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- Engadget's Seattle reader meetup is happening soon -- get on the waiting list!
- T-Mobile holding new product launch October 29th
- Chinese online retail giant 360buy spreads worldwide, may keep Amazon on its toes
- Caltech laser accelerometer research may bring fine-tuned position tracking, grocery ads
- FTC offers $50,000 prize for stopping illegal robocalls, we could have used this a few months ago
- Engadget Podcast 314 - 10.19.2012
- Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro available on AT&T October 21st for $100
- Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2012 edition
- NEC LaVie Y brings Lenovo's 360-degree IdeaPad Yoga hybrid tablet to Japan
- Fujitsu's Windows 8 range for Japan includes eyeball-controlled Esprimo FH98/JD all-in-one
- The future of higher education: reshaping universities through 3D printing
- Samsung begins delivering Jelly Bean to UK-based Galaxy S III owners
- LG Optimus G review: a quad-core powerhouse with Nexus aspirations
- Microsoft launches four-year, $80 Office 365 University subscription for students
- Moog shows off LEV-96 sensoriactuator prototype on an acoustic guitar
- Distro Issue 62 arrives with Apple's iPod duo, a superslim PS3 and Wacom's multi-touch display
- Sony to start Xperia upgrades to Jelly Bean by mid-Q1, rules out all 2011 phones
- JailbreakMe hacker Comex let go by Apple after failing to respond to offer letter
- Samsung Galaxy S III hitting MetroPCS next Monday for $499 off-contract
- Google draws 25 million new building footprints in Maps, shapes up your neighborhood
- Google to Verizon Android users: carrier billing coming to Play store
- Stanford Ovshinsky, inventor of the NiMH battery, passes away at 89
- Kyocera announces Digno S smartphone for Japan, promises over 18 hours of talk time in three colors
- Sony restructuring in Japan: camera lens plant to close with loss of 2,000 jobs
- What women want: Fujitsu's Floral Kiss Ultrabook with pre-installed horoscope app
- Listing reveals 3G version of new Chromebook on the way for $329.99
- Huawei Summit hits T-Mobile for $50 sporting faux-Android duds
- Mozilla opens Firefox Marketplace for Aurora builds of Android, gives mobile a taste of web apps
- Dish vs. Cablevision court filing hints at a settlement, could lead to AMC's return
- MediaPortal posts new beta with new look and CableCARD, teases bigger sequel (video)
- Bring the noise! Sony confirms HD Voice support for Xperia T
- Google announces seller support in India, now allows developers to monetize their apps
- Ubuntu 12.10 launches with web apps and search, Canonical plans for more secretive 13.04 development
- Apple says no Java for you, removes plugin from browsers on OS X 10.7 and up
- RIM taps 7Digital to power official BB10 music store
- Lytro camera getting parallax effect and 3D display support, lands in Hong Kong (video)
- AMD reports $1.27 billion in revenue for Q3 2012
- The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM!
- Microsoft announces Q1 earnings with $5.31 billion in profit, braces for Windows 8 surge
- UK carriers form alliance to speed up 800MHz LTE rollout, let us enjoy our Freeview TV
| Engadget's Seattle reader meetup is happening soon -- get on the waiting list! Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:30 AM PDT
Yep, we ran out of tickets -- and then we ran out again. But don't worry, if you're planning on being in the Seattle area on October 29th, there's still hope. We're opening the waiting list up to those who didn't manage to make it in during the first two rounds. Click here to add your name. And, as ever, if you're interested in sponsoring the event, there's still time. Just drop us a line at sponsors [at] engadget [dot] com, and for more information on SIC, check out the source link below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile holding new product launch October 29th Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:09 AM PDT
T-Mobile has just sent out invites to the press for a product launch event on the evening of October 29th. We weren't given any clues as to what this new item (or items) could be -- aside from the fact that it will include T-Mobile's full fall lineup -- but we certainly have a few suspicions considering the timing of such an event. Microsoft and Google are both holding press events earlier in the day, after all, which means we're either going to be treated to T-Mobile's Windows Phone 8 lineup or (this is less likely, but anything's possible) a T-Mobile Nexus. Feel free to put your wagers in the comments below, and we'll work to sort out the craziness that will most certainly ensue that day. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese online retail giant 360buy spreads worldwide, may keep Amazon on its toes Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:04 AM PDT
Many of us who live in North America and Europe consider Amazon synonymous with online retail -- yet we forget that the company barely even registers in some parts of the world. That misconception is about to be cleared up now that one of China's largest online retailers, 360buy, is going global. A just-launched English version of the store is initially shipping China-made goods for free to 36 countries that include obvious candidates like Australia, Canada, the UK and the US as well as France, Germany and southeast Asia. You're unlikely to find a Kindle Fire HD equivalent in the selection, but the mix could still make Amazon nervous when the brand-agnostic can already find real bargains. Combined with long-term plans to set up local distribution points, 360buy's international expansion could get more of us comfortable with buying from China and heat up a retail race that some thought had already been won. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Caltech laser accelerometer research may bring fine-tuned position tracking, grocery ads Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:44 AM PDT
One way that sensors can track your position without using an array of satellites is by measuring your acceleration as you move around -- but unless you're piloting a jumbo jet, current devices aren't very accurate. Researchers at Caltech hope to change all that with a new, ultra-sensitive accelerometer they developed, which uses laser light to detect motion changes. The scientists managed to shrink a so-called large-scale interferometer down to micro-scale sizes, creating a device "thousands of times faster than the most sensitive sensors used today." That could allow a smartphone with such a micro-sensor to detect your exact position even while inside a grocery store, and flash "ads and coupons for hot dog buns" while you're in the bread aisle, according to Caltech. All that sounds good, but we can perhaps think of more inspiring uses for the new tech. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FTC offers $50,000 prize for stopping illegal robocalls, we could have used this a few months ago Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:16 AM PDT
Robocalling is considered a plague in the modern phone world, especially during an election year -- and while you likely won't get rid of all the pitches from political candidates anytime soon, most of the commercial calls are outright illegal. The Federal Trade Commission has devised a unique contest to help cut back on those law-breakers without having to chase down every shady debt relief offer. It's offering a $50,000 reward for the cleverest solution to blocking the banned variety of robocalls. The only requirement is that you be an adult US resident: if you can invent a surefire remedy in your basement, the FTC wants to hear from you. Entries will be open between October 25th and January 17th, with word of a winner around April 1st. We're hoping that the champion has a truly effective cure in use before long, because we'll undoubtedly have reached our breaking point on robocalls by... oh, around November 6th. [Image credit: SarahNW, Flickr] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget Podcast 314 - 10.19.2012 Posted: 19 Oct 2012 09:44 AM PDT  The Engadget Podcast mini. Same wow, more go. Now available in the same colors it's always been available in. Hosts: Brian Heater, Dana Wollman 02:00 - Microsoft reportedly building up to 5 million Surface tablets for the fall
Subscribe to the podcast Download the podcast Follow us on Twitter: @bheater, @danawollman This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro available on AT&T October 21st for $100 Posted: 19 Oct 2012 09:12 AM PDT
Fans of rugged Android phones, rejoice: you only have to wait until this Sunday to get the Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro on AT&T. The carrier just announced that it'll be making its way into stores on October 21st and will run you a whole $100 on a two-year commitment. It isn't going to be the stellar top-end device many power users crave, as it features a 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED display, 5MP rear-facing camera with 720p video recording, 8GB onboard storage, ICS, LTE, Enhanced Push-to-Talk, 810g military-spec certification and EAS corporate email support. It's a definite upgrade from the Smart, no doubt, but we're still pining for the day that rugged phones can have the best components and bounce off a concrete floor without incident. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2012 edition Posted: 19 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT
Shopping for a smartphone can be an exciting and arduous experience. Along with the promise of something new and fantastic, it brings the fear of commitment, and even worse, the prospect of saddling yourself to a lousy device for two years. Fortunately for you, Engadget spends tons of time playing with the latest gear and we're constantly on the lookout for what's coming next. If you're wanting to take the pain out of shopping for a smartphone, you've come to the right place. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: your one-stop resource to finding the best and most exciting handsets on the market today. Before you dive in, however, we've introduced a few changes to the buyer's guide, so take a minute to prepare yourself for what's in store. First and foremost, you'll now find alternate selections to supplement our top picks. This should already be familiar to many of you, which is the same format we use for our seasonal gift guides. The next one is a biggie: we've dropped the QWERTY selection. By and large, manufacturers and carriers alike have shifted their focus away from keyboard-equipped smartphones, and you'll rarely find more than one option on any given carrier. That said, if you still insist on the tactile experience, you'll always find everything you need to know in our reviews. Finally, whenever possible, you'll now find prices from Amazon Wireless, which allows us to provide you with more compelling budget selections and highlight the substantial savings that you can score by circumventing the carriers. It's not like they need your charity, anyway. If you're curious to see how it all unfolded -- and we know you are -- join us after the break, where we round up the very best smartphones of the season. AT&T
Sprint
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| | $150 at T-Mobile | | Pricing and release date TBA |
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| | Free at T-Mobile | ||
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 | Pricing and release date TBA | | Pricing and release date TBA |
Verizon Wireless
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| | From $199 at Apple | | Pricing and release date TBA |
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| | $80 at Amazon Wireless | ||
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 | | | $199 at Amazon Wireless |
Boost Mobile
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Cincinnati Bell
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Unlocked
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 | Pricing and release date TBA [Nexus image credit: onliner.by] | ||
NEC LaVie Y brings Lenovo's 360-degree IdeaPad Yoga hybrid tablet to Japan
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 08:44 AM PDT
Don't think that Lenovo is keeping the IdeaPad Yoga's bendy secrets all to itself: its Japanese partner NEC is bringing a variant of the ARM-based Yoga 11 to the land of the rising sun as the LaVie Y. The 11.6-inch blend of laptop and tablet keeps the signature 360-degree display, 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage as its more internationally-minded counterpart, and confirms that there's a quad-core Tegra 3 powering either of the Windows RT systems. What differences exist will stem from the software: there's hints of a custom NEC app on an otherwise vanilla interpretation of Microsoft's platform. The LaVie Y should precede its IdeaPad sibling by days, arriving in stores around November 22nd, although any local buyers will pay dearly for the privilege with an estimated $1,136 price. We'd suggest that patience ought to be a virtue for everyone else.
[Thanks, Gerald]
Fujitsu's Windows 8 range for Japan includes eyeball-controlled Esprimo FH98/JD all-in-one
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT
In addition to its gender-obsessed Floral Kiss range, Fujitsu has announced a gabble of Windows 8 form factors for its Japanese clientele. One of the more curious additions is the Esprimo FH98/JD all-in-one PC, which lets you pan across Microsoft's new UI using the very same eye-tracking technology we played with at CEATEC. There's also a slightly refreshed version of the 14-inch FMV Lifebook UH75 last seen running Windows 7 at CeBIT, which persists in its claim to be the "world's thinnest Ultrabook" at 15.6mm. Two more Lifebooks make similar promises in their respective non-Ultrabook weight categories -- the 13.3-inch SH76/J and the 15.6-inch AH78/JA, which both stretch to around 20mm at their thickest points. At the back of the convoy comes the 10-inch waterproof Arrows Tab Wi-Fi, which was already draped in Windows 8 colors when we went hands-on a few weeks back. It's mostly academic unless you'll be in Japan after October 26th, but the source link has plenty more pics and specs.
The future of higher education: reshaping universities through 3D printing
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT
Featuring four towering limestone columns and classic Flemish-bond brickwork, the century-old Mackay School of Mines Building at the University of Nevada, Reno, has long served as a bastion of Silver State history. Named after Irish immigrant and "Comstock Lode King" John Mackay, notable touches such as a cast bronze statue designed by Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum just outside the building helped it earn a spot in the National Register of Historic Places. Within its oak doors, however, are the makings of an intriguing experiment that's decidedly more new school. Like a mini museum, a collection of 3D-printed models are displayed within the building's sunlit, three-story atrium -- attracting a mix of students and teachers. Even more popular than the displays of plastic gears and molecule models, however, are the two 3D printers that made them: a professional-grade Stratasys uPrint SE Plus and a hobbyist 3DTouch machine.
Earlier this year, the building's DeLaMare Science and Engineering Library became the first academic library in the United States to provide 3D scanning and printing to all students and faculty, as well as the public. The move is part of a plan by director Tod Colegrove to transform the facility from a typical library that promotes knowledge through books to one that also encourages creative thought and discussion via hands-on technology. With 3D printers jumping from the realm of geek fantasy to something more accessible, Colegrove thought the devices would serve as the perfect vehicle for promoting education and pushing DeLaMare's evolution.
"If you look back at libraries over 2,000 years -- including the Library of Alexandria -- you'll see that they were involved in buying technology that many people cannot afford and making them more accessible," Colegrove said. "Along the way, it became all about having the biggest and best book collection so you ended up having identical libraries. We lost our way."
Paper or plastic?
For Colegrove, part of libraries losing their way involves the quiet, sanitized atmosphere that pervades many such facilities today. In the old days, libraries were largely about the conversation -- a fundamental part of learning and human nature, he said.
One section of DeLaMare Library's walls, for example, is covered in whiteboard paint, which makes it easier for students to write out their ideas or map out calculations in groups.
"The biggest mistake we made is when we let books crowd out the users and libraries became a quiet place where there's no talking and no food and drinks," Colegrove said. "We need to adjust from having conversations in users' heads to a collaborative environment."
"The biggest mistake we made is when we let books crowd out the users and libraries became a quiet place."
In order to take DeLaMare to the next level, Colegrove felt that it needed an anchor to draw in the diverse set of people needed to make creative collaboration possible. That's when he started thinking about 3D printers. Although the devices have been around since the '80s, 3D printers are still a relatively new concept to most people and just recently became more accessible to average consumers. The novelty of using layer after layer of melted plastic to "print" actual three-dimensional objects also gave 3D printers a "cool factor." Add the ability to turn people's ideas into something that's physically tangible and you have technology that could serve an educational purpose as well, Colegrove thought.
As great as 3D printers sounded, however, the library still faced one challenge: cost. Although it was possible to get a printer like the MakerBot Replicator for around $2,000, Colegrove wanted a higher-end machine that could print faster at a high resolution while also being able to handle a heavy demand reliably. He decided to pick two devices -- the $20,000 Stratasys uPrint SE Plus professional-grade printer and a $4,000 3DTouch hobbyist machine. Throw in the cost of a 3D scanner and about a year's worth of plastic material and the library was looking at an expense between $30,000 and $40,000.
With the university system facing steep budget cuts after the Great Recession razed the state budget, Colegrove was apprehensive about pitching his plan to his superiors. After much thought, he decided to take the chance.
"When I first thought about getting funding from the school for the 3D printers, I was worried about the cost," Colegrove said. "But one of the people I talked to said, 'Oh, that's nothing, it's just the price of one microscope.' After that, I was like, 'OK, I don't feel so bad.'"
A matter of perspective
Thanks to a combination of university gift funds and grants, the library soon acquired its two 3D printers. The 3DTouch arrived first on April 27th and was printing its first job -- a rotor for an impeller pump prototype designed by a group of engineering students -- just minutes later. The rotor would take three days to finish.
"The students just broke the box open and started printing right away," said Lisa Kurt, DeLaMare's engineering and emerging technologies librarian. "They just looked so excited and you could feel this tremendous energy."
"It's really heartwarming to see just how backed up the machines are."
The library's Stratasys uPrint SE Plus arrived two months later on June 27th. The Stratasys, which prints four times faster than the 3DTouch and is jokingly described by Colegrove as their "Mercedes- Benz," has been running constantly since starting operation on July 3rd. Students have printed a range of devices that run the gamut from a bust of Master Yoda and RepRap 3D printer parts to intricate models of molecules and an engine block. Several of the creations churned out by the devices are now on display next to the printers, along with a "Box of Disappointment" that contains discarded pieces that didn't quite turn out perfectly. For Colegrove, the strong demand for the printers validated his bet to bring the technology to the library.
"It's really heartwarming to see just how backed up the machines are," Colegrove said.
The waiting list got even longer in August, when the 3DTouch was taken offline due to a print head issue. The library also plans to replace the 3DTouch's build platform with a heated version after some projects printed from the device exhibited signs of warping.
Meanwhile, the library's "one-year supply" of 35 total PLA and ABS plastic spools is down to just a third of the original amount after only a couple of months. The supply issue should rectify itself once the university starts charging for the material -- 50 cents per cubic inch for 3DTouch jobs and $4.50 per cubic inch for the higher-resolution Stratasys. Kurt says strong demand will continue to be an issue now that students are back for the fall semester.
"Word has caught around campus and we were already busy even during the summer months," Kurt said. "But it's a good problem to have. I'd rather have people coming in to the library to use the printers than have an empty room."
A new dimension in learning
For many universities, 3D printers have become an indispensable asset for promoting learning and education. At Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), the devices are considered a regular tool in student's everyday lives, said Carlito Bayne, manager of the GSAPP's Output Shop. He says the school has dabbled with 3D printers since 2000, including one that used wax. Their printers get so much use that the school is purchasing another machine. Other departments such as the fine arts, medical and engineering schools have their own 3D printers.
"During presentations most students have models as well as renderings to show the design process," Bayne said. "It shows the students and professors what works structurally and what just looks good. This is something that a 2D render or drawing can't do because you only have one view."
"I think it's creating a Renaissance in manufacturing and the design world because even the average person can use it."
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, students such as Steven Keating are using 3D printers in cutting edge ways that go beyond simple models. The mechanical engineering student describes 3D printers as a valuable research tool because they can help accelerate projects that would normally take time using conventional modeling methods. The technology also helps democratize processes that may be too technical for the average person when done the traditional way.
"3D printing allows you to prototype rapidly and iterate quickly so it really levels the playing field in terms of design," Keating said. "Anyone with a program like Sketchup can design something without needing access to a machine shop or knowing how to operate fabrication equipment. I think it's creating a Renaissance in manufacturing and the design world because even the average person can use it."
In Keating's case, he is currently part of a team that's studying new digital fabrication techniques, including large-scale 3D printing. Their ultimate goal? To be able to print entire buildings. Part of Keating's research is to come up with an alternative to the current layer-by-layer printing method used by machines such as the Makerbot, which is too slow for their purposes. One approach they are developing is to "print in place" -- which allows for printing to be done on site. Their concept also uses "mobile swarm printing" via robotic agents that extrude a fast curing material. The material acts as a concrete mold for structural walls and also doubles as a thermal insulation layer. In addition to lower costs and the ability to print custom shapes, the unique approach gives the team the speed that they desire. "We estimate that for a regular single-story residential house, we can print the entire exterior wall in under a day," Keating said. "So far, we've performed a lot of small scale tests successfully so we're hoping to work on a larger scale within the next year."
The next level
Although printing models of molecules, gears and even hobbyist projects in plastic are a good first step, one of the things that excites researchers about 3D printing involves its potential for using other materials. One example is using the technology for biological projects, including the creation of human tissue, said Ali Khademhosseini, a Harvard Medical School associate professor who's also involved with the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. Khademhosseini and his fellow researchers are currently trying to engineer 3D structures that mimic cells and tissues that can be transplanted into humans. Unlike the more inanimate materials traditionally used, printing tissue material requires a different kind of medium that comes with its own set of unique challenges. "We typically deal with gels and pregel liquids where you have cells encapsulated inside," Khademhosseini said. "Once printed, you can cross link them and make a gel-like structure, so the material is different ... and very hydrated."
"The challenge now is making things like heart tissue, which is more vascularized and has all these blood vessels."
In the past, researchers tried to repurpose traditional printers for the job but ran into issues such as clogging. These days, they use printers from companies such as San Diego-based Organovo that specialize in printing biological material. The research could help speed up clinical trials by creating cells and tissues that can be used for testing drugs, Khademhosseini said. Larger trials, which can cost upward of a billion dollars, may also benefit by seeing reduced costs. So far, researchers working on biological printing have already created viable material for treating burned skin. More complicated tissues, however, will still take some time.
"The challenge now is making things like heart tissue, which is more vascularized and has all these blood vessels, or liver tissue, which has a metabolic function," Khademhosseini said. "There still are formidable challenges but we're making a lot of progress. Just being able to make tissues for drug discovery is already a big deal."
Meanwhile, printing speed remains a challenge for 3D printers overall, said Pedro Reis, an assistant professor of mechanical, civil and environmental engineering at MIT. Although 3D printing certainly has advantages as a prototyping tool, it still lags behind more traditional manufacturing methods when it comes to mass producing items, according to Reis. Nevertheless, its advantages as a tool for unlocking human creativity both individually and collaboratively can't be minimized.
"When you look at some of the crazy 3D objects that students come up with, you can't help but just go, 'Wow,'" Reis said. "It really empowers them and opens up their imagination. It opens up a completely new door for them to express their ideas."
More heads better than one
Sunlight seeps into the bustling DeLaMare atrium on a sunny Tuesday afternoon as visitors arrive to hang out around the 3D printers and observe the progress of their projects. In one corner, a teacher checks out one of the molecule models printed by a colleague and starts chatting with a computer science engineering student who's fiddling with the 3D scanner nearby. For Ben King, an associate professor of chemistry at the school, one of the challenges in making the connection between science and technology is the gulf in communication between people. Using 3D printers, he said, not only encourages people to flesh out their ideas and potentially create the next cool widget; it also makes it easier to communicate one's results to people outside one's field of expertise.
"For example, one of the very hard things about teaching chemistry is explaining that molecules have shape," King said. "This basically removes that obstacle ... so it will change how we teach chemistry and how we look at molecules on a daily basis. It's also just plain fun."
Guilherme Martins, a graduate student in the computer science and engineering program, agreed.
"In the field of robotics or mechanical engineering, the ability to create a moving part without any welding removes a lot of the barriers to prototyping," Martins said. "Using 3D printers also encourages you to learn something like a 3D modeling program so it pushes you to learn new skill sets."
On the other side of the room, one student can be seen interacting with another student at a nearby table while holding a sandwich in one hand and a drink in the other. Instead of telling the visitors to keep quiet and to dispose of their food, Colegrove joins in on the conversations.
"When I first came in (a couple of years ago), I talked to the dean and said, 'You know, scientists and engineers are known for a lot of things but they're not really known to be quiet people,'" Colegrove said. "We need to get that community back in the library."
"It allows us to break out of the box and cross-pollinate in ways that we normally can't. Cool stuff happens when you get people together."
The biggest benefit Colegrove has seen so far is the increase in visits from people of other backgrounds. As the library for one of the top mining schools in the country, DeLaMare has a strong history in the geosciences. With the addition of the 3D printers, the school's geological minds are now rubbing elbows with people from fields such as biology, computer science and even art.
Chris Bennett, a computer science engineering sophomore, said he especially enjoys the networking aspect of his visits to the 3D printing area. He briefly chatted with civil engineering senior Alicia Veach, who is planning to use the 3D printers to create miniature prototypes of the concrete canoes she and her team use in racing competitions around the country.
"You get your average engineering types but it's also nice to see the biologists and the artists coming in here," Bennett said. "It allows us to break out of the box and cross-pollinate in ways that we normally can't. It's basically tied to the Makerspace ethos -- cool stuff happens when you get people together."
This diverse meeting of the minds is exactly what Colegrove hopes to continue seeing as more folks become aware of the 3D printers. Colegrove alluded to the Gartner Hype Cycle, which explains the various phases that a technology goes through during adoption. The cycle starts with the creation of the technology followed by inflated expectations, disillusionment, enlightenment and the final phase of acceptance. Colegrove believes that 3D printers have passed the "disillusionment" phase that comes when a new technology fails to match the hype of inflated expectations. Instead, 3D printers are now starting to work their way up the "slope of enlightenment" stage, where most progress is achieved. How fast that translates to printing organs and Star Trek-style replicators, however, depends on how many people start playing with the technology now, he said. The key is collaboration, which speeds up the learning process, he added.
"The old model -- where you have individual silos and people went into their individual towers -- I mean, what good is that?" Colegrove said. "Now you have engineers talking with artists and creating new forms of knowledge. Instead of the old teaching model where you have the sage on the stage, the new model is about learning from one another to create a spark that can be fanned into a flame. You end up connecting all these dots."
This piece originally appeared in Distro Issue #61.
Samsung begins delivering Jelly Bean to UK-based Galaxy S III owners
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 07:49 AM PDT
Samsung has already started on the Jelly Bean upgrade path for the Galaxy S III, but that hasn't meant much so far unless you live in Samsung's homeland. The update's global relevance is expanding in grand fashion now that the company has confirmed the software is rolling out to Galaxy S III units across the UK. Variants on the smartphone for British carriers should get their taste of Android 4.1 over the course of a multi-week update process that brings everyone to the new version. Different carrier testing methods prevent Samsung from being any more specific; it's reasonable to say, though, that most owners living in Old Blighty should be running Jelly Bean before the holiday season kicks into overdrive.
LG Optimus G review: a quad-core powerhouse with Nexus aspirations
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 07:20 AM PDT
More Info
You've heard it before: the more things change the more they stay the same. It wasn't that long ago that we reviewed LG's flagship Optimus 4X HD, the world's first quad-core HSPA+ handset. Despite representing the company's best engineering and design effort to date, it wasn't quite able to match the competition's global offerings -- Samsung's mighty Galaxy S III and HTC's lovely One X. Today, just a few months later, quad-core LTE superphones are the state of the art. Samsung's selling the global Galaxy Note II, HTC's just announced the One X+ and LG's betting everything on the Optimus G -- the first handset to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Pro together with an LTE radio.
The Optimus G is a pivotal device for the Korean manufacturer, especially in the US, where rival Samsung is massively popular and LG's success has been hampered by a series of forgettable products (hello, Intuition) and a lackluster track record for software updates. It's so critical that LG even invited us to spend some quality time with the Optimus G at the launch event in Seoul last month. In the US, LG's partnering with Sprint and AT&T and there's strong evidence that Google's upcoming Nexus will be based on the Optimus G. So, does the company's latest powerhouse measure up to the competition? How different are the US versions from the Korean model? Does LG finally have a winning formula with the Optimus G? Find out in our review after the break.
Hardware
LG provided us with three Optimus G review units: an unlocked white handset with the 13-megapixel camera for Korea's Olleh LTE network, Sprint's almost identical black version and AT&T's bespoke model with the 8-megapixel shooter. Unlike Samsung's curved, pebble-like, "inspired by nature" theme, the Optimus G inherits LG's chiseled, angular, slab-like design language. The details are more subtle than with the Optimus 4X HD -- it's more of a simple and elegant tribute to past Chocolate and Prada phones. While Sprint's version shares the same appearance and dimensions as the Korean model (the reference, if you will), AT&T's handset is 2.8mm (0.11 inches) wider and 1mm (0.04 inches) shorter. Thickness is uniform at 8.45mm (0.33 inches) and weight varies between 145g (5.11oz) and 147g (5.19oz). Regardless of which Optimus G you handle, build quality is superb -- it's like holding on to a solid block of technology. AT&T's phone feels slightly too wide, but the other two are extremely comfortable in hand, thanks to subtly curved edges where the sides meet the back.
In front, all three devices feature a beautiful 4.7-inch True HD IPS PLUS panel fitted under an edge-to-edge sheet of Gorilla Glass 2. The earpiece is flanked by sensors on the left and a 1.3-megapixel camera on the right. The Sprint and Korean versions also include an RGB notification light next to the earpiece (it's been relocated to the power / lock key on AT&T's model). You'll find three capacitive buttons below the screen (Back, Home and Menu) which are only visible when backlit. Interestingly, the bezel surrounding the display is black even on the white Korean model. There's no branding in front other than LG's silver logo up top and centered. Around the back, the Optimus G is covered by another sheet of what appears to be glass incorporating a pattern that's only visible at certain angles. This glossy finish, which LG calls "Crystal Reflection", is a veritable fingerprint magnet, especially on the black versions (Sprint and AT&T). It's interrupted only by the camera lens above the single LED flash in the top-left and a vertical slit hiding the mono speaker in the bottom-right. LG's silver logo returns along with carrier branding, except on Sprint's unit which is pleasantly free of network labels. There's no way to remove the back cover -- the Optimus G's sealed 2,100mAh Li-polymer battery is rated for 800 charge cycles.
The most obvious difference between the three handsets is also our biggest design gripe. The Optimus G is available with either a choice of 8-megapixel or 13-megapixel shooters. Sprint follows the same recipe as the Korean model with the 13 MP camera sensor mounted in a protruding square pod and the LED flash embedded in the back. On AT&T's version, it's the reverse: the 8 MP module is located under the glass surface and the LED flash is recessed in its own divot. This inconsistency is annoying -- it makes AT&T's phone less visually appealing than the other two. We understand that the eight and 13-megapixel modules have different thicknesses, but LG could have used a similar square pod to house both cameras and simplified its assembly process while maintaining a cohesive design across models.
Each device sports identical controls and ports: a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and secondary microphone on top; the power / lock key on the right; a micro-USB / MHL connector, primary microphone and two screws at the bottom; and the volume rocker on the left. While Sprint's Optimus G is devoid of any extra openings, the Korean version includes a micro-SIM tray on the left side below the volume rocker and AT&T's model puts a flap in the same location covering both micro-SIM and microSD card slots. Our Korean unit also rocks a retractable T-DMB antenna in the top-left corner for that extra bit of street cred. Beyond the wider body and lower resolution camera, AT&T's handset deviates further with a completely different edge design. Where the Sprint and Korean versions have mostly flat sides with two handsome silver rings -- one along the edge of the front glass and the other a quarter of the way down the side -- AT&T's model features curved edges with a dark chrome finish on the left and right along with textured flat sides at the top and bottom. As mentioned above, the notification light on AT&T's Optimus G is located around the power / lock key (instead of living next to the earpiece in front).
By now you're probably wondering how that 4.7-inch True HD IPS PLUS panel stacks up to the competition. LG's Zerogap Touch technology puts the capacitive layer right inside the non-PenTile, 1,280 x 768-pixel screen for an ultra-thin design. It's definitely a top-notch display -- bright and crisp, with deep blacks and rich colors. Still, it falls short of HTC's gorgeous Super LCD 2 panel on the One X, which offers better viewing angles and remains the best screen on any phone we've ever used. Our Korean unit also suffers from a yellow discoloration at the bottom of the display -- it's mostly noticeable with a white background and we've alerted LG to the issue, which is likely the result of an early batch of defective panels. The Sprint and AT&T devices are flawless.
Under the hood is where the Optimus G really shines. Reading the specs will put a smile on the face of even the most jaded tech journalist. It's the first handset built around Qualcomm's Fusion 3 chipset, which pairs a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC (APQ8064) with a 2G / 3G / LTE radio (MDM9615). Beyond the quad-core Krait CPU and Adreno 320 GPU, you'll find 2GB of DDR RAM and 32GB of built-in flash storage on board (reduced to 16GB on AT&T's unit, which also supports microSD and ships with a 16GB card). In terms of radios, the Korean version is quad-band GSM / GPRS (no EDGE), dual-band UMTS / HSPA+ (2100 / 900MHz) and LTE capable (Band 3, possibly 1 and 5). The Sprint model works on the carrier's CDMA and LTE technology in the US but should be able to roam on GSM / GPRS / EDGE (quadband) and UMTS / HSPA+ (dual-band 2100 / 900MHz) networks abroad. AT&T's phone supports quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE, tri-band UMTS / HSPA+ (2100 / 1900 / 850MHz) and LTE (Bands 4 and 17). Other specs include 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 + LE, A-GPS, NFC and a bevy of sensors (ambient light, proximity, magnetometer, accelerometer and orientation).
Performance and battery life
Let's make one thing perfectly clear: the Optimus G is a performance beast. Subjectively, it never skips a beat -- everything is snappy and fluid, with no lag or delays. Despite launching with Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.4, to be exact), it feels quicker than our Galaxy Nexus and on par with our Galaxy Note II, both running Jelly Bean. This is a testament to LG's UI optimizations, Qualcomm's engineering chops or both. In our benchmarks, the Optimus G slots right between our reigning champions -- the global Galaxy S III (ICS) and the Galaxy Note II (Jelly Bean) -- for most tests, while handily beating both with the best Quadrant score we've ever recorded for a handset (7,628) and barely lagging behind in AnTuTu (11,284). The results are similar across all three versions, with the Sprint model falling a smidgen behind the other two. It will be interesting to see how much these numbers improve once the Optimus G is updated to Android 4.1.
| Optimus G (Korean model) | Optimus G (Sprint model) | Optimus G (AT&T model) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrant Advanced | 7.628 | 7,593 | 7,531 |
| Vellamo 1 | 2,116 | 2,078 | 2,143 |
| AnTuTu | 11,230 | 11,236 | 11,284 |
| SunSpider 0.9.1 (ms) | 1,312 | 1,358 | 1,283 |
| CF-Bench | 14,398 | 14,322 | 14,372 |
| Battery life | 8:40 | 7:53 | 8:43 |
| SunSpider: lower scores are better | |||
| Optimus G (all models) | Galaxy Note II | Global Galaxy S III | Global HTC One X | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrant Advanced | 7.628 | 6,819 | 5,189 | 4,906 |
| Vellamo 1 | 2,143 | 2,482 | 1,751 | 1,617 |
| AnTuTu | 11,284 | 13,539 | 11,960 | 11,030 |
| SunSpider 0.9.1 (ms) | 1,283 | 1,023 | 1,460 | 1,773 |
| GLBenchmark 2.1 Egypt Offscreen (fps) | N/A | 114 | 99 | 63 |
| CF-Bench | 14,398 | 15,267 | 13,110 | 13,233 |
| Battery life | 8:43 | 10:45 | 9:02 | 6:00 |
| SunSpider: lower scores are better | ||||
We didn't have any issues with overall radio performance but calls sounded a little flat in our tests. AT&T's handset was the clearest, followed closely by Sprint's, with the Korean Optimus G (likely not optimized for US networks) trailing behind. The built-in speaker is somewhat tinny but loud enough. We didn't have much time to compare music playback with other phones, but audio quality with various headphones and earbuds was up to our higher-than-average standards. It's worth mentioning that LG's bundled music and video players feature Dolby Mobile, if you're into audio enhancement. Speed tests on AT&T's LTE network in San Francisco yielded about 12 Mbps down and 10 Mbps up (on average) with four out of five bars of signal. Until Sprint deploys LTE in the Bay Area we're stuck doing speed tests on CDMA, which means peaks of 2.3 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up with full signal. Our Korean unit only supports GPRS data here in the US, but we saw some impressive numbers with a prototype Optimus G on Korea's U+ LTE network while in Seoul.
Battery life on Qualcomm's dual-core Snapdragon S4 devices is usually fantastic, and we're happy to report this trend continues with the quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro-equipped Optimus G. While all three versions have the same sealed 2,100mAh Li-polymer battery, we focused our attention on AT&T's model since it's the only one with an active LTE connection. Our standard battery rundown test involves setting the brightness and volume to half, using 4G in a 75 percent or better signal area, enabling GPS and WiFi (not connected) and disabling Bluetooth while looping a video from a full charge until the battery is drained. AT&T's Optimus G ran for eight hours and 43 minutes; Sprint's lasted seven hours and 53 minutes on 3G (LTE off); and our Korean phone kept going for eight hours and 40 minutes on 2G (LTE and HSPA+ disabled). In our moderate battery usage test, which consists of using a handset lightly from a full charge until it shuts down -- emailing, texting, checking social networks, making a few brief calls, taking some pictures, etc. -- all three review units went on for almost 20 hours. As such, we're pretty sure most people will have no problems using the Optimus G for an entire day. Heavy users can use "Eco Mode," a setting which extends battery life by dynamically switching between quad- and dual-core operation.
Camera
This is really a tale of two different cameras with identical functionality -- the story of promising shooters held back by a frustrating user experience. Both the Sprint and Korean versions of the Optimus G use a 13-megapixel, 1/3.2-inch BSI sensor with 1.1µm pixels and a five-element, f/2.4 autofocus lens. AT&T's model sports an 8-megapixel BSI sensor with identical 1.1µm pixels, but it's unclear if the autofocus lens is the same (the 13 MP module captures a wider field of view). Both cameras are capable of recording video at 1080p and are complemented by a single LED flash. The user interface is similar on all three phones -- it's intuitive, customizable and offers a full range of settings. You'll find HDR, panorama and burst modes, plus features like "Time Catch Shot" (which buffers pictures in the background and stores five images centered around the time when you press the shutter button) and "Cheese Shutter" (which takes a shot when you say the word "cheese" or "whiskey").
What makes both shooters problematic for casual users and photography buffs alike is the way the autofocus is implemented. It's continuous, but unlike competing systems, it re-triggers too often. There's no way to sidestep this -- no dedicated two-stage camera key, no ability to lock focus and exposure by tapping and holding the on-screen shutter button then releasing it to snap a picture. While touch-to-focus is available, it only locks focus and exposure momentarily before resuming continuous autofocus, which only gives you a brief window of opportunity to take that special shot. Other recent LG handsets like the Optimus 4X HD, Intuition and Escape suffer from the same problem, so hopefully the company is paying attention. It's an easy fix -- just add a setting to disable continuous autofocus.
Now that we have that out of the way, how do these cameras fare? We're pretty satisfied with the resulting pictures, actually. Both shooters do a reasonably good job with white balance and exposure. We prefer the softer, more natural colors captured by the 13-megapixel camera -- the 8 MP sensor tends to produce overly warm and saturated colors. Low-light performance is generally excellent, but here again, the 13 MP shooter comes out ahead, with less visible noise. The 8-megapixel lens flares up a bit when shooting into bright light. Video recording is decent, if perhaps somewhat over-sharpened -- the Optimus G captures 1080p HD video at 30fps (10.5 Mbps bitrate) with continuous autofocus and mono audio. Overall, the 13-megapixel camera gathers tons of detail and edges out the One X and Galaxy S III. The 8 MP module slots right below the competition.
Software
All three phones are running the manufacturer's now-familiar UI 3.0 skin on top of Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). While it's somewhat disappointing that LG is launching the Optimus G without Jelly Bean, we're told this will be remedied soon. Of course, everyone knows the company's track record with software updates has been less than stellar. We shared our concerns with several executives during our recent trip to Seoul, who assured us that LG is aware of this and is committed to providing timely upgrades for the Optimus G. In other words, stay tuned. Unlike the handset's refined industrial design, UI 3.0 still looks dated and boring, like an nth-generation copy of Samsung's cartoonish TouchWiz interface. It's probably not going to offend anyone, but it's not particularly compelling either. At least it's lightweight, with little (if any) impact on performance.
We've detailed UI 3.0 in other reviews before (Optimus L7, Optimus 4X HD and Intuition) but some of the existing features stand out. We're rather fond of the quick settings menu, a scrollable (and customizable) bar of icons at the top of the notification tray which provides shortcuts for various settings. Strangely, the hotspot quick settings icon is missing on AT&T's version (like on the LG Escape, it turns out). Perhaps it's an attempt by the carrier to discourage tethering? The app tray includes some welcome additions like folders and the ability to sort icons alphabetically or by installation date. "Icon Personalizer" lets you swap icons for any home screen app. "Quiet time" works like Apple's "Do Not Disturb" by defining times when notifications are muted. You'll also find a few Optimus G-specific tricks. "Wise Screen" is similar to Samsung's "Smart Stay" and prevents the phone from going to sleep when you're looking at the display. "Dual Screen Dual Play" lets you play back content on an external monitor connected via MHL or LG's Miracast dongle while you're performing other tasks on the device. "Live Zooming" enables pinch-to-zoom during video playback (up to 5x). Last but not least, "QSlide" overlays videos in a transparent window that floats over whatever app you're currently running -- it's really quite slick.
The Optimus G comes with a bunch of pre-installed LG apps. Each model features a slightly different bundle, and while apps like SmartWorld (LG's app store) are self-explanatory, others are worth a closer look. QuickMemo is a lot like Samsung's S Memo -- it lets you annotate what's on the screen and save the result as an image. The app is invoked by pressing both volume keys simultaneously or by touching on the appropriate quick settings icon. LG Tag+ (called Olleh NFC on our Korean unit) is used to program the supplied NFC tags and set up profiles which are then activated by tapping the handset on the appropriate tag. Video Editor (oddly missing from AT&T's phone) and Video Wiz are, unsurprisingly, video editing apps, the former being similar to Apple's iMovie and the latter providing a quick way to create music videos by combining content from your music library with your own video clips. All three devices also include Polaris Office 4.0.
Kudos to Sprint for keeping clutter to a minimum and bundling just two apps: Sprint ID and Sprint Zone. By contrast, AT&T makes a mess of the Optimus G by pre-loading 11 mostly useless apps that cannot be uninstalled: Amazon Kindle (useful, but readily available in the Play Store), AT&T Code Scanner, AT&T FamilyMap, AT&T Locker, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Ready2Go, AT&T Smart Wi-Fi, Device Help, Live TV, myAT&T and YPmobile. Adding insult to injury, AT&T chose to further customize LG's UI 3.0. The settings have been regrouped into tabs instead of using Android's standard sectioned list, the Gallery sorting order is set to descending by default (why?) and the default browser is contaminated with an utterly meaningless "browser bar" (which is thankfully defeatable).
Wrap-up
The Optimus G is a phenomenal piece of hardware that combines refined design, superb build quality and specs to die for. Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro provides gobs of performance without sacrificing battery life. While LG's 4.7-inch True HD IPS PLUS panel is beautiful, it still ranks behind HTC's gorgeous Super LCD 2 display on the One X. Despite that pesky continuous autofocus, both 13 and 8-megapixel cameras are capable of capturing top-notch photos and videos. Where the Optimus G falls short is in the software department -- LG's UI 3.0 skin is mediocre and Ice Cream Sandwich is somewhat disappointing on such a great handset. Apparently, there's an Optimus G-based Nexus phone running Jelly Bean in the works -- problem solved, then.
The question remains: should you plunk down $200 (on contract) for Sprint's Optimus G when it goes on sale November 11th or AT&T's version when it hits the shelves on November 2nd? We prefer the simple and elegant design of the Sprint and Korean models -- not to mention the marginally better 13-megapixel shooter. Sprint's device is held back by poor LTE coverage and an embedded SIM. AT&T's unit suffers from excessive carrier tweaks (both hardware and software) and a slightly lower-grade 8 MP camera, but benefits from a mature LTE network and expandable storage. With AT&T about to offer HTC's One X+ and Samsung's Galaxy Note II, it's a tough call. So, did we mention that upcoming Nexus?
Microsoft launches four-year, $80 Office 365 University subscription for students
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 07:01 AM PDT
Microsoft's given Xbox love to PC-buying students recently, and it's just announced that it'll carry on that tradition with Office 365 University, by offering a special four-year, $80 subscription to higher-education students. For that sum, you'll get four years of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access if you're seeking a sheepskin scroll, which Redmond says works out to $1.67 per month. Also included are 60 Skype world minutes per month and 27GB of Premium SkyDrive storage, along with free upgrades and the ability to install on two separate computers, to boot. That should take some of the sting out of those scholarly expenses if you need a copy, so check the source to see how to grab it.
Moog shows off LEV-96 sensoriactuator prototype on an acoustic guitar
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 06:47 AM PDT
Moogfest isn't happening for another week, but the synth-maker couldn't wait to take the wraps off of its latest bit of technology. Still in the early days of beta-testing ,the LEV-96 is a far cry from the classic analog instruments we've come to associate with Moog. The company is showing off the sensoriactuator in its early stages by affixing it to a guitar, with two pickup channels beneath each of the acoustic's strings. The strings' vibrations trigger the sound, with the device "bring[ing] out hidden modes of vibration that have always been there, but were never energized in a direct manner," according to the company -- in all, the system is capable of managing up to 96 simultaneous harmonics. On the LEV-96, you'll find touch-based control sliders, which let the player adjust intensity, harmonics and note duration. Additional triggers let you change arpeggio presets and modulation (tremolo and random harmonics), while a lock button makes sure you don't adjust anything by accident.
Moog is careful to point out that the LEV-96 we're seeing (still being referred to as a "concept project") is just the tip of the iceberg, and "could easily be affixed to any surface or material." The company has promised to show the concept in action soon, including an appearance at Moogfest on October 26th and 27th in the company's home of Asheville, North Carolina. For more info consult the source link below.
Distro Issue 62 arrives with Apple's iPod duo, a superslim PS3 and Wacom's multi-touch display
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT
At its event in San Francisco a few weeks back, Apple had more up its sleeve than just an aluminum-clad smartphone. In the latest issue of our weekly, we put both the new iPod nano and iPod touch through their paces to find out how they fare against their elder siblings. If a duo of PMP reviews doesn't snag your attention, we also throw down the review gauntlet on Wacom's Cintiq 24HD touch and this year's slimmed-down PlayStation 3. Eyes-On peeks at an ultrathin ultrabook, Weekly Stat examines emoticon use and Time Machines tallies up some more gadget history. The week's end is mere hours away and the usual download links that follow can help you settle in for a bit of leisurely gadget reading.
Distro Issue 62 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store
Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Sony to start Xperia upgrades to Jelly Bean by mid-Q1, rules out all 2011 phones
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 06:04 AM PDT
We've got mixed news for those who were wondering just where Sony's Jelly Bean updates were headed. The good? Sony has narrowed down its upgrade schedule for the Xperia T, Xperia TX and Xperia V to the middle of 2013's first quarter, or roughly February. Just about every other reasonably capable 2012 model is also getting an upgrade once Sony has narrowed down the timetable, ranging from the Xperia S through to the Xperia ion and Xperia go. Brace yourself for the dark side of the news, however: not a single 2011 Xperia phone will make the Jelly Bean leap, no matter how quick or recent it might be. The company was "not able to guarantee" the experience the devices would have with the newer OS, we're told. While we know that some older phones would have been borderline at best, that cutoff won't be pleasant for anyone whose Xperia Arc S is already out of the Android upgrade loop after less than a year.
JailbreakMe hacker Comex let go by Apple after failing to respond to offer letter
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 05:44 AM PDT
After developing JailBreakMe, cracking such devices as the iPad 2 or iPhone 4 and finally scoring a paying intern gig with his nemesis, hacker Comex tweeted that he's no longer working at Apple. Also known as Nicholas Allegra, the talented coder's Cupertino situation apparently came asunder when he failed to respond to an email offer to re-up with the company, though he also told Forbes that the situation was more complicated than that. He added that "it wasn't a bad ending," and that he has fond memories of his Apple experience, but if you're hoping the Brown University student will have an iOS 6 jailbreak soon, don't hold your breath -- he's concentrating strictly on his studies, for now.
Samsung Galaxy S III hitting MetroPCS next Monday for $499 off-contract
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 05:34 AM PDT
We got tipped off way back in August and managed to get a little hands-on time with the variant, and now that October is well under way, MetroPCS is offering up some more info on its Galaxy S III offering. The popular Samsung handset will be hitting the carrier's stores and site on Monday, October 22nd. Off-contract pricing for the Android smartphone's gonna run you $499, on top of $30 to $70 a month for one of the carrier's LTE plans. Spec-wise, you're getting a 4.8-inch SuperAMOLED display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM. More info on the offering can be had in the press release after the break.
MetroPCS Blends First Class Smartphone and No Annual Contract 4G LTE Service with Availability of Samsung Galaxy S III
The wait is over for consumers looking for the Galaxy S® III from Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) without being shackled to a lengthy wireless commitment. MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (NYSE: PCS) announced today that it is offering consumers more choice and value as the only no annual contract 4GLTE wireless service provider to offer the Galaxy S III, Samsung's best-selling premium Android™ smartphone. The Galaxy S III will be available in select stores this weekend, and in all MetroPCS stores and online at www.metropcs.com beginning Monday, October 22.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121019/DA96184)
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100714/DA34639LOGO-b)
Together, the Samsung Galaxy S III and MetroPCS' 4GLTE service plans deliver an unmatched value to consumers unwilling to compromise on handset or service. Priced at $499 plus tax, the Galaxy S III is available on any of MetroPCS' affordable 4GLTE service plans, which range from $30 - $70 per month, including the limited-time promotional plans of 4G LTE for $30 or unlimited talk, text and 4GLTE data for $55 per month (taxes and regulatory fees included). When comparing total costs of both the smartphone and rate plans with other 4G LTE operators, consumers can save approximately $1,200 or more over the course of two years (based on MetroPCS' current $55 4GLTE rate plan).
"We are excited to make the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone available to our no annual contract subscribers," said Tom Keys, president and chief operating officer of MetroPCS. "With roughly one million 4G LTE customers already, we recognize that many want a premier smartphone that offers an array of high-end features and runs on our 4G LTE network. Available with any of our 4G LTE service plans, this smartphone offers a postpaid experience at a tremendous value to our consumers."
Not merely for consumers who demand more affordability than ever, the feature rich Galaxy S III at MetroPCS makes it easy for people to share content and experiences, quickly navigate applications and support a multitude of tasks.
The Galaxy S III at a Glance
Lightning-fast response times and serious multi-tasking support thanks to advanced 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM memory
4.8 inch 720P HD SuperAMOLED™ screen
8MP back and 1.9MP front cameras with features such as Burst Shot™ to capture still pictures at a rapid-fire pace with zero shutter lag; Best Shot that recommends the best picture to keep based on colors, lighting and clarity; and Share Shot, that allows other Galaxy S III users to quickly and wirelessly share pictures from up to 200 feet away over Wi-Fi®AllShare® Play streams videos, photos and music to various connected devices including TVs and speakers, remotely accesses files and shares group presentations and photos
S Beam shares content and information – pictures, maps, contacts, calendars, etc. – by simply touching two Galaxy S III phones together
Enhanced gesture controls to minimize unnecessary screen touches or softkey use
Pop Up Play delivers video picture-in-picture so users can multitask with entertainment while accomplishing the day's tasks
Near Field Communication (NFC) support
Support for MetroPCS 4GLTE Mobile Hotspot service (available for an additional monthly charge)
Google draws 25 million new building footprints in Maps, shapes up your neighborhood
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 05:03 AM PDT
The fine, well labeled lines of Google Maps may show a clean layout of your neighborhood, but without buildings, it looks too much like a two-dimensional spread of undeveloped tract housing. Google's finally filling in the gaps, outlining 25 million building footprints in cities all across the United States. Residents of Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Detroit and other cities can now see the familiar outlines of their local stomping ground on the services' mobile and desktop maps. Most of these buildings were algorithmically generated from aerial photographs,locals can pen in their own content by using Google Map Maker to add new buildings or tag their favorite local eatery. The tweak sounds minor, but it certainly makes the standard map's criss-cross of roads look more familiar. Check out the official Google Lat Long blog below for more details.
Google to Verizon Android users: carrier billing coming to Play store
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 04:13 AM PDT
If you're on Verizon and don't feel like racking up your plastic when you buy Play store apps or content, the carrier will soon give you the option of putting it on your phone bill, according to a recent Google tweet. Mountain View's had the option for a while now, with T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T having already jumped on the app-billing bandwagon, which left Verizon as the final major to climb aboard. Other than saying that you'll be able to bill apps and music that way, details are scant -- but considering Big Red's whopping Android lineup, it's about time.
Stanford Ovshinsky, inventor of the NiMH battery, passes away at 89
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 03:14 AM PDT
On Wednesday night, Stanford Ovshinsky, inventor of the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery, passed away at the age of 89 due to complications from cancer. The Akron, Ohio native may not be a household name, but there's a good chance that many of your electronics have been powered by his work, as NiMH batteries are used in everything from mice to hybrid cars. A self-taught inventor who didn't attend college, Ovshinsky held hundreds of patents, received a number of honorary degrees and is even the namesake of a branch of electronics dubbed Ovonics. Flat-panel displays, solar cells and even phase change memory are just a handful of other technologies that his work helped to develop. Next time you pick up a modern gadget, just remember that Ovshinsky is partly responsible for its existence.
[Image credit: Joi Ito, Flickr]
Kyocera announces Digno S smartphone for Japan, promises over 18 hours of talk time in three colors
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 02:23 AM PDT
Its no Droid RAZR Maxx HD, but Kyocera's Digno S just might be the trick longevity lovers in the land of the rising sun are looking for. This 4.7-inch Android 4.0 handset's 2,520mAh battery claims to have the largest capacity of any sub 5-inch device in Japan, promising more than 18 hours of talk time, and between 580 (3G) and 720 (LTE) hours on standby. If that isn't quite enough power for you, you won't have to wait long for a recharge: Kyocera says the Digno S can go from 0 to 50 percent in only half an hour. No word yet on price and availability, but the 1.5GHz dual-core device will be available through KDDI in white, pink and blue at launch. Check out Kyocera's official press release after the break.
KYOCERA Launches "DIGNO S" LTE Smartphone with Largest Battery Capacity in Japan and Rapid-Charging Function
AndroidTM 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) device also features Kyocera's proprietary Smart Sonic Receiver tissue-conduction audio technology
KYOTO, Oct. 17, 2012 - Kyocera Corporation(NYSE:KYO)(TOKYO:6971) today announced the release of the DIGNO S smartphone, which is compatible with KDDI Corporation's recently launched (September 2012) high-speed 4G LTE network. The DIGNO S features the largest battery (2,520mAh; 1,110 min. talk time) of any smartphone with a screen under 5.0-inches in the Japanese market*1, and a rapid battery-charging function*2. The latest in the Kyocera DIGNO® series of smartphones, DIGNO S is part of KDDI's new handset lineup announced on Oct. 17.
The handset also comes with Kyocera's proprietary Smart Sonic Receiver technology, which transmits clear audio quality to the user's ear drum directly through vibrations in the handset's
display screen. The innovative tissue-conduction audio technology has been further enhanced from previous applications to heighten acoustic pressure of low-pitch sounds for even clearer, easier-to-hear audibility.
Furthermore, DIGNO S features a 4.7-inch HD display and Kyocera's proprietary technology (Sugugoe) that allows voice commands to activate various applications. The new DIGNO S combines the speed of the LTE high-speed communications network with convenient and easy-to-use functions. The DIGNO S also has a tethering function, allowing up to ten Wi-Fi®-equipped devices to link-up and take advantage of the LTE network.
Features
1. Large-volume battery
The handset is equipped with a large battery (2,520mAh), so the user can enjoy continuous use without fear of the battery running out quickly. The battery provides up to 1,110 minutes of talk time and up to 720 hours (3G) or 580 hours (LTE) of standby time.
2. Rapid battery charging function
proprietary battery-charging control technology, with a charging dock and AC adaptor that apply 2.7 times more electrical current than conventional models. The DIGNO S battery can charge from 0 percent to 50 percent of capacity within 30 minutes, and 80 percent of capacity in just 60 minutes.
3. Ultra-high-speed 4G LTE
The DIGNO S is compatible with KDDI's ultra-high-speed 4G LTE network*3 (downlink: up to 75Mbps; uplink: up to 25Mbps)*4. At such high speeds, users can optimally enjoy their smartphones for downloading or streaming large-size videos. Furthermore, the handset can become a Wi-Fi hotspot, enabling up to 10 devices to be tethered and use the DIGNO S's high-speed LTE network connection - a function commonly desired in business scenarios.
4. Voice-activated command feature
For the first time ever, Kyocera has implemented its proprietary voice-activated command feature into the DIGNO S, allowing the user to speak to the phone to activate e-mail, phone and other commonly used applications - a function accessible by simply tapping an icon on the lock screen. This reduces on the amount of operations needed on the touchscreen and is also easy to use even for first-time smartphone users. When an incoming call or message arrives, it can be received via voice command without even touching the phone.
5. Smart Sonic Receiver
Smart Sonic Receiver technology transmits clear audio quality to the user through vibrations in the handset's display screen - a technology based on Kyocera's proprietary advanced ceramic technology. In the DIGNO S, this technology has been further enhanced, heightening acoustic pressure of low-pitch sounds for clearer audibility. As the vibrations cover a wide area of the screen, the user is able to hear clear voice quality regardless of which part of the ear they place the device on. Furthermore, by pressing the whole screen against the ear to block out ambient sound, it is easier to hear in crowded and noisy environments
Sony restructuring in Japan: camera lens plant to close with loss of 2,000 jobs
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 01:49 AM PDT
Kaz Hirai's "One Sony" rescue plan was designed to unite the many disparate arms of the conglomerate, shed 10,000 jobs and make cost savings wherever it could. Facilities in Sweden and the UK have already been closed, so now the company is shifting focus to its operations in Japan. Sony will close its Minokamo site, which currently produces camera lenses for DSLRs and smartphones, with production being moved to factories in Kohida and Kisarazu, 840 staff will lose their jobs. The company is also instituting an early retirement program across its various Japanese businesses in order to push the domestic total to 2,000 -- which it must do before a self-imposed deadline of March 2013.
Update on Restructuring of Sony's Electronics Business Operations in Japan
October 19, 2012 - Sony Corporation ("Sony" or "the Company") today announced additional steps it is taking to accelerate structural reforms of its headquarters and electronics business operations in Japan, including consolidating certain manufacturing operations and expediting measures to reduce its headcount.
Amidst a highly competitive business environment, Sony has been undertaking a series of measures to revitalize and grow its electronics business. As part of its mid-term strategic initiatives announced in April 2012, Sony identified resource optimization as one of the key initiatives for transforming its electronics business and Sony has since been progressively implementing various structural reform measures to optimize costs, streamline its overall organization, accelerate decision-making processes and establish firm foundations for sustainable future growth. In its prior corporate strategy announcement, Sony stated that through the combination of these structural reform measures and business portfolio realignment it expected to reduce headcount across the entire Sony Group, primarily in the electronics business, by approximately 10,000 in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013 ("FY12"), including approximately 3,000 to 4,000 in Japan.
Among the measures undertaken to date are integration and consolidation of sales offices and resource optimization in sales and marketing organizations, primarily in Japan, the U.S. and Europe. Within Sony's headquarters and support operations, certain functions have been integrated and organizational structures have been streamlined, while the Company has conducted a thorough review of work content and work-flow process to ensure greater operational efficiency across these operations. Furthermore, on July 1, 2012, Sony established Sony Corporate Services (Japan) Corp., which is working to build a horizontal platform that incorporates support operations from across Sony's consolidated subsidiaries in Japan.
As the proportion of Sony's finished products being produced at its overseas manufacturing sites and by external ODM/OEM vendors continues to increase, Sony has also been taking measures, such as site consolidation, to better reflect the current scale of production, as well as steps to further enhance operational efficiency.
The new restructuring measures announced today, relating to Sony's headquarters and electronics business operations in Japan are as follows.
Consolidation of Manufacturing Sites
In order to enhance the efficiency of Sony's manufacturing operations relating to its digital imaging business, the manufacture of interchangeable lenses and lens blocks currently being conducted at Sony EMCS Corp.'s Minokamo Site (located in Minokamo, Gifu Prefecture) will be absorbed by EMCS Corp.'s Kohda Site (located in Kohda, Aichi Prefecture). As Sony concentrates its mobile phone business on the area of smartphones, the operations currently being carried out at the Minokamo Site relating to mobile phones will be partially discontinued and partially transferred to Sony EMCS Corp.'s Kisarazu Site. As a result of this realignment, the Minokamo Site is scheduled to close at the end of March 2013.
[Overview of Minokamo Site]
Company Name: Minokamo Site, Sony EMCS Corp.
Address: 9-15-22 Hongo, Minokamo, Gifu, Japan 505-8510
Site Area: 56,713m2 / Total Floor Area: 49,913m2
Number of employees: 840 (direct employment)
Principle Operations: Manufacture of interchangeable lenses for digital SLR cameras, lens blocks and mobile phones. Customer service operations for mobile phone business in Japan
Headcount reduction resulting from optimization of organizational structure and realignment of business portfolio
In order to optimize personnel structure and assist employees to secure new opportunities outside the Company, early retirement programs will be implemented at Sony Corporation, Sony EMCS Corp. and other major consolidated electronics subsidiaries in Japan. These measures are expected to result in headcount reduction of approximately 2,000 employees by the end of FY12, with approximately half of the reductions (1,000 employees) expected to be in support functions, including the headquarters of Sony.
In particular, at Sony's headquarters operations where organizational integration and optimization have been actively implemented, a headcount reduction of approximately 20% is expected by the end of the current fiscal year through the introduction of an early retirement program and resource shifts. Headcount within the Home Entertainment and Sound Business Group, including the TV business group which has been implementing a series of ongoing profitability improvement measures, is expected to be reduced by approximately 20% by the end of October 2012 due to the transfer of employees outside the Company, together with a resource shift in personnel to other operations within the Sony Group.
Following the sale of the chemical products businesses completed in late September 2012, approximately 1,800 employees have been transferred outside the Sony Group (as previously announced).
Sony is evaluating the actual impact of headcount reduction and the restructuring charges resulting from these measures on Sony's FY12 consolidated results; however, no material impact is anticipated on Sony's FY12 consolidated results forecast, as these measures are included in the 10,000 headcount reduction and 75 billion yen in restructuring charges Sony previously announced for FY12. Furthermore, as a result of the restructuring measures implemented during FY12, including those announced today, Sony anticipates an annual reduction in fixed costs of approximately 30 billion yen from the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014 onwards.
What women want: Fujitsu's Floral Kiss Ultrabook with pre-installed horoscope app
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 12:50 AM PDT
Fujitsu has just revealed its Windows 8 lineup for the Japanese market, and top billing goes to the new "Floral Kiss" Ultrabook, which the manufacturer claims was built "under the direction" of its female employees in order to an entice an equally female audience. At heart, it's just a regular Core i5 notebook with a 500GB hard drive, but the womanliness is all in the presentation. There are subtle color schemes like "feminine pink" and "luxury brown" to choose from and every laptop comes with pre-installed Windows 8 apps including a digital scrapbook for collecting website bookmarks, a diary and a daily horoscope checker. This almost oppressively enticing bundle will hit stores on November 2nd, with some sort of premium designer version arriving a few weeks later. As for the exact price, that'll be determined by retailers in Japan and by how good your husband is at haggling.
Listing reveals 3G version of new Chromebook on the way for $329.99
Posted: 19 Oct 2012 12:37 AM PDT
Well, this has got us scratching our collective heads. Yesterday, Google was fairly certain that its latest and greatest Chromebook would be a WiFi-only affair. Today, however, and a listing has appeared on the company's official website and Amazon that shows a 3G-enabled version is available for $329.99. Neither site mentions network options, so presumably you get the same 100MB a month for two years Verizon data that its brethren receive -- and given that we described it as being "80 percent of the MacBook Air experience for a quarter of the price," the 3G version seems well worth the extra $80.
Huawei Summit hits T-Mobile for $50 sporting faux-Android duds
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 11:48 PM PDT
A recent leaked T-Mobile roadmap showed a Huawei Summit handset that we suspected was "possibly Android-flavored," and now that the device has arrived in the carrier's shop, we're still not certain. It's a basic phone, to be sure, with a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 display, 3.2-megapixel rear camera, GPS, Swype keyboard, WiFi, Bluetooth and HSPA+ network support. What's not clear is the OS, which T-Mob cryptically lists as "proprietary," but appears to at least have Android underpinnings, judging by the phone's manual (and the fact that it's rocking Swype). Hopefully, that won't incur the wrath of Mountain View, but if you need a basic $50 phone and don't care about Android-this or Open Handset Alliance-that, check the source.
Mozilla opens Firefox Marketplace for Aurora builds of Android, gives mobile a taste of web apps
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:36 PM PDT
Mozilla's love of web apps is more than obvious; we just haven't had a real chance to try the Firefox Marketplace that represents a large part of the company's app strategy. The doors are at last open for a peek, although Mozilla has chosen the unusual path of giving mobile users the first crack: Android users willing to live on the bleeding edge of an Aurora build of Firefox can browse and run those web apps in Mozilla's store. Everyone else willing to venture into the Marketplace will have to wait until their own Firefox builds receive a matching update, including that rare group with access to Firefox OS. We're not quite in a rush to try a first wave of apps in an alpha-grade browser. Should you be the sort who thinks that even beta releases are too sluggish, however, your gateway to the Marketplace awaits at the source links.
Dish vs. Cablevision court filing hints at a settlement, could lead to AMC's return
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:42 PM PDT
If you're waiting for a sign that shows like The Walking Dead are coming back to Dish Network, a court document filed Thursday might be it. According to Reuters, the document was originally filed with the title "poss. settlement" (later changed to "adj. for briefing") and set a date for October 22nd. Additionally, the New York Post reports that on Wednesday the Judge adjourned proceedings for the week. As you'll recall, Cablevision sued the satellite company over its Voom HD channels being dropped back in 2008, and is asking for $2.4 billion in damages. If the two have found a resolution, the next question would be whether this affects Dish's negotiations with Cablevision spinoff AMC Networks, which the latter claims were derailed because of its connection to Voom. If the case proceeds, Bloomberg reports Dish CEO Charlie Ergen is set to take the stand Monday -- we'll see if this can get wrapped up before Mad Men and Breaking Bad return in 2013.
MediaPortal posts new beta with new look and CableCARD, teases bigger sequel (video)
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 08:17 PM PDT
MediaPortal is a rare veteran spinoff of XBMC -- a testament to its fan base, but also a sign that it needs a fresh coat of paint. A new 1.3 beta might offer just what home theater PC users have been looking for to keep the front end relevant, at least in the short term. It carries a much more contemporary (and less Windows Media Center-like) skin with minor tweaks to the layout and overall interface. CableCARD support also makes its overdue appearance, although the lack of official CableLabs approval keeps the software from recognizing any copy-protected shows. Don't fret if those additions aren't enough, however -- we've been given a hint as to what the long-in-development MediaPortal 2 will offer through a pair of videos. The clips are largely top-level overviews, but they allude to mobile tie-ins, events, extensions, more skin support, video backgrounds and news. With an Autumn Build of MP2 available "right around the corner" for viewers, it might not be long before we learn what those new additions are like through first-hand experience.
Bring the noise! Sony confirms HD Voice support for Xperia T
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:32 PM PDT
In the fast moving world of smartphones, giant HD displays just aren't enough anymore. The new hot commodity in the land of mobile is "HD Voice." Sure, the technology isn't exactly brand new, but using it over post-3G high speed networks is. The selling point here is high quality noise cancellation, which allows a phone's user to be heard clearly in the noisiest of environments. The latest device to hop on the bandwagon is Sony's Xperia T. When describing this feature, the herculean consumer electronics maker got downright emotional saying, "you feel closer to the person you are talking to." While we're not too sure about that, HD Voice did impress during our ears-on session. The major caveat here is that this feature requires that both parties have HD Voice capable handsets. So, until this concept becomes more mainstream, Xperia T owners' phone calls are likely to be close, but no cigar.
Google announces seller support in India, now allows developers to monetize their apps
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:26 PM PDT
All Wall Street expectations aside, Google appears to be doing relatively well for itself. And while Android may not be the company's largest source of income, it is undoubtedly a primed possession to have around -- with that, it's only natural for the Mountain View-based outfit to extend a hand to the abundant amount of folks developing for its open-sourced platform. On this particular occasion, it's devs in India who are on the receiving end of a grand gesture, with Google announcing it's now allowing them to cash in on their applications by adding in-app purchases / subscriptions to ones that are currently free, or simply by selling new, paid app creations on the Play store. Google says the valuable move was driven by India now being the fourth-largest market for app downloads, and that this is a great way to "help developers capitalize on this tremendous growth."
Ubuntu 12.10 launches with web apps and search, Canonical plans for more secretive 13.04 development
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 05:38 PM PDT
An Ubuntu release is always a momentous occasion for a large portion of the Linux community, although it's coming with a mild share of controversy this time around. Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal) is finished and brings with it support for pinning web apps to the Launcher as well as search that includes web results, detailed photo results and quick previews. They're all appreciated upgrades -- what's raising hackles is the development strategy for 13.04, or Raring Ringtail. Company head Mark Shuttleworth wants a "skunkworks" approach that will silence pre-release discussion of some features outside of key, trustworthy community members. While there will still be open-source code and only a light layer of secrecy, Ubuntu's progress in the near-term won't be quite as transparent as we're accustomed to with Linux. There's a good chance that most end users won't mind the difference enough to skip the download.
Apple says no Java for you, removes plugin from browsers on OS X 10.7 and up
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 04:34 PM PDT
Apple has recently released a Mac update for OS X Lion and Mountain Lion that removes its Java plugin from all OS X browsers. If you install the update, you'll find a region labeled "Missing plug-in" in place of a Java applet; of course, Apple can't stop you from clicking on it to download a Java plug-in directly from Oracle. The Cupertino-based company had previously halted pre-installing Java in OS X partially due to the exploitable factors of the platform, so this update signifies further distancing from Larry Ellison's pride and joy.
RIM taps 7Digital to power official BB10 music store
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:50 PM PDT
RIM is already well acquainted with 7Digital thanks to joint efforts on smartphones and tablets, and now its chosen the firm to power the official music store of BlackBerry 10. Not only does 7Digital bring its tech and catalog of downloads to the table, but the duo are promising to integrate the service with BB10 to provide features including recommendations and social integration. When RIM's fresh slate of devices launch next year, folks in the Americas, Australia, Europe, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa will be able to purchase tunes from the new storefront.
RIM selects 7digital as official music partner for BlackBerry 10 smartphones
London, UK, 18th October 2012 – 7digital, the leading digital music technology company, today announced that 7digital will be working with Research In Motion® (RIM®) as the official music download provider for the BlackBerry® 10 smartphones being released in Q1 2013.
BlackBerry 10 users will be able to browse, preview and purchase high quality digital music from BlackBerry App World, with over 22 million tracks from the 7digital catalogue.
The music section of the BlackBerry App World, powered by 7digital, will feature new releases, regional selections, a full back catalogue and independent artists.
7digital and RIM work closely together to integrate both 7digital's open music platform technology and BlackBerry platform abilities, such as the social integration and recommendation engines. 7digital's platform allows BlackBerry App World to build digital music services into the core of the product.
BlackBerry 10 smartphones are expected to become available in Q1 of 2013. 7digital is an official technology partner for BlackBerry 10, and the 7digital powered music service will be available for users in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore.
7digital currently powers the music stores on BlackBerry smartphones and the BlackBerry PlayBook.
Lytro camera getting parallax effect and 3D display support, lands in Hong Kong (video)
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 02:59 PM PDT
Lytro isn't done extending the usefulness of its light field camera just because we have manual controls. Another update due by the end of the year will take advantage of that focus-independent sensor to allow a parallax-based 3D effect in photos: invoke a 'full' focus in reviewing shots and you can start poking around the scene in a limited way without having ever touched a dual-sensor camera. Appropriately, we're also getting support for examining photos on 3D monitors and TVs that emphasize the added depth. The promised features come hand-in-hand with Lytro's immediate availability in Hong Kong, where 8GB blue and gray cameras are selling for $3,888 HKD ($502 US) and the 16GB red model goes for $4,688 HKD ($605). Check out our Chinese crew's eyes-on look at the parallax effect in a video after the break.
AMD reports $1.27 billion in revenue for Q3 2012
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:55 PM PDT
While AMD wrestled to get back on the good foot last quarter, the Sunnyvale chip maker continued to struggle for the third three month financial period of 2012. While reporting $1.27 billion in revenue, the company still saw a ten percent sequential decrease and a 25 percent decrease year-over-year. The hurt not ending there, AMD's graphics division saw a revenue decrease of seven percent sequentially and 15 percent year-over-year. "The PC industry is going through a period of very significant change that is impacting both the ecosystem and AMD," said Rory Read, AMD president and CEO. Such words mirror that of longtime rival Intel, which also continues to struggle with a very unfriendly PC market. In an effort to rebound, AMD announced a restructuring plan to reduce operating expenses that will hopefully give the company more leeway to develop and produce new products and strategies.
AMD Reports Third Quarter Results and Announces Restructuring
Oct 18, 2012 (Marketwire via COMTEX) --AMD (NYSE: AMD)
Q3 2012 Results
AMD revenue $1.27 billion, 10 percent sequential decrease and a 25 percent decrease year-over-year
Net loss $157 million, loss per share $0.21, operating loss $131 million
Non-GAAP(1) net loss $150 million, loss per share $0.20, operating loss $124 million
Gross margin 31 percent
AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced revenue for the third quarter of 2012 of $1.27 billion, a net loss of $157 million, or $0.21 per share, and an operating loss of $131 million. The company reported a non-GAAP net loss of $150 million, or $0.20 per share, and a non-GAAP operating loss of $124 million. AMD is also announcing a restructuring plan designed to reduce operating expenses and better position the company competitively.
"The PC industry is going through a period of very significant change that is impacting both the ecosystem and AMD," said Rory Read, AMD president and CEO. "It is clear that the trends we knew would re-shape the industry are happening at a much faster pace than we anticipated. As a result, we must accelerate our strategic initiatives to position AMD to take advantage of these shifts and put in place a lower cost business model. Our restructuring efforts are designed to simplify our product development cycles, reduce our breakeven point and enable us to fund differentiated product roadmaps and strategic breakaway opportunities."
Quarterly Summary
Gross margin was 31 percent.
Gross margin decreased sequentially due to an inventory write-down of approximately $100 million primarily consisting of first generation A-Series Accelerated Processor Units (APUs) ("Llano"), weaker-than-expected demand, which contributed to lower average selling prices (ASPs) for the company's microprocessor products and lower utilization of the company's back-end manufacturing facilities.
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities balance, including long-term marketable securities, was $1.48 billion at the end of the quarter. The sequential cash decline was primarily from cash used in operations.
Computing Solutions segment revenue decreased 11 percent sequentially and 28 percent year-over-year. The sequential decrease was driven primarily by a weaker consumer buying environment impacting sales to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) as well as lower ASPs across all geographies.
Operating loss was $114 million, compared with operating income of $82 million in Q2-12 and $149 million in Q3-11.
Microprocessor ASP decreased sequentially and year-over-year.
AMD launched the second generation A-series APU for the desktop channel market, offering PC enthusiasts affordable performance, discrete-level graphics, multiple cores and fast processing for outstanding responsiveness.
AMD Introduced the AMD Z-60 APU tablet processor for upcoming Windows 8 tablets. Supporting full HD 1080p of resolution, the AMD Z-60 APU delivers up to 10 hours of idle battery life, nearly eight hours of Web browsing and six hours of video playback(2).
AMD launched the AMD AppZone, a new online showcase where consumers can download and run thousands of popular Android™ apps on AMD-based tablets, notebooks and all-in-one PCs.
Qualcomm and Samsung became Founder members of the HSA Foundation, adding their support to AMD's vision of delivering a common hardware standard for heterogeneous computing. Since its formation in June 2012, the HSA Foundation has more than doubled its membership.
AMD announced new products that firmly cement the company as the leader in fabric computing and micro servers, including the SeaMicro SM15000, which extends the SeaMicro Freedom Fabric beyond the chassis to connect directly to massive disk arrays and which will also be offered with AMD Opteron processors.
Graphics segment revenue decreased seven percent sequentially and 15 percent year-over-year. Graphics processor unit (GPU) revenue decreased 14 percent sequentially due to lower unit shipments to OEMs partially offset by higher channel sales.
Operating income was $18 million, compared with $31 million in Q2-12 and $12 million in Q3-11.
GPU ASP was up sequentially and year-over-year.
AMD continued to expand its industry-leading graphics solutions:
AMD launched the next generation of AMD FirePro™ products based on the company's Graphics Core Next Architecture. Setting new levels of performance-per-dollar, the AMD FirePro W5000, W7000, W8000 and W9000 GPUs are capable of delivering 1.5 times greater performance than other available solutions(3).
AMD added to its powerful line-up of professional graphics solutions with the introduction of the AMD FirePro S7000 and S9000 cards for server data center environments. Excelling at compute and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), these solutions redefine data center graphics capability while consuming 95 percent less power at idle and dramatically cutting data center operating costs(4).
AMD announced a collaboration with CiiNOW to deliver the first cloud gaming solution powered by AMD Radeon™ graphics to enable the best online gaming experience possible.
Operational Restructuring Designed to Enhance Financial Results, Set New Revenue Breakeven Target
AMD's restructuring plan, a significant portion of which will be implemented in the fourth quarter of 2012, will include a workforce reduction and site consolidations.
AMD expects that the restructuring actions taken in the fourth quarter of 2012 will result in operational savings, primarily in operating expenses, of approximately $20 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 and approximately $190 million in 2013. The savings will be largely driven through a reduction of AMD's global workforce by approximately 15 percent, which is expected to be largely completed in the fourth quarter of 2012. The company currently estimates it will record a restructuring expense in the fourth quarter of 2012 of approximately $80 million in connection with these actions.
AMD is also putting in place a business model to break even at an operating income level of $1.3 billion of quarterly revenue. The company is targeting to achieve this by the end of the third quarter of 2013.
"Our restructuring efforts are decisive actions that position AMD to compete more effectively and improve our financial results," said Mr. Read. "Reducing our workforce is a difficult, but necessary, step to take advantage of the eventual market recovery and capitalize on growth opportunities for our products outside of the traditional PC market."
Current Outlook
AMD's outlook statements are based on current expectations. The following statements are forward-looking, and actual results could differ materially depending on market conditions and the factors set forth under "Cautionary Statement" below.
For the fourth quarter of 2012, AMD expects revenue to decrease 9 percent, plus or minus 4 percent, sequentially.
For additional details regarding AMD's results and outlook please see the CFO commentary posted at quarterlyearnings.amd.com.
AMD Teleconference
AMD will hold a conference call for the financial community at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) today to discuss its third quarter financial results and provide more details with respect to today's restructuring announcement. AMD will provide a real-time audio broadcast of the teleconference on the Investor Relations page of its Web site at AMD. The webcast will be available for 10 days after the conference call.
The Engadget Podcast is live tonight at 5PM!
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:30 PM PDT
Are you ready for some podcast? Brian and Dana are back in town -- Tim, on the other hand, not so much. But we've got some tech news, microphones and a passion for saying things into them, so we'll make do. Join along after the break!
Update: That's a wrap for today -- look for the recording on the site tomorrow!
*** You can also stream the show live on your iPhone or iPad by clicking here.
Microsoft announces Q1 earnings with $5.31 billion in profit, braces for Windows 8 surge
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:06 PM PDT
It's Microsoft's turn at quiet-before-the-storm quarterly results, and that's evident in the fiscal first quarter earnings it just dropped on our laps. The Redmond team is reporting $16.01 billion in revenue, but a more modest than usual $5.31 billion in profit over the summer -- while it's healthier than the Q4 loss stemming from the aQuantive write-off, it's not as impressive as the $7.2 billion profit from a year ago. While a tough PC market is partly to blame, it's equally hard to say that Microsoft couldn't have done better. There's a real chance that some of its customers have been holding back on purchases in anticipation of the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 launches; it's already setting aside $1.36 billion in revenue for Windows and Office upgrades. The company is unquestionably preparing itself for a giant spike in demand once at least Windows 8 rolls around later this month, so we'd say that the real litmus test will be the results we get after the holidays.
Microsoft Reports First-Quarter Results
Oct. 18, 2012
Upcoming launches of key products and services position Microsoft for long-term profit growth.
REDMOND, Wash. - Oct. 18, 2012 - Microsoft Corp. today announced quarterly revenue of $16.01 billion for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012. Operating income, net income, and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $5.31 billion, $4.47 billion, and $0.53 per share.
These financial results reflect the deferral of $1.36 billion of revenue and $0.13 of diluted earnings per share, due to the Windows Upgrade Offer, pre-sales of Windows 8 to OEMs prior to general availability, and the Office Offer.
"The launch of Windows 8 is the beginning of a new era at Microsoft," said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. "Investments we've made over a number of years are now coming together to create a future of exceptional devices and services, with tremendous opportunity for our customers, developers, and partners."
The Server & Tools business reported $4.55 billion in first-quarter revenue, an 8% increase from the prior year period, driven by double-digit revenue growth in SQL Server and more than 20% growth in System Center revenue. In September, Microsoft continued to enrich its server offerings with the launch of Windows Server 2012.
The Microsoft Business Division posted $5.50 billion in first-quarter revenue, a 2% decrease from the prior year period. Adjusting for the impact of the Office Offer, Microsoft Business Division non-GAAP revenue increased 1% for the first quarter. Microsoft's productivity server offerings – including Lync, SharePoint, and Exchange – continued double-digit revenue growth.
"While enterprise revenue continued to grow and we managed our expenses, the slowdown in PC demand ahead of the Windows 8 launch resulted in a decline in operating income," said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft. "Multi-year licensing revenue grew double-digits across Windows, Server & Tools, and Microsoft Business Division products as businesses commit to our technology roadmap."
The Windows & Windows Live Division posted revenue of $3.24 billion, a 33% decrease from the prior year period. Adjusting for the impact of the Windows Upgrade Offer and pre-sales of Windows 8 to OEMs prior to general availability, Windows division non-GAAP revenue declined 9% for the first quarter. Windows 8 will become generally available October 26, 2012.
"We're incredibly excited to be approaching general availability of Windows 8 and Windows RT," said Kevin Turner, Microsoft chief operating officer. "We've already certified more than 1,000 systems for Windows 8 from our hardware partners, ranging from the smallest tablets and convertibles to touch-enabled ultrabooks and all-in-ones to the most powerful desktop computers."
The Online Services Division reported revenue of $697 million, a 9% increase from the prior year period. Online advertising revenue grew 15% driven primarily by an increase in revenue per search.
The Entertainment and Devices Division posted revenue of $1.95 billion, a decrease of 1% from the prior year period. Xbox continues to be the top-selling console in the U.S., where it now has 49% market share. Windows Phone 8 will launch this fall with an expanded array of products, prices, carriers, and markets. Skype continued its rapid growth and now has over 280 million users.
Business Outlook
Microsoft reaffirms fiscal year 2013 operating expense guidance of $30.3 billion to $30.9 billion.
Webcast Details
Peter Klein, chief financial officer, Frank Brod, chief accounting officer, and Bill Koefoed, general manager of Investor Relations, will host a conference call and webcast at 2:30 p.m. PDT (5:30 p.m. EDT) today to discuss details of the company's performance for the quarter and certain forward-looking information. The session may be accessed at http://www.microsoft.com/investor/. The webcast will be available for replay through the close of business on Oct. 18, 2013.
Adjusted Financial Results and Non-GAAP Measures
In addition to financial results reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), we have provided certain non-GAAP financial information to aid investors in better understanding the company's performance. For first quarter fiscal year 2013 revenue, operating income, and earnings per share growth, we included the impact of revenue deferred during the first quarter of fiscal year 2013 relating to the Windows Upgrade Offer, pre-sales of Windows 8 to OEMs prior to general availability, and the Office Offer. Presenting these measures without the impact of these items gives additional insight into operational performance and helps clarify trends affecting the company's business. For comparability of reporting, management considers this information in conjunction with GAAP amounts in evaluating business performance. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, the measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.
UK carriers form alliance to speed up 800MHz LTE rollout, let us enjoy our Freeview TV
Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:52 PM PDT
Isn't it better when we work together? British carriers think so. EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have officially created a non-exclusive joint venture, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, that should speed up the deployment of 800MHz LTE by keeping Freeview over-the-air TV signals clear of interference while the partners bring their low-frequency 4G online. Previously, the networks were bound to form an equivalent company called MitCo that wouldn't have been active until after the 800MHz auction, preventing companies from getting their wireless houses in order until they'd already made a commitment. There's also a competitive angle involved to go with the cooperative work, as you might imagine: with EE's 1,800MHz LTE poised to go live on October 30th, choosing infighting over assistance would only help widen the frontrunner's lead. Whether DMSL represents altruism or pragmatism, we'll appreciate knowing that the hurdles to a catch-up in UK 4G will be more those of the technical reality than the usual political maneuvering.
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