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- Apple wins injunction against Motorola in Germany over 'rubber-banding' patent
- Supercomputer built from Raspberry Pi and Lego, managed by humans rather than Minifigs
- Rogers boosting its LTE coverage in Canada, will cover 10 new cities by October 1st
- Nintendo TVii supported by 'all' major US and Canadian cable companies, dish services
- Nintendo Wii U expandable memory explained, TiVO hardware not built in
- Intel's Core i3 NUC mini-boards set to hit market in October, power up hobbyists and OEMs
- Ergo Electronics outs trio of budget-friendly GoTab GTi slates in the UK
- LG, Qualcomm ask us to save the date for yet another September smartphone reveal
- HP Envy Spectre XT review: a sleek and speedy Ultrabook with a killer keyboard
- Nintendo's Wii U up close and personal: a photo tour
- Wii U now up for pre-order at GameStop, trade credits outlined for your current gaming arsenal
- HTC One X+ with Tegra 3 makes appearance at FCC, boasts AT&T LTE
- Sony Xperia T lands at the FCC, lets us peek under the hood
- 'More than 50 games' launching alongside Wii U this November
- Apple gives region-by-region breakdown of iOS 6 capabilities: specifies Siri and Maps functionality
- C Spire, regional carriers join the iPhone 5 deluge on September 28th
- Nintendo unveils 'Nintendo TVii' for Wii U (video)
- Nintendo Wii U arrives in the US on Nov. 18 in two versions for $300 and $350, Europe on Nov. 30
- PSA: Motorola Droid RAZR M arrives on Verizon today, priced at $99
- New National School Speed Test hopes to help all K-12 students get effective digital learning
- Maingear outfits desktops with GeForce GTX 650 and 660, drops prices to lure us in
- NVIDIA ticks budget boxes with the $229 GeForce 660 and $109 GeForce 650
- World's oldest color film footage discovered in museum archive (video)
- Alibaba claims Google leaned on Acer to cancel launch of CloudMobile with Aliyun in China
- Huawei complains about US spying allegations, implies McCarthy-style victimization
- iPhone 5 coming to Cricket September 28th, keeps the pre-paid faithful happy
- LTE iPhone 5 coming to EE and Three in UK, but not O2 and Vodafone
- Double telepresence bot spotted in the wild, we go eyes-on (video)
- Sprint confirms its HD Voice is incompatible with the iPhone 5
- Panasonic PT-AE8000U projector touts brighter, smoother 3D for king-of-the-hill home theaters
- Want to use one of those new nano-SIMs? You'll need one of these
- Apple appeases European lawmakers with Lightning-to-microUSB adapter
- Nintendo Wii U gets December 8th release date for Japan: 26,260 yen for basic set, 31,500 yen for premium
- BitGym Motion SDK brings Kinect-style games to Android and iOS, no huge living room required (video)
- Motorola XT890 approved by FCC, may be next week's 2GHz Intel phone
- New 'nano-code' could help fight banknote forgery by embedding invisible QR-style ciphers
- Nikon unveils lightweight, full-frame D600 DSLR -- hands-on and low-light samples (video)
- Verizon Wireless confirms FaceTime over cellular on all data plans
- Intel wraps up Jelly Bean port for Atom smartphones, can't say when devices get it
- LG's Sera Park talks about the design story behind the Optimus G
| Apple wins injunction against Motorola in Germany over 'rubber-banding' patent Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:26 AM PDT Hope and pray all you want, but the patent wars are far from over. The latest chapter in the ongoing game of IP Risk hands Apple a victory over the Google-owned Motorola Mobility in Germany. If you thought the recent licensing deal would put the kibosh on further flare ups between the two, you were sadly mistaken. The Munich I Regional Court awarded Cupertino an injunction against Moto devices over the so-called "rubber-banding" patent, which relates to the bounce back animation when scrolling to the bottom or top of a list. The fate of infringing phones isn't set in stone yet, as there's still room for appeal, though, a €25 million bond would score Apple an enforceable preliminary injunction. One relatively simple solution would be for Moto to implement the stock Android "glowing" animation, which would bypass Apple's claims. Though, an even better solution would be for all parties involved to quit their bickering over patent minutia and focus on making the best products possible. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Supercomputer built from Raspberry Pi and Lego, managed by humans rather than Minifigs Posted: 13 Sep 2012 11:03 AM PDT If you're a computational engineer, there's no question about what you do with the Raspberry Pi: you make a supercomputer cluster. Researchers at the University of Southampton have followed their instincts and built Iridis-Pi, a tiny 64-node cluster based on the Raspberry Pi's usual Debian Wheezy distribution and linked through Ethernet. While no one would mistake any one Raspberry Pi for a powerhouse, the sheer number of networked devices gives the design both some computing grunt and 1TB worth of storage in SD cards. Going so small also leads to some truly uncommon rackmounting -- team lead Simon Cox and his son James grouped the entire array in two towers of Lego, which likely makes it the most adorable compute cluster you'll ever see. There's instructions to help build your own Iridis-Pi at the source link, and the best part is that it won't require a university-level budget to run. Crafting the exact system you see here costs under £2,500 ($4,026), or less than a grown-up supercomputer's energy bill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rogers boosting its LTE coverage in Canada, will cover 10 new cities by October 1st Posted: 13 Sep 2012 10:48 AM PDT We're sure it's just coincidence, but on the same day a certain new LTE phone was revealed, Rogers announced the expansion of its 4G network in Canada . By October 1st, the carrier will have switched on its high-speed network in Kingston , Edmonton , Quebec City, Oakville , Burlington , London , Kitchener , Waterloo , Cambridge and Barrie . That's not quite the end of it either, as the plan is to feed 60 percent of the country's inhabitants the same 4G nourishment by the end of the year, and even more in 2013. With so many new LTE-capable devices soon finding their way into the hands of data-hungry Canadians, all that remains is the important decision of choosing your latest pocket-filler. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nintendo TVii supported by 'all' major US and Canadian cable companies, dish services Posted: 13 Sep 2012 10:25 AM PDT Nintendo TVii will support "all" cable and dish carriers in the US and Canada, Nintendo director of strategic partnership Zach Fountain told Engadget this afternoon. He said that no major carriers are excluded, and the only requirement for signing up is inputting your cable company's account information to the Wii U. DVR and TiVO functionality are plugged in similarly, where users input information via web, and services resultantly pop up on the Wii U. Nintendo TVii launches with the Wii U on November 18 in the US and Canada for free, and remains exclusive to North America for the time being. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nintendo Wii U expandable memory explained, TiVO hardware not built in Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:55 AM PDT The Nintendo Wii U may only have 8 to 32GB of internal memory, but the company's taking a decidedly open approach to expanding that memory: add your own. "You can plug in a full-on three terabyte hard drive if you want. I'll love you as a digital consumer," Nintendo America CEO and president Reggie Fils-Aime told us during a post-press conference investor Q&A. Much like Sony's PlayStation 3, the Wii U allows for expansion of memory via USB, whether that memory be Flash or otherwise. Fils-Aime explained that, with the continuously dropping price of memory, there was little reason to offer pricing for the Wii U -- available in $300 and $350 -- tied to an evolving hardware model. "The reason we did it that way is that the cost of that type of storage memory is plummeting. What we didn't want to do is tie a profit model to something that's gonna rapidly decline over time. We'll let the consumer buy as much as they want, as cheaply as they want," Fils-Aime said. Fils-Aime also confirmed that the Wii U doesn't have TiVO hardware built into it -- functionality will require an existing TiVO box. The same goes for DVR functionality, which Fils-Aime said Nintendo doesn't want consumers to bear the expense of. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intel's Core i3 NUC mini-boards set to hit market in October, power up hobbyists and OEMs Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:31 AM PDT Intel has finalized the specs of its Next Unit of Computing (NUC) board, and announced it'll go on sale in October for less than $400 with a case and power supply. Carrying a 4 x 4-inch form factor between a Raspberry Pi and mini-ITX board, it'll be equipped with a Core i3 Ivy Bridge processor, HD 4000 graphics, two SO-DIMM sockets, an M-SATA slot for an SSD drive, three USB ports, one HDMI port and a mini-PCI slot for wireless connectivity. Two different models will be offered by the chip giant, identical except that one will be Thunderbolt equipped and the other will sport an ethernet port for connectivity. Originally intended for the kiosk and signage markets, enthusiast interest compelled Intel to put the board on general sale, along with a case (pictured above) and power supply option. That'll pit it against offerings from VIA and others, while offering considerably more oomph in a similar form factor -- though a mini-server slaying Core i5 option originally proposed by Intel was dropped. [Image credit: PC World] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ergo Electronics outs trio of budget-friendly GoTab GTi slates in the UK Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:18 AM PDT It would appear that a handful of tablet manufacturers want to take a piece of Apple's marketshare pie by tempting consumers with low-priced slabs. And, well, such is the case with small UK company Ergo Electronics. The Euro outfit recently introduced a trifecta of relatively economical GoTab GTi tablets; two of which come pre-loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich and one with Google's 4.1 treat. For starters, the top-of-the-line, Jelly Bean-loaded GTi97 boasts a 9.7-inch, IPS display alongside a dual-core, 1.6GHz RK3066 CPU and 1GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the GTi8 (8-inch) and GTi7 (7-inch) are both designed to be "super portable and lightweight," though the GTi8 packs a heavier punch thanks to a "high resolution" 160 ppi screen, same amount of RAM as its GTi97 cousin and a single-core, 1.2GHz CPU. Ergo Electronics is pricing these starting at £79 (around $128), with availability expected to be later this holiday season across the United Kingdom. Stunning new GoTab GTi range launched by UK company, 8" GTi8 Tablet to hit the spotlight for Christmas. Today in Birmingham, England, the new GoTab GTi Range is unveiled by UK Company Ergo Electronics. The range of tablets runs the hugely popular Android operating system and gives users access to high speed Wi-Fi internet, social networking, streaming and over 400,000 Play Store Apps. The GTi range has been designed to be affordable yet fashionable with the tablets being available with a stylish 'white' capacitive touchpanel. GTi97 - The 9.7" Tablet has a high-resolution IPS display with a capacitive multi-touch panel, perfect for surfing the web or using apps. The dual core RK3066 processor and 1GB RAM means multitasking is seamless and the 2 x 1.6GHz CPU's handle 3D games and 1080p movies with ease. The GTi97 has exceptional connectivity with Wi-Fi N, HDMI output, Micro SD Card slot and a micro USB port so it can easily fit with your digital home- SRP £179 GTi8 - The 8" tablet has a super high resolution (160PPI) screen giving users a crystal clear display, in a compact tablet they can take everywhere they go. The 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM and Wi-Fi N let users multitask quickly whether they want to surf the web, email, stream or use apps. The front 2MP camera is perfect for video conferencing or self portraits and the rear 2MP camera can take photos, videos or panoramic pictures. The high spec GTi8 tablet is the perfect blend of features, size, style and for an incredible SRP of only £129 GTi7 - The smallest tablet in the range is the 7" widescreen GTi7. Designed to be super portable and lightweight, the GTi7 will fit in a jacket pocket or handbag letting users quickly jump on Wi-Fi to check their social networking, read a book, play music or to enjoy their favourite Android Apps. SRP- £79 Sam Goult, Design Director at Ergo comments, "This is the next evolution of our GoTab range designed to have something for everyone. From the dual core GoTab GTi97 which is a big-screen powerhouse ideal for gaming and Android Apps, to the GTi7 which is lightweight and compact so you can take it everywhere you go. The range's centrepiece is the stunning GTi8 which has an amazingly sharp high-resolution screen (1024 x 768), so users get a big screen experience from something that that's really portable. The GTi range will offer our customers a new way to experience a tablet whether they enjoy surfing, socialising, working or gaming; theres something for everything, and something for everyone. We are anticipating the GTi range to be a huge hit this Christmas, with the breakthrough pricing helping families keep on top of their budgets in the current economic climate. We are also expecting the GTi range to appeal to female gadget fans more than ever due to the stunning slim designs, fashionable white touchscreens and the handy "handbag sized" form factor. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG, Qualcomm ask us to save the date for yet another September smartphone reveal Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:12 AM PDT Not quite tired of all the big mobile news to burst out of September's gates? Well, you can add one more to the list as LG's just issued an invite for an upcoming smartphone launch. What is the company introducing to go head-to-head against the Lumias, RAZR HDs, iPhone and offerings from HTC and Intel? Well, we can't say for certain, but with Qualcomm onboard as an official host, our money's on a stateside version of the Optimus G, the first LTE smartphone packing a quad-core Snapdragon S4 APQ8064. No doubt we'll be there on the 19th to bring you the news live, so stay tuned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HP Envy Spectre XT review: a sleek and speedy Ultrabook with a killer keyboard Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:00 AM PDT More InfoHP's Envy 14 Spectre hit almost all the right notes when we reviewed it back in March, thanks to its high-res display, sleek metal-and-glass design and brisk performance, but a stiff trackpad and the steep $1,400 price were clear downsides. The new Envy Spectre XT, a 13.3-inch Ivy Bridge-powered Ultrabook, has a thinner, lighter profile than its big brother, and a lower $1,000 price tag to match. That's still not chump change, though, so does the XT deserve a spot in the top tier of Intel-approved ultraportables? Join us past the break for the full breakdown. Look and feel
The Spectre XT has the trappings of a higher-end Ultrabook, including an all-metal design with a brushed silver finish on the lid and keyboard deck. HP carried over some familiar elements from its fuller-bodied Envy 14 Spectre, which weighs 3.97 pounds, compared to 3.07 for the XT. However, this model's aluminum lid is decidedly more elegant than the original Spectre's glossy black top. You'll find the same backlit chiclet keyboard, a reflective (rather than glowing) logo on the lid and the Hewlett-Packard name brandished across the hinge. Additionally, Beats Audio branding sits prominently on the laptop's speaker grille, with the red logo standing out amid all that silver. All told, the Envy Spectre XT feels quite good in the hand. The rounded corners are eminently grippable and the soft-touch bottom is delightfully smooth, but not too slippery. The whole package feels sturdy, too, though the screen is a bit wobbly. The machine tapers slightly, from 0.69 inches to 0.57 inches thick, which manages to give it a sleek feel even though its silhouette isn't as pointed as the MacBook Air (0.86 to 0.11 inches thick) or as skinny as the 0.3-inch ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A or 0.5-inch Samsung Series 9. HP outfitted the XT with a no-surprises selection of ports: two USB 3.0 connections, an SD card slot, combination headphone-out / microphone-in jack, Ethernet and HDMI. There's no DisplayPort as on the Envy 14 Spectre, and you can naturally forget about an optical drive. Keyboard and trackpad The Envy Spectre XT's black, island-style keyboard offers decently sized keys that respond to input with a satisfying clack. You'll enjoy much more travel on this layout than on many other Ultrabooks, which seem to be plagued with shallow keyboards. In everyday use, we made very few spelling mistakes, and didn't notice much, if any, flex. Like the Envy 14 Spectre and HP Folio 13, the XT sports a backlit keyboard, with a separate LED under each key. The layout is pretty much identical to what you'll find on the original Spectre, with shrunken arrow keys standing out as the only undersized elements.
While keyboard quality remains consistent between the XT and its older brother, the trackpad on this thinner system is a welcome improvement. The Synaptics clickpad did right by us, allowing for smooth two-finger scrolling without resistance or any noticeable lag. Pinching to zoom is also easy to execute, and the pad wasn't overly sensitive in performing this gesture, a problem we found on the original Spectre. The built-in buttons, too, are accurate and responsive. Overall, the touchpad feels much more fine-tuned than what we've seen on previous HP systems, and that's definitely something to write home about. One carryover from the company's previous laptops is the trackpad-disabling feature, which lets you disable the clicker by double-tapping an icon on the pad's upper-left corner. You'll see a glowing orange LED when the pad is turned off. Display and audio The Spectre XT's 1,366 x 768 display isn't exceptionally crisp and clear, but colors appear plenty vibrant. As to be expected with a glossy, non-IPS screen, viewing angles are limited. Images begin to wash out when you move even a smidgen to the left or right of center, and tipping the lid a bit forward renders content on the display unviewable. That's not to say this is the most glare-ridden panel we've contended with, but it makes us appreciate the Envy 14 Spectre's screen all the more. In a perfect world, HP would carry over that pixel count without raising the price, but that's not going to happen any time soon. Beats Audio is a given on most HP machines and that usually means a better listening experience than what you'll get on your average laptop. That said, we aren't blown away with the sound quality on the Spectre XT. Though the machine offers ample volume, songs come through tinny and canned. We can't knock HP too hard for this: beefier machines such as the Envy 15 have room for a subwoofer, and that's just not a possibility on this Ultrabook. Two of the XT's speakers are placed on the underside of the machine, which might explain the muffled audio. (There are also speakers on the front grille.) With headphones plugged in, you'll get the Beats benefit; music sounds richer, and there's a satisfying amount of bass. Performance
A Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD hint at a high-performing Ultrabook, and the Spectre XT does pretty darn well in synthetic benchmark tests. In PCMark Vantage, the system notched a score of 12,223, which bests the Envy 14 Spectre by nearly 3,000 points. Among Ivy Bridge Ultrabooks, too, that's a solid showing. The ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A and the Acer Aspire S5 are in the same ballpark, with scores of 12,494 and 12,895, respectively. In the disk benchmark ATTO, the XT delivered max read speeds of 520 MB/s, while writes topped off at 265 MB/s. Those numbers are impressive -- about on par with the Samsung Series 9's performance, though both fall short of the Aspire S5's mind-blowing 875 MB/s reads and 700 MB/s writes. Champ performer though this system may be, it's an Ultrabook with Intel HD Graphics 4000, and there's only so much you can do without a discrete chip. Still, the Spectre XT fares considerably better than its competitors in 3DMark06, knocking out a score of 5,197. That trumps the UX31A (4,989), pulls in well ahead of the Envy 14 Spectre (3,468) and falls 630 points short of the MacBook Air (5,827). Suffice to say, those strong benchmark showings translate into swift real-word performance. Cold-booting into Windows 7 Home Professional takes a breezy 16 seconds, and waking from sleep takes about three. Not only do those times feel refreshingly speedy, they hold their own against top-performing Ultrabooks, such as the MacBook Air (15 seconds) and the Sandy Bridge-equipped ASUS UX31 (16 seconds). The Spectre XT can satisfy a casual gaming habit, but firing up graphically intensive titles like Call of Duty will push this guy to the limits. We saw a modest 20 frames per second in this game, and the fan started acting up merely minutes into our fragging. In World of Warcraft, the frame rate hovered around a playable 60 fps. Here too, though, the fan began to whir and we felt the XT getting a bit toasty. Battery life
The XT's four-cell lithium-ion battery lasted four hours and 57 minutes on our video rundown test, which involves playing a locally stored video on loop with WiFi on and display brightness set to 65 percent. That runtime falls a bit short of average for the Ultrabook category, and it's 33 minutes less than the Envy 14 Spectre's showing. The earlier HP Folio also lasted longer: six hours and eight minutes. Needless to say, it's one of the biggest reasons you might consider a competing Ultrabook instead. Software and warranty HP continues its tradition of generous (and actually useful!) software pre-loads with the Envy Spectre XT. The company includes full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements, plus a complimentary two-year subscription to Norton Internet Security 2012. Lest you think HP is a complete angel, though, you'll still find a healthy serving of bloatware. Pre-installed programs include CyberLink YouCam, a suite of card and casino-style games. There's also HP's selection of utilities, including Support Assistant and Recovery Manager, which make themselves a little too known through pop-ups. (One word: disable.) Like other Envy laptops, the XT comes with a two-year limited hardware warranty. Support includes 24 / 7 phone support and parts and labor coverage. Nothing shocking here, but HP does compare favorably to other PC vendors in this department. Dell and Toshiba, for instance, offer only one year of coverage, and extending warranties can cost up to nearly $199. Configuration options and the competitionOur review unit is the $1,000 entry-level configuration, with a 1.7GHz Core i5-3317U processor, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. For $1,125, you get a Core i7-3517U CPU, and an extra $125 gets you the highest-end processor option, a Core i7-3667U. The maxed-out version of the XT, with the faster Core i7 CPU, 256GB of SSD storage and the full version of Microsoft Office Professional, will set you back $1,759. Without the software add-on, you're looking at a $1,450 price tag for those specs. Notably, there's no option to configure the system with additional RAM. Assuming you want to stay in the XT's price range, you'll find a couple 13- to 14-inch Ultrabooks with similar features under the hood. One such option is the Toshiba Portégé Z935, an Ivy Bridge refresh of the Z835 with a Core i5 CPU, 6GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and a backlit keyboard. Looks-wise, the plain-Jane Portégé can't hold a candle to the XT, but it does weigh a lighter 2.47 pounds. If high pixel density is on your list of priorities, the $1,069 ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A, with its brilliant 1,920 x 1,080 IPS display, could make a strong case for your money. It weighs 2.86 pounds, boasts an attractive all-metal design and turns in solid benchmark scores, and its other specs stack up with the XT's: a Core i7 CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. The downside is a finicky touchpad -- HP's machine is clearly superior in that regard. And if you're curious why the $1,400 Envy 14 Spectre warrants a $400 premium over the XT, well, it doesn't, necessarily. Yes, this machine stands out for its scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass lid and 14-inch 1,600 x 900 display, but a high-res screen can be had for a lower price. Other specs match up closely with the XT's, including Core i5 and i7 processor options and up to a 256GB SSD, but its clickpad is decidedly inferior.
Finally, we'll briefly touch on a yet-to-be-released option that could give those of you interested in the XT pause. HP recently announced the Spectre XT TouchSmart, a 15-inch version of the Ultrabook reviewed here which boasts a touchscreen -- and a 1080p IPS panel at that. Naturally, the TouchSmart will run Windows 8, and it weighs a more substantial 4.77 pounds. The MSRP is also a costlier $1,400, though that's hardly a surprise given the premium features. Wrap-up The Envy Spectre XT is a good Ultrabook on its own, and an even better one when you consider how HP improved upon the already-appealing Envy 14 Spectre. A refined, responsive touchpad, even brisker performance and a more palatable price make this a prime contender for the contents of your wallet. Unimpressive battery life and weak audio dampen our enthusiasm slightly, but ultimately the XT is one of the best Ultrabooks available right now. If you want a touch-enabled, higher-res display -- and your pockets run deep enough -- you may want to wait it out for the XT TouchSmart, but among 13-inchers, this system gets our stamp of approval. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nintendo's Wii U up close and personal: a photo tour Posted: 13 Sep 2012 08:52 AM PDT We're here at Nintendo's Wii U event in New York City where the gaming outfit's prexy Reggie Fils-Aime just announced US pricing and release details for the console, as well as it's own unique TVii service. And now that those important tidbits have been squared away, it's time to focus on the hardware. Yes, you may have seen the Wii U console many times before, but the House that Mario built's been notoriously stingy about giving media access to a non-tethered unit. Well, the time has come to see nearly every facet of this next-gen contender. As you'll note in the gallery below, the only area the Big N wouldn't let us photograph is this Premium version's backside. For whatever reason, the company doesn't want those ports shown, but we can tell you what they consist of: AC adapter, AV multiout, sensor bar, HDMI out and what looks like two ports for USB. Undecided on whether you should be placing that pre-order right about now? Then take a tour of this onyx pair and see if it changes things any. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wii U now up for pre-order at GameStop, trade credits outlined for your current gaming arsenal Posted: 13 Sep 2012 08:47 AM PDT Eager to get your mitts on one of the Wii U consoles? Well, you can pre-order both the basic and premium bundles from the folks at GameStop starting today in order to be well-prepared for the November 18th release. The gaming retailer is also offering a variety of trade-in credits for those aging kits that you're itchin' to get rid of. You can expect to snag $50 for your old Wii and the numbers continue to head north from there for the Xbox 360, PS3 and more. You can pre-order a number of the launch titles as well, should you feel inclined to do so. Dive in to the particulars in the full PR that follows and hit the source link to commit your funds to the cause. GameStop Now Taking Pre-Orders for Nintendo Wii U New system will be available Nov. 18 online and at U.S. GameStop Locations GRAPEVINE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GameStop (NYSE: GME), the world's largest multichannel retailer of video games, announced today that it is now taking pre-orders on Nintendo's revolutionary new video game console, the Wii U. Top Wii U games, like Call of Duty: Black Ops II, ZombiU, New Super Mario Bros. U and Batman: Arkham City: Armored Edition, are also available for pre-order at GameStop. "Our customers have been anxious to pre-order the Wii U since details were announced at E3," said GameStop president Tony Bartel. "Wii U is a great way to launch the next generation of video game consoles and is sure to be at the top of a lot of wish lists this holiday season." Beginning today, GameStop pre-order customers can get the Wii U for less with exclusive trade bonuses. When trading toward the Wii U, customers can get up to: $50 trade credit for a Wii The Wii U will be available Nov. 18, 2012 at all U.S. GameStop stores and online at www.GameStop.com in the following options: Basic Set ($299.99) – 8 GB white Wii U, white Wii U GamePad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HTC One X+ with Tegra 3 makes appearance at FCC, boasts AT&T LTE Posted: 13 Sep 2012 08:22 AM PDT In contrast to the Sony Xperia T, HTC's latest device just hit the FCC without offering many details -- but fortunately we have a pretty good idea of what it is anyway. Identified as the PM63100, we've seen this particular model show up on benchmark results as the HTC One X+, a rumored revision of the current flagship. As you may recall, the benchmark claims that the One X+ features a Tegra 3 quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz. Happily, the FCC-approved phone also throws in LTE connectivity (sporting AT&T-friendly bands 4 and 17 in addition to 2 and 5), fulfilling NVIDIA's self-made prophecy that we would see Tegra 3 devices with the next-gen tech by the end of 2012. Sadly, the federal docs don't show us much more than what you see above, but it's an indication that we may not have to wait too much longer to learn more. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sony Xperia T lands at the FCC, lets us peek under the hood Posted: 13 Sep 2012 08:18 AM PDT There isn't much mystery left to an FCC-bound phone that's already been announced and thoroughly handled, but we must admit that Sony does a pretty good job at making the federal approval documents more exciting than most. How? More often than not, the confidentiality request has already been lifted, leaving us with a user manual and a full trove of teardown photos. Such is the case with the Xperia T, announced recently at IFA 2012. Aside from these additional elements, there likely isn't much for the average gadget-loving American to geek out about -- this particular model offers pentaband HSPA+ / UMTS but lacks LTE, which means it's probably only going to find its way to purple mountains majesty through the efforts of T-Mobile (or importers, worst-case) -- we're still holding out hope for the AT&T-branded version that leaked a few days ago, however. No matter its fate, follow us below for a gallery full of revealing photos.
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| 'More than 50 games' launching alongside Wii U this November Posted: 13 Sep 2012 08:15 AM PDT When Nintendo's Wii U launches this November in the US and EU, it's bringing "more than 50" launch window games -- what that "launch window" means, exactly, is another question altogether. Nintendo's leading the lineup with a variety of its own games, though publishers Activision and Ubisoft are certainly leading the charge in terms of sheer number of games. A variety of high-profile cross platform ports are heading to the Wii U, from Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 to Madden NFL 13. And yes, Nintendo's bringing plenty of its stalwart franchises to the launch, including New Super Mario Bros. Head past the break for the full list shown during today's New York City press conference.
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| Apple gives region-by-region breakdown of iOS 6 capabilities: specifies Siri and Maps functionality Posted: 13 Sep 2012 08:02 AM PDT In an effort to let its customers know exactly what they'll get when the iPhone 5 (and downloadable updates) arrive in their country, Apple has broken down what iOS 6 will offer in different territories. US customers will get the full bounty that the mobile OS has to offer, being the only country whose maps will be peppered with 3D buildings. A pretty comprehensive list of 23 iPhone-enraptured countries will join the US in claiming turn-by-turn navigation and traffic information, including most of western Europe, Australia, China and Canada. 49 countries will get their maps augmented by local search results, while directions and satellite imaging will arrive on an even larger list of places you'll now need to visit. Siri content, meanwhile, is a little leaner, with the likes of the UK, Japan, Canada and Australia all joining the US on some pretty short lists, gaining Twitter, Sport, Facebook and local search integration. Movie content, including reviews and showtimes, will only be fully enabled in the USA, UK and Canada. Check Apple's full breakdown at the source below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C Spire, regional carriers join the iPhone 5 deluge on September 28th Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:47 AM PDT Don't worry about Cricket hogging the spotlight during the second wave of the iPhone 5's US launch. C Spire, Appalachian Wireless and Alaska's GCI have also promised to carry Apple's taller smartphone on the same September 28th date. Details of the arrival will have to wait, although they're not likely to veer sharply from the prices and rates that carriers were setting back in the iPhone 4S days. There are a few gaps in the narrative versus the earlier releases: we have yet to see news from GCI's Alaskan neighbors as well as Cellcom or nTelos, for example. The plan is nonetheless a sign that Apple wants to blanket the American landscape with new iPhones as quickly as possible. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nintendo unveils 'Nintendo TVii' for Wii U (video) Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:26 AM PDT Nintendo showed off some of the Wii U's new television functionality during its New York City press event -- first unveiled during E3 2012 -- including a built-in DVR powered by TiVO, and search across several content providers (Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant, and cable television). It's unclear whether the DVR functionality is built into the console or not, but we'll be sure to find out as soon as possible. Nintendo's director of strategic partnership Zach Fountain's calling the service a "personalized program guide" and he showed off how you'll be able to interact with content -- movies and television shows can be searched via text entry, or explored in a general category sense (movies, tv, sports, etc.). If QWERTY text isn't your kind of thing, a rotary entry in the lower right corner offers another way to seek out content. The service is only for US and Canadian Wii U owners for now, but Fils-Aime said the company's exploring an expansion into other parts of the Americas. Nintendo TVii is free with the purchase of a console this November. Click on past the break for the company's brief video demo.
Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
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| Nintendo Wii U arrives in the US on Nov. 18 in two versions for $300 and $350, Europe on Nov. 30 Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:03 AM PDT The Nintendo Wii U will launch in the US on Sunday, November 18, Nintendo America president and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime revealed in a New York City press conference this morning. It'll arrive in Europe on November 30, though no price was given for our friends abroad. Like its Japanese release, the console comes in two varieties: a base level bundle in white with just 8GB of internal memory for $300 and a premium bundle in black with 32GB of internal memory for $350. Each version contains the console itself, a WiiPad, a charging stand, a play stand, and a stand for the console. The premium version, however, adds a subscription to Nintendo's Premium Network, which offers various rewards for digital purchases -- it also gets a full 32GB of internal memory, which is a pretty major step up over the 8GB model. It's hard to imagine either having enough internal storage compared with current-gen consoles, but the Wii U's memory is expandable via USB. Fils-Aime also said that Wii remotes are getting rebranded for the Wii U, and will be available in retail shops shortly. Check out the official PR and an additional shot of the basic set after the break. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report NINTENDO ANNOUNCES NOV. 18 LAUNCH DATE AND DETAILS FOR REVOLUTIONARY Wii U CONSOLE New Nintendo TVii Application to Change the Way Viewers Experience TV and Video Content Using Wii U GamePad Controller REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 13, 2012 – Nintendo today revealed full details about how the new Wii U™ home console and its groundbreaking touch-screen Wii U GamePad controller can revolutionize not only video game play but also the way people find and watch TV and video content. The new HD system will offer entirely new ways for consumers to play games and enjoy their favorite programming when it launches in the Americas on Nov. 18. During the launch window, more than 50 games will be available for Wii U, which will be offered in two different colors and configurations. The Basic Set will be offered in white at a suggested retail price of $299.99, while the Deluxe Set, which includes higher storage capacity, additional accessories and the new Nintendo Land™ video game, will be offered in black at a suggested retail price of $349.99. Additionally, Nintendo shared new information about dozens of games on the way for Wii U, including Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros.™ U, LEGO® City: Undercover, BAYONETTA 2, The Wonderful 101™, Capcom's Monster Hunter™ 3 Ultimate and Activision's Call of Duty®: Black Ops II. New Super Mario Bros. U offers unprecedented ways for friends and families to play together and explore Mario's world using the GamePad. Nintendo Land, which will be available as a standalone game or included with the Wii U Deluxe Set, is a virtual theme park featuring a lineup of 12 playable attractions based on Nintendo's greatest game worlds, including The Legend of Zelda™, Metroid™, Mario™, Animal Crossing™ and Donkey Kong™. As an added bonus for consumers, a Chase McCain LEGO minifigure will come as a special pre-order bonus for those who pre-order a copy of LEGO City: Undercover at participating retailers while supplies last. All of these games will instantly immerse players in a variety of new game-play experiences that are available only on Wii U. "The wait is almost over - in just 66 days, Wii U will arrive with the strongest lineup of launch software in Nintendo history," said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. "With the integrated second screen of the included GamePad and features that instantly enhance the way people play games, watch video and interact with each other, consumers will see how Wii U delivers a completely unique experience and a remarkable value right out of the box. The new system also creates extraordinary new possibilities for game developers, bound only by the limits of their imaginations." The Wii U Basic Set includes a white Wii U console with 8 GB of internal storage, one white GamePad controller, AC adapters for both the console and controller, a sensor bar and an HDMI® cable. In the Wii U Deluxe Set, components are black. This bundle includes all elements from the Basic Set, as well as the Nintendo Land game, increased console storage capacity of 32 GB, a console stand, GamePad charging cradle and a stand that allows users to place the GamePad vertically on a table. Consumers who purchase the Deluxe Set also will be enrolled in the Deluxe Digital Promotion, which lets Wii U owners receive points for each digital download and redeem those points for future downloadable content from the Nintendo eShop. The promotion is currently planned through 2014. Both configurations offer a wealth of one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences, including an online gaming community called Miiverse™ and the new Nintendo TVii application. Using the touch screen on the GamePad controller, Nintendo TVii users will be able to browse programming from sources they subscribe to, including cable and satellite channels, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube and even their recorded TiVo shows – all from a single starting point. "The integrated second screen of the GamePad creates new possibilities for how games can be played, and further reflects the innovation Nintendo has poured into the Wii U," said Eric Hirshberg, Activision Publishing's CEO. "We're excited for our fans to experience the biggest franchises, like Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Skylanders Giants and Transformers Prime, in new ways made possible on Wii U." Below is a list of upcoming Wii U games that will be available on launch day or during the launch window*. (For information about third-party games, check with the individual publishers.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PSA: Motorola Droid RAZR M arrives on Verizon today, priced at $99 Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:00 AM PDT We were pleasantly surprised with what Motorola offered in its smallest new smartphone. With a responsive dual-core S4 processor and a battery that went the distance, the RAZR M is looking like a strong prospect for Verizon, landing at $99 (after a $50 rebate) on a two-year contract. To celebrate it launching today, Motorola's even cooked up a quick ad to go with the launch -- we've added it after the break. Visit the Verizon link below to place your order.
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| New National School Speed Test hopes to help all K-12 students get effective digital learning Posted: 13 Sep 2012 06:36 AM PDT With 99 percent of the nation's K-12 schools hooked-up to the internet, you'd think online learning was an educational staple. Sadly, it's also estimated that some 80 percent of those connections can't provide the 100Mbps per 1,000 students bandwidth the State Education Technology Directors Association recommends. That's why NPO EducationSuperHigway has announced the National School Speed Test initiative, with the goal to take actual stock of the state of internet connections in our schools. The NSST hopes to measure the internet capabilities of every K-12 school, and identify those that are lagging behind. Educational staff and students can also help out by checking their own school's speeds on a dedicated website (linked below). The results of the NSST will be open to the institutions themselves, districts and state departments of education, enabling them to better plan upgrade strategies for the future.
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| Maingear outfits desktops with GeForce GTX 650 and 660, drops prices to lure us in Posted: 13 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT Whenever there's a new video card or processor, Maingear is almost always on the scene with an upgrade -- sometimes within seconds of its hardware partners. A plan to use NVIDIA's new GeForce GTX 650 and 660 graphics chips from day one proves that rule in style, although Maingear is going the distance with some incentives beyond just shiny parts. Along with making the mid-tier GeForce technology an option for every desktop, the PC builder is offering special GTX 650 and 660 versions of its F131 and Potenza gaming rigs that knock as much as $150 off the price. The base prices of $949 for the limited-run Potenza and $1,199 for the F131 keep either system in serious gamer territory and preclude us from calling them tremendous bargains. Nonetheless, it's difficult to grouse very loudly: it's not often that a price drop and a hardware upgrade walk hand in hand. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NVIDIA ticks budget boxes with the $229 GeForce 660 and $109 GeForce 650 Posted: 13 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT NVIDIA's had some trouble shaving its Kepler GPUs down to an entry-level price point, but it looks to have put the problem behind it with the new GeForce 660 and 650 graphics cards. The company's ambition was to coax impoverished gamers clinging to DirectX9 (and to a lesser extent, 10) into switching up to this wallet-friendly pair of low-end units. The 660 has been designed to be the "weapon of choice" for budget gamers. It'll play most games at reasonably high settings, thanks to its 2GB of RAM, 960 CUDA Cores and GPU Boost, which automatically overclocks the silicon according to the demands of your software. While we'll wait for real-world benchmarks, the company expects four-times the performance of the GeForce 9800GT, claiming games like Borderlands 2 and Guild Wars 2, in a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 will play at frame rates of 51fps and 41fps with full 3D, respectively The 650 is the company's self-proclaimed "gateway" into gaming, being the lowest-priced Kepler it's planning to produce. Unlike the other cards in the range, it lacks GPU Boost, but the company left six-pin power on the card, giving card makers 64W to push the "good overclocker" 1GHz units all the way to 1.2GHz. It's got 1GB of DDR5 RAM, which will apparently handle even the newest games at mid-range levels of detail with its 384 CUDA Cores. The pair are available from today, with companies like Maingear and Origin already announcing discounted desktops for them to nestle inside. NVIDIA BRINGS POWER OF GEFORCE GTX TO GAMERS EVERYWHERE WITH TWO NEW KEPLER-BASED GPUS Priced at £179 / $229 and £89 / $109 (MSRP), GeForce GTX 660 and GTX 650 More than Quadruples Performance for Millions of Gamers SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Sept. 13, 2012-NVIDIA today introduced two new high-performance GPUs, the NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660 and GeForce GTX 650. These new gaming GPUs deliver the exceptional performance and power efficiency of the award-winning NVIDIA® Kepler™ architecture at price points that will allow more gamers to experience the richness of next-generation PC gaming. The GeForce GTX 660 and GeForce GTX 650 GPUs set a new benchmark for high-performance, remarkably-priced gaming when paired with the incredible line-up of top DirectX 11 games, including Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Assassin's Creed III and World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. The GeForce GTX 660 represents a phenomenal upgrade opportunity for gamers still playing games on last-generation graphics technology. For the millions of gamers still gaming on the GeForce 9800 GT, the 4X performance improvement[i] delivered by the GTX 660 will be an upgrade temptation not easily resisted. Similarly, the GTX 650 delivers an 8X performance improvement over the 9500 GT[ii], allowing gamers to step up to the GTX family with a low-cost solution that delivers a significant boost in performance. Packed with cutting-edge technologies integrated into the NVIDIA Kepler™ architecture-including DirectX 11 tessellation, NVIDIA PhysX®, NVIDIA Adaptive Vsync, and temporal anti-aliasing (TXAA)-only GeForce GTX GPUs, such as the new GTX 660 and GTX 650, will ensure gamers have the most immersive gaming experience possible. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 and 650 GPUs are available now from the world's leading add-in card suppliers, including ASUS, EVGA, Gainward, Gigabyte, Inno3D, KFA2, MSI, Palit, Point of View, PNY, and Zotac. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 and 650 GPUs also feature at the core of superb new enthusiast PC systems built by One (DE), Komputronik (PL), Meijin (RU), Paradigit (NL), Komplett (NO), Scan (UK), Materiel.net (FR), TechnoComputer (IT), CoolMod (ES), Asbis (CZ), DigiTec (CH), INET (SE), and Mulitrama (GR). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World's oldest color film footage discovered in museum archive (video) Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:40 AM PDT Cached away for over a century, the world's first color moving pictures have been shown for the first time yesterday, according to the National Media Museum in the UK. The celluloid, shot by inventor Edward Raymond Turner in 1899, was actually in black and white and it was only through a curator's research that its colorful significance was also unearthed. When the footage was first shot, each frame was run consecutively through red, green or blue gels, and the process needed to be reversed during projection to reveal the color. Fortunately, a blueprint by the inventor of how to do just that was also found, allowing the institution's team to replicate the process digitally to produce the final footage. This type of color gel processing didn't take off in the early 20th century due to the mechanical complexity, and it would have been inferior to a chemical process since each frame carried only one-third of the full color information. Still, it required a clever mind to dream it up, with an equally big brain to uncover it and finally give Turner his due. See the video below the break for the stunning un-retouched, non-hand-colored results. [Image Credit: National Media Museum]
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| Alibaba claims Google leaned on Acer to cancel launch of CloudMobile with Aliyun in China Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:15 AM PDT Just yesterday Acer was getting ready to unleash its CloudMobile smartphone on the Chinese public sporting an equally local (and equally not Android) Aliyun operating system. According to Reuters, however, when journalists turned up for the launch event today, an Alibaba (who make Aliyun) spokesperson told them the launch had been cancelled, before later releasing a statement saying Acer had received pressure from Google to pull the launch. The competing OS manufacturer claims that the Acer was told product collaborations and Android authorization would cease if the product was released. So far Google has declined to comment, but if true, represents some significant strong arming, in what is clearly a significant market. We have reached out to Google for comment ourselves. More as we know it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huawei complains about US spying allegations, implies McCarthy-style victimization Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:10 AM PDT Many other arguments are put forward, but some of the most interesting paragraphs deal with the background of Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei. The document claims that Zhengfei has been "tragically misunderstood" and that his alleged roles in the People's Liberation Army and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are "unsubstantiated." The report doesn't deny those memberships ever existed, but instead downplays their significance -- for example by insisting that the CCP is now focused on promoting "private entrepreneurs" and "democratization." We admittedly stopped reading at that point, but if you'd like to continue then the full 78-page PDF, written by Dan Steinbock of the India, China and America Institute, is linked below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| iPhone 5 coming to Cricket September 28th, keeps the pre-paid faithful happy Posted: 13 Sep 2012 04:54 AM PDT Well, there wasn't any word about it from the stage yesterday, but we're happy to report that the iPhone 5 will be going pre-paid from (almost) day one. The contract-free Cricket will be first to offer the latest from Cupertino in a pay-as-you-go format, repeating its claim to fame with the 4S. Price is still up in the air, but we expect the 16GB iPhone 5 and 4S to land at the same price points already on the books for pre-paid iOS handsets -- $499 and $399, respectively. It doesn't look like there will be a pre-order period, so you'll just have to carry yourself down to your local Cricket shop on September 28th if your want your 4-inch iOS without the commitment. You'll find the exceedingly brief PR after the break. Cricket to Offer iPhone 5 SAN DIEGO, Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cricket Communications, a leading provider of innovative and value-driven wireless services, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP), today announced it will offer iPhone 5, the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, to customers in select Cricket markets in the U.S. beginning Friday, September 28. For more information please visit: www.mycricket.com/iphone5. For more information on iPhone 5, please visit: www.apple.com/iphone. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LTE iPhone 5 coming to EE and Three in UK, but not O2 and Vodafone Posted: 13 Sep 2012 04:25 AM PDT Brits ready to stake their preorder claim this Friday might have a harder time deciding between the myriad of networks offering the device. While all of the major UK carriers will be ready to offer you the iPhone 5, that LTE radio will only be working on the newly-christened EE from the start, with Three likely to use that purchased spectrum (after getting the okay from Ofcom) to similar effect in the near-future. Unfortunately for Vodafone and O2, the forthcoming Ofcom spectrum auction is gearing up to sell off the 800MHz (Band 20) and 2.6GHz (Band 7) frequencies -- neither of which are found on Apple's multiple iPhone 5 models, and the latter being a bigger problem in Europe and Asia, where LTE networks already make use of the 2.6GHz frequency. However, Apple have followed up an initial phone launch with additional network-specific models before -- so there's a slim chance we could see another model at a later date. All the UK carriers are keeping their contract prices a tightly-guarded secret at the moment, but we'll update as soon as we hear more. Meanwhile, those on that little European isle can expect to pay £529 for the entry-level iPhone 5 from the source when pre-orders start this Friday. Update: Pocket-lint's been told that those looking to grab the EE iteration will need to initially register with either Orange or T-Mobile, with your service bizarrely migrating across on a later, as-yet unconfirmed, date. This is because its new 4G network won't be ready when the iPhone 5 first hits shops on September 21st. Before that, you'll have to make do with HSPA+ speeds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Double telepresence bot spotted in the wild, we go eyes-on (video) Posted: 13 Sep 2012 03:41 AM PDT Double Robotics' telepresence bot showed up on our radar a few weeks back, and today we got to chat with its creators and see the thing in person. As a quick refresher, Double is a two-wheeled self balancing bot that turns your iPad into a telepresence screen. Company co-founder Marc DeVidts shared a few more details about his bot, letting us know that it's powered by a 28.8V, 2.9Ah lithium ion cell. And, it turns out the Double's controls aren't app-dependant -- it can be operated by either an iPad running the company's app or by web browser. For now, it's iPad-only, but because Double communicates with Apple slates via Bluetooth, the possibility for Android compatibility does exist, even though the company currently has no plans to make it happen. While you iPad owners wait for the one you undoubtedly just ordered to arrive, check out our video of Double's deliberate moves after the break.
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| Sprint confirms its HD Voice is incompatible with the iPhone 5 Posted: 13 Sep 2012 03:01 AM PDT The new, lighter iPhone 5 has a bigger screen, punchier processor, LTE and dual-band WiFi, but if you plan to pick one up for Sprint's network, you can't have it all. Carrier spokesperson Michelle Leff Mermelstein told Phone Scoop that its version of HD Voice will not work on Apple's new wünderphone. While most carriers use WCDMA networks to achieve the greater definition, Sprint uses CDMA 1X Advanced, which unfortunately isn't compatible with the handset. Knowing the feature will be missing prior to launch isn't ideal, but when you're calling your friends to boast about that day-one purchase, a slight drop in clarity isn't likely to kill your geek buzz. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panasonic PT-AE8000U projector touts brighter, smoother 3D for king-of-the-hill home theaters Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:35 AM PDT Panasonic wasn't one of the quickest out of the gate with a 3D projector, having only unveiled the PT-AE7000 in the middle of last year, but it's making up for lost time with a follow-up. The PT-AE8000 puts most of the focus on that extra dimension through both a 20 percent brighter 3D picture and motion interpolation for the stereoscopic image. Fine-tuning is equally new through picture balance and monitor tools that help perfect the color and parallax effects before any 3D movie gets started. Traditionalists in love with 2D get their fill, too: a new 220W lamp produces deeper reds, a more visible 2,400 lumens of brightness and (with the help of plates and filters) an even higher 500,000:1 contrast ratio. We've confirmed with Panasonic that the AE8000U should cost the same $3,499 as the AE7000 when it reaches stores between late September and early October, which makes the new projector a tempting prospect if you've been holding off until now. Panasonic Introduces New 3D Home Theater Projector with Advanced Customization Features Brighter and Clearer Images with 3D Motion Remaster for an Immersive Theater Experience SECAUCUS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Panasonic, a manufacturer of consumer and professional projector solutions, today announced the new PT-AE8000U full-HD 3D home theater projector. With 2,400 lumens of brightness and an extremely high 500,000:1 contrast ratio, this 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) resolution projector embodies Panasonic's 11 years of home theater projector engineering. The PT-AE8000U provides excellent picture quality in 2D, as well as advanced 3D features that deliver a natural and comfortable movie theater experience at home. Hollywood Collaboration Since 2003, Panasonic has manufactured high quality home theater projectors in collaboration with Hollywood filmmakers and Panasonic's Hollywood Laboratory. This partnership is instrumental in the development of projectors that deliver the image quality filmmakers intended. The PT-AE8000U is the latest projector to go through this process, having been fine-tuned to produce images as close as possible to directors' original intentions. "Panasonic engineers bring us in to make evaluations and listen to what we have to say, so that when they are doing the design work they take our considerations into effect," said Steven Poster ASC, cinematographer. "I don't know of any other home theater projector manufacturers doing that at this point." For more information on Panasonic's collaboration with Hollywood filmmakers in developing the PT-AE8000U, the company has produced a video about the process that can be viewed online at: http://youtu.be/gJ9DqG96M7s Excellent Image Quality The PT-AE8000U comes equipped with a new 220W Red Rich Lamp for increased red intensity and a 2,400 lumens brightness rating, which enables the projector to produce bright images and deliver stunning color reproduction. The PT-AE8000U generates deeper blacks by incorporating Panasonic's Pure Contrast Plates, which match the LCD panel characteristics, virtually eliminating light leakage. The combination of Panasonic's Pure Contrast Plates, Pure Color Filter Pro and Dynamic Iris technologies make the PT-AE8000U's astonishing 500,000:1 contrast ratio possible. Advanced 3D Features Improving upon its predecessor, the 5-star rated PT-AE7000U1, the PT-AE8000U ensures less crosstalk and 20 percent brighter images for comfortable and natural 3D viewing at home. In order to deliver natural 3D movement, the PT-AE8000U projector's 3D Motion Remaster feature interpolates an image between alternately created right and left images caused by the active shutter system and, as a result, enables smooth, continuous and properly positioned 3D images. The PT-AE8000U projector's built-in IR transmitter enables synchronization with active shutter 3D glasses and can transmit up to 20 feet. An optional IR transmitter offers greater installation flexibility with a transmission distance of up to 33 feet. Users can customize their viewing experience with the new 3D Viewing Monitor and 3D Picture Balance features. The 3D Viewing Monitor visually shows that the amount of parallax in the 3D images, which varies according to screen size, is within the safe zone set forth by the 3D Consortium Committee, ensuring a more comfortable viewing experience. Using the 3D Viewing Monitor, users can also highlight positive and negative parallax within each image. Further customization is possible with the 3D Picture Balance, which allows users to see the right and left eye images side-by-side to adjust color, contrast and brightness based on the content. "The PT-AE8000U is the ideal projector for home theater enthusiasts who enjoy customizing their settings," said Scott Wellington, senior product marketing manager at Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. "The PT-AE8000U provides several advanced 3D customization features, previously only supported in 2D, including 3D Motion Remaster, 3D Lens Memory, Keystone Correction and a powered zoom and focus functionality." The enhanced Detail Clarity Processor 4 and Frame Creation 2 in the PT-AE8000U have been optimized for 3D images and allow the projection of fine detailed images, as well as sharp and clear images in fast moving scenes. Additionally, Frame Creation 2 is now available during 2D-3D conversion. Installation Flexibility and Customization Installing the PT-AE8000U is made easy with a 2x zoom lens and wide range of lens shift. The PT-AE8000U can project onto a 120-inch diagonal screen from as close as 11.8 feet or as far away as 23.6 feet. The projector can also be installed from the ceiling or mounted to a wall with +/- 100 percent vertical adjustment and +/- 26 percent horizontal adjustment. Because many Blu-ray movies come in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, which is wider than the projector's 16:9 aspect ratio, Panasonic's Intelligent Lens Memory automatically detects and switches the lens and focus position. The Advanced Gamma Adjustment function has been improved in the PT-AE8000U, enabling users to control the gamma curve and more precisely calibrate the projector by adjusting brightness Y and R, G and B at any of 15 points. By using the Split-Adjust mode, users can freeze the scene and make these adjustments while comparing side-by-side with the original image. The PT-AE8000U is equipped with three HDMI input terminals, which support DeepColor and x.v. Color, and two 12V Triggers allow more home theater automation, such as lighting and a motorized screen. Additionally, VIERA Link® provides seamless operation of multiple VIERA Link® compatible Panasonic devices by using the PT-AE8000U remote control. Panasonic's advanced PT-AE8000U home theater projector will be available through authorized Panasonic resellers in late September or early October 2012. Additional PT-AE8000U Information For more information on the PT-AE8000U, please visit http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae8000/index.html or contact us at pjsolutions@us.panasonic.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Want to use one of those new nano-SIMs? You'll need one of these Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:43 AM PDT Thinking of hopping on a new contract, but lacking that smaller SIM standard that the iPhone 5 will be packing? You'd best pick up one of these, then. UK carriers, including Three and Vodafone, are already stocking up on these nano-SIMs, and they're also prepping these tiny adapters to ensure the new cards will work across all their devices. These will convert a nano-SIM to both micro and standard sizes, so we'd advise picking one up the same time you visit the phone store. (We've included a glimpse of Vodafone's nano-SIM after the break.) [Thanks Daniel!] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple appeases European lawmakers with Lightning-to-microUSB adapter Posted: 13 Sep 2012 01:13 AM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 13 Sep 2012 12:21 AM PDT The Nintendo Wii U arrives on Japanese shores on December 8th starting at 26,260 yen (around $340), Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced this morning via Nintendo Direct's video stream. A presentation later today in New York City starring Nintendo of America prez Reggie Fils-Aime will reveal pricing and release dates for the rest of the world, but you'd be right in guessing it won't be too far from the Japanese launch. A basic set (only in white) and premium set (only in black) were revealed, with the darker option adding more storage; 32GB, up from 8GB on the cheaper bundle. The Premium set (priced at 31,500 yen, or about $405) consists of the console, GamePad, a charging stand, play stand, and yet another stand for the Wii U itself. Those GamePads will also be available standalone for 13,440 yen, which could see American gamers paying around $173 for the luxury of a spare. The Wii U pro controllers are priced at 5,040 yen ($65) each, while the Wiimote will continue to be priced at 3,800 yen (around $50), now in a range of colors. Likewise, the nunchucks will come in three color palettes. The GamePad charging stand will also be available to buy separately -- setting you back around 1,870 yen -- around $25. Naturally, there's going to be some international variance in these prices so we'll be updating once we get those global prices cemented. We've been given a little more detail on the technical specifics too, with the Wii U packing 1GB of its own ("main") memory alongside 1GB for running games. Two titles, New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land will both debut alongside the console -- we're expecting to hear even more software details later today. Ben Gilbert contributed to this post. Release date and price announcements "Wii U" Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kyoto, Minami-ku, President: Satoru Iwata) is pleased to announce that the launch in Japan on December 8, 2012, "Wii U" new game console. This time, selected according to your playing style retail price of ¥ 31,500 / ¥ 30,000 (tax included) and (tax), "Wii U" is "(Wii U Premium Set) Wii U PREMIUM SET" as available "Wii U will be provided a set of two (excluding tax) / ¥ 25,000 (including tax) 26,250 yen retail price (Wii U Basic Set) "BASIC SET. On the same day as the body release Wii U soft retail price of 5,985 yen "New Super Mario Bros. U" corresponds yen / 5,700 yen (tax included) 4,935 suggested retail price "Nintendo Land" and (excluding tax) / ¥ 4,700 (tax included) Company tax ( will be released). It should be noted that, from 23:00 today (September 13), entitled "Nintendo Direct Wii U Preview" in the Internet, the content (including the simultaneous release of soft body other than the above) will be released in the software from our company and software makers For, I will tell. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BitGym Motion SDK brings Kinect-style games to Android and iOS, no huge living room required (video) Posted: 13 Sep 2012 12:01 AM PDT If there's a common barrier to playing with a Kinect controller, it's free space. The sheer amount of necessary distance between sensor and player is fine for suburbanites with expansive living rooms, but not so hot for apartment dwellers. Thankfully, BitGym is doing its best to bring hands-free gaming to small spaces with a new Motion SDK for Android and iOS developers. The kit takes advantage of the front cameras on phones and tablets to track three-axis movement, leans and multiple players without any special hardware -- and without necessarily rearranging the furniture. It's built to work with Unity 3D and most common app code on both platforms, all with a reportedly low overhead for mobile processors. Just don't anticipate any leaps and sidesteps in your loft for the next little while. Although the SDK is ready today, we won't see shipping games built on the motion-friendly framework until early 2013. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motorola XT890 approved by FCC, may be next week's 2GHz Intel phone Posted: 12 Sep 2012 11:03 PM PDT As one major event wraps, we look forward to what's coming up next: Motorola's Intel announcement. We have a hard time believing we'd see anything besides a smartphone with an Intel chip inside, but the biggest mystery is in what type of phone. Are we going to see something ho-hum, or mind-blowingly awesome? Whatever it is, we think we may have stumbled upon a clue. Motorola's XT890, which has been rumored to be a global RAZR M with a 2GHz CPU and 897 x 540 screen resolution, just wandered through the FCC with AT&T-friendly 2G and 3G radios. There's no hint of LTE here, though the FCC doesn't require OEMs to mention non-US frequencies. The docs, however, indicate that we can expect dual-band WiFi -- no word on NFC, but we'd be very surprised if it didn't make the final cut. The supercharged processor seems almost too good to be true, but we wouldn't offer up any complaints if there is any truth to the idea. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New 'nano-code' could help fight banknote forgery by embedding invisible QR-style ciphers Posted: 12 Sep 2012 09:57 PM PDT We've all seen (and probably used) QR codes at some point. And, handy as they are for quick linking to apps, or value added content etc, there's usually not much else going on. Unless you're one of the team at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, that is, who have created a tiny version of the quadrilateral-codes that could be used to spot counterfeit money. The invention uses nanoparticles combined with blue and green fluorescent ink, and can be sprayed onto surfaces such as glass, plastic film, or of course, pictures of American presidents. The nano-code remains invisible until placed under a near-infrared laser, making it ideal for helping spot legit bank notes. The creators say they have done significant wear tests, which suggest that it's durable, but they also accept that eventually criminal technology could eventually catch up, in the constant cat and mouse game between mandated money producers and forgers. Whether there'd be links to the Benjamin Franklin Wiki page is unclear. New nano-code ups the fight against counterfeiters PARIS - Scientists on Wednesday reported they had invented an invisible tag using the widely-used "quick response" code to help thwart banknote forgers and criminals who sell bogus drugs or fake vintage wine. The QR code is a square of black and white pixels that can be scanned by a smartphone, which then links to an Internet address. It is being used more and more by museums and companies who want to provide additional information about an exhibition, product or service, but the idea here is to use it as a form of authentication. Writing in the British journal Nanotechnology, materials engineers led by Jon Kellar at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology says their invention comprises a QR code made of nanoparticles that have been combined with blue and green fluorescent ink. The code, generated with standard computer-aided design (CAD) equipment, is sprayed onto a surface -- paper, plastic film, office tape, glass -- using an aerosol jet printer. It remains invisible until the object is illuminated by a near-infrared laser. The nanoparticles absorb photons at a non-visible wavelength but emit them in a visible wavelength, a trick called upconversion that causes the QR code to pop up almost like magic and allow itself to be scanned. To see whether the code would stand some of the stresses of banknotes, the researchers printed it onto a piece of paper and then randomly folded it 50 times, without affecting its readability. "We have done significant wear tests, and all indications are that the ink is very durable," Kellar told AFP in an email exchange. He admitted though that it was not the final answer to forgers. "We believe it raises a bar that needs to be continually raised. Counterfeiters are very clever and have access to technology, so we will continue to improve our technology." The study's lead author, Jeevan Meruga, said the innovation offers many options for an upgrade. "We can take the level of security from covert to forensic by simply adding a microscopic message in the QR code, in a different coloured upconverting ink, which then requires a microscope to read the upconverted QR code," he said. The technique is simple and not time-consuming, according to the scientists. Printing en masse for commercial use would only take about 10-15 minutes. "We have not as of yet done a critical review of costs, so we cannot say anything (about prices) at this point," said Kellar in response to a question. Near-infrared lasers are quite cheap and easy to operate, and could be used for authentication "outside of the lab" provided the eyes are protected, he said. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nikon unveils lightweight, full-frame D600 DSLR -- hands-on and low-light samples (video) Posted: 12 Sep 2012 09:01 PM PDT We've been watching out for the D600 since images leaked a couple of months ago, and today it's been made official: a full-frame DSLR that's priced ever-so-slightly closer to the reach of mortals (read: "high-end enthusiasts") who perhaps can't claim everything off their tax. At just shy of $2,100 (update: €2,150 in Europe), the 24-megapixel camera's US list price is significantly lower than that of the 36-megapixel D800, and undercuts Canon's rival EOS 5D Mark III and Sony's brand new full-frame Alpha A99. What's more, aside from the resolution, you're getting something pretty close to the D800 -- including a weather- and dust-resistant magnesium alloy build, fast Exspeed III processor, and AF that works down to f/8 -- but here it's all contained in a body that sheds a full 15 percent off the D800's weight. It feels great to hold a full-frame DSLR like this, which is barely any heavier or more conspicuous than an APS-C shooter like the D7000. Nikon is also making a big deal out of the fact that the D600 handles wireless transfers and triggers using the new WU-1b widget, which is identical to the familiar WU-1a we reviewed on the D3200 except that it plugs into the camera's USB port rather than the HDMI port. There's an Android app to allow your mobile device to communicate with the camera, and an iOS app is set to land by the end of September. Read on a few more initial impressions and a quick look at the D600's high-ISO performance.
Although on paper the D600 has the same ISO rating (100 to 6400) as the D800, Nikon told us that the D600's images are "almost" as clean -- suggesting there's some mild disadvantage in this respect, despite the fact that the D600 has far fewer pixels crammed onto its sensor. (You can see more on the D800's ISO performance here). We shot a few high-ISO samples with the D600 just to get an early indication, and things certainly look clean up to 6400, but then they fall away rapidly once you head into Hi1 and Hi2 territory -- hinting that Nikon isn't being modest in its rating. The D600 is nothing like the D4, but then it isn't designed to be. Taking a look at the D600's video credentials, you'll see that recording is limited to 24p, 25p and 30p at 1080, with 60p only available if you drop down to 720. In comparison, the Sony A99 can do 60p at 1080, which could come in handy for slow-mo or that high frame-rate appearance. The D600 can, however, manage uncompressed HDMI out, which the Sony does but the Canon doesn't. Having shot a bit of video in bad lighting and in live view mode, we found that the follow focus system (where you set a subject and the camera follows it) was particularly reliable and fast, although any type of autofocus filming on a DSLR is still something of a mission. The D600 should become available in the US and the UK on September 18th. In the US, you'll be able to nab the body only for $2,099.95, while an AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR kit will be on offer for $2,699.95. The WU-1b will be available on the same day for $60 and the MB-D14 Multi Power Battery Pack will ship later in the month for $322. Update: There's some confusion over the stated European price (2,385 Euros), which does seem particularly harsh compared to the US amount. Reader Stefan Varkuti spotted that Nikon's German website states a lower price of 2,150 Euros, but that could be due to taxes. We've requested clarification from Nikon on this and will update again soon as we hear back. Update: Turns out that 2,385 Euros was actually specific to the Republic of Ireland. More generally in Europe, 2,150 Euros is the appropriate figure. The UK price is £1,956. Steve Dent contributed to this report. PERFORMANCE THAT FUELS THE PASSION: THE NEW NIKON D600 PUTS FX-FORMAT IN FOCUS FOR PHOTO ENTHUSIASTS As Nikon's Smallest, Lightest and Most Affordable Full-Frame HD-SLR, the D600 Packs in Powerful, Pro-Grade Photo and Video Features with Wireless Sharing and Capture Capabilities MELVILLE, N.Y. (September 13, 2012) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the 24.3-megapixel (MP) D600, a camera that is designed to deliver the image quality and performance benefits of a full frame FX-format sensor to the enthusiast looking to take their dedication to the next level. The Nikon D600 offers a remarkable value, merging the perfect combination of a lightweight, compact form factor and superior image quality, making the leap into FX-format photography more attractive than ever. Whether shooting stills or Full HD video, advanced features and Nikon technologies like the newly developed high resolution CMOS sensor and EXPEED 3 image processing engine are designed to meet the needs of the most demanding creative vision. Additionally, Nikon's new optional WU-1b wireless adapter allows users to shoot high quality HD-SLR images and transfer them to their mobile device, making it easier to stay connected, without the need for wires. "For many, image making is so much more than a hobby; it is a way of life that changes the way the world is perceived. The Nikon D600 represents a new category of camera for this user and demonstrates Nikon's devotion to the passionate photographer who is always looking for new ways to express their creativity through their photos and HD videos," said Bo Kajiwara, Vice President of Marketing, Planning and Customer Experience, Nikon Inc. "By offering users the advanced FX-format and key features inherited from our professional cameras, along with new functions like optional wireless capabilities, Nikon is inspiring photographers by providing an imaging experience that satisfies like never before." Superior Image Quality Precision Technology Engineered for the Enthusiast For precise AF performance in a wide variety of shooting conditions, the D600 features a 39 point AF system with the new MultiCAM 4800FX AF module. This AF array is well suited to a wide variety of shooting styles and disciplines, offering AF modes to let users select a single point, continuous AF, Dynamic AF or use 3D tracking to keep pace with a moving subject throughout the frame. Additionally, the system features nine cross type sensors for maximum accuracy, while seven AF points are fully functional when using compatible NIKKOR lenses and teleconverters with an aperture value up to f/8 for extreme telephoto applications. To keep up with action sports, active wildlife or the photo opportunity that unexpectedly arises, the D600 is ready to shoot in 0.13 seconds, with a 0.052 second shutter release. The camera emphasizes speed and performance, from overall operation and image processing, helped in part by the exceptional EXPEED 3 processing engine. The camera is also capable of bursts of images at 5.5 frames per second (fps) at full resolution with full AF, to capture decisive moments. To further enhance speed and workflow, images and video can also be rapidly transferred to dual SD card slots that are compatible with the latest SDXC and UHS-1 high speed standards. Enthusiasts will also appreciate other thoughtful features made to appeal to more advanced photographers, such as the 100% frame coverage seen through optical viewfinder. The wide and bright view makes it easy to compose in a variety of conditions, and affords the ability to enjoy shooting for hours on end with minimal eye fatigue. Additionally, the D600 features several scene modes and features to enhance creativity, including one-touch access to Picture Control functions through a new dedicated button. Photographers can also shoot images in High Dynamic (HDR) mode for amazing highlights, and create awe-inspiring time lapses with ease. Experience Full HD Sophisticated video features help to increase the production value on any project, including full manual control of exposure, and the ability to switch between FX and DX-format (1.5X) at Full HD for a telephoto boost and alter depth of field. Users can opt to focus manually or can take advantage of the full-time AF while recording to help ensure faces are in focus or track a moving subject. Additionally, videographers have the ability to capture audio with the onboard microphone or record stereo audio externally using the mic input. Audio can be monitored through the headphone jack and levels can be displayed on the LCD with peaking. In addition to the ability to play back HD video and images through the HDMI terminal, users are also able to experience pro-grade video features in the Nikon D600. For monitoring and streaming applications, the image can be displayed on the LCD screen while simultaneously shown on another monitor through the HDMI, with or without shooting data. What's more, the D600 adds the ability to transfer uncompressed video via the HDMI connection, which can then be routed to a digital recorder or similar device. Remote Sharing and Capture When connected, users are able to share their images taken with the D600 through their mobile device to their social circles, as well as send and download images from their camera to a compatible device.3 The adapter also allows users to remotely fire the D600's shutter from up to 50 feet from the camera, which is ideal for capturing photos from unique vantage points. NIKKOR, Speedlight and System Compatibility The new Nikon HD-SLR is also a gateway to Nikon's renowned Creative Lighting System (CLS) which illuminates a whole new world of creative image making using multiple Speedlights. A built-in Speedlight commander can control multiple Speedlights such as Nikon's SB-700, SB-910 or Wireless Close Up Speedlight System, and the camera can also control up to two individual speedlight groups for further creative control. Constructed to Inspire The D600 is also built with an emphasis on handling with thoughtful ergonomics and button placement, in a body that is compact enough to carry comfortably on any excursion. The hand grip has been improved for comfort, while the overall impression from using the camera is reassuringly solid. To avoid accidental engagement, the shutter button has been recessed, while the Mode Dial can be locked. Price and Availability The Nikon D600 will be available on September 18, 2012 for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $2,099.95*, for body only, or with the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR for the SRP of $2,699.95*. The WU-1b will be also available on September 18, 2012 for an SRP of $59.95*. The MB-D14 Multi Power Battery Pack will be available in late September for an SRP of $322.00*. For more information on the new Nikon D600 and other Nikon products, please visit HYPERLINK "http://www.nikonusa.com"www.nikonusa.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verizon Wireless confirms FaceTime over cellular on all data plans Posted: 12 Sep 2012 08:35 PM PDT If you'll recall, AT&T was quick to inform users after WWDC that it would not be supporting FaceTime over Cellular on all of its data plans (you'll need a Mobile Share plan for it to work) when it launches as part of iOS6 on the 19th. Now Verizon has responded, confirming in its iPhone 5 press release that the feature is welcome on any data plan allowance. Of course, your usual data restrictions will still apply so we wouldn't leave those 720p backside illuminated cameras streaming for too long. If you're the type to set your watch by iPhone launches, the press release also mentions Friday at 3AM ET is the time when they'll be available for preorder on the website, check the rest of the details after the break. VERIZON TO OFFER iPHONE 5 ON ITS 4G LTE NETWORK ON SEPT. 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intel wraps up Jelly Bean port for Atom smartphones, can't say when devices get it Posted: 12 Sep 2012 07:18 PM PDT Intel was fast to promise a port of Jelly Bean to Atom-based smartphones. We were left in the dark as to when that port would be ready, but mobile group general manager Mike Bell has put that to rest for PCWorld with news that the Medfield-native Android 4.1 build is both complete and running on Intel workers' devices -- including his. Before dreaming of Google Now searches on an Orange San Diego, though, we'd warn that the usual delays apply. Bell notes that phone makers and the carriers still need go through the lengthy process of signing off on any upgrades. Existing owners will no doubt find it frustrating to be so close and yet so far, although the limbo at least proves that Intel-based hardware isn't being held back relative to its competition; ARM-running phone manufacturers are in the same boat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG's Sera Park talks about the design story behind the Optimus G Posted: 12 Sep 2012 06:32 PM PDT LG's Sera Park has been talking about her latest handset, the Optimus G, and how it carries the DNA of its Chocolate and Prada phones from way back when. One of the aims was to build a display that was seamless with the rest of its unibody construction, so that it "floats in your hand," as you use it. It also banished all front-side decoration, but compensated by adding a crystal reflection method to bling up the back. Of course, we wouldn't be surprised if the clip was timed to appear as a timely reminder to those sensitive about design that LG certainly can't be accused of following a trend. The company isn't letting people embed the video, so if you'd like to watch her wax lyrical about rectangles, you'll have to head on down to the source link. LG SMARTPHONE DESIGNER: "LG CHOCOLATE, PRADA DNA LIVES ON IN OPTIMUS G" The Crystal Reflection process used for the first time on the back of LG's new Optimus G smartphone was developed and patented over a period of 15 months. Crystal Reflection gives the Optimus G's back cover the ability to display different patterns depending on the viewing angle and lighting. The intricate polarized 3D pattern, which sparkles just under the surface, looks almost jewel-like. Laser cutting adds to the clean finish, as do the metallic highlights. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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