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- Nyko Power Grip for PlayStation Vita review: a $25 accessory that promises to double your battery life
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti review roundup: impressive performance for around $300
- Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q may be renamed to equally awkward Galaxy S Relay 4G
- Pantech Flex teased for AT&T LTE, will be available in the 'coming months'
- Instagram 3.0 adds Photo Maps, infinite scrolling and speed improvements (video)
- Google+ update lets iOS open links in Chrome, Android join Hangouts on Air
- Arduino-based SocialChatter reads your Twitter feeds so you don't have to (video)
- Google Play gift cards show up for real, come in $10 and $25 flavors
- DOJ, FCC clear Verizon buyout of cable companies' spectrum, require giving up some airwaves
- Google teases hackers with $2 million in prizes, announces Pwnium 2 exploit competition
- IBM buys Texas Memory Systems to bring on speedy storage
- Oculus Rift's latest VR headset prototype gets a showing at Gamescom 2012 (hands-on)
- X-51A WaveRider hypersonic mission doomed by bum missile fin
- Huawei Ascend D Quad XL hits the FCC with North America-friendly 3G, 12MP camera mention
- Stream TV strikes deal with Hisense, outlines plans for real glasses-free 3D display
- Black and Decker screwdriver senses your hand movement to adjust speed, direction (video)
- NVIDIA announces $299 GeForce GTX 660 Ti, lets Kepler walk among the people
- Sony Reader gets a new design, Evernote integration and a free Harry Potter book for $129
- Humble Bundle returns with five pay-what-you-want games for Android, Mac, Windows and Linux
- AT&T developing tech to help parents keep teenagers from texting and driving, hopes to save lives
- TiVo Premiere 4 is official, brings four tuners and 500GB of storage for $250
- Google Maps updates streetview for New Orleans, reminds us the jazz plays on
- Creative reveals Sound Blaster ZxR, Zx, and Z PCI-Express sound cards, pumps up the volume
- Lenovo's Q1 shows 'record high' market share, profits up 30 percent to $141 million
- ESPN launches ESPNFC site and apps, updates ESPN Goals with match previews, highlights
- Xiaomi Phone 2 now official: 4.3-inch 720p IPS, quad core and Jelly Bean for just $310
- TVSync API unveiled, helps devs build second-screen and smart TV apps
- Acer Liquid Gallant Solo makes brief cameo, Android 4.0 smartphone lives up to its name
- RIM confirms BB10 standard screen resolutions for touch and keyboard devices
- Dish Network's nationwide satellite broadband service could be ready to launch soon
- Kobo app for iOS goes international with support for Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish
- Fujitsu's Stylistic M532 quad-core tablet ships to the US with toughened body, dash of security
- Acer CloudMobile now available for pre-order in the UK, expected to be released on September 5th
- Updated Google Play app reveals gift card support, wish list coming soon?
- Kno textbooks arrive on Android with the Galaxy Note 10.1, take on a social side
- Ford underscores its love of electric cars, spends $135 million to make them happen
- HBO and Fox cut a deal to keep the movies flowing through 2022, HBO Nordic launches soon
- Sony unveils in-car receivers with App Remote, taps into your smartphone music from October
- Google Maps notches one million public transit stops worldwide, celebrates with an update
- Samsung Galaxy S III bootloader for Verizon can now be unlocked: take that, Big Red (update: video)
| Posted: 16 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT Gaming accessories come in all shapes and sizes --- replacement controllers, portable console suitcases, specialized mice, control augmenting nubs, you name it. Whatever your niche, you can bet there's a product out there to fill it. Nyko, in particular, has made a bit of a habit of fulfilling a particular need: manufacturing third-party battery accessories for all those short-lived handhelds. The outfit has such a solid track record in the category, in fact, that we had little doubt its PlayStation Vita Power Grip ($25) would live up to its life-giving hype -- but we decided to put it to the test all the same. Hardware and setup The PlayStation Vita isn't exactly a pocketable device to begin with, but this thing makes the handheld downright unwieldy. A pair of soft, rubberized handles protrudes from the bottom of the accessory's device cradle, extending the Vita's breadth by nearly two-thirds. This makes a docked Vita far too awkward to slip into even a large jacket pocket, and it completely obliterates any chance of tucking it in a pair of loose jeans. Even so, the setup feels good in the hand, and lends the Vita a familiar DualShock-esque grip. Installation is a snap, too: just drop the console into the Vita-shaped outline on the Power Grip's face and slide its locking dock connector into place. Easy. The Grip does relocate the handheld's charging port slightly, but it doesn't lose any functionality in the move. The accessory is built well, but its quality is marred by a few jarring design flaws. The Grip's top edge, for instance, covers the Vita's game card slot, requiring users to uninstall the device every time they want to play something new. The wide handles that make the accessory so comfortable can also be a small burden, pushing the player's hands farther from the console's side than normal, making it a bit more difficult to reach the center of the handheld's rear touchpad. These oddities aren't necessarily dealbreakers, but the obscured game slot, at least, is likely to annoy gamers who favor boxed titles over digital downloads. Performance The upshot to the Power Grip's sometimes-vexing design is that it does what it promises: adds way more game time. The company claims the device doubles the Vita's battery life, and we found that it did just that, offering twice as much longevity or more. Set to maximum screen brightness and volume settings, the Vita's standard three-hour runtime jumped to more than six. The four hours a dimmed-down and muted handheld can achieve doubled as well, dragging on for nearly eight and a half hours under the Power Grip's wing. Shifting into PSP mode prolongs the battery life even more, topping out at 11 hours at medium brightness -- more than enough to keep one occupied on a trip across the pond. Tests and numbers boil underscore a more relaxing gaming experience, one in which gamers don't have to keep tabs on the Vita's charge level. In a practical test, the duo survived a week's worth of travel without a charge, entertaining us for two cross-country flights and through several intermittent sessions throughout the week. Imagine how far we could have gone if we paired it with Sony's official external battery. Wrap-up Like we said, there's an accessory to fill every niche -- but the best peripherals address a fault the original hardware overlooked. Like the trio of 3DS accessories that came before it (not to mention a Kindle Fire case), the Nyko PlayStation Vita Power Grip does just this, easily meeting its promise to double your handheld's runtime. It adds to the bulk, sure, but the Vita is far from pocketable to begin with, and the grip's comfortable handholds make up for the extra space it'll take in your carry-on bag. Its card-slot-obscuring edges keep it from being a home run, but gamers on the go will find the added longevity worth the minor headache -- and at $25, it isn't a bad deal either. |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti review roundup: impressive performance for around $300 Posted: 16 Aug 2012 10:44 AM PDT No one's saying that $300 is "cheap," but compared to the GTX 670 and GTX 680 before it, the newly announced GeForce GTX 660 Ti is definitely in a more attainable category. The usual suspects have hashed out their reviews today, with the general consensus being one of satisfaction. A gamechanger in the space it's not, but this Kepler-based GPU managed to go toe-to-toe with similarly priced Radeon GPUs while being relatively power efficient in the process. That said, AnandTech was quick to point out that unlike Kepler reviews in the past, the 660 Ti wasn't able to simply blow away the competition; it found the card to perform around 10 to 15 percent faster than the 7870 from AMD, while the 7950 was putting out roughly the same amount of performance as the card on today's test bench. HotHardware mentioned that NVIDIA does indeed have another winner on its hands, noting that it'd be tough to do better right now for three Benjamins. Per usual, there's plenty of further reading available in the links below for those seriously considering the upgrade. |
| Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q may be renamed to equally awkward Galaxy S Relay 4G Posted: 16 Aug 2012 10:23 AM PDT The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q might have missed the August 15th date mentioned in its leaked press shot, but a rumored name change would still put the future T-Mobile device in the running for the most convoluted phone name ever. Although there's a distinct lack of tangible evidence -- take this with a grain of salt -- the usually reliable TmoNews hears Samsung's TouchWiz-infused QWERTY slider will be called the Galaxy S Relay 4G when it ships. No, we're not feeling it, either. While there's no word on an updated release date, we'd at least like the earlier claims of a Snapdragon S4 to be true so that the phone is worthy of the respect the name isn't providing. |
| Pantech Flex teased for AT&T LTE, will be available in the 'coming months' Posted: 16 Aug 2012 09:58 AM PDT PANTECH WIRELESS, OFFICIAL WIRELESS DEVICE PARTNER OF THE DEW TOUR, |
| Instagram 3.0 adds Photo Maps, infinite scrolling and speed improvements (video) Posted: 16 Aug 2012 09:27 AM PDT Wondering if that Facebook acquisition would slow down the pace of innovation at Instagram? Perhaps v3.0 will answer that. The famed photo sharing network -- now some 80 million users deep -- is detailing its latest user interface overhaul today, and geolocation is at the heart of it. Lining up with our own feelings on the benefits of geotagging and the usefulness of tagged photos from an archive / diary perspective, the newest edition of the app introduces a Photo Maps view. As the name implies, it overlays photos with a map underneath, giving people a far more visual look at what they were seeing at a given point on Earth (or Mars, assuming Curiosity hasn't reached its data limit this month). Beyond that, the app includes "multi-line caption editing, more streamlined photo uploading, speed improvements and infinite scroll," according to our pals at TechCrunch. Interestingly, the Twitter "Find Friends" feature has been yanked in the latest build due to Twitter shutting off its API to the company last month. If you're wondering about a master plan for Photo Maps, it's pretty simple; just as you'd tune into #nbcfail on Twitter to read the latest musings about the Summer Olympics, hovering over London in Instagram could give you a highly filtered look at what kind of photos are emerging from an event in real time. And really, who wouldn't want to see 807 sepia-infused 1:1 shots of Usain Bolt? Per usual, you'll find the demo vid after the break. Instagram 3.0 - Photo Maps Walkthrough from Instagram on Vimeo. |
| Google+ update lets iOS open links in Chrome, Android join Hangouts on Air Posted: 16 Aug 2012 09:26 AM PDT If you've been dutifully checking your mobile app updates (you do check, right?), you may have noticed a Google+ upgrade slip through largely unannounced. That revision might be bigger than you think -- although its exact value depends entirely on the platform you're running. If you're an iOS user, you now have the choice to open web links in Chrome for iOS instead of Safari; it's not the same as changing the default browser, but it will keep Google fans firmly ensconced in their preferred ecosystem while they're using Apple devices. On the Android side, it's now possible to watch live Hangouts On Air sessions if friends aren't ready and waiting for a chat. Both versions now let teens join any kind of Hangout, and there's a raft of tweaks on either side of the fence. If you've been waiting for either of the two major features to jump in, the app downloads are waiting at the source links. |
| Arduino-based SocialChatter reads your Twitter feeds so you don't have to (video) Posted: 16 Aug 2012 08:58 AM PDT If you prefer reading your RSS feeds without the backlight, there's hardware for that, and if you'd prefer not reading your Twitter feeds at all, there's now hardware for that as well. Mix an Arduino Ethernet board, an Emic 2 Text-To-Speech Module and the knowhow to put them together, and you've got SocialChatter -- a neat little build that'll read your feeds aloud. The coding's already been done for you, and it's based on Adafruit's own Internet of Things printer sketch with a little bit of tinkering so nothing's lost in translation. If your eyes need a Twitter break and you've got the skills and kit to make it happen, head over to the source link for a how-to guide. Don't fill the requirements? Then jump past the break to hear SocialChatter's soothing voice without all the effort.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Google Play gift cards show up for real, come in $10 and $25 flavors Posted: 16 Aug 2012 08:32 AM PDT Remember that Google Play gift card support we told you about just this morning? Well now things got real. Literally. The pic above shows one of the shrink-wrapped critters in a $25 denomination. Android Central claims they were sent a few different pictures, showing $10 varieties also -- and as we can see from the box -- they're good for music, movies, books, apps and (mysteriously) "more." So if you're after that hot new game, now's about the time to start dropping hints to your nearest and dearest. |
| DOJ, FCC clear Verizon buyout of cable companies' spectrum, require giving up some airwaves Posted: 16 Aug 2012 08:15 AM PDT |
| Google teases hackers with $2 million in prizes, announces Pwnium 2 exploit competition Posted: 16 Aug 2012 08:12 AM PDT |
| IBM buys Texas Memory Systems to bring on speedy storage Posted: 16 Aug 2012 07:46 AM PDT IBM is becoming serious about enterprise-grade computing in more ways than one. It just struck a deal to acquire Texas Memory Systems, best known these days for its extra-quick RamSan SSD cards. As you'd anticipate, that fast yet lean storage is the focus -- IBM wants servers that aren't limited by their drives, or which just use less power than old-fashioned spinning hard disks and tape machines. Neither side is talking about how much the deal is worth, but TMS' product roster should stay on the market even as it's folded into IBM's Smarter Storage initiative. Expect that database at work to suddenly get faster sometime after the acquisition closes later this year. IBM Plans to Acquire Texas Memory Systems Company's high-speed memory solutions to boost IBM's Smarter Computing approach to IT Armonk, N.Y. - 16 Aug 2012: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Texas Memory Systems (TMS), a leading developer of high-performance flash memory solutions. TMS is a privately held company based in Houston, Texas. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 1978, TMS designs and sells high-performance solid state storage solutions. Unlike hard disk drives that rely on spinning disks and robotic arms, solid state systems are high-speed data storage solutions based on Flash or RAM memory that can provide significantly faster throughput and data access while consuming less power. TMS offers its solid state solutions as the RamSan family of shared rackmount systems and Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) cards. The products are designed to help companies improve performance and reduce server sprawl, power consumption, cooling, and floor space requirements, all of which in turn can help clients save money, improve performance and invest more in innovation. "The TMS strategy and solution set align well with our Smarter Computing approach to information technology by helping clients realize increased performance and efficiencies at lower costs," said Brian Truskowski, general manager, Systems Storage and Networking, IBM. "Solid state technology, in particular, is a critical component of our new Smarter Storage approach to the design and deployment of storage infrastructures, and part of a holistic approach that exploits flash in conjunction with disk and tape technologies to solve complex problems." IDC estimates the amount of solid state storage solutions being shipped into the enterprise will grow significantly, reaching nearly 3 exabytes by 2016. Following acquisition close, IBM plans to invest in and support the TMS product portfolio, and will look to integrate over time TMS technologies into a variety of solutions including storage, servers, software, and PureSystems offerings. "IBM understands the positive and dramatic impact that solid state technology can have on storage and server infrastructures, and once the acquisition is complete we look forward to advancing the technology even further. With the global reach of IBM, we expect to grow the engineering staff and product lines much faster than we could before," said Holly Frost, founder and CEO of TMS. TMS employs approximately 100 people. The deal is expected to close later in 2012. |
| Oculus Rift's latest VR headset prototype gets a showing at Gamescom 2012 (hands-on) Posted: 16 Aug 2012 07:35 AM PDT "This is the latest prototype," the Oculus guys tell us. That's great, now strap us in. The team decided to make a sudden stop in Germany ahead of appearances back in the US over the next few weeks -- and we're glad, because it meant we got to call in on them and grab some time with the Oculus Rift. If you didn't know, the Rift is a Kickstarter-funded VR gaming headset (stay with us) that's caught the attention of several games developers -- most notably John Carmack. He liked it so much, in fact, that he developed a special Rift-ready version of Doom 3 for the headset and Doom 4 will also be heading to the VR peripheral too. We got to play with the earlier game and while there's a video after the break, we reckon you'll really need to try this in person to fully grasp how the Oculus Rift plays. Check out our impressions after the break.
Picking up the headset, we were surprised by how light it was -- we held it in one hand with ease. The weight's already been reduced since Oculus' developmental model did the rounds earlier this year, and it's almost comparable to a pair of ski goggles. Once the Rift is around your eyes, you can nudge it to hit the optimum sweet spot -- the two screens project 640 x 800 respectively, creating a 3D image that's 1,280 x 800. This resolution was picked to ensure that the Oculus Rift danced at a frame rate up to 60Hz and was HDMI-friendly. If they had plumped for 1080p on those screens (which is possible, for a price) then the frame-rate would arrive at around 24Hz if using the existing HDMI standard. When polled on whether Oculus was working with those major console makers, the team told us that it was completely focused on its developmental PC version at the moment, but that there was "no technical reason why it wouldn't work (with other consoles)." Oculus is keeping game developer support a secret at the moment, but the sheer fact that there's a workable title to show off (albeit an eight-year-old one) gives the project a strong kick -- and gives our short play-through a semi-accurate feel as for what the end result will be like. A few hours after seeing the Oculus Rift and we're still raving about it, with a low-latency response to our head movements augmenting the VR at work. While we're not sure whether it'll have a huge effect on how we play games, it's that immersive effect (and how surprisingly comfortable they were to wear) that's got us fascinated by how that final developer model -- and eventual consumer version -- turn out. |
| X-51A WaveRider hypersonic mission doomed by bum missile fin Posted: 16 Aug 2012 07:26 AM PDT The latest attempt to go past Mach 5 with the X51A has finished badly again, as a broken fin caused the missile to lose control before its air-breathing "scramjet'" motor could even kick in. It happened just after the booster rocket phase, which accelerates the craft to at least Mach 4, a high enough velocity for the hypersonic scramjet to work. The craft ended up in the Pacific shortly afterwards instead, and this latest affair may end up dunking the entire $300 million program. The Air Force initiative is already short on funding, and the previous two tries were equally dismal failures -- meaning a fourth missile, already built, may end up a museum piece. |
| Huawei Ascend D Quad XL hits the FCC with North America-friendly 3G, 12MP camera mention Posted: 16 Aug 2012 07:04 AM PDT We'd been hoping that Huawei's flagship Ascend D Quad would roll by the FCC, hinting that the long-in-waiting hardware was soon to become a reality. It's here, and it looks to be the XL version we were promised back in Barcelona, with no mention of the LTE that some US carriers love so well. Like the Ascend D1, though, it's carrying pentaband HSPA+ that would let its 3G fly at full speed on any North American GSM carrier. There's a slight surprise in the camera. Schematics mention a 12-megapixel sensor as a possibility alongside the officially announced 8-megapixel shooter -- that said, whether it's a quiet upgrade, a regional variant or just a discarded dream isn't made obvious here. More certain references can confirm video out through HDMI and MHL as well as the increasingly de rigueur NFC. We don't need the FCC to confirm launches that start late this month in China and October in Europe, but the approval guarantees that there won't be rude surprises for the release or for any imports, whether they're unofficial or through a carrier deal. |
| Stream TV strikes deal with Hisense, outlines plans for real glasses-free 3D display Posted: 16 Aug 2012 07:01 AM PDT Stream TV has been touting its Ultra-D glasses-free 3D tech for quite some time now, but we've still yet to see anything resembling a marketable product. The company's already snagged one manufacturing deal, but in the latest announcement of a partnership with Hisense it's revealed the specs of an actual device -- a 42-inch 1080p display. If you think the details end there... well, you'd be right, although the numbers do suggest something tangible is indeed in the pipeline. We might find out more at IFA 2012 where Stream TV will be showing off its latest gear, so here's to hoping. And, if you'd like more info on the Stream TV / Hisense agreement, the full PR is available after the break. Hisense Group and Stream TV Networks Announce Strategic Partnership for Ultra-D 3D Without Glasses Television Philadelphia, PA (August 15, 2012) – Stream TV Networks, Inc.™ has announced a technology partnership with Hisense® (the leading TV brand in China) for a range of televisions and other products featuring Ultra-D™ (3D without glasses) technology. The first product to market will be a 42-inch 1080p autostereoscopic 3D display with plans for additional 3D without glasses displays, smart televisions, tablets and smartphones incorporating the Ultra-D technology. Hisense pioneered the launch of Smart 3D Cinema TV, innovatively realizing the compatibility of the HITV-OS operation system (independently developed by Hisense) with the current most popular Android® system, offering more diverse applications. Over 1,000 Hisense stores have been established with over 10 million downloads of Hisense intelligent TV applications so far. Hisense has a presence in over 80 countries and regions including North America, Europe, Australia and Africa. Hisense products are sold at Walmart®, Costco®, HHGregg®, etc. Mathu Rajan, CEO of Stream TV Networks says, "The partnership with Hisense will help to spur massive proliferation of the Ultra-D technology. It will be a shot in the arm for 3D without glasses. The association with Hisense will propel the 3D category and increase the reach of 3D without glasses devices across the globe." Ultra-D televisions will be bundled with the SeeCube™ Auto Converter. The SeeCube Conversion Box seamlessly auto converts 2D and 3D stereoscopic (with glasses) into autostereoscopic (glasses-free) 3D format in real-time. Ultra-D supports nearly every kind of video feed including Cable & Satellite TV Channels, Blu-ray™, XBOX®, PS3® and sites like Netflix®, Hulu® and YouTube®. The Ultra-D technology can convert content from iPad®, iTunes®, Appstore® and Apple TV®. "Ultra-D is the first 3D without glasses solution that has been able to eliminate viewing angles and offer the high quality, glasses-free 3D experience we've all been waiting for," says Rajan. "We have received positive feedback that Ultra-D is the only 3D without glasses developed that is ready for the consumer market," adds Rajan. Stream TV Networks will be showing its latest improvements in the technology and new displays and devices at IFA 2012 in Berlin. |
| Black and Decker screwdriver senses your hand movement to adjust speed, direction (video) Posted: 16 Aug 2012 06:31 AM PDT Were you feeling the need for new tech to replace the switches that control direction and speed on your cordless screwdriver? Us neither, but we're not the braintrust at Black & Decker, which just launched the Gyro 4V Max, the "world's first motion-activated screwdriver." The company put an InvenSense MEMS gyroscope in the new model, so all you have to do to change the direction or speed is rotate your drilling hand one way or the other in varying amounts. After you've polished off that Ikea shelf, it should be ready the next time you haul it out of the toolbox, with a Lithium-ion battery that stays juiced for as long as 18 months. Judging by the video below the break, it actually looks pretty clever, and at $40, why not start dragging your tools out of the stone age? Black & Decker® Introduces the GYRO™ Screwdriver, the World's First Motion-Activated Screwdriver that Controls Variable Speed and Direction The Patent Pending Screwdriver incorporates Gyroscopic Technology for Controlling Variable Speed and Direction TOWSON, Md. (EMBARGO-August 15, 2012) – Black & Decker® (NYSE: SWK) brings innovation to the screw driving category once again with the introduction of the GYROTM 4V MAX* Lithium-ion Rechargeable Screwdriver (BDCS40G), the world's first motion-activated screwdriver that controls variable speed and direction. The variable speed feature and direction change that occurs with a twist of the wrist provide improved control while screwdriving compared to rechargeable screwdrivers on the market. Black & Decker continues to set the pace of innovation with the patent pending GYROTM screwdriver featuring gyroscopic technology - an industry-first for a screwdriver. With gyroscopic technology, users need only to rotate their wrist one-quarter turn to the right for forward or left for reverse. With traditional rechargeable screwdrivers users are typically required to engage a switch for a direction change and are not offered variable speed. "We're taking a technology people are familiar with using in motion-sensing video games, smart phones, and even toy helicopters and using it in a new and innovative way to create a unique power tool," said Matt Nestorick, product manager for consumer power tools at Black & Decker. "The new GYROTM screwdriver harnesses the latest technologies to provide consumers with a unique DIY experience." The 4V MAX* Lithium Rechargeable Screwdriver joins Black & Decker's expanding lineup of Lithium products, including the existing range of drill/drivers and Black & Decker's extensive Lithium outdoor lineup featuring a string trimmer/edger, hedge trimmer, sweeper, cultivator, pole pruning saw, pole hedge trimmer, chain saw and powered lopper. With lithium ion battery technology, the GYROTM screwdriver holds a charge up to 18 months. With this and other Black & Decker lithium ion products, users receive long-lasting, lightweight and compact products that won't experience battery memory effect problems. The Black & Decker 4V MAX* GYROTM Lithium Rechargeable Screwdriver will be available October 2012 for $39.97 at most major retailers and via BlackandDecker.com. The GYROTM screwdriver features an LED light and comes with two standard screwdriving bits, jack plug charger and a two-year warranty. About Black & Decker * Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 4 volts. Nominal voltage is 3.6.
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| NVIDIA announces $299 GeForce GTX 660 Ti, lets Kepler walk among the people Posted: 16 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT It's taken NVIDIA a mighty long time to squeeze its Kepler GPU into something more affordable than the GTX 670, but it's finally happened -- the mid-range GTX 660 Ti is out and available to purchase for $299 on boards from EVGA, Gigabyte, ASUS and the usual suspects. Some buyers may complain that's $50 more than the 560 Ti, while others will no doubt be reeling off their CVV codes already. For its part, NVIDIA claims the 660 Ti is the "best card per watt ever made" and that it beats even AMD's higher-priced Radeon HD 7950 at 1920 x 1080. Check out the slide deck below for official stats, as well as for examples of what the card can do with its support for DirectX 11 tessellation, PhysX (particularly on Borderlands 2, which you may well find bundled free) and NVIDIA's TXAA anti-aliasing. We'll wait for independent benchmarks in our review round-up before making any judgment, but in the meantime it's fair to say that this 150-watt card comes fully featured. For a start, it has just as many 28nm CUDA cores as the GTX 670, the same base and GPU Boost clock speeds, the same 2GB of GDDR5 and indeed the same connectivity. The only sacrifice is memory bandwidth: all that computational performance is limited by a 192-bit memory bus, compared to the 256-bit width of the 670. Judging from those specs, we'd expect it to be almost 670-like in performance, and that's going to be pretty impressive. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti GPU: The New Weapon of Choice for Gamers Now Available to Gamers Starting at $299 / £249; Includes Free Copy of Upcoming Borderlands 2 |
| Sony Reader gets a new design, Evernote integration and a free Harry Potter book for $129 Posted: 16 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT In the market for a new e-reader? One could certainly do worse than Sony's Reader line. The company's been packing features onto its devices, and the already leaked latest entry is no different, with upgrades over its predecessor, packed into a newly redesigned body with bigger, better looking buttons. Sony's promised more intuitive touch with the Reader PRS-T2, smoother zooming and improved page turning, this time out. On the sharing side of things, Evernote functionality joins the fray here, letting users save their favorite passages to the service. Users can also post passages from books, along with corresponding covers and other identifying information to Facebook, if you're the sort who loves to share such literary info. On the store side of things, Sony's offering up browser-based account access now, so when users buy books on their desktop, they'll get pushed to the reader. The PRS-T2 offers up 2GB of storage, two English and four translation dictionaries (though, contrary to its name, doesn't do so in an Austrian accent), two months of battery life (WiFi off) and the customary six-inch Pearl E-Ink display for $129. Oh, and Sony's also throwing in a free copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, for good measure. The PRS-T2 starts shipping today. More information on the subject can be found after the break.
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| Humble Bundle returns with five pay-what-you-want games for Android, Mac, Windows and Linux Posted: 16 Aug 2012 05:47 AM PDT So let us get this right. You can pay what you want, and get another stack of games for your Android -- or, indeed Mac, Windows or Linux machine? And help charity? And this is actually proving very popular? Yes, Fieldrunners, Bit.Trip Beat, Uplink and SpaceChem, are the latest games to get the Humble Bundle treatment on the aforementioned platforms (the latter two are tablet-only when buying for Android). Oh, and if you're generous enough to pay above the average, you'll unlock the Spirits platform-puzzler, too. We're finding it pretty hard to argue with, especially as you get to decide the distribution of cash (between charity, the hardworking devs, or the platform-providing Humble). Judging by the real-time stats on the site, people aren't holding back on the cash, either. Still not convinced? Hop on the free-for-life video after the break to see the games in action.
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| Posted: 16 Aug 2012 05:17 AM PDT By now, you're likely aware of some of the repercussions that come with shooting an innocent text to a friend while being behind the wheel. Well, in an effort to keep these unfortunate accidents from ever occurring, the AT&T Foundry's been hard at work, hoping to come up with solutions to help with this serious matter. Most recently, the Rethink Possible outfit showed off an application that's currently in the works; one that allows parents to track their teenage drivers' every move, as well as remotely turn off calls and disable all messaging features -- which the carrier says will be a great compliment to its DriveMode app. It's worth noting the unnamed application was being showcased on one of Cupertino's slates, but AT&T's said it's willing to work with "device makers, car makers and developers," as the ultimate goal is to ultimately "encourage more solutions." There's a video past the break for your viewing pleasure, and we think it's worth all of its 197 seconds of airtime.
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| TiVo Premiere 4 is official, brings four tuners and 500GB of storage for $250 Posted: 16 Aug 2012 05:00 AM PDT The TiVo Premiere 4 DVR that broke cover a few days ago has been officially confirmed by the company, with exactly the specs indicated. In case you're not familiar, it's a quad tuner DVR that ships with a 500GB hard drive and standard TiVo remote, slotting in below its big brother at retail -- the 2TB and THX-endowed Premiere XL4. The smaller hard drive is something that Doug Bieter, director of retail sales, says solves the Sunday night log jam of shows, even if its less of a multi-season archive, and with MoCA and Ethernet still coming along for the ride makes it particularly ideal for multiroom setups with that extender that's still due to arrive soon. The Premiere 4 will start shipping right away and will cost owners $249 along with a one year commitment to service at $14.99 or lifetime service for $499, check TiVo.com, custom installers and Best Buy Magnolia stores near you to snag one. TiVo Launches Four Tuner 'TiVo Premiere 4' The TiVo Premiere 4 can also take advantage of TiVo's integrated apps for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. The TiVo App brings intuitive remote control operations to the tips of users' fingers with simple gesture-based controls. Users can quickly uncover program guides and information, view, schedule and manage recordings, get recommendations, or even explore an actor's entire career with a single tap.
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| Google Maps updates streetview for New Orleans, reminds us the jazz plays on Posted: 16 Aug 2012 04:24 AM PDT In many ways, Google's Streetview is a document. A snapshot in time. Usually, this amounts to pictures of a sunny clear day in downtown Localsville, but it can also be a reminder of times less bright. Since Hurricane Katrina, the city has been working hard to rebuild neighborhoods and communities, and better prepare itself for the future. Today -- via Google's Lat Lon Blog -- Mayor Mitch Landrieu proudly announced that Streetview has been updated to reflect those efforts, and show New Orleans in that familiar, sunny way. Whether it's Congo Square ("the birthplace of jazz"), the city's parks, or more recent features and attractions, Landrieu proudly extends an invite to all of us to come take a look, enjoy the virtual tour, and "whet our appetite." We say put the Gumbo on. |
| Creative reveals Sound Blaster ZxR, Zx, and Z PCI-Express sound cards, pumps up the volume Posted: 16 Aug 2012 04:02 AM PDT Along with your first day at school, and (for the boys at least) growing your first peach fuzz mustache, many of you might also never forget your first Sound Blaster soundcard. In the present day (unless you're blessed with youth) only the Sound Blaster can be enjoyed again, and today Creative introduces its new Z-series. The latest PCI-Express cards use the firm's Core3D quad-core sound and voice processor and come in three variants: the Sound Blaster ZxR, the Zx and the Z. As you might have guessed, the more letters, the higher up the food chain it is. The flagship ZxR ($249.99) boasts a 127dB SNR, sockets for swappable Op-Amps, 80mW into 600 ohm headphone pre-amp, plus RCA / optical connectivity (via additional daughter board) and an external "ACM" control module for less fiddling around the back of your machine. You can save yourself $100 with the Zx model, if you don't want the ZxR's "DBpro" daughter board, and the Z edition saves a further $50 at the expense of the external controller. Want to dive into the full specifications? Plug in to the PR after the break. SINGAPORE – 15 August 2012 – Creative Technology Ltd today announced its new ultra high-performance Z-Series of Sound Blaster® PCI-Express sound cards Elevating the standards of technology and performance for the future of gaming and entertainment on the PC. Creative will preview the new Sound Blaster ZxR, Sound Blaster Zx and Sound Blaster Z at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from 15-19 August 2012. "The audio landscape for gaming and entertainment on the PC has changed. As content creation and consumption evolves with the interactivity of the Internet, our vision is to enable the best listening experiences for music, video and games, and to transcend the basic concept of sound quality as a specification with enabling technologies that allow users to completely customise their PC audio," said Low Long Chye, Director of Product Marketing for Audio. "For audio playback, we use studio-grade components to deliver outstanding fidelity, and then greatly enhance the listening experience by implementing our SBX Pro Studio™ suite of audio technologies. This enables complete customisation of audio playback, uniquely catered to suit individual tastes. Our mixture of outstanding components and proprietary technologies also enables us to provide the highest quality recording experience for audio creation, which today expands beyond just music recording to include user interaction and creation with YouTube, eSports, and more." "We also recognise how voice communications in massively multiplayer online (MMO) and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games are so crucial to winning, and how clear communications in VoIP applications such as Skype are so important to having meaningful conversations. This is where our CrystalVoice™ technologies enable users to experience the best possible sound quality – the level of quality that is exclusively available with Sound Blaster. To complete the overall communication experience, all our sound cards comes standard with a high-quality dual microphone array," added Low Long Chye. Each New Sound Card Offers a Complete Audio System To dynamically power compelling audio playback, the new sound cards leverage the Creative Sound Core3D quad-core sound and voice processor, which is designed to work in perfect harmony with Creative's SBX Pro Studio technology and high-quality components to deliver a complete audio platform. Sound Core3D also works seamlessly with CrystalVoice communications technologies and the high-quality beam-forming microphone array included with each of the new sound cards to deliver Acoustic Echo Cancellation, Voice Focus and Sound Blaster ZxR – The World's Best Sounding Sound Card (SRP US$249.99) This flagship Sound Blaster ZxR is designed to provide the best gaming and entertainment audio performance in any sound cards. It also delivers the ultimate audio playback and creation solution for the PC. Studio-grade components, which include external digital-to-analog converters (DACs) that deliver 127dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), sockets for swappable Op-Amps, a high-end 80mW into 600 ohm headphone amplifier, and 192kHz pass through, are used to deliver phenomenal audio quality. The Sound Blaster ZxR has multiple connections including a proprietary connector to the DBpro, a daughter board that offers optical output for outstanding playback; and professional-grade 123dB analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with RCA Aux-in and optical input for outstanding recording quality. Furthermore, a convenient external ACM (Audio Control Module) provides a built-in dual-microphone array and mic/headphone I/O connections. Designed to complement the Sound Blaster ZxR, the ACM adds convenience, extra connectivity and control, plus it enhances the look of any desktop. In addition to the impressive hardware capabilities, the proprietary SB Speaker-Calibration feature, DTS Connect and Dolby Digital Live, all these three ensure an ultra-realistic cinematic audio playback and gaming experience. From the hardcore gamer fragging an opponent on a first person shooter to a die-hard MOBA or MMO player engaging with thousands of players online, gamers can get a competitive advantage from excellent audio quality and positional accuracy. In many of today's most popular games, if gamers are not communicating, they are not winning. For voice communications, Creative's CrystalVoice technologies enable crystal-clear communications amongst gamers and their teammates. Creative's audio engineers designed the SBX Pro Studio suite of audio playback technologies so gamers can improve their audio experience and calibrate their game audio so they can hear the subtle nuances that gives a competitive edge. Immersive surround sound, the ability to clearly understand teammates and enhancements of specific sounds in a gaming environment are just a few elements of SBX Pro Studio that enhance gaming audio. SBX Pro Studio Features: SBX Crystalizer™ - Enhances sound for games, music and movies by restoring low and high end frequency curves lost to compression Designed to deliver crystal clear vocal fidelity in multiplayer games, online chats and video conferencing, CrystalVoice technologies also enhance voice communications for VoIP solutions such as Skype. CrystalVoice Features: Acoustic Echo Cancellation - Eliminates echoes and enables whoever is speaking to listen to the other party clearly Sound Blaster Zx – High-Performance Gaming and Entertainment Audio (SRP US$149.99) The Sound Blaster Zx incorporates all the hardware and software features of the Sound Blaster ZxR except for the DBpro daughter board. Clad in brilliant red EMI shielding and featuring glowing LED lighting, the Sound Blaster Zx is the bad boy of the bunch, with an attention-grabbing design that ideally complements any power gaming rig. The Sound Blaster Zx leverages Sound Core3D processing with external DACs that deliver 120dB SNR. Other features include support for 192kHz direct pass-through to analog out, a 600 ohm headphone amplifier, gold-plated I/O connectivity, and SB Speaker-Calibration, which calibrates speakers to take advantage of room acoustics, resulting in an optimised audio performance. The Sound Blaster Zx also includes the convenient external ACM (Audio Control Module) with a built-in dual microphone array and mic/headphone I/O connections. To enhance digital entertainment capabilities, DTS Connect and Dolby Digital Live encoding are included. The product also includes high-quality optical and stereo cables. Sound Blaster Z – High-Performance Gaming and Entertainment Audio (SRP US$99.99) The Sound Blaster Z incorporates all the hardware and software features of the Sound Blaster Zx except for the ACM. Instead, an external high quality dual-microphone array comes standard with this card. An ideal all-around gaming and entertainment solution, the Sound Blaster Z comes with 120dB SNR and supports 192kHz direct pass-through to analog out. It also features glowing LED lighting, a 600 ohm headphone amplifier, an EMI-free analog input and output path, SB Speaker- Calibration and gold-plated I/O connections for pristine audio quality. |
| Lenovo's Q1 shows 'record high' market share, profits up 30 percent to $141 million Posted: 16 Aug 2012 03:27 AM PDT After delivering an overachieving laptop, Lenovo has delivered financial results that also exceeded expectations, producing $8 billion in revenue and $141 million net profit. Those figures are up 35 and 30 percent respectively over last year, which the company has chalked up to a higher than ever market share of 15 percent. That growth came in part from a 59 percent sales bump in emerging markets like India and Brazil, on top of a 9 percent spurt in its home market -- lifting the company 24 percent in world-wide PC shipments for the quarter. Lenovo has also become the second largest player in China's smartphone market, after Samsung, now up to a 13 percent market share. CEO Yang Yuanqing also proclaimed that, unlike other Redmond partners, he wasn't stressed about Microsoft's Surface tablet -- and that his company had "much better hardware" than the software giant. LENOVO REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2012/13 RESULTS - Record market share of 15 percent HONG KONG, August 16, 2012 – Lenovo Group today reported results for its first fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2012, with quarterly sales of US$8 billion, a 35 percent increase year-over-year. At the same time, Lenovo's first quarter net-income increased by 30 percent year-over-year, to US$141 million, demonstrating the Company's ability to maintain profitable growth in a challenging market. |
| ESPN launches ESPNFC site and apps, updates ESPN Goals with match previews, highlights Posted: 16 Aug 2012 02:59 AM PDT Some football leagues around the globe have already kicked off the 2012-2013 season, but there's still some time before the ball officially starts rolling in other parts of the world -- unless, of course, you take into consideration this past Sunday's Community Shield. In any case, ESPN appears to have prepared itself pretty well for the upcoming footie spell, announcing an all-new ESPNFC landing page and a full set of applications to accompany the fresh site -- which will essentially be replacing what we used to know as ESPNsoccernet. Furthermore, The Worldwide Leader in Sports updated its ESPN Goals app on iOS, Android and Windows Phone, bringing game previews and highlights, analyst ramblings from folks like Tommy Smith, as well as the ability to easily share these videos with friends on Twitter or Facebook. If you asked us, we'd say this isn't a half bad way to keep yourself updated on the latest global soccer happenings, and could, perhaps, even help in your quest to become fantasy league champion. ESPN launches new football brand, ESPNFC, on multiple platforms ESPN, Inc. today announces the full launch of its multi-platform, multi-language and multi-country global football brand, ESPNFC. Initially launched as a preview in April for Euro 2012, ESPNFC today officially debuts ahead of the start of the Barclays Premier League, covering all major leagues and competitions worldwide for the first time, and, expanding to TV and mobile in. Arne Rees, vice president of international digital media for ESPN International: "ESPN is making a big statement with today's launch of ESPNFC. We are committed to the global game with a global, cross-media brand to cover it 24/7. ESPNFC aims to serve fans by being the leading destination for definitive football coverage worldwide and year-round whenever and wherever fans want it." Across Platforms On mobile, a new ESPNFC app launches giving fans access to its content wherever they are, available on Apple, Windows Phone and Android handsets. Key features of the new ESPNFC application include personalisation, allowing football fans to personalise the app by their favourite leagues, teams and tournaments, and, exclusive video and audio from ESPN's various studio-based discussion and analysis shows. On TV, its global multi-platform football debate and discussion show ESPNsoccernet PressPass becomes ESPNFC PressPass. The football discussion show that looks, daily, at the global game with a global perspective, the show features panellists and contributors from around the world of football – including Shaka Hislop, Robbie Mustoe, Steve Nicol, Frank LeBoeuf and Jorge Ramos. Reflecting the cross-platform nature of ESPNFC, both TV and digital content will be heavily integrated to highlight major club news and analysis across all screens. Furthermore, the editorial agenda of both the TV show and web companion content will be closely aligned. Also tonight, the show makes its debut on ESPN television in the US. Previously available online in the US, the show will be available six days a week (weekdays plus Sundays) on ESPNews. Press Pass first debuted in September 2002 on ESPN International's English-speaking networks. It can now be seen in over 107 countries and territories around the world. ESPNFC will also provide new and unique, customizable digital opportunities for marketers who can work with ESPN to reach football fans on both a global and regional scale using ESPN's worldwide sales teams. Online and on mobile, ESPNFC will have the ability to detect where a fan is accessing content, and deliver locally relevant coverage for that region. At launch, ESPNFC will launch in English and Spanish and will evolve over time to serve multiple languages. New Contributors Comprehensive multimedia coverage from ESPNFC includes on-demand video highlights, studio programming clips, news, analysis and commentary, digital audio and podcasts, real-time scores, stats and more. With particular emphasis on the live game experience, a Live MatchHQ service features data-driven content, including real-time scores and stats, highlights, message boards and more, all in a single unified interface. ESPNFC will also be integrated into ESPNdeportes.com - which serves the Spanish-speaking community in the US, as well as Spanish-speaking Latin America - and across football content on many of ESPN's global TV, radio and print platforms. EURO 2012 |
| Xiaomi Phone 2 now official: 4.3-inch 720p IPS, quad core and Jelly Bean for just $310 Posted: 16 Aug 2012 02:32 AM PDT At last, no more secrets. Announced in Beijing just now is the Xiaomi Phone 2, and with the exception of the appearance, most of the specs match the many leaks we've come across: 4.3-inch 720p IPS display by Sharp, Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 quad-core chip, 2GB RAM and 16GB memory. To power this beast, Xiaomi's throwing in a 2,000mAh cell, but you can also purchase a 3,000mAh version if you don't mind the extra 2mm thickness on the phone. As for photography, you get a 28mm two-megapixel imager at the front along with a 27mm F2.0 eight-megapixel BSI camera on the back -- we saw some stunning untouched shots from the latter at the launch event. The good news doesn't stop there. On the software front Xiaomi's decided to jump straight to Android Jelly Bean for the phone's MIUI ROM, which itself packs several new features as well. Just to name a few: enhanced security, phone finder, Chinese voice assistant (apparently with 85 percent comprehension accuracy), more interactive themes and 5GB of cloud storage service with online client. As you can already see, all of this will cost just ¥1,999 (about $310) -- the same as the original Xiaomi Phone announced this time last year -- when it launches in October, and local carriers China Unicom plus China Telecom will also be offering the DC-HSPA+ handset at subsidized prices. Interestingly, Xiaomi co-founder Lei Jun even admitted on the stage that the phone's raw cost is ¥2,350 ($370) per unit, so hopefully it'll go down sooner than later for his sake. But if ¥1,999 is still too much, there's also the ¥1,499 ($235) Xiaomi Phone 1S which, as we've already seen, is very much just the original Xiaomi but bumped up from 1.5GHz to 1.7GHz, along with a front-facing camera. Until we get hold of the phones to play with, here are some photos from the event. Update: Now we have some photos from our very brief hands-on -- each person was only given 90 seconds with the beta units! That said, the Xiaomi Phone 2s already felt pretty solid and the UI animation was slick, so we look forward to the more refined engineering samples next month. Update 2: Forgot to mention that both devices support WCDMA 850、1900 and 2100MHz. So yes, it'll work just fine on AT&T!
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| TVSync API unveiled, helps devs build second-screen and smart TV apps Posted: 16 Aug 2012 02:19 AM PDT Second screen apps seem to be all the rage as of late, and Vobile's freshly announced TVSync API platform can help developers ride that wave of popularity. Compatible with iOS and Android devices, PCs and some smart TVs, the API can be leveraged to supplement what's on the silver screen with relevant content ranging from polls to products. Apps developed with the interface can trigger what's displayed on the companion screen at just the right moment by analyzing audio, video, or both. For instance, a recipe featured on a celebrity chef's program could be pushed to your slate as soon as it's first mentioned. Yearning to code an app of your own with the tech? Visit the source to request beta access to TVSync or look below for the full press release. Announcing The TVSync API Platform For Building Connected TV And Second Screen Applications Open API Lets Cable Companies, Content Providers and Others Develop Powerful Applications Based On Vobile VDNA Technology SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marked the introduction of the TVSync Connected TV and second screen API platform. It is the first developer platform to support apps that bring the connected TV experience to all "four screens" (smartphone, tablet, PC and SmartTV). Available to broadcasters, cable companies, publishers, content providers and others, TVSync's open API leverages the best video and audio ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) technology of the industry leader Vobile to facilitate exciting new applications that synchronize, in real time, to the content a user is consuming. TVSync, a new initiative led by Vobile, supports connected second-screen experiences that cover virtually any aspect of eCommerce, infotainment or social media. TVSync responds to the strongest trends hitting the broadcast industry: nearly 80% of younger viewers, for example, currently use a second device (typically a mobile device) while watching television. Both Apple and Google are currently working toward connected TV experiences through various projects. "Change is on the way in how consumers interact with content across multiple devices-change that will be as disruptive as the introduction of iPhone five years ago," said Yangbin Wang, CEO of Vobile. "With TVSync, we are ready to help both incumbent companies and entrepreneurs transform the four screen media consumption experience." Broad New Applications With TVSync, content owners as well as advertisers and marketers can deploy unique and immersive second-screen experiences. Ticket offices or sports apparel can be linked to broadcast sports, for example, so that viewers in a sports bar can make purchases just by pointing their smartphones at the screen. Someone watching a cable series at a friend's house can finish the program at home or on their mobile device, schedule their DVR to record an episode, even record the full season, just by sampling the screen for a second or two. Thanks to TVSync's ability to automatically recognize video and/or audio content of specific programs, reality show producers can incorporate instant polling or social media activity into their story lines. Viewers can also access enhanced content on demand; simply by clicking on the action, it's possible to get a recipe during a cooking show, read about the host of a show, or buy the shoes a starlet is wearing on the red carpet. |
| Acer Liquid Gallant Solo makes brief cameo, Android 4.0 smartphone lives up to its name Posted: 16 Aug 2012 01:51 AM PDT Just last month, Acer's Liquid Gallant Duo teased itself for preorder on the Expansys website, which promised to be an affordable Android 4.0 smartphone for those in need of dual-SIM capabilities. Now, a slightly less capable handset -- the Liquid Gallant Solo -- has reared its head, and as you might expect, it's a single SIM affair. Other than this omission, however, the Solo offers much of the same specs as before, which includes a single-core 1GHz MediaTek MT6575 SoC, a 4.3-inch qHD display, a 5-megapixel camera and a 1,500mAh battery. Similarly, the phone also features 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a microSD expansion slot. In terms of connectivity, users can expect quadband GSM and 3G support on 2100 / 900MHz networks. Like the Liquid Gallant Duo, the Solo's public presence was short-lived, as the user manual (linked below) has since been pulled from Acer's website. Its price also remains a bit of a mystery, but given the dual-SIM exclusion, it seems a safe bet that the Solo will retail for less than the £149 ($230) price of the more capable Duo. Hopefully we're not far off from a more official debut. |
| RIM confirms BB10 standard screen resolutions for touch and keyboard devices Posted: 16 Aug 2012 01:22 AM PDT RIM took some time out from its worldwide tour to confirm that it's standardizing screen resolutions for BB10. Tim Neil took to the company's developer blog to say that forthcoming full-touch devices will ship with 1,280 x 720 displays, while keyboard-style phones would pack 720 x 720 screens. The only handset that won't play by these rules is the first (presumably flagship) BB10 handset, since it's too late to change its 1,280 x 768 screen. The company's urging developers to get tweaking to ensure apps run properly on the new gear -- or add letterboxing to offer a Sergio Leone feel to your mobile gaming. |
| Dish Network's nationwide satellite broadband service could be ready to launch soon Posted: 16 Aug 2012 12:58 AM PDT While the various strands of Dish Network's "Seinfeld strategy" have yet to come together officially, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal are reporting it could be ready launch satellite-based high speed data services nationally as soon as September or October. This would be separate from the service based on ViaSat's Exede that's available in some areas, and Bloomberg's sources say it could accommodate up to 2 million customers right away through a satellite Echostar launched in June, although more satellites may be needed to add more customers. Other than hooking up data connections for customers in rural areas, it would let Dish compete directly with data / TV bundles offered by wired pay-TV providers. Of course, this is all dependent on a favorable ruling by the FCC on its technology -- you can just ask LightSquared what happens if that doesn't work out. |
| Kobo app for iOS goes international with support for Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish Posted: 16 Aug 2012 12:21 AM PDT Kobo's Android app recently enjoyed a brief stint of global superiority, but that playing field has been leveled with the company's latest update for iOS. Like the Android version, Kobo for iOS now includes support for Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Additionally, users will also find support for e-books encumbered with Adobe DRM. Lastly, Kobo for iOS now lets users choose which books to store locally on their device, and it also fixes a bug that'd prevented e-books from being opened -- nice to get that one squared away. |
| Fujitsu's Stylistic M532 quad-core tablet ships to the US with toughened body, dash of security Posted: 15 Aug 2012 11:39 PM PDT Fujitsu's Stylistic M532 has had a protracted development process that saw it appear on our radar as early as January; imagine our surprise after it ships to the US with barely more than a knock on the door. Now that it's here, it looks to be on the sunnier side of average for an Android 4.0 slate. A quad 1.4GHz Tegra 3, a 1,280 x 800 display and 32GB of built-in space won't rock our world in mid-2012, but the rough-and-ready among us will likely appreciate the military-spec abuse tolerances and support for optional Absolute CompuTrace theft tracking, just in case it's pilfered from an open bag. Fujitsu's obstacles? Apart from not having much of a cachet in the tablet arena, the company also has to convince buyers that the extra safeguards are worth a $549 price -- for those who treat their tablets more delicately, there are a few tempting alternatives. |
| Acer CloudMobile now available for pre-order in the UK, expected to be released on September 5th Posted: 15 Aug 2012 11:00 PM PDT Acer took the gadget world by surprise with its award-winning CloudMobile handset, and now it looks like the company's finally ready to let consumers get their eager palms on that 4.3-inch, 720p slab. Per online retailer Expansys, Acer's CloudMobile will be released in the United Kingdom on September 5th, with the site already taking pre-orders for the SIM-free smartphone at £285 -- or about $447 in Yankee currency. Speaking of which, Expansys' also taking early orders for the unlocked device on its US site, though it's not listing a specific release date or even pricing info on that front. At any rate, parties interested can check out our hands-on, and see if it's enough to get you to shell out some cash. |
| Updated Google Play app reveals gift card support, wish list coming soon? Posted: 15 Aug 2012 10:14 PM PDT If the images and link settings Android Police has dug up from the most recent (v3.8.15) Google Play APK that's rolling out are correct, we could see a coupe more features coming to the Android app and media store soon. First up are very fleshed out menus for the redemption of Play Store gift cards, perfect for users that aren't enthused about putting their credit card info out there and would rather purchase a few bucks prepaid and then spend them as they will. Also contained within the APK but not activated or accessible by default is some sort of wish list functionality. Hit the source link for all the images and screens that have been found so far, well have to wait and see when these pop up in a future updated or get activated later on. |
| Kno textbooks arrive on Android with the Galaxy Note 10.1, take on a social side Posted: 15 Aug 2012 09:25 PM PDT Kno's post-hardware textbook platform has called the iPad its only tablet home for more than a year; it's about to spread its wings. Starting with a bundled presence on the Galaxy Note 10.1, Kno is an option for K-12 and college students who'd rather go the Android route. While all the 3D, note-taking and navigation features remain the same, there's an obvious selling point in supporting the S Pen (and hopefully other pens) to more directly put thoughts to virtual paper -- or, let's admit it, doodle in the margins. All of us, Android and otherwise, get a new Social Sharing component that lets us crib each other's notes before the big exam. We're still waiting on Kno for other Android devices as well as the already-promised Windows 7 support, but it's hard not to appreciate at least a little more variety in our digital learning. Kno Education App and Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 Bring Interactive Textbook Experience to Android Kno App Now Available for Android With Largest Digital Textbook Catalog for K-12 and College NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kno, a pioneer in education software, announced that its digital textbook app will debut on Android with the new Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1, providing more choice for parents and students who are heading back to school this fall http://www.samsung.com/us/news/. Kno's app with over 70 interactive features comes preloaded on the GALAXY Note 10.1, which features Samsung's advanced S Pen technology to enable handwriting recognition and richer interactivity. "Samsung has been a leader in Android tablets and their commitment to education technology is underscored by preloading Kno's digital textbook app in the new GALAXY Note 10.1 tablet," said Don Morrison, Vice President of Business Development, and Kno, Inc. "Studies have shown that students that hand-write their notes retain information more effectively. The GALAXY Note 10.1's advanced S Pen technology makes it the perfect complement to the interactive digital textbook experience we've created at Kno." The GALAXY Note's S Pen technology provides the functionality and precision of a pen and paper on the new tablet's 10.1-inch display, offering a superior experience for the student. The S Pen solution allows students to take hand-written notes in a digital textbook, similar to writing in a physical book, which studies show increases the retention of the information. "At Samsung, we believe that innovative technologies can assist educators and enable greater collaboration with students to help them explore and acquire the skills that will prepare them for tomorrow's opportunities," said Tod Pike, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Business Division, Samsung Electronics America. "Our GALAXY Note 10.1, preloaded with Kno's interactive textbook app, was built with education in mind and helps facilitate our vision of technology as a transformative agent to traditional learning." Kno is transforming the way both K-12 and higher education students learn by making educational content available on the broadest selection of devices at the lowest possible cost. The company is committed to making learning available, and flexible by tailoring it to each student's learning style. Kno combines the best of a physical textbook along with more than 70 interactive features including a Course Manager to organize textbooks by course, chapter preview to visually navigate pages, and innovative features such as Kno Me, Smart Links, Quiz Me and Journal which are engineered to increase students' learning potential and retain the most important information. Kno offers more than 200,000 K-12 and university digital titles from over 65 textbook publishers, with a 15-day money back guarantee. Kno is available on the iPad, Android, Web and coming soon to Windows 7. Kno Continues to Transform Digital Textbooks with Social Learning Empowers Students and Teachers to Collaborate Through Social Sharing SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kno, a pioneer in education software, today announced that the company has delivered its next major release with a significant set of new features including Social Sharing to continue to drive student engagement and improve studying efficiency to empower educational outcomes. The new Social Sharing feature allow students and teachers the ability to collaborate by sharing highlights, notes and more with other students and teachers within the context of their book. Additionally, Kno has extended support for Android devices and Windows 7 OS in addition to its current iPad and Web apps. "The addition of support for Android devices and Windows 7 OS also extends our reach to nearly 100% of students no matter what device they choose for school this fall." Kno's Social Sharing will allow any teacher or student to share the content they add to a digital book with fellow students and teachers. This could include highlights and notes but will extend to everything they can add within Kno, such as SmartLinks to external websites, or items they add to their Journal such as drawings, pictures and videos. Also with the new app release, Kno has added other new capabilities that are unique to its digital textbooks, such as the Advanced Search feature, which allows students to search within a specific book or more broadly across the books associated with a specific course, term or their entire library. When enabled, Kno's new Advanced Search also uses a book's index to increase search relevance and allows students to search for the most useful images, tables, and figures. This release builds on Kno's interactive features that allow students to engage with the content better and study more efficiently including: * A digital Journal that automatically saves a student's notes and highlights them in a study notebook. The new Kno free app is available today at www.kno.com for both K-12 and higher education digital textbooks. |
| Ford underscores its love of electric cars, spends $135 million to make them happen Posted: 15 Aug 2012 08:48 PM PDT Ford really, really wants you to know that it's big on electric cars. Really. To that end, it's putting $135 million where its mouth is as part of the design and production for the electrified vehicles rolling out to dealer lots this year, such as the Focus Electric. A new research building in Dearborn is also being renamed as the Advanced Electrification Center to emphasize the uniform dedication to EVs and hybrids among the 1,000 researchers that call the Center their home away from home. We already know that the company plans to triple its manufacturing capacity to make 100,000 of the cars a year by 2013, but many of the supporting aspects are getting their own lift, Ford adds: it's hiring more engineers and doubling its battery testing capacity. The checklist of improvements you'll find after the break reflects some braggadocio on Ford's part, especially while it tries to stretch its jobs claims, but it's good news all the same. If the expansion keeps the likes of GM and Tesla on their toes, drivers hopefully win as a whole. Ford's Investment in Electrification Center of Excellence Delivers New Jobs, Better Fuel Economy, More Choice * Ford now has more than 1,000 engineers working on vehicle electrification – its highest number ever; 60 engineers added in the last year, dozens more to be added in the year ahead Customers benefit from Ford's investments in two ways – more fuel-efficient vehicle options and even better value. More information about Ford's electrified vehicle lineup – including press releases, technical specifications and other related material – can be found online here. Typical of the auto industry, Ford's early hybrids contained batteries that involved third parties in everything from design to testing. The Ford Advanced Electrification Center, formerly the Advanced Engineering Center, is located within the company's Henry and Edsel Ford Research & Engineering Center, the 500-acre technical complex in Dearborn that opened in 1953 and serves as the home for research and engineering efforts. |
| HBO and Fox cut a deal to keep the movies flowing through 2022, HBO Nordic launches soon Posted: 15 Aug 2012 08:24 PM PDT Just in case you only thought Amazon, Netflix and Redbox were working the studio deals, HBO announced today it's worked out an extension of its agreement with 20th Century Fox. Already the "premium network home" of Fox flicks for more than 30 years, this deal is long enough to keep it going into the next decade. The LA Times reports from its sources the the original deal would have expired in 2015, while the extension pushes it out to 2022 at a price of over $200 million per year. One key adjustment that's been made for the digital age gives Fox the ability to continue to sell its movies over digital stores even while they're airing on HBO unlike the previous deal, although we're told this provision does not extend to rentals during that time. That's on top of a previous tweak negotiated months ago that let Fox and other HBO partners provide digital copies of their movies on services like iTunes from the Cloud and Ultraviolet during the HBO pay window. One other note is that on the same day Netflix revealed its service is coming to several Scandinavian locales, HBO announced it's doing the same, launching HBO Nordic in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX AND HOME BOX OFFICE EXTEND FILM OUTPUT DEAL HBO® Announces New Nordic Service, HBO Nordic USA, New York – Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO®), the U.S.–based premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., and Peter Ekelund/Parsifal International today announced a new joint multi–platform video distribution venture, HBO Nordic, which will serve Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. Further details about the new service will be announced in Sweden at the end of the month. "HBO is delighted to be entering into a new marketplace and a promising partnership with Parsifal International," said Simon Sutton, President, HBO International and Content Distribution. "We look forward to working with this innovative company and making our new venture a great success." "I am very proud and excited to be a partner with HBO", said Peter Ekelund, owner of Parsifal International. "The Nordic pay TV market has a tremendous growth potential for new innovative services which respond to the existing shifts in consumer viewing habits on multiple screens. Parsifal will bring its expertise in the distribution of Pay TV services on multiple platforms." Renowned worldwide for its award–winning and critically acclaimed original programming, HBO has been successfully bringing its branded networks and digital platforms to the global market for more than 20 years. About HBO About Parsifal International |
| Sony unveils in-car receivers with App Remote, taps into your smartphone music from October Posted: 15 Aug 2012 07:52 PM PDT Sony has been big on smartphone integration for car audio lately, having already launched its MirrorLink receivers earlier in the year for the more well-heeled drivers among us. The company is bringing that mobile tie-in down to Earth through a new quartet of in-car CD receivers. The MEX-GS600BT, MEX-BT4100P, MEX-BT3100P and CDX-GS500R all bring in App Remote, which lets the faceplate buttons steer local music or Pandora streaming radio coming from Android, BlackBerry, iOS and Walkman devices paired through a Bluetooth wireless link. The old-fashioned USB connection is still on offer for these and the HD Radio-toting CDX-GT710HD, while the whole collection can graft on the optional SXV200V1 tuner to carry the full Sirius XM satellite radio lineup. Differences across the line aren't completely clear from Sony's wording, although both the MEX-GS600BT and CDX-GS500R carry two USB ports as well as 5-volt RCA preamp outputs. You'll be waiting awhile to slip any of these receivers into a DIN slot, regardless of which one you pick: the GS500R ships in October for $199, and the rest hit the shops in November for between $149 to $249. SONY FULFILLS DEMAND FOR ADVANCED SMARTPHONE CONNECTIVITY IN THE CAR WITH NEW ENTERTAINMNET SYSTEMS; CELEBRATES FIRST MIRRORLINK™ ROLLOUT IN THE US New App Remote Unifies Music and Smartphone Apps San Diego, CA – August 15, 2012 - Sony today introduced new in-dash CD receivers featuring Sony-exclusive App Remote technology, combining consumers' car audio music assets and smartphone apps into a single source list that can be controlled from the car audio system or smartphone. With App Remote, it is no longer necessary to go back-and-forth between the car audio system and smartphone to access a favorite tune. Music information such as album artwork is displayed on the smartphone screen, while incoming text messages can be read aloud through the car's speakers for superior driving convenience. In addition, today the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), an organization driving global innovation for phone-centric car connectivity solutions, congratulated Sony on the first successful launch of MirrorLink™ certified products announced earlier this year at CES. Available now, the XAV-601HD and XAV-701HD car stereos are the first to feature compatibility with MirrorLink, an emerging technology standard for controlling a nearby smartphone from the steering wheel or via dashboard buttons and screens. "Sony continues to lead the connected car era with state-of-the-art mobile audio technologies," said Andrew Sivori, Vice President of the Personal Audio Group at Sony Electronics Inc. "Earlier this year, we were pleased to be first in bringing MirrorLink-enabled products to market. Now with the introduction of App Remote on some of our newest CD receivers, we're paving the way for improved smartphone access and control, delivering a seamless driving entertainment experience." Integrated Bluetooth® Technology Bluetooth® is built-in to the new MEX-GS600BT, MEX-BT4100P and MEX-BT3100P CD receivers, and each model features Sony's App Remote technology. Bluetooth head units from Sony support a complete music streaming experience, allowing wireless playback, track control, and display of song information from Bluetooth enabled MP3 players or smartphones. The receivers also offer USB connectivity for Walkman®, iPod®, iPhone®, Android™, Blackberry®, and other compatible USB devices, with dual ports available on the MEX-GS600BT model. Sony continues to integrate control of Pandora® internet radio into new receivers. The Pandora-ready units let consumers listen to and control Pandora streaming content through connected iPhone®, Android®, and Blackberry® phones. Drivers will experience richer sound and customizable audio settings with Sony's Advanced Sound Engine. The systems are also SiriusXM™ Ready, using the new SXV200V1 SiriusXM Connect Vehicle Tuner Kit (sold separately, SiriusXM subscription required). The new SXV200V1 is the first SiriusXM Vehicle Tuner that receives an expanded channel lineup from SiriusXM with exclusive programming, providing more commercial-free music, sports, and comedy, including SiriusXM Latino, 20 channels of the most comprehensive Latin programming lineup available to radio listeners, featuring 10 exclusive commercial-free music channels. The MEX-GS600BT, MEX-BT4100P and MEX-BT3100P receivers will be available in November for about $249, $189, and $159, respectively, at Sony Stores, online at www.sony.com/car, and throughout the Sony Authorized Dealer Network nationwide. The MEX-GS600BT model, which features five-volt front/rear/sub RCA preamp outputs and a three-year warranty, will be available exclusively at specialty dealers. CD Receivers The new CDX-GS500R CD receiver features Sony's new App Remote technology for iPhone, while the new CDX-GT710HD model includes HD radio technology and a dynamic color illuminator for different light effects. Both systems are SiriusXM™ Ready and work with Pandora® on the iPhone®. The new models include USB connectivity (with dual ports on the CDX-GS500R model) for Walkman®, iPod®, iPhone®, Android™, Blackberry®, and other compatible USB devices. Featuring five-volt front/rear/sub RCA preamp outputs and a three-year warranty, the CDX-GS500R receiver will be available in October for about $199 at specialty dealers. The CDX-GT710HD model will be available in November for about $149 at Sony Stores, online at www.sony.com/car, and throughout the Sony Authorized Dealer Network nationwide. |
| Google Maps notches one million public transit stops worldwide, celebrates with an update Posted: 15 Aug 2012 07:33 PM PDT It's no secret how useful Google Maps can be when traveling in an unfamiliar locale -- especially in regards to public transportation. The folks in Mountain View have tallied over one million stops for bus, train, subway and tram systems in about 500 cities around the globe with the software. To celebrate the achievement, Google has released an update to its Maps for Android app. Version 6.10 adds some tweaks to the Transit Lines layer in order to display just one individual method of transport and updated the station pages to display needed information like departure time and lines of service in a more accessible fashion. Also among the new additions are modifications to region highlighting, My Places and Location History. Now, when you enter a city name or zip code, the boundaries of that particular region will be marked for visual reference. For a full rundown of the latest version, hit the first source link below or sprint on to the second to grab the update. Update: Oh look, Mountain View's even tweaked the icon, which we've added after the break. |
| Samsung Galaxy S III bootloader for Verizon can now be unlocked: take that, Big Red (update: video) Posted: 15 Aug 2012 07:11 PM PDT If you're hot and bothered by the Galaxy S III on Verizon and have a burning desire to get your grubby little mitts on some custom ROMs and kernels, then rejoice, because you'll no longer have to plunk down $600 on the Developer Edition to partake in the fun. That's right, the encrypted bootloader of Big Red's Galaxy S III has now been unlocked. If you're wanting to partake in the fun, you'll find the requisite utility and a complete list of instructions over at xda-developers. As is, you'll need either Linux or OS X to carry out the dirty work, though workarounds for Windows users are possible. Be sure to do a bit of soul-searching before pulling the trigger, however, as any future updates pose the risk of bricking your device. That said, if you dive straight into the world of custom ROMs, it'll be much less of an issue. Update: Hit the break for a video that shows the process of unlocking the bootloader on Verizon's Galaxy S III. [Special thanks to Adam Outler and François Simond]
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
The wide-angle view works in generating a more immersive gaming environs, and even slight turns registering on the game avatar. Tilt your head, and your view will do likewise -- not that we'd be doing that too much in-game. When you reach the limit of your head-turn, you can then use the games controller to see beyond it. Movement within the Doom 3 demo (also not the finished article) was dedicated to the left analog stick on an 
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