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- Windows Phone 8 Rooms give every group its private space
- Microsoft unveils Data Sense for Windows Phone 8, to debut on Verizon devices
- Microsoft brings guest user account to Windows Phone 8 via Kid's Corner
- Windows Phone 8 gets Pandora Radio, Cut the Rope, Urbanspoon and more
- Microsoft unveils new lock screen for Windows Phone 8 powered by Live Apps
- The Windows Phone 8 event liveblog!
- Google's refreshed Nexus 7 on sale now, Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 sign-up pages go live
- T-Mobile unveils holiday lineup: Nexus 4, HTC 8X, Lumia 810 to land November 14th
- Android 4.2's Photo Sphere camera takes on iPhone's panorama mode
- ITV Player revamp brings ad-free TV rentals, keeps the free catch-ups
- Google Music comes to Europe November 13, brings Google Music match, too
- Google announces $299 32GB Nexus 7 with HSPA+ mobile data
- Nexus 7's new pricing is official: 16GB for $199, 32GB for $249
- Google bumps Android to 4.2, keeps Jelly Bean moniker
- Google's Nexus 10: 2,560 x 1,600, 300 ppi display and Android 4.2, shipping November 13th $399
- Nexus 4 official: Android 4.2, Snapdragon S4 Pro, 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 display
- Roku update adds cross-provider search over Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO, Vudu and Crackle
- MacBook Pro with Retina display review (13-inch, late 2012)
- Chrono Trigger travels across mobile platforms, arrives on Android (video)
- Nexus 4 leaked on video, Android 4.2 gets exposed alongside new LG hardware
- DLNA doubles its certification of audio-video hardware in two years
- Philips hue: the 'world's smartest' LED lightbulb that saves you time during Red Alerts
- Penguin and Random House merge, promise a brave new e-book future
- Five iPhone 5s in five days: win a black Verizon iPhone 5 and two cases, courtesy of Seidio!
- The Engadget Interview: Parrot CEO Henri Seydoux
- FreedomPop ships its 4G-enabling iPod touch case, lets us nearly go phoneless for $99 (update: plan clarifications)
- Microsoft Surface exposes its guts to iFixit, knows if you've been meddling with it
- Verizon officially announces Nokia Lumia 822, coming this Fall (update: $100 on two-year contract)
- Huawei Honor 2 unveiled: 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 4.5-inch 326 PPI display
- Office Depot and GameStop drops Nexus 7 16GB price to $199
- PSA: Nook Simple Touch and Simple Touch with Glowlight now on sale in the UK
- Valve opens Steam for Linux beta registration, wants pros only
- Cray's Jaguar supercomputer upgraded with NVIDIA Tesla GPUs, renamed Titan
- Microsoft adds WP8 app to Windows Store just in time for launch
- Livescribe outs Sky WiFi Smartpen for $170, lets you record written notes and audio straight to Evernote
- The Microsoft Windows Phone 8 event happens tomorrow, get your liveblog here!
- How would you change Jawbone's Big Jambox?
- Refresh Roundup: week of October 22nd, 2012
- Google puts Hurricane Sandy on its crisis map, hopes to help you weather the storm
- Invisible's 'The New Obsolete' showcases self-constructed instruments, touts a typewriter-driven piano (video)
| Windows Phone 8 Rooms give every group its private space Posted: 29 Oct 2012 10:53 AM PDT
Microsoft is already creating a safe, fenced-off area in Windows Phone 8 through Kids Corner, but it's expanding that to include nearly everyone through Rooms. A rough parallel to Groupme, Rooms lets families, friends or companies share calendars, chats, notes and photos without letting any prying eyes get a peek. And if others aren't following the Windows Phone way, they can still view some of the content from another platform. There's no doubt that Microsoft really hopes its communal addition is a way to squeak out an extra phone sale or two from those who like to stick together. For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft unveils Data Sense for Windows Phone 8, to debut on Verizon devices Posted: 29 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT
Microsoft has just outed Data Sense, a new app for Windows Phone 8 that helps ensure you don't burn through your data plan. On top of tracking your usage, it compresses every single web page you browse to keep data consumed to a minimum, and also sniffs out WiFi hotspots when they become available. The app features a Live Tile to give an ongoing saga of the megabytes you've consumed and will warn you when you a near a preset limit. Redmond claims the hotspot sniffing and compression will let you consume 45 percent less data "when compared to the competition" -- likely a reference to iOS and Android, which have had a similar feature for quite a while now. The feature will be arriving first on Verizon "this fall," but there's no word yet on when other carriers will have it. For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft brings guest user account to Windows Phone 8 via Kid's Corner Posted: 29 Oct 2012 10:32 AM PDT
Ever dreamed of having more than one user account on your smartphone? Microsoft's making that a reality with Kid's Corner for Windows Phone 8. If you're not a parent, don't let the name deceive you: this particular feature is great for both the tiny tots and all of your grown-up friends, as it allows you to choose which apps, games, music and videos show up when the device is in that particular mode. It's a feature that has strangely eluded the other major platforms, and it absolutely gives WP8 an edge for those concerned about youngsters (and potentially even colleagues) getting into trouble with your phone. For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Windows Phone 8 gets Pandora Radio, Cut the Rope, Urbanspoon and more Posted: 29 Oct 2012 10:28 AM PDT
Microsoft knows that Windows Phone 8 is only as successful as its apps. To that end, it's blowing the doors open in terms of major app support. It's not only promising a Windows Phone version of Pandora Radio for early 2013, it's offering ad-free listening for the first year. How's that for strong out-of-the-box content? On top of this, Microsoft is vowing a slew of new apps and games that had previously only been available in the Android or iOS camps, including Asphalt 7, Cut the Rope, Temple Run, Urbanspoon and Where's My Water. By the time the expansion is done, Microsoft hopes to have 46 out of the 50 most popular apps onboard, making any platform switch that much gentler. Instagram is a notable omission -- still, it's a big leap in terms of equality. For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft unveils new lock screen for Windows Phone 8 powered by Live Apps Posted: 29 Oct 2012 10:19 AM PDT
Microsoft is busy officially revealing all the bits and pieces that make up Windows Phone 8, and one of them is its new lock screen. Powered by Live Apps designed for Windows Phone 8 like Facebook, it lets apps directly update your lock screen with new photos and information. Exec Joe Belfiore is, as usual, excited about it, pointing to the "surprise" now waiting every time he picks up his phone. If pics from your last vacation popping up every time you turn your phone on doesn't get you going ,just imagine sports scores or other relevant info you've picked pushed straight to the front, just a button press away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Windows Phone 8 event liveblog! Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:58 AM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google's refreshed Nexus 7 on sale now, Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 sign-up pages go live Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:56 AM PDT
Remember the 8GB Nexus 7? So long, old friend. The 16GB Nexus 7 has now taken center stage in Google's Play Store, with $199 netting you a slate that's currently boasting a "now shipping" status. Those willing to fork out $249 can get a 32GB model (also listed as "In Stock"), while $299 provides access to a GSM-enabled 32GB model that'll hop onto cellular networks -- unfortunately, that one's listed as "coming soon." Those hoping to keep themselves informed about the incoming Nexus 4 smartphone and Nexus 10 tablet can visit the source link in order to register for email updates, with shipments expected to begin in many nations on November 13th. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile unveils holiday lineup: Nexus 4, HTC 8X, Lumia 810 to land November 14th Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:47 AM PDT
T-Mobile was set to have its own splashy product unveiling today in New York City, but a certain Sandy put the kibosh on that. Now that Google's let its trio of updated Nexus products out of the bag, Magenta's ready to give us pricing and availability for the Nexus 4, HTC 8X and Lumia 810 which are set to hit the carrier's shelves this November 14th. Both Google's and Microsoft's (signature) flagships will be available for $199 on a two-year plan, while Nokia's lower-end WP8 handset will go for $149 with the same contract duration. Also, joining the crowded launch lineup that day is Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 for $349 with a two-year agreement. As for the newly HSPA+ capable Nexus 7, well, you'll be able to snag that refreshed slate on Google Play just one day later. Of course, T-Mo hasn't forgotten about its value-minded sub base, offering up LG's Optimus L9 on the 31st of this month at an affordable $79 on contract. So if it's options you wanted this holiday season, Magenta's doling them out in spades. Hit up the break for the official PR. Smartphone Powerhouses, Exclusive Gaming Experiences and Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data – All for T-Mobile Customers This Holiday T-Mobile brings amazing 4G experiences to consumers this holiday with Windows Phone 8, Android smartphones and exclusive gaming services BELLEVUE, Wash. - Oct. 29, 2012 - Continuing to deliver on choice, value and amazing 4G experiences this holiday, T-Mobile USA, Inc. today unveiled its full lineup of smartphones, tablets and innovative services for the upcoming season. Featuring the latest cutting-edge products and services, T-Mobile's portfolio offers the newest Windows Phone 8 devices, including the Nokia Lumia 810 and the Windows Phone 8X by HTC; the Google Nexus 4 with T-Mobile as a premier launch partner; and the Samsung Galaxy Note II featuring premium gaming experiences from world-class partners such as EA and MOGA™. Combined with T-Mobile's Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan, T-Mobile's portfolio is providing its customers with the devices, innovative services and 4G experiences they desire this holiday. "At T-Mobile, we recognize that consumers want to choose the device that best fits their lifestyle. Whether they are new to the smartphone market, love entertainment and movies, or enjoy playing games on their device, T-Mobile's product lineup provides the latest, cutting-edge products to choose from," said Brad Duea, senior vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. "When you combine these products with our innovative applications, exclusive gaming partnerships and a truly Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan, our customers have the best choice and value in the industry for their wireless service." Windows Phone 8 T-Mobile will have two Windows Phone 8 devices - the Nokia Lumia 810 and the Windows Phone 8X by HTC. The Nokia Lumia 810 is an exclusive to T-Mobile and offers access to T-Mobile's fastest 4G network (HSPA+42), an enhanced camera with Carl Zeiss optics for crisp photographs, impactful design, integrated wireless charging via swappable back covers, navigation features and high-performance – all in a simple silhouette. With the Lumia 810, users can capture, share and relive life's moments with new camera features such as Cinemagraph, a lens that creates animated GIFs, as well as panorama settings and Group Shoot, which allows the customer to choose the best faces and smiles from a burst of photos and stitch them together to produce the perfect group shot. The Windows Phone 8X by HTC is a premium Windows Phone 8 device that packs a punch with a beautiful 4.3-inch HD-resolution super LCD 2 screen, a powerful dual-core processor and fast speeds running on T-Mobile's HSPA+42 network. Customers will enjoy the feel of the pure unibody design in California Blue, access to Windows Phone's Live Tiles, immersive studio-quality sound with Beats Audio™ and incredible camera capabilities of the Windows Phone 8X by HTC. Both devices are powered by the new Windows Phone 8 operating system, making it easy for users to personalize their device and experiences and always stay connected to friends and family. Taking advantage of the only truly Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan, on a nationwide 4G network, T-Mobile customers will see a superior value with T-Mobile's lineup of Windows Phone 8 devices. Latest Android™ Devices T-Mobile will continue its history of providing customers with the best Android devices available, including two of the newest options: the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. The Nexus 4 is the latest device in the Google Nexus lineup, and T-Mobile will be the premier U.S. launch partner. With cutting-edge hardware designed collaboratively by LG and Google, favorite Google Apps, and the latest version of Android, Nexus 4 puts the best of Google in the palm of a customer's hand. And, with access to T-Mobile's fastest 4G (HSPA+42) network, T-Mobile is again giving its customers the best choice of devices. Nexus 4 comes with a high-performance 8MP camera and takes stunning Photo Sphere images to capture every detail of the world. The all-new camera lets customers quickly view and edit photos with powerful new tools, and share favorite shots in a snap. When combined with T-Mobile's Value plans or T-Mobile's Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan, the Nexus 4 gives consumers a top-notch Android experience. With a stunning 7-inch display, powerful quad-core processor and all-day battery life, Nexus 7 was built to bring the best of Google in a slim, portable device. With a vibrant, 1280x800 high-resolution display, Nexus 7 brings apps, games, books and movies to life in stunning clarity. Over 1 million pixels in your hand means text is sharper, HD movies are more vivid and gameplay is smooth and dynamic. All of this is protected under scratch-resistant Corning™ Gorilla Glass and designed for the whole family to pass around and enjoy. Nexus 7 was built by ASUS and comes with a NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor so everything is faster: Pages load quickly, gameplay is smooth and responsive, and running multiple apps is a breeze. T-Mobile also recently announced the Samsung Galaxy Note II, giving customers a powerful all-in-one device with a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED® screen and a speedy 1.6 GHz quad-core, Samsung Exynos processor that are perfect for gaming, productivity, entertainment and more. For the value-conscious shopper, T-Mobile will offer the LG Optimus L9. Featuring a gorgeous 4.5-inch qHD Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2 display and equipped with a long-lasting 2150 mAh battery, users can listen to music, explore the Internet or chat with friends and family for hours with just one charge. Further, T-Mobile will continue to offer the Samsung Galaxy S® III and Samsung Galaxy S® Relay™ 4G, rounding out a complete portfolio of powerful Android smartphones. Innovative Gaming Experiences Only T-Mobile provides its customers with access to the most innovative and compelling gaming experiences made possible with the exclusive content, devices and accessories gamers want paired with T-Mobile's Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan. T-Mobile customers now can realize truly unlimited 4G gaming experiences - without having to worry about surprise bills or overage fees. T-Mobile will be the first U.S. carrier to preload EA's Need For Speed™ Most Wanted game on the Galaxy Note II, including four free events. In addition, this T-Mobile exclusive version of the Need for Speed™ Most Wanted game on the Galaxy Note II will be optimized to interact with a MOGA™ mobile gaming system, bringing an immersive, console-quality gaming experience to the palms of T-Mobile customers' hands. Further, T-Mobile will offer a new social gaming destination which will directly connect customers to Zynga games right from their device's homescreen. The Zynga games destination will feature With Friends games, is preloaded on the Samsung Galaxy Note II and LG Optimus L9, and will be accessible via the Bonus Apps widget on several other Android devices this month. The Best Entertainment Value T-Mobile is bringing innovative entertainment applications and services to its holiday devices. The Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II enable T-Mobile customers to bring their entertainment to the big screen by wirelessly sharing content, such as games, movies and TV shows on their smartphone, to any HDMI-capable TV via the AllShare Cast feature and AllShare Cast Wireless Hub accessory. Additionally, only at T-Mobile, new and existing owners of the Samsung Galaxy S III will receive "Marvel's The Avengers" – the number 1 movie of the year and 3rd biggest release of all time – as a virtual preload, available for download in the Samsung Media Hub. Taking advantage of T-Mobile's Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan, customers can download unlimited video content, such as "Marvel's The Avengers," on our nationwide 4G network without having to worry about data caps, speed limits or overages. T-Mobile is also excited to partner with Samsung to deliver the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, a high-powered, premium entertainment device. Running Android 4.0 and powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor with access to T-Mobile's fast 4G (HSPA+ 42) network, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is the ideal device for customers who want to stay connected and entertained wherever and whenever. Pricing and Availability Information about devices and services can be found at the embedded links below or www.T-Mobile.com. Full pricing and availability information is expected as follows: · Windows Phone 8 o Nokia Lumia 810: § Expected to be available on 11/14 § Value Plan: $99.99 down payment after a $50 mail-in rebate card and 20 equal payments of $20 per month with a two year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans. § Classic Plan: $149.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card and with a two-year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans o Windows Phone 8X by HTC: § Expected to be available on 11/14 § Value Plan: $149.99 down payment after a $50 mail-in rebate card and 20 equal payments of $20 per month with a two year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans § Classic Plan: $199.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card and with a two-year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans · Android o Google Nexus 4: § Available via Google Play on 10/29 and in select T-Mobile retail stores and online starting 11/14 § Value Plan: $199.99 out of pocket down payment and 20 equal payments of $20 per month with a two year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans § Classic Plan: $199.99 with a two-year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans o Google Nexus 7: § Available with T-Mobile service via Google Play starting 11/5 o Samsung Galaxy Note II: § Currently available online and in retail stores § Value Plan: $249.99 out of pocket down payment and 20 equal payments of $20 per month with a two year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans § Classic Plan: $369.99 with a two-year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans o LG Optimus L9: § Expected to be available online and in retail stores starting 10/31 § Value Plan: $49.99 out of pocket down payment and 20 equal payments of $15 per month with a two year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans § Classic Plan: $79.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans o Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: § Expected to be available starting 11/14 online and in retail stores § Value Mobile Broadband Plan: $199.99 out of pocket down payment and 20 equal payments of $15 per month with a two year service agreement on qualifying voice and data plans § Classic Plan: $349.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two year service agreement on qualifying mobile broadband data plans o Samsung Galaxy S III: § Currently available online and in retail stores. For more information, visit: http://galaxy-s.t-mobile.com/samsung-galaxy-s3 · Accessories o The AllShare Cast Wireless Hub accessory is currently available in T-Mobile retail stores and at www.T-Mobile.com for $99.99. o The MOGA™ Mobile Gaming System will be available at www.T-Mobile.com on 10/31 for $49.99 and will be in select T-Mobile retail stores on 11/14. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Android 4.2's Photo Sphere camera takes on iPhone's panorama mode Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:43 AM PDT
Android 4.2 is teeming with new features and system improvements, but you can bet that Photo Sphere will be the one that's talked about most amongst consumers. While Android phones on the whole have had panoramic modes for years, Apple's iOS 6 update added even more fuel to that fire. Now, Google's taking things to an entirely new level. With Android 4.2, users can snap pictures in every direction, and the system does the stitching. What you're left with are photos that can be navigated, taking viewers "inside of the scene." Photo Spheres are stored as JPEG files, and all of the information required to view them is embedded as open XML metadata in the image itself. You'll be able to peek 'em on your phone or share them easily through Google+, and perhaps best of all, publish them to Google Maps for the world to see. Head on past the break to see what you've got to look forward to. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ITV Player revamp brings ad-free TV rentals, keeps the free catch-ups Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:29 AM PDT
As a profit-driven network, ITV has its work cut out in the online streaming world when the BBC's iPlayer looms overhead. How do you compete with a cultural institution? Its solution these days is one of sheer choice: it's launching a publicly available beta of its ITV Player refresh that offers TV show rentals. While viewers will have free, ad-backed viewing for the last month's worth of programming, they'll also have the choice of renting 30-day access to archived episodes at 49p (79 cents) each without the pesky commercials in between. Anyone who just can't get enough Collision can spring for a 90-day rental of a whole series at a lower total price, and the broadcaster is even planning trials of streaming-first episode premieres -- if only we were so forward-thinking in the US. We'd question the wisdom of anyone who really, truly needs an uninterrupted The Only Way is Essex, but at least those who want fodder for water cooler chats can blast through their pseudo-reality TV at a record pace. ITV unveils new ITV Player | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google Music comes to Europe November 13, brings Google Music match, too Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT
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| Google announces $299 32GB Nexus 7 with HSPA+ mobile data Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT
Google's not only introduced some new devices today, it's also delivered a few updates to its flagship Nexus 7 tablet. That includes a new, unlocked 32GB model with HSPA+ mobile data that will set you back $299 -- and run the just-announced Android 4.2, naturally. Look for it to be available in the Google Play store in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada (where it's priced slightly above par at $309) on November 13th. No word yet on retail availability beyond Google Play, but you can sign up to be notified when it's available to order there at the link below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nexus 7's new pricing is official: 16GB for $199, 32GB for $249 Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:14 AM PDT
Although it's an open secret at this point, Google has finally officially announced a 32GB Nexus 7 for $249/£199, and that the 16GB version has dropped in price to $199. Also available with unlocked HSPA+ access for another $50, the Nexus 7 now has several flavors to fit in the middle Google's "best of" lineup. Buyers that have been waiting to grab the expanded-capacity edition have their choice of retailed to choose from, in a variety of countries, and it's in-stock and ready to ship on Google Play. Aren't we all glad the waiting is finally over?
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| Google bumps Android to 4.2, keeps Jelly Bean moniker Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:12 AM PDT
Well, it's no Key Lime Pie, but Android 4.2 is certainly a treat in its own right. The latest version of Google's mobile OS makes a number of evolutionary improvements to its already impressive repertoire -- including a new quick settings menu that can be accessed from the notification pull down and support for multiple user profiles. The multiple user support is especially handy for tablets like the new Nexus 10, which are much more likely to be shared, and now offer quick and easy user switching right from the lock screen. If you don't want to share your tablet, just what's on it, the new support for Miracast makes will allow you to wirelessly beam movies, games or anything else to a compatible display. The 10-inch tablet UI has also received a slight tweak, moving closer to the design for phones and the Nexus 7, with centered navigation buttons and the notification area up top. It might seem strange for users used to the Honeycomb-style tablet layout, but the new design is much simpler and provides a consistent experience across devices. Google has also overhauled the photo experience and added Photo Sphere -- a 360-degree panoramic shooting mode that captures everything around you. Obviously, you'll be able to post those shots to Google+, but you'll also be able to add them to Google Maps, basically creating your own personal Street View. Interestingly, Google has also taken a page from Swype's playbook, adding "Gesture Typing" to its keyboard. There's also a new screensaver called Daydream that offers up news, photos and other content when a device is docked or idle. Perhaps the biggest, and creepiest improvements are to Google Now, which can monitor your Gmail for relevant content such as flight numbers. Hotel and restaurant reservations are now presented as cards, as are packages enroute to your humble abode. The service will even remind you of events you've purchased tickets for, essentially making Calendar redundant for a lot of your personal life. For more info check out the source links. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google's Nexus 10: 2,560 x 1,600, 300 ppi display and Android 4.2, shipping November 13th $399 Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:11 AM PDT
Weather? What weather? Google has announced the Nexus 10, a Samsung-made 10.05-inch tablet that appears to share a lot of DNA with the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. Android chief Andy Rubin revealed that the device will be packing a 2,560 x 1,600 display, promising a pixel density of 300 ppi. Google has also indicated that the Nexus 10 will crank out nine hours of continuous video playback and 500 hours of standby on its 9,000mAh lithium polymer battery. Of course, no new tablet would be complete without a new operating system, and while we'll still be calling it Jelly Bean, it's now been bumped all the way up to Android 4.2. The official specifications match those that were leaked late last week, and inside the device is a dual-core, Cortex A15-based 1.7 GHz Samsung Exynos 5250 CPU. In addition, there's a Mali T604 GPU, stereo speakers, 2GB of RAM, NFC, 802.11 b/g/n (MIMO + HT40) WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, with front-and rear NFC (Android beam) radios. 'Round back you'll find a 5-megapixel main camera and a 1.9-megapixel forward-facing shooter. Weighing 603 grams, it's 8.9mm thick and offers microUSB, Pogo Pin, microHDMI and the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. It'll be available from November 13th on Google Play in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan -- with the 16GB edition costing $399 (£319 in the UK) and the 32GB version setting you back $499 (£389). Samsung and Google introduce Nexus 10 October 29, 2012 Powerful 10" Tablet with the World's Highest Resolution Display | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nexus 4 official: Android 4.2, Snapdragon S4 Pro, 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 display Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:11 AM PDT
Hurricane Sandy may have put the kibosh on Google's gala in New York City, but it's not stopping the company from taking the wraps off of its latest pure Android phone. LG's Nexus 4 is finally official, after a cavalcade of leaks that spelled out just about everything ahead of time. As for the official specs? We're looking at a 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus display (1,280 x 768), an 8 megapixel rear camera, Gorilla Glass 2, a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM and the latest rendition of Google Now. Naturally, turn-by-turn navigation via Google Maps is included, as are 3D Maps, Street View and Indoor Maps. The Nexus 4 will be sold (at least initially) unlocked, supporting some 200 carriers that play by the GSM / HSPA+ rules. It'll be made available in both 8GB and 16GB versions starting November 13 in the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Australia, with pricing set for $299 (8GB) / $349 (16GB). The 16GB version will also be available through T-Mobile for $199, with a 2-year contract. LG AND GOOGLE ANNOUNCE NEXUS 4 SEOUL, Oct. 30, 2012 – Designed collaboratively by LG and Google, Nexus 4, the newest smartphone in the Nexus line-up from Google, was announced today for avail-ability starting next month in select markets. With a sophisticated hardware design from LG, your favorite Google Apps, and the latest version of Android™, Nexus 4 puts the best of Google in the palm of your hand. "LG is proud and excited to play this role in helping build the latest Nexus smart-phone," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Com-munications Company. "Users will be delighted by the perfectly balanced combination of form and function with the latest generation of Android." "This is the first time we collaborated with LG to build a Nexus device," said Andy Ru-bin, Senior Vice President of Mobile and Digital Content at Google. "They brought an extraordinary amount of talent to the project, and the result is a feature-packed device that feels great in your hand, and blazingly fast under the hood." Capture and share your world All of this comes to life with stunning clarity and crisp, natural color on the vibrant 1280-by-768 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus display supported by Zerogap Touch technol-ogy. Gently curved glass edges allow your finger to slide smoothly on and off the 320ppi screen, while cutting edge display technology means you feel like you're touch-ing every pixel, protected by scratch resistant Corning? Gorilla? Glass 2. Built for speed Information at your fingertips Get to the places you care about quickly and easily with Google Maps™ for Android. With turn-by-turn GPS navigation, live traffic info, and integrated driving, walking and public transit directions, getting from A to B has never been easier. 3D Maps and rich satellite imagery give you a more realistic sense of what's around you while features like Street View and Indoor Maps make sure you always know what's in front of you. Nexus 4 is sold unlocked and is GSM/HSPA+ compatible so it will operate on more than 200 network providers worldwide. Just pop in a supported SIM card and be up and running in no time. It will be available to purchase in both an 8GB version and a 16GB version on Google Play™ starting November 13 in the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Australia. Offline availability in Europe, Central/South Americas, Asia, CIS and the Middle East will begin from the end of November. Key specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Roku update adds cross-provider search over Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO, Vudu and Crackle Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT
We've seen web portals that let you search for TV and movies on the internet across different services, but a new update for Roku is bringing that capability directly to its set-top boxes. Whether you're searching by movie, TV show, actor or director it will sniff out related content across some of the higher profile services it offers, including Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Crackle, Vudu and HBO Go. The new Roku Search function is front and center (once your second gen HD or higher player has been updated to the latest version) and in our tests worked quickly, pulling up content wherever it was available and mentioning if it was available in HD. The only downside is navigating the onscreen keyboard via remote, although you can always sub in your mobile device thanks to those recently upgraded remote apps for iOS and Android. All in all Roku says it can reach its tendrils across around 130,000 titles and almost 100,000 actors and directors. Check after the break for a couple of screenshots and a quick demo video, hit the official blog for more info or force an update on your hockey puck to check it out yourself.
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| MacBook Pro with Retina display review (13-inch, late 2012) Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT
Look down the aisles at any Apple launch event, across the laps of dozens of journalists liveblogging or in some other way documenting the goings-on, and it's inevitable that you'll see MacBooks. A lot of MacBooks. And, since many of those laps are irrevocably linked to owners who spend their days jetting around the globe to other companies' events, those laptops are quite often the travel-friendly MacBook Air. So, while we were excited to see a thinner, lighter 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display unveiled earlier this year, many of us were left asking one question: "Where's the 13-inch version?" Now, a little over four months later, here it is. Why the wait from one to the next? That's for Apple to know and us to speculate about (supply chain concerns? engineering issues?), but the important thing is that it's available now and it is, in many ways, an uncompromised, slightly smaller rendition of the 15-inch version that came before. It's thinner and it's lighter than the current 13-inch Pro but promises better internals and the same battery life as the 13-inch Air. Perfect portions of portability and performance? Let's find out. HardwareThe 13- and 15-inch Retina models are, save for size, nigh identical. If you're familiar with the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display that Apple shipped this past June, you're already ahead of the learning curve on this model. With the exception of size, these two are nigh identical, starting with the port configuration. On the left side you'll find a new MagSafe 2 connector, dual Thunderbolt ports, a USB 3.0 port and the headphone jack -- just like the 15-inch model. On the right it's the same again, with another USB 3.0 port joined by a full-size HDMI output and built-in SDXC reader. So, when it comes to physical connectivity, you're giving up exactly nothing compared to its big brother -- but you're not gaining anything, either. There's still no Ethernet jack (an optional $29.99 Thunderbolt adapter is available). Also absent is an optical drive, left in the dust as progress motors ever onward. There's also still no option for cellular connectivity of any kind, so go ahead and re-up that contract on your MiFi. You're going to need it. That sameness in connectivity options extends over to the wireless side, too. You have dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n support as well as Bluetooth 4.0 on tap for your shorter-range broadcasting needs. There's a 720p FaceTime camera plus dual microphones, stereo speakers and a display with a native resolution that's far, far greater than 1080p. So what's different? The first is that display, now a 13.3-inch unit lined up in a 2,560 x 1,600 grid. While this doesn't quite match the 2,880 x 1,800 of its 15.4-inch elder, it comprehensively trounces the 1,280 x 800 panel in the older, chubbier, optical-endowed Pro. Also, what powers that panel has changed, with the 13-inch Pro with Retina relying exclusively on integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics. The 15-inch Retina Pro gets a much healthier NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M Kepler assembly with 1GB of GDDR5 memory. Other hardware configurations differ, too, which we'll detail a little later in the review. But it's safe to say that overall the 13-inch Retina Pro makes do with components that mark this as a slightly lower-rent machine than the 15-inch. Dual-core chips are found rather than quad-core beasts, and of course there's the reliance on integrated graphics that some power users will find simply distasteful. Taken on its own, what you have is a comprehensively powerful little machine, a beautifully engineered one to boot. Taken on its own, what you have is a comprehensively powerful little machine, a beautifully engineered one to boot. The aluminum MacBook Pros have always impressed us with their seemingly bulletproof unibody construction and this latest member of the family certainly inherited healthy DNA. Try to twist and turn the machine with all your might and you'll get no sign of weakness. Barely a hint of flex is evident. The same stiffness can be found in the lid, despite its thinness. The 13-inch panel here uses the same bonding techniques used in the Air and the 15-inch Retina Pro to reduce the overall size of the panel assembly, meaning there's less junk up top -- and less reflection, too. Yes, it's still a gloss display. No, you still can't request a matte one, but glare has been greatly reduced over the standard Pro models. That's a boon for those who work in offices put together by sunglasses-wearing interior designers who mandated painful, ceiling-mounted fluorescents as far as the eye can see. Curiously, and somewhat unfortunately, the 13-inch model is actuallythicker than the 15-inch Retina Pro. Of course, the new Pro 13 is slimmer than the old one and, like the 15-inch Retina vs. its predecessor, it's slightly smaller on all the other dimensions, too. It's 12.35 inches wide and 8.62 inches deep (314 x 219 mm), compared to 12.78 x 8.94 inches for the one with the optical drive. Of course, the big talking point is thickness, and the new model is about 20 percent thinner than the old one: 0.75 of an inch compared to 0.95 for the previous model. Curiously, and somewhat unfortunately, that's actually thicker than the 15-inch Retina Pro, at just 0.71 inches. It is, at least, comprehensively lighter than either of those two, tipping the scales at 3.57 pounds (1.62kg). That's nearly a full notch lighter than the 4.5-pound non-Retina 13-incher and the 4.46-pound 15-inch Retina. It's actually closer in heft to the new Air, which weighs 2.96 pounds (1.35kg). The Air is thinner, though, at 0.68 inches. Still, the design is quite familiar. The wide, black plastic hinge is present, as you'd expect, still offering just the right amount of tension. The four hard rubber feet still protrude from the corners on the bottom of the machine, working equally well at keeping this from sliding across your desk or your lap. The keyboard backlight is as effective as it is dimmable, and the island layout itself has the same great feel we've come to expect from the entire MacBook line. As this is a Pro model, the keys are slightly deeper and more responsive than those on the Air. Users of any MacBook model will be typing at maximum WPM right out of the box. Speakers now reside beneath the keyboard and offer plenty of volume and decent tone for your occasional usage. You can play music through them in a pinch, like when you need to step out of headphone range to iron a shirt or rummage through the mini bar in your hotel room, but we'd recommend sticking to other means of audio delivery if you're concerned with accurate sound reproduction. The sound quality is decent, but lacks a bit when it comes to lower-frequency reproduction. DisplayWe were guilty of gushing a little bit about the new Retina display in the 15-inch Pro, but frankly we'd never seen a laptop panel anywhere near that good before. Now, we've seen another. We were guilty of gushing a little bit about the new Retina display in the 15-inch Pro, but frankly we'd never seen a laptop panel anywhere near that good before. Now, we've seen another, and it's here in the 13-inch model. The native resolution of the panel is necessarily reduced, falling to 2,560 x 1,600 from the 2,880 x 1,800 on the 15.4-inch unit that we called "gorgeous." This 13.3-inch version is no less a looker. Brightness is rated at 300 nits, not world-record territory more than adequate, especially with outdoor viewing augmented by the glare-busting reduction of layers in the panel. Contrast and viewing angles are about as good as they get and the color temperature looks mighty close to natural out of the box. But, should you need to make things warmer or cooler you have a comprehensive calibration tool built into Mountain Lion that will let you tweak your machine's white point to your little heart's content. What you still can't do, though, is force apps to run at the panel's native resolution. There's a lot of scaling going on here, the default setting in Mountain Lion blowing apps up so that they take the same amount of space on the screen. This is great for pixel-perfect app compatibility, but not so great if you were hoping to get a boost in screen real estate. As on the 15-inch Retina, you can go in and manually tweak that scaling to some degree by dragging a little slider about. Here, the "More Space" option, where things are smallest, is said to look like 1,680 x 1,050. This effectively slots the 13-inch Pro with Retina between the amount of workspace you'd have at your disposal on the 15-inch non-Retina Pro and the now dearly departed tall 1080p 17-incher. As before, apps need to be optimized to take advantage of the Retina display. There are, we're happy to report, a whole lot more now than there were in June when the 15-inch model dropped. Performance and battery life Predictably, the new 13-inch Pro with Retina display offers performance very close to that found in the 13-inch non-Retina model -- appropriate given the similar internal configurations. Our model was the lower standard config, the one we think most people will opt for, with a dual-core 2.5GHz Core i5 processor from Intel paired with 8GB of DDR3 memory and a 128GB SSD. It didn't disappoint when it came to crunching numbers, but it's the SSD that really sets it apart from its Retina-less brethren. We routinely found disk read speeds of 430 MB/s and writes of 310. That's a hair slower than we saw on the 15-inch Retina Pro, which read at 440 MB/s and wrote at 390, but that delta is close enough to be unnoticeable in daily use. Apps spring to life after just a few bounces in the Dock, files load promptly and a cold boot to a log-in prompt takes just 15 seconds, which means you might need to hurry a bit more when running to the coffee maker in the morning. In fact you might have a hard time noticing the difference between this model and its bigger Retina-endowed sibling in typical usage -- unless your typical usage entails a lot of video rendering, photo editing or hunting for extra-terrestrial intelligence, of course. So, we turned to some synthetic benchmarks to quantify the speed differential between this and the bigger Pro.
We launched Geekbench first and netted an average score of 6,812, nearly identical to what the most recent 13-inch MacBook Pro scored when we reviewed it back in July. That's no surprise, since it's running the same CPU. In Xbench, meanwhile, it averaged a score of 378, again within spitting distance of the 368 the non-Retina Pro of the same size put down, but substantially slower than even the lowest-spec 15-inch Retina machine. When it comes to battery life, Apple promises the same seven hours it rated the 15-inch Retina Pro, but in our testing the hew 13-inch Retina pro comes up short of what its bigger brother managed on the same test. Playing a looping video with the display brightness fixed and WiFi enabled, the 13-inch Retina Pro clocked in about 20 minutes short of the 13-inch Air and 45 short of the non-Retina 13-inch Pro. We ran the test three times to be sure, getting similar results with each iteration. We'd hoped for an increase like we saw with the 15-inch Retina over the base Pro, but no such luck. Configuration options The other standard config differs only in disk space, $1,999 for 256GB. So, while the 13-inch Pro with Retina is a fair bit more affordable than the 15-inch model, it's considerably more expensive than the non-Retina 13 and the 13-inch Air, both of which can be had for as little as $1,199. The competitionAs is often the case with Apple's product lineup, the stiffest competition the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display faces comes from within its own family. As is often the case with Apple's product lineup, the stiffest competition the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display faces comes from within its own family. Starting on the lower end is the non-Retina 13-inch, which can be had, identically configured, for $200 less. That's a significant savings that nets you an extra two-tenths of an inch in thickness, a pound in weight and, of course, a display that isn't nearly as good as the one found here. As mentioned above, performance-wise, the two machines are nigh identical. And then, of course, there's the 13-inch MacBook Air. This, we think, is a quite compelling alternative as it, too, can be had for less money ($1,199 to start), but maxes out with a 2.0GHz Core i7 processor. Of course, it's also thinner, lighter and very nearly as quick when it comes to overall performance. It's really the comprehensive selection of ports here that sets the Pro apart (though, sadly, still no Ethernet) and, again, that pixel-dense display. The decision between these two machines is not one to be made lightly, the strongest factors being portability and budget sensitivity. Finally, on the Apple side, you can't rule out the 15-inch Retina Pro either. If you're considering the $1,999 model here with 256GB of flash storage you're $200 away from the 15-inch model with 256GB of storage and a much faster processor. But, with that extra cost comes an extra pound in heft -- a deal-breaker for some. Looking to the PC side of things, the choices are far more numerous, many being every bit as compelling. Our recent favorite in the 13-inch size is the Samsung Series 9, which has a lower-res screen (1,600 x 900) and an occasionally flaky trackpad, but even higher I/O performance (boots in 12 seconds, 500 MB/s writes to its SSD) and over seven hours of battery life. It's also thinner (just a half-inch thick), lighter (2.55 pounds) and cheaper (starting at $1,250), but its CPU performance is definitely more in line with the Air than this Pro. There's also the HP Envy 14 Spectre. It's slightly thicker and heavier than the Pro, has slower CPU options and again offers a 1,600 x 900 resolution, but offers a similarly comprehensive selection of ports (plus Ethernet) and can be had with 512GB of SSD for $1,699. It's also covered in glass, and that's got to count for something. Wrap-up  The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, the one we really wanted to see earlier this year when the 15-incher was unveiled, is finally here. But, it isn't quite the perfect blend of Pro performance and Air panache we'd hoped for. That it's actually thicker than its big brother, the 15-incher, is a bit of a bummer but, with its weight falling closer to Air territory than the Pro, the decision between the two models will be a tough one for frequent travelers who need a little more oomph. However, it's a tough decision because there are so many stellar options, and that's ultimately a good thing. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina is impeccably engineered and manufactured, but as such, features an MSRP well higher than the less-expensive models in the lineup. Those on a budget may find the premium hard to swallow, but those with the cash to match the asking price here won't be disappointed after they get a taste of Retina. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chrono Trigger travels across mobile platforms, arrives on Android (video) Posted: 29 Oct 2012 08:33 AM PDT
Pulling out another classic from its storeroom of 16-bit hits, Square Enix has finally ported Chrono Trigger, almost a year since we saw its reappearance on iOS. While it may have taken its time to get here (despite the Japanese version getting an early release), you can now relive the SNES hit on any Android device running version 2.2 or higher. The download resides at the link below -- and it'll set you back 10 bucks.
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| Nexus 4 leaked on video, Android 4.2 gets exposed alongside new LG hardware Posted: 29 Oct 2012 08:01 AM PDT
There ain't much here we haven't seen before, but look -- it's a video. The thoroughly leaked LG Nexus 4 -- which was likely scheduled to be formally unveiled today if not for Hurricane Sandy -- has shown up in a 107 second video hosted up by Swedroid. We're guessing that select international sites briefed on the handset weren't hearing any of that "delay" stuff, and have instead let loose on the material they had access to. The hardware itself is no surprise, boasting clean lines and a minimalistic motif that looks a hair thicker than we had envisioned before. Android 4.2 looks right at home, though -- as if you haven't seen enough of that in the Nexus 10 leak. Head on past the break and press play, won't you? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DLNA doubles its certification of audio-video hardware in two years Posted: 29 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT
Shopping for a new home AV setup with DLNA support? You've got twice as many options as you might have had just a few years ago. The Digital Living Network Alliance says that it has certified over 500 AV systems, handily doubling the number of devices it has certified since 2010. The organization issued a press release lambasting the dark ages of pre-DLNA AV setups and the "bulky tapes, memory cards, discs and CDs" that media lovers once had to contend with. "Consumers are demanding more from their digital content and looking for ways to access media from multiple devices on their home network," explains DLNA chairman and president Nidhish Parikh. "Certified AV systems are able to communicate with other consumer electronics... ...effectively expanding the boundaries of the digital home through easy interoperability." More connected devices for folks outside of the Apple ecosystem? Sounds good to us -- even if most devices pack in compatibility for both. DLNA® Doubles Certification of Audio-Video Products Two-Year Surge in Certifications Demonstrates Prominence of Networked Audio-Video Devices in the Connected Home PORTLAND, OR – October 29, 2012 – The Digital Living Network Alliance® (DLNA®) has seen a surge in the number of DLNA Certified® Audio-Video (AV) products, and today announces that Certifications have doubled since 2010. DLNA has Certified more than 500 AV systems to date, providing consumers with the ability to enjoy music and video content on a range of consumer electronics products throughout the digital home. "AV devices have become a vital component of today's connected home," said Nidhish Parikh, chairman and president of DLNA. "Consumers are demanding more from their digital content and are looking for ways to access media from multiple devices on their home network. DLNA Certified® AV systems are able to communicate with other consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets, televisions and NAS devices, effectively expanding the boundaries of the digital home through easy interoperability." Prior to DLNA Certified® AV systems, consumers were restricted by the use of bulky tapes, memory cards, discs and CDs for AV content. Today, consumers can use connected devices to effortlessly enjoy content throughout the digital home. AV continues to be an expanding category within the connected home. According to Parks Associates, more than 60 percent of home audio products are expected to come with embedded network capabilities by 2016. The same report also revealed that more than 90 million AV units worldwide will feature technologies such as DLNA. Moreover, trusted consumer websites such as tested.com support DLNA as a networking feature when choosing an AV receiver for the home theater. "As a manufacturer that is committed to bringing the ultimate digital entertainment experience to households worldwide, LG is pleased to leverage DLNA technology to ensure consumers have the best in connected consumer products," said Byungjin Kim, Smart Convergence Technology Team Leader, LG. "Incorporating DLNA technology into LG products allows consumers to effortlessly connect and enjoy music and video content over the home network connection without being limited by wires." "With more than 50 DLNA Certified AV systems, it is clear ONKYO realizes the significance of including the technology into our products to create ease and convenience for consumers," said Nobuaki Okuda, CTO, Onkyo Corporation. "ONKYO is committed to offering a variety of ways for consumers to enjoy music content. Incorporating DLNA into our products enables our AV systems to be an integral part to the connected home." DLNA Certified® AV systems can act as a digital media player or renderer, allowing consumers to control their integrated home theater systems by easily browsing, playing and controlling video or music from DLNA Certified® products such as Blu-ray players, laptops, mobile phones, tablets and televisions. With nearly 20,000 DLNA Certified® device models, consumers can enjoy their music and video content on AV systems from an array of DLNA Certified® products. DLNA Certified® AV systems are currently available from member companies including: Harman International, Huawei, LG, ONKYO, Philips, Pioneer, Sony, Yamaha, and many more. A full list of Certified AV system models can be found on the DLNA Certified Product Search. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Philips hue: the 'world's smartest' LED lightbulb that saves you time during Red Alerts Posted: 29 Oct 2012 07:36 AM PDT
Historically, altering the lighting color of a room required draping a gossamer-thin cloth over a lamp or buying a new bulb from the store. Philips has sought to solve that most taxing of first-world problems with the hue, a smartphone-controlled LED bulb that can cycle through shades at your whim. As well as block colors, you can use photos to create palette and can control the units even when away from home. It'll be an Apple Store exclusive from October 30th, with individual units setting you back $59 (£49, €59) and three-bulb introduction pack with a wireless bridge for $199 (£179, €199). If that seems a little steep, just console yourself in the knowledge that it's a thousand times more useful than other lighting devices we've seen this year. Introducing Philips hue: the world's smartest LED bulb, marking a new era in home lighting October 29, 2012 Available at Apple stores from October 30th Amsterdam, the Netherlands, – Building on its innovation capabilities, today Philips unveils hue, the world's smartest web-enabled LED home lighting system. Philips hue signals a new era in home lighting both in the way we think about and experience light in our homes. It allows you to create and control the light using your smartphone or tablet. Bringing endless possibilities to help you get creative and help you personalize your lighting to suit yours and your family's lifestyle, Philips hue is available exclusively from Apple stores from 30th October. A starter pack includes three bulbs¹ that simply screw into your existing lamps, and a bridge that you plug into your home Wi-Fi router. Simply download the hue app to start experiencing light in a completely new way. Philips hue can be setup in minutes. The intuitive app allows you to remotely control your home lighting to help secure your home, personalize your home lighting experience with custom settings and program timers to help manage your daily schedules, all through the convenience of a smart device. An intuitive and seamless system, Philips hue is upgradeable and future-proof, with the potential for more features to be downloaded and enjoyed in the future. With its high quality energy-saving LED light, Philips hue allows you to tune shades of white light or create any color. In addition, Philips hue can: Save your favorite light scenes for each room or time of day and recall them in an instant The app for Philips' hue also features expert LightRecipes: four pre-programmed lighting settings based on Philips' research around the biological effects that lighting has on the body. These scenarios adjust bulbs to the optimum shade and brightness of white light to help you relax, read, concentrate or energize. Jeroen de Waal, Head of Marketing & Strategy at Philips Lighting commented: "Philips hue is a game-changer in lighting – a completely new way to experience and interact with light. In the way phones, media and entertainment have been revolutionized by digital technology, now we can also personalize light and enjoy limitless applications. Philips continues to redefine the possibilities of LED technology, and hue pushes the boundaries even more, not only in offering great light quality, but in how lighting can be digitized and integrated with our world to further simplify and enhance our lives." In home tests conducted in New York, Berlin and Shanghai, users highlighted hue's great quality light, programmable timers and the fact they could control their lighting from outside the home as features they most appreciated. Moreover, consumers liked the ability to save personal light settings and recreate them at the touch of a button as well as the convenience of managing their lighting from their mobile device. Philips is opening up the hue app to the developer community and has created an open source platform at www.meethue.com inviting developers to explore the app and unleash even more possibilities to show what light can do to enhance your life. You can share light scenes or get inspired on the meethue.com community site. Philips hue uses the open ZigBee Light Link standard so that it can be integrated with other ZigBee certified systems. Building on the success of its AmbiLight experience, Philips is developing future product features, such as allowing hue to integrate with other media including sound and video. Philips is also working on features such as geo-location services, allowing hue to sense when you are close to home and automatically turn on the lights, or turn them off when you leave. Philips hue is available only from Apple stores and Apple.com for $ 199 / € 199 / £179. To find out more, visit www.meethue.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Penguin and Random House merge, promise a brave new e-book future Posted: 29 Oct 2012 07:15 AM PDT
The pressure of digital transitions can lead traditional media companies to circle the wagons -- for better or for worse -- and book publishers certainly aren't immune as e-books take hold. Bertelsmann and Pearson are worried enough to be merging their respective Random House and Penguin publishing wings into a joint venture, not-so-creatively titled Penguin Random House, that they hope will better survive "long-term trends" like the shift away from paper-centric business models. While the two are engaged in the usual corporatespeak of creating "synergies" (read: resource cuts), we're more interested in talk of the union being a springboard for digital efforts: Penguin Random House wants to be "more adventurous" with e-book models like self-publishing. Whether the merger leads to a renaissance for established publishers or just reduced competition when the deal closes in the back half of 2013, we're bracing ourselves for the possibility of a Fifty Shades of Jamie Oliver crossover. Pearson and Bertelsmann agree consumer publishing partnership: Penguin and Random House to combine, creating the world's leading trade publisher October 29, 2012 Pearson and Bertelsmann today announce an agreement to create the world's leading consumer publishing organisation by combining Penguin and Random House. The combination brings together two of the world's leading English language publishers, with highly complementary skills and strengths. Random House is the leading English language publisher in the US and the UK, while Penguin is the world's most famous publishing brand and has a strong presence in fast-growing developing markets. Both companies have a long history of publishing excellence, and both have been pioneers in the dramatic industry transformation towards digital publishing and bookselling. Under the terms of the agreement, Penguin and Random House will combine their businesses in a newly-created joint venture named Penguin Random House. Bertelsmann will own 53% of the joint venture and Pearson will own 47%. The joint venture will exclude Bertelsmann's trade publishing business in Germany and Pearson will retain rights to use the Penguin brand in education markets worldwide. Bertelsmann will nominate five directors to the Board of Penguin Random House and Pearson will nominate four. John Makinson, currently chairman and chief executive of Penguin, will be chairman of Penguin Random House and Markus Dohle, currently chief executive of Random House, will be its chief executive. In reviewing the long-term trends and considerable change affecting the consumer publishing industry, Pearson and Bertelsmann both concluded that the publishing and commercial success of Penguin and Random House can best be sustained and enhanced through a partnership with another major international publishing house. They believe that the combined organisation will have a stronger platform and greater resources to invest in rich content, new digital publishing models and high-growth emerging markets. The organisation will generate synergies from shared resources such as warehousing, distribution, printing and central functions. Pearson and Bertelsmann intend that the combined organisation's level of organic investment in authors and new product models will exceed the total investment of Penguin and Random House as independent publishing houses. The two companies believe that the combination will create a highly successful new organisation, both creatively and commercially, with the breadth and investment capacity to deliver significant benefits. Readers will have access to a wider and more diverse range of frontlist and backlist content in multiple print and digital formats. Authors will gain a greater depth and breadth of service, from traditional frontlist publishing to innovative self-publishing, on a global basis. Employees of the new organisation will be part of the world's first truly global consumer publishing company, committed to sustained editorial excellence and long-term investment in a rich diversity of content. And shareholders will benefit from participating in the consolidation of the consumer publishing industry without having to deploy additional capital. The combination is subject to customary regulatory and other approvals, including merger control clearances, and is expected to complete in the second half of 2013. Under the terms of the agreement, neither Pearson nor Bertelsmann may sell any part of their shareholding in Penguin Random House for three years. To protect Pearson's interests as a minority shareholder, if Bertelsmann declines a Pearson offer to sell its entire shareholding, Pearson may require a recapitalisation by which Penguin Random House raises debt of up to 3.5x EBITDA, with a dividend distributed to shareholders in line with their ownership. In addition, from five years after completion, either partner may require an IPO of Penguin Random House. Marjorie Scardino, chief executive of Pearson, said: "Penguin is a successful, highly-respected and much-loved part of Pearson. This combination with Random House – a company with an almost perfect match of Penguin's culture, standards and commitment to publishing excellence – will greatly enhance its fortunes and its opportunities. Together, the two publishers will be able to share a large part of their costs, to invest more for their author and reader constituencies and to be more adventurous in trying new models in this exciting, fast-moving world of digital books and digital readers." Thomas Rabe, chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, said: "With this planned combination, Bertelsmann and Pearson create the best course for new growth for our world-renowned trade-book publishers, to enable them to publish even more effectively across traditional and emerging formats and distribution channels. It will build on our publishing tradition, offering an extraordinary diversity of publishing opportunities for authors, agents, booksellers, and readers, together with unequalled support and resources." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Five iPhone 5s in five days: win a black Verizon iPhone 5 and two cases, courtesy of Seidio! Posted: 29 Oct 2012 06:40 AM PDT
Whether or not you're having a case of the Mondays, you have to admit that this is a pretty solid way to start off the week. Amidst the swarm of tech news coming out today, we're kicking off a full week of iPhone 5 giveaways! Seidio is here to get things going the right way, offering a black 16GB Verizon iPhone 5 and two of its rugged cases: the ACTIVE, complete with metal kickstand, as well as the CONVERT Combo. As you may have already guessed, Seidio produces a full ecosystem of premium accessories like the ones you see above. Head to the link above (and the Facebook link below) to see more options if you're still on the lookout. And while you're on the lookout, keep an eye out for the rest of the iPhone 5s we give away this week! Remember folks, we're extending the life of each contest to five days, which means you have until Friday night to submit your entry -- all you have to do is leave a comment below! Our sponsors: The rules:
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| The Engadget Interview: Parrot CEO Henri Seydoux Posted: 29 Oct 2012 06:20 AM PDT
This man sure knows how to entertain photogs, but he's much more than just a charming French poser. Meet Henri Seydoux, the founder, chairman and CEO of today's multi-talented Parrot. While promoting the recently launched Zikmu Solo wireless speaker in Hong Kong, Seydoux sat down with us to share the amusing story behind himself and his company. Check out the video after the break to hear how Seydoux's encounter with Roland Moreno, the inventor of the smart card, made him drop journalism in favor of software engineering, as well as his detailed explanation on why many Bluetooth audio products suck, and how Bluetooth will continue to rule the world "like Beyoncé." Enjoy! Apologies for the flicker in parts of the following video clips. The interview:
Henri Seydoux walks us through the Zikmu Solo:
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| Posted: 29 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT
FreedomPop's gamble on free WiMAX data launched in beta at the start of month, but early adopters had to be contented with conventional hotspots and modems at first; those of us with a fixation on data-only cellular handsets had to keep waiting. We can stay slightly cooler-headed now that the provider is shipping its iPod touch 4G Sleeve. Shelling out $99 grafts a 4G hotspot to the back of the fourth-generation media player that gives it independence from WiFi as well as connection sharing with eight other devices -- at least, for anyone willing to burn through that 500MB of free monthly data in record time. About the only catches are the $10 per gigabyte overage fee and a design that's just slightly behind the times for iPod addicts. While some of us will still cling to smartphones for coverage or legacy reasons, others who mostly communicate through Instagram food photos could have that excuse they need to drop cellular phone service once and for all. Update: Thanks to reader (and early adopter) Penn who pointed out that overages are $20 per gigabyte if you're on the free plan -- it's only $10 if you're a regularly paying customer. FreedomPop Launches Market-Disruptive 4G iPod touch Sleeve, Transforming the touch into an iPhone Sleeve provides users 500MB of Free Nationwide High-Speed 4G every Month LOS ANGELES (Oct. 29, 2012) – The wait is over! FreedomPop, the disruptive free wireless Internet company, today announced it is now shipping its highly anticipated iPod touch 4G Sleeve, which until today has been limited to pre-orders only. The FreedomPop iPod touch 4G Sleeve snaps onto any fourth generation iPod touch, enabling a seamless connection to FreedomPop's free high-speed 4G network and allowing the iPod to function like an iPhone. With FreedomPop's iPod touch 4G Sleeve, users will be able to use their iPod touch anywhere there is FreedomPop coverage – not just on Wi-Fi at home or in public venues. "Until today, the iPod touch has been a Wi-Fi only device. As of today, consumers can now receive fast and free Internet for their iPod on-the-go," said Mauricio Sastre, Vice President Product, FreedomPop. "By leveraging a VoIP app such as Skype, the iPod touch essentially becomes a carrier-free option that allows consumers to enjoy an iPhone-like experience without signing contracts or paying monthly fees." With the Sleeve, the iPod touch can stream videos, make VOIP calls, serve a hotspot for up to eight devices, and be connected to Wi-Fi anywhere FreedomPop's 4G network exists. The iPod touch 4G Sleeve delivers speeds of up to 10x 3G speeds currently available on the iPhone 4/4S. It also turns the iPod touch into a wireless hotspot, allowing up to eight other devices to connect to it. The availability of the FreedomPop iPod touch 4G Sleeve comes on the heels of the company's public Beta launch earlier this month, which has shaken up the wireless market with it's game-changing offering: a guaranteed minimum of 500MB of free 4G wireless Internet service every month. No contracts, no ads, no gimmicks. An overview of markets served nationwide can be found at www.FreedomPop.com. The iPod touch 4G Sleeve is available now for purchase at www.FreedomPop.com, retailing for $99. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft Surface exposes its guts to iFixit, knows if you've been meddling with it Posted: 29 Oct 2012 05:54 AM PDT
Now that the Microsoft Surface is in the wild and we've probed it from the outside, the tool-toters at iFixit have opened one up to see what makes it tick -- and whether you dare attempt a repair yourself. The first thing they noticed was how tricky it was to remove a plastic access cover, which caused unavoidable damage to the tamper-evident label when they finally got it off. That would tip repair depots that you've been rummaging about, likely rendering your warranty moot. Other sore spots included the LCD and glass being fused together, along with a keyboard connector that's impossible to get out without pulling the display off first. On the plus side, the iFixit team found the battery easy to remove despite being glued to the case (unlike other recent devices), and many un-soldered components that were also swappable. All that added up to a score of four on the repairability scale -- meaning that fixing one probably isn't a great DIY project, unless you're the patient type. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verizon officially announces Nokia Lumia 822, coming this Fall (update: $100 on two-year contract) Posted: 29 Oct 2012 05:17 AM PDT
Ahead of the big Windows Phone soiree later today, Nokia has now confirmed that Verizon will be getting the Lumia 822, which will its 4G portfolio in the coming months. While the fact that a Big Red version of Nokia's second Windows Phone 8 device wasn't the best-kept secret, Nokia's proud press release (after the break) finally confirms it -- although it neglects to mention any prices or dates. The phone will arrive in black, white and grey options -- all LTE-ready, with those interchangeable covers also incoming. That slightly modest 4.3-inch screen WVGA screen will also try to make the most of those colorful tiles -- and we'll likely get play with one very soon. Update: Nokia USA's just updated its site, stating that the Windows Phone will arrive on two-year contracts priced at $100. Verizon Wireless introduces Nokia Lumia 822 to Fall portfolio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huawei Honor 2 unveiled: 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 4.5-inch 326 PPI display Posted: 29 Oct 2012 05:01 AM PDT
Never one to stop unfurling new smartphones, Huawei's just detailed yet another high-end Android handset. The Honor 2 packs the company's in-house K3V2 1.4GHz quad-core chip, up from the single-core found in the original, alongside 2GB of RAM and 8GB of built-in storage. Around the back, there's the BSI 8-megapixel camera sensor, capable of burst shots and full 1080p video capture, while Huawei has also included a microSD slot for storage expansion. With a 4.5-inch 1,280 x 720 display, there's hefty pixel bump up from the 245 pixels per inch found on the first Honor -- in fact we have a Retina display-matching 326ppi. The Chinese phone maker is also talking up its claims of 72 hours of standby time, which is something we'd certainly like to try out when review samples eventually appear. Pre-orders will start in China later this week, with the Honor 2 priced up at 1,888 yuan -- just over $300. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Office Depot and GameStop drops Nexus 7 16GB price to $199 Posted: 29 Oct 2012 03:41 AM PDT
Google's incoming 32GB Nexus 7 may be one of its worst kept secrets, with most estimates (and those leaks) pointing to a $249 price tag and a launch date later this week. However, it also appears that the 16GB model will drop its price down to $199, according to leaked images from both Office Depot and GameStop -- great news for anyone who's so far held off from grabbing the first Nexus tablet. While an official announcement's been delayed by the forces of nature, we expect to hear more from Google sooner rather than later. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PSA: Nook Simple Touch and Simple Touch with Glowlight now on sale in the UK Posted: 29 Oct 2012 02:26 AM PDT
Barnes & Noble's arrival in the UK has been so well-telegraphed, you might be surprised to learn that today's the day the units actually launch. You'll be able to pick up a Nook Simple Touch or awkwardly-titled Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight from retailers such as John Lewis, Sainsbury's and on the company's new Nook.co.uk site. Access to Barnes & Noble's 2.5 million title e-book library will set you back £79 for the base model and £109 for the glow-in-the-dark version. NOOK Simple Touch GlowLight™ on Sale in the UK Frontlit E Ink® Reader Set to End Bedtime Reading Debate: Expansive NOOK Bookstore Gives Brits Access to Over 2.5 Million Digital Books NOOK® HD, the Lightest and Highest Resolution 7-Inch HD Tablet and NOOK® HD+, the World's Lightest and Lowest Priced Full HD Tablet Available for Order today on www.nook.co.uk London, United Kingdom – October 29, 2012 – NOOK Media LLC, a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller and leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, is proud to announce that its critically acclaimed E Ink® line of NOOK devices – NOOK Simple Touch and NOOK Simple Touch GlowLight, the first E Ink device with a built-in reading light – are now available to purchase in the UK. Customers across the UK will now be able to experience first-hand the high quality NOOK eReaders in more than 1,600 top high street retailers. Both eReaders are on shelves in John Lewis, Argos, Asda, Sainsbury's, Dixons and Waitrose, Blackwell's and Foyles and the bestselling eReaders are also be available to purchase through the newly live UK website: www.nook.co.uk. Priced at £109, NOOK Simple Touch GlowLight was the first to combine an E Ink display with a touchscreen, built-in anti-glare screen for reading in any lit environment, and an evenly distributed and adjustable light for reading in the dark. This will come as good news to the 50% of Brits who are currently kept awake by a partner's reading light, according to research commissioned by Barnes & Noble in the U.K. With a price tag of just £79, ultra-light and portable NOOK Simple Touch is an ideal Christmas present for the 24% of Brits who prefer to read on their daily commute to work. Both NOOK products offer excellent battery life – over one month on a single charge with the light on, or over two months with the GlowLight off. The intuitive 6-inch touchscreen means the NOOK Simple Touch is easy to navigate, shop and read and 2GB of built-in storage means that readers can hold up to 1,000 digital books. Beginning today, UK bookworms can also browse over 2.5 million digital books on the NOOK Store, including top selling UK eBooks, new releases and classics, as well as UK favourite newspaper and magazine titles, such as Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, Men's Health, Cosmopolitan, and The Independent. The NOOK Store also offers a large collection of titles from independent publishers and self-publishing authors through the PubIt™ programme. Jamie Iannone, President of NOOK Media said, "We're thrilled to be able to bring our award- winning products and expansive NOOK Store to the UK's discerning customers. The NOOK brand was created for people who love literature and reading, which is why the UK was a natural place for us to begin our international expansion. Our extensive content catalog, intuitive shopping and reading experience, and breakthrough discovery tools like NOOK Channels are a perfect fit for UK digital book readers." Barnes & Noble is also bringing NOOK HD and NOOK HD+, the lightest HD and full HD tablets, to the UK in late November and available to pre-order online starting today. The super-fast and lightweight 7-inch NOOK HD and 9-inch NOOK HD+ feature must-see displays for superior reading and entertainment and an instantly personalised tablet experience for each family member. Priced from £159 for NOOK HD and £229 for NOOK HD+ – the tablets deliver amazing value for customers, with NOOK HD+ at nearly half the cost of the leading large-format tablet. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Valve opens Steam for Linux beta registration, wants pros only Posted: 29 Oct 2012 01:28 AM PDT
Right on schedule (ahem), Valve has begun requesting applications for the first Steam for Linux beta test. There are only 1,000 spots available, but the company is looking for "experienced Linux users" only -- presumably, ones that will be better at debugging than spilling zombie brains. So, if you've got a rig running Ubuntu 12.04 or above and decent Linux knowledge, head to the source link to register your interest. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cray's Jaguar supercomputer upgraded with NVIDIA Tesla GPUs, renamed Titan Posted: 29 Oct 2012 12:01 AM PDT
Cray's Jaguar (or XK7) supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been loaded up with the first shipping NVIDIA Telsa K20 GPUs and renamed Titan. Loaded with 18,688 of the Kepler-based K20s, Titan's peak performance is more than 20 petaflops. Sure, the machine has an equal number of 16-core AMD Opteron 6274 processors as it does GPUs, but the Tesla hardware packs 90 percent of the entire processing punch. Titan is roughly ten times faster and five times more energy efficient than it was before the name change, yet it fits into the same 200 cabinets as its predecessor. Now that it's complete, the rig will analyze data and create simulations for scientific projects ranging from topics including climate change to nuclear energy. The hardware behind Titan isn't meant to power your gaming sessions, but the NVIDIA says lessons learned from supercomputer GPU development trickle back down to consumer-grade cards. For the full lowdown on the beefed-up supercomputer, hit the jump for a pair of press releases. NVIDIA Powers Titan, World's Fastest Supercomputer For Open Scientific Research Oak Ridge National Lab's 20+ Petaflops System – Powered by 18,000-Plus NVIDIA Tesla K20 GPUs – Paves Path to Efficient, Affordable Exascale Computing Titan's peak performance is more than 20 petaflops – or 20 million billion floating-point operations per second – about 90 percent of which comes from 18,688 NVIDIA® Tesla® K20 GPU accelerators. These are based on the NVIDIA KeplerTM architecture, the fastest, most efficient, highest-performance computing architecture ever built. Researchers use ever faster supercomputers to accelerate the pace of discovery and innovation across a range of scientific fields of inquiry – from developing more efficient engines and higher capacity, lighter weight batteries, to studying climate change and finding cures for disease. Titan is a milestone on the path to exascale computing, which targets building a 1,000 petaflops supercomputer. Titan is operated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Energy's network of research labs, as an open-science system. This means it is available to researchers from academia, government laboratories, and a broad range of industries, who will use Titan to model physical and biological phenomena and seek breakthroughs faster than possible by experimentation alone. Supported by the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the Tesla K20 GPU, Titan is more than 10 times faster and five times more energy efficient than its predecessor, the 2.3-petaflops(2) Jaguar system, while occupying the same floor space. Had Oak Ridge upgraded Jaguar by simply expanding its CPU-based architecture, the system would be more than four times its current size and consume more than 30 megawatts of power.(3) "Basing Titan on Tesla GPUs allows Oak Ridge to run phenomenally complex applications at scale, and validates the use of accelerated computing to address our most pressing scientific problems," said Steve Scott, chief technology officer of the GPU Accelerated Computing business at NVIDIA. "You simply can't get these levels of performance, power- and cost- efficiency with conventional CPU-based architectures. Accelerated computing is the best and most realistic approach to enable exascale performance levels within the next decade." Titan development began three years ago with Oak Ridge's decision to upgrade Jaguar, the previous open science system leader and a former world No. 1 most powerful supercomputer. The upgrade includes the Tesla K20 GPU accelerators, a replacement of the compute modules to convert the system's 200 cabinets to a Cray XK7 supercomputer, and 710 terabytes of memory. "Science and technology have always been our primary goal, and Titan is a groundbreaking tool that will allow researchers worldwide to leverage GPU-accelerated computing to make unparalleled breakthroughs," said Jeff Nichols, associate laboratory director for computing and computational sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. "The new Tesla GPU accelerators offer the performance and energy efficiency that enable Titan to scale to unprecedented performance levels without consuming the energy equivalent of a small city." (1) Based on June 2012 Top500 list (2) November 2011 Top500 List (http://top500.org/list/2011/11/100) – Jaguar = 2.3 petaflops peak (3) Assuming the same peak performance with a system composed of dual-CPU nodes, using the same ORNL DEBUTS TITAN SUPERCOMPUTER Supercomputer combines gaming and traditional computing technologies to provide unprecedented power for research OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory launched a new era of scientific supercomputing today with Titan, a system capable of churning through more than 20,000 trillion calculations each second-or 20 petaflops-by employing a family of processors called graphic processing units first created for computer gaming. Titan will be 10 times more powerful than ORNL's last world-leading system, Jaguar, while overcoming power and space limitations inherent in the previous generation of high-performance computers. Titan, which is supported by the Department of Energy, will provide unprecedented computing power for research in energy, climate change, efficient engines, materials and other disciplines and pave the way for a wide range of achievements in science and technology. The Cray XK7 system contains 18,688 nodes, with each holding a 16-core AMD Opteron 6274 processor and an NVIDIA Tesla K20 graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerator. Titan also has more than 700 terabytes of memory. The combination of central processing units, the traditional foundation of high- performance computers, and more recent GPUs will allow Titan to occupy the same space as its Jaguar predecessor while using only marginally more electricity. "One challenge in supercomputers today is power consumption," said Jeff Nichols, associate laboratory director for computing and computational sciences. "Combining GPUs and CPUs in a single system requires less power than CPUs alone and is a responsible move toward lowering our carbon footprint. Titan will provide unprecedented computing power for research in energy, climate change, materials and other disciplines to enable scientific leadership." Because they handle hundreds of calculations simultaneously, GPUs can go through many more than CPUs in a given time. By relying on its 299,008 CPU cores to guide simulations and allowing its new NVIDIA GPUs to do the heavy lifting, Titan will enable researchers to run scientific calculations with greater speed and accuracy. "Titan will allow scientists to simulate physical systems more realistically and in far greater detail," said James Hack, director of ORNL's National Center for Computational Sciences. "The improvements in simulation fidelity will accelerate progress in a wide range of research areas such as alternative energy and energy efficiency, the identification and development of novel and useful materials and the opportunity for more advanced climate projections" Titan will be open to select projects while ORNL and Cray work through the process for final system acceptance. The lion's share of access to Titan in the coming year will come from the Department of Energy's Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment program, better known as INCITE. Researchers have been preparing for Titan and its hybrid architecture for the past two years, with many ready to make the most of the system on day one. Among the flagship scientific applications on Titan: Materials Science "The order-of-magnitude increase in computational power available with Titan will allow us to investigate even more realistic models with better accuracy" noted ORNL researcher and WL-LSMS developer Markus Eisenbach. The S3D application models the underlying turbulent combustion of fuels in an internal combustion engine. This line of research is critical to the American energy economy, given that three-quarters of the fossil fuel used in the United States goes to powering cars and trucks, which produce one-quarter of the country's greenhouse gases. Titan will allow researchers to model large-molecule hydrocarbon fuels such as the gasoline surrogate isooctane; commercially important oxygenated alcohols such as ethanol and butanol; and biofuel surrogates that blend methyl butanoate, methyl decanoate and n-heptane. "In particular, these simulations will enable us to understand the complexities associated with strong coupling between fuel chemistry and turbulence at low preignition temperatures," noted team member Jacqueline Chen of Sandia National Laboratories. "These complexities pose challenges, but also opportunities, as the strong sensitivities to both the fuel chemistry and to the fluid flows provide multiple control options which may lead to the design of a high-efficiency, low-emission, optimally combined engine-fuel system" Nuclear Energy Climate Change Using a grid of 14-kilometer cells, the new system will be able to simulate from one to five years per day of computing time, up from the three months or so that Jaguar was able to churn through in a day. "As scientists are asked to answer not only whether the climate is changing but where and how, the workload for global climate models must grow dramatically," noted CAM-SE team member Kate Evans of ORNL. "Titan will help us address the complexity that will be required in such models." ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy. The Department of Energy is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit http://science.energy.gov. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft adds WP8 app to Windows Store just in time for launch Posted: 28 Oct 2012 10:42 PM PDT
If you're aiming to get your hands on one of the many Windows Phone 8 devices launching later today, it would be nice to be able to sync it with your Windows 8 PC, no? Redmond has you covered in the nick of time, as it's just released the free Windows Phone app to its Windows Store. That'll let you get music, photos, or video over to your computer and back, use Windows 8 apps to share things like searches, automatically save photos or videos taken with your phone to your PC and check your phone's storage to see how it's being used. It'll also let allow you to download phone apps and learn more about your device, while pulling off a trick we've saw first with Apple, then WP7 -- letting you track down your smartphone if it goes missing. You can grab it at the source, then all you'll need is a WP8 (or 7.8) handset -- so stay tuned for our liveblog at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST to see when that might happen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 28 Oct 2012 09:01 PM PDT
The Pulse pen couldn't do it. The more recent Echo couldn't manage it either. But sending notes and linked audio wirelessly is what Livescribe's latest digital pen is all about. Branded the Sky WiFi Smartpen, it works with proprietary physical notebooks to preserve your handwritten notes and linked audio files on a minimum of 2GB of onboard storage, and then it sends them directly to your Evernote account via WiFi -- from where you can access them on pretty much any PC, tablet or smartphone. If you're wondering a how the pen selects the right network and enters a password, then it's actually pretty straightforward: Livescribe's new stationery is printed with connection buttons that, in conjunction with the OLED display on the pen itself, guide you through the procedure in a few seconds. The latest notebooks also have buttons for sending your captured thoughts to Google Drive, Dropbox and Facebook, although those services won't be activated until early next year. The basic 2GB Sky pen will arrive in stores on November 1st, priced substantially higher than its predecessor, the Echo (which will be phased out at the end of next year). The new base model will cost $170, with 4GB and 8GB varieties priced at $200 and $250. Arguably, the reliance on wireless cloud storage means that the amount of onboard memory isn't so important any more, but if you do decide to opt for the most expensive model then you'll also get a year's subscription to Evernote Premium, which is worth $45. There's a short explanatory video after the break, and as you'll see from the gallery below we've already got the Sky pen in our clutches, so expect a full review in short order. Handwriting Goes Mobile with the Introduction of the SkyTM wifi smartpen from Livescribe Partnership with Evernote® Provides Seamless Access to Handwritten Notes Any Time, Anywhere Oakland, Calif. - Oct. 29, 2012 -Livescribe Inc. (www.livescribe.com) announced today the launch of the Sky wifi smartpen, the first digital pen to integrate WiFi technology and cloud services. Sky digitizes everything consumers write and hear and automatically sends it to their personal Evernote accounts, where it is securely stored and readily available to search, play back, organize and share. Perfect for today's on-the-go world, everyone from busy executives to students can conveniently access their written notes and recorded audio directly from paper, as well as on all the tablets, smartphones and computers they use. "Thanks to our unique partnership and joint development efforts with Evernote, we have created an amazingly simple and exciting new experience for our customers," said Gilles Bouchard, Livescribe chairman and CEO. "With the Sky wifi smartpen, they can easily capture important ideas, presentations and conversations in the most natural way, on paper, and they automatically appear right where they want them - on their mobile devices and personal computers." With the Sky wifi smartpen people don't have to choose between writing on paper and writing on a tablet – they can have the best of both worlds. Sky is an ideal companion to an iPad or Android tablet. Together they offer the ease, flexibility and precision of writing on paper with the benefits of saving, searching, replaying and sharing on a tablet. To read results from Livescribe's study of tablet owners and their level of satisfaction with current note- taking solutions click here. (Link to infographic on our blog). Evernote Partnership and Customer Benefits In addition to reviewing pencasts on their computers and mobile devices, consumers can also: "The Livescribe Sky wifi smartpen is cool," said Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote. "It's one of the deepest partner integrations that we've ever done. You get the feeling that a bit of magic just happened when you see your handwriting and words transformed instantly and wirelessly into shareable, searchable ideas in Evernote." Evernote's vibrant developer community contributes many valuable applications and services to its overall platform. Now these developers can also integrate content created with the Sky wifi smartpen into their apps and services. One noteworthy example is Transcribe Me, an audio transcription service using the latest transcription technology and crowd sourcing techniques to provide high-quality audio- to-text conversion for Livescribe customers. Transcribe Me is currently developing an Evernote integration that is expected to be available shortly at competitive prices. To hear more about the Livescribe and Evernote relationship, watch this short video of Livescribe CEO Gilles Bouchard, Evernote CEO Phil Libin, Evernote VP of Platform Strategy, Seth Hitchings and Evernote Developer Platform Advocate Rafe Needleman talk about the current integration and future possibilities. Livescribe Mobile Software Developer Kit (SDK) - Tablets and Smartphones Just Got Smarter "Branchfire is committed to building applications that help users get the most out of digital content; with iAnnotate PDF, our users can read and take notes on digital documents such as PDFs and Word and PowerPoint files from their iPad and Android Tablet devices. We're excited by the potential of Livescribe's smartpens and the Livescribe Mobile SDK, and look forward to integrating it into our products to give our customers a choice of interacting with their content using a stylus, finger or a Sky wifi smartpen and paper," said Ashish Vora, Director of Business Development, Branchfire. "The Sky wifi smartpen is designed to be the perfect companion for smartphones and tablets. Our Mobile SDK will benefit developers by helping them significantly enhance applications that use a stylus or fingers for input," said Brett Halle, senior vice president, Engineering, Livescribe Inc. "We look forward to working with developers and seeing their creative applications for the Sky wifi smartpen." The official 1.0 version of the Mobile SDK for iOS is planned for Q1 2013, and an Android version is planned for Q2 2012. Livescribe is working directly with other technology partners to provide compelling value-added cloud services. As an example, Livescribe is working with long-time partner Vision Objects to provide a fully- integrated handwriting-to-text conversion service for Sky wifi smartpen customers in Q1 2013. Pricing and Availability In the U.S. market, the Sky wifi smartpen from Livescribe is available at Best Buy, Fry's, Apple stores and many college campus bookstores, as well as online at Livescribe.com, BestBuy.com and Amazon.com. The 2GB Sky wifi smartpen records around 200 hours of audio and is $169.95. The 4GB Sky wifi smartpen records around 400 hours of audio and is $199.95. The 8GB Sky wifi smartpen propack is offered exclusively through Best Buy and Livescribe.com. It records around 800 hours of audio and includes Livescribe's smartpen portfolio and a one-year subscription to Evernote Premium for $249.95. For more information about the Sky wifi smartpen, visit www.livescribe.com/sky. About Livescribe Livescribe brings notes, words and ideas to life. Livescribe smartpens make it easy to connect paper and pen to the digital world and fundamentally change the way people capture, access and share what they write, draw and hear. Anoto is the world leading company behind the unique technology for digital pen and paper, which enables fast and reliable transmission of handwritten text into a digital format. Anoto operates through a global partner network that focuses on user-friendly forms solutions for efficient capture, transmission and storage of data within different business segments, e.g. healthcare, bank and finance, transport and logistics and education. The Anoto Group is headquartered in Lund, Sweden, with offices in Boston and Tokyo. Anoto traded on the Small Cap list of OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm under the ticker ANOT. www.anoto.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Microsoft Windows Phone 8 event happens tomorrow, get your liveblog here! Posted: 28 Oct 2012 08:30 PM PDT
We know tomorrow's Windows Phone 8 event will finally answer all of those burning mysteries that we've been yearning to hear more about since Microsoft first announced the new OS in June. After all, the company has kept its upcoming platform under tight wraps, preventing its hardware partners from showing it off to the press. So what else will the folks from Redmond have up their sleeves? Stay tuned here as we bring you all of the revelations live in San Francisco, tomorrow at 1PM ET! October 29, 2012 1:00 PM EDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How would you change Jawbone's Big Jambox? Posted: 28 Oct 2012 07:07 PM PDT
In the ever-shrinking world of tech, for a company to release a jumbo-sized variant of a product is something of a novelty. Jawbone's Big Jambox has taken a few courses of steroids, with natty design language and 15-plus hours of battery life. We were certainly fans of the unit, although its audio can get a bit on the shaky side when you turn it up to 11, but that was just in the confines of our review. What's it been like to use this thing on a regular basis for the last six months? We're asking you to place yourselves in the stylish shoes of designer Yves Behar and tell us what you'd have done differently. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Refresh Roundup: week of October 22nd, 2012 Posted: 28 Oct 2012 06:00 PM PDT
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates
Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery
Refreshes we covered this week
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| Google puts Hurricane Sandy on its crisis map, hopes to help you weather the storm Posted: 28 Oct 2012 05:13 PM PDT
Just because Google abandoned its October Android event doesn't mean it's left its users out to dry -- Hurricane Sandy now has its very own Google Crisis Map. It isn't the first time Mountain View has lent its mapping tech to folks in harm's way -- survivors of Hurricane Issac used a similar Crisis Map to track the storm, follow public alerts and find shelters. Sandy's map is no different, providing locals with information on the storm's path, forecast information, evacuation routes, areas of high wind probability and even links to webcams surrounding affected areas. Google isn't the only firm lending a hand, either -- both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are lifting site paywalls during the storm, ensuring the public has access to developing news as long as their internet connection doesn't give out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 28 Oct 2012 03:45 PM PDT
If you're hip to repurposing old tech for new inventions, Invisible is right up your alley. The Greensboro-based unit calls themselves a "mechanical music museum" and "a reverse engineered folk science daydream" when describing their elaborate set of sound-making contraptions and recycled video equipment. The outfit's effort The New Obsolete was part of the Moogfest happenings this weekend, and our curiosity was immediately piqued. This particular performance is labeled as "an exploded view of the strange romance between humans and technology." Among all of the self-constructed instruments is the Selectric Piano: a typewriter that uses both computer and piano parts to control a keyboard. Each keystroke by the typist corresponds to a note added to collective soundscape and a mounted video camera allows the audience to keep tabs on the textual component. The project also showcases an object known as Elsewhere's Roof. The device controls a set of drum and percussion tools with water dropping into a few rather hi-tech Mason jars. In addition to arsenal of noise makers, multi-channel video and library of collected audio (via tape decks and turntables, of course) rounds out the lot. We were able to catch one of the stellar showings, so hit the gallery below for a look at the wares while a snippet of the action awaits beyond the break.
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