called Buddy Photo Share, letting you boot a pic to your friend with a single tap. Like Social Tag, Buddy Photo Share uses the profile image from your bud's contact page for identification, and also sends on the shot to the email address saved on your Galaxy S III. Face Zoom This facial recognition feature highlights individuals standing (or seated) together in a group, letting you simply double tap on a face to fill the frame. It doesn't appear to be much different from the traditional double-tap zoom option, but we suppose this method enables a bit more precision. Face Slideshow We don't see many practical uses for Face Slideshow, which creates a separate slideshow that zooms in on each individual face in a group photo. Still, you might find it entertaining, especially when it comes to making out individuals in a huge group shot. The feature essentially creates a slideshow from one image, cycling through portraits of each person in the frame. That's about it. Richard Lai contributed to this report. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 03 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT
The Galaxy S III is Samsung's new flagship smartphone and it's finally broken cover at the company's stand-alone Mobile Unpacked event here in London. With a steady stream of fakes, outright leaks and even event rescheduling, Samsung's claimed almost crazy levels of interest for its new smartphone. Weighing in at 133g (4.7 ounces) and whittled to 8.6mm at its thickest, the rounded-off design has more than a little bit in common with its Galaxy Nexus cousin. Of course, it's Samsung's new 1.4GHz Exynos 4 Quad processor doing the legwork, and there's 1GB of RAM to help it out. The display has been bumped up in size to a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED affair, sporting a 1280 x 720 pixel count. Happy snappers will have an 8-megapixel rear shooter to play with, and a 1.9-megapixel eye on the front will take care of those video calls. If you were wondering about radios, it's launching with HSPA+, but there's an LTE version in the cards. As for the interface, it's TouchWiz on top of Android 4.0 again, and there's new gesture functions to help you get around. So, there it is, the phone we've all been waiting for (until the next one) but that's not all, be sure to check our hands-on coverage and additional features for the in-depth breakdown. Samsung Introduces the GALAXY S III, the Smartphone Designed for Humans and Inspired by Nature Effortlessly smart and intuitively simple, Samsung GALAXY S III reveals a new concept of smartphone London, UK-May 3, 2012-Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced today the third generation GALAXY S, the GALAXY S III. Designed for humans and inspired by nature, the GALAXY S III is a smartphone that recognizes your voice, understands your intention, and lets you share a moment instantly and easily. This sleek and innovative smartphone has the enhanced intelligence to make everyday life easier. With Samsung GALAXY S III, you can view the content like never before on the device's 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display. An 8MP camera and a 1.9MP front camera offer users a variety of intelligent camera features and face recognition related options that ensure all moments are captured easily and instantly. Samsung GALAXY S III is powered by Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, with greatly enhanced usability and practicality to make life easier. Packed with intuitive technology, the GALAXY S III delivers a uniquely personalized mobile experience that refuses to be compromised. "With the GALAXY S III, Samsung has maximized the consumer benefits by integrating superior hardware with enhanced smartphone usability," said JK Shin, President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung. "Designed to be both effortlessly smart and intuitively simple, the GALAXY S III has been created with our human needs and capabilities in mind. What makes me most proud is that it enables one of the most seamless, natural and human-centric mobile experiences, opening up a new horizon that allows you to live a life extraordinary." Introducing Natural Interaction The GALAXY S III enhances the interaction experience between the device and user. Smart enough to detect your face, voice and motions, the GALAXY S III adapts to the individual user to provide a more convenient and natural experience. With the innovative 'Smart stay' feature, the GALAXY S III recognizes how you are using your phone – reading an e-book or browsing the web for instance – by having the front camera identify your eyes; the phone maintains a bright display for continued viewing pleasure. The GALAXY S III features 'S Voice,' the advanced natural language user interface, to listen and respond to your words. In addition to allowing information search and basic device-user communication, S Voice presents powerful functions in regards to device control and commands. When your phone alarm goes off but you need a little extra rest, just tell the GALAXY S III "snooze." You can also use S Voice to play your favorite songs, turn the volume up or down, send text messages and emails, organize your schedules, or automatically launch the camera and capture a photo. In addition to recognizing your face and voice, the GALAXY S III understands your motions to offer maximized usability. If you are messaging someone but decide to call them instead, simply lift your phone to your ear and 'Direct call' will dial their number. With 'Smart alert,' the GALAXY S III will also save you from trouble by catching any missed messages or calls; your phone will vibrate to notify missed statuses when picked up after being idle. Easy and Instant Sharing With 'AllShare Cast', users can wirelessly connect their GALAXY S III to their television to immediately transfer smartphone content onto a larger display. 'AllShare Play' can be also used to instantly share any forms of files between GALAXY S III and your tablet, PC, and televisions regardless of the distance between the devices. Under AllShare Play is also the 'Group Cast' feature that allows you to share your screen among multiple friends on the same Wi-Fi network; you can make comments and draw changes at the same time with your co-workers, witnessing real-time sharing on your individual device. The GALAXY S III not only presents features with enhanced usability, but also provides an ergonomic and comfortable experience through its human-centric design. Its comfortable grip, gentle curves, and organic form deliver a rich human-centric feel and design. Inspired by nature, its design concept is the flow and movement of nature. The elements of wind, water and light are all evoked in the physical construct of the GALAXY S III. In its essence, the minimal organic design identity is reflected in the smooth and non-linear lines of the device. Available in Pebble Blue and Marble White at launch, Samsung will introduce a variety of additional color options.
With a 4.8" HD Super AMOLED display, the GALAXY S III offers a large and vivid viewing experience. Samsung Mobile's heritage Super AMOLED display even enhances to HD and 16:9 wider viewing angles. To ensure faster content sharing and connectivity, the GALAXY S III offers Wi-Fi Channel Bonding which doubles the Wi-Fi bandwidth.
The GALAXY S III also sports a range of additional features that boost performance and the overall user experience in entirely new ways. It introduces 'Pop up play,' a feature that allows you to play a video anywhere on your screen while simultaneously running other tasks, eliminating the need to close and restart videos when checking new emails or surfing the Web. Its 8MP camera features a zero-lag shutter speed that lets you capture moving objects easily without delay – the image you see is the picture you take. With the 'Burst shot' function that instantly captures twenty continuous shots, and the 'Best photo' feature that selects the best of eight photographs for you, the GALAXY S III ensures users a more enhanced and memorable camera experience. HD video can be recorded even with the 1.9MP front-facing camera, which you can use to capture a video of yourself. Improved backside illumination further helps to eliminate blur in photos that result from shaking, even under low lights.
Mobile payment is also accessible with the device through advanced Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The gaming experience is enhanced through 'Game Hub,' providing access to numerous social games, while Video Hub brings users high quality TV and movies. Furthermore, Samsung Music Hub will offer a personal music streaming service. Game Hub, Video Hub and Music Hub will be introduced in select countries initially and soon rolled out to global markets.
The Samsung GALAXY S III will be available from the end of May in Europe before rolling out to other markets globally.
For multimedia content and more detailed information, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com.
Note to Editors:
Samsung GALAXY S III Product Specifications
Network 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz 4G (Dependent on market) Display 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED (1280x720) display OS Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Camera Main(Rear): 8 Mega pixel Auto Focus camera with Flash & Zero Shutter Lag, BSI Sub (Front): 1.9 Mega pixel camera, HD recording @30fps with Zero Shutter Lag, BSI Video Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, DivX3.11, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark Recording & Playback: Full HD (1080p) Audio Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AC-3, apt-X Additional Features S Beam, Buddy photo share, Share shot AllShare Play, AllShare Cast Smart stay, Social tag, Group tag, Face zoom, Face slide show Direct call, Smart alert, Tap to top, Camera quick access Pop up play S Voice Burst shot & Best photo, Recording snapshot, HDR Google™ Mobile Services Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Latitude Google Play Store, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Places, Google Navigation, Google Downloads Connectivity WiFi a/b/g/n, WiFi HT40 GPS/GLONASS NFC Bluetooth® 4.0(LE) Sensor Accelerometer, RGB light, Digital compass, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer Memory 16/ 32GB User memory (64GB available soon) + microSD slot (up to 64GB) Dimension 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, 133g Battery 2,100 mAh * Specifications above may differ on the LTE version. * All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.
* Android, Google, Android Beam, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Latitude, Google Play Store, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Places, Google Navigation, Google Downloads are trademarks of Google Inc.
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| Samsung Galaxy S III preview: hands-on with the next Android superphone (video) Posted: 03 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT
You remember that Galaxy S II? A phone so good they launched it, well, a whole load of times. But after seeing phablet cousins and LTE variants, the true handset sequel is finally here. The Galaxy S III is moments away from being outed in front of journalists and Sammy's business partners in London, but in advance of the big reveal we were given a few hours to acquaint ourselves with the new star away from the crush of the show floor. And what did we make of it? In short, Samsung's tried to bring its Galaxy S series in line with (and in some ways, further ahead of) what its team-up with Google accomplished. It's added some new quad-core Exynos processing juice, a 4.8-inch, HD Super AMOLED screen and a handful of Galaxy S III-only features in an earnest bid to maintain its place at the top of the Android pile. You'll find our detailed impressions and a hands-on video just after the break.
Hardware
At first blush, we were a little disappointed that Samsung didn't intend to push the design envelope with its new flagship. That's not to say we were repulsed: it just looks a lot like an amalgam of all the Galaxy phones we've seen in the last year. It flies closer to the Galaxy Nexus than the Galaxy S II, with a shape and contour all too similar to Google's first Android 4.0 handset. In the hand, the 4.8-inch screen is counter-balanced by the thin bezel, resulting in a shape that is still comfortable to hold. It feels very light, a mere 133g (4.7 ounces -- just a smidgen heavier than the HTC One X), and measures 8.6mm (0.34 inches) deep across its central waistline. (That's right, there's no more chin.) A glossy plastic coats both the front face and flat battery cover, with a particularly attractive finish on the Pebble Blue option, making it our early favorite over the Marble White. A slightly different (but still glossy) plastic follows around the edge of the device. Thankfully, the absence of a metallic chassis does nothing to hurt the feeling of quality or solidity in the build. The phone retains the physical home button, though it's now slimmer and generally less visually obvious. It's flanked by a pair of capacitive buttons that light up and disappear, and as expected there's the camera module, flash and loudspeaker at the back. The 8-megapixel camera looks to be very similar to what we've seen on both the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note -- which means it's a pretty capable shooter, although we're withholding judgment until we can test it out it in a mix of scenarios. Instead of shaking up the camera hardware, Samsung's pushed forward with the software interface -- something we've gone into more detail here. In brief, the new camera app supports dual still and video capture, adds face tagging for existing contacts and boasts improved face identification and tracking. The screen is a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display. The bad news? The lack of a "Plus" in that name means it's PenTile, which means that pixelation is still visible despite the 306 ppi density, due to the sharing of sub-pixels. The good news is that the resolution is still really good, and should suffice for all but the most eagle-eyed -- although if you're still not sure you can check out our own microscopic comparisons right here. It's also nice to see that the panel is cocooned in Gorilla Glass 2, besting its relative's fortified face, and it also offered great viewing angles. The Galaxy S III's beating heart is Samsung's new 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos processor, aided by a fresh GPU that is supposedly 65 percent faster than the companion Mali 400 graphics chip on the Galaxy S II. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to give GTA III a blast, nor run our typical benchmark apps, but in any case the model we played with was not final hardware. That said, we were able to grab a quick SunSpider browser performance score of just under 1,500ms, putting the phone below HTC's polycarb-clad wonder -- but lower is better, by the way. Whizzing around the native apps and web browser was as pleasant as we expected, pinch-to-zoom pinged into action, while multimedia playback was effortless, irrespective of the software additions that Samsung has thrown into the mix (more on those in a second). The phone houses a removable 2,100mAh battery, with a wireless charging option already in the works. Next to the battery and space for a micro-SIM, you'll find an increasingly rare microSD slot, whose absence was one of the main criticisms leveled at the Google Nexus, not to mention the HTC One X. This expandability sits alongside 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, depending on which variant you buy. Other connection options here include Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi Direct, DLNA, an MHL-compatible micro-USB port and headphone socket, with NFC connected to the battery unit. Software Samsung's pitch to us focused heavily on the software. Pure Android enthusiasts may wince at the sight of TouchWiz (overlaid on top of Android 4.0.4) and from the brief time we played with the device, Ice Cream Sandwich looks a lot like how it arrived on our updated Galaxy S II -- it's not close to a stock Android experience. Instead of messing with its UI, Samsung has concentrated on specific apps -- and plenty of new gesture functionality. Five icons populate the base of the screen, including the app drawer, while the homescreen itself has a more typical four-icon-wide berth. "Inspired by nature, designed for humans" is the winsome philosophy behind the Galaxy S III. In terms of the nature thing, this basically means that the phone comes loaded with some splashy water graphics and sound effects as well as plenty of seasonal wallpapers (including some new smart wallpapers like a background news feed). The built-in keyboard is perfectly functional; at this screen size there's simply a greater likelihood of hitting the letter you're after. The menus and icons are all drawn in Samsung's TouchWiz style, though there are some new additions, including lock screen app shortcuts. In fact, the lock screen is where Samsung's new "intelligent" smartphone starts showing its gesture antics -- part of its "designed for humans" mantra. S Voice is Samsung's latest effort to introduce voice interactions to its phone series, but unfortunately it wasn't working during our briefing. We've been promised that your commands will be able to unlock the phone, control the music player and capture photos. Samsung also told us that it's already working with third-party apps to build up similar functionality for those too. Like a certain voice assistant rival, it does require a data connection because voice patterns are processed in the cloud. S Beam was in a more generous mood during our hands-on, riffing from Google's Android Beam while using WiFi in tandem with NFC to share meatier files. Beaming through NFC peaks at around 400Kbps, but that's only for pairing and smaller files -- sharing media engages WiFi Direct at up to 300Mbps, according to Samsung. We saw a 10MB video file bounced between two phones in an instant. It's a very nice show-piece, although the necessity for all your S Beam sharing partners to upgrade to the Galaxy S III does inevitably taint that offering. AllShare Play shares your media content with the big screen, while AllShare Cast will duplicate your phone's display for big-screen gaming. (Samsung told us that it's working on populating its own game hub with optimized titles, although it was still keeping quiet on any specifics.) Like S Beam, this is also broadcast through WiFi Direct to a compatible TV, rather than through DLNA -- although the handset does technically still support DLNA. A new feature that best showcases the phone's new Exynos muscle is Pop Up Play, which plays a video file on top of any other app in its own window. Playback is limited to the native media player -- no YouTube greatest hits on top of your email just yet -- but the window can be moved around the screen and at its fixed size covers just under a sixth of the full screen. To recap: this is a good-looking phone, with an impressive high definition Super AMOLED screen and a processor that looks likely to spar for top spot among Android devices. However, Samsung hasn't responded to the recent trend for stand-out build and materials and this new flagship feels a lot like all its older relatives; given the whole "nature" spiel, some smart new finish would have been nice. It's no doubt this lack of wow-factor hardware that has led Sammy to emphasize software progress instead, and indeed there are plenty of intriguing TouchWiz features that warrant further investigation on a finished handset -- assuming you're not a vanilla Android die-hard. Glacial hardware design progress aside, if Samsung manages to get these new features polished up and working flawlessly, the company might well have another bestseller. And yes, we'll take the Pebble Blue, please. Zach Honig contributed to this report. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung Mobile Unpacked liveblog! Posted: 03 May 2012 10:30 AM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spotify offering students in the UK a 50 percent discount on Premium service Posted: 03 May 2012 10:16 AM PDT
Streaming outfit Spotify and the National Union of Students have teamed up to offer scholars in the UK a whopping 50 percent discount on the music service's Premium plan. Of course, you'll have to meet a few requirements first, including having an "extra" NUS card and, naturally, a Spotify account. Once you've got those credentials in place, Spotify's Premium service will only set you back £4.99 per month, which gets you an all-you-can-stream buffet on both desktop and mobile -- yes, that includes the shiny new iPad app. The deal's said to be good for 12 months from the moment you sign up, and you can get started now at the NUS link below.
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| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 review roundup: (usually) worth the one grand Posted: 03 May 2012 09:55 AM PDT
Now that NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 690 is shipping through some vendors, gamers have been wondering if it's worth the wallet-busting $999 to get those higher frame rates. Surprisingly, the answer is "yes." As AnandTech notes, the GTX 690 is often almost as fast or faster than a pair of GTX 680s working together in SLI mode, only using less power and running at cooler and quieter power levels through those two 28-nanometer Kepler chips. Across multiple reviewers, though, the GTX 690 was sometimes slower than two Radeon HD 7970 boards using CrossFire. HotHardware and others found that it's definitely the graphics card of choice for Batman: Arkham City enthusiasts: problems with AMD's CrossFire mode leave a dual Radeon HD 7970 setup running at just half the frame rate of its NVIDIA-made challenger. Caveats? There are still some worries beyond the price tag, as the twin Radeon cards are as much as three times faster at general-purpose computing tasks than the latest and greatest GeForce. PC Perspective likewise warns that fans of joining three displays together for some 3D Vision Surround action will still take a big frame rate hit when they put the 3D glasses on. Still, the GTX 690 looks to be tops if you're looking to get the fastest single-card gaming on Earth, and as Legit Reviews adds, that trivalent chromium-plated aluminum makes it one of the "better looking" cards, to boot. Read - AnandTech | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IDC: Apple makes big gains in tablet market, Android stumbles Posted: 03 May 2012 09:21 AM PDT
Research firm IDC predicted there would be a steep drop off in tablet shipments during Q1 of 2012. Following the surge of sales during the holiday season, a fall of 34 percent, while certainly staggering, is hardly surprising. But there's bad news: shipments failed to meet even those bleak predictions. Shipments fell by 38.4 percent, thanks in large part to Android slates stumbling dramatically. After a reasonably impressive holiday season, IDC expected Android would continue to make inroads in the market. Instead, the number of units moved dropped drastically, allowing Apple to not just maintain its position at the top of the heap, but assert an unquestionable dominance not seen since the early days of Honeycomb. After accounting for 54.7 percent of all tablet shipments in Q4 of 2011, the iPad opened up an impressive lead, claiming 68 percent of the market in Q1 of 2012. What's more, after catapulting to the number two spot by shipping 4.8 million units at the end of last year, Amazon fell to number three -- accounting for only 4 percent of tablets shipped, a precipitous fall from 16.8 percent last quarter. That's good news for Samsung, however, which reclaimed its place as first runner up slate wars. For more, check out the PR after the break. Apple Shines, But Slumping Android Shipments Lead to Disappointing First Quarter for Media Tablets, According to IDC FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A steep drop in shipments of Android-based tablets offset a strong quarter from Apple and caused the media tablet market to miss projections for the first quarter of 2012 (1Q12), according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker. Total worldwide media tablet shipments for the quarter reached 17.4 million units in 1Q12, 1.2 million units below IDC's projection for the quarter. While IDC predicted a sharp seasonal slowdown of -34% from the previous quarter's record-breaking 28.2 million units, the actual decline was slightly steeper at -38.4%. The total still represents a robust year-over-year growth rate of 120%, up from 7.9 million units in the first quarter of 2011. "Apple reasserted its dominance in the market this quarter, driving huge shipment totals at a time when all but a few Android vendors saw their numbers drop precipitously after posting big gains during the holiday buying season" Apple shipped 11.8 million iPads during the quarter, down from 15.4 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, and grew its worldwide share from 54.7% in 4Q11 to 68% in 1Q12. Amazon, which stormed into the market in 4Q11 to grab second place with 16.8% of the market on shipment of 4.8 million units, saw its share decline significantly in the first quarter to just over 4%, falling to third place as a result. Samsung took advantage of Amazon's weakness to regain the number two position while Lenovo vaulted into the number four spot, followed by Barnes & Noble at number five. Although total Android shipments were down sharply in 1Q12, companies such as Samsung and Lenovo are beginning to gain traction in the market with their latest generation of Android products. IDC expects the segment to rebound quickly as other vendors introduce new products in the second quarter and beyond. "It seems some of the mainstream Android vendors are finally beginning to grasp a fact that Amazon, B&N, and Pandigital figured out early on: Namely, to compete in the media tablet market with Apple, they must offer their products at notably lower price points," Mainelli added. "We expect a new, larger-screened device from Amazon at a typically aggressive price point, and Google will enter the market with an inexpensive, co-branded ASUS tablet designed to compete directly on price with Amazon's Kindle Fire. The search giant's new tablet will run a pure version of Android, whereas the Fire runs Amazon's own forked version of the OS that cuts Google out of the picture." The impact that Microsoft Windows 8- and Windows RT-based tablets, which are widely expected to ship into the market by the fourth quarter, will have on the overall tablet market is yet to be determined. Pricing on the new Windows tablets hasn't been announced, and that will be a critical factor when it comes to winning over consumers. Consumer reception to the new OS and the success of integration with traditional Windows systems will also be critical. "The worldwide tablet market is entering a new phase in the second half of 2012 that will undoubtedly reshape the competitive landscape," said Bob O'Donnell, program vice president, Clients and Displays. "While Apple will continue to sit comfortably on the top for now, the battle for the next several positions is going to be fierce. Throw in Ultrabooks, the launch of Windows 8, and a few surprise product launches, and you have all the makings of an incredible 2012 holiday shopping season." About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. For more than 48 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com. All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boingo to offer its WiFi services to New York City subway stations Posted: 03 May 2012 08:51 AM PDT
Your dreams of WiFi connectivity from within NYC's subway stations will soon be a reality. Boingo has announced an agreement with Transit Wireless to offer wireless internet service inside the Big Apple's subway stations. The partnership will allow eager commuters the chance to connect via their smartphones, tablets, e-readers and other WiFi-equipped devices. One-click access will be available to those with a Boingo subscription as well as through the outfit's roaming partners: Skype, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. Right now, the plan is to roll out the new service to subway stations over the next five years. If you're jonesing for a few more details, hit the PR button below to read on. [Image credit: pspyro2009 / Flickr] NYC Subway Stations to Get Wi-Fi via Boingo and Transit Wireless Agreement Boingo Will Offer Internet Access Underground in New York Subway Stations in Multi-Year Rollout LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boingo Wireless, Inc. (NASDAQ: WIFI), the Wi-Fi industry's leading provider of software and services worldwide, today announced an agreement with Transit Wireless to manage and operate Wi-Fi Internet services within the New York City Subway System. Wi-Fi access in the subway stations will gradually roll out over the next five years. The agreement will eventually allow New York City Transit Authority's more than 1.6 billion annual subway riders to connect to the Internet using their smartphones, e-readers, tablets and other wireless devices while waiting for a train. Once completed, Boingo Wi-Fi services will be available at stations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens. "Boingo has a proven expertise in operating easy-to-use wireless services in high-traffic venues serving people on-the-go," said Transit Wireless CEO William A. Bayne Jr. "Our partnership with Boingo helps us deliver on our commitment to providing best-in-class technology amenities to our community of commuters and visitors to the Big Apple." "Our alliance with Transit Wireless is another milestone for Boingo in our ongoing effort to expand our managed and operated footprint and provide added value to our customers – especially those in New York City," said Colby Goff, senior vice president of strategy and business development for Boingo Wireless. "We look forward to providing New Yorkers, our customers and our roaming partners with the reliable connectivity they crave, whether at street level or on the subway platform." One-click Wi-Fi access will be available to Boingo subscribers, as well as Boingo's Wi-Fi roaming partners, including Skype, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. Expanding Boingo's network of managed hotspots to include New York City's subway stations continues the company's growth in consumer service venues including shopping malls, stadiums, arenas and quick service restaurants, as well as the airport networks it operates globally. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foxconn builds a fanless nano PC, forgets to put someone else's name on it Posted: 03 May 2012 08:24 AM PDT
Two nano PCs, actually, and both expected to be announced officially this week according to FanlessTech. The first is the Foxconn AT-5300, running off a 2.13GHz dual-core Cedar Trail D2700, while the second -- the AT-5600 -- is powered by AMD's popular (but last-gen) 1.65GHz E450 APU. Each one consumes around 15W idle and 24W under load, which is the equivalent of somewhere between an Ultrabook and a regular laptop and low enough to be passively cooled. What's distinctly unlaptop-like, though, is the 190 x 135 x 38mm form factor, which should sit discreetly on your desk, below your TV or on a VESA mount, and also the price, which is expected to be under $200 with worldwide availability. As with similar mini-ATX budget barebones, you'll need to add your own HDD (or maybe a hybrid) to that, but you do get a pair of USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit LAN, a multilingual card reader and built-in 802.11n WiFi. The only thing missing? You guessed it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple v. Samsung judge yells 'get to the point, you two' Posted: 03 May 2012 07:57 AM PDT
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| FCC to dole out up to $300 million to help carriers expand service in rural areas Posted: 03 May 2012 07:22 AM PDT
It seems like almost every day that we receive a press release announcing Verizon or AT&T is planning to expand its LTE coverage to three, five, eleven new markets. But in some remote pockets of the country, you'd be lucky to latch onto even a solid 3G signal. In a bid to make sure those folks in the boonies get their due, the Federal Communications Commission is establishing a fund to encourage carriers to roll out 3G and 4G service in sparser areas. All told, the agency plans to award up to $300 million to mobile operators, with funds going to the providers offering the lowest rates. The winners will be decided in a sealed, single-round auction, which opens June 27th and is set to close July 11th. As a condition for receiving the funds, carriers must agree to cover at least 75 percent of the road miles within a given census tract. While it's unclear at this early stage which mobile players will take the bait, the FCC's already signaled which parts of the country will be first in line for upgraded service -- namely, Rocky Mountain states like Utah and Idaho, along with Maine, Appalachia and upstate New York. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TSMC ramps 28nm ARM Cortex-A9 chip to 3.1GHz, gives your desktop jitters Posted: 03 May 2012 06:54 AM PDT
We know TSMC's energy-miser 28-nanometer manufacturing process has a lot of headroom, but the company just ratcheted expectations up by a few notches. Lab workers at Taiwan's semiconductor giant have successfully run a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor at 3.1GHz under normal conditions. That's a 55 percent higher clock speed than the 2GHz maximum that TSMC normally offers, folks, and about twice as fast as a 40nm chip under the same workload. Don't expect that kind of clock speed from your next smartphone or tablet, though: expect processors of this caliber to find "high-performance uses," which takes us that much closer to NVIDIA's Project Denver as well as other ARM-based desktops, notebooks and servers that should give x86 chips a run for their money. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New promo video for ASUS N-Series Notebooks makes us want to hug it out Posted: 03 May 2012 06:28 AM PDT
Nothing stokes the emotional coals like slow-mo drops of water and orchestral strings. That's at least what the team behind this ASUS promo video seem to think. Amidst the melodrama there are actually a few new nuggets of info about the rained-on N-series Notebook. There's "SonicMaster Premium" sound from Bang and Olufsen on board, which the firm claims should please the pickiest of ears, and full HD wide-view screens. A backlit keyboard and fancy touch pad are also shown off, with the latter matching the aspect ratio of the screen for "intuitive control." The claimed (up to) two-week standby time should please the infrequent user, while the impatient will like the two second wake-up time. Whether it'll have Oscar-winning performance to match the video, however, is yet to be known. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maingear and Origin now stocking GeForce GTX 690 cards, will probably run Crysis Posted: 03 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT
MAINGEAR UNLEASHES THE NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 690 Is it better to have record setting performance, or incredible sleek looks when introducing a product? MAINGEAR and NVIDIA want to know: is it too much to ask for both? MAINGEAR is proud to add the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 to their newly updated lineup of desktops. This latest game changer powered by two Kepler GPUs has 4GB of GDDR5 memory and 3072 CUDA cores, allowing gamers to crank up the gaming realism with NVIDIA® Surround, NVIDIA 3D Vision® Surround™ and PhysX® rendering incredibility detailed environments and characters in full 1080 HD or even 2560x1600 with a single graphics card. With a screaming 75% increase in performance compared to the GeForce GTX 680, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 has an innovative vapor chamber thermal design that has a TDP of 300W which runs quieter than the previous generation, and the GeForce GTX 690 tears through the latest PC games and looks great while doing it. "The New Geforce GTX 690 is quite simply a work of art. It reminds us of when NVIDIA introduced the very first GeForce 256, a market dominating product that set the standard time after time," said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. "Everything about this card just screams power, performance, and perfection." MAINGEAR and NVIDIA together push innovation and redefine what a custom high performance system should be. All of MAINGEAR products are supported with lifetime labor and phone support with one to three year hardware warranty. For more information about MAINGEAR's unique desktops and gaming pcs, please visit: www.maingear.com
ORIGIN PC Unleashes the New Dual Kepler NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 Graphics Card The World's Fastest Consumer Graphics Card is Available Now Miami , FL - May 3, 2012, 09:00AM EST - ORIGIN ™ PC is thrilled to announce the launch of the new NVIDIA® GeForce`GTX 690 graphics card to their award-winning desktops for gamers, artists, enthusiasts and professionals. Powered by two Kepler GPUs, the GeForce GTX 690 boosts 3D performance to a whole new level and is almost identical to a pair of GTX 680s in SLI. With its unique metal look and excellent durability, anyone would be proud to show it off inside their new ORIGIN PC desktop. ORIGIN PC is an official NVIDIA launch partner and because of its extremely limited availability, ORIGIN PC is one of the only companies to be offering the GeForce GTX 690. The new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 Graphics Card features: 3,072 NVIDIA CUDA Cores | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major League Gaming takes smartphone games seriously, announces Xperia Mobile Gaming Arena Posted: 03 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT
If OpenFeint's lightweight social connections and leaderboards lack the competitive edge your inner hardcore gamer craves, maybe Major League Gaming's latest mouthful will satiate your demands for satisfaction. The Xperia Mobile Gaming Arena presented by Sony Mobile (we told you it was a mouthful) hopes to give smartphone toting gamers a serious cross-platform battleground, offering iOS and Android users competitive leaderboards and up to $10,000 in prizes. Currently the smartphone gaming platform only supports Gameloft's Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation, but MLG hopes to enlist more competitive titles in the coming months. "The MLG community thrives on competition," explains Major League Gaming CEO Sundance DiGiovanni, "with our new mobile platform, we are now enabling gamers to engage in competitive play no matter where they are." Ready to climb that leaderboard? Get your game on at the source link below, or read on for MLG's official press release. Major League Gaming, Sony Mobile Communications and Gameloft Competition Launches with Gameloft's Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation NEW YORK – May 3, 2012 -- Major League Gaming (MLG), the world's largest competitive video game league, Sony Mobile Communications and Gameloft, today unveiled MLG's first-ever competitive smartphone gaming platform - Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena Presented by Sony Mobile. Launching with Gameloft's first person shooter Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation, the arena enables gamers to compete via all mobile platforms including Android and iOS for more than $10,000 in prizes. All competition details, scores and rankings are accessible via www.majorleaguegaming.com/mobile. To Gaming Arena title and their ranking is automatically tallied on the Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena leaderboard. The Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena launches with Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation from Gameloft, which has been enhanced for an immersive gaming experience on Xperia™ PLAY, the world's first PlayStation® Certified smartphone and the official mobile handset of Major League Gaming. "The MLG community thrives on competition and with our new mobile platform, we are now enabling gamers to engage in competitive play no matter where they are," said Sundance DiGiovanni, CEO, MLG. "With partners like Sony Mobile and Gameloft, we are truly taking mobile gaming to a new level." "From the launch of Xperia™ PLAY, the first smartphone to bring console-like gaming to smartphone, to now the Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena, the first-of-its-kind competitive platform for mobile gamers, we are committed to bringing the best mobile entertainment experiences to our customers," said Peter Farmer, Head of Marketing for North America, Sony Mobile Communications. "Bringing together MLG's authority in competitive gaming, Gameloft's blockbuster game titles and Sony Mobile's immersive mobile entertainment experience, the Xperia™ Mobile Gaming Arena is sure to deliver a new level of mobile gaming for competitors." "For Gameloft, partnering with strong brands such as the MLG and Sony Mobile Communications to promote a new age of competitive mobile gaming is a very exciting time, " said Baudouin Corman, vice president of publishing in the Americas at Gameloft. "Given the millions of gamers that have participated multiplayer experience with the Xperia Mobile Gaming Arena." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This joke isn't funny anymore, SpaceX delays ISS launch... again Posted: 03 May 2012 05:31 AM PDT
Stop us (oh, oh, oh stop us) if you've heard this one before (you have): SpaceX has announced that it won't be able to make that May 7th launch date. The company hasn't disclosed the cause (the static fire tests seemed to go okay) but spokesperson Kirstin Grantham said that the company is working through the "software assurance process" with NASA. A new launch window hasn't been set, but the company says it'll tell all before the end of tomorrow -- they'd better, since the ISS crew have been waiting for these space-rations since November last year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Web Marketplace for Windows Phone gets 22 more stamps in its passport Posted: 03 May 2012 04:56 AM PDT
If you've been holed up in Thailand, waiting to browse the latest and greatest apps for your Windows Phone in your browser instead of on the device directly, then things are looking up. Microsoft has just announced that 22 new countries are being graces with their own web Marketplace. The full list covers Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Israel, Thailand, and Vietnam. The same blog post advises that work is also underway to improve the search results delivered by the site. So you might not have to play Hungry Birds for much longer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Steam's latest beta client enables remote installation of games, with emphasis on 'beta' Posted: 03 May 2012 04:19 AM PDT
Considering it's supposed to be a democratic free-for-all, Steam has been running a tight ship lately. We've already seen a video of a forthcoming native client for Linux, and now there's a new beta client for Windows and Mac that also brings something different: remote game management. This can save you time by letting you trigger the download and installation of a title to your home computer while you're still in the office or on the move, via any web browser. That said, this type of thing was already possible using remote desktop apps, and so far the community response to the buggy beta has been decidedly mixed -- so make sure you read up on Valve's forum (at the source link) before you expect to find your slippers, Pinot Grigio and Sniper Elite V2 all lined-up and waiting when you get home. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rdio grows its European presence, hits France and the UK starting at £4.99 per month Posted: 03 May 2012 03:46 AM PDT
The hottest tech news of the day in Europe will undoubtedly be the next Galaxy phone, launching tonight in London. Music fans on that side of the pond woke up to another surprise, however, with the launch of Rdio's online streaming service in France and the UK. Pricing starts at £4.99 (about $8) per month for unlimited web streaming, jumping to £9.99 (roughly $16) when you add mobile support. Ready to rock? Hit up the source link below for a six-day free mobile trial, without any need to hand over those precious credit card deets. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eurocom Racer 2.0 laptop receives Ivy Bridge, offers Radeon HD 7970M graphics Posted: 03 May 2012 03:02 AM PDT
Eurocom calls its Racer 2.0 a small form factor mobile workstation -- by which it means it's a rather sizable laptop, but with plenty of power and decent aesthetics. Known for designing its rigs to be upgradable, the Racer 2.0 is such a recipient, which now offers the Intel HM77 Express chipset and support for both Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge CPUs. It offers a 15.6-inch, 1080p display (in both glossy and matte configurations), which is powered by a 1.5GB GeForce GTX 660M GPU as the basic option. Those desiring even more oomph may opt for the 2GB Radeon HD 7970M, and even those in need of true workstation graphics may select from a lineup of NVIDIA's Quadro GPUs. The four SO-DIMM slots will accommodate up to 32GB of RAM, and it'll even accept two hard drives (in addition to an mSATA SSD), so long as you're willing to fill the optical drive's slot. Naturally, all the upgrades can make the price soar in a hurry, but the base configuration starts at reasonably palatable $1283. Ready to be sold a new laptop? You'll find the PR after the break.
May 01, 2012 Eurocom ships Ivy Bridge based Racer 2.0 with AMD Radeon HD 7970M with over clocking support Eurocom Corporation (www.eurocom.com), a developer of long lifespan, fully upgradable notebooks is adding the newest AMD Radeon™ HD 7970M GPU to the 15.6" EUROCOM Racer 2.0 notebook. Eurocom will also offer the AMD Radeon™ HD 7970M GPUs separately to existing customers as an upgrade option. The EUROCOM Racer 2.0 is a 15.6" small form factor Mobile Workstation utilizing the Intel Mobile HM 77 Express Chipset with support for the full line of 22nm Ivy Bridge Processors. Graphics support comes from AMD Radeon HD 7970M with support for up to three storage drives. The Racer 2.0 supports 32 GB of DDR3-1600 memory for unforeseen multitasking ability and performance in a 15.6" system. "The addition of the AMD Radeon™ HD 7970M, the highest performing mobile solution from AMD, gives Eurocom customers a superior choice of video processor options to configure into their new Eurocom Racer 2.0 or upgrade into their existing system. This thing is a beast, our customers will love the graphics and overall performance of the Racer 2.0" said Mark Bialic, President of Eurocom. AMD Radeon™ HD 7900M Series graphics processors are the most technologically advanced and feature-rich mobile GPUs AMD has ever created, enabling unsurpassed HD gaming and stereoscopic 3D entertainment. Eurocom has combined AMD technology in their mobile systems to offer a stellar entertainment powerhouse with massive computing power, delivering desktop graphics power to mobile gamers for the ultimate performance at home or on-the-go. Combined with a high quality Onkyo speaker system and THX TruStudio Pro, the Eurocom Racer 2.0 is a true notebook entertainment system. EUROCOM Racer 2.0 will be bolstered by the introduction of the Intel Ivy Bridge processors and complete line of Intel 22nm processors. The Racer 2.0 will be one of the world's first Ivy Bridge notebooks with Intel HM 77 chipset using the uFPGA988B socket. The EUROCOM Racer 2.0 is ideal for professionals and teams who frequently travel and need access to high performance computing. The EUROCOM Racer 2.0 is built with an ultra heavy duty design for unintentional abuse while on the go. It is a fully upgradeable system with support for the best in mobile technology. The Racer 2.0 can be customized based on processor, memory, storage, display and wireless technology. Based on the HM 77 Express chipset from Intel the EUROCOM Racer 2.0 can support up to 32GB of DDR3-1600 memory from four sockets. With support for an mSATA Intel SSD 310 Series drive, the storage capabilities and performance of the EUROCOM Racer 2.0 are second to none. Support for an mSATA drive greatly improves boot times, performance and battery life of the Racer 2.0. With no moving parts, Intel SSD mSATA drives offer high levels of performance and reliability in a small form factor system. EUROCOM Racer 2.0 AMD Radeon™ HD 7970M Series GPU Feature Summary: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comcast VOD coming to Boston TiVos, next gen X1 DVR platform could launch there too Posted: 03 May 2012 02:32 AM PDT
Comcast already reported its Q1 results earlier today but on the earnings call CEO of the cable division Neil Smit revealed its next generation X1 cloud DVRs (previously called Xcalibur and promised for a wide rollout to "hundreds of thousands" of customers this year) will launch in a major market in the second quarter. Light Reading cites sources indicating field testing is already under way in Boston and that it could launch in May which fits all too well because The Cable Show will take place there May 21st. In case you've forgotten, the quad-tuner X1 DVRs have an all new UI with support for third party apps and social media tie-ins, and will reportedly precede the company's eventual push towards IP video. While that's the rumor, what we do know is that TiVo has completed the rollout of Comcast video on-demand support to Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area, and also let us know that Boston, coincidentally, will be next. Customers in other areas can sign up on TiVo's site at the link below for notifications when the feature goes live in their neck of the woods. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wikipad's Android tablet amps up with Gaikai game streaming, quad-core, 10-inch screen Posted: 03 May 2012 02:03 AM PDT
Wikipad's Android 4.0 gaming tablet still hasn't received a definitive release date despite having just half a season left to meet its launch target, but that hasn't stopped its creator from boosting the feature set. When the tablet does arrive, it will now bake in Gaikai's game streaming service for you to start playing games as soon as the shrink wrap's off the box. In return for the long wait since CES, Wikipad is also giving its slate a heavy makeover: the 8.1-inch screen is ballooning to 10.1 inches, while a lighter body will carry an unnamed quad-core processor and an option for 3G. Otherwise, you're looking at much of the same formula that first emerged in January, which includes traditional gamepad-like controls on either side as well as front and back cameras, 1080p video support and 8GB of space to store your games when you don't want to bring a microSD card. We're looking forward to getting our paws on those dual analog sticks soon, but for now you can check the news release after the break. GAIKAI AND WIKIPAD PARTNER TO DELIVER CLOUD GAMING ON THE WORLD'S FIRST GAMING TABLET (Cision (English) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Innovative Tablet Maker Wikipad Partners with Gaikai as the Provider for Streaming High-end Console Quality Games Directly onto its State-of-the -Art Media Tablet LOS ANGELES, CA – May 2, 2012 - Gaikai (http://www.gaikai.com/) (http://www.gaikai.com/)Inc (http://www.gaikai.com/). (http://www.gaikai.com/), the innovative cloud gaming service, today announces the signing of a partnership with Wikipad Inc., makers of the first tablet to offer an attachable, console-quality gamepad controller. The partnership will see the Gaikai client integrated into the tablet, making game streaming available to Wikipad users. Cloud gaming is changing the way video games are consumed. Today gamers have to either drive to a store, wait for games to arrive in the mail, or download games, which can take as long as visiting the store itself. Cloud gaming removes the friction and makes games -- no matter how large -- appear instantly. The Wikipad is capable of running games locally but will also offer extremely high performance games from Gaikai's cloud gaming platform. Without cloud gaming, many incredible console quality games could never appear on tablets. "We chose to partner with Gaikai's game streaming service for its leading performance, graphics, and content," stated Fraser Townley, President of Sales for Wikipad. "It is the leading game streaming solution with the best library of AAA games and we are thrilled to offer these high quality experiences to our users where Gaikai's network is deployed." "The Wikipad is one of the most exciting devices for gaming to date. The tablet was designed with the needs of gamers in mind, enhancing the mobile gaming experience with a set of controls on par with today's consoles and PC gamepads, enabling gameplay mechanics that have been previously unavailable with just touchscreen controls," said Robert Stevenson, EVP of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships at Gaikai. The Wikipad concept was announced earlier this year with an enthusiastic response from gamers and press at CES 2012. The tablet offers the first-of-its-kind combination of HD graphics, optional 3G module and game console style controls that feature dual-analog sticks as well as a d-pad and video game buttons. Wikipad also features a unique Wifi-Direct optional accessory which will allow games to be played on HDTV monitors or televisions, allowing players to use the tablet as a portable console gamepad as well as a premium Android tablet. Wikipad has listened to feedback from gamers worldwide since CES and will launch its tablet with a full suite of the latest immersive entertainment features and enhanced specifications including replacing the 8.1" version with a premium 10.1" screen, ultra-light chassis, optional 3G antenna for mobile provider subscriptions and a quad core processor. The official launch date for the enhanced Wikipad has yet to be announced. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fujitsu dabbles in palm reading, hopes to bring biometric sensors to tablets Posted: 03 May 2012 01:32 AM PDT
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| Logitech unveils its Solar Keyboard Folio for the new iPad and iPad 2, we go hands-on Posted: 03 May 2012 01:00 AM PDT
There are all sorts of ways to go green these days, from driving an EV to installing super efficient light bulbs, and now Logitech's given us an environmentally friendly way to type tactilely on a tablet. It's a new iPad and iPad 2-friendly case called the Solar Keyboard Folio, which packs a Bluetooth keyboard powered by ambient light using the same solar cell tech found on the firm's computer keyboards. Once topped up with photons, Logitech claims its battery will keep you typing for over 1,000 hours even in complete darkness. The case is crafted of black, soft-touch, faux leather embossed with a small Logitech logo and has perforations for the iPad's speakers, plus a portal for the tablet's camera. Its keyboard is made of gray plastic, and pecking at the grid is a similar experience to using the one found on Logitech's other recently released iPad typing peripheral, the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. Buttons are short-throw and provide satisfying clicky feedback, but the space bar and shift keys have a hollow feel when pressed. Perhaps the Folio's most intriguing design feature is the feet on the corners of the cradle in which the iPad is placed. Those little nubs allow for two viewing angles -- your slate can be seated in a more upright position behind the keyboard for typing, or in the notches outside the two shift keys for a more obtuse viewing angle when the keyboard isn't needed. What's this bit of green gear cost? It goes on sale in the US and Europe this month with an MSRP of $130. Logitech Introduces Light-Powered Protection for the New, Third-Generation iPad Similar to Logitech's solar keyboards for Mac® and PC, the Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio includes onboard solar cells that charge the built-in Bluetooth® keyboard in any light, whether indoors or outdoors. When fully charged, the battery lasts for up to two years, even in complete darkness (based on a average use of two hours per day). "Now that people are seemingly inseparable from their tablets, using them for everything from sending emails to watching videos, they want accessories powered to meet their needs," said Alexis Richard, director of product marketing at Logitech. "The Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio is a smart partner for your iPad. Its sleek built-in keyboard uses light to charge and it provides hassle-free protection for your iPad – both for the front and back. It gives you an ideal way to use and protect your tablet without adding bulk." The Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio has two stand positions, so when you want to use your iPad you can choose the viewing angle that's best for you. Open the folio and place your iPad in the first position to enjoy the full keyboard when you're typing. Place your iPad in the second position and the first keyboard row acts as your one-touch media playback and volume controls, so you can play, pause and change volume instantly. Pricing and Availability The Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in May 2012, for a suggested retail price of $129.99. For more information please visit www.logitech.com or our blog. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GameKeyboard 2.0 requires root, maps Xperia Play gamepad to all Android games (video) Posted: 03 May 2012 12:32 AM PDT
Upon its debut, the Xperia Play suffered from a lack of game titles that were compatible with its unique built-in gamepad. While the selection has improved considerably since its inception, the question remains: wouldn't it be nice if the handset supported any Android game you threw at it? Wonder no longer, because that's exactly what GameKeyboard 2.0 brings to the table. Yes, the app requires root access, but most importantly, it allows users to map on-screen touch controllers to the Xperia Play's physical gamepad. While it's slightly cumbersome to setup for the first time, anybody who has ever configured an emulator with a USB game controller will feel right at home. GameKeyboard 2.0 sells for $2.49 in the Play Store, and if you'd like a quick overview of how it all works, just hop the break for a video. Those who proceed with the download will also benefit from written instructions (for both root access and configuration) in the xda-developers forums.
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| PoP Video peripheral turns iPod touches and iPhones into pico projectors for $99 Posted: 02 May 2012 11:47 PM PDT
While it may not be the first time we've come across such a concept, this PoP Video add-on is certainly quite different than, say, WooWee's Cinemin Swivel -- and significantly cheaper, too. The PoP Video pairs up with iPod touches (3rd / 4th generation) and iPhones (4 / 4S) via Apple's proprietary 30-pin connector, essentially turning your device into an unorthodox pico projector. According to PoP's site, the 3.5 ounce peripheral's capable of 960 x 540 video output and can give you up to two hours of "playtime" on a single charge -- achieved by way of micro-USB. It all wouldn't be worth it without the free iOS app, though, which lets folks tinker with settings and do what it's intended to do: project videos, pics as well as browsing within Safari. The $99 PoP Video is up for pre-order now, and you can get a quick glimpse of the accessory in action just past the break.
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| Razer Naga Hex mouse gets Wraith Red edition for manic Diablo III clicking Posted: 02 May 2012 10:51 PM PDT
SEND EVIL BACK FROM WHENCE IT CAME WITH THE RAZER NAGA HEX Razer launches the Razer Naga Hex – Wraith Red Edition to fuel your blood frenzy in hack n' slash games
Carlsbad, Calif. – 1st May, 2012 - Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, is excited to launch the Razer Naga Hex Wraith Red edition gaming mouse. The best weapon to cut down hordes of monsters crawling out from the depths of evil is now available to gamers in an all-new blood red color. Made especially for hack n' slash, MOBA and Action RPG games, the Razer Naga Hex Wraith Red edition sports the same devastating 6 mechanical side buttons as the original Razer Naga Hex. Bind a hotbar of skills or inventory items to rapidly unleash hell on boss runs and maintain effective crowd control as enemies attack from all sides. Having the 6 crucial commands so close to your thumb allows for rapid actuations and enemies dead faster than they can react. The Razer Naga Hex's mechanical buttons are also highly durable and responsive, capable of registering up to a staggering 250 clicks per minute – perfect for the frantic hyper-clicking of hack 'n' slash RPGs. The Razer Naga Hex Wraith Red edition is available alongside the original Green edition and either will be your perfect companion for hack n' slash victory.
About the Razer Naga Hex Gaming Mouse
Price: $79.99 Availability: Product features:
For more information on the new Razer Naga, please visit www.razerzone.com/hex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HTC pats itself on the back for the One X's battery life, has plenty of help Posted: 02 May 2012 10:02 PM PDT
If you're a smartphone fan (of course you are, if you're not then you're almost certainly in the wrong place, can we ask how you even got here?) then you've almost certainly been bitten by the bug of a battery that just doesn't last long enough, the normal side effect of a data hungry lifestyle. HTC says it feels your pain however, and thinks it's done quite a bit to lick the issue with its latest flagship phone, the HTC One X. In reports consistent with our experience with the dual-core AT&T iteration, a blog post on the company's site notes several others that have tested it out and come away impressed with the battery life it shows. While our tests with the quad-core global version left something to be desired HTC says the One bests the old Sensation by as much as 147 percent when it comes to talk time, and 39 percent in video playback, while Anandtech had glowing recommendations for both versions. So, are you as impressed with HTC's engineering, or are you still pining for a larger RAZR Maxx-style battery bump? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E Fun launches $130 Next 7S tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich, 1GHz CPU Posted: 02 May 2012 09:07 PM PDT
If you're still in the quest for that perfect Mother's Day gift, E Fun believes you should have to look no further than its recently announced Next 7S tablet. The outfit isn't a newcomer to budget-friendly territory, and it's keeping the trend rolling by pricing its latest 7-inch slate at a mere $129.99. That small amount of cash will get you an 800 x 480 display, a 1GHz single-core processor, 4GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD) and, more importantly, a serving of Android four-dot-oh (4.0.3 to be exact). Unfortunately, the Next 7S -- which itself might be some rebadged hardware -- isn't offering support for Google Play at the moment, thus you're stuck with either Barnes & Noble's Nook shop or the lesser-known GetJar App Store. Head on past the break to check out an extra pic of the Next 7S and the official word from E Fun. E FUN Announces Its Next 7S Android 4.0 Tablet for Mother's Day Give Mom The Best With This Versatile 7" Tablet Featuring Android Ice Cream Sandwich WEST COVINA, CA – May 2, 2012 – E FUN, a consumer electronics designer and manufacturer of fun, easy-to-use lifestyle products, is now shipping its Nextbook Next 7S tablet for Mother's Day. The 7" tablet features the recently introduced Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, Barnes & Noble NOOK Store™ and the GetJar App Store, offering users access to over two million books and 350,000 mobile apps. "At an affordable price, the Next 7S is the perfect Mother's Day gift this year," remarked Jason Liszewski, managing director and vice president of sales for E FUN. "With the Next 7S, busy moms can check emails and jot down reminders while on the go, then in their spare time can read eBooks, play games, browse the Internet while on WiFi and so much more. Moms of all ages will enjoy this lightweight and easy to use tablet." Features of the Next 7S include a 1 gigahertz (GHz) processor and over-the-air (OTA) firmware update capabilities, as well as Flash 11 support. Additionally, the tablet has a front-facing camera and 1080p high-definition video player for quality viewing of favorite movies, music videos and more. Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity allows users to watch YouTube videos, listen to music, receive and send e-mails, or simply browse the Internet. The Next 7S has an 800x480 color multi-touch screen and a G-sensor auto-rotate orientation feature for landscape or portrait viewing. To keep all of a user's files safely stored, it has 4 gigabytes (GB) of built-in flash memory and a microSD card slot for expandable memory up to 32GB, as well as a 2.0 mini-USB port. The preloaded Barnes & Noble NOOK Store provides access to over 2.5 million titles, including new releases, bestsellers, classics, children's books, magazines, newspapers and more, while the GetJar App Store is the world's largest independent app store offering over 350,000 mobile apps for Android. The Next 7S is available now at select retailers nationwide for $129.99. About E FUN For additional information regarding E FUN's brands, please visit APEN at www.apenusa.com; and Nextbook at www.nextbookusa.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG's Optimus L7 brings ICS, 4.3-inch screen to market starting today Posted: 02 May 2012 08:11 PM PDT
The high end edition of LG's new L-Style Optimus line is ready to roll, as the company announced the Optimus L7 is available in various "major" European and Asian locales. In case it's been forgotten in the midst of its fellow L-branded smartphones like the L3 that launched in March, the L7 is an Android 4.0 handset with a 4.3-inch screen and 8.7mm-thick frame. Check out our hands on impressions from MWC for more info, or just look for it to appear on your carrier sooner rather than later. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vonage reports $14 million in income, loses 19,000 subscribers Posted: 02 May 2012 07:34 PM PDT
Vonage Holdings Corp. Reports First Quarter 2012 Results -- Net Income of $19 Million or $0.08 per Share Excluding Adjustments(2) -- -- Revenue of $216 Million -- -- Company Enters into Partnership with Globe™ in the Philippines -- HOLMDEL, N.J., May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG), a leading provider of communications services connecting people through broadband devices worldwide, announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012. Reflecting the Company's previously stated plans to increase investment in its strategic growth initiatives, Vonage reported adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA")(1) of $32 million, which includes $7 million in growth initiative funding. Adjusted EBITDA is down from $40 million sequentially and $43 million in the year ago quarter. Similarly, income from operations was $21 million, a decrease from $28 million sequentially and $30 million in the year ago quarter. Net income was $19 million or $0.08 per share excluding adjustments(1), a decline from $26 million or $0.11 per share sequentially, and a decline from $23 million or $0.10 per share in the year ago quarter. GAAP net income was $14 million or $0.06 per share, down from $350 million or $1.55 per share sequentially due to a one-time non-cash income tax benefit recognized in the fourth quarter, and down from $21 million or $0.10 per share a year ago. Revenue totaled $216 million, flat sequentially and down from $220 million the prior year. Marc Lefar, Vonage Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our financial results were consistent with previous guidance as we increased investment in our strategic growth initiatives. Our core business is stable and generated EBITDA which was in line with recent quarters." "Although churn increased slightly during the first quarter, it has declined since peaking in January. Based on this positive trend, we are confident churn will be lower in the second quarter," said Lefar. First Quarter Financial and Operating Results Direct cost of goods sold was $10 million, flat sequentially and down from $11 million in the first quarter of 2011. Direct margin(3) decreased to 67% from 68% sequentially and in the year ago quarter reflecting the increase in costs from higher international minutes. Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expense was $62 million, an increase as expected, from $59 million sequentially and $58 million in the year ago quarter, reflecting the Company's increased funding for its growth initiatives. Pre-marketing operating income ("PMOI")(1), which represents cash generated from the Company's existing customer base, was $95 million, down from $102 million sequentially and in the year ago quarter. PMOI per line was $13.33, down from $14.22 sequentially and $14.17 in the year ago quarter. Churn was 2.8%, up 10 basis points sequentially and up from 2.5% in the year ago quarter. Based on actions taken in the first quarter of 2012, including reinstating contracts and improving its retention and telesales processes, the Company expects churn to decline in the second quarter of 2012 from first quarter levels. Growth Initiatives On April 18, 2012, the Company announced key milestones for its Vonage Mobile® and Extensions™ products. Launched in February 2012, the Vonage Mobile app surpassed one million downloads in approximately eight weeks, with usage now approaching 10 million minutes per month. Since launch, the Company has steadily updated the app to enhance ease of use and performance and has implemented new releases for iOS and Android addressing top priorities including connection quality, latency load times when opening the app and battery life. Most recently, the Company yesterday updated the app to enhance its messaging capability to allow photo and location sharing and sharing of the app with friends on Facebook and Twitter. In the coming months, Vonage expects to add desirable features such as Bluetooth functionality and a low-cost international roaming capability that will allow customers traveling outside their home country to avoid high roaming fees. In addition, the Company plans to launch standalone mobile services for customers without smartphones, including low-cost international calling plans. Vonage Extensions, which expands the benefits of the Company's core service beyond the walls of the home to any other phone, including mobile, has been well received. More than 500,000 customers have signed up for Extensions, and have already made more than 70 million mobile calls. Reflecting the Company's progress executing against its mobile strategy, approximately 15% of international calling minutes now originate from mobile devices. 2012 Outlook | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E430 and E530 go on sale, starting at $459 Posted: 02 May 2012 06:49 PM PDT
Lenovo announced a slew of notebooks back at CES in January, so you'll be forgiven if the ThinkPad Edge E430 and E530 don't ring a bell. Those names are about to hit closer to home, though, because both models are finally on sale in the US and Asia with a base price of $459. To jog your memory, the 14-inch Edge E430 and 15-inch E530 run Intel Core i3-2350M Sandy Bridge CPUs clocked at 2.3GHz and feature 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drives, Intel HD Graphics and a 1366 x 768 displays. Of course, Lenovo lets you customize the processor, storage space and more on its website. Click through to the source links below for the full configuration options. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Windows Phone Developer Summit coming June 20th, makes for one busy month Posted: 02 May 2012 05:59 PM PDT
Just in case June wasn't busy enough for mobile app developers, between Apple's WWDC and Google I/O, Microsoft has thrown its hat into the ring. It's scheduling a Windows Phone Developer Summit in San Francisco for June 20th and 21st, just a week before Google's meetup. Details are scant in the notice Engadget received, although Microsoft teases us with the prospects of learning "developer opportunities and platform capabilities in Windows Phone." Whether that means Apollo or just more about Windows Phone 7.5 Refresh (Tango) is still very much a mystery. Either way, it's likely to be good news for Metro-friendly developers crestfallen after MIX was shut down. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung teases Series 9 Ivy Bridge Ultrabook, leaves availability in the ether Posted: 02 May 2012 05:25 PM PDT
Samsung's latest Series 9 Ultrabook is certainly a beautiful piece of engineering, but really, what's the fun in purchasing a new laptop with yesterday's internals? Fortunately, users won't need to make that compromise, as the company has now outed a refreshed version of the computer that's complete with Ivy Bridge internals. The move follows Samsung's recent reveal of the Series 7 Gamer laptop, but as you'd expect, components in the Series 9 are geared more toward efficiency than performance. At its heart, you'll find a dual-core 1.7GHz Core i5 3317U CPU (which has yet to be announced), Intel HD Graphics 4000 and the HM75 Express chipset. While its internal storage remains the same, with a 128GB SSD, its memory has received a pleasant bump up to 8GB. No word yet on pricing or availability, but for those who want to own the very latest, we invite you to stay tuned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Army gets picky, solicits smart feed ammo system for machine guns and auto cannons (video) Posted: 02 May 2012 05:01 PM PDT
War! Huh! What is it good for? Stuff like smart bullet-feeding systems, apparently. See, the US Army isn't quite satisfied with the mixed ammo feed it currently uses with weapons like the helicopter-mounted M230 chain gun. Instead, it wants its machine gunners to be able to freely switch and pick their ammo of choice -- whether it be incendiary rounds or precision-guided smart bullets -- to better match conditions on the field. So the Army is using another weapon in its arsenal -- good, old tax dollars -- to solicit proposals for a smart bullet-feeding system. Initial project goals include near real-time inventorying of ammo, a fire rate of 300 rounds per minute and a selection accuracy rate of 95 percent. Yeah, it's no freaking railgun or tactical laser system. But at least the feeding system can also be used for more peaceful pursuits, like dispensing medical vials or emergency supplies (not via machine gun, of course). In the meantime, folks who want to see a demo of the system's not-so-peaceful applications can check out the video after the break.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Once enabled in settings, you can tap and hold the screen, rotate the phone horizontally and you'll be sent to the camera app. Using the same accelerometers, a new calling function will dial whoever's contact details you have displayed when you raise the phone to your ear. Keeping with the contextual phone skills, Samsung's Smart Stay feature makes the device detect (through the front-facing camera) whether a face is looking at it in order to switch the display on or off. A little eye icon would appear on the notification bar when it was seeking out our face. Similarly, Smart Alert will display any missed calls or notifications when you pick up the phone, using the built-in accelerometer. It's the sort of magic that HTC's been using for a while, but it does help the new phone to stand out from Samsung's existing phones that are starting to blur together.
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