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- Roku 2, LT and new HD boxes upgraded for more languages, future remote apps
- Google starts shipping Nexus 7 pre-orders, writes a rhyme to celebrate
- Veho Muvi HD 'NPNG' Edition action camera impressions (video)
- Bob Mansfield: 'all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT'
- CasaTunes Air bridges traditional whole-home audio with AirPlay
- Google delivers My Tracks 2.0 for Android, includes playback in Google Earth and aggregation of statistics
- Nokia Transport goes official: public transport departure times for over 100 cities (video)
- Lenovo IdeaPad U310 review: a reasonably priced Ultrabook for the masses
- Sprint flips the switch on LTE in Kansas City, your Galaxy S III just got a whole lot better
- CyanogenMod developers slap Jelly Bean on an Optimus 4X HD, tease CM10 (video)
- LG Optimus Vu review: a 5-inch, pen-enabled phone to take on the Galaxy Note
- Verizon rolls out GameTanium Android mobile gaming subscription app
- Distro Issue 48 arrives with the Nexus Q, Levar Burton and more
- Nokia shutters two Chinese offices as part of strategic reorganization in the region
- Researchers use off-the-shelf parts to let you write emails with your eyes (video)
- Finally: BlackBerry App World gains 'upgrade all' command
- Omrom MEMS thermal sensor tells you how hot your pocket is (video)
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 and 670 round-up: which overclocked card is the one for you?
- NVIDIA Developer Zone shut down, may have been hacked
- BBC releases Olympics app, streams the glorious Games straight to your iOS or Android device
- Olympus outs firmware update for OM-D E-M5 camera, sleep mode and AF improvements in tow
- Nintendo president: 3DS XL isn't big enough for a second analog stick
- Nexus Q repurposed to play Pong, games with your heart (video)
- Mystery HTC device flaunts class-leading benchmarks, 1080p display
- Panasonic Eluga Power earns nod of approval at FCC
- WiFi Direct headed for a revamp: simpler integration, better support
- Charlie Kaufman's stop-motion project, Anomalisa, turns to Kickstarter for funding
- Browser-controlled robot lets you skip stones remotely, mentally escape the concrete jungle
- ZTE teases 'advanced gaming smartphone' set for availability in six days
- DIY GPS dog collar helps your pup fulfill its mobile computing potential
- Toshiba outs Tecra R940 and R950 for small business set, prices start at $600
- Facebook Android app update requires Froyo, tweaks messaging and picture taking
- Twitter's anatomy of a mobile redesign
- NPD: Nintendo 3DS sales hit 5 million in US, Xbox 360 still claims the console crown
- NASA launches Spacecraft 3D app for iOS, lets you explore its Curiosity and a lot more
- GammaTech rugged T7Q launches at $2k and up, promptly steals your iPad's lunch money
- Nexus 7 pre-orders ship to some customers -- has yours?
- BAE Systems designs hard composite solar cells: could act as structure of UAVs, piece of soldier's gear
- Nielsen has Android near 52 percent of US smartphone share in Q2, iPhone ekes out gains
- WSJ: Sinking social news site Digg bought by NYC firm Betaworks (updated)
| Roku 2, LT and new HD boxes upgraded for more languages, future remote apps Posted: 13 Jul 2012 11:43 AM PDT Over on the Roku blog the company just announced it's delivering a software 4.8 upgrade starting today. First up there's a few new features included right away like support for Spanish and German in the UI, performance optimizations and playback improvement for channels like MLB.tv and GBTV. More interesting however is the prospect of what's to come, as it also note "under the hood" preparations for new channels and features, promising upgrades for the iOS and Android remote apps soon. Like the last upgrade, the new version is getting pushed to Roku 2 and LT boxes now, while new HD boxes should see it next week. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google starts shipping Nexus 7 pre-orders, writes a rhyme to celebrate Posted: 13 Jul 2012 11:34 AM PDT Dr. Suess it's not, but Google just had to make a bit of hullabaloo about the launch of its first branded tablet, the Nexus 7. The search giant took the wraps off it a few weeks back, but now pre-orders have finally started shipping to those who plunked down the $199 (or $249) for the Jelly Bean-packing slate. A few of you tipped us that the charge had finally hit your credit card, and now the official Google Nexus Twitter account has confirmed the devices have been packed on to trucks. So, celebrate, unless you're one of the hesitant ones that didn't place your order early in the Google Play store. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Veho Muvi HD 'NPNG' Edition action camera impressions (video) Posted: 13 Jul 2012 11:00 AM PDT Action cameras. We love 'em. Much like buying new sports gear, owning one makes you feel one step closer to the adventurer you know your true self to be. While we're familiar with more than one contender for the "gnarly throne", who said there wasn't room in the rankings for one more? Veho's been making pocket-friendly cameras for some time, even of the action variety, but this latest edition -- in conjunction with No Proof No Glory (an extreme sports video hub) -- sees it making the clearest move yet towards carving its own slice of the high-octane pie. The latest member of the Muvi HD family will do you full HD at 30fps, along with 720p (at both 30 and 60 fps) plus the usual other resolutions -- 960p, WVGA, etc. Of course, it'll also do stills (if you don't mind them all being wide-angle) and it'll even just record audio if you like. So far, so good. What really got us interested, though, was that Veho has squashed two of our most common bug-bears with action cameras by including a viewfinder / screen and a remote control as standard. So, with hope in our hearts and glory to prove, we strapped one on and took it for a ride. Scoot past the break for the impressions.
Hardware-wise, the first thing you'll notice is the size. Initially it seems a bit bigger than, say the Contour or the GoPro, but at 2.85 oz., compared to the GoPro's 3.35 oz. (cameras-only), you realize that it's just the layout of the device that gives it that appearance. While the Muvi looks broader, it's slimmer, like a small deck of cards. As for the body itself, you'll find all the things you need around the sides, such as a microSD card slot (it comes with an 8GB card), a voice activation control, HDMI, USB and AV out. At the bottom is a handy tripod connector so all your existing photography gear will work right away, a simple addition missing in some of its competitors. While the front part just sports the lens, it's the back that will interest some of you more. A small screen means you can actually view what you just shot (or are about to shoot) without reaching for an accessory -- bliss. Underneath this are some touch controls and a click button. The 1,400 mAh battery means you should be good for about three hours of filming, but it's non removable, should you wish to go beyond that. What is an action camera without accessories though? Nothing, right? Well, it's good then that the Muvi HD NPNG comes with a stack. When we opened the box, our first thought wasn't, "Oh cool." It was more a case of, "Ah man, we'll never get these to fit back in." Mild compulsion for orderliness aside, it is nice to see that you get a bunch of straps, clips, mounts, sticky plates and tools. You can still go and buy more specific additions (like a surfboard attachment) if you need to, but the standard pack will see most people ready to film right off the bat. As for the interface and software, it's pretty standard. The UI isn't anything special, but it's easy enough to browse settings and options, and all the better for having a screen to do it with. No fiddling with clicking in and out of menus, cycling through options on a tiny monochrome display, or having to use external software. On the downside, you can't access the menus while the camera is in the housing, meaning you'll have to pop it out if you want to view a video, or change a setting. The same is true if you want to take some photos, as the central button, is also the shutter control. What about those settings? Well, as briefly mentioned before, you can choose 1080p, 720p, 960p, and WVGA at 30fps, with 720p and WVGA also having a 60fps option, all at 160 degrees FOV (non-changeable). The bitrate has been jacked up to 16mbps when shooting in 1080p (up from the previous model's 12mbps), but if you want to save some disk space, this can be dropped to 8mbps. Camera mode will take snaps at eight megapixels with a variety of timer and multi-shot modes. If you want, as mentioned before, there's even an audio-only mode should you find yourself up a mountain without your Dictaphone, but luckily we didn't. This moves us swiftly onto actually using the thing. The inclusion of standard tripod connections (in both the device itself, and the waterproof housing) meant that we could use it with a monopod, which makes self-filming that much easier. The included remote control is also a godsend. Being able to set your shot up (at arm's length) and then just set it recording is just a gift. Okay, it may only take a second to edit out some fluff at the beginning of a video, but not having to do that, and more importantly, being able to get into position first, then set recording later takes the "go go go, we're filming" pressure off. We also attached the camera to a skateboard by using one of the elastic straps pulled tight around it and clipping the camera in with one of its mounts. It worked out okay and it's a decent enough option for those times when you don't want to, or can't, use one of the 3M sticky pads, but still want to get that sort of perspective. When talking about video, words are great and all, but some sample footage goes a lot further. In the video below, we shot two runs and edited them together to show the difference a closer point of view (from the board) gives compared to the wider, full-body shot.
The verdict? We think the results are very respectable, with decent color contrast (filming was on a cloudy day) and no rolling shutter effect (which can often be a problem). Around the edges, some pixelation can be noted, but not to the level of distraction. At some of the faster points, there are noticeable wobbles, but that's also likely as attributable to the monopod / self-shot nature than the camera itself. Certainly, given the nature of the filming, it wasn't beyond anything we expected, and in fact came out steadier, if anything. Besides the straight action stuff, we also thought it might be fun to put it through another extreme -- though this time an elemental one. The video below shows us testing out the waterproof case. Sadly, there's not all that much to see in the cloudy drink, but with the lens part of the outer casing being flat, it should be able to get some interesting underwater clips in clearer waters, should the occasion arise.
Now that you've seen what it can do, what it looks like and how it can decorate your attire and equipment, the big question is whether you will be replacing (or reconsidering) your current HD action camera of choice. A lot of that will come down to cost, of course. The Muvi HD NPNG comes in at £199 (about $230 in the US), which puts it some way under the GoPro Outdoor Edition (based on the like-for-like UK price) and that's without factoring in the remote and viewfinder accessories. Sure, you might get a few other options (FOVs and so on), but in terms of the value-to-results ratio, the Veho is holding its ground. The other consideration will be the form. We noted earlier there was more surface area on the front side, and this caused us no problems in use at all. But for some helmet uses, it might be just a little too tall. The GoPro is not much better, but compared to the iON's and Contours, the more cuboid models are a bit of a heave at times. With size and price down, the main thing left is the quality of the footage. We didn't get time (nor did the miserable London weather permit us) to try the Muvi HD out in the full gamut of situations that we'd like, but from what we did manage, we were generally pleased. The still photos came out a bit on the washed-out side at times, but this can often be a hit-and-miss feature of sports cams. The main thing, and this is our inner adventurers speaking again, was that it made us want to go out more and try it. We wanted to see what other cool shots we could take, or what sports we might try, and in many regards, that makes it priceless. Of course, it's not priceless, it's $230 / £199 and available in the UK now, and the US starting next week. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bob Mansfield: 'all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT' Posted: 13 Jul 2012 10:53 AM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CasaTunes Air bridges traditional whole-home audio with AirPlay Posted: 13 Jul 2012 10:41 AM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 13 Jul 2012 10:19 AM PDT We've long since been fans of Google's My Tracks app -- perhaps the only issue is the Android exclusivity, at least for those using Windows Phone, iOS or BlackBerry. Of course, Columbia's GPSPal accomplishes some of the same tasks, but even it will need a major overhaul to compete with the feature set in My Tracks 2.0. Available now for no charge in the Play Store, the new route tracker adds the ability to play back your tours, runs, etc. on Google Earth for Android. Moreover, it now aggregates statistics over time to show trends in performance, and we're told that the user interface is "simpler and faster." Those who weren't so keen on the prior build's charting system may also dig the newfangled charts / stats tables, which are said to be "easier to read." So, how's about that midnight run in Crystal Lake? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nokia Transport goes official: public transport departure times for over 100 cities (video) Posted: 13 Jul 2012 09:54 AM PDT Nokia's public transport update has now passed through beta testing and is available to download on your favorite Lumia handset now. The app refresh adds transit route options and departure times for over 100 cities and urban areas and estimated routes for another 450 places. The UI is the same classy blend of Nokia's mapping lineage and Windows Phone Metro tang. Nokia Conversation warns that there could be a publishing delay depending on your region, but you'll need to be looking out for version 2.1. There's a quick tour of the new functions after the break.
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| Lenovo IdeaPad U310 review: a reasonably priced Ultrabook for the masses Posted: 13 Jul 2012 09:00 AM PDT More InfoFor a while there, the march of Ultrabooks was comprised almost entirely of halo products: skinny, relatively expensive things designed to help Intel and its OEM partners make a good impression on the general laptop-buying public. But with 110-plus models in the pipeline, they can't all be expensive, right? By now, you may have noticed that Ultrabooks are starting to look a little less uniform: there have been larger ones, heavier ones, some with optical drives, some with discrete graphics. Next up: cheaper ones. Just in time for back-to-school shopping season, we're seeing a wave of more reasonably priced Ultrabooks, many of them with traditional spinning hard drives and slightly heavier frames. One of these is the Lenovo IdeaPad U310, a machine that brings Core i5, 4GB of RAM and hybrid storage for $799. Oh, and its design is pleasantly reminiscent of the IdeaPad U300s, a higher-end Ultrabook we reviewed late last year. No doubt, then, it'll be a tempting option for people who can't afford to spend $1,000-plus on a laptop. But is it worth it? Let's find out. Look and feel With a name like the U310, you might expect this guy to be a modified version of the U300s we reviewed last year. And you'd be mostly right. Like the U300s, the U310 isn't so much wedge-shaped as book-inspired. The chassis is evenly thick throughout (about 0.7 inches) and the sides have some subtle scooping, making the closed laptop look like a bound book with pages stuffed between the two covers. Is there any ergonomic benefit to that? Surprisingly, yes: the fact that the lid protrudes slightly when shut makes the notebook especially easy to open. Other details have carried over from the U300s, too. There's the spun metal power button, for one, which glows white when the machine is powered on. The bottom side is also fairly clean, save for a vent stretching across it. Four rubbery feet help protect that metal surface from nicks and scratches. The big difference is in the build quality. While the U300s is fashioned out of a single piece of aluminum, the U310 makes do with a metal lid and bottom cover, with plastic coating the bezel and keyboard deck. (As if to emphasize the difference in target audience, the U310 is offered in a less serious color palette, including "Cherry Blossom Pink," "Aqua Blue" and a more staid "Graphite Gray.") In any case, for a system constructed largely from plastic, the U310 still looks and feels good. The entire keyboard deck has a matte finish with a slightly metallic sheen, which makes it resistant to both scratches and unsightly fingerprint stains. All told, the homeliest part of the laptop might be the bezel, which is made out of glossy, reflective plastic. Truly, it's the biggest tell-tale sign that this is a budget machine and not a premium system. Another other major differentiator? The U310 is slightly thicker than the U300s and heavier too, at 3.75 pounds (versus 2.95). Still, that extra girth means room for some additional ports -- namely, an Ethernet jack and HDMI output. (The chassis actually widens slightly where the Ethernet connection is, suggesting Lenovo really didn't have much room to spare here.) In addition, you'll find three USB ports (one 2.0, two 3.0) and an audio jack. Finally, there's an SD reader, which was inexplicably missing on the higher-end U300s. Keyboard and trackpad
Is there a company that knows more about keyboard design than Lenovo? For years, legions of touch typists have been choosing ThinkPads purely on account of those tactile keys, and though the engineers designing IdeaPads work in a completely different division, you have to imagine some of that keyboard know-how has trickled over into the consumer side of the house. Actually, let's clarify that. The AccuType keys you see here aren't the dense, pillowy buttons used on ThinkPads of yore. Rather, they're very similar to the island-style keyboards you'll find on newer ThinkPad laptops, which just made the transition to a new layout. That caveat aside, the shape, pitch and overall feel of the keys is comparable to what you'd get on a ThinkPad. Particularly after testing Ultrabook after Ultrabook with shallow keys, it's refreshing to get hands-on with something whose buttons actually move when you press them. They also have a slightly textured finish, which makes it that much easier to anchor your keys while you're typing. Nonetheless, this is not a perfect keyboard. For one, as stocky as the individual keys are, the underlying panel isn't nearly as sturdy -- we could feel the deck give a little as our word-per-minute rate started to pick up. More importantly, though, the pleasant spacing between the keys seems to come at the expense of non-letter buttons, such as Enter, Tab and Caps Lock. All of these auxiliary keys are undersized, and, particularly if you're not used to the layout, you might find that your finger lands on the Delete key when you meant to hit Backspace. The U310 has a spacious glass clickpad that responds surprisingly well to pinch-to-zoom. It even fares well with two-finger scrolls, though we noticed that thanks to the slick, low-friction surface, scrolling wasn't as deliberate and controlled as on the Samsung Series 9, which we happened to be testing around the same time. Happily, though, because the pad offers so little friction, it's easy to drag the cursor across the screen with one finger. Also, that line demarcating the right and left click zone makes it less likely that this pad will mistake one kind of click for the other. All told, our biggest request would be better palm rejection: as is, you might notice the cursor jumping around the page, even when you didn't intentionally move it. Display and sound We claimed earlier that the glossy bezel might be the most obvious sign this is a lower-end system. That's not strictly true: we weren't taking the display into account. The 13.3-inch panel here has a 1,366 x 768 resolution, which is standard across almost every laptop in this size and price class. Truth be told, the pixel count didn't bother us, and we don't think it'll be a dealbreaker for students who just need a machine for web surfing, Facebook and paper writing. If anything, we struggled the most with the viewing angles -- that glossy finish means you might have to fiddle with the screen angle before settling in to type with the notebook in your lap. We particularly noticed this while trying to work in a harshly lit office, but even then, cranking the brightness helped a good deal. The only issue then, of course, is that you'll be draining the battery life even faster than usual (much more on this later, obviously). Like so many other current Ultrabooks, the U310 has Intel's Wireless Display technology built in. We'll refer you to this older review for a walk-through of the setup and streaming quality, but suffice to say it's an easy way to either mirror your desktop on a larger screen or stream 1080p video. Just be prepared to spend an extra $100, or so, on a compatible set-top box. As you might expect, the speakers here push out rather tinny sound, but then again, we're not aware of many machines in this price or size category that can do much better. Performance
As of this writing, we've only tested one other low-end Ivy Bridge Ultrabook with a hybrid hard drive, so it's perhaps a little early to say the U310's performance is typical, per se. Still, if a comparison with an $800 Sony VAIO T13 is any indication, the U310's scores fall in line with similarly configured machines. In PCMark Vantage, for instance, the two are separated by less than 200 points. And in the disk benchmark ATTO, the U310's 500GB hybrid drive managed read rates as high as 114 MB/s and top writes speeds of 79 MB/s. (The T13 notched a similar 131 and 92.5 MB/s.) In real-world use, the drive helps the machine boot in 20 seconds, coming in slightly ahead of Lenovo's 25-second claim. That's about on par with other Ultrabooks, only trailing by a second or two. Not a material difference, if you ask us. We were also impressed by how relatively cool the laptop runs, even on its bottom side, but in exchange you'll have to put up with a fair amount of fan noise coming out of the vent on the left-hand side. Like most other Ivy Bridge Ultrabooks, the U310 makes do with integrated graphics -- specifically, Intel's HD 4000 solution, which comes part and parcel with new Ivy Bridge chips. We already knew it provided a sizeable boost over the HD 3000 graphics used in Sandy Bridge machines, and indeed, the U310's 3DMark06 score of 4,549 falls within the (admittedly very large) range of scores we've seen from just-released Ultrabooks. In fact, it widely beats the T13, even though they have the same graphics. Battery life
This might be a good time to consider where, exactly, you'll use your new laptop. If you think you'll be dragging it to class, you might actually care which Ultrabooks top that battery life table you see up there. But if you expect to camp out in the dorm, or find an outlet in the library, then you might not even notice you're getting an hour less battery life than the kid next to you. Take all that into account if you're considering the U310: its 46Wh battery lasted roughly five hours in our standard rundown test, which entails looping a video off the disk with WiFi on and the display brightness fixed at 65 percent. That's a good 40 minutes less than the similar VAIO T13, and even that's not the longest-lasting ultraportable we've tested. Still, it's always worth emphasizing that our battery benchmark is a grueling one, and with less taxing use, you can expect the machine to hold out a bit longer. While writing this review, we worked unplugged for about three hours, and the battery drained slowly enough that when we finally did plug the machine back in, we were hardly in danger of the machine dying mid-sentence. Software and warrantyAdmittedly, when it comes to bloatware the bar for Windows machines has been set fairly low (unless you go out of your way to buy your PC through Microsoft, which sells cleaner systems). By that metric, the U310's pre-installed software load is fairly modest: third-party apps are limited to Absolute Reminder, ooVoo for video chats and McAfee Antivirus Plus. Granted, those McAfee pop-ups can be difficult to ignore until you give in and activate the dang software. Lenovo also included some apps of its own, but these are far easier to tuck away and forget about. These include YouCam webcam software, Smart Update, EasyCamera and OneKey Recovery. There's also VeriFace if you want to use that 720p webcam for face-recognition-based log-ins. Pretty harmless stuff. As for the warranty, this shouldn't surprise anyone, but it's worth clarifying: you get one year of coverage, the same deal you'll get with almost every other consumer laptop. Configuration optionsThough the specific configuration we tested goes for $799, the U310 actually starts at $750 on Lenovo's site. The interesting thing about the U310 is that it doesn't pretend to be anything other than a budget-friendly Ultrabook. Get too demanding regarding your specs and you'll just have to step up to the U300s, or some other high-end machine. In addition to that Core i5 CPU we tested, it's available with a 1.8GHz Core i3-3217U processor. Otherwise, the included RAM maxes out at 4GB, the resolution is fixed at 1,366 x 768 and the most capacious storage option is that 500GB hybrid hard drive we tested (there are also 320GB and 500GB HDDs available without the 32GB SSD added on). The competition
It's a great time to buy an Ultrabook, especially if you've been waiting for prices to drop. Over the next few months, you should be able to pick up an Intel-approved ultraportable for as low as $700, so you should have plenty of reasonably priced options besides the U310. Perhaps the most promising is the Sony VAIO T13, which starts at $770, offers an extra hour of battery life, a lovely metal design and a pleasing number of configuration options. Dell also just entered the budget Ultrabook race with not one, but two entries: the 14-inch Inspiron 14z and the 13-inch 13z. (To be fair, only the larger model is for sale here in the US.) Just so we're all on the same page, the 14z starts at that magic $700 price point, but the base model comes with a Sandy Bridge Core i3 CPU. To get an Ivy Bridge machine (Core i5 or i7 CPUs are available) you'll have to pay at least $100 extra. Even at the high end, you'll find the 14z is similar to the U310: it, too, maxes out at 1,366 x 768 resolution and a 500GB hybrid hard drive. Even the battery capacity is similar at 44Wh. The major differences you'll want to consider (aside from design) are the larger size, and the fact that the 14z makes room for an optical drive and up to 8GB of RAM. And let's not forget about the world's top PC maker. HP already had two Ultrabooks in its stable -- one for business types and one for people with expensive tastes -- and it's since added a line of more affordably priced ultraportables for the everyman. And mind you, we're using the word "ultraportables" very deliberately here: in addition to Ultrabooks, HP is selling so-called Sleekbooks -- lightweight machines that, for whatever reason (thickness, AMD processors), don't fit Intel's definition of an Ultrabook. As you can imagine, the models with AMD innards are cheaper, starting at $600 (not a bad deal when you remember these are fresh-off-the-factory-line Trinity chips). All told, the Ultrabooks and Sleekbooks are available in 14- and 15-inch screen sizes, and have identical industrial designs, which is to say they're constructed from a mix of metal and soft-touch material. To further simplify things, certain configuration options are the same across the board: backlit keyboards, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 500GB in HDD storage with an optional 32GB SSD to help hasten performance. Lastly, though we haven't had a chance to test it, we suggest you keep an eye on the Toshiba Satellite U845, a 14-inch Ultrabook priced starting at $700. Like other companies, Toshiba is offering a Core i3 CPU at that base price. Other specs, too, seem similar: a 500GB hard drive with a 16GB or 32GB SSD and a 1,366 x 768 display. Wrap-up If you just read the comparison shopping section above, you know our reviews team is only just starting to scratch the surface of lower-priced Ultrabooks. That said, it would seem that the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 is a solid bet for the money: it's attractive (save for that glossy bezel), it offers a decent selection of ports and while the keyboard and trackpad aren't perfect, they still present an excellent alternative to what you'll find on many pricier machines. We also believe that the people this is aimed at -- college-bound students, families -- could be willing to forgive some of its bigger flaws. Yes, the relative heft and short battery life could be dealbreakers for a certain sort of shopper, but not for people who intend to keep it plugged in at home or in the dorm. And we definitely don't think those folks are going to grouse about a 20-second boot time, or whatever else counts for "average" performance these days. So if you're not picky (or just can't afford to be) this guy might just fit the bill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sprint flips the switch on LTE in Kansas City, your Galaxy S III just got a whole lot better Posted: 13 Jul 2012 08:28 AM PDT A few weeks back, Sprint had said its fresh Long Term Evolution waves would be hitting a total of five markets by July 15th, but it looks like one lucky city is seeing the changes kick in a wee bit earlier than expected. According to S4GRU, the site's been hit with endless tips from folks like yourself, all claiming The Now Network's LTE signal is now live in Kansas City, while others are also noticing the speed boosts in places like St. Joseph, Manhattan and Missouri. How about you, though? Is your shiny new LTE-capable slab (read: Galaxy S III or EVO 4G LTE) now getting the "true 4G" treatment? Feel free to let us know in the comments below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CyanogenMod developers slap Jelly Bean on an Optimus 4X HD, tease CM10 (video) Posted: 13 Jul 2012 07:58 AM PDT That didn't take long. The boys behind CyanogenMod promised a quick turnaround for its upcoming JellyBean-based update and are already teasing workable CM10 ROMs. CyanogenMod's Ricardo Cerqueira tossed a video of an early CM10 build on his YouTube page, declaring "it lives!" The early build is running on an LG Optimus 4X HD, and runs through unlocking the screen and recording and playing back a video. The build is still having some trouble with Google's revamped search integration, but considering Android 4.1's source code was released only days ago, the quick development is promising. Check out Cercuiera's quick demo for yourself after the break. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG Optimus Vu review: a 5-inch, pen-enabled phone to take on the Galaxy Note Posted: 13 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT Tech companies are no strangers to the game of follow the leader -- industry imitation is, after all, the sincerest sign of a successful product. In the case of the Galaxy Note, Samsung's phablet wonder has been enjoying some unexpected popularity in markets abroad and even here in the US. But the company's ownership of that once-niche category is about to be contested by a surge of copycats, spearheaded by the stylus-toting LG Optimus Vu ($866 unlocked). It should go without saying: this 5-inch not-a-smartphone, not-yet-a-tablet has a steep climb ahead if it wants to oust or even claim equal billing with its successful opponent. Of course, the Vu isn't launching an attack on all fronts yet as, right now it's a Korea-only affair running Android Gingerbread. (It redeems itself somewhat with an LTE radio.) Though the competition is welcome, the duel is not an even one, given the Vu's unusual mix of internals: a 1,024 x 768 HD-IPS LCD display, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor, 32GB of non-expandable storage, an ample 2,080mAh battery and a region-specific T-DMB TV tuner. But could that be enough to dethrone the current category king, or at least present a viable alternative? Join us after the break as we crack this rectangular nut and winnow out the marketing noise. Hardware
Product reviews don't usually take into account the beauty of said device's packaging, focusing instead on the actual kit in question. But we have to hand it to LG: the company deserves a solid A+ for presentation. Perhaps as a way to brace consumers for the unconventionally designed handset within, LG tucked the Vu into a narrow, rectangular box that looks it should contain some Trivial Pursuit cards. And it even opens like one too, with the case sliding upwards and off to reveal the handset, manuals, NFC stickers and a bed for the chunky stylus, with the charger and cable hidden beneath the foam. Pull it free from its slumber and you'll immediately notice its exceptional lightness. At 168g (5.93 ounces), it not only weighs 10 grams less than the Galaxy Note, but it also cuts a considerably thinner, 8.5mm-thick (0.33-inch) profile. Those dimensional wins notwithstanding, the Vu does manage to claim a bit more in-hand real estate than we're comfortable with, as it stretches even large hands to the limit with a 90.4mm (3.56-inch) width. It's not a point that can be readily dismissed: you either possess the Hulk-sized paws necessary to cling to this phone or you don't. If you're in the latter camp, you probably shouldn't be eyeing phablets in the first place. "And both hands, now use both hands," Ani DiFranco once famously sang and it's that particular refrain we'd advise the company to adopt in its marketing (for the betterment of consumer education, naturally). This fella requires full manual cooperation to function properly -- how else are you going to use that stylus? Which brings us to what is easily the Vu's biggest flaw: the omission of a slot for stowing the pen. Are you scratching your heads over that one? We're still bewildered. Yes, the included Rubberdium stylus has enough girth to confer a natural hold, but we would've much preferred a slimmer accessory if it could've been conveniently tucked away. Instead, if you intend to make heavy use of this device for note-taking or even stylus-guided navigation, you'll have to remember to take it with you and find a secure place to stash it. It's a quirk we've been unable to overlook -- in practice, it actually gives users a reason to forgo that accessory completely. The Galaxy Note is the taller of the two phablets, but that's to accommodate its larger 5.3-inch screen. The Vu, at 139.6mm (5.5 inches), is not as lengthy, but the generous bezel surrounding its screen contributes to a larger and more unwieldy design. That said, its rounded edges do their best to pinch hit for lack of ergonomic fit. Neither the top nor bottom of the unit benefit from that curving, but the decision to soften the sides goes a long way in diminishing its awkwardness. Only the right side contains any physical buttons (no dedicated camera key here) -- in this case, a two-button volume rocker. Access to the micro-SIM slot is hidden on the opposite edge and requires the use of a pin or pointed object to pry it open. There's no microSD slot to expand the device's storage, but with a healthy 32GB on board, you might not even need it. Up top, you'll find a 3.5mm headphone jack on the left, secondary mic, function button for stylus use, a sliding port for micro-USB, power button and, finally, a retractable T-DMB antenna for Korean TV broadcast reception. The front face is devoid of any branding, with only a 1.3-megapixel camera and capacitive buttons. If you ask us, LG would've done well to shrink the device down some to eliminate that wasted space. So, it's slim, large and considerably light -- a veritable recipe for slippage, if ever -- which is why LG took care to texturize the Vu's non-removable, plastic back. Does that mean it'll stay put when you're gesturing about in the manner of an over-caffeinated, emotionally irascible Italian? No. In fact, that non-removable backing could've benefited from deeper grooving and a rougher surface. As it is, that backplate tends towards the smooth and slick as opposed to a reassuring, frictional grip -- a sure hazard for the less-coordinated of users. LG's kept the surface scarring to a minimum with a break for the 8-megapixel shooter and single LED flash on the upper left, a large 4G LTE label located midway on the phone's top third, the company's logo a few inches below and two hourglass-like slits for the speaker grill on its left. Admittedly, the Vu's boot sequence has something of an analgesic effect: it subdues your frustration with Google's stale Gigerbread (2.3.6) with a splashy, galactic start-up animation. It's all short-lived, though, as you'll soon be greeted by one cartoonish UX, a nondescript, TouchWiz-like experience. Thankfully, that lack of sophistication is offset by the handset's fantastic 1,024 x 768 HD-IPS display -- a great screen that could've been even better, were it not for that 4:3 aspect ratio. We applied one of the more colorful themes and were happy with the fairly even and accurate tonal reproduction -- typical of IPS panels versus common, oversaturated AMOLED screens. Viewing angles are solid, making content easily readable from a variety of angles with only some minor wash-out noticeable. Software We can't take any mid-2012 phone seriously if it ships with Gingerbread -- skinned 2.3.6, at that. And though an ICS upgrade is reportedly on the way, as of this writing, this is what you're faced with when you power on the Vu. It's a familiar interface for anyone who's ever taken an LG phone for a test run: seven homescreens, a customizable dock and app drawer, power controls in the pull-down notification tray. There are no real surprises here, aside from some pen-optimized features specific to this handset. As you might expect, LG's shoveled crapware galore onto the device (localized bloat for the Korean market) and you can easily shove it out of sight should you so desire. Still, there's no option to uninstall. Buried deep within the settings menu, the company's also made some useful tweaks that give users a bit more control over the device -- an adjustable timeout for the front LED keys, power saver settings and optional aspect ratio correction for apps. NFC with LG Tag+ After years of buzzing about the promises of NFC, carriers and OEMs appear to have finally gotten their acts together, producing smartphones enabled with both the technology as well as complementary, programmable tags (sold separately, usually). We've already seen Samsung and Sony offer these, and LG's taking a similar tack with Tag+. These stickers, two of which are bundled with the device, lie sealed in a protective envelope -- presumably, to keep them free from outside interference. Both come pre-programmed -- one for Office mode, the other for the car -- but you can easily change that using the accompanying NFC Tag+ app that comes pre-installed on the handset. In addition to Office and Car, there are additional Sleep and User modes. Oddly, LG's separated the plain-Jane NFC app from its own profile-ready Tag+ application. There's not much difference between the two, given the proper app has an option to trigger Tag+ settings, so it makes for an odd and disjointed experience. From within the main NFC app, users can also assign tags with corresponding contact info, URLs, notes, call requests, texts and even calendar events. And yes, you can overwrite the two stickers included in the box. We tested out a few different settings and in our experience, the connection isn't always immediate. You can't really tap to touch and make the connection come to life. Rather, we found that the tech worked best when we placed the Vu on top of a sticker and left it in place. More often than not, however, we had to keep lifting and repositioning the Vu over the tag to get it to properly recognize the command we were trying to execute. As an aside, we also tested the tags with our Galaxy Nexus and had no problem picking up the associated message. Not only did LG drop the ball in not providing a slot for the stylus, but even the manner in which LG buried the pen settings within the software presents an obstacle to wide user adoption. After navigating through four submenus, you arrive at a screen where you're faced with configuration options: delay time, pen width, pen color, screen transparency. But first -- first, you have to actually select the Handwriting keypad as your default. It's extremely unintuitive and user-unfriendly. In fact, we just happened to stumble upon it as a happy accident during our testing. What LG should've done was create a separate menu option solely for the stylus as a way of guiding intrepid owners through the setup process.
Move past that clumsy integration and you're left to parse the actual usefulness of the stylus. Is it on par with the Galaxy Note's? Not at all. For one, the Vu doesn't incorporate a Wacom digitizer like that of its rival, which allows for pressure sensitivity and heightened precision -- instead, you're left with a plain 'ol capacitive screen. Further, there's no way to navigate through the OS using just the pen. You continually have to interrupt your workflow and use a finger to select the Android capacitive buttons. It's messy and frustrating and you wonder how this device made it out of the company's labs in the first place. If you really want to input text, you can do that from within any messaging application like email or text. It works similar to other devices -- gesture back to delete, forward to space and hook back to the left to enter. As for actual handwriting recognition, we'd give LG's software a B-. Set the delay time to its lowest -- 100ms -- and you'll be in for a maddening exercise in futility. That particular setting was so quick that the system could barely recognize the letter "T," written clearly in uppercase. Bumping the setting to 300ms improved things, although we had to test several stroke orders before we discovered the proper way to input a lowercase "i." And you can forget about apostrophes -- that's for true masochists. Additionally, there's Notebook and Memo -- two apps LG's designed to take advantage of that Rubberdium stylus. Much like Samsung's S Note, Notebook presents users with pre-existing templates, though you can also opt to just start fresh. From here, you can select your chosen book cover color, choose a title and select your desired "paper" layout and hue. There's nothing really remarkable about it and certainly nothing inherently useful. Once you've settled on a template, you'll see menu options across the top: read-only mode, revert / forward, text, pen, eraser, as well as image, sharing and save options. You can scrawl to your heart's content, add in text boxes and background images from your gallery or take new ones and then send the note off via email or some social network. As for Memo, well, it's pretty self-explanatory and much more bare-bones. Rather than offer a range of templates, the app goes straight for the lined notepad look and takes handwriting-to-text input only. If you're in a rush to jot down some fleeting bit of brilliance, you'd be best advised to forego the pen and smash away at that onscreen keyboard with your thumbs. The recognition software is just too slow to recognize more than one letter at a time without producing a slew of predictive errors. And unlike its companion app, there are no onscreen sharing options here -- for that, you'll have to select the capacitive menu button below. There's one last pen-optimized feature that sidesteps the need for either of those two apps: the ability to write notes on any screen. To do this, LG's included a button atop the device that you might mistake for a dedicated orientation lock. It's not: what it does is place the device into writing mode, snapping a shot of the screen's contents and letting you jot down whatever mumbo jumbo pops into your head. Thankfully, there's a helpful option to disable the background and replace it with a yellow sticky-note backdrop. (You can also save and share these jottings, of course.) Basically, the company's crafted this as a shortcut, albeit a convoluted one, that's meant to bypass the lack of any function keys on the actual stylus. It might've made more sense to side-mount the key on the device, but that could've resulted in a mess of unintended triggers. As it stands, LG made the best design decision it could, but with the phone's gawky dimensions, there's just no elegant way to make use of this phabletry. PerformanceExynos, Snapdragon S4, K3 Balong -- the Vu has none of these. Instead, its chipset is an oldie, but relative goodie: a Qualcomm MSM8660 dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz, buffered by 1GB RAM and paired with an Adreno 220 GPU. On paper, that might sound like yesteryear's specs, but in practice we didn't encounter any hiccups -- not any that we've been able to replicate, anyway. Only once, when using the native browser, was handset unable to highlight and open links from Google searches, or launch webpages. A simple reboot seemed to fix that issue, and we otherwise enjoyed smooth performance: not once did we suffer a stalled transition, jittery navigation or even a delayed app launch; it all comes off without a hitch at a fluid pace. When we did get the browser up and running without fault, however, full desktop sites loaded at an incredibly slow pace -- just over 30 seconds. On the opposite end of the performance spectrum, pinch-to-zoom was perhaps the smoothest we've seen on a handset, resizing images and text with no loss in detail.
We pitted the Vu against some bedfellows packing the same 1.5GHz Snapdragon S3 CPU and running Gingerbread: the Xperia Ion and Galaxy Note for AT&T. The results? Well, it wasn't pretty for the Vu. In fact, we could pretty much call this a resounding loss, with its graphical prowess being the only saving grace. One particularly dismal area where the Vu can't keep up is web browsing. As we mentioned earlier, it's absolutely abysmal and the corresponding SunSpider score plainly highlights that sluggishness. Its Quadrant score, on the other hand, was nearly even with the Ion's, but still fell short. In all, it was Sony's US flagship that swept our benchmarks. The battery inside the Vu is fairly average at 2,080mAh: it fits somewhere above the Ion's 1,900mAh cell and just below the 2,500mAh power pack inside the AT&T Galaxy Note. Is that middle ground good enough for everyday use? In a word, no. Granted, we couldn't properly test its endurance on a domestic HSPA+/LTE connection given the mix of radios inside (quadband GPRS, HSDPA 2100MHz, LTE 800MHz), so we only had GPRS data (made possible by an AT&T micro-SIM) to lean on. In effect, this meant we were tethered to our home WiFi connection. We were alarmed to notice that after two hours of light browsing, the Vu's charge had dropped by nearly half. With more conservative use, you could probably eke out half a day on a lone charge. Under the duress of our formal rundown test, with Twitter syncing at 15-minute intervals, one push email account active, WiFi and NFC enabled and brightness set midway, the Vu lasted just short of five solid hours -- an extremely unworkable rating for any moderately productive user.
Camera You wouldn't necessarily expect the Vu to pack a top-notch camera -- the selling points would seeminly be that screen and stylus -- yet it does. The 8-megapixel module impresses and, unlike other handsets hampered by smaller, non-HD displays, the Vu's expansive 5-inch screen doubles as a portable tableau for your photo handiwork. In practice, the sensor here is extremely intelligent when set to auto, quickly adjusting for white balance, exposure and mode based on your chosen subject. Our initial photo tour had us traipsing about New York on an especially sunny day and, as you can see in the gallery below, the resulting shots offer a lovely mix of balanced color and exceptional detail (up to 3,264 x 2,448 resolution). The custom camera app includes most of the settings you've come to expect from comparable phones: the ability to adjust scene modes, resolution and ISO, as well as add filters and take burst or panorama shots. You can tap to focus, but to actually trigger the shutter you need to press the onscreen software camera key.
With such fine photographic performance, you'd naturally anticipate similar results with HD video capture. You'd think that, and you'd be wrong. Even in a brilliant, sun-soaked setting, the Vu couldn't seem to compensate for the abundant amount of light drenching the scene. As you can see during playback, there's a noticeable bleaching that dulls detail, saps nuanced color and results in hazy video. Add to this the compressed, unnatural audio quality, and you'll want to think twice before using the Vu to record your precious moments. Wrap-up More InfoThere's one fantastic thing about the Optimus Vu: it's not shipping stateside. At least, not that we know of (although there have been hints it could make its way to Verizon). As a daily driver, the Vu is simply a non-starter. It's unfriendly for any real productivity and for most average-sized palms, at that. For a device that requires two hands to operate, you'd think that Rubberdium would be always at the ready, but as we've discussed, you probably won't ever have it on your person. And if you do, you'll quickly become frustrated by the stilted experience of having to switch between pen and finger to navigate the OS. In this sense, as a true phablet, it fails. It fails hard. What's more, its merits as a cameraphone don't make us overlook the stale Android Gingerbread software and the equally dated Snapdragon S3 processor powering it all. In real-world use, most users likely won't find much fault with its speed and mostly fluid performance. Certainly, it doesn't hold a candle to the latest flagships (e.g., the Galaxy S III and HTC One X), and it also falters when pit against its sworn nemesis, the Galaxy Note. As an experimental jab at the in-betweener category, the Optimus Vu is lame and limp-wristed. It's as if LG's designers didn't take the creation of this phablet seriously. And in the end, neither should you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verizon rolls out GameTanium Android mobile gaming subscription app Posted: 13 Jul 2012 06:42 AM PDT Love mobile gaming, but hate the commitment that comes with spending a couple of bucks on a title? GameTanium takes all the permanence out of the mobile gaming model, offering up "unlimited play" for $6 a month. The service gives Verizon subscribers access to more than 100 smartphone and 50 tablet games, including favorites like Fruit Ninja and Doodle God. It can be used on more than 30 handsets and two tablets, including the likes of the Droid Incredible 4G LTE and Droid Razr. Verizon is also offering up a three day trial to get you started.
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| Distro Issue 48 arrives with the Nexus Q, Levar Burton and more Posted: 13 Jul 2012 06:30 AM PDT After a brief respite to recover from last week's hot dog and homemade ice cream comas, our tablet mag is back in action. Getting our e-publication affairs back in order, Brian Heater sits down with Levar Burton to chat about Reading Rainbow, a new iPad app and Star Trek gadgetry. Hitting on another bit of childhood nostalgia for many of us at Engadget HQ, Alexis Santos drops by NASA's Launch Control Center (LCC) for a tour after more than three decades of operation. On the review front, we roll up our sleeves and put both the Nexus Q and the Samsung Series 9 through the wringer while offering some in-depth impressions. "Eyes-On" takes a peek at the Google booty offered to I/O attendees, "Hands-On" our latest gadget outings and Gaikai's founder admits his reliance on the PowerPoint gods in the Q&A. Don't take our word for it. Snag your copy of the e-magazine with a few clicks on the download links that follow. Distro Issue 48 PDF This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nokia shutters two Chinese offices as part of strategic reorganization in the region Posted: 13 Jul 2012 06:11 AM PDT There's a hole in Nokia's heart and it goes all the way to China. Following news this past April that a massive restructuring effort was underway for Espoo's Asian operations, comes word that offices in Chengdu and Shanghai have been closed amidst declining market share. That's according to the Wall Street Journal which says the layoffs are targeted at the company's Chinese sales division -- an area Elop's made clear is essential for growth -- as Nokia's presence in the region has dwindled to 11 percent in Q1, a sharp drop from its more robust 30 percent share last Q2 2011. And with increasing competition from rival OEMs, the layoffs are expected to continue while the house that Lumia's attempting to rebuild gains its footing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Researchers use off-the-shelf parts to let you write emails with your eyes (video) Posted: 13 Jul 2012 05:52 AM PDT There's a lot of research to help the spinal cord or stroke-injured become more self-sufficient, but it often takes some exotic paraphernalia. To buck that trend, scientists from Imperial College London showed that subjects could perform relatively hard tasks like writing messages and playing Pong using eye movement -- with a mere $35-worth of parts. They even showed how well the system worked, with subjects scoring within 20 percent of an able-bodied person after a scant 10 minutes of practice. The tracker works with two video console cameras and a pair of eyeglasses that, after calibration, can precisely track the pupils -- allowing them to control a cursor or move a paddle. The researchers also figured out how to "click" the eye-mouse by winking, and can even use more precise adjustments to calculate gaze depth -- meaning subjects will be able to perform more complex tasks in the future, like guide a motorized wheelchair. While by no means the first eye-tracking system we've seen, it's by far the most economical. Check the video after the break to see how it works.
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| Finally: BlackBerry App World gains 'upgrade all' command Posted: 13 Jul 2012 05:29 AM PDT Ready for some good news out of Waterloo? Well, hold onto your hats, BlackBerry fans, because the latest update to App World introduces a feature that's been a long time coming: the ability to upgrade all apps at once. That's right, now, whenever you see a notification for multiple app updates, you'll no longer want to bellow at the top of your lungs out of sheer frustration, as the "upgrade all" button will manage everything for you with a single click -- which really beats the hell out of the individual update method. The latest version of App World also brings the ability to view and share lists of installed apps with friends via NFC and adds Finnish language support. So go ahead and snag the latest update, and while you're at it, you might as well upgrade all of those apps that you've been neglecting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Omrom MEMS thermal sensor tells you how hot your pocket is (video) Posted: 13 Jul 2012 05:08 AM PDT Is that tasty baked snack still too hot to eat? Omron's D6T contactless infrared thermal sensor should take the guesswork out of it and help to avoid future cases of burny-mouth. Hook it up to a phone, point it at food or drink, and it'll display heat levels on-screen. Aside from snack safety, the device is also intended as a general presence sensor. The thermal detection negates the need for motion tracking and allows for additional features, such as power saving (switching off lights etc.) when people aren't around. Want to see it in action? There's a video generating heat right after the break.
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| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 and 670 round-up: which overclocked card is the one for you? Posted: 13 Jul 2012 04:33 AM PDT Happy first-quarter birthday, Kepler. Your reference design is old enough for companies like EVGA, MSI, ASUS, Zotac to push your various clock speeds to the limit, while using custom coolers to avoid meltdown. Arguably the time to upgrade is now and that's why Hot Hardware has done a full-on round-up review, comparing some of the best GTX 680 and GTX 670 packages against each other and against the Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition. If you prefer your morning news fresh and unspoilered, jump straight to the source link below. Or, if you just want the gist of it, click Read More. Prepared to spend top dollar? Then the $539 ASUS GeForce GTX 680 DirectCU II TOP should be, er, top of your list, because Hot Hardware reckons its the "the fastest single-GPU powered graphics card on the market." It comes with the biggest overclocks, but like all the cards tested its power and noise were kept nicely in check. On the other hand, that card didn't win Editor's Choice. Instead, the badget went to Gigabyte's GTX 680 OC with a Windforce cooler ($524), along with MSI's GTX 670 Power Edition OC ($429). Of those two, the cheaper 670 card was reckoned to be better value, because it offered "90 percent of the performance" of a GTX 680 while only costing 80 percent as much -- and that, dear friends, takes us as close as we can get to an overall winner. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NVIDIA Developer Zone shut down, may have been hacked Posted: 13 Jul 2012 04:09 AM PDT Bad news from the land of Tegra. NVIDIA has shut down its Developer Zone forums after noticing what it calls "attacks on the site by unauthorized third parties." While the nature of the attacks isn't clear, what's troubling is that these attackers "may have gained access to hashed passwords." Users are of course encouraged to change their secret codes and, with all the hackery going on lately, we might recommend you just go ahead and change them all -- just in case. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BBC releases Olympics app, streams the glorious Games straight to your iOS or Android device Posted: 13 Jul 2012 03:34 AM PDT The 2012 London Olympics Games are nearly upon us and the BBC just can't hold back its excitement any longer. The Queen's favorite broadcaster has released its Olympics app for both iOS (5.0 and above) and Android (2.2 and newer) devices, apps that for the most part look like wrappers for the company's mobile Olympics pages. But, that's not to say they don't offer some excellent features, like guides to every competition, the ability to save stories to read offline later and, most importantly, up to 24 simultaneous live streams of video -- once the Games actually get started in two weeks. Update: We got a note from the Beeb indicating that there's an international version as well -- because those two dozen streams mentioned above certainly won't work when you're outside of the United Kingdom. BBC Sport today launched an Olympics application for Android and iOS smartphones in the UK. The free app offers up to 24 streams of live events coverage, comprehensive schedule and results pages, and daily news stories which can be saved for offline reading, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Games, wherever you are. Alongside full live streaming, catch-up coverage and highlights, the app ensures you always have a comprehensive, trustworthy Games guide at your fingertips, even on-the-go. Offering detailed facts, stats and information, the app generates pages for every athlete, country and sport, updated in real-time. You can also access live daily text commentaries, news stories and a detailed schedule and results section covering every Olympics event. Extra functionality allows stories to be saved for offline reading, ensuring the latest information is accessible even when mobile reception is unavailable. Additionally, iOS users can personalise the app by adding their favourite Olympics sports to the customisable tab bar, enabling quick access to the latest live action. Phil Fearnley, General Manager BBC News & Knowledge, said: "For the first truly digital Olympics, we needed to ensure that everyone could access our quality coverage wherever they were, across multiple devices. The free BBC Sport Olympics app for UK Android and iOS smartphones ensures that everything you need to keep up-to-date with the action is right there at your fingertips. Even when you're out of range of 3G or wireless, we'll still be able to deliver the latest news to you offline. "The app adds even greater value to the BBC Sport mobile experience, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Games." Both versions of the app are available for UK smartphone users only. The iOS app is optimised for handsets with iOS 5.0 and above installed. The Android version is optimised for handsets with OS 2.2 and Flash installed. The Android app can be downloaded now from the Android App Store. The iOS app can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store. A shortcut app for Blackberry users, which creates a bookmark for the BBC Olympics mobile website, is available from Blackberry App World. BBC coverage of the 2012 Olympics can also be enjoyed on mobile phones via the mobile browser version of the BBC Sport website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympus outs firmware update for OM-D E-M5 camera, sleep mode and AF improvements in tow Posted: 13 Jul 2012 03:03 AM PDT As is often the case with nearly every itty-bitty software update, the goal's usually to alleviate any problem regardless of how minor it is, and sometimes even bring a couple of enhancements with it. Well, such is the fact behind Olympus' latest firmware refresh for that sleek E-M5 Micro Four Thirds shooter. That's not to belittle the goods, however, as v1.2 does pack a couple of welcomed changes, including an improved "sleep recovery operation" and the addition of an autofocus tracking point to use while in the camera's Sequential L setting. The firmware bundle is up for download now, which you can get at the source link below along with the full instructions on how to install it on your precious OM-D. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nintendo president: 3DS XL isn't big enough for a second analog stick Posted: 13 Jul 2012 02:17 AM PDT We spent a good chunk of time getting to know Nintendo's 3DS XL, which sidesteps the notion of a second analog stick -- despite peripherals adding one to the older model. Now Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata, has weighed in on the game maker's decision, saying that trade-offs were made for both battery life and the overall size of the unit. Iwata shrugged off those controller complaints, saying: "[The lack of a second stick] isn't my main focus when I look at the 3DS XL, it's one point we had to cover, but for me personally I'm quite happy with the product we're able to offer. " If you're serious about your strafing and shooting, at least there's the eventual super-sized add-on. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nexus Q repurposed to play Pong, games with your heart (video) Posted: 13 Jul 2012 01:15 AM PDT Google's mysterious, if not ominous Nexus Q has already been hacked to launch apps of varied origins, but there's one particular app that stands above all: Pong. Or, Brick Defender -- you know, what's a generic title amongst friends? BrickSimple managed to hack the Q for Pong playback, using the spinning top (read: volume wheel) to move the lower bar in the game. We'll let you get right to the action; the video's embedded after the break, and the code snippet necessary to duplicate it is there in the source below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mystery HTC device flaunts class-leading benchmarks, 1080p display Posted: 13 Jul 2012 12:40 AM PDT When we say "mystery," we totally mean it. We don't know if this is a phone or a tablet, or even if it's real -- stranger things have happened that concocted benchmarks. All we can say for sure is that a previously unheard-of device called the HTC 6435LVW has appeared over at the Community Uploads section of the GLBenchmark site, scoring a ridiculous 121 FPS in the Egypt Offscreen 720p test -- that's more than twice the score of the HTC One X (LTE), and 20 percent higher than the current performance supremo, the Galaxy S III. But that's not all, because the benchmark listing also throws up some specs: notably a 1794 x 1080 resolution (could that mean a new HTC tablet with onscreen buttons?) and a Qualcomm MSM8960 processor (could it be the Pro version?). There are too many questions to contemplate, but here's one final detail: the Android ICS version is described as a Verizon build, so if this thing is legit maybe that's where it's headed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panasonic Eluga Power earns nod of approval at FCC Posted: 13 Jul 2012 12:15 AM PDT Thanks to recent certification from the FCC, the Panasonic Eluga Power has just earned its figurative passport for travel within the United States. We first met the 5-inch behemoth back at Mobile World Congress, which packs a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 and Android 4.0. At the time, it was thought that the smartphone only supported quadband GSM and 2100/900MHz UMTS connectivity. The story has changed a bit, as FCC documents reveal additional 3G support for the 850MHz spectrum. While the Eluga Power's usefulness here in North America is still rather limited, those who'd hoped to import one can now do so with a solid pat on the back from the FCC. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WiFi Direct headed for a revamp: simpler integration, better support Posted: 12 Jul 2012 11:16 PM PDT We love WiFi Direct, we do, but there's no denying the standard has failed to take the world by storm. The WiFi Alliance is going back to the drawing board and looking to streamline its system of connecting devices. A new Wi-Fi Direct Services task group was formed last month, charged with building new tools for helping apps and devices work together. The plan is to have what amounts to a complete revamp of the WiFi Direct standard within 12 to 18 months. One of the keys will be exposing the feature more directly to end users. Often it hides in the background, but the alliance is working on a way for apps to advertise their capabilities to each other and consumers. Developers have also struggled with poorly defined hooks that often lead to incompatible products. Will 2013 finally be the year that WiFi Direct takes off? Who can say. Considering the break-neck pace our technological world moves at, something better may have come along by the time the WiFi Alliance gets its act together. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charlie Kaufman's stop-motion project, Anomalisa, turns to Kickstarter for funding Posted: 12 Jul 2012 10:09 PM PDT There are few more bizarre or successful pairings in cinema than Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman. Now, the two aren't teaming up again (at least not just yet), but the writer of Adaptation and Being John Malkovich is teaming up with stop-motion studio Starburns Industries on a new project called Anomalisa. The animators, whose past credits include Moral Orel, don't want any interference from the traditional studio system and have turned to Kickstarter to fund the film. The roughly 40 minute feature will follow a motivational speaker whose life has become "hollow and meaningless." Sounds like a right, fun romp! There's little doubt that the movie will get made -- it's more than half way to its $200,000 goal and there's still more than 50 days left to the funding period. Kaufman is hardly the first big name in Holywood to turn to crowd-sourcing, but he's part of a growing trend of artists bucking the traditional system and sustaining themselves and their craft with direct support from fans. Check out the plea for funding after the break. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Browser-controlled robot lets you skip stones remotely, mentally escape the concrete jungle Posted: 12 Jul 2012 09:18 PM PDT Can't unwind without the aid of open spaces? Skippy the robot might be able to help you out. The aptly named bot lets you remotely skip stones across an Idaho pond using a simple web interface. After waiting for your turn in a virtual queue, the machine lets you adjust its aim, tweak the amount of force behind the pitch and dispatch a rock. Best of all, your stone jumping exploits are automatically recorded, letting you show off your skipping prowess. Devised as a way to raise awareness for Idaho's Sun Valley resort area during the summer months, the mechanical projectile chucker seems to be arduino-powered, and operates only during daytime hours. Check out the source to start pelting pebbles, or venture past the break for two short videos of the contraption in action. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ZTE teases 'advanced gaming smartphone' set for availability in six days Posted: 12 Jul 2012 08:04 PM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DIY GPS dog collar helps your pup fulfill its mobile computing potential Posted: 12 Jul 2012 07:38 PM PDT Yeah, you love your dog, but is he or she really pulling his or her weight? A new project from Adafruit brings an on-board computer to your roaming canine, tracking the distance to your and your pup's goal with a progress bar. The project is pretty simple, and Adafruit offers up most of the supplies, including the GPS and Atmega32u4 breakout boards -- though you'll have to procure your own fabric to make the big flower and some black nail polish to blot out the bright LEDs. The functionality isn't quite as advanced as, say, products from Garmin -- nor is it going to fill up your Twitter stream, but the collar does have the potential to track your mutt's walks around the neighborhood with a few tweaks.
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| Toshiba outs Tecra R940 and R950 for small business set, prices start at $600 Posted: 12 Jul 2012 06:46 PM PDT Last month, Toshiba gave its Tecra line the Ivy Bridge treatment, outing the enterprise-focused R940 and R950 with fingerprint readers and the Smart Client Manager. Today it circled back to give smaller businesses something new, though the company confusingly chose the same naming scheme for its more budget-priced Tecra machines. Not to be confused with the corporate crowd's Tecra R940 and R950, these two models are available only through ToshibaDirect, and they forgo some of the higher-end business security features like the fingerprint reader to keep the price down. The 14-inch Tecra R940 starts at $600 and can be configured with a third-gen Intel CPU, optional AMD dedicated graphics and up to 16GB of RAM. The 15.6-inch Tecra R950 also goes for $600 and up, and both laptops can be configured with 320GB hard drives all the way up to 512GB SSDs. Check out the presser below, and you can hit up the product pages to check out the full configuration options. Toshiba Introduces New Class of Tecra Laptops for Small Businesses Small and Medium Sized Businesses Can Save Money by Purchasing Direct from Toshiba for All Their Computing Needs IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced a new line of Tecra® business-class laptops tailored specifically for the needs of small and medium businesses. The new Tecra R940 and Tecra R950 laptops come equipped with essential business features and business-class performance in a portable and durable design, at affordable prices. Available exclusively through Toshiba Direct, business owners can now order up to 100 units, offering the same level of savings afforded to large companies. "Toshiba has a long history of designing products for highly targeted audiences. With this new line of Tecra laptops, Toshiba has tailored its products to meet the needs of the growing small and medium sized businesses segment" The Advantages of Purchasing Direct from Toshiba Purchasing through Toshiba opens up a direct channel of communication between business and manufacturer, allowing companies to build a beneficial and advantageous relationship with Toshiba. Toshiba works hand in hand with their customers to ensure that all laptops are built to order, so businesses can rest assured that each unit will be tailor-made to fit even the most unique business need. Toshiba Direct also offers NET 30 and leasing options and offers volume discounts. Finally, all product ordered directly from Toshiba comes with dedicated account management and a one year warranty. Built for Small Businesses The new Tecra R940 and Tecra R950 laptops are designed with everything a small or medium business needs. For increased durability and strength without adding excess weight, the new Tecra laptops are built using a unique fiberglass reinforced casing with a Honeycomb Rib structure, making them the ultimate road warrior laptops. In addition, the laptops include a spill resistant keyboard, hard drive impact sensor and a shock absorbing design to ensure the laptops can take the stresses of the fast-paced business world. All models can be configured with 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors1, dedicated AMD graphics2 and generous storage, including a 512GB SSD3 and up to 16GB memory4. Weighing less than 5.3 pounds5, measuring just one inch thin and available with 14.0- and 15.6-inch diagonal LED-backlit widescreen HD displays6 respectively, the Tecra R940 and Tecra R950 are not only durable, but also incredibly portable. Businesses who purchase before August 30, 2012 will receive free upgrades to Windows® 7 Professional and an additional 4GB of memory. Pricing and Availability The Tecra Series of laptops for small and medium businesses are now available for purchase starting at $599.99 MSRP7. The Tecra R940 laptops are now available for purchase directly through ToshibaDirect.com here. The Tecra R950 laptops are now available for purchase directly through ToshibaDirect.com here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook Android app update requires Froyo, tweaks messaging and picture taking Posted: 12 Jul 2012 05:58 PM PDT Just an FYI, the folks over at Facebook have shoved another update to their app for Android out the door today. While version 1.9.7 won't add any new apps to your launcher, it does require some new permissions (phone status), require Android 2.2 and up, and offers some changes for the messaging and integrated camera experience. The camera app supports front-mounted shooter, while messaging improves switching between conversations, including friends of friends, sharing bigger photos and seeing who is available. There's also various bug fixes, faster app login and navigation plus an unspecified security improvement, so even if your social media experience doesn't include duckfaced self-pics and staying up on the latest gossip, it may be worth grabbing sooner rather than later. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Twitter's anatomy of a mobile redesign Posted: 12 Jul 2012 05:04 PM PDT A couple of months ago, Twitter did a big overhaul of its mobile site. When your service reaches such massive levels of popularity, there's a lot a to take into account with even the most minor of redesigns. Over on its official blog, Twitter offers up a fascinating bit of insight into what goes into such a reconfiguration -- oh, and if you've ever wondered what Twitter looks like on a Samsung Corby, this is the post for you. Check it out in the source link below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NPD: Nintendo 3DS sales hit 5 million in US, Xbox 360 still claims the console crown Posted: 12 Jul 2012 04:21 PM PDT The NPD Group's gaming figures for June have made the rounds, and both Microsoft as well as Nintendo have something to crow about, albeit for very different reasons. Nintendo is the most eager to prove itself and says that the 3DS has hit five million total sales in the US since it reached gamers' hands in the country. The tally doesn't compete with the heady numbers smartphone designers are used to, but it's a milestone for a handheld console whose prospects were dim until a sudden price cut fueled sales a year ago. Before Nintendo lets the 155,000 3DS units it sold in June get to its head, however, it's important to get context from Microsoft's own achievements: Redmond shipped 257,000 Xbox 360 units that month and has had the lead among all US consoles for the past year and a half. We're in the dark on Sony data, although it's important that just 90,000 Wii units traded hands in the same month -- as clear a sign as any that the Wii U can't come quickly enough for Satoru Iwata and company. Nintendo 3DS Crosses 5 Million Units Sold Nintendo 3DS, which lets users see 3D images without the need for special glasses, has now sold 5 million units in the United States, according to the NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States. With Nintendo 3DS XL, which features 90 percent larger screens, and New Super Mario Bros. 2 both launching on Aug. 19, and a holiday lineup that sees the Luigi's Mansion and Paper Mario franchises make their hand-held debuts, the system's momentum should continue through 2012 and beyond. "Nintendo 3DS is entering the next phase of its life cycle with new hardware, new games and proven franchises. This milestone shows we've got a great foundation to build from," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "The game lineup for Nintendo 3DS last holiday season was one of the strongest in our history. We're poised to top it this year. Every week, gamers will have the best franchises in the world in a glasses-free 3D experience that can't be found anywhere else. Add Wii U into the mix and it's a great time to be a Nintendo fan." Other Nintendo milestones achieved in June include: * The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D became the third Nintendo 3DS title to sell more than 1 million units, joining Super Mario 3D Land (2.1 million units sold life to date) and Mario Kart 7 (1.75 million units sold life to date). For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NASA launches Spacecraft 3D app for iOS, lets you explore its Curiosity and a lot more Posted: 12 Jul 2012 04:09 PM PDT Chances are most of us (you included) know this isn't NASA's first dive into the iOS pool, and the agency's latest addition to its app portfolio is surely going to make a high number of explorers very space happy. Dubbed Spacecraft 3D, the augmented reality application will let folks poke around the various, curious rovers and GRAILS NASA uses to explore our planet, the rest of the solar system and, of course, the entire abysmal universe. Even better, NASA's handing out the app free of charge, so those of you with a "Designed in California" device can grab it now from the App Store, and don't forget to check out the presser down below to soak in the official word. NASA 3-D App Gives Public Ability to Experience Robotic Space Travel WASHINGTON -- A NASA-created application that brings some of the agency's robotic spacecraft to life in 3-D now is available for free on the iPhone and iPad. Called Spacecraft 3D, the app uses animation to show how spacecraft can maneuver and manipulate their outside components. Presently, the new app features two NASA missions, the Curiosity rover that will touch down on Mars Aug. 6 at 1:31 a.m. EDT, and the twin GRAIL spacecraft Ebb and Flow currently orbiting the moon. "With Spacecraft 3D and a mobile device, you can put high definition, three-dimensional models literally into the hands of kids of all ages," said Stephen Kulczycki, deputy director for communications and education at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft 3D is among the first of what are known as augmented-reality apps for Apple devices. Augmented-reality provides users a view of a real-world environment where elements are improved by additional input. Spacecraft 3D uses the iPhone or iPad camera to overlay information on the device's main screen. The app instructs users to print an augmented reality target on a standard sheet of paper. When the device's camera is pointed at the target, the spacecraft chosen by the user materializes on screen. "Let's say you want to get an idea what our Curiosity Mars rover is all about," said Kevin Hussey, manager of visualization technology at JPL. "Like Hollywood directors sizing up their next shot, you move your camera-equipped iPad or iPhone in and out, up and down and the spacecraft perspective moves with you. It is a great way to study the 3-D nature of NASA spacecraft." Spacecraft 3D also has a feature where you can take your own augmented-reality picture of the rover or GRAIL spacecraft. You can even make a self-portrait with a spacecraft, putting yourself or someone else in the picture. "In the near future, we will incorporate the Cassini spacecraft, which is orbiting Saturn, the Dawn spacecraft, which is deep in the heart of the asteroid belt, and the Voyagers, which are right now at the very edge of our solar system," said Hussey. "Looking down the road, we've got a veritable solar system full of spacecraft to work with." Spacecraft 3D currently is only available for Apple formats, but should be available on other formats in the near future. The detailed computer models of the spacecraft used in Spacecraft 3D originally were generated for NASA's "Eyes on the Solar System" web application. Eyes on the Solar System" is a 3-D environment full of NASA mission data that allows anyone to explore the cosmos from their computer. For more information on how to download the Spacecraft 3D app, visit: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spacecraft-3d/id541089908?mt=8 For more information about Eyes on the Solar System and NASA robotic missions, visit: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eyes/ For information on the GRAIL mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/grail For information on Curiosity, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GammaTech rugged T7Q launches at $2k and up, promptly steals your iPad's lunch money Posted: 12 Jul 2012 03:33 PM PDT For people out there doing actual work (like tech blogging, for instance), there's the need for a tablet like the GammaTech T7Q Windows slate, starting at $2,000. Standing out like an M9 tank among the daily driver tabs, the sealed magnesium unit meets military specs for environmental nasties -- while packing a 7-inch resistive-touch TFT WSVGA LCD, Intel Atom N2600 or N2800 processor, 5MP camera with geotagging, compass, gyroscope and an mSATA SSD. It can also be accessorized to the nines with items like RFID, magnetic stripe readers and GPS through an assortment of connectors and expansion slots. To top it off, there's three different lock-down methods for your your data: TPM1.2 security, built-in BIOS safeguards and a Kensington lock connector -- plus Computracing ability piled on, for good measure. Sure, this guy is intended for oil rigs and desert archaeological digs, but hauling one out at Starbucks might give you a whole new level of shabby-chic cred -- if you've got the cash. GammaTech Adds T7Q Fully Rugged Tablet PC To Its Lineup Latest Introduction Meets Demanding Military 810G Durability Standards, Offers Sunlight-Readable Screen and Assorted Wireless Connections and Security Options Fremont, CA – July 11, 2012 – GammaTech Computer Corp., a major international manufacturer and supplier of innovative notebook and tablet computers, has added to its award-winning line of fully rugged tablets. The new model, the T7Q, meets Military Standard 810G for drop, shock, spill, salt, fog, and freeze/thaw resistance; and meets IP-65 for protection against dust and water. The unit is an ideal, lightweight solution for virtually any outdoor environment such as transportation, field services, utilities, oil, gas and other types of mobile applications. "Whether used on the road, in an office or at home, the lightweight and fully rugged T7Q offers exceptional peace of mind," stated Jen Chen, GammaTech president. "This new tablet has the reliability that lets users concentrate on their work without having to worry about physical or functional damage during extended, everyday use, even if everyday use is in harsh environments." Perfect Tablet for Any Environment Choice of Inte(R) Atom(TM) Processors Customization to Meet Individual Needs When Security Matters Durable Design Prevents Costly Repairs Pricing and Availability Additionally, it is available to federal, state, and local governmental agencies and departments via GammaTech's GSA contract. The company has contracts with NASA (SEWPS), NIH (ECS III), DHS (FIRST SOURCE), and Air Force (NetCents). Award-Winning Products About GammaTech Computer Corporation For more information, please visit GammaTech at www.GammaTechUSA.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nexus 7 pre-orders ship to some customers -- has yours? Posted: 12 Jul 2012 02:59 PM PDT It could be a trickle or a torrent, but reports are coming in that Google is shipping the first Nexus 7 pre-orders to those customers who pulled the trigger at the Google Play Store while the I/O keynote seats were still warm. Third-party retailers Adorama and Ebuyer also briefly started selling the Jelly Bean tablet, although they're now known to have jumped the gun: both were told by Google to freeze sales until at least Sunday. The word of an imminent arrival is no doubt music to the ears of those who thought that even the three-week wait was interminable. Still, we'd like to know whether yours is truly on its way or if that $199, ASUS-made Android dream will have to wait a little longer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 12 Jul 2012 02:45 PM PDT BAE Systems revealed that it's working on hardy, high-capacity solar cells that could power unmanned vehicles and even attach to an individual soldier's gear. According to Darren Buckle, a manager from BAE Systems' Advanced Technology Center, the cells are geared toward smaller, often airborne, military units, where weight is at a premium. The system, still in the development stage, could offer up power for heavy endurance unmanned air vehicles, provided the cells are made sensitive enough to absorb energy in less sunny situations -- something that the company's England-based engineers are currently contending with. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen has Android near 52 percent of US smartphone share in Q2, iPhone ekes out gains Posted: 12 Jul 2012 02:19 PM PDT If there was doubt as to whether or not Android would soon become the majority smartphone platform in the US, that's just been erased by Nielsen. Google crossed the tipping point in the second quarter after getting close in the winter, with 51.8 percent of current smartphone users running some variant on the green robot's OS. As we've seen in the past, though, the increase is coming mostly at the expenses of platforms already being squeezed to within an inch of their lives, such as the BlackBerry (8.1 percent) and Windows (4.3 percent combined). Apple still isn't in a position to fret: it kept climbing to 34.3 percent and swung the attention of recent buyers just slightly back in its direction. The real question for many of us might center on what happens in a summer where Samsung has thrown a Galaxy S III-sized curveball at Americans and any new iPhone is likely still a few months away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WSJ: Sinking social news site Digg bought by NYC firm Betaworks (updated) Posted: 12 Jul 2012 01:53 PM PDT Digg, once one of the shining stars of the social media world, is now a sad shell of of its former self. The once mighty news-sharing service founded by Kevin Rose, has just been snatched up by a small New York City firm called Betaworks for a paltry $500,000, according to the Wall Street Journal. The site still draws roughly seven million visitors a month, but that's a far cry from the more than 30 million is was pulling in during its 2008 heyday. And the pocket change paid for the property pales in comparison to the over $45 million it raised from investors over its lifetime. The sale follows the departure of its most high profile exec, the aforementioned Rose, who is now in charge of Google Ventures. Betaworks plans to revitalize the brand involve folding it into News.me, another social news service, which launched in April of last year. The deal only includes the property itself and the brand -- none of Digg's remaining employees will be making the move to Betaworks. Of course, there were very few left once the Washington Post subsidiary Social Code hired 15 engineers from the floundering service, which accounted for more than half of its workforce. Update: As it turns out, that "$500,000" figure may not tell the whole story. TechCrunch and AllThingsD are both reporting that there's a lot more to consider besides the cash outlay. |
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