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- OTA Update Center encourages PC-free upgrades for custom Android ROMs
- Gartner reports Western Europe desktop shipments down, portable PCs up in Q2 2012
- MIT Media Lab's Tensor Displays stack LCDs for low-cost glasses-free 3D (hands-on video)
- Sony Xperia tablet reappears in new photos, adds a few more details
- Samsung files for patent on safe taxi service, we hope we never fully test it
- Engadget Podcast 305 - 08.09.2012
- TiVo Premiere 4 confirmed early, promises a 4-tuner DVR for the masses
- Amazon Cloud Player now lets you play content on your Sonos system, helps get the party started
- Engadget's back to school guide 2012: e-readers
- YouTube video editing brings in real-time previews, trims UI down to the basics
- Google to pay $22.5 million to settle FTC charges over tracking cookies in Apple's Safari browser
- OUYA console pre-order now available for non-backers starting at $109, slated to ship in April
- Microsoft, NYPD build new policing software, NYC takes 30 percent of the profit
- Chemical sensors could detect plants' cries for help, reduce need for pesticides
- Vringo buys small Nokia patent portfolio as asset sell-off continues
- ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL coming to Germany and Austria with LTE in tow
- Pulse Reader launches browser-based app, you'll need IE10 for certain gestures
- Peek inside Samsung's sound lab to see ringtones being born
- Google Translate app gets weighty update, will translate signs through your smartphone camera
- Facebook's Director of Engineering explains how you're part of the dev team
- Boingo snaps up Cloud Nine Media to expand its ad-sponsored WiFi network
- Burner turns your iPhone into a disposable, lets you be faux-shady
- Verizon's Galaxy S III gets global roaming workaround, packs its bags
- Digia buys Nokia's remaining Qt assets for 'fraction' of purchase price, eyes Windows, iOS, Android
- US Army's LEMV spy blimp spotted hovering over New Jersey, may take up cargo duties (video)
- Pioneer's new WiFi-enabled XDJ-AERO controller says goodbye wires, hello dancefloor (video)
- RIM escapes $147.2 million hit as Mformation appeal ends in victory
- Panasonic preps SD cards that survive heat, water and X-rays, will probably outlast you
- Hit the rapids with Google's latest Olympic doodle
- Olympus hangs $57 million loss on austerity, strong yen and declining compact camera market
- Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition expected at Best Buy: $249 with bundled keyboard and USB adapter
- 'Just for Kids' now available on the Xbox 360: Go, Netflix, Go!
- Sony Xperia GX makes Japan debut today
- Ford C-MAX Hybrid rated for 47MPG across the board, C-MAX Energi hits 85MPH in EV mode
- HTC G1 auditions CyanogenMod 10, runs Jelly Bean at a snail's pace (video)
- T-Mobile USA Q2 2012 results show net customer losses of 205k, progress on LTE and AWS
- Galaxy Note 10.1 just hitting shelves, already said to be rooted
- OUYA's Kickstarter funding is complete: over $8.59 million raised, starts shipping in March
- Nikon Coolpix L610: an AA-powered, 1080p-capable point-and-shoot for $249
- Nikon 1 J2 mirrorless camera: minor control tweaks, $549, ships in September
| OTA Update Center encourages PC-free upgrades for custom Android ROMs Posted: 09 Aug 2012 11:57 AM PDT Over-the-air firmware updates are mainstays for most smartphone platforms, but custom ROM builders have rarely had such a luxury, even with Android. The OTA Update Center wants to shoulder that noble burden. Along with simply hosting the updates to prevent outrageous bandwidth bills, the Center enables everything an Android ROM creator might need, such as update checks, on-device firmware flashing and wiping either a cache or all user data for the more dramatic upgrades. In practice, the real perk is the cost: it's free to use, so everyone from hobbyists to seasoned teams can take advantage. While the list of those either using or planning to use the OTAUC isn't public, we're hoping it leads to a few more experimental builds of CyanogenMod and other ROMs that can now get the same tender loving care as the official code. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gartner reports Western Europe desktop shipments down, portable PCs up in Q2 2012 Posted: 09 Aug 2012 11:39 AM PDT When it comes to technology and the end of a financial quarter, you can bet your wage there'll be an analyst report or two letting you what's what. And according to Gartner's latest estimates for Western Europe, PCs didn't fare too well in Q2 of this year, with a 2.4 percent decrease in shipments compared with the same period in 2011. Consignments of mobile PCs (read: not tablets) grew by 4 percent, while desktops floundered, dropping 12.8 percent. Of this, a minor growth of 0.4 percent was recorded in consumer PCs, while the professional market decreased by 5.3 percent. Among the big hitters, HP remained at the top of the pile despite losing some market share, and Acer remained in second position with a mild increase in the same. ASUS put in a healthy performance, moving the company up to bronze medal position, while Dell dropped off the podium to fourth. The vendor statistics for the whole region were echoed in France in Germany, but during the quarter Apple managed to break into the top five in the UK market. Meike Escherich, principal analyst at Gartner, attributes the overall performance to economic uncertainty in the region, as well as lackluster demand in the wait for Windows 8 machines. We don't want to spoil all the fun, so a comprehensive breakdown of the numbers awaits you at the source link. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIT Media Lab's Tensor Displays stack LCDs for low-cost glasses-free 3D (hands-on video) Posted: 09 Aug 2012 11:16 AM PDT Glasses-free 3D may be the next logical step in TV's evolution, but we have yet to see a convincing device make it to market that doesn't come along with a five-figure price tag. The sets that do come within range of tickling our home theater budgets won't blow you away, and it's not unreasonable to expect that trend to continue through the next few product cycles. A dramatic adjustment in our approach to glasses-free 3D may be just what the industry needs, so you'll want to pay close attention to the MIT Media Lab's latest brew. Tensor Displays combine layered low-cost panels with some clever software that assigns and alternates the image at a rapid pace, creating depth that actually looks fairly realistic. Gordon Wetzstein, one of the project creators, explained that the solution essentially "(takes) the complexity away from the optics and (puts) it in the computation," and since software solutions are far more easily scaled than their hardware equivalent, the Tensor Display concept could result in less expensive, yet superior 3D products. We caught up with the project at SIGGRAPH, where the first demonstration included four fixed images, which employed a similar concept as the LCD version, but with backlit inkjet prints instead of motion-capable panels. Each displaying a slightly different static image, the transparencies were stacked to give the appearance of depth without the typical cost. The version that shows the most potential, however, consists of three stacked LCD panels, each displaying a sightly different pattern that flashes back and forth four times per frame of video, creating a three-dimensional effect that appears smooth and natural. The result was certainly more tolerable than the glasses-free 3D we're used to seeing, though it's surely a long way from being a viable replacement for active-glasses sets -- Wetzstein said that the solution could make its way to consumers within the next five years. Currently, the technology works best in a dark room, where it's able to present a consistent image. Unfortunately, this meant the light levels around the booth were a bit dimmer than what our camera required, resulting in the underexposed, yet very informative hands-on video you'll see after the break. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sony Xperia tablet reappears in new photos, adds a few more details Posted: 09 Aug 2012 10:56 AM PDT While most of the intrigue about Sony's next tablet evaporated in a barrage of leaked slides, a few press renders offer us a closer look at the Tablet S replacement. Proudly emblazoned with the Xperia brand, the tablet steps closer to Sony's smartphone family, with a texturized backing likely to keep fingertips happy. We've included a second picture after the break, showing that a substantial bezel is still part of the design and confirming that we'll be playing with Android 4.0, if not Google's very latest OS. XDA-developers has a few more images to show off at the link below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung files for patent on safe taxi service, we hope we never fully test it Posted: 09 Aug 2012 10:34 AM PDT Anyone who often relies on taxi service to get around, as good as it can be, has likely had a driver who was less than courteous -- and in the worst cases, outright scary. Samsung wants to keep passengers safe, and drivers honest, through a just-published patent application for an end-to-end taxi service. On a basic level, it's a taxi finder with a rating system: the mobile app in the patent can hail a nearby cab based on the driver's "kindness" rating and verify that it's the right vehicle with a short-range wireless link, not unlike an even more genteel version of Uber. It's when passengers hop inside that Samsung's implementation takes on a more distinct shape. If the driver puts customers or the whole cab in danger, a passenger-activated SOS mode flags the car's location to get the police on the scene before it's too late. We don't know how likely Samsung is to implement such a system, although it has been actively developing more advanced backseat technology and filed the US patent in February, a year after its Korean equivalent. We do know this is one of the few patents we'd rather not completely experience first-hand -- the only crazy taxis we're comfortable with sit inside game consoles. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget Podcast 305 - 08.09.2012 Posted: 09 Aug 2012 10:10 AM PDT  Robots are so advanced these days that they even know how to make themselves prevalent during otherwise-humdrum news weeks to get themselves extra-featured on important and widely-listened-to technology audio programs. Almost live, from Portland, it's the mechanized takeover of The Engadget Podcast. Don't worry: the worst they can do is crush you underfoot. Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater 02:28 - Microsoft launches Outlook.com, a new email service with limited ads, unlimited storage and built-in Skype Subscribe to the podcast Download the podcast This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TiVo Premiere 4 confirmed early, promises a 4-tuner DVR for the masses Posted: 09 Aug 2012 09:51 AM PDT TiVo owners who've wanted to record any more than two shows at a time or use more recent technology like MoCA have had to look towards the wallet-busting Premiere XL4, at least if they didn't happen to rely on a cable provider bundling the Premiere Q. Thankfully, TiVo has told Zatz Not Funny that a more affordable Premiere 4 option is on the way. The new DVR will still require QAM digital cable or FiOS TV for its tuners to sing, but its 500GB of space will likely lead to a significant price cut versus the 2TB-touting XL4 -- if also a whole lot of deleted old shows. MoCA, an eSATA port and a single CableCARD slot will carry over, so there's few other penalties in store for those who pass on the XL4 flagship. We don't have any official word on the launch strategy so far, although one loose-lipped rep has floated the rumor of a release within the next one to two months at $250 price tag. If true, the Premiere 4 will go a long way towards satisfying TV junkies who are more concerned about catching every show in a crowded prime time slot (and a lower cost) than digging through months-old archives. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amazon Cloud Player now lets you play content on your Sonos system, helps get the party started Posted: 09 Aug 2012 09:32 AM PDT Along with letting us know it had pleasantly updated its Cloud Player with 256 Kbps matched files, Amazon also briefly mentioned that Sonos compatibility would be coming sometime "soon." Well, it turns out you won't have to wait much longer to blast those jams on your HiFi wireless speakers, as the online retailer's announced its Cloud Player can now be used with any Sonos system. Naturally, the experience will be enhanced by using one of Amazon's apps, including those on iOS and, of course, its own Kindle Fire -- though you're not limited to these, as there are plenty more ways to stream content. Sound good? You can give it a try yourself now, or check out the meaty presser after the break if you're interested in perusing over the official notes. Amazon Cloud Player Now Available on Sonos Wireless HiFi System | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget's back to school guide 2012: e-readers Posted: 09 Aug 2012 09:00 AM PDT Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're flippin' through the pages on our e-readers -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here!  Most of us are still walking around hunchbacked from years of carrying heavy textbooks in our overstuffed backpacks. Thankfully, an e-reader can significantly lighten the loads for students everywhere. Sure, we've still got a ways to go before electronic devices can replace textbooks altogether, but in the long run, they could significantly impact the postures of backpack wearers all over. Jump past the break for our recommendations, and another opportunity to enter our back to school giveaway. Simply leave a comment at the bottom to be entered to win, and head over to our giveaway page for more details.  On the cheap
Mid-level
The Tablet / Reader
Engadget's Back to School Giveaway Official Rules No Purchase Required to Enter or Win Eligibility: Engadget's Back to School Giveaway (the "Giveaway") is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 years of age or older. Employees of Weblogs Inc. LLC, AOL Inc., their advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All U.S., federal, state and local and Canadian federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations apply. Void in Quebec, Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Sponsor: The Giveaway is sponsored by Weblogs Inc. LLC, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor"). Agreement to Official Rules: Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. Giveaway Period: The Giveaway begins at 12:00 pm ET on August 6, 2012 and ends at 12:00 pm ET on September 7, 2012 (the "Giveaway Period"). The Giveaway Period shall be divided into fifteen (15) separate Entry Periods: Entry Period 1 begins at 12PM ET on August 6, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 2 begins at 1PM ET on August 6, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 3 begins at 12PM ET on August 7, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 4 begins at 12PM ET on August 8, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 5 begins at 12PM ET on August 9, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 6 begins at 12PM ET on August 10, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 7 begins at 12PM ET on August 13, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 8 begins at 12PM ET on August 15, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 9 begins at 12PM ET on August 17, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 10 begins at 12PM ET on August 20, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 11 begins at 12PM ET on August 22, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 12 begins at 12PM ET on August 24, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 13 begins at 12PM ET on August 27, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 14 begins at 12PM ET on August 29, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry Period 15 begins at 12PM ET on August 31, 2012 and ends at 12PM ET on September 7, 2012. Entry: During the Giveaway Period, go to engadget.com/2012/08/06/back-to-school-giveaway and follow the instructions to submit your entry. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person. Drawing: At the conclusion of the Giveaway Period, Sponsor will select the name of one (1) Grand Prize Winner from each of the fifteen (15) Entry Periods in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during each Entry Period. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the applicable Entry Period. Potential Winners will be contacted via email and asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period. Non-winning entries from one Entry Period do not carry over into subsequent Entry Periods. Requirements of the Potential Winners: Except where prohibited, the potential winners will be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") and IRS W-9 form within seven (7) days of being notified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release and W-9 form within the required time period, an alternate entrant may be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. In the event the potential winner of any prize is a Canadian resident, he/she will also be required to correctly answer a time-limited mathematical question to be administered by email, mail or phone to receive the prize. Limit one (1) prize per household. Prizes: Fifteen (15) Grand Prize Winners will each receive a Back to School Prize Pack containing the following items: HP Envy Ultrabook 4, Sony NEX-F3, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), Samsung Galaxy S III (AT&T), Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, AiAiAi Capital headphones, Western Digital My Passport (1TB) hard drive, Timbuk2 Commute Messenger laptop bag, Flying Alarm Clock, AOC 16" USB monitor, Spotify Premium subscription (1 year), Satechi Energy Station, Edifier Tick Tock, Satechi 12-port USB hub, NuForce Cube, Withings WiFi Scale, Powermat 24-hour system, Carbonite Backup (1 year), AViiQ Ready Chips, and Targus Defcon 1 lock. Approximate Retail Value of each Prize Pack is $3,203. Subscriptions are subject to issuer's terms and conditions. Activation fees and monthly service fees not included with any smartphone/digital devices. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize or portion of a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. Winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize. General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prizes at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release, defend indemnify and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities from and against any claim or cause of action, including without limitation, any third party claim, arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use or misuse of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt, use or misuse of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PRIZES AND ALL ELEMENTS THEREOF ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR DISCLAIMS ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. Some jurisdictions do not allow the disclaimer of implied warranties. In such jurisdictions, some of the foregoing disclaimers may not apply to you insofar as they relate to implied warranties. Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia. Giveaway Results: To request the names of the winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Engadget Back to School Giveaway Winners, 770 Broadway, Attn: J. Turi, New York, NY 10003. Requests must be received by September 30, 2012. comments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| YouTube video editing brings in real-time previews, trims UI down to the basics Posted: 09 Aug 2012 08:37 AM PDT YouTube's video editing suite is officially a toddler in human years, so it's about time that it grew a little more beyond learning how to walk and talk. By far the most conspicuous sign of maturity is a new real-time preview that shows edits and filter options as you play -- you'll now know if that effects filter at 1:37 is festive or just gaudy. The overall interface is also a little more buttoned-down with a simpler interface that cuts back on unnecessary clutter. YouTube has been rolling out the editor update in recent hours and may have wrapped up by the time you're reading this, which we'd take as a cue to start producing that streaming masterpiece. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google to pay $22.5 million to settle FTC charges over tracking cookies in Apple's Safari browser Posted: 09 Aug 2012 08:11 AM PDT Google has agreed to pay a $22.5 million penalty to settle its dispute with the FTC, over the company's role in bypassing browser settings in Apple's Safari web browser. Although it stated that it wouldn't use tracking cookies or targeted ads in the web browser, a loophole was discovered, violating a previous privacy settlement between the FTC and Google. According to the commission, the company exploited an exception in the browser's default settings, adding a temporary cookie that could temporarily open up access to all cookies from the DoubleClick domain. While the exploit was patched by Google, for a limited time, it was able to track Safari users that had explicitly opted out. The FTC's full statement is right after the break. Google Will Pay $22.5 Million to Settle FTC Charges it Misrepresented Privacy Assurances to Users of Apple's Safari Internet Browser The settlement is part of the FTC's ongoing efforts make sure companies live up to the privacy promises they make to consumers, and is the largest penalty the agency has ever obtained for a violation of a Commission order. In addition to the civil penalty, the order also requires Google to disable all the tracking cookies it had said it would not place on consumers' computers. Google, the developer of the world's most popular Internet search engine, generates billions of dollars in revenues annually from selling online advertising services, including the delivery of targeted ads online. Cookies are small pieces of computer text that are used to collect information from computers and can be used to serve targeted ads to consumers. By placing a tracking cookie on a user's computer, an advertising network can collect information about the user's web-browsing activities and use that information to serve online ads targeted to the user's interests or for other purposes. In its complaint, the FTC charged that for several months in 2011 and 2012, Google placed a certain advertising tracking cookie on the computers of Safari users who visited sites within Google's DoubleClick advertising network, although Google had previously told these users they would automatically be opted out of such tracking, as a result of the default settings of the Safari browser used in Macs, iPhones and iPads. According to the FTC's complaint, Google specifically told Safari users that because the Safari browser is set by default to block third-party cookies, as long as users do not change their browser settings, this setting "effectively accomplishes the same thing as [opting out of this particular Google advertising tracking cookie]." In addition, Google represented that it is a member of an industry group called the Network Advertising Initiative, which requires members to adhere to its self-regulatory code of conduct, including disclosure of their data collection and use practices. Despite these promises, the FTC charged that Google placed advertising tracking cookies on consumers' computers, in many cases by circumventing the Safari browser's default cookie-blocking setting. Google exploited an exception to the browser's default setting to place a temporary cookie from the DoubleClick domain. Because of the particular operation of the Safari browser, that initial temporary cookie opened the door to all cookies from the DoubleClick domain, including the Google advertising tracking cookie that Google had represented would be blocked from Safari browsers. The FTC charged that Google's misrepresentations violated a settlement it reached with the agency in October 2011, which barred Google from – among other things – misrepresenting the extent to which consumers can exercise control over the collection of their information. The earlier settlement resolved FTC charges that Google used deceptive tactics and violated its privacy promises when it launched its social network, Google Buzz. More information about the FTC case can be found at the Tech@FTC blog. The Commission vote to authorize the staff to refer the complaint to the Department of Justice, and to approve the proposed consent decree, was 4-1 with Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch dissenting. The Commission issued a statement authored by Chairman Jon Leibowitz and Commissioners Edith Ramirez, Julie Brill, and Maureen Ohlhausen. In its statement, the Commission affirmed that the settlement is in the public interest because, based on staff's investigative work, there is strong reason to believe that Google violated the prior order, and the $22.5 million fine is an appropriate remedy for the charge that Google misrepresented to Safari browser users how to avoid targeted advertising by Google. In his dissenting statement, Commissioner Rosch stated that it arguably cannot be concluded that the consent decree is in the public interest if it contains a denial of liability. This case was filed with the invaluable assistance of the DOJ, which filed the complaint and proposed consent decree on behalf of the Commission in U.S. District Court for the District of Northern California in San Jose August 8, 2012. The proposed consent decree is subject to court approval. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| OUYA console pre-order now available for non-backers starting at $109, slated to ship in April Posted: 09 Aug 2012 07:53 AM PDT Miss out on your chance to snag the Android-based gaming console during OUYA's Kickstarter tour-de-force? Worry not, friends. The outfit has opened up pre-orders it promised for those who didn't take the plunge initially via on its website. While you will have to wait another month to get your mitts on a kit of your very own, the second round of advance purchasing will set you back $109 for US customers and $119 for those abroad. Included in the aforementioned price tag is the console, a single controller and the requisite shipping costs. Hit up the source link below to part with your funds and begin the waiting period. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft, NYPD build new policing software, NYC takes 30 percent of the profit Posted: 09 Aug 2012 07:31 AM PDT Microsoft is releasing the Domain Awareness System, a software kit, designed with the NYPD, for law enforcement agencies. Pulling together data from CCTV Cameras, radiation detectors and license-plate readers, it uses a detailed database to give instant tracking when things take a turn for the worse. It's also taking some cues from the city's CompStat, using geographical patterns to help effectively deploy members of the 5-0 in areas statistically likely to suffer more crime. DAS is being marketed worldwide, with the city of New York taking a cut of 30 percent of the profit and a copy of any useful tweaks that are made in the field. We're just sad that none of the NYPD:Blue fans at Redmond decided to call the system Sipowi...ndows (geddit?). MAYOR BLOOMBERG, POLICE COMMISSIONER KELLY AND MICROSOFT UNVEIL NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY THAT AGGREGATES AND ANALYZES EXISTING PUBLIC SAFETY DATA IN REAL TIME TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF POTENTIAL THREATS AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY System Designed Jointly by NYPD Officers and Microsoft, Pools Existing Streams of Data from Live Camera Feeds, 911 Calls, Mapped Crime Patterns and More to Help Officers Prevent Crimes and Respond Faster Microsoft to Sell System Software to Other Governments – City Receives 30 Percent of Future Sales Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly today announced a new partnership with Microsoft designed to bring the latest crime prevention and counterterrorism technology capabilities to New York City and to law enforcement, public safety, and intelligence agencies worldwide. The NYPD and Microsoft worked together to develop the Domain Awareness System, a sophisticated law enforcement technology solution that aggregates and analyzes existing public safety data streams in real time, providing NYPD investigators and analysts with a comprehensive view of potential threats and criminal activity. For example, analysts are quickly notified of suspicious packages and vehicles and NYPD personnel can actively search for suspects using advanced technologies like smart cameras and license plate readers. The NYPD and Microsoft jointly developed the system by bringing together Microsoft's technical expertise and technologies with the day-to-day experience and knowledge of NYPD officers. As part of the agreement, the City will receive 30 percent of revenues on Microsoft's future sales of the Domain Awareness System, which will be used to support innovative and cutting-edge crime-prevention and counter-terrorism programs. The Mayor and Police Commissioner were joined at the announcement in Lower Manhattan at the NYPD's Lower Manhattan Security Initiative headquarters by Deputy Mayor for Operations Cas Holloway, Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications Rahul Merchant and Vice President of Microsoft Americas Services (Ret.) Lieutenant General Mike McDuffie. "Part of the reason we have been able to continue driving down crime to record lows while devoting considerable resources counter-terrorism is our heavy investment in technology and our willingness to develop new, cutting-edge solutions to keep New Yorkers safe," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This new system capitalizes on new powerful policing software that allows police officers and other personnel to more quickly access relevant information gathered from existing cameras, 911 calls, previous crime reports and other existing tools and technology. It will help the NYPD do more to prevent crimes from occurring and help them respond to crimes even more effectively. And because the NYPD built the system in partnership with Microsoft, the sale of the product will generate revenue for the City that will fund more new crime-prevention and counter-terrorism programs." "The system is a transformative tool because it was created by police officers for police officers," said Police Commissioner Kelly. "Its development is a testament to the talent and experience of our officers. And this agreement with Microsoft will allow the NYPD to continue to fund innovative counterterrorism and crime prevention programs." "Microsoft is honored to partner with the NYPD to provide these important public safety capabilities to other jurisdictions," said Kathleen Hogan, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Services. "The NYPD is a respected leader and continuously innovating to ensure the safety of their citizens. It is a privilege to support their work with our technology and professional services." "By providing real-time analytics and improved situational awareness for the men and women on the front lines of counterterrorism and crime prevention, this new system can help further enhance public safety outcomes for New Yorkers," said Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications Commissioner Merchant. "And by using the New York City Wireless Network - our high-speed, mission-critical wireless broadband infrastructure - to support the Domain Awareness System, we're leveraging an existing, innovative technology solution to provide ever more capabilities to police officers in the field." The Domain Awareness System is a powerful counterterrorism and policing tool for retrieving and displaying information from cameras, license plate readers, environmental sensors and law enforcement databases. Using an intelligent and intuitive graphical interface, it provides real-time alerts and the means to quickly call up relevant information to guide and inform police action. Its mapping features, which are tied to rich data sources, support investigations, crime analysis and effective management of police resources. The system, developed by police officers for police officers, is an innovative tool that has the potential to revolutionize law enforcement, intelligence and public safety operations. Examples of scenarios where the new system will help the NYPD prevent or solve crimes: Investigators will have immediate access to information through live video feeds, and instantly see suspect arrest records, 911 calls associated with the suspect, related crimes occurring in the area and more; Investigators can map criminal history to geospatially and chronologically reveal crime patterns; Investigators can track where a car associated with a suspect is located, and where it has been in past days, weeks or months; Police commanders can query databases to map, review and correlate crime information with the deployment of resources; If a suspicious package is left at a location, the NYPD can immediately tap into video feeds and quickly look back in time and see who left it there; or If radiation detectors in the field set off alarms and alert the Lower Manhattan Security Initiative command center, the new system will help quickly identify whether the radioactive material is naturally occurring, a weapon, or a harmless isotope used in medical treatments. The City has approximately 3,000 Closed-Circuit TV cameras connected to the Domain Awareness System. The majority of these cameras are in Lower Manhattan – south of Canal Street, from river to river – and in Midtown Manhattan – between 30th street and 60th street, from river to river. NYPD has begun to expand camera coverage to in the boroughs outside of Manhattan. System Development The NYPD and Microsoft jointly developed the system by bringing together Microsoft's technical expertise and technologies with the day-to-day experience and knowledge of NYPD personnel. Microsoft handled the coding and system architecture, and the NYPD set out the system requirements, which were developed through an exhaustive series of focus groups in which members of the NYPD thought critically and creatively about how they perform their jobs and how technology could facilitate and streamline efficient operations of our mission. Agreement with Microsoft Microsoft has agreed to pay the City 30 percent of its gross revenues on the sale of the system to other customers worldwide. In addition, Microsoft will provide access to any innovation derived from the sale of the system to new customers. The NYPD has agreed to describe accurately the project to prospective licensees of the base technology platform. Revenue generated for the City from the sale of this technology will be used to support innovative and cutting-edge counter-terrorism and crime-prevention programs. The agreement encourages the sharing of cutting-edge best practices and innovation in order to fight terrorism and crime. The agreement allowed City government to leverage its resources to utilize a private sector company to create a tool to better protect New Yorkers and to create a product that can help other jurisdictions or companies benefit from the expertise of the NYPD. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chemical sensors could detect plants' cries for help, reduce need for pesticides Posted: 09 Aug 2012 07:07 AM PDT It's a terrifying thought, but science suggests that when under attack, plants cry for help. Invisible and, often odorless, green leaf volatiles emitted from vegetation act as a defense mechanism, communicating to other foliage that danger is near. One researcher at the University of Georgia, however, is developing a chemical sensor to use these distraught emissions for good. Working in a similar fashion detecting glucose in the blood, the sensor would be able to alert farmers to when crops are under attack from pests, allowing them to trigger defenses reactively, and in a localized area. The net result being less chemicals on our food, and potentially lower costs for producers. Other suggested uses include helping us keep our produce at home fresher for longer by -- literally -- weeding out bad apples in a bag, before they affect the others. The technology is still being optimized for field use, but a testing device should follow once complete. In the meantime, we'll never feel the same about mowing the lawn again. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vringo buys small Nokia patent portfolio as asset sell-off continues Posted: 09 Aug 2012 06:44 AM PDT Nokia's sale of the Vringo and Nokia Execute Patent Purchase Agreement Vringo to Acquire Over 500 Patents and Applications from Nokia NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vringo, Inc. (NYSE MKT: VRNG), a company engaged in the innovation, development and monetization of mobile technologies and intellectual property, today announced that it had entered into a Patent Purchase Agreement with Nokia Corporation pursuant to which Nokia agreed to sell Vringo a portfolio consisting of over 500 patents and patent applications worldwide, including 109 issued United States patents. Vringo agreed to compensate Nokia with a cash payment and certain ongoing rights in revenues generated from the patent portfolio. The portfolio encompasses a broad range of technologies relating to cellular infrastructure, including communication management, data and signal transmission, mobility management, radio resources management and services. Thirty one of the 124 patent families acquired have been declared essential by Nokia to wireless communications standards. Standards represented in the portfolio are commonly known as 2G, 2.5G, 3G and 4G and related technologies and include GSM, WCDMA, T63, T64, DECT, IETF, LTE, SAE, and OMA. Further details are included in a Form 8-K to be filed by Vringo with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, visit: www.vringoIP.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL coming to Germany and Austria with LTE in tow Posted: 09 Aug 2012 06:19 AM PDT Our thoughts on the Transformer Pad TF300 were mostly positive when we reviewed it back in April. A lot has happened since then and, while its unlikely to still be at the top of our 10-inch heap, a helping of LTE will go a long way towards keeping it relevant. The TF300TL (as the 4G variant is called) sneaked through the FCC in late May, but we're only now getting word about availability. According to a German press release snagged by TechFokus, the slate should be available in mid August for €629 ($776) with keyboard dock or €529 ($653) without. Sadly, there's still no word on availability outside of German and Austria, but if you're on O2 in one of those nations you should be able to pick up the tablet soon and enjoy its embarrassment of 4G riches. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pulse Reader launches browser-based app, you'll need IE10 for certain gestures Posted: 09 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT Until now, if you've wanted to use the Pulse reader app for browsing
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| Peek inside Samsung's sound lab to see ringtones being born Posted: 09 Aug 2012 05:35 AM PDT Samsung's opened up about how the engineers in its sound lab build the default tones for your handset. Tasked with developing a "Sonic Branding," a ringtone that's as iconic and recognizable as Nokia's famous reworking of Gran Vals is to the Finnish handset maker. Research showed that most phones are answered within 10 seconds, so for Over The Horizon, the two-second is repeated and variated several different ways. Designing the soundscape for NatureUX also posed problems of its own. In order to create those aquatic noises, designers stirred a rubber bowl of water and scratched wet plates with toothpicks hundreds of times until the perfect tone was found. What was the leading cause of rejection? The enhanced sounds were a little too similar to that of a flushing toilet. Of course, while handset sound design is the team's most famous effort, it's also tasked with producing the audible signals from everything from Microwaves to Washing Machines -- so perhaps your next load of clean laundry will be heralded with a three-minute guitar solo. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google Translate app gets weighty update, will translate signs through your smartphone camera Posted: 09 Aug 2012 05:06 AM PDT Google's multi-lingual translation app decided that (online) words were not enough. Beyond digital text, a new update to Translate will let Google's bots translate what you're looking at, whether that's hand-written directions or a sign saying, "wrong way." Though its not the first time we've seen an app that translates text from the camera (not even for Google) the update includes a convenient touch-guided interface that allows you to draw over the text you'd like converted into English -- it seemed to master our beginners' Spanish textbook with ease. The update also adds improvements to its voice translations, with new dialect preferences and improved handwriting recognition for Japanese input. Grab the download before you board that flight abroad this summer -- just ensure it's on a WiFi-only connection once you get there. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook's Director of Engineering explains how you're part of the dev team Posted: 09 Aug 2012 05:03 AM PDT Ever wondered why those crazy fools at Facebook think it's a good idea to meddle with the timeline, or how you chat? Well you can blame yourself. Probably. The social network's Director of Engineering, Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, reveals all in a recent blog post. By first explaining that the site evolves in a two-step process, "technology pushes people to move forward and then people move past technology and it has to catch up," we can start to understand why constant user testing of new, often multiple, solutions is required. Boz goes on to explain that by using select groups, or even nations, the efficacy new features can not only be quickly, and solidly determined, it can actually supplant the need for weeks of boardroom debate. He goes on to say that the odds are that everyone on Facebook has been part of a test at some point. Curious to know more about the process, or just feeling a little bit used? Head over to the source link for the full post / comment thread. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boingo snaps up Cloud Nine Media to expand its ad-sponsored WiFi network Posted: 09 Aug 2012 04:44 AM PDT Boingo tried its hand at free WiFi with Google earlier this summer, and now it's acquired Cloud Nine Media to help it claim a larger slice of the sponsored internet access pie. Though Boingo's 500,000 subscription-based access points vastly outnumber its acquisition's 6,000 ad-sponsored locations, it hopes to use the newly purchased company's hotspot sponsorship and ad-sales expertise to increase its free WiFi footprint. "This acquisition allows us to bring that capability in-house to better serve our growing need to deliver sponsored WiFi," Boingo CEO David Hagan told AllThingsD. Naturally, the firm's $9.95-a-month plan will live on, but it's good to know that Boingo will enable more folks to surf the web free of charge from here on out. [Image credit: Charleston's TheDigitel, Flickr] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Burner turns your iPhone into a disposable, lets you be faux-shady Posted: 09 Aug 2012 04:32 AM PDT Need a throw-away phone number? It's now available as the Burner iPhone app, from a company called Ad Hoc. There's no explanation for how it works technically, but using it looks easy: you pay $2 for the app, which gives you a new phone number that lasts for 20 minutes, 60 texts or seven days. The new digits become your caller ID, and afterwards, you can hit the "burn" key to permanently wipe it from the company's servers, then score additional credits plus a new number, if needed. The company sees it being used for things like Craigslist transactions and dating, but if you have less above-board purposes in mind, be aware -- the privacy policy says it "may disclose your personal data if required by law." Check the source below or the Apple store to get it.
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| Verizon's Galaxy S III gets global roaming workaround, packs its bags Posted: 09 Aug 2012 04:22 AM PDT What's the point of owning Samsung's shiny new flagship if you can't take it on tour? Well, prior to Verizon's Galaxy S III launch, customers were promised that global roaming would be enabled sometime in the future via an OTA update. That unspecified date has yet to come, but if it's something of a priority for you, XDA Developers forum member lair12 has discovered a way make it happen without Big Red's involvement. We feel we should add a warning here -- switching from LTE to GSM isn't a simple process and goes far beyond a basic rooting (which, of course, is required). It includes a fair amount of preparation, including manually adding GSM network identifiers, and several steps to switch allegiances once abroad. But if you're a jet-setting Android tinkerer interested in giving it a go (at your own peril), the step-by-step guide is just a source link away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Digia buys Nokia's remaining Qt assets for 'fraction' of purchase price, eyes Windows, iOS, Android Posted: 09 Aug 2012 03:58 AM PDT Digia to Acquire Qt from Nokia Further extends the cross-platform availability of Qt on mobile, embedded and desktop HELSINKI & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Digia, the software powerhouse listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki exchange (DIG1V), today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Qt software technologies and Qt business from Nokia. Following the acquisition Digia becomes responsible for all the Qt activities formerly carried out by Nokia. These include product development, as well as the commercial and open source licensing and service business. Following the acquisition, Digia plans to quickly enable Qt on Android, iOS and Windows 8 platforms. One of Digia's key objectives with this acquisition is to improve its position within the Qt ecosystem by further strengthening Qt's R&D capabilities and expanding its reach on many more platforms than ever before. Since Digia acquired the Qt Commercial licensing business from Nokia in March 2011, the operation has continued to be successful and has grown substantially. Digia forecasts the acquisition's impact on its 2012 revenues to be positive. In the following years, Digia forecasts the Qt business to grow. As part of the transaction, a maximum of 125 Qt people from Nokia will transfer to Digia, mostly based in Oslo, Norway and Berlin, Germany. This business transaction will significantly strengthen Digia's product business and supports Digia's strategic objective to grow internationally. Digia encourages all current ecosystem members to continue working on improving Qt with full confidence in Digia's continued investment to make Qt the leading cross-platform development framework. Digia will work with ecosystem members to secure a successful release of Qt5 and is committed to continuing the Qt Project in order to maintain Qt's availability under both open source and commercial licenses. "We are looking forward to welcoming the Qt team to Digia. By adding this world class organization to our existing team we plan to build the next generation leading cross-platform development environment," said Tommi Laitinen, SVP, International Products, Digia. "Now is a good time for everyone to revisit their perception of Qt. Digia's targeted R&D investments will bring back focus on Qt's desktop and embedded platform support, while widening the support for mobile operating systems." "Nokia is proud of the contributions we've made to Qt over the past four years. We are pleased that we've been able to work with Digia to secure continued development of Qt by the current core team," said Sebastian Nyström, head of Nokia Strategy. "Digia's plans to acquire Qt mean that it can continue as a successful open source project and also offer continuing employment for many people in the community." Qt has been used by over 450,000 developers and thousands of leading companies worldwide in over 70 industries to power the most innovative, mission-critical and renowned applications and UIs. Qt Commercial is a leader in a number key market segments including automotive, medical, advanced visualization & animation, industrial automation and aerospace & defense. In the future, Digia expects that Qt will have a key role bringing world-class user experience and user interfaces to embedded systems and consumer electronics. More information will be available shortly on qt.digia.com and qt-project.org which will be the main information-sharing sites for Qt. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Army's LEMV spy blimp spotted hovering over New Jersey, may take up cargo duties (video) Posted: 09 Aug 2012 03:43 AM PDT The US Army's not-so-secret Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) spy blimp is better at staying hidden than we thought... if unintentionally. Although it was due to fly the friendly skies of Lakehurst, New Jersey in mid-June, Northrop Grumman's usually unmanned surveillance was only just caught floating over the Jersey Shore as part of a maiden flight on August 8th. The conspicuous, delayed test run proved that the LEMV could take off, steer and land smoothly, and started a series of exercises that should culminate in combat trials over Afghanistan at the start of 2013. Northrop's KC Brown Jr. tells Wired that there's a possible (if purely coincidental) consolation for missing another deadline -- the airship could be used in a pinch for carrying as much as seven tons of supplies without getting into harm's way, albeit at a fairly glacial 30MPH. The successful first flight won't be much consolation to Mav6, whose Blue Devil 2 was scuttled at the last minute after technical issues; it's nonetheless a relief for US troops, who may get weeks at a time of constant intelligence on enemy movements. Catch a short snippet of the early LEMV journey after the break. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pioneer's new WiFi-enabled XDJ-AERO controller says goodbye wires, hello dancefloor (video) Posted: 09 Aug 2012 03:24 AM PDT The advent of digital DJing removed the jumps and skips of vinyl, while introducing a bad case of cable spaghetti, as spinners bring their own kit to the party. Pioneer saw that, and has finally cut them free with the new XDJ-AERO. The WiFi-enabled DJ controller lets you load up the next Moombahcore banger direct from a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC -- with support for four connected devices at once. This also means that the audience can get involved in the track selection -- a la Nexus Q -- but you might want to keep that fact quiet. The XDJ-AERO is designed to work with Pioneer's own rekordbox application, but can also be use as a MIDI controller for other popular software. On the actual hardware-side of things, there's a built-in 24-bit audio interface, two-channel mixer (which can be used standalone) plus the usual array of cue-point triggers, FX and filters we've come to expect. What price does the cutting of cables command? £869 (about $1,399), and the beat can begin some time later this month. Can't wait 'til then? Drop past the break for the ridiculously cool video (and slightly less cool press release).
Pioneer presents the XDJ-AERO, the first-ever wireless all-in-one DJ system, and the first native player for rekordbox™ music management software To view the XDJ-AERO video click HERE 1. INDUSTRY FIRST: Wirelessly connect up to four devices DJs can use the XDJ-AERO to control wireless devices remotely so they can browse tracks and load them directly to their decks even if the device is not in their hands. And the new mobile application allows DJs to use their smartphones and tablets as remote controls for the XDJ-AERO. With USB source selected, DJs can browse music and load tracks on the XDJ-AERO using the devices' bigger, touch-sensitive screens. The audience can send music from their wireless devices to the XDJ-AERO, though tracks will not load until the DJ accepts them. If a device goes out of range while a track is being played an emergency loop is created so there is no break in the music. And if a call is made on a smartphone mid-track, the music will continue to play as long as the device supports multitasking. Plus, by switching the XDJ-AERO's music source from wireless to USB, DJs can play tracks on both decks from a single rekordbox-ready storage device. 2. Includes all the popular features from Pioneer's pro-range Beat effects4: the XDJ-AERO boasts the most user-friendly and popular effects from Pioneer's DJM range – Trans, Flanger, Roll and Echo. 3. Automatic features that make perfect mixes a breeze Beat Sync5: automatically syncs all tracks to the beat to the master deck using rekordbox beat grid information. 4. Performance features and sample playback INDUSTRY FIRST Jog Drum: a more DJ-friendly way of engaging samples. DJs simply load a sample onto the deck and press Jog Drum; they can then trigger and scratch the samples by drumming directly on the jog wheel for more control and creativity. 5. One-touch recording of popular mixes 7. Connect external hardware to use as a stand-alone mixer 9. High-end components for superb sound in any environment 10. Other features Onboard 44.1kHz/24bit high resolution soundcard Main specifications – XDJ AERO Playable media Smartphones, tablets, USB storage devices (Flash memory/HDD, etc.), computers (Mac/Windows PC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RIM escapes $147.2 million hit as Mformation appeal ends in victory Posted: 09 Aug 2012 03:02 AM PDT RIM has successfully appealed its patent infringement verdict against Mformation, letting the company off the hook for $147.2 million in damages. It was originally ordered to pay the stack of cash after a jury found that it had violated a remote management patent, but a California judge has overturned the decision after reexamining the evidence. Mformation still has the scope to appeal and thereby cause a fresh trial to begin from scratch, which could be fun. Verdict Overturned in Favor of Research In Motion in Mformation Patent Case WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 9, 2012) - Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today learned that the Judge in a patent action brought by Mformation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has granted RIM's motion for judgment as a matter of law, concluding that the evidence did not support the Jury's finding of patent infringement. After considering motions presented by both parties, as well as the jury verdict (which was announced by RIM on July 14, 2012), the Judge determined that RIM had not infringed on Mformation's patent. In granting RIM's motion, the Judge also vacated the $147.2 million jury award, which means that RIM is not required to make any payment to Mformation. Mformation has the right to appeal the Judge's ruling; however if Mformation successfully appeals the ruling, the jury verdict would not be reinstated and instead a new trial would occur. "We appreciate the Judge's careful consideration of this case. RIM did not infringe on Mformation's patent and we are pleased with this victory," said Steve Zipperstein, RIM's Chief Legal Officer. "The purpose of the patent system is to encourage innovation, but the system is still too often exploited in pursuit of other goals. Many policy makers have already recognized the need to address this problem and we call on others to join them as this case clearly highlights the significant need for continuing policy reform to help reduce the amount of resources wasted on unwarranted patent litigation." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panasonic preps SD cards that survive heat, water and X-rays, will probably outlast you Posted: 09 Aug 2012 02:53 AM PDT Much ado has been made of weather-resistant cameras, but it's all a moot point if the memory card dies, isn't it? Panasonic wants that level of survivability in its SDHC and SDXC cards, and its new UHS-I-level SDAB and SDUB lines are tested for the kind of abuse that could see the camera give up the ghost first. The cards can take the kinds of punishment that we often associate with rugged gear, such as temperatures from -13F to 185F, immersion in 3.3 feet of water for half an hour and the usual steep drops. It's beyond this that the resistance levels become truly exotic: the cards are also built to survive zaps of electricity, proximity to magnets and exposure to X-rays. If it all becomes too much to bear, the design will even fuse on the inside to prevent fire burning the card from within. Those who like what they see will only have to decide whether or not they want the SDAB range's 95MB/s read speeds and 80MB/s writes or are willing to settle for the SDUB line's respective 90MB/s and 45MB/s transfers. We have yet to see if or when the SD cards cross the Pacific after their September 8th launch in Japan, although we hope so -- with that kind of extra-tough design, our photos are more likely to endure than we will. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hit the rapids with Google's latest Olympic doodle Posted: 09 Aug 2012 02:36 AM PDT It's time to pound the arrow keys again for Mountain View's latest Olympic doodle game, a whitewater slalom canoe challenge. The idea is to speed through the course with the left/right keys in the best time while using up/down to avoid rocks and the riverbank. Our intrepid web paddlers managed a time of 18 seconds so far, and you can post your own time in the comments below -- if you dare. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympus hangs $57 million loss on austerity, strong yen and declining compact camera market Posted: 09 Aug 2012 02:16 AM PDT Olympus is reporting a $56.7 million loss for its first quarter of 2012. While its coveted medical imaging arm remains profitable, its life-science and industrial unit suffered thanks to corporate belt-tightening. Unsurprisingly, its low-end compact camera market is shrinking, but sales of its OM-D E-M5 ILC increased by 50 percent, offsetting some of the losses and reducing operating losses from $89 million last quarter to $19 million in this one. Like many of its Japanese rivals, it's also found a strong yen has stifled its return to productivity, a trend that isn't likely to change soon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition expected at Best Buy: $249 with bundled keyboard and USB adapter Posted: 09 Aug 2012 01:43 AM PDT If you're looking for something -- anything -- to lessen the burden of summertime studies, then a trip to Best Buy may soon be in order. We've just heard from a helpful tipster that a student edition of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is due to be stacked on shelves around August 19th, which keeps the regular $249 selling price of the 8GB WiFi-only model but bundles a keyboard dock and USB peripheral connector. If you've been weighing the Samsung up against the Nexus 7 (which we've ranked higher in our back to school tablet guide), then factor this into your research. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Just for Kids' now available on the Xbox 360: Go, Netflix, Go! Posted: 09 Aug 2012 01:32 AM PDT Late last year, Netflix kicked off its plans to specifically cater the young crowd with its 'Just for Kids' entertainment section -- which, at that point, was nothing but a mere experiment. Still, the toons-filled project quickly found success amongst subscribers, and shortly thereafter it had made its way onto other platforms like the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3. Today, the Xbox 360's the latest gaming system to join the fun, as Netflix's announced the kids-only section is now available on Microsoft's popular console. Obviously you'll need both a Netflix and Xbox Live account prior to entering the hub and start streaming some Go, Diego, Go! -- otherwise all that's left to do is download the updated app before you (or your kids) can check it out. Netflix "Just for Kids" Now Available On XBOX 360 Unlimited Instant Access To Large Variety Of Streaming TV Shows And Movies Picked Especially For Kids 12 And Under Now on XBOX 360 LOS GATOS, Calif., Aug. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) today announced the availability of "Just for Kids" on Xbox 360®, further expanding the availability of the section popular with kids and their parents. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101014/SF81638LOGO) Netflix "Just for Kids" makes it easier and more fun for kids and families to browse and instantly watch a large selection of kid-friendly TV shows and movies. Since introducing the section in August 2011, Netflix members have watched more than two billion hours of kids' titles. Now members who enjoy Netflix on Xbox 360 can select "Just for Kids" to enter an experience designed for children 12 and under. Kids can click and instantly watch their favorite characters, including many they will instantly recognize from their favorite shows and movies. In addition to the character-based selection, "Just for Kids" displays rows of TV shows and movies organized by easy-to-understand genres such as superheroes, princesses, dinosaurs and girl power, featuring clear and simple descriptions of the plot of each title. Unique Netflix technology provides each member with a personalized "Just for Kids" experience based on taste and favorites. "As a parent of two, I can feel comfortable letting my kids browse and watch titles in the 'Just for Kids' section on our Xbox 360," said David Watson, director of product innovation at Netflix. As always, there are never any commercials displayed on Netflix and independent ratings and reviews from Common Sense Media were used to make the selections. Common Sense Media is a nonprofit that provides independent, trustworthy ratings, reviews, and information to help parents make great media choices. "We believe that we can make all the entertainment you love even more amazing with Xbox. Using voice and gesture control with Kinect to explore 'Just for Kids' makes Netflix on Xbox 360 more personal and engaging for all audiences," said Ross Honey, general manager, Xbox LIVE Entertainment & Advertising at Microsoft. In addition to Xbox 360, Netflix "Just for Kids" is available on PCs and Macs, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Apple TV and certain Smart TVs, Blu-ray players and streaming media players. Other devices including tablets are scheduled to follow this year. About Netflix With more than 27 million streaming members in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is the world's leading internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV programs. For about US$7.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch movies and TV programs streamed over the internet to PCs, Macs and TVs. Among the large and expanding base of devices streaming from Netflix are the Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3 consoles; an array of Blu-ray disc players, internet-connected TVs, home theatre systems, digital video recorders and internet video players; Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as Apple TV and Google TV. In all, more than 800 devices that stream from Netflix are available. For additional information, visit www.netflix.com. Follow Netflix on Facebook and Twitter.
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| Sony Xperia GX makes Japan debut today Posted: 09 Aug 2012 01:06 AM PDT The Xperia GX passed muster at the FCC labs a few weeks back and is filling shelves of NTT DoCoMo stores starting today. If you like your smartphone screens big and high-resolution, you'll probably be very happy with the Xperia GX's 720p 4.6-inch display, wrapped in a curved frame similar to last year's Xperia Arc. There's no word on whether the phone will remain a Japan-only exclusive, but Sony is likely to have something new to show off at European trade show, IFA, in only a few weeks. Arguably more of a looker than the Xperia S, perhaps we'll see a global model -- there's a pentaband 3G radio in this iteration -- sidling up next to an Xperia tablet in Germany very soon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ford C-MAX Hybrid rated for 47MPG across the board, C-MAX Energi hits 85MPH in EV mode Posted: 09 Aug 2012 12:38 AM PDT The wait for the Ford C-MAX Hybrid has been a long one, and we'll still be waiting until the fall before the driving public takes a set of keys. In the meantime, there's good news from the EPA for travelers wondering just how far that hybrid MPV will go on its combined power. It should be quite the distance: the now-confirmed fuel economy rating is an even 47MPG, whether it's for putting around the city or cruising the highway. Ford is more than eager to crow about the figures giving its $25,995 ride an edge over Toyota, whose slightly more expensive Prius V peaks at 44MPG on highway stretches and dips to 40MPG in urban areas. The early victory parade is continuing with the C-MAX Energi, too -- the plug-in hybrid variant can peak at a brisk 85MPH in pure EV driving, or more than 20MPH faster than either the regular Hybrid or a Prius plug-in. Toyota does have the slightly important advantage of having a vehicle on the market. Those who have yet to commit to a hybrid family hauler, though, will be glad to know their patience could earn them some extra efficiency or speed. Ford C-MAX Hybrid Earns 47 City, 47 Highway, 47 Combined – an EPA Rating Hat Trick; Beats Toyota Prius v by up to 7 MPG * All-new 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid delivers EPA-certified 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway ratings – 7 mpg better than Toyota Prius v on the highway – for a 47 mpg combined rating DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 7, 2012 – Ford Motor Company once again raises the hybrid fuel-economy bar with the all-new Ford C-MAX Hybrid, which is now officially EPA-certified at 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined – beating Toyota Prius v by up to 7 mpg. The certification is significant because it makes C-MAX Hybrid the first hybrid vehicle to offer 47 mpg across the board. Also, hybrids traditionally have been more economical in city driving than on the highway, unlike conventional vehicles. C-MAX Hybrid, however, returns the same fuel economy whether driving cross-country or across the city – stemming mostly from a growing list of Ford innovations that have helped the vehicle to deliver an impressive list of metrics, such as a top speed of up to 62 mph in EV mode. "The all-new C-MAX Hybrid is a great symbol of how Ford has transformed into a fuel-economy and technology leader with 47 mpg across the board and a highway rating 7 mpg better than Toyota Prius v," said Ford Vice President of Powertrain Engineering Joe Bakaj. "We've done this with innovation – represented by nearly 500 hybrid patents – while driving costs down 30 percent so we can bring these fuel-saving vehicles to more customers." Among the Ford innovations helping C-MAX Hybrid drivers enjoy maximum fuel economy are the patented SmartGauge® with EcoGuide that coaches for top fuel efficiency by providing growing green leaves in the gauge cluster as a reward for economical driving; and ECO Cruise, a feature that helps optimize powertrain elements for convenient yet economical highway travel. City equals highway "City, highway and everywhere in between, C-MAX Hybrid is EPA-certified at 47 mpg," Bakaj said. "It's a win-win-win." C-MAX Hybrid is expected to be America's most affordable hybrid utility vehicle with a base price of $25,995, including destination and delivery, which is $1,300 lower than Toyota Prius v. C-MAX Hybrid is currently available for order at select dealerships. More information about C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi can be found here. Press releases, videos, photos and other material related to Ford's electrified vehicles can be found here. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 7, 2012 – At the touch of a button, Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid drivers can enjoy the industry's top electric-only speed among all plug-in hybrid vehicles – 85 mph. Topping the Toyota Prius plug-in's top EV-only speed by more than 20 mph, the all-new, five-passenger Ford C-MAX Energi can easily keep pace with the flow of traffic, even when the EV mode button is engaged and the gasoline engine is off. "We understand customers place a high value on the zero-emission electrified driving experience," said Ford Vice President of Powertrain Engineering Joe Bakaj. "This inspired our engineering team to equip the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid with a button that enables drivers to choose an electric-only driving mode." With a fully charged battery, C-MAX Energi is rated at 195 horsepower, versus 188 horsepower for Toyota Prius. C-MAX Energi's EV mode range is 20-plus miles – more than triple Toyota's plug-in and well within the one-way commute range of many American motorists. C-MAX Energi – Ford's first plug-in hybrid – also tops Prius plug-in in overall range (550 miles versus 540 miles). Three EV modes The EV mode button – conveniently mounted in the center stack – allows a driver to switch vehicle operation between three modes. When plug-in power is available, drivers can change modes with each press of the EV mode button. The mode currently selected is displayed in the driver's left instrument cluster screen. EV: Auto "In EV: Auto mode, the vehicle automatically takes advantage of plug-in charge," said Kevin Layden, Ford director of Electrification Programs and Engineering. "When the charge is depleted, C-MAX Energi operates as a full hybrid." The powertrain computer automatically selects the appropriate blend of battery usage and engine usage based on demand and the state of battery charge. EV: Now In EV: Now mode, the vehicle operates in EV mode using plug-in power. The gasoline engine will not operate unless an override setting is selected or certain conditions are present such as the accelerator pedal being fully depressed and the driver enabling the gas engine. EV: Now also activates a special Manage EV screen to monitor functionality. To achieve the EV range estimate shown on the corresponding gauge, drivers are given coaching cues to maximize EV mode. Additionally, use of climate power and energy gauges will further help drivers manage vehicle energy use. EV: Later The EV: Later setting saves plug-in power for later use, like transitioning from highway to lower-speed residential neighborhood use. C-MAX Energi operates in normal hybrid mode, using both gas engine and electric motor. Plug-in power is reserved until the driver switches to the EV: Now or EV: Auto setting. "C-MAX Energi uses technology in new ways to provide customers smart choices in maximizing their energy usage based on where and how they drive their vehicles," Bakaj said. Built at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., the all-new C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid begins arriving this fall at EV Certified Ford dealers in 19 markets, followed by nationwide rollout in all 50 states in early 2013. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HTC G1 auditions CyanogenMod 10, runs Jelly Bean at a snail's pace (video) Posted: 09 Aug 2012 12:07 AM PDT
Putting Google's latest candy-coated OS update on the very first Android phone? We've got a guy for that. Jcarrz1, the same wizard from XDA-Developers who ported Ice Cream Sandwich to the HTC G1, has managed to port a buggy build of CyanogenMod 10 to the handset -- which puts Jelly Bean on the oldest hardware possible. Sadly, the old handset isn't up to Project Butter's 60FPS interface, but brave tweakers can still use the device's touchscreen for apps, CM10 features and a partially functional Google Now. WiFi is also up and running, but cellular data is MIA. Check out the video above to see the pre-alpha build in action, or try it out for yourself at the source link below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile USA Q2 2012 results show net customer losses of 205k, progress on LTE and AWS Posted: 08 Aug 2012 11:25 PM PDT The results for T-Mobile USA's second quarter of 2012 are in and first up is the bad news -- reported net customer losses of 205,000 are more than the 50,000 lost in the same period last year, and more than give back the growth reported in Q1. Of course, the carrier is banking on strategic initiatives to launch LTE service and expand coverage thanks to that AWS spectrum its receiving from AT&T and Verizon (if the deal is approved) to turn all that around, and those plans are still on track. Other high points for the quarter included the launch of Samsung's Galaxy Note and Galaxy S III, as well as a host of other handsets. Also it announced the opening of it's 1,000 T-Mobile Premium Retailer store, started pushing its prepaid and Monthly4G services at Dollar General Stores, launched two new mobile broadband data plans and added two MVNO partners. All the details are in the press release after the break, although it seems that as busy as T-Mobile has been putting pen to paper, investors will have to keep waiting to see the benefits. T-Mobile USA Reports Second Quarter 2012 Operating Results Continued Solid Adjusted OIBDA in Q2; Churn Improvements Adjusted OIBDA increased 4.8% year-on-year to $1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2012 BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--T-Mobile USA, Inc. today reported second quarter 2012 results. In the second quarter of 2012, T-Mobile USA reported adjusted OIBDA of $1.34 billion, up 4.8% from $1.28 billion reported in the second quarter of 2011. Net customer losses were 205,000 in the second quarter of 2012, compared to 50,000 net customer losses in the second quarter of 2011. "In the second quarter T-Mobile USA started the implementation of key initiatives, such as network modernization, which will improve its competitiveness going forward" "In the second quarter, T-Mobile USA continued to show considerable progress in a number of key areas delivering solid adjusted OIBDA growth. While we reported encouraging branded contract and branded prepaid churn improvements in the quarter, we remain focused on customer loyalty as we continue to execute against our strategy," said Jim Alling, Interim CEO and President of T-Mobile USA. "Looking ahead, T-Mobile USA will continue to invest in a number of key areas including the modernization of our network as we pave the way for LTE service in 2013, retail expansion, as well as an increased investment in promoting our brand." "In the second quarter T-Mobile USA started the implementation of key initiatives, such as network modernization, which will improve its competitiveness going forward," said René Obermann, CEO of Deutsche Telekom. "We are also encouraged by the strong cost discipline demonstrated by T-Mobile USA." T-Mobile USA Strategic Initiatives Update T-Mobile USA continues to execute on its key strategic initiatives, which include its $4 billion 4G network evolution plan to expand its voice and data coverage around the country and to initiate long term evolution ("LTE") service in 2013. In the second quarter of 2012, T-Mobile USA announced an agreement with Verizon Wireless for the purchase and exchange of certain Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum licenses (subject to regulatory approval), which would improve T-Mobile's network coverage in 15 of the top 25 markets in the U.S.; completed the AT&T deal break-up AWS license transfers that will expand T-Mobile's coverage in 12 of the top 20 U.S. markets; and announced a spectrum exchange agreement with Leap Wireless International, Inc. that will further 4G coverage in four states. In addition to these spectrum agreements, T-Mobile USA announced multi-year agreements with Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks to deploy state-of-the-art LTE-capable equipment at 37,000 cell sites in 2012 and 2013. T-Mobile USA increased its distribution channels in the second quarter of 2012 announcing the opening of its 1,000th T-Mobile Premium Retailer (TPR) store. In addition, a new distribution arrangement with Dollar General Corporation brings an affordable phone and convenient access to T-Mobile's prepaid and Monthly4G™ No Annual Contract service to more than 6,400 Dollar General stores. In total, T-Mobile USA added approximately 8,700 prepaid doors in the second quarter of 2012. To expand its reach in the business-to-business market, T-Mobile USA began offering two new suites of mobile broadband data plans to address the growing use of mobile broadband devices and the increasing demand for data among business customers. T-Mobile USA also launched its "Open Europe" plan for business customers – a new unlimited data feature with a flat-rate monthly fee. The Company also signed two additional agreements with Mobile Virtual Network Operator ("MVNO") partners in the quarter to drive further expansion into this customer segment. T-Mobile USA further expanded its portfolio of compelling 4G smartphones in the second quarter of 2012. T-Mobile USA became the first U.S. carrier to offer the 42 Mbps-capable HTC One™ S and also launched the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S™ III. In addition to these devices, T-Mobile USA also launched the T-Mobile® Prism™, a budget-friendly option for cost-conscious consumers and expanded T-Mobile's myTouch® family with the announcement of the next-generation T-Mobile® myTouch® and T-Mobile® myTouch® Q, launched in July 2012. In early August, T-Mobile USA launched the Samsung Galaxy Note™, featuring a 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED™ screen. The Company is supporting its strategic investments with its brand re-launch program, continuing with a new advertising campaign that encourages customers to Test Drive T-Mobile USA's competitive 4G experience. During the second quarter of 2012, T-Mobile USA continued to focus on driving efficiencies across the business. Examples of this include the new organizational structure announced in May 2012 that will enable the Company to react with greater speed and effectiveness to customer and market opportunities, that aligns costs with revenue realities, and that better positions T-Mobile USA for growth. The Company also continues with its efforts to drive operational efficiencies with the Reinvent program and is well on track to achieve $900 million in gross savings, which will be partially reinvested into customer acquisition programs. Lastly, the multi-year churn reduction program showed encouraging progress in the second quarter of 2012. Customer Results %∆ Total Customers T-Mobile USA served 33.2 million customers at the end of second quarter 2012, compared to 33.4 million customers at the end of first quarter 2012 and 33.6 million customers at the end of second quarter 2011. Second quarter 2012 net customer losses of 205,000, compared to net customer additions of 187,000 in the first quarter of 2012 and net customer losses of 50,000 in the second quarter of 2011. Branded Customers Branded contract net customer losses, excluding M2M, were 557,000 in the second quarter of 2012, compared to 510,000 net customer losses in the first quarter of 2012 and 536,000 net customer losses in the second quarter of 2011. Wholesale M2M net customer additions were 95,000 in the second quarter of 2012, compared to net customer additions of 262,000 in the first quarter of 2012 and net customer additions of 256,000 in the second quarter of 2011. MVNO customers increased slightly in the second quarter of 2012, totaling 3.8 million customers as of June 30, 2012. Churn Results Churn from branded customers was 2.9% in the second quarter of 2012, down 30 basis points from both the first quarter of 2012 and the second quarter of 2011. ARPU Results ARPU (branded contract)4 ARPU (branded prepaid)4 Branded contract Average Revenue Per User ("ARPU"), excluding M2M customers, was $57.35 in the second quarter of 2012, down slightly from the first quarter of 2012, but up slightly from the second quarter of 2011. Financial Results Revenue Service revenues were $4.4 billion in the second quarter of 2012, down 1.4% from the first quarter of 2012 and down 5.2% from the second quarter of 2011. Adjusted OIBDA T-Mobile USA reported adjusted OIBDA of $1.34 billion in the second quarter of 2012, up 5.0% from the first quarter of 2012 and up 4.8% from the second quarter of 2011. Operating Expenses Total operating expenses (excluding restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs) were $4.4 billion in the second quarter of 2012, down 3.2% from the first quarter of 2012 and 3.6% from the second quarter of 2011. Capital Expenditures Cash capital expenditures were $539 million in the second quarter of 2012, a decrease of 27.8% from the first quarter of 2012 and a decrease of 21.7% from the second quarter of 2011. T-MOBILE USA (dollars in millions) (unaudited) Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $16,798 and $15,599, respectively Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $232 and $216, respectively (dollars in millions) (unaudited) 2012 2011 Total operating expenses (excluding restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs) Total operating expenses (including restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs) Operating income Net income Unrealized gain/(loss) on cash flow hedges and foreign currency translation Unrealized gain/(loss) on available-for-sale securities (dollars in millions) (unaudited) Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Accrued liabilities related to restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs Expenditures related to spectrum licenses* Short-term affiliate loan receivable, net* (dollars in millions) (unaudited) This press release includes non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the information provided in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations from the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are provided below following Selected Data and the financial statements. Adjusted OIBDA is reconciled to operating income as follows: Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements in this news release regarding the business outlook, expected performance and forward-looking guidance, as well as other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words "estimate," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "believe," "target," "providing guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are estimates and projections reflecting management's judgment based on currently available information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. With respect to these forward-looking statements, management has made assumptions regarding, among other things, customer and network usage, customer growth and retention, pricing, operating costs, the timing of various events and the economic and regulatory environment. About T-Mobile USA Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG (OTCQX: DTEGY). By the end of the second quarter of 2012, approximately 130 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group - 33.2 million by T-Mobile USA - all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS and additionally HSPA+ 21/HSPA+ 42. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. In order to provide comparability with the results of other US wireless carriers, all financial amounts are in US dollars and are based on accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"). T-Mobile USA results are included in the consolidated results of Deutsche Telekom, but differ from the information contained herein as, among other things, Deutsche Telekom reports financial results in Euros and in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations. Definitions of Terms Since all companies do not calculate these figures in the same manner, the information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. A customer is defined as a SIM card with a unique T-Mobile USA mobile identity number which generates revenue. Branded contract and prepaid customers include FlexPay customers depending on the type of rate plan selected. FlexPay customers with a contract are included in branded contract customers, and FlexPay customers without a contract are included in branded prepaid customers. Additionally, machine-to-machine customers (also known as M2M) are included within contract customers, some of which may not have monthly recurring charges required under contract. Mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) are classified as prepaid customers as they most closely align with this customer segment. Service revenues include contract, prepaid, and roaming and other service revenues, and do not include equipment sales and other revenues. Data services revenues (including messaging and non-messaging revenue) are a non-GAAP financial measure and are included in the various components of service revenues. Handset insurance revenues are included in contract service revenues. Supplementary Operating and Financial Data – US GAAP ARPU (branded contract)4 ARPU (contract)4 ARPU (branded prepaid)4 ARPU (prepaid)4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Galaxy Note 10.1 just hitting shelves, already said to be rooted Posted: 08 Aug 2012 11:08 PM PDT Only two days after Samsung announced the availability of the Galaxy Note 10.1 (and its source code), it appears to already have been rooted. An XDA user named Zedomax claims to have pulled off the feat by injecting root into the stock European firmware, then installing the superuser'd version in conventional ODIN fashion. With the usual bricking caveats, that'll let you start installing unsanctioned apps to the pen-enabled beast, while apparently still getting OTA updates from the mother company. We'd love to verify it ourselves with our own GT-N8000, but we don't have one yet -- and neither does hardly anyone else, so you may want to wait for some other brave soul to confirm it before going ahead. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| OUYA's Kickstarter funding is complete: over $8.59 million raised, starts shipping in March Posted: 08 Aug 2012 10:00 PM PDT It's a wrap! Suffice it to say, it's a been a relatively short, yet astoundingly fruitful -- and initially record-breaking -- funding run for OUYA, the hackable, Android-based gaming console. With just 29 days to work with since being announced, the Yves Behar-designed system has raked in over $8.58 million thanks to just under 63,300 backers on Kickstarter as of its official 1AM ET funding deadline today (You'll find the final tally below). Those who opted for developer editions will be able to start tinkering with their own units around December, while the majority of backers should receive the console as early as March 2013. Missed the Kickstarter bandwagon? Don't fret, because OUYA plans to take pre-orders from the general public over the web soon, expecting those units to arrive at doorsteps near April. The numbers are only part of the picture, of course. If you'll recall, OUYA swiftly acquired a slew of partnerships from companies like OnLive, Square Enix, XBMC, Vevo, and Robotoki -- and as if that wasn't enough, just yesterday Namco Bandai and Plex officially joined the content-providing party as well. What's more, we now know that each console will support up to four of those touchpad-equipped controllers for local multiplayer action. Even with all that, this story is far from over, as Joystiq points out that Julie Uhrman and company "promise" to have more updates before its official launch. Naturally, it still remains to be seen how OUYA's (literally) tiny, Tegra 3-powered footprint will fare against the big three in gaming, but we're cautiously optimistic. So, while the final, mass-produced product is still months away, in the meantime you'll find a recap of all the highlights from OUYA in the nifty saga module below. You can also hit up our friends at Joystiq here for extra insight from the company about its successes so far. Update (1:15AM): Despite the timer hitting zero, it appears that pledges are still being accepted past the 1AM deadline -- better be quick! We'll be sure to update the numbers again as soon pledging is officially halted. Update 2 (7:30AM): It took a bit of time, but OUYA's Kickstarter is officially not accepting any more pledges. The final numbers? 63,416 backers helped to raise a final sum of $8,596,475. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nikon Coolpix L610: an AA-powered, 1080p-capable point-and-shoot for $249 Posted: 08 Aug 2012 09:01 PM PDT A flagship it isn't, but Nikon's newest Coolpix will certainly hit the sweet spot in terms of pricing for many. The Coolpix L610 is an entry-level compact that breaks away from proprietary cells in order to rely on a pair of AAs. World travelers may argue that it's easier to find a pack of those at any corner shop than a power outlet, and while it may only suit a select few, we're glad that the AA notion hasn't been tossed aside completely. Specs-wise, you're looking at a 16 megapixel BSI (backside illuminated) CMOS sensor, a 1080p movie mode, 3-inch rear LCD, optical VR image stabilization, HDMI socket and a 14x wide-angle zoom lens. It's designed to sit between the P510 and P7100 in terms of size, with a newfangled design that looks pretty darn attractive at the $249 asking price. For those interested, it'll be hitting shelves in September donning a red, black or silver motif. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nikon 1 J2 mirrorless camera: minor control tweaks, $549, ships in September Posted: 08 Aug 2012 09:01 PM PDT Not even a year after Nikon ceremoniously entered the mirrorless world, it's issuing the followup to the J1: it's the Nikon 1 J2, and it's -- at most -- a gentle revision to a camera that was near-universally hailed as being one of the more disappointing ILC options. Disappointing, of course, because it's Nikon. A company that quite clearly knows a thing or two about photography (D3S / D4, anyone?), but seemed to miss the mark in terms of price, performance and lens compatibility. With the J2, it sort of feels like a do-over. Outside of a slightly tweaked orange color and a reimagined exterior finish, the J2 is identical in size to the J1. You'll find the same 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor (1-inch), the same autofocus system and support for the same lens collection. What's new are the additions to the Mode Selector dial, which add a smattering of creative options and access to P/S/A/M exposure modes. The rear LCD has seen its resolution double (to 921,000 dots, same as on the D4), and the camera has been intelligently designed to turn on when extending a 1 Series lens out, and turn off when retracting it into storage. Perhaps most importantly, Nikon's finally on the same playing field in terms of asking price. The J2 will ship in September for $549.95, and that includes the same 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens that shipped with the J1. If you'll recall, the J1 kit started at $100 more, yet offered far less punch than Sony's cheaper NEX-C3. It's also worth noting that one other player has joined the ILC movement since the J1: Canon. Arguably, the EOS M still beats the J2 in practically every way; the thing that really needed an overhaul in the J2 was the meager 1-inch sensor, yet it remains. Perhaps the best news out of this ordeal is that the J1 isn't immediately going away. Nikon confirmed that it'd remain on store shelves for an undetermined amount of time, likely at a nice discount. If it's offered low enough, it may be easier to live with the shortcomings. In terms of accessories, Nikon's also introducing an optional 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 lens ($189.95; ships next month) for the 1 Series. Though similar (on paper) to the 10-30mm kit lens, this guy is nearly 30 percent smaller from a physical size and weight standpoint. And on the other extreme, there's the WP-N1 waterproof case. This one's engineered to encase both the J1 and J2 for beneath-the-sea action up to 140 feet deep, but the staggering $749.95 (!) price tag is bound to attract jeers, chuckles and blank stares. Now, underwater cases of merit aren't ever "affordable," but offering an enclosure that's a full $200 more than the hardware it protects? Questionable. That said, we'd certainly relish the chance to test one out, but you best be sure that Nikon's J1 / J2 is going to be your underwater cam of choice for a long while before plunking down that much coin. NIKON EXPANDS ITS POPULAR NIKON 1 SYSTEM WITH THE ADDITION OF THE NEW NIKON 1 J2 CAMERA AND 1 NIKKOR 11-27.5MM F/3.5-5.6 LENS Nikon's Dedication to the Growing Nikon 1 System Provides Users with Even More Creative Freedom and Outlets for Self Expression MELVILLE, N.Y. (August 9, 2012) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the expansion of the popular Nikon 1 Advanced Camera with Interchangeable Lens System with the addition of the Nikon 1 J2 camera and the 1 NIKKOR 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 lens to provide users with amazing image quality and stunning 1080p HD video in a portable, powerful package. The Nikon 1 System, including the new Nikon 1 J2 and the 1 NIKKOR 11-27.5mm lens, is engineered from the ground up to give users the freedom to capture and connect with others to share life experiences. The Nikon 1 J2 improves upon the Nikon 1 J1 with new features such as a Creative Mode that provides a variety of photo effects to users, a metallic body, a higher resolution LCD screen and the addition of stylish new color offerings. Made for those seeking portability without compromising stunning image quality and quick performance, the J2 is the camera designed to empower users to capture their world like never before with stunning and sharp image and HD video quality. In addition to the camera, the 11- 27.5mm lens is a super-compact zoom lens that offers a helpful 2.5x zoom range in an easily pocketable size. "Building on the success and popularity of the Nikon 1 cameras and lenses, the new J2 and 11-27.5mm lens are welcomed additions to the ever growing Nikon 1 System," said Bo Kajiwara, Vice President of Marketing, Planning and Customer Experience, Nikon Inc. "Expanding the Nikon 1 System demonstrates Nikon's continued dedication to creating compact and portable advanced cameras with interchangeable lenses that are easy-to-use and allow users to explore and redefine their creativity." Expanding the Nikon 1 System: The New Nikon 1 J2 Camera In addition to the new Creative Mode, the J2 will sport a metallic camera body and Mode Dial giving the camera a sharp look and comfortable feel in hand. To match users' varying styles and color preferences, the camera will come in a variety of fashionable colors including White, Black, Silver and Pink, as well as two new colors, a deep Red and Orange. The Red and Pink varieties of the J2 will have a textured grip to complement their vibrant color schemes. What's more, the camera's new high-resolution 3.0-inch, 921,000 dot LCD monitor provides sharper detail when sharing and composing images and HD videos. True to the Nikon 1 promise, the J2 is the ultimate marriage of performance and ease-of-use wrapped in an attractive package. The new Nikon 1 J2 features a 10.1-megapixel CX-format CMOS sensor and the EXPEED 3 image processing engine to give users images and HD video with amazing fidelity and color, along with the ability to capture images in challenging lighting situations. The highly responsive Advanced Hybrid Autofocus (AF) system gives users a superfast shooting speed, allowing them to capture fast action with stunning clarity while the camera's 73 point AF array will ensure accuracy and super precise focus, even on moving subjects. The Nikon 1 J2 retains user-friendly features such as Full HD video recording, and a reputation for blazing fast speed with the ability to capture rapidly moving subjects at an astounding 10 frames-per- second (fps) with AF, or up to 60 fps with AF locked on the first frame. For even more creative freedom and to capture fleeting moments, Motion Snapshot Mode gives the ability to capture a spontaneous moment as a still image and combines it with a slow motion movie vignette. To help ensure the best shot every time, Smart Photo Selector captures multiple shots and lets the camera select the best one automatically. Expanding the 1 NIKKOR Lens Lineup: The New 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens New Underwater Case for the Nikon 1 J2 and J1 Price and Availability | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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