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Engadget News

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• Happy EVO 4G owners get Gingerbread update, right on schedule
• j5 Creates a Wormhole, enables keyboard and mouse sharing with just one cable
• BlackBerry PlayBook headed to Sprint on June 5th for $500?
• Microsoft sells 55 million Xbox 360 consoles, claims that's console history
• BlackBerry Bold 9900 delayed until September, IT admins everywhere weep
• Babycastles brings its indie arcade action to The Engadget Show (video)
• Archos puttin' on the Ritz for its Generation 9 Honeycomb tablets, coming June 23
• EnerJ power-saving system prioritizes CPU voltage, may reduce energy consumption by 90 percent
• Motorola's Jha blames apps for poor battery life, says Blur can save the day
• Amateur Copenhagen Suborbitals team about to make launch attempt (update: success)
• Beacon Power completing construction of 20-megawatt flywheel plant, the world's largest
• NHK's automated, animated sign language translator adds gestures to subtitles (video)
• Honeycomb on Oak Trail gets benchmarked on prototype Compal tablet, numbers ensue
• Tennessee bill broadens scope of 'theft,' wide enough to include web-based subscription services?
• Microdrones' flying robot films African wildlife, finds peace with nature
• Sony Ericsson to showcase over 20 new games optimized for Xperia Play
• Slimmer 5.25-inch internal optical drive gets wolf-whistled at Computex
• QWERTY wallet shows off your keyboard appreciation, pays homage to The Shining
• Adobe CEO has no beef with Apple, no answer for poor Flash performance on Android (video)
• Ubuntu to hit Eee PCs, take on Microsoft
• Sonos S3 / Play:3 wireless all-in-one speaker system leaked by the feds
• HTC EVO 3D walks its WiMAX by the FCC on its way to Sprint
• Micron RealSSD P320h can read 3GBps, write 2GBps, impress millions of geeks per second
• Qualcomm takes sci-fi one step closer to reality at Computex 2011 (video)
• HTC announces OpenSense SDK and HTCdev, offers paradise inside its walled garden
• OCZ RevoDrive 3 X2 and RevoDrive Hybrid hands-on (video)
• LightSquared and Sprint reportedly close to $20 billion LTE agreement, John Deere watching closely
• Defamation settlement requires Malaysian man to apologize 100 times on Twitter
• Sony NGP soaks up the pre-E3 glitz in official demo videos
• Apple camera patent could stop smartphone bootleggers in their tracks
• Researchers hack Kinect for glasses-free 3D teleconferencing (video)
• OnLive outs universal wireless controller, seamless Facebook integration and more -- we test the tablet experience on an HTC Flyer (video)
• T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide gets pictured with Gingerbread, may debut next month
• Samsung Smart View shrinks Smart TV down for your Galaxy S II
• Sony Pictures hacked by Lulz Security, 1,000,000 passwords claimed stolen
• Apple's iCloud bags last major record label, will cost $25 / year to sign up?
• Zoom R8 8-track recorder promises 'total production to go'
• The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET!
• Palm.com quietly replaced by HPwebOS.com, no wake to follow

Happy EVO 4G owners get Gingerbread update, right on schedule Posted: 03 Jun 2011 11:17 AM PDT Right on schedule, Sprint made Gingerbread available to any and all EVO 4G owners willing to check for the update manually (and if you're a fan of this site, we suspect you are). As a PSA, you won't just be getting Android 2.3, but also Gmail and SMS fixes, and a tweak for the phone's power management software. We've been getting a flood of tips from delighted readers in various markets who report the upgrade went smoothly. Can't be bothered to check for updates? You'll likely get a prompt to download it on Monday. So, Froyo, good night and good luck, and to everyone else, happy Friday! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

j5 Creates a Wormhole, enables keyboard and mouse sharing with just one cable Posted: 03 Jun 2011 10:59 AM PDT There are already plenty of keyboard and mouse sharing solutions out there, but alas, most are not foolproof nor affordable enough for the average Joe. As such, we fell in love with j5 Create's Wormhole KM Switch and Wormhole Station at Computex. The former, pictured above, is simply a cable sporting a USB dongle on each end; whereas the latter is an aluminum, externally powered expansion dock rod that comes with an intergrated KM switch, two USB 3.0 ports (which requires a USB 3.0 host for full potential, of course), a power button at the end, and card readers for microSD, SD, and MemoryStick. After the one-click setup using the built-in installer, you can set your preferred method to toggle the keyboard and mouse switching: either by clicking the middle mouse button, by clicking a user-defined hot area on the screen, or by simply moving the cursor off one side of the screen. As you'll see in our hands-on video after the break, the switching was seamless, and we had no problem with drag-and-drop or copy-and-paste across the two PCs. If either the Wormhole KM Switch or the Wormhole Station sounds like your kind of gadget, then keep an eye out for them at Fry's soon for $29.99 (about $10 cheaper than IOGEAR's USB Laptop KVM Switch) and $129, respectively. Additionally, there'll also be a Mac-compatible KM Switch available next month for $39.99. j5 Creates a Wormhole, enables keyboard and mouse sharing with just one cable

BlackBerry PlayBook headed to Sprint on June 5th for $500? Posted: 03 Jun 2011 10:37 AM PDT We're still waiting for some completely official word on the matter, but it looks like a Sprint exec has let slip the carrier's launch details for the BlackBerry PlayBook. While the post has since been removed, Sprint Marketing Director Gerald Evans revealed on his personal blog earlier today that the WiFi-only, 16GB version of the tablet will be hitting Sprint stores on Sunday, June 5th for the usual $499.99. Unfortunately, there was no mention of the carrier's 4G version which, last we heard, was still on track for a summer release.

Microsoft sells 55 million Xbox 360 consoles, claims that's console history Posted: 03 Jun 2011 10:17 AM PDT If you work for Sony you might want go watch TV right now -- there's something on Discovery about ostriches and sand. Meanwhile, Microsoft just let us know that it's sold 55 million Xbox 360s globally, which is very probably enough to maintain its lead over the PS3. Moreover, 360 sales in the US are still accelerating six years into its life-cycle, thanks largely to updates like Kinect -- and Microsoft boasts that "no other console in history can make that claim." Huzzah. Now, we're not ones to snatch the pen from the victor's hand, but remember: this claim is based on US stats, whereas the PS3 has generally been doing better in other regions. What's more, neither the Wii nor the PS3 has yet reached its sixth birthday, so the story isn't over. Nevertheless, the chart after the break does make Microsoft's performance look damn impressive. Why is it that when you're down, life just keeps on kicking?

BlackBerry Bold 9900 delayed until September, IT admins everywhere weep Posted: 03 Jun 2011 09:52 AM PDT BlackBerry fans itching to get your touch on: don't reach for your wallets just yet. BGR is reporting that RIM's upcoming Bold 9900 has been delayed until September, which is a bit later than the expected "Summer" release quoted back at BlackBerry World. We know you're heartbroken, but it looks like you'll have to live vicariously through our video hands-on until you can pocket one of your own.

Babycastles brings its indie arcade action to The Engadget Show (video) Posted: 03 Jun 2011 09:07 AM PDT The shuttering of New York's Chinatown Fair back in March marked the end of an era for the city -- a last vestige of a time when social gaming meant more than just logging on to Xbox Live. The arcade experience hasn't completely disappeared form the metropolitan map, however -- in recent years, a new crop of venues have remixed the concept of yesterday's arcades, places like Brooklyn's Barcade, a shrine to 80s gaming machines that does brisk business serving spirits to Williamsburg's 21 and up crowd. Launched in Ridgewood, Queens by game developers Kunal Gupta and Syed Salahuddin, Babycastles takes the re-invention a step further, offering up something between an arcade space and an art gallery. Babycastles serves as a rare opportunity for independent game developers to showcase their projects in a public, playable forum. The team describes the vision thusly on its Kickstarter page, "the primary goal of Babycastles is to establish independently developed video games as a viable form of social culture for New York City and its youth." Earlier this month, we caught up with Gupta and Salahuddin for the grand opening of Future Babycastles, a new music venue / arcade located across the street from Brooklyn's historic Domino Sugar factory, in a rapidly gentrifying area of Williamsburg. The duo celebrated the launch in style, with a set from local indie rock darlings Vivian Girls, a DJ, and some homemade deep-fried chicken -- it was a magical synthesis between divergent art forms that share little more than a DIY spirit and (in some cases) a zip code. As those in attendance at either the grand opening and the live taping of this month's Engadget Show can tell you, the games themselves are both thematically and stylistically pretty far removed from the ones that populated the arcades that we grew up in, featuring unfamiliar titles and pieced-together homemade arcade cabinets to match. Take Osama's Dead, Baby, created by Ivan Safrin, a playable version of the viral YouTube video featuring a man shooting a gun from a moving riding lawnmower, shortly after bin Laden's death. Also present at our live taping was Noah Sasso's Miracle Adventures in 2113, an unofficial sequel to the 80s Famicom title Miracle Ropit's Adventure in 2100, featuring the sort of throwback graphics that define a fair share of indie gaming titles. Tim got some serious on-screen hands-on time with Hot Throttle, a game developed by Doomlaser and Cactus, centered around a naked guy who thinks he's a car. The game was developed for Adultswim.com, after the team's original concept, which involved a lot more poop, was rejected for obvious reasons. The game, along with the rest of Babycastles' lineup prove once and for all that the arcade isn't dead, it's just naked, runs around a track, and makes lots of engine noises with its mouth.

Archos puttin' on the Ritz for its Generation 9 Honeycomb tablets, coming June 23 Posted: 03 Jun 2011 08:37 AM PDT We were expecting some news out Archos this month and sure enough, here it is. The company has just announced that it will unveil its new Generation 9 Honeycomb tablets at a Paris event, on June 23rd. The company's third Android slate, as you may recall, was originally expected to launch at September's IFA trade show, but that date was later pushed up -- meaning we'll be able to catch a glimpse of its shiny 1.6GHz ARM A9 dual-core chip and so-called "revolutionary" 3G modem in just a few weeks. Archos certainly seems to have high expectations for the device, as well, having scheduled its debut at no less a prestigious venue than the Ritz Hotel. We'll be there (in our finest threads) to cover the event as it unfolds. [Thanks, Marien]

EnerJ power-saving system prioritizes CPU voltage, may reduce energy consumption by 90 percent Posted: 03 Jun 2011 08:07 AM PDT It takes a lot of energy for computing systems or data centers to patch up critical errors, but what if we devoted less power to fixing less urgent issues? That's the basic idea behind EnerJ -- a new power-saving system that could cut a chip's energy consumption by 90 percent, simply by prioritizing critical problems over those that are less threatening. Unlike, say, liquid cooling techniques, the University of Washington's framework focuses exclusively on the programming side of the equation and revolves around two interlocking pieces of code: one that handles crucial, precision-based tasks (e.g., password encryption), and another designed to deal with processes that can continue to function, even when facing small errors. The system's software would separate the two codes, meaning that energy from one section of the chip would never be used to fix a major problem that the other should address, while allowing engineers to more efficiently allocate voltage to each region. The system has already cut energy usage by up to 50 percent in lab simulations, but researchers think the 90 percent threshold is well within their reach, with computer engineering professor Luis Ceze (pictured above) predicting that the system may even be able to increase battery life by a factor of ten. The team is hoping to release EnerJ as an open-source tool this summer, but for now, you can find more information in the PR after the break. Show full PR text Code green: Energy-efficient programming to curb computers' power use Soaring energy consumption by ever more powerful computers, data centers and mobile devices has many experts looking to reduce the energy use of these devices. Most projects so far focus on more efficient cooling systems or energy-saving power modes. A University of Washington project sees a role for programmers to reduce the energy appetite of the ones and zeroes in the code itself. Researchers have created a system, called EnerJ, that reduces energy consumption in simulations by up to 50 percent, and has the potential to cut energy by as much as 90 percent. They will present the research next week in San Jose at the Programming Language Design and Implementation annual meeting. "We all know that energy consumption is a big problem," said author Luis Ceze, a UW assistant professor of computer science and engineering. "With our system, mobile phone users would notice either a smaller phone, or a longer battery life, or both. Computing centers would notice a lower energy bill." The basic idea is to take advantage of processes that can survive tiny errors that happen when, say, voltage is decreased or correctness checks are relaxed. Some examples of possible applications are streaming audio and video, games and real-time image recognition for augmented-reality applications on mobile devices. "Image recognition already needs to be tolerant of little problems, like a speck of dust on the screen," said co-author Adrian Sampson, a UW doctoral student in computer science and engineering. "If we introduce a few more dots on the image because of errors, the algorithm should still work correctly, and we can save energy." The UW system is a general framework that creates two interlocking pieces of code. One is the precise part – for instance, the encryption on your bank account's password. The other portion is for all the processes that could survive occasional slipups. The software creates an impenetrable barrier between the two pieces. "We make it impossible to leak data from the approximate part into the precise part," Sampson said. "You're completely guaranteed that can't happen." While computers' energy use is frustrating and expensive, there is also a more fundamental issue at stake. Some experts believe we are approaching a limit on the number of transistors that can run on a single microchip. The so-called "dark silicon problem" says that as we boost computer speeds by cramming more transistors onto each chip, there may no longer be any way to supply enough power to the chip to run all the transistors. The UW team's approach would work like a dimmer switch, letting some transistors run at a lower voltage. Approximate tasks could run on the dimmer regions of the chip. "When I started thinking about this, it became more and more obvious that this could be applied, at least a little bit, to almost everything," Sampson said. "It seemed like I was always finding new places where it could be applied, at least in a limited way." Researchers would use the program with a new type of hardware where some transistors have a lower voltage, the force on electrons in the circuit. This slightly increases the risk of random errors; EnerJ shuttles only approximate tasks to these transistors. "If you can afford one error every 100,000 operations or so, you can already save a lot of energy," Ceze said. Other ways to use hardware to save energy are lowering the refresh rate and reducing voltage of the memory chip. Simulations of such hardware show that running EnerJ would cut energy by about 20 to 25 percent, on average, depending on the aggressiveness of the approach. For one program the energy saved was almost 50 percent. Researchers are now designing hardware to test their results in the lab. Today's computers could also use EnerJ with a purely software-based approach. For example, the computer could round off numbers or skip some extra accuracy checks on the approximate part of the code to save energy – researchers estimate between 30 and 50 percent savings based on software alone. Combining the software and hardware methods they believe they could cut power use by about 90 percent. "Our long-term goal would be 10 times improvement in battery life," Ceze said. "I don't think it is totally out of the question to have an order of magnitude reduction if we continue squeezing unnecessary accuracy." The program is called EnerJ because it is an extension for the Java programming language. The team hopes to release the code as an open-source tool this summer. Co-authors of the paper are UW computer science and engineering professor Dan Grossman, postdoctoral researcher Werner Dietl, graduate student Emily Fortuna and undergraduate Danushen Gnanapragasam. Also involved in the research is doctoral student Hadi Esmaeilzadeh.

Motorola's Jha blames apps for poor battery life, says Blur can save the day Posted: 03 Jun 2011 07:47 AM PDT Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha took time yesterday to talk business strategy, the advantages of Android, and to take developers to task for poorly optimized apps. At several points during the 50-minute chat the topic turned to lackluster battery life, and Jha placed blame squarely at the feet of hastily tested apps -- which he said can sap between 30 and 40 percent of your phone's juice. The chairman even suggested their effect on longevity and performance were the impetus behind 70 percent of handset returns. But, the company has a solution, and (surprisingly) its name is Blur. In a moment of presumably unintentional creepiness Dr. Jha said, "MotoBlur allows us to know, with precision, what battery life you're seeing," before suggesting that future phones could warn you about power draining apps and bandwidth hogs. What wasn't clear though, was if he was talking about the existing Android battery manager or if Motorola has been collecting usage data -- since we never opted-in to such a program, we're really hoping it's the former. Hit up the source link for the entire conversation, you'll find the relevant bits at the 4- and 25-minute marks.

Amateur Copenhagen Suborbitals team about to make launch attempt (update: success) Posted: 03 Jun 2011 07:31 AM PDT The "amateur" team from Copenhagen Suborbitals promised that they'd launch a rocket capable of carrying a human into space, and today they're poised to do just that -- minus an actual human, of course. Update: They just had an ignition failure, but it looks like they're going to give it another go in a few minutes. Update 2: And it's away! Apart from that slight hiccup on the first attempt (and a parachute that didn't quite fully deploy), it's looking like the launch was a complete success. We're also still waiting for confirmation on exactly how high the rocket got, but the team is apparently pleased with the results regardless. Head on past the break for a video of the launch. [Thanks, Michael]

Beacon Power completing construction of 20-megawatt flywheel plant, the world's largest Posted: 03 Jun 2011 07:27 AM PDT Remember Beacon Power, that startup using 2,800-pound flywheels to cut noxious emissions? Well, three years later, the company is wrapping up construction of its first plant, a 20-megawatt operation that just happens to be the world's largest. The Stephentown, NY facility is home to 200 of these flywheels, which store and output energy as needed, essentially matching the power supply with the demands of the grid. The result, the company promises, is reduced energy waste and stable electrical frequencies hovering around 60Hz. And while the plant's already up and running at 18 megawatts, it won't be until later this month that Beacon finishes building it out so that it reaches its full capacity. Full PR and champagne-popping celebration plans after the break. Beacon Power's Stephentown, NY flywheel plant Show full PR text Beacon Power to Celebrate Completion of World's First 20 MW Flywheel Plant Stephentown Facility Now Operating at 18 MW as it Nears Final Capacity TYNGSBORO, Mass., Jun 1, 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Beacon Power Corporation (Nasdaq:BCON), a leading provider of advanced products and services to support a more stable, reliable and efficient electricity grid, announced that on July 12, 2011, the Company will host a ceremony to mark the completion and full operation of its first 20-megawatt flywheel energy storage plant in Stephentown, New York. The facility, which provides grid-stabilizing commercial frequency regulation services to the New York State electricity grid, is currently operating at 18 MW and is expected to reach its full 20 MW capacity later this month. Bill Capp, Beacon Power president and CEO, said: "The completion and energization of our first full-scale commercial flywheel plant is a true milestone and cause for celebration. Our event will recognize the individuals and organizations that were instrumental in supporting this achievement, as well as give guests a chance to see the operation in person. When compared to other methods, our Stephentown flywheel plant offers the cleanest and most cost-effective solution for frequency regulation ever deployed on a power grid." Capp continued: "The startup of our first plant has been closely followed by utilities, grid operators, regulators, wind developers, and other stakeholders around the world. Its successful completion and full-scale operation supports our two-part business model: owning and operating merchant plants that provide regulation services in open-bid markets -- and that become references for the sale of flywheel plants on a turnkey basis to vertically integrated utilities. This facility is just the beginning."

NHK's automated, animated sign language translator adds gestures to subtitles (video) Posted: 03 Jun 2011 07:07 AM PDT We've seen quite a few devices designed to help hearing impaired users communicate via phone or computer, but Japan's NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories has just announced a new animated translation system to help get important news to deaf viewers . While televised subtitles may work for those who understand the language, people who were born deaf and learned sign language from an early age can have significantly more difficulty. NHK's system, unveiled at Technology Open House 2011, bypasses this problem by automatically comparing Japanese text to sign language, converting equivalent words into animated onscreen gestures, and replacing differing words with appropriate synonyms. There are, however, a few kinks to work out. While comprehensible, the translations aren't exactly fluent and researchers have been forced to manually adjust some awkward transitions between words. The ultimate goal is to create a system that could be used during emergencies or natural disasters, allowing deaf citizens to receive urgent broadcasts as instantly as their hearing compatriots. You can see it in action, after the break.

Honeycomb on Oak Trail gets benchmarked on prototype Compal tablet, numbers ensue Posted: 03 Jun 2011 06:26 AM PDT We know that Intel is gunning for ARM with its Oak Trail platform, and indeed there were a few early tablets at Computex following that very path to Honeycomb. The question on everyone's minds, of course, is how well this dual-core 1.5GHz platform can compare to the Tegra 2 competition. If you believe the results from a suite of tests that tweakers.net ran on a prototype Compal unit, then the answer is "not very well." On benchmarks like CaffeineMark, Linpak, and Quadrant the platform was largely left in the dust by ARM competition with bigger biceps, but the Oak Trail machine did clean the floor with everyone else on the SunSpider browser benchmark. What does it all mean? Not a heck of a lot at this point, we're afraid. It's far too early to be drawing performance conclusions about a platform based on a prototype fresh out of the fabricator, and we have our doubts that these benchmark apps are optimized for the new platform -- so don't give up on 'ol x86 just yet.

Tennessee bill broadens scope of 'theft,' wide enough to include web-based subscription services? Posted: 03 Jun 2011 06:02 AM PDT This week, Tennessee signed a bill that made waves across the web, with many sites claiming that sharing your log-in credentials for services such as Netflix could soon land you in the slammer. The actual story isn't that simple. The bill essentially adds onto laws pertaining to the theft of 'services' in the legal sense by covering more things that can be defined under the title. For instance, the original list included cable services, to keep folks from jacking free HBO -- now, stealing "entertainment subscription services" can make you a felon as well. Tennessee has always been a hotspot for the recording industry, so there's almost no question about what this bill was meant to fight; during a senate hearing for the bill, the RIAA itself explained that online music services could be pirated via password sharing. It also added, though, that users who share passwords "en-masse" are the focus, rather than individual cases like it had pursued in the past. However, this bill covers more than online services and could even extend to physical media such as magazines, another example vulnerable to this type of theft. Furthermore, while sharing passwords to these "entertainment services" may be illegal after its enactment on July 1st, that's not what this legislation is technically about; the RIAA would still need to prove that password sharing equates to theft in a court of law. You can check the links down below for more details.

Microdrones' flying robot films African wildlife, finds peace with nature Posted: 03 Jun 2011 05:39 AM PDT Sit back, relax and grab a cold one, because you're about to take an aerial tour of the Serengeti, courtesy of that flying drone you're staring at. Developed by Microdrones, this MD4-100 quadrotor was recently sent off to Kenya, where it gathered footage for a TV nature documentary produced by TBS Japan. By hovering over the terrain, the craft was able to get relatively up close and personal with zebras, elephants and other wildlife, without creating the same kind of disturbance that heavy duty, camera-laden trucks can wreak. Presumably, that's because the animals have no idea what to make of a flying robot, though part of us wants to believe there's some sort of full-circle, techno-evolutionary dynamic at work here, momentously bringing bot and beast together in some sort of pre-apocalyptic symbiosis. But that's just us. Hover past the break to see the video for yourself.

Sony Ericsson to showcase over 20 new games optimized for Xperia Play Posted: 03 Jun 2011 04:57 AM PDT One thing we criticized in our Xperia Play review was the lack of games specifically adapted to the handheld's controls. So it's only fair to mention that a bevy of new titles is on the horizon -- some old, some new, but all optimized for this specific brand of button-mashing. Headline acts include Minecraft (a port we've already seen in action) as well as Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard and Battlefield Bad Company 2, both of which have both been accruing headshots on iOS devices for a while now. Hit the PR after the break for the full list of titles, but don't expect much in the way of pricing or availability. Those details will be announced at E3 next week, when the Xperia Play will have to compete for attention against the Sony NGP. Guess we'll patiently have to twiddle our thumbs until it's time to twiddle them with vigor. Show full PR text Sony Ericsson and Gameloft partner to launch Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard exclusively on Xperia™ PLAY and over 20 games to be showcased at E3 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard coming to Android exclusively on Xperia™ PLAY during June and July Over 20 new games optimised for Xperia™ PLAY, including 10 exclusives London, June 2, 2011 - Sony Ericsson is again teaming up with Gameloft, a leading global publisher of digital and social games, to deliver an exclusive experience for its flagship gaming smartphone - Xperia™ PLAY - with exclusive access to the all-action spy thriller shooter game Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard, adapted from the famous Ubisoft video game franchise. Taking full advantage of the smartphone's outstanding graphical capabilities and game-changing control pad, Xperia™ PLAY brings the high-octane international action adventure to the Android operating system for the first time. The Android version of the game, which will be launched on Friday 3rd June, will be available only to Xperia™ PLAY customers in Western Europe throughout June and July. Adapted from the famous Ubisoft's video game franchise, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six is one of the most popular video game brands. It's a high-energy tactical first-person shooter game based on a fictional international counter-terrorist unit called "Rainbow." Focusing more on stealth and tactics than firepower alone, weapons (including assault rifles and high-caliber handguns), uniforms and equipment are chosen to suit each operative's skills and the mission. "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard with its big fan community and fascinating gameplay is a perfect addition to the quality releases for Xperia™ PLAY," said Robert Styppa, Vice President Western Europe for Sony Ericsson. "The stunning graphics and the unique possibilities with the full gamepad give you a unique user experience." "We are very excited to continue our support of Xperia™ PLAY with an exclusive release of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard," said Gonzague de Vallois, Senior Vice President Publishing of Gameloft. "This title will further enrich our game lineup for Xperia™ PLAY and we're very pleased that the device's fans truly enjoy this first full-featured smartphone including an exclusive gaming interface." During June and July 2011 consumers across Western Europe who have an Xperia™ Play will be able to download a free copy of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard. During this time the game will be available for Android only on the Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY. In addition, Sony Ericsson also announces 20 new games, including 10 exclusive titles, optimised for Xperia™ PLAY. The new games, many of which will be showcased at the world's leading games expo, E3, June 7-9. The new titles offer broad appeal to different users and usage occasions from popular, innovative, massively multi-player online titles (MMO) to immersive titles and addictive graphically rich new casual content. Amongst the titles announced today is Minecraft™, the much anticipated game from the Swedish indie developer Mojang. Minecraft™ is one of the fastest growing game franchises in history, with over eight million registered users announced to date and over 50,000 new players joining every day. Sony Ericsson can confirm that new games from Sony Computer Entertainment's stable of classic PlayStation 1 titles will be coming to Xperia™ PLAY shortly. Sony Ericsson's support for the Android ecosystem also includes its partnerships with key industry players, such as Unity and Havok, with whom it is working to build an ever growing ecosystem. Sony Ericsson is launching a programme to support and find new upcoming innovative developers called "Stand out from the crowd", which enables game developers to become part of the Xperia™ PLAY story and get their games the profile they need. Sony Ericsson will be present at E3 in Los Angeles, June 7-9, to offer first hands-on demos of Xperia™ PLAY and many of the new games in the Sony Ericsson booth 713. New Android Games Exclusive on Xperia™ PLAY: Minecraft™ by Mojang Battlefield Bad Company 2 by Electronic Arts Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6 Shadow Vanguard by Gameloft Desert Winds by Southend Interactive Ruined by Bigpoint Icebreaker™ by NaturalMotion Sleepy Jack by SilverTree Media Cracking Sands by Polarbit Armageddon Squadron 2 by Polarbit An unnamed fighting game from Khaeon Gamestudio New Games coming soon on Xperia™ PLAY: Pocket Legends by Spacetime Studios Star Legends: The Black Star Chronicles by Spacetime Studios Eternal Legacy by Gameloft Guns 'n'Glory 2 by HandyGames Dungeon Hunter 2 by Gameloft Pocket RPG by Crescent Moon Games D.A.R.K. developed by Gamelab Samurai II: Vengeance by MADFINGER Games Vendetta Online by Guild Software Order & Chaos - Gameloft Happy Vikings by Handy Games A Ball Game by Trendy Entertainment Lumines by Connect2Media The new games announced today will be released in the coming months. More details regarding timing and exclusivity will be announced during E3 week and closer to launch. Check out the Sony Ericsson Product Blog for more information: http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/products

Slimmer 5.25-inch internal optical drive gets wolf-whistled at Computex Posted: 03 Jun 2011 04:21 AM PDT Fatty internal optical drives have so far been content to sit back and watch their external cousins do all the figure-slimming push-ups. But this low-profile 5.25-inch slot-loader clearly got bored of being XXL. It was spotted eating carrot sticks and taking up significantly less than its allotted bay space inside an Antec Solo II chasis at Computex. According to AnandTech, it represents a new industry standard that will start hitting the market by the end of the year -- along with new cases designed to hold it. Slot-loaders may not appeal to everyone, but if you're in the market to buy or build a small form factor PC then this baby might just turn your head.

QWERTY wallet shows off your keyboard appreciation, pays homage to The Shining Posted: 03 Jun 2011 03:44 AM PDT Now die-hard QWERTY enthusiasts never have to be away from the keys. This black leather billfold pledges allegiance to the keys with an embossed replica of a QWERTY keyboard wrapping around its exterior, while its interior rocks the phrase made famous by Jack Nicholson in The Shining: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." It may be a touch less flamboyant than Samuel L. Jackson's "Bad Mother *&%$#@" wallet, but it's no less iconic. You can pick one up now at the source link for £34.99 (about $57) -- unless, of course, you're a Dvorak disciple.

Adobe CEO has no beef with Apple, no answer for poor Flash performance on Android (video) Posted: 03 Jun 2011 03:06 AM PDT The Adobe-Apple Flash war used to be one of the juiciest catfights around, but, much like two aging boxers, both sides now appear willing to act like adults put it all behind them. Speaking at yesterday's D9 conference in Palos Verdes, California, Adobe head Shantanu Narayen confirmed that he and Steve Jobs have reached an unofficial armistice, bringing an end to their prolonged war of words. According to the CEO, Apple's Flash issues stemmed from the company's "business model," rather than any legitimate concerns over quality. "It's control over the app store that's at issue here," Narayen said, implying that Flash's wide-ranging platform compatibility may not have jibed with the Cupertino ethos. He went on to remind moderator Walt Mossberg that developers can still use Adobe's AIR software to get their products to the App Store, adding that his company is looking forward to the rise of HTML5 and "actively contributing" to its development. Mossberg, meanwhile, seemed to blindside Narayen when he brought up Flash's poor performance on Android devices. "I have yet to test a single one where Flash tests really well," the columnist claimed. "I'm sorry, but it's true." Narayen sputtered a bit, before pointing to the BlackBerry PlayBook as an example of the progress that Flash has made. When Mossberg reminded him that the PlayBook doesn't run on Android, the CEO not-so-subtly sidestepped the question by emptily declaring that Adobe's mission is simply to provide people with the best tools to create content. Apparently satisfied with this non-answer, Mossberg changed the subject back to Apple, allowing Narayen to wax poetic about their new Pax Romana -- and, perhaps, to breathe a sigh of relief. See the full interview after the break.

Ubuntu to hit Eee PCs, take on Microsoft Posted: 03 Jun 2011 02:29 AM PDT Think ASUS netbooks threw Linux out the window? Think again: the Eee PC 1001PXD, 1011PX and 1015PX are about to get Ubuntu configurations. Harking back to when the famous netbook line launched running Xandros, these Ubuntu loaded machines could help Linux reach a larger audience. Canonical representatives are pitting the new netbooks against Windows-powered machines, telling The Inquirer that Ubuntu is competing with Microsoft, not other Linux distributions. That's quite a goliath you picked there, Ubuntu. Are a trio of Atom notebooks enough to win the war on Windows? Considering Dell abandoned their love of Linux over a year ago, we're guessing no.

Sonos S3 / Play:3 wireless all-in-one speaker system leaked by the feds Posted: 03 Jun 2011 02:02 AM PDT Look what the FCC dragged in: it's a brand new, unannounced all-on-one speaker for inclusion in your Sonos wireless audio system. A mini S5, if you will, that goes by the name "Play:3" according to the black and white FCC labels -- a hint at black and white offerings just like the S5. Curiously, the FCC docs also refer to the Play:3 as the "S3" in keeping with Sonos' S5 nomenclature. Our friend Dave Zatz speculates that the diminutive size and name is a good indicator that the S3 / Play:3 will feature a trio of drivers and dedicated digital amplifiers, akin to the S5's five (two tweeters, two mids, and a subwoofer). And you know what? We'd have to agree. Now, given the S3's size and Sonos' proven ability to use software to perfectly synchronize audio across dozens of Sonos boxes, you'll have to forgive us for wondering if Sonos has a wireless 5.1 home theater solution up its sleeve. Well Sonos, do ya? Evidence of the Play:3 vs S3 naming conventions can be found after the break.

HTC EVO 3D walks its WiMAX by the FCC on its way to Sprint Posted: 03 Jun 2011 01:10 AM PDT It's looking like we're about three weeks away from our first dose of glasses-free 3D on a smartphone, and Sprint is going to be the one getting you all cross-eyed. But, before you can hold a device like HTC's EVO 3D to your head, the FCC has to make sure it won't be doing anything too nasty to your gray matter. The phone and its myriad of antennas -- covering CDMA, EVDO, WiMAX, Bluetooth, and WiFi -- all ran the gauntlet successfully, and, in the process, exposed a long list of componentry. No, sadly, there's no teardown involved with this one, but we now know the model numbers of just about every major piece of equipment wedged behind that parallax-barrier screen, from its Qualcomm processor to its Broadcom wireless chipset. Really, though, you only need to know one thing: June 24th.

Micron RealSSD P320h can read 3GBps, write 2GBps, impress millions of geeks per second Posted: 03 Jun 2011 12:09 AM PDT Speed may be a relative thing, but whatever you choose to compare Micron's new RealSSD P320h series to, you'll probably find them pretty competitive. Coming in 350GB and 700GB capacities, these PCI Express solid state drives can process data at a rate of 3GB per second and write it at a no less impressive 2GBps. If you're more interested in input / output operations per second, the P320h clocks in at 750,000 IOPS when running Linux or 650,000 with Windows Server as the OS. You don't need us to tell you that both numbers represent screaming-fast performance. Such mighty feats are achieved with the use of 34nm SLC NAND flash memory and Micron's own controller chip. Samples of the P320h are trickling out now and mass production is coming in the third quarter of 2011, and while no pricing info has been offered yet, it's safe to say you'll be needing your company CFO's blessing before making any P320h purchases. Video and full PR after the break. Show full PR text Micron Announces World's Fastest Enterprise Solid-State Storage System Featuring PCI Express New PCI Express Storage System Boosts Enterprise Efficiency, Accelerates System Responsiveness & Extends Data Integrity BOISE, Idaho, June 2, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:MU) today announced a new portfolio of PCI Express (PCIe) solid-state storage systems, the RealSSD™ P320h solid-state drive (SSD) series. This new RealSSD P320h series delivers extreme performance and endurance demanded by data-intensive enterprise applications including cloud computing, high-performance computing, data analytics, business intelligence, and video on demand. These new forms of data storing, accessing and sharing are quickly challenging the typical enterprise storage model of spinning disks, presenting great opportunity for PCIe SSDs. "Micron is defining a whole new category of enterprise-class storage with our P320h PCIe solid-state storage systems," said Gary Gentry, general manager, enterprise division, Micron's NAND solutions group. "The P320h provides customers with the most compelling performance solution in the industry." The P320h system uses Micron's proven 34-nanometer (nm) single-level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory technology, which provides two different user capacities: 350 gigabyte (GB) and 700GB. From the NAND silicon to the controller to the complete system solution, the P320h SSD is designed and developed by Micron. For performance, the P320h series reaches a new standard among current PCIe systems, more than doubling the sequential read and write speeds compared to the nearest competitor-achieving up to 3GBs of sustained data throughput per second. In terms of input/output operations per second (IOPS), a common method used in the enterprise market for benchmarking relative performance, the P320h series reaches a maximum of 750,000 IOPS read and 341,000 IOPS write speeds. A tremendous amount of data is read and accessed from cloud computing applications such as YouTube, Facebook and Netflix. According to IDC, the amount of digital content created and replicated throughout 2010 reached 1.2 zettabytes.1 For fast access to this information, an extremely fast backend infrastructure is required, especially from the storage system. A P320h drive (working in a cloud media streaming application) could serve data fast enough to feed 1,500 simultaneous individual HD video streams.2 Other applications that benefit from high-performance PCIe SSDs include Web servers and online transaction processing databases. The high random performance of the P320h system is equivalent to the amount of IOPS an Exchange server would need to support more than 1.5 million Outlook users.3 Additionally, for a traditional transactional database, such as an online bank operation transferring funds from one type of account to another, the P320h can achieve the same throughput as nearly 5,000 hard drives.4 For more details on the performance advantages of Micron's P320h systems, visit www.micron.com/ssd/pcie. The P320h features Micron's proprietary redundant array of independent NAND (RAIN) management technology that is designed to ensure enterprise-class data protection by replicating data across the NAND flash memory channels. The P320h drive also provides enterprise-class levels of endurance with the 700GB drive able to write 28 terabytes of data every day for five years. The first products in Micron's P320h series will be available in a full height, half-length form factor, measuring 111.15mm wide x 167.65mm long x 14.47mm thick. Micron has additional PCIe form factors under development, which we plan to introduce later this year. Micron is now delivering early samples of the P320h, with mass production expected to begin in the third quarter. 1 According to an IDC white paper "The Digital Universe Decade - Are You Ready?" sponsored by EMC Corporation 2 Using today's standard rates for video on demand streams (compressed MPEG2 video at 16Mb/s per stream). The P320h reaches 3GB/s sequential reads or 3,000 Mb/s sequential reads. 3 Assuming Outlook Mail servers running Exchange Server 2007 require 0.32 IOPS per "Heavy" user, 750k read IOPS provides enough bandwidth to support 2,343,750 users (750,000/.32); 341k write IOPS equates to 1,065,635 (341,000/.32). According data on the Microsoft Exchange Server TechCenter, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb738147%28EXCHG.80%29.aspx 4 These numbers are based on standard 15k SAS HDD specs of 153 IOPS per drive. (750,000/153 = 4901.96)

Qualcomm takes sci-fi one step closer to reality at Computex 2011 (video) Posted: 02 Jun 2011 11:27 PM PDT While flying cars are still a pipe dream, other technologies are quickly transitioning from the stuff of sci-fi movies into the very tangible realm of reality. This was definitely the case at the Qualcomm booth here at Computex where we got to experience two interesting new technologies -- zero shutter lag and the ultrasonic pen. What if when you pressed the shutter button on your phone the camera captured 2 frames before, one frame during, and 2 frames after that instant? That's the idea behind Scalado's zero shutter lag, which speeds up the process of taking pictures on a phone by letting the camera continuously sample images and allowing the user to create a composite shot from the content available in up to 5 frames. Also on display was Qualcomm's ultrasonic pen that we already played with at MWC. By using an ultrasonic transducer attached to a pen and a phone with 3 microphones (like the MSM8660 Mobile Development Platform), the ultrasonic signal can be triangulated to determine the location of the pen. Once calibrated, the phone is able to accurately capture handwriting either on the screen itself or on a standard sheet of paper up to 30cm away. We noticed that accuracy and distance appear to have improved since February -- at this pace, perhaps we'll all have flying cars soon after all? Check out the gallery and hit the break for our hands-on video. Qualcomm zero shutter lag and ultrasonic pen hands on

HTC announces OpenSense SDK and HTCdev, offers paradise inside its walled garden Posted: 02 Jun 2011 10:58 PM PDT Peter Chou is sharing HTC's graces at Uplinq 2011 with the announcement of OpenSense SDK, where the company hopes to recruit developers willing to create apps specifically for Sense 3.0. With help from the HTCdev community, software designers will receive tools to create a seamless experience between their applications and HTC's user environment (while also rendering their apps incompatible with non-HTC handsets). Beneath the skin, developers will be provided access to proprietary APIs that support 3D displays and tablet pens -- which could make quite the gaming session. There's currently no release date for the SDK, but the company is already taking names for a summer launch. So, if you're comfortable helping HTC build this barrier around Android's "open" mantra, we imagine there's some rather slick apps waiting to be given life. Jump the break for the accompanying PR. [Thanks, Jonny and Eric] Show full PR text HTC launches HTCdev and announces HTC OpenSense SDK to support developers' innovation in mobile apps and experiences across HTC portfolio of devices SAN DIEGO, June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today launched HTCdev, a program designed to support mobile developers through tools, resources and community. HTC also announced the HTC OpenSense SDK, which will allow developers to harness software and hardware innovations on HTC phones to develop more richly integrated mobile applications and experiences. In launching HTCdev, together with the HTCpro program launched last year, HTC is creating a network of resources to help developers and businesses meet challenges and opportunities across the mobile space. "HTC is a company of engineers excited about the possibilities of the mobile space with the goal of fostering choice through innovation," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC. "We believe in openness and the power of imagination to create that innovation and are excited that HTCdev will extend new tools to mobile developers, helping them create the next wave of mobile experiences." The HTCdev program will support developers across the industry and around the world, from individuals to large enterprises. The new program website, www.HTCdev.com, is scheduled to launch in summer 2011 and will feature an extensive resource library of tutorials, best practices, documentation and support. The site will also offer a user feedback channel to HTC for ongoing investments and improvement to the developer toolset and program resources. The core offering of the program will be the HTC OpenSense SDK, which will enable Android developers to more deeply integrate into the HTC Sense 3.0 experience. The framework will also provide APIs and sample code for 3-D display and the Tablet pen. The HTC OpenSense SDK will be released in parallel with the launch of the new HTCdev.com site, and will have regular updates and expansions based on inputs from the developer community. Users can visit www.HTCdev.com today to sign up for a release alert for availability of the HTC OpenSense SDK.

OCZ RevoDrive 3 X2 and RevoDrive Hybrid hands-on (video) Posted: 02 Jun 2011 09:56 PM PDT We got a chance to spend some time with the lovely folks from OCZ here at Computex for a tour of their latest and greatest SSD products, the RevoDrive 3 X2 and RevoDrive Hybrid. Both are PCIe x4 cards featuring up to 4 SandForce SF-2200 controllers and RAID 0 (striping) for blazing performance. The RevoDrive 3 X2 is available in capacities from 240GB ($699) to 960GB and improves upon the RevoDrive X2 with TRIM support and double the performance. We were treated to a demo that achieved truly ludicrous speeds -- 1.5GBps reads and 1.2GBps writes -- the kind of numbers that'll perk up even the most jaded PC enthusiast. The RevoDrive Hybrid builds upon the same SSD technology as the RevoDrive 3 X2 to cache the contents of a 2.5-inch hard drive, with capacities starting at 500GB with a 60GB cache ($350). OCZ's demo showed a 20 times performance improvement going from a regular hard drive to the RevoDrive Hybrid. Both products are expected to ship in July, but we suggest you ogle them right now in the gallery below and in our hands-on video after the break. OCZ RevoDrive 3 X2 and RevoDrive Hybrid hands-on

LightSquared and Sprint reportedly close to $20 billion LTE agreement, John Deere watching closely Posted: 02 Jun 2011 08:48 PM PDT Well, we already know that a certain tractor manufacturer isn't particularly fond of LightSquared and its GPS-bustin' LTE technology, but other companies with yellow logos apparently harbor a much different sentiment. Really, though, who wouldn't be smiling when there's a supposed $20 billion in it for you? According to the ever-familiar "people familiar" with the story, as quoted by Businessweek, LightSquared is getting closer to a long-rumored 15-year deal that would pay Sprint $20 billion in exchange for piggy-backing on its aggressive network expansion. This would help LightSquared get up to speed much more quickly, get Sprint access to some lovely LTE, and together completely revitalize the paper maps industry.

Defamation settlement requires Malaysian man to apologize 100 times on Twitter Posted: 02 Jun 2011 07:34 PM PDT The punishment, the saying goes, should fit the crime. When working within the legal system, however, it can be pretty tough to come up with a truly appropriate sentence. Settlements, on the other hand, offer a little more room for creativity, and after a Malaysian political aide / social activist used Twitter to air a grievance about a pregnant friend's employer, the publishing company turned to the social network for inspiration. Fahmi Fadzil tweeted an apology shortly after, but BluInc Media wasn't satiated. The two parties finally reached an elementary school-esque out of court decision, requiring Fadzil to apologize for his initial statement 100 times on the microblogging service. He began the apology today at 9:00AM his time, and will continue on until June 4th, as per the rules of the agreement. Those looking to inject a little diversity into their Twitter stream may want to wait a bit before following the guy.

Sony NGP soaks up the pre-E3 glitz in official demo videos Posted: 02 Jun 2011 06:46 PM PDT With E3 2011 just around the corner, expectations for Nintendo announcements are mighty high, but you can get a glimpse at the heat Sony's packing before another day goes by. The official PlayStation.Blog spat out some footage of the quad-core NGP in action, and it's not just playing last-gen games; rather, there's yet another glimpse at Uncharted, a brand new platformer called Sound Shapes where you build levels with a music sequencer (and which procedurally generates tunes as you play) and a taste of the cross-platform PS3 vs. NGP wireless racing you can expect in Wipeout HD. There's definitely a lot of dual-analog action here, but demonstrators are also taking advantage of that five-inch touchscreen, and Wipeout will apparently use the front-facing camera to beam taunt-filled pictures and video of the victor to the losers in each race. You'll note that Sony's focusing on software over hardware here, and that's not by accident -- the company's careful to state that we're looking at early dev units. "They're the right size, but they don't possess that final PlayStation-quality fit and finish," says the official blog, "What you'll eventually be able to pick up in a store will look a heck of a lot better." Two more vids after the break.

Apple camera patent could stop smartphone bootleggers in their tracks Posted: 02 Jun 2011 05:42 PM PDT Apple is always filing patents for strange and fantastic things that never seem to find their way into actual products. But an application published today details some interesting tech that we could actually see getting jammed into a future iPhone (for better or worse). By pairing an infrared sensor with the camera already on board, portable devices could receive data from transmitters placed, well, wherever. Beyond simply blasting out text and opening links like a glorified QR code, transmitters could disable certain features, such as the camera, to prevent recording at movie theaters and music venues. If completely shutting off the cam seems a bit heavy-handed, watermarks can also be applied to photos identifying businesses or copyrighted content. Some potential uses are a little less Big Brother, like museums beaming information about exhibits to a user's or launching an audio tour. Obviously third parties would have to get behind the IR push and there's no guarantee that Apple will put this in a future iProduct. Still, we're a little worried that the days of blurry YouTube concert videos may be coming to an end.

Researchers hack Kinect for glasses-free 3D teleconferencing (video) Posted: 02 Jun 2011 04:46 PM PDT Since the dawn of Kinect hacking, we've seen cameras strung together (or rotated) to create 3D, video game-like environments, while others have tweaked it for headtracking. Others, still, have used it for teleconferencing (albeit, the flat, two-dimensional variety). Now, a team of researchers have gone and thrown it all together to achieve 3D video chats, and if we do say so, the result is greater than a sum of its parts. The group, based out of UNC-Chapel Hill, uses 3D mapping (and at least four Kinects) to render the video, and then employs headtracking on the receiving end so that people tuning in will actually see the live video in 3D, even without wearing 3D glasses. The result: a tableau that follows you as you move your head and spin around restlessly in your desk chair waiting for the meeting to end. That's mighty impressive, but we can't help but wonder: do you really want to see your colleagues in such lifelike detail? Have a gander at the video and decide for yourself.

OnLive outs universal wireless controller, seamless Facebook integration and more -- we test the tablet experience on an HTC Flyer (video) Posted: 02 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT We told you that OnLive was coming to tablets, TVs, and other devices a while back, but perhaps you were vexed by the thought of controlling Duke Nukem via touchscreen or IR remote. Well, worry no more, as OnLive's made a Universal Wireless Controller to give you console controls on any OnLive-compatible device. The company's secret sauce lets it connect directly to your slate or smartphone, and there's also a USB dongle for use with PCs and non-Vizio TVs. We asked company CEO Steve Perlman what was in his wireless witches' brew, but all he would tell us is that the black magic isn't Bluetooth. We got to see the new controller in person, and there's no discernible difference between it and the one that comes with the MicroConsole -- they look the same and they play the same, plus the new gamepad has an 802.15.4 radio for backwards-compatiblity with the MicroConsole, too. Unfortunately, that dongle's not yet ready for prime time, but we're that it'll be a "little bit bigger" than Logitech's tiny Unifying Receiver. When we went hands-on with the new controller, it was paired with the HTC Flyer. We'd been waiting to see OnLive's service on HTC's new tablet, and the experience didn't disappoint -- in our brief time with the device, gaming was as good on the Flyer as it is on a PC, with little lag and the same quality graphics. In addition to the Flyer and Vizio's VIA hardware, many more devices are set to join the OnLive family this year, though Steve wouldn't tell us who's manufacturing them. He did say that no matter what brand-name is on the front of the box, the company hopes to have 50 million Blu-ray players and 25 million internet TVs shipped with the service on board by the end of the year. To hit that goal, the company has partnered with Intel to bring streaming gameplay to devices with Atom CE4100 silicon starting this fall. Hot hardware not getting your gaming juices flowing? Well, how about some seamless integration with The Social Network? That's right, OnLive's been playing footsie with Facebook and will let users launch games directly from their profile pages. There's also automatic "Brag Clip" video uploads (to share your greatest gaming hits) and wall posts to let folks know when you start playing -- with accompanying links so they can watch or join in. All these new goodies will be on display at E3 next week, but if you're starving for more details right now, video and PR are after the break. Update: By the by, OnLive also revealed that it's launching in the UK this fall, and in about four days, you can get a signup code. OnLive on HTC Flyer and OnLive Universal Wireless Controller Show full PR text OnLive Unveils Universal Wireless Controller Works with Almost any OnLive-compatible Device, Including OnLive MicroConsole™, Internet TV, PC, Mac®, Tablet/Smartphone, Blu-ray/Media Player, IPTV/Cable Box Los Angeles, Calif. (E3 Expo, 2011) - June 2, 2011 - OnLive's revolutionary cloud gaming technology delivers the hottest high-performance games to just about any video Internet-connected device, including TVs, PCs, Macs and tablets. Even more OnLive-compatible devices are coming, ranging from Blu-ray and media players to IPTV and cable set-top boxes. Rather than locking gamers to a particular gaming device, the OnLive Game Service delivers universal high-performance gameplay wherever and whenever they want. The OnLive Game Service's pioneering user interface was the first to work optimally with any input method, be it game controller, keyboard/mouse or touch screen. But, some games either require a game controller, or provide the best gaming experience when one is used. OnLive is excited to announce a Wireless Controller that is as universal as the OnLive Game Service itself. The Controller not only works with OnLive's own MicroConsole™ TV adapter, but works with almost any OnLive-compatible device, either establishing a wireless link directly with the device, or via a small USB dongle plugged into the device. So, whether gamers are playing an OnLive game on TVs across the living room, on computers at their desks, or on tablets on their laps, with OnLive's Universal Wireless Controller gamers can experience high-performance games to their fullest, with a comfortable and responsive game controller in their hands. OnLive is announcing today that it will showcase the new OnLive Universal Wireless Controller at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles June 7-9. The demonstrations will include OnLive gameplay on the HTC Flyer tablet and VIZIO HDTVs with VIA Plus™. "We set out to make OnLive available everywhere," said OnLive Founder and CEO Steve Perlman. "Now that this is a reality, consumers need a way to enjoy the full OnLive experience on any device. The new OnLive Universal Wireless Controller places high-quality gameplay in your hands whether on a TV, computer, tablet/smartphone device or on future OnLive-compatible devices yet to be introduced." Maintaining the gamer-optimized shape and control layout of OnLive's current Wireless Controller and featuring OnLive's exclusive media buttons, OnLive's Universal Wireless Controller brings top-tier gaming control to general-purpose consumer electronic devices for the first time. Optimized to minimize latency, up to four controllers can be used simultaneously, along with optional keyboard/mouse and Bluetooth headset for voice chat. Some legacy devices may support a limited number of simultaneous controllers and/or other input devices, but using the supplied USB dongle, a full complement of four controllers are supported simultaneously. The OnLive Universal Wireless Controller will be available this fall, both in the United States and in other countries where OnLive is available. OnLive will be showing the controller in action with a number of supported consumer electronic devices at its E3 booth (South Hall, #801). More information about OnLive is available at www.onlive.com. OnLive Integrates Facebook Social Gaming Features with Console-Class Games Launch or Join Games from Facebook Instantly, Post Brag Clip™ Videos or Spectate Others Playing Los Angeles, Calif. (E3 Expo 2011) - June 2, 2011 - Social gaming isn't just a hot category in gaming, it's white hot. Each month hundreds of millions of people play social games, seamlessly shifting into and out of Facebook and social games, and just as seamlessly shifting their social gaming experience from mobile device to PC/Mac® to TV, all the time remaining real-time connected with their friends. To achieve such seamless continuity across every manner of device, social games have been limited to relatively simple gaming experiences that every device can handle. Until the E3 show opens on June 7, that is. OnLive is pleased to announce that it has integrated the OnLive® Game Service with Facebook, not just providing static text and image notifications, but providing direct launch from Facebook pages into high-performance OnLive games, demos and spectating, as well as providing automatic Brag Clip™ video posting of your most awesome gameplay moments on your Facebook wall. You'll see a wall post instantly when your Facebook friends are starting up an OnLive game. Just click the "Watch Me" link on the post and spectate their gameplay instantly at HD resolution. Tell them what you think through OnLive voice chat. Click "Play" and instantly start up the game yourself, either as a free demo or to join them in multiplayer. Your friends will see a wall post when you start an OnLive game, and with one click they can spectate you or play with you instantly as well. Seamlessly social, but with the hottest AAA game titles. But Facebook isn't just a place to meet up. It's also a place to share about your greatest moments. So, we've integrated OnLive's exclusive Brag Clip videos directly into Facebook. Now, when you pull off some awesome moves in an OnLive game and snap a Brag Clip video, it will be instantly posted on your wall, viewable within Facebook at HD resolution. Or, feel free to post someone else's cool Brag Clip video with comments. When your friends view your Brag Clip posting, with a single click they can launch into the OnLive Service where they can rate your Brag Clip video or, if they think the game is cool, instantly play a free demo of the game. "The OnLive Facebook integration is a watershed event for the videogame industry," said OnLive Founder and CEO, Steve Perlman. "No one questions the massive appeal of social gaming, but before OnLive there was no frictionless way to integrate AAA core games into the global social network fabric. OnLive's Facebook integration not only achieves this, but OnLive's spectating, voice chat and Brag Clip videos add a media-rich social dimension unlike anything that has existed before." Just like the massively successful social games of today, the OnLive/Facebook experience is utterly seamless: users shift instantly between Facebook and the OnLive Game Service, and seamlessly shift from one OnLive-compatible device to another, be it almost any PC/Mac, tablet or TV today, and soon smartphones, Blu-ray/media players and IPTV/cable set-top boxes. Even if you travel, both your social network and your OnLive gaming experience will travel with you. OnLive just announced expansion to the UK and Europe later this year, and trials are underway in Asia. Before long, you'll have instant access to OnLive everywhere. "We took it as a given that to be completely social meant being completely inclusive, and that meant working on just about any connected device anywhere," said Joe Bentley, OnLive's VP of Engineering. "OnLive is already available, or soon will be available, on TV devices, PC/Mac and iOS and Android platforms. OnLive is either available or in trial on three continents, and all of OnLive's data centers are seamlessly interconnected. OnLive will be everywhere on every major device." The OnLive social gaming features announced today are just a taste of what's to come. Not only will more aspects of the OnLive Game Service be integrated with Facebook, but OnLive's Software Development Kit (SDK) for game developers will enable new games to directly utilize OnLive and Facebook social features, such as posting in-game achievements, shouting out to friends when you need help during a game, or gifting/receiving in-game assets. With OnLive's high-performance game servers, massive spectating/voice chat, and complete cross-device compatibility, game developers now have the ability to explore previously impossible social gaming concepts. "The social gaming features we are showing today are the tip of a very big iceberg," said John Spinale, OnLive's VP of Games & Media. "Developers of high-end core games have been frustrated that they are unable to bring a seamless social gaming experience into the rich experiences of their games. OnLive's new SDK features open the door for an unprecedented level of social gaming creativity within the sophisticated worlds of state-of-the-art games." Of course, not everyone wants to be social all the time. OnLive's Facebook Connect integration is opt-in, and you can decide what, if anything, to share. OnLive to Support Intel-based Consumer Electronic Devices Millions of Intel® Atom™ CE4100-powered Internet TVs, Blu-ray Players, Set-top Boxes to Deliver OnLive Cloud Gaming Service Los Angeles, Calif. (E3 Expo 2011) - June 2, 2011 - OnLive, the pioneer of on-demand, instant-play video games is pleased to announce that Intel-based consumer electronic devices-from the latest Internet TVs and Blu-ray players, to IPTV set-top boxes-will be able to deliver the full OnLive cloud gaming experience with ultra-fast response times at HDTV resolution and full 5.1 surround sound. Once OnLive begins to offer 3D games, Intel devices that support 3D will deliver a full, immersive 3D experience as well. The Intel CE4100 Embedded Processor packs the processing power and features to deliver the full OnLive Game Service experience on any HDTV without the need for a videogame console. The potent combination of Intel and OnLive technology enables console-class gaming (and beyond) with no console at all. "The OnLive gaming experience on Intel-based consumer devices is superb," said OnLive Founder & CEO Steve Perlman. "Intel enables instant HDTV gameplay and demos from OnLive's growing library of over 100 high-performance games, as well as OnLive exclusive social features, such as massive spectating, Brag Clip™ videos, and automatic Facebook video postings. OnLive is delighted to be working with Intel to bring high-performance cloud gaming into millions of homes throughout the world." OnLive's pioneering cloud gaming service runs the latest high-end videogames on vast numbers of high-performance servers in data centers distributed throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Intel's server-class processors are at the heart of many of OnLive's most powerful servers. Using OnLive's patented technology, low-latency compressed video from these servers is delivered reliably over consumer-grade wired and wireless Internet connections to almost any Intel-based PC or Mac®, any HDTV via the OnLive MicroConsole™ TV adapter, and to iOS and Android tablets-and soon Intel-based Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray players, media players and IPTV set-top boxes. Literally, from Intel-based servers to Intel-based PC, Mac or consumer electronic devices, OnLive is delivering a seamless, low-latency high-end videogame experience, despite spanning a thousand miles or more through the Internet. The first Intel-based consumer electronic devices powered by OnLive will be shipping this fall.

T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide gets pictured with Gingerbread, may debut next month Posted: 02 Jun 2011 03:36 PM PDT We didn't know it was possible, but Mr. Blurrycam just got out-Blurrycam'd. After getting some quality hands-on time with the FCC this week, the T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide had a brief photo shoot showing off a few of its assets. The images, provided by one of BGR's sources, give us a brief look at the device's keyboard and some of its software specs. The myTouch 4G Slide appears to be running Android 2.3.4 -- the same version of Gingerbread found on the Nexus S -- and the latest iteration of HTC Sense UI. This source also confirmed an 8 megapixel camera and teased that the phone runs "as smoothly as the HTC Sensation" and the screen "isn't much to write home about." We hear that the myTouch 4G Slide is penciled in for the first half of July, and looks to be a mighty fine QWERTY-slide option within T-Mobile's Android stable. Or, as good as one can look given the circumstances.

Samsung Smart View shrinks Smart TV down for your Galaxy S II Posted: 02 Jun 2011 03:18 PM PDT We're not sure how many of you happen to own both a Galaxy S II and a Samsung Smart TV but, if you do, you'll probably want to download Smart View from the Android market. Like now -- don't worry, we'll wait. This handy app lets you stream content from your set to your smartphone over WiFi, and can even be used as a controller for games from the Samsung app store. Unfortunately, you're limited to either mirroring the content shown on the TV or watching an optional second stream from a Sammy-branded Blu-ray player but, hey, at least you won't have to miss a single second of Game of Thrones just because that box of Cheez-Its keeps whispering your name. Like any good TV-connected app, Smart View can also act as a remote with a program guide and the ability to change channels, and even more functionality is promised for the future. Eventually, it will make its way to Galaxy Player, Galaxy S, and Galaxy Tab owners but, while you wait, check out the gallery and PR below. Samsung Smart View for Android Show full PR text Samsung Launches 'Smart View' App, Puts Smart TV in the Palm of Your Hand SEOUL--(Korea Newswire) June 2, 2011 -- Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today launched the Samsung "Smart View" application that enables users to view images from a Samsung Smart TV or other input device right on their mobile devices. Available now for the Samsung GALAXY S II, the free Smart View application displays Smart TV images right onto mobile devices via wireless Ethernet-whether consumers are enjoying cable broadcast programs or content from a Blu-ray player, camcorder, set-top box or other input device. In addition, users can browse any currently installed Smart TV applications from their mobile devices, bringing even more functionality and convenience to the Samsung Apps experience. Since last April, when Samsung launched "Samsung Remote"-an easy-to-use application to deliver general remote control functions while also supporting Smart TV's special features-the company has once again strengthened convergence between Smart TV and mobile devices through this latest Smart View app offering. Samsung has consistently brought movies, TV programs, music and other desired content stored on DLNA-certified devices such as PCs, mobile phones and cameras to the large TV screens-and is now extending this function by mirroring images back to mobile devices through this new application. The Smart View app for mobile devices also enables mobile viewing from around the home. With only one Smart TV, a family member can watch one TV program in the living room, while another family member enjoys either the same content-or movies played by the living room Blu-ray player-from the comfort of the bedroom while leaning back with a Samsung smart phone or tablet. "Samsung Smart TV is leading the "smart revolution" not only with the features of Smart TV itself-such as rich content, 2D and 3D picture quality, smart functions and design-but also with input devices using our Qwerty smart remote control, the Samsung Remote app, and now with Smart View," said Kyungsik Kevin Lee, Vice President, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "The distinctive functionality of Samsung Smart TVs will continue to deliver the most convenient TV watching experience to consumers-enabling them to truly enjoy a smarter life." Samsung will continue to update the Samsung Smart View application with various remote control functions, optimally designed for Smart TV, to ensure customers use the unique features of Smart TV in increasingly convenient ways. A "Channel List" option, which lets users search program information and change channels on their mobile devices, will be added going forward. The Samsung Smart View is now available in the Android Market for Samsung Smart TV D7000, D8000, and D9500 series, as well as the GALAXY S II, and will be available for the GALAXY player (YP-GB70) in July, along with the GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab later this year. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Sony Pictures hacked by Lulz Security, 1,000,000 passwords claimed stolen Posted: 02 Jun 2011 02:47 PM PDT Oh, Sony -- not again. We've just received numerous tips that Lulz Security has broken into SonyPictures.com, where it claims to have stolen the personal information of over 1,000,000 users -- all stored (disgracefully) in plain text format. Lulz claims the heist was performed with a simple SQL injection -- just like we saw the last time around. A portion of the group's exploit is posted online in a RAR file, which contains over 50,000 email / password combos of unfortunate users. We've downloaded this file (at our own risk, mind you) and can verify these sensitive bits are now in the wild, though it remains unclear if what's published matches reality. In addition to user information, the group has blurted out over 20,000 Sony music coupons, and the admin database (including email addresses and passwords) for BMG Belgium employees. Fresh off the heels of the PlayStation Network restoration, we're guessing the fine folks in Sony's IT department are now surviving solely on adrenaline shots. [Thanks to everyone that sent this in]

Apple's iCloud bags last major record label, will cost $25 / year to sign up? Posted: 02 Jun 2011 02:35 PM PDT We'd heard that Universal was the only holdout, and now CNET says the deal is done -- Apple has reportedly signed all four major record labels for its upcoming iCloud service. We'll be bringing you all the confirmed details on June 6th, but while you wait, here's some food for thought: the Los Angeles Times says that Apple will eventually charge somewhere around $25 a year for a subscription to the cloud. That will help supplement the 58 percent piece of the pie it's planning to take from the music industry for songs distributed though the network, and possibly some ad revenue as well. 30 percent will reportedly go to the labels, and another 12 percent to publishers, who will apparently be signing their own agreements with Apple tomorrow. Update: There's actually an interesting discrepancy between the two sources here: the LA Times reports that Apple's taking that nice, juicy 58 percent, but CNET says that the labels will take 58 percent while Apple claims its traditional 30 percent instead. We're investigating. Update 2: The LA Times has updated its piece, with different percentages still -- reportedly, Apple will take 18 percent, publishers get 12 percent, and labels 70 percent of the proceedings.

Zoom R8 8-track recorder promises 'total production to go' Posted: 02 Jun 2011 02:22 PM PDT Looking to lighten your load a bit on your audio production job in the field? Then you might want to consider Zoom's new portable 8-track recorder, the R8. Also functioning as an audio interface, control surface and pad sampler, the device packs an SD card slot for storage (a 2GB card is included, complete with 500MB of drum loops), can be powered by 4 AA when on the go, and it naturally connects to your Mac or PC via USB for use as an interface with your favorite DAW program. Head on past the break for a quick demo video, and look for the device itself to set you back $525 $299. Update: We just got hit with a bit of new intel -- the price is actually set for $299. The information we were given earlier was deemed incorrect. Phew! Show full PR text Zoom's R8 Gives You Total Production to Go Portable, powerful 8-track recorder with built-in stereo mics provides the ultimate mobile music production studio Hauppauge, NY – June 1, 2011 – Zoom's all-new R8 is the perfect tool for capturing audio on- the-go. It combines four production tools in one compact, versatile device. In addition to being an 8-track playback/2-track simultaneous recorder that utilizes SD memory, the R8 is an audio interface, a control surface and a pad sampler. "The R8 will fit in a guitar case, for a flexible, multi-track solution," says James Tsaptsinos, Samson's VP of Sales. "More than ever before, Zoom users have all the tools necessary to create studio-quality recordings on-the-go." With a sampler function that consists of eight voices, the R8's built-in drum sounds can be triggered using eight pads to assign sounds to each track and create loops. You can also use the unit's drum machine to create original backing beats, or simply output a metronome for tempo control. Not only does the R8 offer over 500 drum patterns to work with, it also includes a 2GB SD card containing 500MB of drum loops recorded by Big Fish Audio. The R8 comes with a 2GB SD card and supports up to 32GB SDHC cards for a maximum of 100 track hours. Using SD media for recording not only makes the R8 lighter and more portable, it also ensures increased reliability with no concern for a crashing hard drive. Take your R8 into your studio and record additional tracks using its USB audio interface. Then when you're ready to mix, use the R8's control surface capabilities to manage each function of your favorite DAW software. Choose from over 140 built-in studio effects to enhance your recording and use the pro-quality mastering effects to complete that studio sound. With the new R8 from Zoom, versatility, control and comprehensive features come together in a single device that fits in a guitar case. About Zoom Corporation: Zoom is renowned all over the world for its recording and guitar effects gear. Headquartered in Tokyo, Zoom has continuously created a diverse line of original, innovative audio products from effect processors, to rhythm machines, samplers and recorders. Samson Technologies is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Zoom products. Samson is based in Hauppauge, New York. zoom.co.jp / samsontech.com

The Engadget Podcast, live at 5:00PM ET! Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:45 PM PDT Tim and Brian are done hamming it up in front of the camera, and now it's time to get down to the serious business of podcasting. This week they're joined by Mr. Engadget HD Podcast himself, Richard Lawler, and there's plenty to talk about -- thank goodness we're talking in hi-def. Update: And we're through! We'll have the recording up soon.

Palm.com quietly replaced by HPwebOS.com, no wake to follow Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:31 PM PDT It goes without saying that funerals are a downer, but we all deserve a proper sendoff, -- unfortunately for Palm.com, there will be no tearful goodbyes. We reported just a few months ago that Palm was on its way out, and now HP's unceremoniously given the brand's URL the boot. You can still find the Palm logo at a number of related URLs scattered about the internets -- the brand's support page, twitter account, and official blog are still up and running -- but try typing Palm.com in your address bar, and you'll be swiftly redirected to HPwebOS.com. And here we thought our aunt Pearl moved on quickly.

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