Kamis, 09 Desember 2010

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

BenQ Releases S1420 Orange Anti-Shake Handheld Camera

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 02:05 PM PST

Also they have some models who love their product so much, they put the logo on their skin. BenQ must be really, really awesome. They’ve released a new camera: S1420, a lovely orange-only addition to their S-series. This S1420 camera has a whopping 14 megapixels to its name, but its main selling point is it’s Optical Image Stabilizer, a powerful blurry shot preventer indeed. It also features a 26mm wide-angle lens, 5x optical zoom, and HDR II image enhancement technology that “helps keep colors true to life,” even in high contrast situations.

This camera has a giant 3.0″ LCD screen and comes equipped with filters such as LOMO, Fisheye, and color accent. S1420 is capable of HD video capture, low-light image capture with its ISO 6400 exposure, and it’s available in China and Asia Pacific this month, Latin America and Europe in January, and by the looks of it, North America NEVER. Check out the press release below:

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, December 6, 2010 – BenQ announced the expansion of its S-series digital camera lineup today with the 14 Megapixels S1420 digital camera. Stylishly encased in a vibrant orange-coloured metallic casing, the S1420 is designed for those who pursue high image quality whilst also values compact and mobility of their cool camera.

The O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) feature on S1420 prevents blur on shots and it is the most powerful technology for anti-shake. This amazing feature works automatically and compensates for unintended camera movements or slow shutter speeds to deliver crisply rendered, sharp and crystal clear images which without might ruin an otherwise perfect shot.

S1420 is the ideal camera companion with the flawless combination of the 26mm wide-angle lens with 5x optical zoom. The wide-angle lens give allows expanded field of view needed for group shots, ensuring everyone is in frame even in a close-up shot whilst the powerful zoom makes it possible to capture detailed photos even when the subjects are of a distance.

BenQ's HDR II image enhancement technology is a magical feature that lets users get great shots of high-contrast scenes that are usually so difficult to photograph well. HDR II depicts the scenes in the photograph exactly how it is seen by the eye, with all the details in both dark and bright areas intact. Furthermore, HDR II allows previews on the bright 3.0" LCD with HDR applied, so users know exactly what kind of shots they will be taking.

BenQ's S1420 comes bundled with a full range of creative shooting modes which includes "LOMO", "Fisheye" and "Color accent". The "LOMO" adds effects like dark-corners, off-kilter exposure, and over-saturated colors to snapshots turning the photographs into gallery-worthy artworks. Apply the "Fisheye Lens" to get a wide-angle hemispherical view of the photographic subjects, adding a new source of fun and intriguing creative possibilities to photos. The "Color accent" effect allows users to keep one selected color in the photo whilst having the rest converted into black and white, heightening the ambiance and imbuing the photographs with mood and personality.

When even a great photograph cannot capture the action desired, S1420's 720p HD movie recording capability comes into play, allowing users to record the actions in crisply detailed, brilliant and vivid HD videos. The highlights of one's life can now be preserved in big, beautiful movies.

S1420's highly sensitive sensor can take realistic-looking, detailed photographs in a low light scene. An ISO 6400 exposure index ensures that photographs in a dance-club or a romantic candle-lit restaurant are not compromised.

BenQ's vibrant orange-coloured S1420 will be available in China and Asia Pacific in December, Latin America and Europe in January 2011. For more information, please visit www.BenQ.com

[Via Akihabara News]

LTE 50Mbps Wireless Internet in Rural Wales

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 01:30 PM PST

All the folks in Wales be speedin along now, just a chuggin with brand new Arqiva and Alcatel Lucent carriers utilizing Long Term Evolution masts through the Preseli Mountians. Soon testing will begin to see if it’ll be economically viable to bring internet to all those homes that otherwise had slow internet or no internet connection at all. A 800MHz spectrum left over from the digital TV switchover in the area will be used for the trial, this then to go on auction to network providers in 2011.

Theoretical speeds for LTE is of course up to 50Mpbs, which is basically hella fast, but also… you know… theoretical. The thing that is especially important in this situation is the 800Mhz band that can both easily penetrate walls and travel further distances than any internet signal before, allowing all those herders in the outer reaches access to SlashGear! How nice!

O2 is taking a stab at a similar service, offering 100Mbps downloads and LTE to Slough, their home borough in Berkshire, England. There Arqiva aims to give sweet speeds to “country-dewlling folk.”

MD of Arqiva’s Government in Mobile & Enterprise business Steve Holebrook spoke thusly on the matter: “Arqiva’s heritage in rolling-out projects of critical national infrastructure is matched by our long-standing commitment to providing solutions that are universal in their delivery. We firmly believe that the combination of LTE technology, the 800MHz spectrum and a neutral-host commercial model is the best way of providing rural communities with broadband quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively.”

[Via TechRadar]

Apple Products to No Longer Be Sold at Costco Membership Warehouse

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 01:05 PM PST

Ruh roh! It appears that because of reasons surrounding the facts that while Costco has carried iPods and iTunes cards from their retail locations for quite a while now, Apple has never allowed them to sell Apple items on their webpage (like other retailers can) and Costco didn’t gain distribution rights for the iPad, Costco’s pulling the plug. Costco is said to be the third largest retailer and the largest membership warehouse dealer in the USA. Them stopping sales of Apple products completely is almost certainly going to be a stinger in Apple’s side.

Costco’s Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti told the Seattle Times that through a mutual agreement of the companies (Apple and Costco), they’ve decided to stop their sales relationship: “In the past couple months, we agreed to wind down.” On the other hand, Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette said the company has no comment. Harsh!

[Via CrunchGear]

Toshiba Power Outage Stops Flash Memory Supply

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 12:50 PM PST

Toshiba sent out a news bit today saying that their Yokkaichi plant is in the midst of a power outage and that this failure (at 5:21AM yesterday) could affect flash memory supply. This failure wont be fixed until sometime Friday, the supply hit planned for shipments toward January and February of 2011. No estimates were given on how this will affect Toshiba’s partners or if their products will be able to ship on time. Apple, who is currently using Toshiba for their MacBook Air’s SSD, is said to be fine since it also depends on Samsung and Hynix.

The person who says Apple will end up being fine is Brian Marshall, an analyst for Gleacher & Co. Marshall noted that there aren’t any shortages in parts and that Apple could draw on the Intel-Micron partnership if they had to. The “crunch” instead could be around iPad components such as their upcoming 9.7-inch LG Display screen. Oh dear oh my!

[Via Electronista]

Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone Gets Benchmarked on Video

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 11:58 AM PST

Despite the fact that Sony may have denied the PlayStation phone in the past, it’s obviously a real thing, and it’s coming. With rumors suggesting that the device could launch as early as March, 2011, it’s easy to start hoping that the device gets leaked more and more. We’ve already seen the device in some close-up videos, but this time around we get to watch as the device is run through the Qualcomm Neocore benchmark application.

Engadget was just sent the vide of the PlayStation Phone being run through the test. The result isn’st as great as some may expect, or want. At 24.4fps, it doesn’t put the device at the top of the heap. However, something of note: this isn’t final software. So, it’s certainly possible that by the time the PlayStation Phone is ready to ship to waiting customers, that benchmark gets a significant upgrade. In any event, if you want to see the PlayStation Phone, or Zeus Z1, work its magic through the test, go ahead and check out the video below.

[via Android Community]

Snapstick iPhone App Lets You Snap the Internet to Your TV [Video]

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 11:44 AM PST

The iPhone can be used in a lot of different ways, outside of the standard things that Apple let out of the labs. Applications give the device a breath of new life, and this new app, or system if Snapstick has their way, is meant to deliver the “full web” to your TV, thanks to your iPhone (and laptop). CRAVE got some time to play around with the iPhone application, and tested it out. So, how does flicking your shows from an iPhone to your TV work? Better than some may have thought.

The quick use of the application isn’t a full-blown review, or even an in-depth preview. The application itself, as Snapstick points out, isn’t a full, ready for primetime product quite yet. But, what does seem to be working so far works well enough. Not only can you “snap” content from your iPhone, which you can then control from the phone itself or your laptop, but other people with the application can then control the content on the TV from their respective iPhone, too.

Of course, you’ll need a device to snatch the content from the air after you throw it over. Snapstick isn’t sure if the current prototype, which is a set-top box, will stick around, or if they will incorporate the technology into a Blu-ray player, or maybe even a TV itself. As of right now, there’s no word on a release date or pricing, but with Snapstick obviously taking on Apple TV and Google TV, we can all just hope that a price is competitive.

[via CRAVE]

Snapstick Snapstick2


Time To Buy a Blu-Ray

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 11:22 AM PST

Consider this my official holiday gift guide column. I’m not going to do a round-up of all my favorite gift ideas. I’m not going to recommend which phone you should buy, which laptop, which Lexus, or whatever. There are plenty of great gift guides to tell you all that (and I’ve even worked on some of those, myself). I’m not even going to recommend a specific product. I’m just going to tell you to buy a Blu-Ray player. I don’t really know which one to buy, and I don’t even have one myself. But it’s become the number one item on my list, and it should be for you, too.

[Image credit: Bill S]

A Blu-Ray player will make everyone happy. Everybody likes movies or TV shows, sold by the season. Personally, I think we’re in a golden age of television. Though there is plenty of garbage on the tube every night, the good shows are more thoughtful, complex and interesting than ever before. They have huge budgets behind them, talented actors, and clever writing. Of course, I’ll bet critics say this every few years about their current wave of programming, but then won’t it be fun to have something to look back on later? To pop in a copy of “Lost” and tell your kids how cool it was, even though it hardly stands up better than the old episodes of “The Prisoner” (which is pretty good, actually)?

Movies look better than ever, and the best way to watch movies is Blu-Ray. Hands-down. You get the fantastic picture, the surround sound, the interesting extras, all in one convenient package. Plus, if you’re like many people I know, you’ve already taken advantage of the huge glut of large screen TVs that are so inexpensive right now. I bought my first HDTV, a 36-inch Panasonic plasma, for nearly twice the cost of today’s 55-inchers. Instead of searching through your cable lineup for HD content, or trying to grab some HD channels over the air, go buy some movies that will look great on your set and make you truly happy with your purchase. Or, better yet, in addition to channel surfing, make your Blu-Ray library a part of your entertainment lineup.

Does it sound like I’m shilling for the Blu-Ray industry? I swear I’m not. Like I said, I don’t even have a Blu-Ray player myself, but I’m going to get one soon, for good reason.

You might have heard that Blu-Ray is already a dying technology. After all, you can watch streaming movies, in HD, from Netflix. You can download HD movies from iTunes or other online services. You can rent movies on your Xbox console. So why on earth should you buy a Blu-Ray player?

Because the technology behind digital media is not there yet. It’s getting close, but there is still a long way to go. First of all, storage has never been cheaper, and storage capacities for digital players is rising exponentially, even as costs are dropping. But there still isn’t enough storage to hold all of your movies.

A downloadable HD movie will take up about 4-5 GB of storage space. But that’s usually a 720p movie. That should look great on your 30-inch desktop monitor, but on your 55-inch HDTV? It won’t deliver the quality you’re aspiring to. Larger movies will consume more space, but many download stores aren’t even offering full, 1080p movies yet. Plus, if you have a more advanced sound system, current downloads won’t take advantage of your system’s capabilities. It isn’t hard to find a solid 7.1-channel surround setup for under $300, so I’d bet these advanced home theater systems are going to become more prevalent in homes. But with current downloadable content, you won’t hear everything to its full potential.

A Blu-Ray movie, which is to say a high-definition, 1080p movie with 5.1-channel (or better) surround sound and all the bells and whistles, takes up between 10GB and 15GB of space, approximately. I have a laptop computer with a 320GB hard disk drive. Many laptops are crammed with 500GB or more, and it isn’t unusual to find a desktop in the 2TB range. So, that should be enough storage space, right?

Not really, especially not if you’re a movie collector. Even if you could download movies at this quality level, you would quickly fill up a hard drive. Throw in the photos, the music, the home movies, the applications and documents that we all keep on our computers, and you aren’t left with enough space to hold more than a handful of high quality films. Want to keep an entire TV series at hand? Think again.

You could always buy an external drive, but those can be a hassle, especially if you want to watch movies while traveling. Portable drives spin at a lower RPM, and they usually aren’t meant to handle the heavy load of constant media streaming. In fact, the biggest problem with all hard disk drives is that they are almost guaranteed to go down at some point. Hard drives are like tires. They wear out over time. If you’ve ever had a drive crash irreparably, and I’m assuming most of you have, you know what I mean. So, are you going to keep a backup of all your saved digital movies? You’ll need another external drive just to make sure your films are safe for as long as you want them. And even then, drives always die, eventually.

Netflix and other streaming services are great, and great value, but even with today’s faster networks, the streaming services are too heavy for the bandwidth load. Some cable and Internet providers are starting to push back, and there’s no telling which way the net neutrality wind will blow. It could shift with every incoming administration. Even at today’s data rates, you can’t be sure you’ll get the best, HD quality content, and even if you do, it won’t live up to the quality of a Blu-Ray disc. It won’t even come close.

I still have the first DVD I ever purchased. It was The Matrix. I watch it from time to time. Sure, physical media can get scratched or cracked, but with just a modicum of care, they can last for decades. My copy of The Matrix has outlasted 4 different hard disk drives. I used to have a backup of the movie on my computer, but the hard drive went down, and when I went to restore the drive from a backup, that backup was corrupted (damn you, Time Machine!). Now I use 3 separate drives to backup my work computer, but I don’t bother keeping my digital media files stored on all three. They would simply take up too much space.

A good Blu-Ray collection can grow to massive levels, and still be enjoyable years down the road. There is also something so much more pleasant about physical media. Would you rather have shelves on a bookcase devoted to Blu-Ray discs, with their cover artwork and glossy cases, or would you rather flip quickly through a list of titles on a machine? Even with all other considerations being equal, which they are not, I would rather be able to stand in front of my titles and have the sensory thrill of pulling each off the shelf, checking out the cover and the details on the back, and replacing it. It’s extra work and some organization, but that’s a trip down memory road. Organization on a computer? A few clicks and a bunch of typing. Blech.

The real reason I’m pushing Blu-Ray so hard is because I worry about the technology. Blu-Ray players are cheap, but they obviously aren’t catching fire like the industry hoped. That’s why so many players are filled to the brim with extra, unnecessary features, especially connected Internet features. Skip those, if you like. The real benefit is in the movies themselves. Blu-Ray players can be found easily for under $100, and Blu-Ray discs cost about the same as early DVD movies. As they become more popular, and as they have more competition in digital HD downloads, those prices could come down.

One strange phenomenon of digital media? Nobody wants to sell it cheap, at least not yet. Books, music, movies, these all cost about the same for digital versions as they do for a real physical copy. The most you’ll pay for a physical copy of Iron Man 2 on Blu-Ray is about $20, for an edition without all the collectible tchotchkes. That’s the same price you’ll pay to download an HD copy from iTunes, except that the Blu-Ray is higher quality picture and sound. Like I said, on your laptop screen, or on your iPad, you won’t notice the difference. But if you care about quality and you own some nice home theater equipment, you’ll see a difference.

I would still hold off on the 3D movie purchases, I think that glasses-free 3D technology is just around the corner, so I wouldn’t spring for the current line of 3D sets just yet. Personally, I’m planning on buying a PlayStation 3. I’ll probably watch more movies on it than I will play games. It’s network connected, and it can receive firmware updates easily, so I think it’s one of the more future-proof players around. Case in point, the PS3 got an update in September to handle 3D Blu-Ray movies, if you decide to spring for a more advanced TV set.

But, by all means, go buy a Blu-Ray player. Remember what it was like when you have a treasure trove of high quality films and TV shows at your disposal. Future proof your collection against dying hard drives, and save some money on cheaper films while you’re at it. Now is the best time to buy, and the future is still a long ways off.

Delu Rebot Restaurant in China Features Robots Serving Food, Greeting Guests

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 10:47 AM PST

For those still waiting to hear about the robot revolution, you’ll have to keep waiting a bit longer. Though, finding out that a restaurant in China is now letting a team of robots not only greet customers, but also serve them food, perhaps that day is right around the corner. A new restaurant, called the Delu Rebot Restaurant opened its doors in Jiang, China, and offers up plenty of robot entertainment for those who want to partake.

The new restaurant has two robots that serve as receptionists. They’ll greet you, but the real fun starts when you find your seat. You’ll notice that the tables are set up in a circular fashion. This makes it easier for the robots to follow that pre-ordained path. And they do it on bicycles, no less. But, these robots will not only take your order, but also serve it to you, too. Drinks included.

In the kitchen, though, there are humans preparing the food. At least for now. The ultimate goal? To have the restaurant staffed by up to 40 robots.

[via DVICE]

Robot-Restaurant Robot Restaurant2 Robot Restaurant3


BamBoo Electric Vehicle is a Grown-Up Golf Cart

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 10:23 AM PST

When it comes to concept cars, Frank M. Rinderknecht is a name that has become synonymous with outrageous and unique designs. With his Rinspeed company behind him, Rinderknecht is able to bring to life some of the craziest ideas when it comes to automobiles, but it looks like next year will be a bit different. He’s taking a more “laid-back” approach with his latest idea, which he is calling the BamBoo, and opting for something a bit more simpler, but still unique in its own right.

The BamBoo electric car is all electric. But, even Rinderknecht believes that it’s not so much a full-fledged car, so much as it is a grown-up golf cart. The design is super-simple, there’s no “extra aesthetics” thrown in. It offers straight forward and clean lines for the design element. The designer believes that it offers up a new way of thinking. A reset button, so to speak.

Rinspeed is set to unveil and show off the BamBoo electric car/golf cart at the Geneva Motor Show in 2011. There, the designers will show off how the implementation of bamboo into the design, along with all of the other eco-friendly features, will make the BamBoo EV a curious thing indeed.

[via TG Daily]

Extreme Design Legacy of the River TRON-Themed Room in Ice Hotel is Awesome [Video]

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 10:00 AM PST

If you’re a TRON fan, then you’ve probably been pretty happy with the TRON-themed accessories that have been released the last few months. You may have even given some serious thought into buying your own light cycle (we can’t blame you). But, if you didn’t want to spend the money to race around your city on one, maybe you’d prefer to stay in a room designed specifically to look like it was removed from the TRON world, and shoved into an ice hotel.

Designed by Ben Rousseau and Ian Douglas–Jones, of the UK-based Extreme Design, the new room is called the Legacy of the River, and it was created to bring the world of TRON to life. Just, in an ice hotel. The new room is part of the Art Suite within the world’s largest ice hotel, which is located in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. The designers used “futuristic” lighting sources, which are aimed to use far less power and energy than traditional lighting, throughout the room, as well as through the furniture itself.

Here’s what Douglas-Jones had to say about the project:

“We are both massive TRON fans, so the timing of the release of Disney's new 3D high-tech adventure, TRON: Legacy, this month was absolutely perfect. The suite itself takes most of it's influence from a nightclub scene in the film involving one of our favorite music artist Daft Punk, who wrote the score for the film.”

Check out the video below to see the room, and some of the set-up process that went into it. And if you’re interested in stopping by, or staying fo awhile, the room will officially open tomorrow.

[via Design Boom]

Tron-hotel Tron hotel2 Tron hotel3 Tron hotel4


Housewives Used to Smuggle iPads and Smartphones Into China

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 09:33 AM PST

With all this talk about the second generation iPad, it could be easy to forget the huge demand that the first iteration still carries. While it’s no surprise that the first tablet from Apple still warrants crazed reactions from people, both for the positive and negative, it’s definitely a shock to see the lengths in which people will go to get one. Especially when there’s profit to be had. And you know it’s a big deal when housewives get involved.

According to a new repot from The Wall Street Journal, housewives are being recruited to smuggle in some of the hottest items for the Chinese grey market. That particular market has seen quite the boost over the last couple of years, and most recently, we saw what happens when the iPhone 4 gets involved. Now, with the iPad, officials in Shenzhen have officially detained 14 housewives trying to smuggle the 3G-equipped version into the country. There have been a total of 88 iPads confiscated in the process.

But the iPad isn’t the only hot ticket for these housewives. Smuggling rings are also wanting smartphones, in which the Shenzhen officials said they’ve nabbed 340 of the devices recently. All told, the total bust from these 14 individuals is somewhere in the ballpark of 950,000 yuan, or about $143,000. How are these women doing this? Well, one of them managed to strap 65 smartphones around her waist, and then had another 20 of the things hidden away in her handbag. How much are these women getting paid to risk this kind of smuggling? $30, or 200 yuan. Worth it?

[via Wall Street Journal; thanks, Scott!]

Andrew Chase Steampunk Mechanical Horse is galloping marvel

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 09:09 AM PST

Steampunk has come to be associated with over-decorated, cog-encrusted Victoriana, but artist Andrew Chase has arguably taken it to its purist roots. His mechanical horse is just that: a beautiful, hand-crafted metal beast complete with piston legs.

Actually building the horse apparently took a lot longer than Chase expected, predominantly because he was striving for some sort of at least vaguely convincing accuracy. “The problem is/was that everyone knows what a horse looks like so I couldn’t cheat (much)” he told bookofjoe, adding “accuracy sucks.”

The 45-55lb beast stands 27-inches high at the shoulder, and is 27-inches long and 8-inches wide. We’re not exactly sure what Chase is going to do with it, though we’re sure it makes an imperious place to sit and watch TV from.

[via bookofjoe]

iPad 2 Case Shows Up on Website, Shows Opening for Camera

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 09:05 AM PST

With all of the rumors going around, it’s about time we start seeing some pictures. Especially if the second generation iPad is really launching in under 100 days. Right on schedule, then, is this new image of a supposed case for the iPad 2. Right off the bat, you’ll notice that hole at the top-left of the case, where many believe the rear-facing camera would go. Just as we’ve seen on the iPhone 4, and latest generation of the iPod Touch.

There’s been a few grumblings that Apple has been kicking around the idea of including not just one, front-facing camera, but also a camera on the back. With other tablet devices including a camera on the back, perhaps Apple believes that it’s just a safe bet to give owners the option. Either way, this supposed crystal case for the second generation iPad obviously shows a spot where the camera would go. Does that mean Apple’s next generation tablet device will have a camera? No. But if you’re hoping it does, you may want to start wishing harder.

The case looks a bit more curved, too. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot more details on the case. Except that Shenzhen MacTop Electronics also says that the case will come in “other colors.” So it looks like the off-white we see here won’t be the only option. Anyone think this is the real deal?

[via MacStories]

Notion Ink Adam pre-orders shipping around January 6 2011

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:44 AM PST

With only hours to go until pre-ordering for Notion Ink’s Adam tablet goes live, the big question has been when customers can expect their Android slate to be delivered. We’ve been talking to CEO Rohan Shravan, who has confirmed that the first batch of pre-ordered Adams will be going out around the same time as CES 2011.

That’s January 6th to 9th 2011, if you don’t have the CES details firmly ingrained on your memory. Not quite the pre-Christmas shipping we were hoping for, but as long as Notion Ink stick to schedule there should be some belated present opening at the start of next year.

The entry-level LCD WiFi Adam is $375.33 (rather than $399) while adding 3G takes it to $425.33. As for the Pixel Qi model, that will start at $499.95 for the WiFi-only version and climb to $549.99 for the 3G version. Two versions of 3G modem will be available – one for the US, the other for Europe/Asia. Full details here.

SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: December 9 2010

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:38 AM PST

Ohmygod! Notion Ink Adam is available for pre-order right this second and it’s cheaper than expected! Then we’ve got some electric butterflies, Dell’s deletion from an Intel Android tablet list, and some Robonaut hands. You can feel free to fix your MacBook Air screen glitch, check out a sassy extended video peek at the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, and read about how Don found 2010 to be the year he forgot about DVDs. THEN get your Google Cr-48 Chrome OS notebook delivered today, check out Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, and win a FREE Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z. Such a bunch o stuff for your salivating talon teeths!

R3 Media Network

SlashPhone
LG LU3000 Heading to South Korea
myTouch 4G Dock Lands In T-Mobile Retail Stores
iPhone 3G Goes Free via Best Buy Mobile On December 10th

Android Community
Madden 2011 Demo Upgrade is $9.99, Coming to the Android Market Q1 2011
HTC Legend Update to Android 2.2 Now Live Across Europe
New "Mute A Twitter User" Feature On Twidroyd Excellent
Galaxy S will get Android 2.3 Gingerbread confirms Samsung India
Amazon offers cloud services integration for Android with new SDK
Gingerbread launcher hits Android Market for Froyo devices
Twidroyd Factory Equals Twitter Goodness for Android
LinguaSys TGPhoto Translation App for Android translates foreign signs for you
Nexus S updates to be OTA not via Samsung Kies
AT&T Dell Streak Froyo update not due until January 12?
Samsung coy on Galaxy S Gingerbread update despite apparent hardware compatibility
Over 300,000 Android devices activated per day confirms Rubin
Seesmic Brings Salesforce Chatter To Android

SlashGear
Notion Ink Adam pre-orders from 1.30pm EST: Price-cuts & more
Samsung India confirms Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread plans
Sony Ericsson pico-projection phone patent app hides its own display screen
Apple Sandy Bridge testing tips huge CPU/GPU refresh
Electric Butterfly in a Jar is not cruel
WikiLeaks Kindle ebook appears on Amazon [ITS ALL PUBLIC]
Jawbone THOUGHTS puts PTT on iPhone
Computer casemod puts gaming rig in a bomb disposal robot
Samsung and Ambarella from ASIC collaboration for hybrid camera SOCs
Intel expecting 35 Atom tablets in 2011; Dell's Intel Android plans quietly deleted
GM touts Robonaut 2′s hands
MacBook Air screen glitch fix released
Sewell unveils cool HDdeck to convert USB to HDMI
Lite-On eNAU608 8x external DVD burner gets interchangeable designs for lid
Lava A10 smarpthone uses IPS touch screen
Halo JC 3 Phono preamp is now shipping
Stem Innovation debuts TimeCommand alarm clock dock for Apple gear
Epson and Thinxtream offer free app for PrintJinni printing from iOS4.2 devices
Sceptre launches a new 37-inch 1080p HDTV
Pioneer Network Vision head-up display for in-car PNDs due 2012 [Video]
Samsung 2.3 Gingerbread update for Galaxy S uncertain despite Nexus S similarities
AMD Radeon HD 6970/6950 due third week of Dec, undercutting GeForce GTX 580?
Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone on sale March 2011 tips insider
BlackBerry PlayBook poses for lengthy video demo
VGA dead by 2015 say Intel, AMD & PC/display makers
iTunes 90-second song previews added to US iTunes store
iPhone gaming evangelist Graeme Devine leaves Apple
Google accuse US Government of Microsoft favoritism
Prima plan release-day digital movies for $500 a pop on $20k system
Android activation rate now over 300,000 per day; blazes past iPhone
2010: The year I forgot about DVDs [COLUMN]
Google Cr-48 Chrome OS notebooks being delivered today
SlashGear Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z Giveaway [FEATURED]
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Unveiled
Lenovo IdeaPad Y460p/Y560p notebooks & IdeaCentre K330 desktop outed

To see more wrap-up posts, follow the following tags: [The Daily Slash] or [SlashGear Morning Wrap-up]

Lenovo IdeaPad Y460p/Y560p notebooks & IdeaCentre K330 desktop outed with Sandy Bridge CPUs

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:25 AM PST

Lenovo has refreshed its Idea line-up of consumer-centric PCs with a pair of new notebooks, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460p and Y560p, and a desktop, the Lenovo IdeaCentre K330. The Y460p and T560p are 14- and 15.5-inches respectively, with Intel’s second-gen Core i7 “Sandy Bridge” processors, up to 750GB HDDs and up to 8GB of RAM; they can also be specified with Lenovo’s RapidDrive, which combines a 32GB SSD with a regular hard-drive to boost system performance.

As for the K330, that has a choice of up to Core i7 CPUs, up to 16GB of DDR3 memory, and twin RAID-0 hard-drives for up to 4TB of storage. There’s also the option to switch out the standard DVD drive for a Blu-ray alternative, and an optional TV tuner.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y460p and Y560p laptops will go on sale come January 11, 2011, priced from $849 and with a choice of metallic grey or white interiors. As for the IdeaCentre K330, that will go on sale early in 2011, priced from $699.

K330_Hero_01_low_res 1103413_Y460p_Hero_06_low_res[1] Y560p_Hero_05 K330_Hero_04 Y460p_Hero_05

Press Release:

Lenovo Takes Multimedia Computing to New Heights with Three New Idea Products: IdeaPad Y460p, Y560p and IdeaCentre K330

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – December 09, 2010: Lenovo (HKSE: 0992) (ADR: LNVGY) today introduced the IdeaPad Y460p, IdeaPad Y560p and IdeaCentre K330, which all sport high-performance processors and are packed with multimedia features. The new PCs are perfect for young adults who seek the ultimate multimedia experience for watching movies, listening to music and playing games.
"Lenovo is continuously expanding its product line to provide consumers with the latest advancements in multimedia and entertainment capabilities," said Dion Weisler, vice president, business operations, Lenovo. "The Y460p, Y560p and K330 all feature speedy performance and advanced processing in a sleek form factor. Immense storage and high-quality graphics make these ideal for those looking for a superior and easy multimedia experience."

IdeaPad Y460p and Y560p – High Performance Entertainment System in a Sleek Design
The powerful and stylish IdeaPad Y460p and IdeaPad Y560p are high-performance notebooks that come packed with top multimedia features, perfect for entertainment seekers, gamers or those consumers who are always creating content to share with friends. Featuring the Second Generation Intel® Core™ Processor family, these 14-inch and 15.6-inch PCs are available with up to Intel® Core™ i7 processors. With up to 750 GB HDD and up to 8GB DDR3 1333 memory, consumers now can store more movies, music and games while enjoying enhanced-application performance. Lenovo's RapidDrive feature combines 32GB SSD and HDD capacity to speed up system performance. The Y460p and Y560p, which come with 16:9 widescreen, also meet Lenovo's Windows 7 Enhanced Experience certification, providing up to 33 percent faster boot up and 50 percent faster shutdown time as well as rich multimedia capabilities and easy system maintenance tools.
Consumers who are looking for the ultimate entertainment setting will be pleased with the spectacular sound quality of the Y460p and Y560p, which is made possible by JBL speakers and Dolby® Home Theater™. The beautifully engineered notebooks come with OneKey™ Theater, allowing users to experience richer images and enhanced sound while watching movies with just the press of a button.
Available with a metal hairline etching exterior and the choice of two interiors, metallic grey and white, the Y460p and Y560p are designed for easy use with a one-handed hinge open feature and user-friendly ports. Other key features include OneKey Rescue and Lenovo's VeriFace™ face recognition.

IdeaCentre K330 – The Power Performance Desktop
The all new IdeaCentre K330 desktop is the ideal PC for consumers who want the most thorough computing experience and desire the very best in aesthetics and high-performance capabilities. Boasting a sleek and powerful design with a metallic and vibrant color scheme, the K330 features up to Intel® Core™ i7 processors with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. This ultimate desktop experience comes with up to 16GB DDR3 memory, increasing user multi-tasking capabilities, twin RAID0-configured hard disk drives1 and up to 4TB HDD storage, providing plenty of space for multimedia.
The K330 desktop is packed with fun-enabling features to maximize time spent gaming, surfing the Web and utilizing all of its multimedia attributes. The Power Control Switch provides easy changing between three convenient power modes for the fan and CPU speed – Turbo Red for high speed and power performance, Auto Blue for regular operation and Cool Green for the silent, energy-saving mode. The entertainment doesn't stop with the K330, thanks to advanced features, including an integrated DVD or Blu-ray Disc™ drive, optional TV Tuner and HD graphics support. With full HD 1920×1080 resolution and DirectX 11 graphics, users can experience vibrant video imaging and high-power gaming effects.
The IdeaCentre K330 also features the Lenovo Dynamic Brightness System2 to adjust screen brightness based on ambient light and the Lenovo Eye Distance System3 to alert users when they are too close to the screen for ultimate eye protection. The OneKey Recovery makes data backup and recovery a simple one-touch task while the tool-free CPU design eliminates the need to use a screwdriver to open the K330 so upgrades and replacements are quick and easy.

Pricing and Availability4
The Lenovo IdeaPad Y460p and Y560p laptops are available beginning January 11, 2011 and will start at $849. The IdeaCentre K330 will be available in early 2011 and will start at $699. All of the devices will be available on Lenovo.com.

For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook.

About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 0992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo's business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com.

1 Optional feature; requires using twin-matching hard drives.
2 Requires Lenovo monitor with webcam.
3 Requires Lenovo webcam. Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.
4 Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Unveiled

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:15 AM PST

Another sequel for the Uncharted series, which has become a pivotal franchise for Sony’s PlayStation 3 home console, was probably a certainty, especially for the millions of players who have sung the games’ praises. That doesn’t mean it it’s still not exciting news to hear about another game coming out. This time around, the title will be Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, and the story will center around Drake and Sully trying to find a lost city on the Arabian peninsula.

The story will also have a main focus on the relationship between Drake and Sully as they try to find that city. The development team at Naughty Dog, the studio behind the Uncharted titles, not only wanted to continue to tell the story of Drake’s adventures, but they were also driven to make an action game set within a sand-covered environment. In the Entertainment Weekly interview, Ann Henig, Creative Director at Naughty Dog, said, “When we first came up with the idea of sand, you see everyone’s eyes light up here and go, ‘Yeah, that’s going to be really hard — let’s do it!’”

Of course, there will be plenty of new features and additions to the new game. While many of the details are still under wraps, it’s been revealed that there will be enhancements to climbing backwards. Plus, there will be more added to the multiplayer side of the title. With the success seen from the original Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, which was followed by the mega-hit Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, there’s no doubt that the third installment will see a successful launch as well.

You’ll have to wait until the Fall of 2011 to get your hands on the newest title, but if you’re aching to see some video footage of the game, you’ll be able to see the first trailer this Saturday, during Spike’s Video Game Awards.

[via Entertainment Weekly]

SlashGear Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z Giveaway

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:06 AM PST

Earlier this year we reviewed Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M90z touchscreen all-in-one PC; now we’re giving you the chance to win one of your own. The 23-inch Full HD desktop supports all of Windows 7′s native multitouch support and would be equally comfortable as a browsing, media or home-office machine; check out how you can win the M90z after the cut, as well as helping a non-profits to win a bumper crop of five M90z’s apiece!

Lenovo has asked for our help – and for the help of the SlashGear readers – to identify non-profit agencies in the US and Canada whom we believe could make good use of the M90z’s abilities. The company has put together three M90z packages, each consisting of five of the ThinkCentres, and are looking for suggestions as to what organization would be worthwhile.

Taking part is very simple: all you need to do is leave a comment on this post telling us which non-profit you think worthy of an M90z package. By making a suggestion, you’ll be entered into the SlashGear giveaway to win a ThinkCentre M90z of your own.

Now, the non-profit should be a worthy medical or educational institution, such as a clinic, hospital, school, community center, adult education facility, or similar, and – like entrants in the giveaway itself – it has to be located in the US or Canada.

Entries will be accepted up until midnight pacific time on December 13 2010, at which point we’ll pick one winner at random to take home an M90z, and put forward your best suggestions as to non-profit groups to Lenovo, where they’ll be considered alongside the ideas from the other sites taking part (there’s a list of them below).

Make sure to read all the rules below, and good luck!

Participating sites also giving away the Lenovo ThickCentre M90z:

Dec 6 – Dec 10: Digital Home Thoughts
Dec 8 – Dec 12: Teach 42
Dec 9 – Dec 13: Slash Gear
Dec 10 – Dec 14: Medgadget
Dec 11 – Dec 15: Absolutely Windows
Dec 12 – Dec 16: Small Business Trends
Dec 13 – Dec 17: Cool Cat Teacher
Dec 14 – Dec 18: Web 2.0 Classroom
Dec 15 – Dec 19: The Healthcare IT Guy
Dec 16 – Dec 20: Gear Live
Dec 17 – Dec 21: Healthcare IT Strategy
Dec 18 – Dec 22: Active Win
Dec 19 – Dec 23: The Healthcare Blog
Dec 20 – Dec 24: Practical Theory

Rules:

Competition is open to residents of the US and Canada over the age of 18.  Family members of Lenovo and SlashGear are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified SlashGear post; entries left in the comments section of any other post will not be recognized. Entries should be submitted before midnight pacific time on December 13th 2010; one entry per person (and yes, we check).

The winners will be announced on SlashGear and contacted via email; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, Lenovo and SlashGear.

Prize consists of one Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z PC. There is no cash alternative. Should this prize become unavailable, SlashGear and Lenovo reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value. If you have already won one of the Lenovo M90z giveaways on another site, you are not eligible to win again on SlashGear. The winner of SlashGear’s giveaway will not be eligible to win a giveaway on another site with a contest closing after ours.

Google Cr-48 Chrome OS notebooks being delivered today

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 07:48 AM PST

Google’s Cr-48 Chrome OS notebooks are already showing up with early registrants to the Chrome OS pilot program. Announced on Tuesday this week, a Cr-48 has arrived on the step of SeatGeek comms director Ben Kessler.

According to Kessler, “the build quality on the Cr-48 is mostly great, all rubberized plastic but the damn battery doesn’t sit flush with the bottom.” Google has purposefully left the 12.1-inch notebook generally unmarked and logo-free, targeting it solely at pilot users while commercial variants from Acer and Samsung are expected in mid-2011.

Previous leaks have suggested that Google ordered around 60,000 Cr-48 notebooks from OEM/ODM Inventec, though the search giant has warned that stocks are limited and not everybody who applies will be successful. The online application process is in part a test to see how web-centric your daily PC activities are, important given the cloud-nature of the Cr-48.

Kessler isn’t the only person to have received a Cr-48, with a quick Twitter search turning up at least two others claiming to have taken delivery today.

[Thanks Tony!]

Notion Ink Adam pre-orders from 1.30pm EST: Price-cuts & more

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 07:05 AM PST

Notion Ink has announced pre-order information for their Adam tablet, with the slate going on sale to existing commenters at 1.30pm EST today and then on general sale at 7.30pm EST. The tablet has also seen some price movement – in the right direction – since we reported the company’s preliminary figures: the entry-level LCD WiFi Adam is $375.33 (rather than $399) while adding 3G takes it to $425.33. Pricing and more details for the other models after the cut.

The transflective Pixel Qi model will start at $499.95 for the WiFi-only version and then $549.99 for the 3G version. Two versions of 3G modem will be available – one for the US, the other for Europe/Asia – supporting different bands, hence taking the total to six SKUs.

Contrary to some guesses – ours included – Adam won’t have an NFC sensor; instead, the company says the “secret” hardware is yet to be unlocked by a future software update. There’s also no active digitizer, but you will be able to hook up Adam to a computer and use it as a touchscreen or a touchscreen-keyboard to control it.

Interestingly, Notion Ink has also done some work to integrate some Android 2.3 functionality only on the 2.2 Froyo OS that the slate will ship with. For instance, there’s VoIP/SIP support and native OpenGL, together with improvements in cut/copy/paste functionality. It’ll also use the 2.6.35 kernel, and come with a few different keyboard layouts – all of which support multitouch – including a split-keyboard for typing while also holding Adam.

Those who have previously registered and commented on the Notion Ink blog will get their pre-order invitations via email; six hours later, general pre-ordering will begin. The company is yet to confirm shipping dates, however; we’re chasing that detail up now, and we’d like to see some live photos too. As soon as we get something, we’ll update and let you know.

Update: We’ve just been updated on shipping estimates.

panelengine weather1 sniffer screenshot-5554_calbg rohan panel-system-when-application-has-no-panel musicplaylistsedit musicnewpanel ebookbg_landscapefinal notion_ink_adam_preorder alphabets accountwithallpanels


Samsung India confirms Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread plans

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 06:47 AM PST

Having prompted consternation among Galaxy S owners earlier with its UK division’s reluctance to confirm an Android 2.3 Gingerbread update would be released for the Super AMOLED smartphone, Samsung has changed tune. The Samsung India Twitter account is busy reassuring concerned Galaxy S owners that the handset will indeed be getting Gingerbread, though right now there’s no timeline for the update’s release.

That timeline is what will be worrying most Galaxy S owners, considering the delays involved in Samsung getting Android 2.2 Froyo out of the door. Still, given the Nexus S is practically identical in terms of core hardware, it would’ve been strange for Samsung to claim the Galaxy S couldn’t manage Gingerbread where the new Google phone can.

[via Android Community]

Sony Ericsson pico-projection phone patent app hides its own display screen

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 06:35 AM PST

A new Sony Ericsson patent application suggests the company is looking at the feasibility of a smartphone or MID-style device with not only an integrated pico-projector, but the screen onto which it displays as well. The submission, titled “Mobile Communication Device with Built-In Projecting Screen“, describes a mobile device with a regularly-sized screen together with a pull-out projection screen onto which the pico would create a larger picture.

Since the pull-out panel would be a mere board, rather than requiring any sort of electronics, it could be much thinner and lighter than fitting a larger active panel of some sort. Alternatively, it could be a rolled-display, pulling out like a miniature version of a regular projector screen, or folded.

The application even suggests that the screen material could have dual-states, being flexible for storage and then hard when used for projection purposes; it’s not entirely clear what technology Sony Ericsson has in mind for that. Of course, it doesn’t mean we can expect projection-phones from Sony Ericsson any time soon, but it would certainly make mobile movie consumption a little more palatable.

[via Unwired View]

Apple Sandy Bridge testing tips huge CPU/GPU refresh

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 06:03 AM PST

Apple’s future processor and GPU plans are the subject of numerous leaks today, with sources revealing that the company has been testing Intel Sandy Bridge Core iX chips for several months now, ahead of including them in future MacBook Pro and Mac Pro models, among others. Meanwhile, the company is also tipped to be considering solely using Sandy Bridge integrated graphics in its entry-level notebooks and ultraportables, while higher-end machines would switch from NVIDIA chips to AMD’s Radeon range.

According to Electronista‘s sources, Apple has been testing 2.5GHz through to 2.7GHz Core i5 and i7 mobile processors for its MacBook and MacBook Pro lines, together with dual 2.5GHz Core i3 chips all the way up to quad-core, 3.4GHz Core i7 chips for its desktop iMac and Mac Pro machines. Sandy Bridge is expected to make its official debut at CES 2011 in January, with the long period of testing leading to speculation that Apple will release updated machines sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, CNET‘s sources suggest that the Sandy Bridge GPU will be the sole graphics chip on 13-inch and smaller notebooks from Apple, while higher-end notebooks will look to AMD’s Radeon line-up. The benefits of Sandy Bridge include a smaller overall CPU/GPU package, since the graphics chip is integrated into the processor itself. It would also allow Apple to bypass ongoing legal issues between Intel and NVIDIA which have constrained its choice of GPU/CPU pairings.

Electric Butterfly in a Jar is not cruel

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 05:43 AM PST

My daughter is too young to understand that things die. She is always catching some sort of frog or lizard and then putting it in a box to keep “forever” without realizing that the things have to eat. I end up having to sneak out and let the captive escape after she goes to sleep.

If you like to look at bugs or have kids that like to look at things like that ThinkGeek has a new toy that might be perfect for them. The toy is called the Electronic Butterfly in a Jar and it looks very realistic. The butterfly is offered in pink morpho, blue morpho, monarch, and yellow swallowtail varieties.

The only downside is that right now they are all backordered for 1-3 weeks except for the pink morpho. The jar looks real and the butterfly has a thin, clear wire that gives it the juice it needs to flutter around the jar. It looks very realistic and you can only see the wire close-up. This will fool many folks so be ready to have tree hugger types call you mean and have to explain. The strange toy costs $19.99.

electricbutterfly-1 electricbutterfly-2


WikiLeaks Kindle ebook appears on Amazon

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 05:42 AM PST

No small amount of irony today, as a Kindle version of the full WikiLeaks cables turns up on Amazon. The site content itself was yanked from the online retailer’s hosting arm last week, over allegations that the leaked cables contravene the AWS terms of service; however, as reviewers have been quick to flag up, that doesn’t stop Amazon making some money on sales of the ebook.

Ebook “author” Heinz Duthel is a prolific submitter of texts to Amazon’s Kindle store, with around three hundred titles currently coming up on an ebook search. It’s unclear how long Amazon will allow the text to remain on sale, though the retailer will likely face criticism whether it removes the WikiLeaks ebook or not.

[via Twitter]

Jawbone THOUGHTS puts PTT on iPhone

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 05:31 AM PST

Jawbone has outed a new iPhone app for use with its ICON Bluetooth headset, which allows for one-minute audio messages – complete with optional voice-to-text transcription – to be sent from the Apple smartphone. Jawbone THOUGHTS is a free download from the App Store, and in fact you don’t need to have an ICON in order to use it; instead, you can record messages using the iPhone’s own microphone.

If recipients have the app themselves, then the THOUGHTS message pops up in there; if not – say, if they’re not using an iOS device – then they get a link to it via text or email. You can send messages to one or multiple recipients, a little like group PTT.

Video demo after the cut

While the app itself is free, transcription is not; you get ten voice-to-text transcriptions bundled with THOUGHTS, but if you want any more after that then you’ll have to make an in-app purchase. Maybe not a reason to buy an ICON, but if you’ve already got one then it could be handy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Press Release:

Jawbone THOUGHTS Combines the Power of Voice with the Efficiency of Text

Jawbone's New iPhone App Lets Users Send Voice Messages Instantly Without Calling

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Dec. 9 – Jawbone, the leader in personal mobile technology, today unveiled Jawbone THOUGHTS, an iPhone application that allows users to easily send quick voice messages to individuals and groups, without typing or calling. The application combines the speed of texting, the group collaboration of email, and the emotional quality of voice all in one. Available as a free download in the Apple App store, THOUGHTS is the latest innovation from Jawbone.

"We live in a world that is 100% mobile, 100% connected and unfortunately 150% distracted. Reading and typing doesn't work when you need your hands and eyes to navigate the physical world. While there has been a tremendous amount of innovation in text based messaging, all of it lacks the richness of voice," explains Travis Bogard, Vice President of Product Management and Strategy at Jawbone. "THOUGHTS is our solution to these realities by integrating all the things we love from text-based communications with the power of voice. We think it's a really powerful way to share ideas quickly."

With Jawbone THOUGHTS, users can send a "Thought," which is a voice message up to one minute in length, by simply selecting a contact or group, speaking into an iPhone or Jawbone ICON headset, and tapping POST – no more stopping whatever you’re doing, no more typing long messages on cramped keyboards. And because Jawbone THOUGHTS sends messages in the user’s own voice, there’s no need to re-explain or run the risk of a message being misconstrued.

Sometimes messages are better spoken than written. THOUGHTS reintroduces emotion and personality into mobile communication. Users can sing a birthday song, congratulate a colleague, joke around with friends, coordinate a dinner, or share big news with all the people they care about, such as "We’re having a baby!" Nothing conveys information more personally and sincerely than the human voice.

Jawbone THOUGHTS is the ultimate collaboration tool that allows a user to send a message to anyone in their phone's address book. Contacts with the THOUGHTS app will receive the message in THOUGHTS and recipients without the application will receive a link to the audio message via text or email. The asynchronous design of the application allows the sender to share a Thought at the time of the idea and the recipient to listen and reply when convenient for them. THOUGHTS' interactive interface allows users to hold multiple discussions at once – automatically organizing conversations as users reply and allowing recipients to quickly and easily see who said what and when. Additionally, for situations when a user may prefer to read a message (in a restaurant or meeting), THOUGHTS can transcribe the audio message instantly into text.

Jawbone THOUGHTS is free to install and available online at the Apple iPhone® App store and at mytalk.jawbone.com. To learn more about Jawbone THOUGHTS, go to Jawbone.com/thoughts.

Computer casemod puts gaming rig in a bomb disposal robot

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 05:15 AM PST

Geeks and their gaming computers are a one of those combinations that can result in some strange and wonderful mashups. Take this case mod for instance, a geek took his liquid cooled gaming rig and wrapped the machine into a remote controlled beast that looks like some sort of military bomb disposal robot to me.

Grafted on the remote control chassis are a plastic gun for fragging dust bunnies and robotic arm for holding your headphones. The robot case is on a platform that uses rubber belts of some sort for motivation tank style.

The case at the heart of the design is a Thermaltake Level 10. The machine is dubbed the Rog-R and was designed by Stephen LeatherFace Popa. The thing is really cool, even if it’s massive. I wonder if it has enough power to tow a game geek in his rolling office chair to and from the bathroom.

robopc-1 robopc-2

Via TechEBlog

Samsung and Ambarella from ASIC collaboration for hybrid camera SOCs

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 05:01 AM PST

Samsung and Ambarella have announced that they have formed a collaboration that will have the two firms developing camera SOCs for smartphones and other devices that offer lots of features and resolution. The new SOC is called the Ambarella A7 hybrid Soc and it uses Samsung’s 45nm low power process technology.

The resulting SOC is made on the Samsung’s S Line Fab for Ambarella and uses Samsung verified IPs like the ARM1136 and embedded SDRAM blocks. Ambarella also used the Samsung turn-key manufacturing, test, and packaging service to reduce development and production time.

The hybrid SOC is capable of full 1080p60 or 4Mp30 H.264 resolution video recording. Those are the highest resolutions available for consumer cameras right now. The Soc can capture 500Mpixels/second for smooth slow-motion playback. The camera SOC also supports HDR and high-ISO speed. Products that will use the new SOC have not been announced at this time.

Intel expecting 35 Atom tablets in 2011; Dell’s Intel Android plans quietly deleted

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 04:52 AM PST

Intel has announced manufacturer partners intending to produce 35 Atom-based tablets in 2011, with systems running Windows, Android and MeeGo all on the cards. CEO Paul Otellini confirmed the news at a tech conference this week, describing the two versions of Atom – Oak Trail and Moorestown – as targeted at Windows and Android/MeeGo tablets respectively. However, Intel has also been modifying its slide-deck since the presentation, removing mention of Dell from the Android-on-Atom column.

Dell is still name-checked as planning a Windows-based Atom tablet, along with Toshiba, Lenovo, Fujitsu, ASUS, Motion and others, but the Android partners are down to Cisco, ASUS, OpenPeak, AT&T, Lenovo and Avaya. Meanwhile MeeGo partners include Acer, WeTab and others.

Meanwhile Medfield – Intel’s second-gen Atom smartphone chip – has seemingly been pushed a little further back again. According to Otellini, the chip is “in customer sampling…for shipment [in phones] in 2011 and 2012. You will see smartphones from premier-branded vendors in the marketplace in [the second quarter of] 2011 with Intel silicon inside them.”

[via CNET and via Carrypad]

GM touts Robonaut 2′s hands

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 04:33 AM PST

A space shuttle missions headed to the ISS soon will have a robotic passenger onboard called Robonaut 2 or R2 for short. R2 is a humanoid robot that is designed to allow NASA to study the interaction between humans and robots. The thought is that R2 might be able to be used by astronauts to perform tasks that might be hazardous for humans in the future.

The benefit for GM was the development of the sensor systems used by the robot that can be applied to things here at home like better sensors for vehicles and other tasks. GM reports that R2 is having great success in its mission on the ISS. R2 is able to use all the tools and equipment on the space station that were designed for humans to use because the hands on R2 are very much like human hands.

R2′s hands have a similar range of motion as human hands and are able to apply precise position and force controls. One big difference between the hands on R2 and the hands on other robots is that the thumb and fingers on R2 are slim and use tendons that connect the skeletal joints to sensors and actuators in the palm.


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