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- Facebook Messenger 2.0 for iPhone brings new design to conversations, swipe left for friends list
- US Cellular expands its Windows Phone catalog with the ZTE Render for $80
- Modbook Pro to launch with SSD storage, up for pre-order October 3rd
- BlackBerry 10 L-series tutorial videos surface online, give a literal peek at the future (video)
- Logitech promises continued support for Squeezebox, says it won't force a switch to UE Smart Radio
- Scape, Brian Eno's new ambient music creation app is now available on the iPad (video)
- Touch Bionics releases new prosthetic fingers, flips the old ones the bird
- Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola
- Xi3 goes the crowdfunding route for future X3A, X7A modular PCs (video)
- PBS draws link between digital music ethics and magic spells, somehow makes it look simple (video)
- FCC votes in favor of rethinking spectrum holding rules, goading broadcasters into wireless selloffs
- Prometheus Blu-ray specs unveiled, arrives with seven hours of extras October 9th (video)
- Samsung Galaxy Note II variants for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon possibly caught at the FCC
- Nokia Parking helps you find and pay for a spot, we go hands-on (video)
- PSA: $25 Google Play credit for Nexus 7 ends this weekend
- US Appeals court rules Motorola can't enforce injunction against Microsoft in Germany... again
- This is the carbon fiber core of Ferrari's first hybrid
- For Nokia, helping the competition find its way is good business
- Google optimizes Flight Search for tablets, makes booking trips easier
- Microsoft details its own Windows 8 rollout, lessons learned from 'dogfooding'
- PSA: iPhone 5 available in 22 more countries, on Cricket and US regional carriers galore
- Wikipad CEO James Bower defends his gaming tablet's $500 pricing, why one device beats two
- Kodak dropping out of the consumer inkjet printer business in 2013
- Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit tells Judge Koh to revisit Galaxy Tab 10.1 injunction
- Indian government tells carriers to end 3G roaming pacts, doesn't stop to explain why
- HP takes Open webOS 1.0 live, shows it supersized on a TouchSmart (video)
| Facebook Messenger 2.0 for iPhone brings new design to conversations, swipe left for friends list Posted: 29 Sep 2012 10:41 AM PDT Facebook debuted the new look of its dedicated Messenger app on Android last week and and just as promised, now it's available on the iPhone as well. Facebook Messenger 2.0 brings a new SMS-style bubble layout to conversations, a swipe left gesture to reveal one's friends list and the ability to push the friends you message most to the top of the list. As mentioned along with the Android update this is a part of a new release schedule cycle that should see updates arriving every 4 - 8 weeks. That means you can mark your calendar for the next refresh if this is your social network of choice, but for now just grab the latest version from iTunes. |
| US Cellular expands its Windows Phone catalog with the ZTE Render for $80 Posted: 29 Sep 2012 09:13 AM PDT Most Windows Phone enthusiasts have their sights set on large trophy-like targets, but if you have more modest goals in mind, then US Cellular's latest acquisition might be just what the doctor ordered. If the device pictured above looks familiar, that's because it should. Rebranded as the Render, most of you know this handset as the ZTE Orbit, an entry-level device that features a 4-inch 800 x 480 display, a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a 5-megapixel camera and Windows Phone 7.5 Tango. So, if US Cellular is your wireless carrier of choice and you're seriously crushing on Windows Phone, the ZTE Render will run you $80 after a $100 mail-in rebate. |
| Modbook Pro to launch with SSD storage, up for pre-order October 3rd Posted: 29 Sep 2012 07:23 AM PDT It wasn't all that long ago that Modbook Inc's CEO, Andreas Haas, made the mac-in-tablet Modbook Pro official, now we're learning that the super-slate will launch with high performance SSD storage. So, as you wield your MacBook Pro come tablet, you'll be free from spinning disks. Great, but what impact will this have on capacity? Well, according to the firm, storage will start at 64GB as standard, with upgrades possible all the way up to a, not-unreasonable, 480GB. Pre-orders go live on October 3rd, along with the all important reveal on price. Regardless of cost, if that void between the iPad and full-fat Windows 8 slates had been irking you, here's your answer. Modbook Pro to Launch with All Solid-State Architecture Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 28, 2012 Creative technologies developer Modbook Inc. today announced that its highly portable 13.3-inch Mac®-based pen tablet computer, the Modbook® Pro, will forego the traditional internal storage method of hard disk drives (HDDs) in favor of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs). The standard internal storage option on the Modbook Pro will be a 64GB solid-state drive, with upgrades possible to increase internal SSD storage to 480GB. Modbook Inc. today also announced that the ordering process for the Modbook Pro is scheduled to begin next Wednesday, October 3, 2012. Customers with shipping addresses in the United States will be able to order the Modbook Pro online for shipment as early as mid-November. An innovative computer modification product, every complete 13.3-inch Modbook Pro* solution incorporates: the original hardware of a new Apple® MacBook® Pro computer running OS X® Mountain Lion (and optionally Microsoft® Windows® 7); a digitizer from the industry leader in pen tablet technology, Wacom®, that offers 512 levels of pen pressure sensitivity; and a ForceGlass™ pen interface with a paper-emulating drawing surface. The Modbook Pro is the ideal portable workstation for creative users. In pre-production testing of the Modbook Pro, Modbook Inc. found that solid-state drive options offered a number of clear advantages over mechanical drives. SSDs allow users to get their Modbook Pro up and running fast and handle files of almost any size effortlessly. This speed of access and performance is perfect for the demands of creative users who often work with multiple large files at the same time. In its base configuration, the Modbook Pro will ship with Modbook Inc.'s original 64GB Nishara™-class SATA 3 SSD, offering asynchronous NAND technology that balances storage space, speed and performance. Customers can upgrade to Modbook Inc.'s original Sanshara™-class SATA 3 SSDs with up to 480GB of storage. The top-of-the-line Sanshara drives employ synchronous NAND technology and deliver the best speed and performance available in flash-based storage. Modbook Inc.'s Nishara and Sanshara drives are built from the highest quality components. In addition to their outstanding performance and reliability, these drives offer durability over the long haul - as contrasted with the possibility of mechanical failure with HDDs. The live system of an SSD-powered Modbook Pro operates without any moving parts (aside from its base system's optical drive), dramatically decreasing the chances for data corruption or loss. Also, the Modbook Pro's SSDs are fine-tuned to not interfere with its high-resolution pen tablet interface (whereas the electromagnetic field emissions of HDDs are notoriously difficult to control). "We're thrilled about the performance edge our Nishara and Sanshara drives will give Modbook Pro users. Once you've experienced the near instant-on startup and lightning fast system performance of an SSD-powered Modbook Pro, you won't ever go back," said Andreas E. Haas, chief executive officer and chief technology officer of Modbook Inc. Modbook Pro orders are scheduled to begin next Wednesday. Customers with shipping addresses in the United States will be able to place their custom build orders for the Modbook Pro online, with the first Modbook Pro orders shipping in November. Detailed product specifications, pricing and availability information will be announced next week. More information about Modbook Inc. and the Modbook Pro is available at http://www.modbook.com. *The Modbook Pro is an enclosure conversion kit designed to exclusively contain an original MacBook Pro base system manufactured by Apple Inc. Apple Inc.'s one-year warranty on the base system is voided by the conversion and replaced with the Modbook Pro Protection Plan, which covers the entire hardware solution, including the base system. |
| BlackBerry 10 L-series tutorial videos surface online, give a literal peek at the future (video) Posted: 29 Sep 2012 05:38 AM PDT Those of us who've used a BlackBerry PlayBook will be familiar with the inevitable first-boot tutorials showing how to navigate the swipe-driven interface before we're let loose. Thanks to a series of demonstration videos leaked by BlackBerryItalia, it's apparent that we won't escape that educational process on BlackBerry 10 devices, either. The four clips show the basics of what we know the gesture experience will be like on full-touch L-series phones, including the signature BlackBerry Peek to check notifications and the unified inbox. Anyone looking for a direct clue as to what production BlackBerry 10 hardware will entail might be frustrated, mind you -- the rendered phone appears to be a placeholder rather than the L-series or a Dev Alpha B, and the device name is censored in an attempt to protect the source. That said, the clips provide a very straightforward explanation of the new interface concept and give us one more indication that RIM is closer to launch. |
| Logitech promises continued support for Squeezebox, says it won't force a switch to UE Smart Radio Posted: 29 Sep 2012 03:56 AM PDT With Logitech's Squeezebox platform having quietly and unexpectedly reached its EOL status, the company found it necessary to let its customers know where they stand going forward. In a very detailed letter from UE product director Ariel Fischer, the Harmony maker reassured current Squeezebox owners it will continue to offer support for these products, adding that the current "mysqueezebox" website and certain apps will still work with existing devices. What's more, those who managed to snag one of those Squeezebox Radios will have the option to upgrade to the outfit's new UE Smart Radio service -- which, according to Logitech, can play nicely alongside existing Squeezebox products, though this "will operate and be controlled separately." All in all, it could be worse -- and, in age where customer service can sometimes be rather unpleasant, we're sure most of us can appreciate the transparency being shown in the open letter. Speaking of which, you'll find that at the source link below. |
| Scape, Brian Eno's new ambient music creation app is now available on the iPad (video) Posted: 29 Sep 2012 02:11 AM PDT Music making apps for the iPad are ten-a-penny, but when it's the brainchild of a super-producer like Brian Eno, you have to take notice. Scape is the third of his collaborations with Peter Chilvers after Bloom and Trope, an app that lets you generate ambient music with Eno's own sounds on a colorful, conceptual interface. Unlike standard beats'n'loops setups, each sound is tied to a series of rules -- including the time of day -- that ensures the tunes you create never play the same way twice. It's available from iTunes for $5.99 / £3.99, and who knows, maybe in a few years time, Coldplay'll come calling for your professional expertise. |
| Touch Bionics releases new prosthetic fingers, flips the old ones the bird Posted: 29 Sep 2012 12:26 AM PDT The only upgrades available for our puny human hands are gaming controller calluses, but if you're sporting an i-LIMB digits hand prosthesis, you can now grab a set of improved fingers. Touch Bionics' "smaller, lighter and more anatomically accurate" appendages are now available worldwide, as well as a new wrist-band unit which houses all the necessary computing power and juice for their function. Best of all, these developments allow more people to adopt the tech than the previous generation, including those with more petite hands or finger amputations closer to the knuckle. We don't know how much it'll cost for a fresh set, but we'll let health agencies and insurance companies deal with that part. With these upgrades and RSL Steeper's latest offering, it won't be long before our flesh-based variants are meager in comparison. Touch Bionics announces global availability of new bionic finger technologies New i-limb digits developments increase dexterity, comfort, and ease of assembly Mansfield, MA and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - September 28, 2012 - Touch Bionics, a provider of world-leading prosthetic technologies, today announced the worldwide launch of its latest prosthetic innovations for people with missing fingers. The company revealed new wrist-band and digit technologies for its i-limb digits solution that will help bring the benefits of the prostheses to a greater population. In addition to its market-leading prosthetic hand products, Touch Bionics was also the first in the world to develop a prosthetic finger solution with articulating digits in 2009, and over 500 people have since been fitted with its i-limb digits technology. Today, Touch Bionics revealed new additions to the i-limb digits product line, including a shorter, lighter prosthetic finger and a wrist-band unit that incorporates all of the processing and power systems for the prosthesis. "The new finger development enables i-limb digits prostheses to be made smaller, lighter and more anatomically accurate, and therefore suitable for a wider population, such as those with smaller hands, or whose amputations are closer to the base of the fingers," said Ian Stevens, CEO, Touch Bionics. "The wrist-band unit provides the ability to build an i-limb digits prosthesis that has full wrist mobility and with easily interchangeable and rechargeable batteries." Partial hand amputations, where people lose one or more digits, are more common than whole hand amputations or loss. Historically, people with such injuries have not had a suitable prosthetic option, despite experiencing a high level of disability. The amputee population that can benefit from i-limb digits is estimated to be over 1.2 million worldwide. "By using i-limb digits to increase their overall ability to complete daily tasks, we see that people experience an increase in self-confidence and independence, and can benefit by being able to return to work or to their favourite pastimes and hobbies," said Stevens. "Our goal as a company is to maximise the number of people that can experience these benefits, and the developments that we have announced today take us closer to that goal." Touch Bionics is in Brazil this week as part of a UK Government Trade Mission. UK Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green said: "Brazil's fast growing economy offers many opportunities for UK companies. Trade between our two nations increased by a quarter in the last two years and London's successful summer of sport has helped to raise the profile of British companies even further. "I congratulate Touch Bionics for securing new business in Brazil. Getting more companies exporting is a crucial part of the Government's plan for growth." "As Touch Bionics' distributor in Brazil we are excited to be able to offer these new i-limb digits developments to the Brazilian market," said Jairo Blumenthal of Blumenthal Disitribuidora. "Before i-limb digits became available, all Brazilian patients had to use passive or mechanical prosthetic solutions, but now they can benefit from the electronic articulating fingers invented by Touch Bionics. Our workshops are ready to provide information and training to all Brazilian patients and practitioners interested in Touch Bionics' products." |
| Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola Posted: 28 Sep 2012 10:41 PM PDT Well, it looks like Sony's in-house software developers have decided this is the perfect week to deliver delicious treats to a large portion of the company's mobile lineup. Not long after outing updates for the Tablet S and Xperia Ion (in the US), the electronics giant is now bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to handsets such as the Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola. The refresh itself brings a slew of novel traits to the trio of Xperia slabs, including a "new way to experience" music, photos and video, improvements to the lockscreen, the ability to resize widgets and the addition of a "multitasking" button. While the standout features remain the same across the board, the Xperia sola does get an added bonus in the form of a so-called, self-explanatory glove mode -- which is made possible by the device's "floating touch" technology. Sony does note that availability of the 4.0 upgrade will vary by market and, not surprisingly, carrier requirements. Let's just hope you get to enjoy the changes soon.
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| Xi3 goes the crowdfunding route for future X3A, X7A modular PCs (video) Posted: 28 Sep 2012 08:59 PM PDT Xi3 has been one of the more inventive PC builders in the field, designing its Modular Computers in the belief that small, more upgradable desktops are the way of the future. The company is planning two new systems to further that dream, the X3A and X7A, but it wants our help: it's running a Kickstarter funding drive until October 28th to assist the development and garner some early adopters. Put down $503 or $603 and you'll get the entry-level X3A, a dual-core 1.65GHz (likely AMD E-450-based) PC with 4GB of RAM, a 32GB SSD and either Linux or Windows installed; splurge with $1,103 or more and you'll get the more performance-driven X7A, which jumps to a quad-core chip with a 3.2GHz peak speed, a Windows-loaded 64GB SSD and faster graphics. Assuming Xi3 makes its target, we should see the X3A and X7A arrive in January and February respectively, with Kickstarter supporters beating the larger herd by a week. Even existing owners are accounted for through a Primary I/O Board upgrade, due before the end of this year, that carries more Ethernet and USB 3.0 ports. Crowdfunding is an unusual approach to buying that next PC, without the certainties of shopping at an online store -- but we're also dealing with an unusual PC from the get-go. |
| PBS draws link between digital music ethics and magic spells, somehow makes it look simple (video) Posted: 28 Sep 2012 07:32 PM PDT AAC files and the arcane don't have much in common on the surface. After some digging, however, PBS' Idea Channel has found that magic is an uncannily good analogy for digital music rights and explaining the thorny ethical issues that come with them. Both music and spells stem from grassroots cultures that give away their content for free, but (at least until an anti-magic clampdown at eBay) have since become businesses. That nature poses a key ethical question: when we're used to a free experience and can copy songs or spells as much as we like, what does it take to keep us as honest customers? As show host Mike Rugnetta suggests, it's a matter of personal responsibility -- if we want more of either, we have to think of the commerce as showing support for future work. You can catch Mike's clever train of thought after the break, and ponder what constitutes DRM for a potion while you're at it. |
| FCC votes in favor of rethinking spectrum holding rules, goading broadcasters into wireless selloffs Posted: 28 Sep 2012 06:36 PM PDT FCC meetings can be momentous occasions under the right circumstances, although it's seldom the case that we see the agency pass two potentially far-reaching measures in one sitting, like we just saw on Friday. To start, regulators have voted in favor of a proposal that will review spectrum sale rules and might drop the case-by-case determinations in favor of a more consistent screening mechanism. The reexamination will also consider a change to the ownership rules surrounding wireless frequencies that treats bands below 1GHz differently than those above -- the better to address a chorus of smaller carriers that don't like all the prime spectrum going to the companies with the most existing clout, namely AT&T and Verizon. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski argues that reform could spur innovation through more competition, although dissenting Commissioner Robert McDowell is worried that consistent rules will somehow create "uncertainty." Side-by-side with the review, the FCC is proposing an incentive-based reverse auction strategy to have TV broadcasters voluntarily give up their spectrum for cellular and data use. The multi-phase approach would have TV providers set the price at which they're willing to sell their spectrum to the FCC; those that just can't bear to part with their airwaves would be corralled into a tighter band range to make for larger available frequency blocks in the auction that follows. As with other FCC proposals, there's likely to be a long interval between the auction vote, the review and any definitive rulemaking, let alone an impact -- auctions by themselves can take years to play out. Still, any success with the measures could head off spectrum crunches while simultaneously preventing any solutions from consolidating too much power and creating their own problems. [Tower photo via Shutterstock] |
| Prometheus Blu-ray specs unveiled, arrives with seven hours of extras October 9th (video) Posted: 28 Sep 2012 06:01 PM PDT While Ridley Scott's latest flick is already available on just about every downloadable movie store you could name, Prometheus is still a few weeks away from making its debut on disc and now Fox has officially released all the details. The extras listed in an earlier leak appear to be accurate, with a Second Screen iPad app that promises access to character Peter Weyland's archives, while much of the 15 minutes or so of deleted and alternative scenes have already been posted on the internet (search around if you absolutely must know what else there is and can't wait / don't want to spend the cash). Arriving October 9th, there's a four disc set with both a Blu-ray 3D edition and bonus extras disc with featurettes for a total of seven hours of bonus materials, while the two disc set trims it to just one Blu-ray and DVD / digital copy. The two disc set is currently selling for $24.99 on Amazon, while the four disc edition bumps the price another $5. A trailer with a peek at some of those extras and the full list of details awaits after the break, but an explanation for why anyone would ever try to touch some weird space snake is something you'll have to find on your own. RIDLEY SCOTT RETURNS TO THE GENRE HE HELPED DEFINE Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender Lead an Extraordinary Cast in the Epic Sci-Fi Thriller Debuting on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD 10.09.12 Contains Over Seven Hours of Bonus Material Including an Alternate Opening and Ending, Deleted and Alternate Scenes and Access to Peter Weyland's Files LOS ANGELES, CA. (September 28, 2012) – Renowned director Ridley Scott takes fans on a gripping sci-fi adventure that "kicks ass so hard and often that it's impossible not to be thrilled by it" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). Launching into space to discover the mysterious creators of the human race, the "genuinely epic" (Tom Long, Detroit News) film, PROMETHEUS, debuts globally on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD October 9 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. An unmatched home entertainment experience, watch the highly-anticipated blockbuster hit in the format it was meant to be viewed, stunning 3D high-definition. Written by Damon Lindelof ("Lost") and Jon Spaihts, PROMETHEUS features outstanding performances by Academy Award® winner* Charlize Theron (Monster), Golden Globe®-nominee* Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds), Guy Pearce (Memento), Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Logan Marshall-Green (Devil). Archeologist couple Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) discover a star map that they interpret as an invitation from humanity's forerunners, the "Engineers." Determined to find out more about them, the couple boards the scientific vessel Prometheus, created and funded by Peter Weyland (Pearce), CEO of Weyland Corporation. Lead by mission director Meredith Vickers (Theron) and monitored by Weyland's android David (Fassbender), the team of explorers find a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth and embark on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe where they fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. Loaded with over seven hours of bonus material, the PROMETHEUS 4-Disc Collector's Edition and 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack feature the original theatrical release and are available in premium packaging. Fans can get the ultimate Prometheus experience with an Alternate Opening and Ending, Deleted and Alternate Scenes, access to "Peter Weyland's Files," commentary by directors and writers, a cutting-edge Prometheus Weyland Corp. Archive Second Screen App and more! *2004, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Monster PROMETHEUS 4-Disc Collector's Edition Blu-ray Special Features PROMETHEUS 2-Disc Blu-ray Special Features About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC # # # PROMETHEUS 4-Disc COLECTORS EDITION (Catalog# 2281400) PROMETHEUS 2-Disc BLU-RAY (Catalog# 2281407) PROMETHEUS DVD (Catalog# 2281409) |
| Samsung Galaxy Note II variants for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon possibly caught at the FCC Posted: 28 Sep 2012 05:41 PM PDT It's no secret that Samsung plans to bring the Galaxy Note II to many US carriers by mid-fall. Even so, getting there requires the FCC's blessing -- which makes us glad to see the regulator approve what might be three carriers' variants of the giant Android phone. The SGH-i317 looks to be the model for AT&T and Canadian carriers, having been greenlit for their key 3G and 4G bands while lining up with a briefly available benchmark of the device sharing the Note II's HD screen and use of Jelly Bean. The SCH-i605? Based on its inclusions of both CDMA and GSM, a lone 700MHz LTE band and a past screen capture leak, it's a dual-mode Note II destined for Verizon. As for the SGH-T889, it's even more conspicuous beyond what we've already seen: the T889's HSPA includes the 1,700MHz AWS frequency that T-Mobile will still call home for a long while. LTE likewise exists on the 1,700MHz and roaming-friendly 700MHz bands in possible instances of futureproofing. While we rarely want to say a mobile device is confirmed until we see it first-hand, the convenient timing and natures of the three FCC approvals only help to fuel suspicions that Samsung's pen-focused event on October 24th is all about the Note II's American launch. |
| Nokia Parking helps you find and pay for a spot, we go hands-on (video) Posted: 28 Sep 2012 05:21 PM PDT Parking in Paris is a nightmare. No, it's worse -- it's bad enough to keep you awake at night, worrying that your precious machine will be scratched up or simply missing the next morning. Nokia, at least, is trying to make things a little easier with an upcoming service it's just calling Nokia Parking. It's a comprehensive parking database launching in Europe in November that can not only help you find parking but even help you pay for it once you do. More details, and a video demo, after the break. Let's get this up there first: despite having this demonstrated on a Windows Phone (a Lumia 800, to be exact) this is not an app that Nokia is introducing. Rather, this is a service that, like so many other aspects of Navteq's business, will be licensed to others and basically blended into other apps. So, while you're unlikely to ever get a Nokia Parking app yourself, you may some day in the not-too-distant future get a parking app from your local municipality which itself is using Nokia Parking in the background. Got it? Good. Here's how it works in its current guise: using GPS coordinates the service determines all available parking nearby. Parking garages have information about their size represented, including minimum heights that could be problematic if you're of the SUV persuasion. But, even more exciting, the app also tracks, in real-time, available spaces just waiting for you to show off those parallel parking skills that earned you a reluctant smile from the judge on your drivers license test.
The service can also aggregate payment information, so once you're an appropriate distance from the curb you can tap a button on your phone and start paying for the parking spot. Then, when you leave, you can tap another button and your payment is automatically processed -- transparently. Or, if you're using the service on something like a 3G-connected navigation unit in your car, the car itself could automatically start and stop payment parking based on its location. No more fumbling for change and no more hunting for parking spaces -- in theory. The service launches next month in a few cities across Europe and will be built out quickly after that. When will it come to your town? Well, that largely depends on when some local business wants to partners up with Nokia and develop the necessary services. That, we think, could take awhile. Steve Dent contributed to this report. |
| PSA: $25 Google Play credit for Nexus 7 ends this weekend Posted: 28 Sep 2012 04:44 PM PDT Those who have been keeping a close eye on Google's 7-inch, Jelly Bean-loaded Nexus 7 would know that the company kindly includes 25 bucks worth of Play credit with any purchase of said tablet. Unfortunately, as the famed cliché would tell us, all good things must come to an end -- and, well, such is the case with this neat promotion, which will expire on Sunday, September 30th. Here's the good news, however: there's still a relatively good amount of time for folks interested to get it on the Google Play deal, so now would be the perfect moment to snag what some are calling the best $200 tablet -- and who knows, this might even lead to a post-order Gangnam Style celebration of your own. |
| US Appeals court rules Motorola can't enforce injunction against Microsoft in Germany... again Posted: 28 Sep 2012 04:22 PM PDT In another face of the ever turning world of patent battles, Reuters reports Microsoft has snagged a victory over Motorola as the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in its favor today. Motorola had obtained an injunction in Germany against Microsoft products -- including the Xbox 360 and Windows 7 -- based on its h.264 patents back in May, but today the court upheld a previous decision putting enforcement on hold because of Microsoft's existing lawsuit against Moto for breach of contract. Microsoft's push to leverage its patents into licensing payouts from manufacturers of Android devices have seen the two at each other's throats since at least 2010, when the folks from Redmond lodged an ITC complaint over nine patents and followed up with another suit accusing Motorola of charging unfair license fees for its patents. Motorola fired back with its own pair of lawsuits -- all of this a year before we heard it would be acquired by Google -- and the battle was on. Whether or not this moves us any closer to any resolution remains to be seen, but at least Bavarian gaming consoles are safe, for now. |
| This is the carbon fiber core of Ferrari's first hybrid Posted: 28 Sep 2012 03:32 PM PDT Ferrari has already said that it will never make an electric car -- at least, not while Luca di Montezemolo is in charge -- but we already know that a hybrid Ferrari is in the cards. And, this is what will hold it all together. At this year's Paris Auto Show the company rolled out this carbon fiber cage that is the core chassis of the machine. Other than a pledge that the thing will use F1-inspired technology nobody would tell us what it would be called (possibly F70, at least internally) or just when the rest of its components will be bolted on. But, for now, enjoy this sneak peek under the skin of Ferrari's next hypercar. Steve Dent contributed to this report. |
| For Nokia, helping the competition find its way is good business Posted: 28 Sep 2012 03:00 PM PDT Financially, Nokia is in bad shape. It lost a billion dollars last quarter, which is only good news when you look at the quarter before that, which shows a $1.7 billion loss. Despite all this, Christof Hellmis, VP Location Platform at Nokia, doesn't seem to be the least bit concerned. In fact, he's rather chipper as he sits down with us at this year's Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris. Perhaps that's because his division, Location & Commerce, is doing quite well indeed. Containing the remains of Navteq, L&C pulled down nearly €100 million profits in each of the past two quarters. It's a healthy golden goose in Nokia's rapidly shrinking barn. So why, then, is the company helping its competition improve their own offerings by providing more comprehensive navigation services baked right into Windows Phone 8? And, why is it that Apple's own attempt at mapping has gone oh so poorly? Those are just a few of the questions we asked of Mr. Hellmis, all detailed for you after the break. "We are able to perform worldwide because of our auto partnerships... We innovate because we go deep." Going deep, in this sense, is doing everything required to keep partners like BMW, Mercedes, VW and dozens more happy. Navteq data is present on four out of five in-car navigation systems today and it's the constant push by those clients that's helped the company get as good as it is -- and also helped provide a much-needed boost to Nokia's bottom line. Why, then, help the competition by giving away that Navteq map data and technology? Well, first of all, Nokia isn't giving it away. So why, then, help a company like HTC to make its Windows Phone 8X handset better by giving away that Navteq map data and technology? Well, first of all, Nokia isn't giving it away. Hellmis declined to shed any light on the deal that saw Nokia including its latest and greatest mapping technology into Microsoft's latest mobile OS, but this non-response should give you a pretty good idea: "We are a licensing business and there are traditional economics." In other words, they're getting paid, but he was quick to point out Nokia isn't just in it for the financial incentive. He echoed his boss Stephen Elop's battle cry that they're now embroiled in a "war of ecosystems" and, when you're in the middle of a war, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. By elevating Windows Phone as a whole, Nokia is helping to raise its own business case higher. "What we are doing on a global scale is difficult. It's difficult and expensive. Everybody who wants to get into that should understand what they are getting themselves into." And what about Apple's recent missteps? Hellmis resisted the opportunity to jab at his foe, instead taking the chance to relay the incredible difficulty of what they do. "What we are doing on a global scale is difficult. It's difficult and expensive. Everybody who wants to get into that should understand what they are getting themselves into." Apple, in other words, is in for a hell of a marathon if it wants to deliver something as comprehensive as the petabytes of data Navteq has acquired, and catching up on 30 years of expertise won't be easy. So what's next? Nokia is currently building out Navteq True, a 3D-scanned database of positional information that is making traditional, two-dimensional maps obsolete. "What we're building is a digital representation of the world," says Hellmis, a representation so accurate that cars of the not-too-distant future will be able to use this vectorized map data to run more efficient cruise control. They could, for example, proactively downshift or upshift when approaching cresting hills or soften the suspension when nearing a pothole. And what about Nokia's other big push on the automotive front? MirrorLink (neé Terminal Mode)? When will Microsoft implement this system that could finally create a standard enabling in-car connectivity for all phones? "Not yet," said Hellmis, adding a wry smile that said it all. Steve Dent contributed to this report. |
| Google optimizes Flight Search for tablets, makes booking trips easier Posted: 28 Sep 2012 02:34 PM PDT It feels like it was only yesterday that we were praising Google for giving us access to a plethora of handy, everyday tools -- oh wait, it was yesterday. At any rate, today the folks from Mountain View are back with more travel-friendly software for you to enjoy, announcing that its useful Flight Search service is now fully-optimized for use with, as Google points out, tablets such as its own Nexus 7 and, naturally, Cupertino's iPad. Jet-setters can see the changes now by simply hitting the Flights link below, and with the dearest holidays just around the corner, now is probably a good time to make use of that "lowest fare" tool. |
| Microsoft details its own Windows 8 rollout, lessons learned from 'dogfooding' Posted: 28 Sep 2012 02:11 PM PDT If a company won't use its own products, how can it expect others to? Many customers, especially on the enterprise side of the equation, are understandably a little wary of the drastic change that awaits them when upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 8. So, Microsoft decided to share what it has learned from its own experience dogfooding the new OS around the Redmond campus (and likely beyond). While the company is a little light on specifics of the low-volume rollout, it does highlight some of the features available to IT departments that should make transitioning easier. It even offers a few pointers along the way. Sure, there's plenty of back-patting involved, but tips like using IT Easy Installer to automate deployments and trim install times by half shouldn't be dismissed. There's also some information about its support system for early adopters which included a knowledge base called Pointers that helped highlight the most important issues needing to be addressed. For more details hit up the source link and get ready to embrace your inner IT nerd. |
| PSA: iPhone 5 available in 22 more countries, on Cricket and US regional carriers galore Posted: 28 Sep 2012 01:44 PM PDT Disappointed that your country or favorite carrier missed the initial cut for the iPhone 5 launch? Odds are that you're all good now. Worldwide, 22 more countries have joined the mix as of today, including wide swaths of Europe as well as New Zealand; you'll find the full list in the release here. Americans also don't have to turn to the big carriers, as they can now opt for prepaid carrier Cricket in addition to a slew of extra providers that include C Spire as well as regionals like GCI and nTelos. In some cases, you'll even snag a discount by going with one of the smaller networks. If you bagged an iPhone in Barcelona, or caught one on Cellcom, let others know how it's going in the comments. |
| Wikipad CEO James Bower defends his gaming tablet's $500 pricing, why one device beats two Posted: 28 Sep 2012 01:15 PM PDT No matter which way you cut it, the Android-based Wikipad gaming tablet -- dubbed as much despite not having any connection to Wikipedia -- is unusually expensive. As a 10.1-inch Android tablet, it's comparably priced with the leaders of the market (of the Apple and Samsung variety). The obvious problem comparatively with the big dogs: visibility. What is Wikipad, anyway? And who made it? "This is our first product into the market," consummate salesman and Wikipad CEO James Bower told us in an interview earlier this week -- yes, the company's name is shared with its first product. "We've self-funded the whole concept to this point with a couple of us founders. No VC money or anything," he said (the company did, however, just close its first round of venture capital funding for marketing costs, post-development). Bower's company took the idea of an Android-based gaming tablet with a proprietary, physical (and removable) gamepad from concept to reality in the last year, first revealing the tablet at CES 2012. "We've been able to accomplish a lot very efficiently and very effectively to this point," Bower said, in reference to the approximately 80 people who created the device. That said, despite our positive hands-on time with the Wikipad (even in its prototype state), $500 is a heck of a lot of money to plunk down on an unproven device from an unproven company. The argument gets harder when you remember Sony's PlayStation Vita -- an arguably much nicer device with a far larger library of gaming content that costs half the Wikipad's price at $249.99. Bower doesn't see the logic in this argument. "It's double the price, but it's also double the size," he pointed out. "If you buy a tablet that's seven inches, you can get a $199 tablet -- it's called a Google Nexus or a Kindle Fire. If you're gonna get a full 10-inch tablet, a tablet to this quality, you're gonna spend $499 to $749 ... if we were talking about a 7-inch device or a 5-inch device, and we were at this price point, then it'd be a different story." Admittedly, the tablet -- as a standalone device -- isn't too shabby. But will it woo consumers away from the likes of Apple and Samsung? Bower hopes as much, but we're not so sure. "What we like to say is, 'If you're gonna spend $249 to get your Vita, and you're gonna spend $499 on an iPad, why don't you just spend $499 and get the Wikipad? That way you can have the best of both worlds,'" he argued. Ideally, Bower wants his gaming tablet to cross over between students, gamers, and businesspeople. But with GameStop partnering with Wikipad for pre-orders, the company's messaging certainly seems aimed at the gamer crowd -- the extremely fickle, price-averse gaming crowd. Sure, the tablet will also be available at "all the usual suspects," Bower said, but partnering with the largest video game retailer in the United States is certainly making a statement. Wikipad -- the company -- isn't public, so Bower wouldn't share sales projections for this holiday, but he did say, "We don't have to sell but tens of thousands to do extremely well." And he also pointed out that, "with what we have in pre-sales and pre-orders, we're already gonna be profitable this year." From there? "It's all about going into next year, and the product development and the marketing, and building the brand from there," Bower said. "It's up to us to craft the message correctly and get everybody excited about this device." Following next month's launch of the Wikipad, the company is planning to release a television dongle that'll enable second-screen streaming from the tablet directly to TV screens -- for existing TVs with WiFi Direct, it'll connect and function right out of the box. "But if you're looking at pure interaction and minimal latency for gameplay, that's where you're gonna need our accessory to do that," Bower said. Always a salesman. |
| Kodak dropping out of the consumer inkjet printer business in 2013 Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:50 PM PDT More gloomy news from Kodak: the company just announced that it will stop selling consumer inkjet printers in 2013 and instead focus its efforts on commercial printing products. This decision hardly comes as a surprise: Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year and attempted to auction off a stockpile of patents valued at up to $2.6 billion. The company stated on Friday that it expects to take a $90 million hit due to its floundering inkjet business. Kodak's garage sale attracted interest from unlikely alliances in the form of Apple and Microsoft versus Google and Samsung, but reportedly only reeled in disappointing offers under the $500 million mark. Hoping to rebound next year as a "lean," mean, successful machine, we'll just have to wait and see what develops for this fallen photography frontrunner. Kodak Continues Progress toward Emergence ROCHESTER, N.Y., September 28 -- In its motion, Kodak describes the substantial progress it has made toward reorganization goals since filing for Chapter 11 on January 19, 2012. Kodak's case is large and complex, involving some $5 billion in assets, global operations, thousands of contracts and leases, thousands of potential creditors, and ongoing asset sales. Kodak's progress includes the successful stabilization of its business, the development of its emergence plan, significant operating improvements, the expansion of customer and vendor relationships, and substantial cost reductions. Kodak previously announced its intention to emerge as a company focused on commercial, packaging & functional printing solutions and enterprise services, as well as processes to sell its Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging businesses. Consistent with that emergence strategy, Kodak has continued to manage its Consumer Inkjet business for profitability, and the company announced today that, starting in 2013, it will focus that business on the sale of ink to its installed base, and wind down sales of consumer inkjet printers. Kodak expects that this decision will significantly improve cash flow in the U.S. beginning in the first half of 2013. "Kodak is making good progress toward emergence from Chapter 11, taking significant actions to reorganize our core ongoing businesses, reduce costs, sell assets, and streamline our organizational structure," said Antonio M. Perez, Kodak Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Steps such as the sale of Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging, and the Consumer Inkjet decision, will substantially advance the transformation of our business to focus on commercial, packaging & functional printing solutions and enterprise services. As we complete the other key objectives of our restructuring in the weeks ahead, we will be well positioned to emerge successfully in 2013." Kodak remains committed to its significant installed base of consumer inkjet printer customers, who recognize the value proposition of affordable ink, high-quality output because of Kodak's unique pigment-based inks, and advanced features including cloud printing. The company will provide its customers and retail partners the same level of service and support they have come to expect from Kodak. In its motion to the Court, Kodak described specific accomplishments thus far, including: The formulation of a business strategy focused on commercial, packaging & functional printing solutions and enterprise services that will be the cornerstone of a plan of reorganization; "The actions we are taking are significant steps toward our successful emergence," said Perez. "We are committed to take the remaining steps required for our emergence in 2013 as a profitable, sustainable company." An Omnibus Hearing to consider the motion and other matters is scheduled for October 17, 2012. |
| Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit tells Judge Koh to revisit Galaxy Tab 10.1 injunction Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:16 PM PDT One of the hallmarks of the US judicial system is its seemingly inexhaustible system of appeals -- a system for which Samsung is likely most grateful at the moment. Its earlier entreaty to Judge Lucy Koh to have the Galaxy Tab 10.1 preliminary injunction lifted may have been denied, but the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is giving the Korean company another bite at the Apple. That court has granted Samsung's request to have the injunction issue remanded so that the trial court can re-consider Samsung's motion to dissolve it. The ruling enables Samsung to argue that the injunction should be lifted because the jury failed to find infringement of the tablet design patent upon which the injunction is based. Will Judge Koh lift the ban? Perhaps, but we're pretty sure that the crowd from Cupertino will be doing plenty to prevent that from happening. Stay tuned. |
| Indian government tells carriers to end 3G roaming pacts, doesn't stop to explain why Posted: 28 Sep 2012 11:40 AM PDT For those of us on the outside, India's telecommunications setup can seem a little murky. While the country has 900 million mobile connections, for example, every 2G license issued after January 2008 were cancelled in February. Now, authorities are asking 3G carriers to suspend the practice of allowing customers to switch between different operators as they roam across the country's 22 wireless regions -- with no explanation as to why. Roaming was originally outlawed back in December, but a number of networks appealed -- a move which only seems to have postponed the final ruling until today. Update: Plenty of our commenters have shared their knowledge to help further explain this situation. No network other than BSNL purchased a nationwide 3G license during the auction. The other carriers each bought smaller (and cheaper) access -- but teamed up to offer a virtual national-network. They then started to sell services in regions (or "circles") that they had no license for, causing the Government to try to clamp down on the process by outlawing the agreements. |
| HP takes Open webOS 1.0 live, shows it supersized on a TouchSmart (video) Posted: 28 Sep 2012 11:04 AM PDT WebOS loyalists have been waiting a long, long time for HP's September launch of Open webOS, but the company has made good on its promise with not a moment to spare. Open webOS 1.0 is now available with core browser and e-mail apps, the Enyo 2.0 framework and enough hooks to allow porting to a platform of choice. To prove this last point, HP has gone so far as to port the software to a TouchSmart all-in-one -- a device just a tad larger than a Veer 4G. Lest anyone be hasty and get visions of developing a custom build for the TouchPad, though, they'd do well to remember both HP's disclaimer ruling out legacy support as well as word of the holes that exist in the current Open webOS release. The company needs time to offer open-sourced media support, a Bluetooth stack, advanced network management, faster rendering and newer versions of both Qt and WebKit. The curious can nonetheless try the OS in an emulator today, and intrepid developers can start building their own projects with the code and tools found at the source link. |
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