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• Vodafone UK, retailers push back Galaxy S III in Pebble Blue by weeks, trample on dreams
• Panasonic Lumix FX90 gets remote app for iOS and Android
• Editorial: Despite shaky 48 fps Hobbit preview, high frame rates will take off
• OG iPad prototype with dual dock connectors hits eBay, teases us with convenience we never had
• I've got you under my skin: Huawei to cover Android in new Emotion UI
• MIT researchers teach computers to recognize your smile, frustration
• Huawei files EU antitrust complaint against InterDigital
• Mystery LG LE970 claims next-gen Adreno graphics, can't quite prove it
• ASUS teases its 'next transformations,' will probably have screens (video)
• Batman-themed Nokia Lumia 900 coming soon, utility belt clip not included
• Absinthe 2.0 used to jailbreak nearly one million iOS devices in a single weekend
• GameStop gives in to its sweet tooth, stocks Android tablets at over 1,600 stores
• Angry Birds and PES 2012 join Skype: won't work on Windows Phones with 256MB RAM
• Kyocera's Urbano Progresso to bring tissue-conductive sounds to Japan on May 30th
• The Apple II, as described by Steve Wozniak
• BBC iPlayer reaching Windows Phone within 'weeks,' will catch up with Sherlock on your Lumia (update: perhaps not)
• How would you change Samsung's Galaxy Player 4.0?
• LG Display debuts five-inch Retina Display killer with 1080p HD resolution and 440ppi pixel density
• Switched On: Facebook's ecosystem dilemma
• Inhabitat's Week in Green: Jake Dyson's lamp, wooden light bulbs and weed-killing lasers
• Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012
• Nano vacuum tubes could give a second life to the guitarist's best friend
• Facebook reportedly back to building phones, recruiting former iPhone engineers
• NBC lays out 2012 London Olympics broadcast plan on TV, internet, apps and in 3D (video)
• Solid state solar panels are more affordable, say researchers, don't leak
• One more place to play Farmville or one more reason to quit Facebook?
• Frontrow has arrived to let you take and share photos from YouTube livestreams
• Pure updates Evoke Mio radio with six new colors, thinks you need a new shade for summer
• Indie Game: The Movie: The Worldwide Release: June 12th
• 1Mpad is Malaysia's first branded tablet, delivers 7 inches of Gingerbread for $315
• Solar-powered Son-X Octavia now bringing 'interactive sound' to school playgrounds
• Silicon Image pushes new MHL 2.0 chips for phones and HDTVs with 1080p60 video, faster charging
• Microsoft posts Windows 8 app porting guide roundup, forgets to include BASIC
• LG celebrates three million LTE phones sold worldwide, shockingly finds high speed data is awesome
• Ask Engadget: best sub-$200 super-powerful router?
• Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 2012
• Cox TV Connect live TV streaming app for iPad updated with new grid guide UI
• Visualized: Samsung's PIN pop-up stores take London
• Motorola shows off Ice Cream Sandwich on a Droid RAZR, sprinkles in Webtop 3.0
• Groupon reportedly experimenting with Square competitor

Vodafone UK, retailers push back Galaxy S III in Pebble Blue by weeks, trample on dreams Posted: 28 May 2012 12:05 PM PDT We previously looked at talk of delays for some versions of the Galaxy S III with a jaundiced eye, as there hadn't been much official word at the time. That chatter just grew decidedly louder and more formal: Vodafone UK is now telling Pocket-lint that only the 16GB Marble White version will hit the high streets this week, with as many as two to four weeks before any Pebble Blue variant, or even 32GB white models, are ready to go. There isn't much comfort if you decide to turn elsewhere, either. With a few exceptions, third-party shops are all warning of at least slight delays for blue models that range from June 5th at Clove to a somewhat ominous-sounding "to be confirmed" at Handtec. Samsung is still quiet about what's triggering the delays, although Negri Electronics' founder Ryan Negri is claiming that different regions have been short-changed on different colors. Whatever the cause, it appears as if the Galaxy S III will face a rocky launch, even though the quad-core, Android 4.0-toting beast has otherwise been getting a warm reception.

Panasonic Lumix FX90 gets remote app for iOS and Android Posted: 28 May 2012 11:07 AM PDT Taking full advantage of the Lumix FX90's WiFi capability, Panasonic has unveiled its companion apps for both iOS and Android devices. Throwing in shutter functionality and zoom control alongside a larger viewfinder, it's pretty much a glossy dumb remote; there's no further features to make the most of your precious smartphone, although the camera itself is already capable of linking up your camera shots with your major social network of choice. The app requires a firmware update on the camera, but it should ensure all those self-portraits really pop in the future. Download links for the wannabe self-obsessed are waiting below.

Editorial: Despite shaky 48 fps Hobbit preview, high frame rates will take off Posted: 28 May 2012 10:01 AM PDT Well actually, the Hobbit preview wasn't shaky, it was smooth -- maybe too smooth -- and that's the point. "It does take you a while to get used to," Peter Jackson has admitted, referring to the surprisingly fluid motion of his 48 fps movie footage. But is he right to think audiences will even give it a chance? The launch of high frame-rate (HFR) cinema is surrounded by publicity in the run-up to the Hobbit's debut on December 12th, but it equally has a lot going against it. For starters, the film's 48 fps preview wasn't exactly received warmly. On top of that, the video-style apperance of HFR has a long history of being disliked by movie-goers -- past attempts since the 1970s have all flamed out. 85 years after the first 24 fps movies, the same number of frames are still going stubbornly through the gate (digital or otherwise) each second, so that must be what "filmic" is, right? Or will we look back on 24fps as the bad old days? Read on to see if these new/old-fangled frame speeds might survive, and though a 48 fps Hobbit trailer isn't available, we've provided a couple of clips to help you judge what two-dimensional HFR looks like. To be sure, if HFR cinema is going to happen, now is the time. The human eye and brain can easily process 48 fps -- or even the 60fps James Cameron will use in future Avatar sequels. In fact, there's no known upper limit since the human eye sees a continuous stream of movement, not individual frames. 60 fps was tried in the 70's by Douglas Trumbull with his 70mm film process called Showscan (see the More Coverage link below for its comeback tour), but studios and theaters of the era couldn't stomach the cost of the celluloid it required and the company went bust. Now cameras like the Red Epic can digitally shoot HFR (up to 120 fps, to be exact) at 5K resolution without blowing budgets, and many cinemas won't have to pay for fast-frame upgrades, so when Hobbit is released the option should be widely available to audiences. But many who saw the 48 fps Hobbit preview said they would actually skip high frame rates and seek standard 24 fps projection when the film comes out. So what about the motion did they find so objectionable? To get an idea, it helps to see 48 fps back-to-back against 24 fps video. Though YouTube and Vimeo play at a maximum of 30 fps, Viddler can handle the higher speeds, so you can judge for yourself. Since HFR video is hard to find on the web, we used a Canon 7D DSLR to capture 50 fps video (which is close enough to 48 fps), with a mix of action and people, and then downconverted to 25 fps. To give a fairer comparison, we added realistic motion blur to the 25 fps video. Why? Because the faster shutter speed needed to shoot the footage in native 50 fps doesn't translate so well when you halve the frame rate -- it makes the converted video look unnaturally choppy. Here is the 25 fps video (approx. one minute): Now check out the video at its original capture speed of 50 fps. You could play both at the same time -- it works best to mute the sound from one -- or if that feels like sensory overload, just watch them sequentially. For people shots and pans, the smoother motion of 50 fps looks more like the simulated HFR of TruMotion from newer TVs to us, although we find it to be less noticeable on action shots. But if you go back to the 25 fps video again, you might actually be able to notice strobing from the slower rate, like we did. With opinion sharply divided on high frame rates, Jackson risking it for Hobbit comes back to the film also being in 3D. The eyestrain and queasiness from 3D is caused in part by 24 fps, and Jackson avowed that he and his crew haven't experienced any of that, even after "thousands of hours" of watching 3D Hobbit footage at 48 fps. Advocates also claim that it's pointless for purists to compare HFR with 24 fps as it's mainly intended for 3D and not regular cinema. Since HFR and 3D have only been together in a handful of IMAX films and theme-park rides, seeing both must have been a shock to CinemaCon viewers, and the rest of us might also need time to adjust -- probably in direct proportion to our film-going experience. As for 2D cinema, filmmakers are likely to avoid HFR like the plague for narrative-style films which don't feature scenic vistas, action or special effects. Jackson himself has said that it's not the best choice for every film, and you'll be able to watch a 24 fps version of Hobbit -- or future HFR films -- in 3D or 2D, if you want. In the end, it might live and die on a new type of "uncanny valley" effect that CinemaCon viewers, and Douglas Trumbull himself, pointed out. Most Hobbit viewers that disliked the preview were okay with aerial scenic shots, but when actors, costumes and sets appeared the clarity made every pore and flaw visible, breaking the spell of the film. This might have had something to do with the unfinished nature of the preview, but after a 2D Showscan test in the 80's Trumbull said -- based on audience reaction -- he wouldn't use HFR cinema for period or dialogue driven films. So when Hobbit comes out this December, if you settle into the talky parts with little difficulty, that bodes well for the future of high frame rates. If the extra clarity and absence of motion blur make you wonder if Orlando Bloom's elf ear is crooked or an Ent isn't blowing in the breeze like a tree ought to, then we might get another 90 years of good ol' 24 frames per second. But HFR could solve Hollywood's 3D problem by making it more palatable for audiences, especially younger ones who adapt quickly and are more likely to go to 3D films. Since it's not cost-prohibitive like Showscan was, distributors could get it into theaters and allow us time to adapt to the new format -- just as Peter Jackson has requested. And given that he and James Cameron are firmly behind it -- and have seen more than just about anyone else -- we're ready to think that HFR has a future, even before we see the Hobbit for ourselves.

OG iPad prototype with dual dock connectors hits eBay, teases us with convenience we never had Posted: 28 May 2012 09:40 AM PDT We're very used to Apple prototypes showing up on eBay. It's not often that we see unreleased iPads get the auction treatment, however, which makes a new listing that much more interesting. A 16GB WiFi version of the original iPad has popped up sporting a second dock connector on its side, a feature that we'd previously only spotted in Apple design patents. The advantage, of course, would be to keep the iPad powered and synced while it's playing a favorite movie in landscape mode. While we don't know how one aaps69 managed to get hands on the tablet, there's some clear signs that the seller didn't just carve an extra hole in the aluminum for kicks: the slate is running the familiar SwitchBoard tool that Apple uses for in-house diagnostics, and there's a raft of old and incomplete part details that suggest this particular iPad was never meant for store shelves. We'll likely never know why Apple left us in a land of solo dock connectors, but we'd take a peek at the source link before it's gone, as more recent Apple prototypes at auction tend to return to the source quickly.

I've got you under my skin: Huawei to cover Android in new Emotion UI Posted: 28 May 2012 09:02 AM PDT In the animal kingdom, reptiles shed their skins. In the mobile marketplace, Android smartphones do just the opposite. So, in keeping with the natural order, Huawei's preparing a June coming out party for a UX of its very own, dubbed Emotion UI. The Chinese manufacturer's no stranger to custom interfaces, as we saw at CES 2012 with the optional 3D launcher it employed on the Ascend P line. But as the company continues its trek towards major mobile player status, certain stock perks were sure to fall by the wayside. It's a bid for differentiation that should arguably "enhance" the user experience, but if forums and comment sections are to be believed, this great leap forward is actually a devolution of the worst kind. Hit up the source below to gander at the garbled word constructions of good 'ol Google translate.

MIT researchers teach computers to recognize your smile, frustration Posted: 28 May 2012 08:06 AM PDT Wipe that insincere, two-faced grin off your face -- your computer knows you're full of it. Or at least it will once it gets a load of MIT's research on classifying frustration, delight and facial expressions. By teaching a computer how to differentiate between involuntary smiles of frustration and genuine grins of joy, researchers hope to be able to deconstruct the expression into low-level features. What's the use of a disassembled smile? In addition to helping computers suss out your mood, the team hopes the data can be used to help people with autism learn to more accurately decipher expressions. Find out how MIT is making your computer a better people person than you after the break. [Thanks, Kaustubh]

Huawei files EU antitrust complaint against InterDigital Posted: 28 May 2012 07:08 AM PDT Huawei has filed an EU antitrust complaint against InterDigital to end its "abuse" of the allegedly standards-essential patents it controls. The company has urged the commission to examine its demands, which are considered too hefty to come under the protection of FRAND terms. The shoe normally resides on the other foot, with InterDigital previously instigating battles with Nokia, Samsung and ZTE. This time, it looks like the Chinese giant was tired of being pushed around by what it's derisorily called a non-practicing entity -- which we've taken to be a polite euphemism. Show full PR text Huawei Files Complaint against InterDigital for Patent Abuse Brussels, Belgium, 24 May, 2012: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, has yesterday filed an anti-trust complaint with the European Commission against US-based InterDigital in which it urges the Commission to intervene to end InterDigital's abuses of its patents allegedly essential to the 3G (UMTS) standard. As a non-practicing entity, InterDigital is seeking to leverage its declared 3G standard essential patents to force Huawei to conclude a discriminatory, unfair and exploitative license. In both the terms and scope, InterDigital's demand manifestly breaches the policies of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute calling for fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing practices by technology patent holders, and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Commission. Huawei has been negotiating to reach an agreement with InterDigital on licensing fees for mobile devices. As it is now clear that there is no foreseeable resolution, Huawei decided to file this complaint. Huawei adheres to the principle of respecting the intellectual property rights of any third party, and maintains its position as an ICT leader through continuous innovation. In 2011, Huawei invested US$3.76 billion in R&D, and by December 2011, Huawei had filed 57,972 patent applications in aggregate, 23,522 of which had been granted.

Mystery LG LE970 claims next-gen Adreno graphics, can't quite prove it Posted: 28 May 2012 06:30 AM PDT Maybe our skeptic's goggles have fogged over with excitement, but there's something mightily interesting about an entry over at GLBenchmark. First off, the model number and listing info vaguely suggest it could be a variant of the LS970 superphone rumored for Sprint, aka the LG Eclipse, although the ICS build ("geeb_att_us-eng 4.0.4") indicates this 1280 x 720, 1.5GHz device is one of Ma Bell's. One of the more unusual specs offers some corroboration: the Adreno 320 graphics, which only come in the souped-up Pro or quad-core variants of Qualcomm's latest Snadragon S4 chipset. That would make the LE970 a rare breed indeed, but unfortunately that's where the evidence runs out of steam. The handset's actual 2.1 Egypt Standard benchmark only shows a score of 59.5fps -- exactly what we get from an HTC One S with its regular non-Pro CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. Oh well, where are those lens wipes? [Thanks, Ketul]

ASUS teases its 'next transformations,' will probably have screens (video) Posted: 28 May 2012 05:48 AM PDT There's really not much to go on, but ASUS has thrown its own brief snippet into the Computex teaser hat. It mentions that "the shape of the cloud is ever changing" -- and, er, not much else. Puzzle away this sunny public holiday by checking out the brief teaser after the break. [Thanks Sal]

Batman-themed Nokia Lumia 900 coming soon, utility belt clip not included Posted: 28 May 2012 05:22 AM PDT A befuddled Joker once pondered "Where does he get all those wonderful toys?" Soon you'll have a chance to inspire the same sort of wonderment amongst your friends -- at least the more eagle-eyed ones. Nokia has announced it's launching a Batman-themed Nokia Lumia 900, with the minimalist logo of (spoiler alert) Bruce Wayne's alter-ego laser-etched onto the back. It's the same treatment that was given to a special edition Lumia 800 earlier and, no surprise, it'll be available exclusively in Batman's favorite color. It's also exclusive to Europe, at least initially, where it's said to be going on sale in a few weeks. Act fast and you might have yours in time to listen to Christian Bale grumble his way through the conclusion of the Dark Knight Trilogy.

Absinthe 2.0 used to jailbreak nearly one million iOS devices in a single weekend Posted: 28 May 2012 04:42 AM PDT 973,086 iOS devices were jailbroken in a single weekend thanks to Absinthe 2.0, which was released on Friday. Chronic-Dev, one half of the Jailbreak Dream Team tweeted the announcement yesterday, adding that 211,401 of those freed were third-generation iPads. If you want to loosen your own Apple-branded handheld from the clutches of Cupertino's control, then the warranty-worrying software is still available -- with the promise that it's so easy, your grandma could do it.

GameStop gives in to its sweet tooth, stocks Android tablets at over 1,600 stores Posted: 28 May 2012 03:51 AM PDT GameStop selling Android tablets in-store isn't anything new, but we've been curious to see how well the initiative would take off following a soft launch at 200 locations last November. Things seem to be going swimmingly, as the company now has "more than 1,600 locations" stocking the slates. If you'll recall, the devices all come with pre-installed titles of the retailer's choosing, with models from the likes of Samsung, Acer, ASUS and Toshiba. There's still yet to be any word about whether you'll eventually be able to trade-in your own, but it would seem like a logical next step -- aside from becoming an AT&T virtual carrier. Hit up the source link below to see if a store in your area is part of the lineup. Show full PR text More Than 1,600 GameStop Stores Now Carry Android Tablets Experience a new way to game this holiday weekend GRAPEVINE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 25, 2012-- GameStop (NYSE: GME), the world's largest multichannel retailer of video games, now carries a selection of Android™ tablets in more than 1,600 U.S. stores, just in time for the holiday weekend. With models like the Acer Iconia Tab A200 (only $299.99 through June 2), ASUS TF300T ($399.99) and Toshiba Excite 10 ($449.99), consumers are sure to find a tablet that's ideal for gaming and more. To find a store near you, visit www.GameStop.com/gs/landing/events/tablets. Android tablets purchased at GameStop come loaded with valuable extras including a hand-picked selection of free games, like Sonic CD and Riptide, the Kongregate Arcade gaming app and a free issue of Game Informer Digital. As with all products sold by GameStop, these items can be purchased with trades of games, consoles and even an old iPod®, iPhone® or iPad®. Customers wishing to purchase online can take advantage of free shipping on select tablets. Visit www.GameStop.com and search "tablets" for complete details.

Angry Birds and PES 2012 join Skype: won't work on Windows Phones with 256MB RAM Posted: 28 May 2012 03:02 AM PDT Putting the squeeze on those hardware specifications has lead to several more app casualties on Microsoft's ever-growing mobile platform. Unfortunately, it includes one of mobile gaming's biggest hitters: Angry Birds. We gave installation a go on our own Lumia 610 and were met with the unfortunate message seen above. According to WindowsPhoneApps Spanish, it's not the only one affected by the reduction in RAM on these lower-priced smartphones. PES 2012 won't run on the lower-specced smartphone, while videocall app Tango also joins its rival Skype on the no-go list.

Kyocera's Urbano Progresso to bring tissue-conductive sounds to Japan on May 30th Posted: 28 May 2012 02:19 AM PDT Kyocera's innovative Urbano Progresso is set to launch in Japanese stores before the end of the week. The result of a team-up between the handset manufacturer and carrier KDDI, it uses a new vibrational technology that forgoes the more typical earpiece, delivering sound throughout the whole handset. We've toyed with the technology already and it's good to see Kyocera delivering on its promise of a real world application of its smart sonic receiver in the same year. Aside from its audio chops, the phone houses some less ground-breaking, but still respectable, features like a dual-core 1.4GHz Snapdragon S2 processor, Android 4.0, an 8.1-megapixel camera, waterproof casing and a 4.1-inch screen. It'll be out in shops starting May 30th and tempted Japan residents can check out the hard sell -- condensed into a two-minute video -- after the break. Show full PR text For the launch of "(Progresso) (Albano) PROGRESSO URBANO" KDDI CORPORATION Okinawa Cellular Telephone Company May 25, 2012 KDDI, Okinawa Cellular from the date of 30 May 2012, will be the first in the world to design quality of URBANO series "Smart Sonic Receiver" will begin simultaneously throughout the country on the release of "URBANO PROGRESSO" with a (Note). "URBANO PROGRESSO" is a high-speed Internet in addition to the features of classic Japanese and One Seg "+ WiMAX" enjoy, Osaifu-Keitai ®, infrared, and waterproof, available in the world by addressing Global Passport CDMA, GSM, UMTS, to GPRS you can. In addition, earthquake early warning, disaster and evacuation information, and support was added to the new tsunami warning to "emergency e-mail bulletin." Start date sales in each region, please refer to the au website.

The Apple II, as described by Steve Wozniak Posted: 28 May 2012 01:17 AM PDT Ask the average geek to describe the Apple II and you'll probably hear something about its legacy or software. Ask Steve Wozniak circa 1977, on the other hand, and he'll write you a technical tome -- or at least he did for Byte magazine. Way back when the classic computer was fresh, a young Woz penned an extremely detailed "system description" for the rig, pouring over specifics on the II's graphical capabilities, memory, peripherals, programming language and more. Perhaps in (slightly late) honor of the machine's 35th anniversary, Information Week has seen fit to reprint the extensive examination for your reading pleasure -- assuming you're up to wading through the technical nitty gritty. No? Well, Woz does have a few nuggets of wisdom for the layman. "To me," he says, "a personal computer should be small, reliable, convenient to use and inexpensive." No arguments here, Steve. Read the man's words for yourself at the source link below.

BBC iPlayer reaching Windows Phone within 'weeks,' will catch up with Sherlock on your Lumia (update: perhaps not) Posted: 27 May 2012 10:46 PM PDT We've see BBC iPlayer reach many devices over time, but it's been conspicuously absent on Windows Phone. Nokia has stepped into give us some relief, and it's now promising that a port of the TV catch-up service will be ready for your Lumia 800 "in weeks." Good news no doubt, although Nokia's encyclopedic knowledge of British TV streaming is also dashing hopes of using the Sky Go mobile app on Windows Phone anytime soon: the same Nokia rep doesn't see Sky being ready for a "good few months" at the earliest. As such, you'll have no problems keeping up with Doctor Who and Sherlock when they're airing, but we wouldn't count on watching live football matches for awhile. Update: Pocket-lint is reporting that it quizzed the BBC over this issue and got a firm denial about a Windows Phone version, which suggests that The Inquirer's report, or its Nokia source, may have made an illogical deduction.

How would you change Samsung's Galaxy Player 4.0? Posted: 27 May 2012 08:06 PM PDT Samsung's sub-$200 Galaxy Player offers up PMP-stylings inside a smartphone shell. When our reviewer put it through its paces, we couldn't find much to commend it -- with poor sound quality and battery life that wouldn't manage a long-haul flight. The expandable storage and removable battery made it more desirable than the equivalent iPod touch, but given that it was retailing for $20 more (at the time), we'd have said go for a GoGear or D3 instead. But we suspect that despite our advice, some of you bought one, so tell us how you've found it on a daily basis and what should the company do when it comes time for a refresh?

LG Display debuts five-inch Retina Display killer with 1080p HD resolution and 440ppi pixel density Posted: 27 May 2012 07:00 PM PDT Smartphone displays are becoming larger in size, and along with that, we're seeing a nice trend that's bringing greater pixel density. While LG Display's newly-announced 1080p HD mobile display isn't the most pixel dense that we've seen -- a distinction that belongs to Toshiba -- the five-inch panel is more appropriate for consumer applications and boasts an impressive pixel density of 440ppi. Its 16:9 aspect ratio was designed with HD content in mind, and the LCD technology isn't anything to sneeze at, either: it's a variant of IPS known as Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS), which is said to boast wide viewing angles, fast response times and improved brightness efficiency. Best yet, it seems that consumers won't have long to wait before the panel works its way into consumer technology -- the five-inch HD display is set for availability during the second-half of this year. To learn more of the Retina Display-shattering deets, you'll find the full PR after the break. Show full PR text LG Display Develops World's First Full HD LCD Smartphone Panel 5" Full HD display, creating perfect cloud computing environment Seoul, Korea (May 28, 2012) – LG Display [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220], a leading manufacturer of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display, introduced today a 5" Full HD LCD panel for smartphones – the highest resolution mobile panel to date. Allowing smartphone users to view Full HD content in the same quality as on TVs and monitors, LG Display and its new panel significantly advances the cloud computing experience widely considered the next major internet trend. LG Display's 5" Full HD LCD panel is a step forward past existing mobile display technology. The LCD panel based on AH-IPS (Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching) technology features 440ppi and 1920x1080 resolution, providing for the first time Full HDTV quality on a smartphone. With 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, the panel is also 0.5 inches larger, 2.2 times denser in pixels, and 1.3 times more advanced in ppi than the preceding 4.5" panel at 329ppi and 1280x720. "As smartphones become increasingly valued for how well they do multimedia and with the rapid growth of LTE enabling faster large file transfers, our new 5" Full HD LCD panel is certain to prove a significant asset to the mobile market," said Sang-Deok Yeo, CTO and Executive Vice President of LG Display. "With the world's highest resolution smartphone display, LG Display continues to remain a step ahead in developing the most innovative in display technology products." The display solution of choice for smart devices, LG Display's AH-IPS is the technology behind the new Full HD LCD display. With the high density of AH-IPS, the naked eye is unable to distinguish between individual pixels. AH-IPS panels also express the original color of images highly precisely, and feature a wide viewing angle as well as stable display image and rapid response speed when touched. Finally, with its brighter light transmission and lower power consumption, AH-IPS is ideal for use in outdoor settings. The 5" Full HD LCD panel from LG Display is expected to be released during the second half of this year, and will be on exhibit for the first time at SID 2012 Display Week in Boston starting June 4.

Switched On: Facebook's ecosystem dilemma Posted: 27 May 2012 06:25 PM PDT Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Despite amassing something close to a billion users, Facebook has mainly stayed true to the startup mantra of staying focused on a few core things. In this case, that has been promoting openness and sharing among friends and, increasingly, the world at large. Such was the case for its rival Google at the launch of the search company's IPO. Since then, however, the company has launched a pair of operating systems powering handsets and tablets around the world, a digital media store selling everything from apps to books, and its own social sharing service (at least twice). With the vast capital infusion that comes with an IPO, Facebook has an opportunity to expand far beyond its own site and Like buttons that now line up in a row next to sharing buttons using Twitter and Google+. The company certainly has no love for Google and has kept Apple at arm's length, but it has had a strong partnership with Microsoft, which made a financially shrewd $240 million investment in Facebook back in 2007. Windows Phone would be a poorer experience were it not for its tight Facebook integration. The giant social network would gain from entering the device market or spinning its own version of Android as Amazon has done, but there would also be significant challenges to striking out into its own ecosystem. First, while Facebook may be a master at helping people connect with each other online, it has been a laggard in connecting its users in the real world despite launching its own check-in services and acquiring former Foursquare rival Gowalla. Mark Zuckerberg has vowed that the company will focus strongly on mobile apps moving forward, but what can be done in an app cannot compare to what could be done by owning a platform designed from the ground up for creating, reinforcing, and creating new social connections. None of the major mobile OS providers have really taken this approach. That said, they all appear to be active in driving location-based technology initiatives.. Google continues to invest not only in navigating maps but in driverless cars to take us to points on them. Nokia, which owns map provider Navteq, saw integration of its location-based services as a lynchpin in its decision to use Windows Phone, and Apple has been the subject of perennial rumors over the past few years regarding its location initiatives as the iPhone's implementation of Google Maps has lagged behind its Android counterpart. Second, one of the knocks against Facebook has been that the company has done a relatively poor job of monetizing its users. Getting into devices and services the way that Google has could provide new revenue streams from users and lock out -- or at least push aside -- competitive services the way Apple has favored Twitter on the iPhone and the way we can expect Google to integrate Google+ more deeply into Android. Engineering such products, however, is so expensive that even many in the device business tend to outsource such affairs and Facebook, while a company with a deep software engineering culture, would be late to market. For all its user appeal, Facebook has been more of a facilitator than a disruptor. Compare it to Amazon, which has been building its ecosystem steadily since it stepped outside its retailer box to launch Kindle and new bundled services around Prime, its multifaceted subscriptions service. While it is starting to play in the tablet big leagues with the Kindle Fire, Amazon has also been clever about not diving headfirst into the smartphone bloodbath, at least not yet. The first Kindle, though, was released a decade after Amazon's initial public offering. Expanding from Web platform to mobile platform may be a few chapters away in this Facebook. Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) is executive director and principal analyst of the NPD Connected Intelligence service at The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: Jake Dyson's lamp, wooden light bulbs and weed-killing lasers Posted: 27 May 2012 05:28 PM PDT Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week Inhabitat has been reporting live from New York Design Week, where we've witnessed countless innovative green designs from around the world. To kick things off, we were pretty impressed with this desk lamp designed by Jake Dyson (son of the vacuum god) that extends the life of its LED bulbs by a whopping 37 years. Also in the category of "bright shiny things we love" is QisDesign's Aurelia lamp, which bears a striking resemblance to a glowing jellyfish. We were also dazzled by UM Project's collection of retro, robot-inspired lamps, Light & Contrast's cute LED flower lights, and we were absolutely floored by Alessandro Jordão's larger-than-life LEGO chair. Can't get enough of NY Design Week? Check out all of our favorite green designs from this year's shows. Continuing with the topic of innovative green lighting technology, artist Ryosuke Fukusada has created the impossible: a glowing wooden light bulb. Confused? The light was created using a technique called Rokuro, and it consists of an LED light bulb wrapped with a very thin layer of wood. When the bulb is turned on, it illuminates the grain of the wood. As Fukusada's creation demonstrates, LED lighting technology has taken some incredible strides recently, and we took some time to round-up 24 of our all-time favorite green lamps that look great with LED bulbs. The wooden light bulb isn't the only surprising new creation we've seen this week - Gucci launched a sculptural pair of liquid wood sunglasses, and we were impressed with this modified desktop computer designed by Mike Schropp of TotalGeekdom that uses its own heat to grow a thick bed of wheatgrass. That's what we call green computing! We also checked out a pollution-sniffing robotic fish that was developed by scientists from the European BMT Group. The robo-fish can swim where no diver would dare to go, and send relevant information back to shore. Think that sounds weird? Then try this on for size: A team of researchers from the Leibniz University in Hannover, Germany propose using weed-killing lasers as a substitute for environmentally-destructive herbicides. Now, if only we could get a robot to operate the lasers.... And amid all the tech news this week, we still managed to do some globetrotting, keeping an eye on green architecture around the world. In Japan, the world's tallest tower, the Tokyo Skytree, finally opened. The 2,080-foot-tall space needle is officially the world's largest communication tower and the second tallest building. Over in Mumbai, we've been keeping tabs on the world's most over-the-top home, the $1-billion high-rise that India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, built for himself. It turns out that Ambani and his family haven't even spent a night in the 27-story 'home' yet. And in Wales, the town of Monmouth has made history by becoming the world's first "Wikipedia town" by scattering QR bar codes at points of interest all over town.

Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012 Posted: 27 May 2012 05:14 PM PDT Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates HTC Amaze 4G: This T-Mobile branded smartphone received its Android 4.0 update from the carrier this week. As you'd expect of all last-gen HTC handsets, the update includes Sense 3.6 rather than Sense 4, though most users are likely to appreciate the improved battery life. [TmoNews] ASUS Transformer Pad TF300: Software version 9.4.3.29 is available for ASUS's latest tablet, which is said to bring stability improvements, support for Face Unlock, battery usage details and performance enhancements. What's more, the manufacturer has separately made a bootloader unlock utility available for users that'd like to delve into the world of custom ROMs. [Android Police 1, 2] HTC Sensation 4G and Raider 4G: Bell Mobility in Canada is now rolling out the Ice Cream Sandwich update for these two smartphones from HTC. [Android Central] Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet: Good news for users of this business-minded tablet -- Android 4.0 is now available in the UK and parts of Europe as an over-the-air download, and US availability is currently slated for June 8th. Along with the system overhaul, the update is said to bring support for GPS and improved performance. [The Verge] Samsung Galaxy S II: A new update is available for the T-Mobile USA version of this popular handset. Known as software version T989UVLDE, it's said to resolve random reboot issues, bring stability improvements and security fixes. [Android Police] Sony Tablet P: Ice Cream Sandwich is now available for this clamshell tablet from Sony. In addition to the OS overhaul and new media features, it also brings support for mini apps and the ability to launch the camera from the lock screen. [Pocketnow] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery HTC Amaze 4G: The Android 4.0 update became officially available for the Amaze 4G this week, and unsurprisingly, it brings Sense 3.6 along for the ride. Fortunately, a new ROM is in the works from Team Nightmare that'll bring Sense 4 to this competent cameraphone. We'd hold off on making it a daily driver just yet, however -- as is, the ROM doesn't support mobile networks or WiFi connections. [Android Life] ASUS Transformer Pad TF300: An experimental build of CyanogenMod 9 is now available for the TF300. Currently, the lack of support for MTP is the only known issue. [xda-developers] LG Nitro HD: A pre-release build of Ice Cream Sandwich for this LTE smartphone from AT&T has wriggled its way into the wild. The software is said to function well for AT&T, Bell and Fido units. [Android Central] Apex Launcher: This third-party launcher for Android 4.0 has received an update to version 1.2. Most notably, it now includes support for ADW, LauncherPro and Go Launcher themes and integration with CyanogenMod 9 settings. Users will also find the ability to create 10 x 10 icon grids on their phones. [Android Police] Other platforms Apple iPhone 4 (GSM): Apple has made a minor revision of iOS 5.1.1 available for this particular handset. Known as software build 9B208, it replaces version 9B206, although it's unknown what specific changes the new software brings. [9to5Mac] BlackBerry Bold 9900: BlackBerry OS 7.1.0.437 is now available for China Unicom subscribers. [CrackBerry] BlackBerry Curve 9360: Rogers has updated this entry-level BlackBerry to software version 7.1.0.391. It brings mobile hotspot functionality and support for BlackBerry Tags. [MobileSyrup] Refreshes we covered this week Motorola shows off Ice Cream Sandwich on a Droid RAZR, sprinkles in Webtop 3.0 Kanzi: ZTE's 3D UX for ICS handsets HTC EVO 4G LTE gives it up, gets rooted on its first day on the town (video) Cisco drops Cius tablets after the BYOD crush, plans upgrade to Android 4.0 out of kindness Sony pushing ICS to more devices next week, confirms Xperia Play won't be upgraded Nokia has its wicked way with Bing Maps, stork delivers traffic advice and geocoding Absinthe 2.0 hits the download wire, jailbreaks all iOS 5.1.1 devices but the 32nm iPad 2 HTC One X for AT&T gets unofficial bootloader unlock Facebook Camera hands-on Intel posts x86-friendly Android 4.0 image, lets you feel the need for speed Facebook for Windows Phone rolls in threaded messaging, tagging, kitchen sink Google brings in-app subscriptions to Android Samsung spills Galaxy Note's ICS guts, releases kernel source code to devs Yahoo Axis on desktop, iOS unifies your bookmarks, makes the web visual (hands-on) Nokia 808 PureView enables NFC image share, mobile payment apps to come Google Search for iPhone gets the 2.0 remake, full-screen search and swipes aplenty PSA: Windows Phone Marketplace now requires Windows Phone 7.5 HTC refreshes Android update timeline, details which devices won't get Ice Cream Sandwich Nokia axes Skype client on Lumia 610, claims user experience wasn't 'up to par' Sidecar comes out of beta, reinvents phone calls PSA: Marketplace for Windows Mobile 6.x shuts down today Amazon Appstore's Test Drive try before you buy feature now available on Android phones Verizon purportedly giving DROID 4, RAZR and Rezound 'global' designation via software update (update: confirmed) Nokia Lumia 900 Camera Extension app previewed in Hong Kong (video) Unofficial S-Voice app gets gagged, Samsung waits for its flagship hero Motorola skipping Ice Cream Sandwich for some devices, worries it'll make them fat

Nano vacuum tubes could give a second life to the guitarist's best friend Posted: 27 May 2012 02:36 PM PDT Pretty much the only place you see vacuum tubes any more is inside a quality audio amp. But, once upon a time, they were the primary ingredient in any piece of electronic equipment, including computers. The glass tubes have since been replaced with the smaller, less fragile and cheaper to manufacture silicon transistor. There are, however, disadvantages, to transistors. For one, electrons tend to move more slowly though the semiconductors, and two, they're highly susceptible to radiation. The second of those problems doesn't affect us much here on Earth, but for NASA it poses a major obstacle. Engineers have finally managed to combine the advantages of both vacuum tubes and silicon transistors, though, in what has been dubbed "nano vacuum tubes." They're created by etching tiny cavities in phosphorous-doped silicon, bordered on three sides by electrodes that form the gate, source and drain. The term "vacuum tube" is slightly misleading however, since there is no true vacuum in play. Instead, the source and drain are separated by just 150 nanometers, making it highly unlikely that flowing electrons would run into stray atoms. In addition to their space-worthy hardiness, they can also potentially operate at frequencies ten-times as higher than silicon transistors, making them a candidate to push terahertz tech from experimental to mainstream. For more, check out the source link. [Image credit: Shane Gorski]

Facebook reportedly back to building phones, recruiting former iPhone engineers Posted: 27 May 2012 01:29 PM PDT If the HTC Status' dedicated Facebook button fell shy of satisfying your obsessive social networking needs, sit tight: the house of Zuckerberg may be building a slab of tech just for you. According to the New York Times Bits blog, those old Facebook phone rumors are making a comeback. A handful of Facebook employees and engineers familiar with the matter reportedly say that the firm is collecting former Apple engineers, specifically, ones that worked on the iPhone and iPad. Like Zuckerberg said, mobile is the company's top focus, and one employee says the man at the top is afraid of getting overlooked in a sea of apps. "Mark is worried that if he doesn't create a mobile phone in the near future that Facebook will simply become an app on other mobile platforms." Facebook has focused on deep integration with other devices for some time, but a dedicated handset could take the freshly public company in new directions. Reports suggest that the rumored device is still in its infancy, and there's no word on form factor or OS, of course. Up for some speculation? Check out the source link below for Bits' full take.

NBC lays out 2012 London Olympics broadcast plan on TV, internet, apps and in 3D (video) Posted: 27 May 2012 11:58 AM PDT Love it or hate it, we're stuck with NBC as our Olympics broadcaster in the US, and the company recently laid out its full plans for the 2012 Olympics in London this summer. The good news first: NBCOlympics.com will live stream every single event (they'll even be on YouTube, and in the UK the BBC has its own plans) for the first time ever including streams of each of its channels, encompassing 3,500 total hours and the awarding of all 302 medals. The bad news is that if you're not a cable subscriber, many of those hours will not be available to you, and even if you are, you're looking at a (likely convoluted) authentication sign-in process. That's a little bit of pain, sure, but it should mean what we've been asking for -- the ability to watch all Olympics events as they happen, not tape delayed for prime time after viewing grainy bootleg streams over the internet. Also new for the internet are multiple streams for the same event, so for example, viewers can select a particular gymnastics apparatus or track and field event at will. On mobile devices, NBC also has plans for two different apps on phones and tablets, with one that brings live video streams and another with highlight clips. It didn't specify what platforms they would be available for, but we'd assume the usual suspects (iOS, Android) will be first up. On pay-TV cable, satellite and telco providers it's also providing dedicated channels for basketball and soccer, although it's up to your provider to pick them up. The same goes for the 242 planned hours of 3D coverage it's producing in partnership with Panasonic, which will unfortunately air on 24 hour tape delay, just like the HD broadcast was back in 2004 (we've got chips.... and salsa!). For the full breakdown of all 5,535 hours of coverage across NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo and everything else check out the press release after the break, plus an Olympics preview trailer. While there are some limits for cord cutters, sports fans with pay-TV should be ready to experience the best Olympics coverage ever with the ability to watch what we want, instead just what's on the TV schedule. Show full PR text NBCUNIVERSAL TO PROVIDE UNPRECEDENTED COVERAGE OF 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS Record 5,535 Hours across NBC, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo, NBCOlympics.com, Two Specialty Channels & 3D NBC to Broadcast 272.5 Hours, Most-Ever for an Olympic Broadcast Network NEW YORK – May 23, 2012 – NBCUniversal will provide 5,535 hours of coverage for the 2012 London Olympics across NBC, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo, NBCOlympics.com, two specialty channels, and the first-ever 3D platform, an unprecedented level that surpasses the coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics by nearly 2,000 hours. It was also announced today that NBC will broadcast 272.5 hours of coverage, the most ever for an Olympic broadcast network, largely attributable to an increase in daytime coverage. "We are only able to provide this level of coverage to U.S. viewers because of the unmatched array of NBCUniversal assets," said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. "Whether on television or online, on broadcast or cable, in English or in Spanish, NBCUniversal has the London Olympics covered, providing the American viewer with more choices than ever to watch the Games." Following are highlights of NBCUniversal's coverage of the 2012 London Olympics (some of the following information has been previously announced): • NBCUniversal is presenting its 13th Olympic Games and seventh consecutive, both the most by any U.S. media company. ABC is second with 10 and four (twice), respectively. o London will be NBCUniversal's seventh consecutive Summer Games, having presented each one since Seoul in 1988. • The 5,535 hours of Olympic coverage are the most ever and surpass Beijing's coverage (3,600 hours) by nearly 2,000 hours. o The 5,535 hours more than double the total amount of coverage of every Summer Games combined prior to Beijing (2,562 hours from 1960 Rome on CBS to 2004 Athens on NBC). o The 5,535 hours are the equivalent of 231 days of coverage. o NBCUniversal will average 291 hours of coverage per day over London's 19 days (including two days of soccer competition prior to the Opening Ceremony). • The networks of NBCU will provide coverage of all 32 sports and all 302 medal competitions. • NBC will broadcast 272.5 hours of London Olympic coverage over 17 days, the most extensive coverage ever provided by an Olympic broadcast network, and nearly 50 hours more than the 225 hours for Beijing in 2008. o Daytime coverage has increased significantly for London. Coverage will begin on most weekdays at 10 a.m. ET/PT, immediately following NBC News' TODAY, which is originating from London. o On weekends, NBC's daytime coverage will begin as early as 5 a.m. ET/PT. • NBC Sports Network will serve as the home to U.S. team sports, with 292.5 hours of total coverage from 2012 London Olympics this summer, including 257.5 hours of original programming – an average of more than 14 hours per day – the most-ever for an Olympic cable network. • MSNBC will carry 155.5 hours of a wide variety of long-form Olympic programming over 19 days. • CNBC will serve as the home of Olympic boxing this summer, including the debut of women's boxing. The channel will televise 73 hours of boxing coverage over 16 days -- from elimination bouts to the men's and women's finals. • Bravo will act as the home of Olympic tennis this summer, televising 56 hours of long-form tennis coverage from July 28-August 3. • NBCOlympics.com will live stream every event and sport for the first time ever. In all, the site will live stream more than 3,500 total programming hours, including the awarding of all 302 medals. o NBCOlympics.com will live stream NBCU cable channels NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC and Bravo, which will only be available to authenticated cable, satellite or telco customers. o Two apps – one focused on live streaming, one on short-form highlights, schedules, results, columns, and more – will be available for mobile and tablet users. The vast majority of content will only be available to authenticated cable, satellite or telco customers. • NBCUniversal announced the most extensive Spanish-language Olympic coverage in the company's history, offering more than 173 hours of the upcoming London 2012 Olympics on Telemundo, "The U.S. Home of the Olympic Games in Spanish." o The 173 hours of Spanish-language coverage by Telemundo nearly equals the total coverage broadcast by NBC for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (176.5). • Specialty channels for basketball and soccer are available to cable, satellite and telco providers, and will total 770 hours of coverage. • Panasonic Corporation of North America and the NBC Sports Group announced in January that they will partner to make the London 2012 Olympic Games available in 3D to all U.S. distributors who carry Olympic coverage on cable, satellite and telco -- nearly 100 percent of the multichannel industry. o The effort will produce 242 hours of coverage and mark the first time that the Olympic Games will be distributed in the U.S. in 3D. NBC NBC will broadcast 272.5 hours of London Olympic coverage over 17 days this summer, the most extensive coverage ever provided by an Olympic broadcast network, and nearly 50 hours more than the 225 hours for Beijing in 2008. Swimming -- including Michael Phelps' quest to become the most decorated Olympian ever -- track and field, gymnastics, diving, and beach volleyball, among other sports, will serve as the centerpieces of NBC's coverage, which begins with the Opening Ceremony at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Friday, July 27. Olympic coverage on NBC will again be divided into three day parts: daytime, primetime and late night. NBC's primetime program, featuring the traditional, award-winning Olympic storytelling coverage that viewers have come to expect, will air 8-11:30 p.m. or Midnight ET/PT on most nights. Daytime coverage has increased significantly for London. Coverage will begin on most weekdays at 10 a.m. ET/PT, immediately following TODAY, which is originating from London. On weekends, NBC's daytime coverage will begin as early as 5 a.m. ET/PT. A one-hour late night show will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the primetime program. Primetime will be replayed following the late-night show. It was announced in April that Bob Costas, a 22-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, returns as the primetime host for NBC's coverage. For Costas, London marks his 10th Olympic broadcast assignment and his ninth as the primetime host (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Salt Lake City, 2002, Athens 2004, Torino 2006, Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010). Al Michaels, who hosted daytime coverage at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, and Dan Patrick, making his Olympic hosting debut, will host NBC's weekday and weekend daytime coverage, and Mary Carillo will once again host the NBC late night show. Additionally, top TV broadcaster Ryan Seacrest, tennis legend John McEnroe, famed gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, and Carillo, broadcasting her 11th Olympic Games, will serve as Olympic correspondents during primetime coverage on NBC. The majority of the following information about NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, NBCOlympics.com and Telemundo, has been previously announced: NBC SPORTS NETWORK NBC Sports Network will serve as the home to U.S. team sports, with 292.5 hours of total coverage from 2012 London Olympics this summer, including 257.5 hours of original programming – an average of more than 14 hours per day – the most-ever for an Olympic cable network. Coverage will begin on Wednesday, July 25, at 11:30 a.m. ET, two days before the Opening Ceremony, when Team USA takes on France in women's soccer, live from Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. NBC Sports Network coverage, originating from Olympic Park in London, will air up to 20 medal rounds and 22 Olympic sports, including Team USA basketball, women's soccer and field hockey. NBC Sports Network, distributed in nearly 80 million homes – an increase of three million homes in the last year – will also carry soccer qualifying on Thursday, July 26. There will be no coverage on July 27 as there are no events scheduled on the same day as the Opening Ceremony. Coverage will conclude on NBC Sports Network on Sunday, August 12, the final day of competition. On most days, coverage will air from 4 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET, which covers the live Olympic day in London. MSNBC MSNBC, NBCUniversal's 24/7 cable news channel that is fully distributed in roughly 100 million homes, will carry 155.5 hours of a wide variety of long-form Olympic programming over 19 days. The channel will air up to 18 medal rounds and 20 Olympic sports, from badminton to basketball to soccer to wrestling. NBCUniversal's 2012 London Olympic coverage begins on MSNBC on Wednesday, July 25 – two days before the Opening Ceremony -- when Great Britain faces New Zealand in women's soccer, the first official competition of the Games, live from Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Coverage begins at 10:30 a.m. ET/7:30 a.m. PT. The channel will also carry soccer qualifying on Thursday, July 26, but there will be no coverage on July 27 as there are no events scheduled on the same day as the Opening Ceremony. Coverage will conclude on MSNBC on August 12, the final day of competition. On most weekdays, coverage will air from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET. There will be longer programming windows on Saturdays and Sundays. Longtime Golf Channel commentator Kelly Tilghman will serve as MSNBC's Olympic host, with London being her first-ever Olympic assignment. MSNBC has aired Olympic coverage for every Summer Games since the 2000 Sydney Olympics. CNBC CNBC -- NBCUniversal's fully distributed cable business channel -- will serve as the home of Olympic boxing this summer, including the debut of women's boxing. The channel will televise 73 hours of boxing coverage over 16 days -- every day from July 28-August 12 -- from elimination bouts to the men's and women's finals. Same-day coverage will air from 5-8 p.m. ET during the week, with six hours of live coverage airing each day on the weekends. This marks the fourth consecutive Summer Games that CNBC has featured Olympic boxing. Fred Roggin, the longtime lead sports anchor at NBC's owned-and-operated station in Los Angeles, KNBC, will reprise his Beijing role as Olympic boxing host. This will be his seventh Olympics working for NBC and fourth working on Olympic boxing in some capacity. BRAVO Bravo, NBCUniversal's fully distributed lifestyle cable channel, will act as the home of Olympic tennis this summer. The channel will televise 56 hours of long-form tennis coverage over seven days, from July 28-August 3. Live coverage will air from early morning until mid-afternoon (ET) on most days. Pat O'Brien, a veteran of five Olympic Games as a commentator, will serve as host. London will be O'Brien's fourth Olympics for NBC and sixth overall. He last worked for NBCUniversal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the same year Bravo last carried Olympic competition. NBCOLYMPICS.COM NBCOlympics.com will live stream every event and sport for the first time ever. In all, the site will live stream more than 3,500 total programming hours, including the awarding of all 302 medals. By comparison, NBCOlympics.com live streamed 25 sports and 2,200 hours for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The site will also feature rewinds of all event coverage, a steady stream of athlete profiles, event highlights, a tour of London as the host city, and more. NBCOlympics.com will live stream the Olympic content that airs on the four NBCU cable channels -- NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC and Bravo. In addition, two apps – one focused on live streaming, one on short-form highlights, schedules, results, columns, and more – will be available for mobile and tablets users. The vast majority of content will only be available to authenticated cable, satellite or telco customers. In another first, NBCOlympics.com will provide multiple concurrent streams for select sports, such as gymnastics (each apparatus), track and field (each event), and tennis (up to five courts). For example, during a session of track and field, instead of viewing only a single feed that moves from event to event, a user can choose to watch a stream dedicated to a specific event, such as the long jump or javelin. TELEMUNDO NBCUniversal announced the most extensive Spanish-language Olympic coverage in the company's history, offering more than 173 hours of the upcoming London 2012 Olympics on Telemundo, "The U.S. Home of the Olympic Games in Spanish." Telemundo's comprehensive coverage will feature marquee disciplines such as boxing, swimming, basketball and soccer, which will be a major broadcast highlight. Telemundo will deliver a complete 360° Olympic experience across its multiple platforms including its broadcast network, www.NBCOLYMPICS.COM.com/TELEMUNDO and its cable network mun2, which will offer a daily half-hour special featuring behind-the-scenes from the Games. Also, for the first time in the network's history, Telemundo will offer live streaming of broadcast coverage together with exclusive digital-only content of Olympic events, news, announcements and information via www.NBCOLYMPICS.COM/TELEMUNDO, totaling more than 200 hours of digital content. Deportes Telemundo's Olympic team, headed by internationally acclaimed sportscaster Andrés Cantor, will include Jessi Losada, Mónica Noguera, Sammy Sadovnik, Edgar Lopez, René Giraldo, Karim Mendiburu, Kaziro Aoyama, Oscar Guzmán, Leti Coo and Verónica Contreras, as well as several former Olympic champions. Coverage will be live from both London and the network's studios, bringing the stories of Hispanics participating in the Olympics and the main events both on the field and around the Games to the homes of millions of U.S. Hispanic viewers. With soccer being one of the biggest passion points for U.S. Hispanics, the Olympics' soccer tournament will represent a major focus of Telemundo's broadcast, as already-qualified Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Spain and Honduras vie for the gold. Features and storytelling will be a centerpiece of Telemundo's Olympic programming, detailing the journey of Hispanic athletes on their quest for Olympic glory. Some of the top Hispanic hopefuls include Mexican diver and 2009 world champion Paola Espinosa, Cuban American multi-medal threat gymnast Daniel Leyva, Mexican American female boxer Marlén Esparza and Argentine NBA basketball player Manu Ginobili. SPECIALTY CHANNELS Specialty channels for basketball and soccer are available to cable, satellite and telco providers, and will total 770 hours of coverage. More information about these channels will be released soon. 3D Panasonic Corporation of North America and the NBC Sports Group announced in January that they will partner to make the London 2012 Olympic Games available in 3D to all U.S. distributors who carry Olympic coverage on cable, satellite and telco -- nearly 100 percent of the multichannel industry. The effort will produce 242 hours of coverage and mark the first time that the Olympic Games will be distributed in the U.S. in 3D. Panasonic is NBC's exclusive Flat-Panel HDTV and Blu-ray Disc Player advertiser for the London Olympic Games. Last year, Panasonic Corporation, a long time Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category, announced it would partner with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) to make the London 2012 Olympic Games the first ever 3D Olympic Games. The 3D broadcasts, which will be produced by OBS and shown on next-day delay, will span multiple competitions throughout the London 2012 Olympic Games, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, gymnastics, diving and swimming. OBS will produce more than 200 hours of 3D coverage during the London 2012 Olympic Games by utilizing Panasonic's state-of-art 3D production technologies including the AG-3DP1, a P2HD professional fully-integrated twin-lens Full HD 3D camera recorder. Cable, satellite, and telco providers who receive the Olympics package may distribute the 3D broadcast via the Comcast Media Center. -- NBC Olympics --

Solid state solar panels are more affordable, say researchers, don't leak Posted: 27 May 2012 09:42 AM PDT Researchers at Northwestern University have found one way to stop a leak: get rid of the liquid. A new variation on the Grätzel solar cell replaces a short-lived organic dye with a solid alternative. The molecular dye the solid substance replaces was corrosive, at risk of leaking and only lasted about 18-months -- by replacing it, researchers plan to pave the way for a more affordable (and less toxic) alternative. Northwestern's new design flaunts a 10.2-percent conversion efficiency, the highest ever recorded in a solid-state solar cell of its type -- but that's still only half of what traditional sun collectors can do. Researchers hope to improve conversion in the long run, but expect that the cost reduction alone will be enough to get the party going. It may not be the greenest solar technology we've ever seen, but who are we to judge?

One more place to play Farmville or one more reason to quit Facebook? Posted: 27 May 2012 07:39 AM PDT Perhaps there aren't enough places for you to play Words With Friends or FrontierVille, who are we to judge? Maybe what the world needs right now is playable Angry Birds in your Facebook news feed. Instead of just an invitation to join Cow Clicker, maybe you need to be able to play it straight from the homepage. Well, now you can. And that's all we have to say about that.

Frontrow has arrived to let you take and share photos from YouTube livestreams Posted: 27 May 2012 06:29 AM PDT YouTube's been beefing up the tools for its users lately, adding an audio editor, stabilization and color correction tools, and even ways for live-streaming productions to empty our wallets. Now, an outfit from the land of Oz has created an application that uses YouTube's live-streaming capabilities to allow those watching to grab pictures of live-stream and share them. Called Frontrow, it'll make its debut streaming the Vivid LIVE music festival currently going on at the Sydney Opera House. The app doesn't just let you take simple snapshots, either, users can zoom in and out and apply image filters to grab that perfect image of Florence + the Machine while watching them via WiFi a world away. Hit the more coverage link and check the video after the break for more.

Pure updates Evoke Mio radio with six new colors, thinks you need a new shade for summer Posted: 27 May 2012 05:12 AM PDT Do you really think a black FM radio -- or even worse, one in an off-season shade of grape --- can get you through the summer? Radio maker Pure wants to correct your errant ways. The company is expanding its Evoke Mio radio line with six new "on-trend" color options. The radio is already available in black, teal, grape and cherry, and now Pure is adding pepper, mustard, paprika, sage, rose and seagrass shades. While the colors are new, the specs are the same as on the original model: there's digital and FM radio, space for 30 presets, an auxiliary input for a PMP and an auto-dimming OLED panel. The new Pure Evoke Mio collection will go on sale in June for £130 (it's unclear if the radios will head stateside as well).

Indie Game: The Movie: The Worldwide Release: June 12th Posted: 27 May 2012 04:00 AM PDT What, you didn't think those games appeared on Xbox Live through some act of magic, did you? No, they're the product of insanely small teams working insanely long hours, at the risk of their well-being, social lives and, in some cases, personal hygiene, in order to bring you a downloadable break from Call of Duty. Indie Game: The Movie is a beautifully shot, occasionally heartwarming and perpetually fascinating look at the intersection of art and technology currently being explored by indie game developers, focusing on the creators of Fez, Braid and Super Meat Boy. We managed to get a sneak peak of the Sundance documentary, courtesy of filmmakers James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot, who appeared on the most recent episode of the Engadget Show -- and now you can join in on the fun: the film is getting a worldwide web release on June 12th, by way of iTunes, Steam and the official movie site. If you can't wait until then, however, you can pre-order the movie now for $10 in the source link below.

1Mpad is Malaysia's first branded tablet, delivers 7 inches of Gingerbread for $315 Posted: 27 May 2012 02:47 AM PDT So you've decided that it's time to make a tablet part of your life, but a lack of star-spangled slabs has prompted you to defer the purchase. Malaysians now face no such dilemma, due in no small part to the 1Malasyia Pad -- the country's first branded tab. The 1Mpad will reportedly soon be marketed to students (1.4 million of them, in fact), but 5,000 of the 7-inch Gingerbread devices are now being offered up to deep-pocketed locals, priced online at a rather-ambitious 999 Malaysian ringgits (about $315). Manufactured by MalTechPro Sdn Bhd, the 1Mpad will be offered to students at a to-be-determined discounted rate, making it the first such device to be available using a student discount card. At its current high list price, the tablet doesn't appear to be a fantastic deal, shipping with 3G broadband and the 1Malaysia Messenger application, which will serve as an IM service of sorts for sending text, pictures, video and voice recording to other 1Mpad owners. Still, if you have the cash to spare for an early taste of what Malaysian students may some day be using to surf the web, you can hit up the source link after the break for a bit more info. [Thanks, Joe]

Solar-powered Son-X Octavia now bringing 'interactive sound' to school playgrounds Posted: 27 May 2012 01:33 AM PDT While initially announced in the summer of 2011, the Son-X Octavia has been working its way into reality ever since. As of this month, though, the solar-powered "interactive sound device" is now shipping to schools in Europe. For those unfamiliar, the coconut-esque device straps onto a conventional swing set in order to keep kids outside -- using technology to prevent kids from becoming supersaturated with technology, if you will. The company has designed it with tight school budgets in mind, making it completely wireless, self-contained and easy to install. Once in place, swingers can activate three aural games, each of which act to "awaken the natural curiosity in children to explore the possibilities through activity." Not surprisingly, it's designed to be upgraded over time, with new titles to be made available on USB drives. The outfit's still not offering 'em direct to consumers, but those with B2B connections can grab one for €499 ($624).

Silicon Image pushes new MHL 2.0 chips for phones and HDTVs with 1080p60 video, faster charging Posted: 27 May 2012 12:27 AM PDT After taking a few years to get off of the ground, MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) technology is now found in many modern phones as well as HDTVs from LG, Toshiba and Samsung. Now, Silicon Image has announced its second generation of chips to go in those devices with enhanced features. MHL if you'll recall, lets mobile devices connect to HDTVs via HDMI, while passing power and control signals along with the video. According to Silicon Image its new chips, the SiI8240 MHL transmitter (for phones, tablets, cameras and laptops) and SiI9617 MHL Bridge (for HDTVs, monitors and projectors) and dual-mode IP core (like the one in Samsung's Galaxy S II) upgrade the previous generation's capabilities with the ability to pass 1080p video at 60Hz (up from 30Hz) and charge up to twice as fast. There's a few more details in the press releases after the break, if you're wondering whether or not your phone / HDTV is down with MHL then check the specs or hit the Wikipedia link below. Show full PR text Silicon Image Introduces Low Power Dual-Mode Transmitter IP Core Supporting Both HDMI® and MHL™ Connectivity Standards SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 22, 2012 – Silicon Image (NASDAQ: SIMG), a leading provider of wireless and wired HD connectivity solutions, today announced the availability of a low power dual-mode transmitter intellectual property (IP) core that supports both the HDMI® (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) 1.4b and MHL™ (Mobile High-Definition Link) 2.0 standards. Silicon Image's dual-mode HDMI/MHL transmitter IP core architecture reduces semiconductor development and manufacturing cost by sharing die area for both HDMI and MHL functionalities-offering mobile device application processor vendors the flexibility to design a single-chip solution that is configurable for both HDMI and MHL mobile devices. MHL technology delivers 1080p 60Hz uncompressed video with up to eight channels of digital audio while charging the mobile device-enabling consumers to enhance their mobile experience by displaying content including HD video entertainment, photos, applications, and games on the big screen. "With the explosive growth of MHL-enabled products in 2011 and 2012, mobile phone and tablet manufacturers are now adding MHL functionality to their new device platforms, allowing consumers to 'plug and play' their HD content from the small to big screen," said Ron Richter, senior director of worldwide IP core licensing at Silicon Image. "Silicon Image's dual-mode HDMI/MHL transmitter IP core allows SoC providers to quickly integrate MHL technology into their next-generation mobile devices, enabling a single SoC to support both HDMI and MHL technology without adding significant die area or pin count." Key features of Silicon Image's dual-mode HDMI/MHL transmitter IP core include: Single digital and analog design supporting both HDMI Version 1.4b & MHL 2.0 Low power design (1080p/60fps @ 30mW) Configurable IP core design, with MHL implementation saving up to 10 pins in SoC package With MHL technology, manufacturers can deliver next-generation products that: Support 1080p 60Hz full HD video Use established connectors for mobile and CE products, such as micro USB and HDMI Enable faster charging of the latest smartphones and tablets when connected to MHL-enabled DTVs or monitors Control the mobile device using the DTV's remote control Over 50 million MHL-enabled products shipped during 2011, and a steady release of new products continues to expand the MHL ecosystem, which already includes smartphones, tablets, DTVs, monitors, home theater products and accessories. Silicon Image's family of IP cores includes a broad range of HDMI and MHL technology solutions, image signal processor (ISP) camera cores, H.264, MPEG-1/2 and VC-1 video decoders up to 4Kx2K resolution, Serial ATA (SATA) storage and RAID controllers. For more information about Silicon Image's complete IP core product offering, visit our website at http://www.siliconimage.com/iplicensing/index.aspx. Silicon Image Unveils Next-Generation MHL™ Products MHL Transmitter and MHL-to-HDMI® Bridge ICs Provide 1080p60Hz Full HD Resolution for Mobile Products, DTVs, and Monitors SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 15, 2012 – Silicon Image (NASDAQ: SIMG), a leading provider of wireless and wired HD connectivity solutions, today announced its next-generation MHL™ products, the SiI8240 MHL transmitter for mobile devices and the SiI9617 MHL-to-HDMI® bridge for DTVs and PC displays, which are also MHL 2.0 compliant. Both semiconductor products support 1080p60Hz full HD and the latest MHL specification features that include native 3D formats, alpha-numeric key codes for advanced remote control functions, and increased power charging from the display to enable faster charging of the latest smartphones and tablets. Mobile devices continue to integrate higher performance processors and higher resolution HD displays. Silicon Image's SiI8240 is the first MHL transmitter to output 1080p60Hz full HD, enabling mobile devices to drive today's high-resolution DTVs and monitors at 60 frames per second. To enable Silicon Image's MHL customers to seamlessly and quickly upgrade their MHL-enabled products to deliver higher resolutions, faster frame rates, and enhanced features, the SiI8240 has been designed to be pin compatible to the currently shipping SiI9244 MHL transmitter. Today's smartphones and tablets are increasingly transforming from traditional communication devices to mobile set-top-boxes, gaming consoles, and PCs. With this transformation, consumers are more often connecting their smartphone to a larger display to enjoy new interactive applications-from digital entertainment and office productivity to gaming. With the SiI9617 MHL-to-HDMI bridge, consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers can design their latest 1080p60Hz DTVs and monitors to seamlessly include the latest MHL capabilities. When a consumer connects an MHL-enabled mobile device to an MHL display, that display will charge and provide control for the mobile device, while showing video, productivity applications and games in 1080p60Hz full HD quality. With MHL 2.0 compliant products, the latest smartphones and tablets will charge up to twice as fast when connected to an MHL 2.0-enabled display. "Silicon Image's new products offer an end-to-end MHL 1080p60Hz connectivity solution for our global mobile, CE, and PC customers," said Tim Vehling, vice president of product marketing at Silicon Image, Inc. "With these latest products from Silicon Image – including a drop-in pin-compatible version – manufacturers can quickly develop and roll-out their next-generation MHL 2.0-enabled products." MHL technology continues to gain broad industry adoption with over 50 million MHL-enabled products shipped globally during 2011. Silicon Image anticipates that MHL-enabled product shipments worldwide will more than double in 2012. The growing ecosystem of MHL devices includes smartphones, tablets, DTVs, monitors, home theater products and accessories. Silicon Image offers a comprehensive portfolio of production-proven MHL semiconductor and IP solutions for mobile, DTV and home theater applications. For more information about Silicon Image's MHL product portfolio, please visit: www.siliconimage.com.

Microsoft posts Windows 8 app porting guide roundup, forgets to include BASIC Posted: 26 May 2012 11:01 PM PDT Let's say you're a developer eager to convert your apps for Windows 8 as soon as possible. Where do you start? Microsoft Developer Evangelist Jennifer Marsman is very much aware that you might be at a loss, so she has done the rather large favor of rounding up every porting guide the company has to offer in one handy place. Some of these are pure design guides, like a previously spotted iPad-to-Metro layout article, but others dig deep into converting code for the land of home tiles and charms. The focus is on porting from the web and Windows Phone 7, so we wouldn't work up hopes of bringing your high school computer class project to Metro. Still, Marsman is looking for more guides from readers; if you've developed just the technique to convert 10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD" 20 GOTO 10 into a tablet-native Windows 8 app, return the generosity and leave pointers at the source link.

LG celebrates three million LTE phones sold worldwide, shockingly finds high speed data is awesome Posted: 26 May 2012 08:45 PM PDT LG has hitched its mobile fate to the future of LTE high speed data equipped phones basically since the technology was introduced and today it announced the fruits of its labor: three million LTE phones sold to date worldwide. While some will quibble over shipped / sold to end-user counting methods, or how this compares to figures recently touted by competition like Samsung and Apple, we need only look at LG's most recent earnings report to see the positive impact its LTE-infused lineup has had. According to LG, most of the gains have been in South Korea and North America so far, although it plans to have LTE phones in 20 countries by the end of the year. After kicking off the LTE frenzy with the Revolution last year on Verizon, it's talking up the combination of LTE and HD LCD screen features in its Optimus LTE phone, already a million seller in Korea just as its successor, the Optimus LTE II arrives on shelves. Show full PR text LG LTE SMARTPHONES RECORD THREE MILLION IN SALES Company on Track to Offer LTE Smartphones in 20 Countries by Year's End SEOUL, May 28, 2012 -– Global sales of LG Electronics' LTE smartphones have reached three million units, positioning it among the frontrunners in the competitive LTE market. Achieving the three million sales mark in the nascent LTE market confirmation of LG's smartphone strategy and speaks of the company's success in meeting the needs of customers in North America, Korea and Japan. LG will be significantly expanding its LTE leadership in 2012 as the number of countries offering LTE smartphones from LG expands from 10 to 20 markets by the end of the year. LG's offering of LTE smartphones to date include: - RevolutionTM by LG -- LG's first LTE model released in May 2011. - LG Optimus LTE –- The world's first HD LTE smartphone was launched in October 2011 and exceeded sales of one million units within the first 100 days, making it the most popular LTE-capable phone in a highly competitive market at the start of the year. - LG Optimus Vu: –- Launched in Korea in February 2012, the Optimus Vu: with its 5-inch IPS display and 4:3 aspect ratio offers a unique viewing experience. At 8.5mm, the Optimus Vu: is the slimmest LTE phone currently on the market. - LG Optimus LTE Tag -– This smartphone offers Tag+, a unique feature which uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to interact with special stickers that change the phone's settings automatically. - LG Optimus LTE II –- The latest in the series and the world's first LTE smartphone with 2 GB RAM. "Reaching the three million milestone this early in LTE's global roll-out is a strong sign that customers are on board with our LTE strategy," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. "Improving the user experience is at the core of LG's vision and we'll continue to take leadership in the LTE market by offering features that offer clear customer benefits." According to a report by Jefferies & Company, LG is the global leader in LTE patents with ownership of 23 percent of approximately 1,400 LTE patents filed worldwide worth almost USD 8 billion. LG demonstrated the world's first LTE technology in 2007, developed the world's first LTE modem chipset in 2008, introduced the world's fastest LTE technology in 2010 and conducted the world's first video phone call on a LTE network in 2011. # # #

Ask Engadget: best sub-$200 super-powerful router? Posted: 26 May 2012 07:43 PM PDT We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Richard, who needs a router capable of handling all of his not-inconsiderable household traffic. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm looking into buying a router than can handle Netflix streaming to my Blu-Ray player, a wireless printer, two smartphones, a tablet, an always-on desktop, external HDD and an Airave signal booster. My Linksys WRT45G can't handle two data-heavy connections at the same time, so I have to restart it when it drops. I'll need something hefty, but under $200 would be ideal, if it's got a USB 3.0 connection for my HDD, even better. Distance isn't as important as stability and capacity, since I've got a single-level 3 bedroom house. Thank you!" Several of our staffers are fans of Netgear's N900, a dual-band unit that can certainly handle everything you'd care to throw at it, although it does only have USB 2.0 ports. There's always Amped's R20000G, but whilst we know its signal strength is good, we don't know how well it could handle a hefty load. But that's just our first thoughts, plenty of you out there will know the answer, so celebrate the long weekend and share your knowledge in the comments below.

Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 2012 Posted: 26 May 2012 06:45 PM PDT Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, it was revealed that the HTC EVO 4G LTE likely supports simultaneous voice and data connections on Sprint's network, Samsung's Galaxy Ace 2 landed at Three in the UK and Vertu revealed a refresh to its Constellation series of luxury phones. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 21st, 2012. Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 now available from Three UK First revealed at Mobile World Congress, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 is a respectable handset that combines a dual-core 800MHz CPU, a 3.8-inch WVGA display and a 5-megapixel camera. Shipping with Android 2.3, the Galaxy Ace 2 is now available from Three in the UK for £229.99 outright. Customers who spend £22 or more per month on a service contract may grab the handset for free. [Android Central] Vertu announces the Constellation Candy collection Vertu's Constellation series is hardly new, but that's not to stop the luxury handset manufacturer from giving it a new look for the summer. Meet the Candy collection, which combines alligator skin and gemstones with an otherwise aged Nokia C7. The Symbian-powered phone is available in fruit-inspired raspberry, mint and tangerine colors, and features a 3.5-inch AMOLED display, an 8-megapixel camera and 32GB of built-in storage. As a special treat, users will find exclusive ringtones and notification sounds courtesy of the London Symphony Orchestra. [GSM Arena] Limited edition Batman Lumia 900 confirmed for European debut Nokia has revealed to Pocket-lint that a special run of Batman-inspired Lumia 900 handsets will soon be available for purchase in France, Germany, the UK and a few other European countries. With respect to the UK, this Dark Knight smartphone will be sold exclusively through Phones4U, though its pricing remains a bit of a mystery. [Pocket-lint] OnStar RemoteLink now available for BlackBerry GM's RemoteLink app has been available for Android and iOS for some time now, but this week, the company extended an olive branch to BlackBerry users with its latest release. Unfortunately, the app currently supports only two handsets -- the Bold 9900 and Bold 9930. RemoteLink offers interaction with OnStar, including the ability to push destinations from your phone directly to your in-dash navigation system. It also offers nifty features such as the ability to lock or unlock your car doors, start the vehicle remotely and activate both the car's horn and lights. Chevrolet Volt owners will also find the ability to control and monitor the vehicle's charging status directly from their BlackBerry. [CrackBerry] HTC EVO 4G LTE reportedly capable of simultaneous voice and data connections on Sprint's network Reports are coming in that the HTC EVO 4G LTE, the LG Viper and the LG Optimus Elite -- each available from Sprint -- are capable of maintaining a data connection during voice calls. If accurate, the added benefit would be thanks to a relatively untapped technology known as SVDO, which uses 1X for voice and maintains an EV-DO connection for data. Sprint has previously committed to an SVDO implementation as part of its overall Network Vision strategy, and it appears that those days are now upon us. [Android Police, Sprint Community] Verizon Wireless reports 36 potential buyers for Blocks A and B of its 700MHz spectrum As part of Verizon's ongoing dance with the FCC surrounding its acquisition of AWS licenses from SpectrumCo and Cox -- and its proposed divestment of Blocks A and B of the 700MHz spectrum -- Big Red reports that 36 companies have expressed interest in said airwaves. T-Mobile's CEO, Philipp Humm, previously accused Verizon Wireless of merely looking to unload Blocks A and B, which he argued were more prone to interference and therefore less desirable licenses. [Fierce Wireless] Other random tidbits According to UK online retailer Clove, the Panasonic Eluga Power won't be available to consumers until Q3 of this year, which is a departure from the previous target of June. [Android Central] A recent leaked advertisement suggests that the Nokia Lumia 610 will soon find a new home at Vodafone in the UK. [WPCentral] The HTC Titan 4G arrived at Telstra this week to become Australia's first 4G-capable Windows Phone handset. [Unwired View] Canada's Koodo Mobile has announced that the HTC One V will be available for purchase on June 1st. Pricing has yet to be announced, although a previous inventory leak suggests we'll see this this one sell for $225. [MobileSyrup 1, 2] The Sony Xperia U is now available for sale at T-Mobile in the UK. Purchasers who spend £15.50 or more on a monthly plan may pick up the handset for free. [MobileBurn]

Cox TV Connect live TV streaming app for iPad updated with new grid guide UI Posted: 26 May 2012 06:02 PM PDT Cabler Cox Communications joined in on the live TV streaming to iPad craze by releasing its own Cox TV Connect app late last year, and recently updated it to version 1.1.0. With the upgrade comes the new look shown above, so while it originally featured a more... unique look for TV listings (as seen after the break) this version has programming sorted in the traditional grid-style guide shown above. Also mentioned is the ability for users to view and sort TV listings for all channels, although they'll still need the separate Cox Mobile Connect apps for things like DVR scheduling. Grab the new version at the iTunes link below, assuming you get your TV and internet service at the right place.

Visualized: Samsung's PIN pop-up stores take London Posted: 26 May 2012 05:16 PM PDT Samsung deflated a few enthusiast tires when its "one more thing" Galaxy S III reveal turned out to be a pop-up retail plan. No matter now, as those great mobile expectations have shifted to the device's imminent launch, a debut the company's only too happy to showcase. Starting May 29th, PIN glass housings, like the one you see above, will begin to populate commercial centers in and around London, letting eager consumers gets hands-on with the ICS handset's nature-made design. Westfield's Shepherd's Bush and Old Spitalfields Market will be the first two UK locations for this temporary retail presence, with larger 7-by 7-meter versions, as well as a smattering of overseas appearances to follow in the coming months. In the meantime, check out our full review to get yourself well-acquainted with this flagship follow-up.

Motorola shows off Ice Cream Sandwich on a Droid RAZR, sprinkles in Webtop 3.0 Posted: 26 May 2012 04:39 PM PDT Although Motorola outed its Android Ice Cream Sandwich rollout plans back in February, we've only seen leaked glimpses of what its skinned version the OS would be like for its handsets. That's changed recently thanks to Motorola's Japanese website, where a new ICS landing page features nine demo videos showcasing the software on a Droid RAZR. Among the clips, which highlight features from updated icons to a revamped lockscreen, there's also a detailed look at the LapDock-friendly Webtop 3.0 UI. Sadly however, there isn't any new word on the rollout schedule past the update Moto detailed on the 18th. You can treat yourself to some of the eye candy by clicking past the break, and you'll find all the vids by hitting the source link below -- but do keep in mind that most of clips aren't voiced in English.

Groupon reportedly experimenting with Square competitor Posted: 26 May 2012 03:54 PM PDT Square, PayPal, Intuit, Verifone -- the mobile payments field (and we're not talking wallets here) is seriously crowded already. So, the question is then, why on Earth would Groupon want to join the fray? We're not entirely sure, but VentureBeat is reporting the coupon service is preparing to do just that. According to a source within the company, Groupon is testing card-reading dongle and payment platform with surprisingly aggressive pricing. According to the insider, transaction fees will be 1.8 percent, on top of a $0.15 base charge. By comparison, square charges a flat 2.75 percent. Interestingly, the source also claims that Groupon is handing out, not just free readers, but free iPod touches to plug them into. The move makes obvious sense since the company snatched up Kima Labs, makers of TapBuy, in February. Besides, it could easily integrate its discount offers with the platform as a value added service. None of this is confirmed just yet but, we certainly wont be surprised if this rumor pans out.

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