What's new on SlashGear.com |
- HEX Releases Watch Band for iPod Nano Gen 6
- Real Life Frogger Goes Ever So Slightly Bad
- Verizon Demoing Home Monitoring and Control System at CES
- Sony Sues LG for Mysterious Reasons
- Archos 28 and 32 PMPs Available Now
- Archos 70 Internet Tablet Available Now, First Android Tablet with 250GB HDD
- Windows Phone 7 DRM for Apps Cracked with Proof of Concept Program [Video]
- Technology Predictions for 2011
- Apple’s iTunes Rental Service is Roughly One Tenth the Size of Netflix, Analyst Says
- Origin PC Set to Show off Hybrid Liquid-Cooled Xbox 360 Gaming Computer at CES 2011
- Micro-USB Formally Chosen as Cellphone Charger Standard by European Standardization Bodies
- Man Punches 15-Year-Old in the Arm for Not Turning Off iPhone on Flight
- What I Learned From a Year in 3D
- Intel 310 Series SSDs Weighs the Same as Two Nickels, Doesn’t Slack on Features
- iPad Magazine Sales Started Off Well, Now Declining
- LUMI Mask Will Wake You Up Gently if Enough Money is Raised
- iPad 2 Case Mold Drawings Show Tapered Edges and Contoured Back
- Skype Continues to Hint at Video Calling on the Move
- SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: December 29 2010
- Nintendo 3DS Might Ruin Kid’s Eyeballs, if They’re Six Years Old or Younger
- 2011: The Year of Pentaband?
- Palm hiring spree highlights push for developers & new form-factors
- Vodafone Huawei EC W820 video call home tablet hits FCC
- Olympus XZ-1, Sony 1080p60 super-autofocus and Panasonic S-Series tipped for CES 2011 compact avalanche
- ELP energy-monitoring system allows remote appliance control [Video]
- Skype blames Windows app bug for supernode outage
- Thermaltake unveils Max 5G external HDD enclosure
- First Intel Sandy Bridge notebook is from Santech
- Livio Radio system brings internet radio into the car
- Ford MyKey feature upgraded to block explicit satellite radio content
| HEX Releases Watch Band for iPod Nano Gen 6 Posted: 29 Dec 2010 02:23 PM PST Ohh! Pretty Colors! Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be any more iterations of the idea that the iPod Nano acting as a watch face, here comes along HEX with a super awesome (and super inexpensive!) version in not one, not two, but NINE different colors. This band has a “Pop-in, Pop-out” design that lets you toss your iPod Nano in and out of it with what we can only assume is ease, and majority of the watch being made of premium silicone. There’s integrated control buttons and a fancy pattern around the edge so you’ll be sporty and fully functional.
This HEX Watch Band costs a total of $29.95 if you shop at shophex.com – there’s an instructional video if you’re still not impressed. Oh and did I mention that the inline orientation of the band makes for a discreet up-the-arm orientation for your headphone cords? Right through your sleeve. Check out the full press release below:
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| Real Life Frogger Goes Ever So Slightly Bad Posted: 29 Dec 2010 02:14 PM PST If you know anything about the history of video games, you know about one of the most maddeningly addictive action puzzle games of all time: Frogger. What you might not know is that this sort of game has been played by real people more than once – most recently just a couple of days ago in South Carolina by a man and his friends. He didn’t exactly get crunched, but he didn’t really make it all the way across, either, getting hit by a Lexus SUV on his way across. This should remind you of two relatively famous reenactments of similar nature: Seinfeld and the Prodigy. Their respective games (or terrible lapses in judgement) went way better (or funnier, at least.)
This man and his friends, according to Clemson police chief Jimmy Dixon, were “intrigued” by the idea that they might act out the game Frogger in real life. When his friend shouted “Go!” this man started his way across several lanes of traffic – getting quickly hit, but not killed. WYFF 4 local news reports the man to be in stable condition. Now lets talk about the better situations. First of two is Seinfeld, in an episode where they’ve got an arcade cabinet containing the Frogger game that George would like to get across the street to a power outlet to try out. He decides for the most hilarious approach and dodges traffic: The more hardcore of these two involves lots of voodoo magic. This is a music video of the Pendulum remix of the classic Prodigy song “Voodoo People” and features a ritualistic running of blindfolded people through a series of obstacles, including traffic. Make sure your sound is down to a reasonable level for this one: Don’t try this at home! [Via Daily Tech]
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| Verizon Demoing Home Monitoring and Control System at CES Posted: 29 Dec 2010 01:50 PM PST Jarvis, a cup of tea please? Certainly sir. Verizon will be dipping their fingers in the home automation cup, demoing a brand new Home Monitoring and Control System next week at CES. This system will be totally sweet, just like in the movies, allowing users to view security cameras, lock doors, and control lights, thermostats, and appliances via their FiOS TV boxes or their smartphones. This sort of thing isn’t brand new, but when you take something that works and add a big name brand behind it, well, great things happen (at least for profits.)
This system will be integrated into model homes next month in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, each of them having an energy reader, smart appliance switches and thermostats, power strips, motion sensors, indoor pan-and-tilt cameras, door and window locks, and more – Verizon promises MORE in the future. This system will use Z-Wave wireless control units along with Wifi security cameras just like that movie Safe Room, so you know it’ll be totally safe and scary.
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| Sony Sues LG for Mysterious Reasons Posted: 29 Dec 2010 01:12 PM PST A mystery to anyone other than Sony and LG, anyway. While the lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, it seems that the majority of pertinent details aren’t being outlined quite yet. It is known that Sony is specifically targeting LG Electronics Mobilecomm USA inc., as well as LG Electronics USA Inc. The lawsuit could touch on many things, but considering LG Electronics Mobilecomm’s marketing for cellphones, accessories, and 3G notebooks, we can imagine that it has something to do with that, in one fashion or another.
It also seems that the lawsuit has nothing to do with an actual patent infringement, which is pretty common practice amongst the large tech companies out there. The lawsuit itself was filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California. As of right now, that seems to be about everything we know, regarding Sony’s lawsuit against LG. As soon as more is known, we’ll update accordingly. [via TechCrunch]
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| Archos 28 and 32 PMPs Available Now Posted: 29 Dec 2010 12:57 PM PST Archos is on a roll today. After officially announcing, and making available for purchase the Archos 70 Internet tablet, the company has also released a pair of Personal Media Players. Smaller form factors, but with the Android Operating System (OS) tucked away inside, making the devices more than just your average MP3 or MP4 player. You’ll get to connect to friends, and play games, all on a small “tablet” device.
The press release, which you can read below, is actually pretty devoid of any actual real information regarding the devices themselves. However, their product page, which is where you’ll want to go if you want to purchase one of these little guys for yourself, tells us that the Archos 28 features a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display, while the Archos 32 has a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen. The site also says that both of the PMPs will have Android 2.2 under the hood, ready to go. Space wise, the Archos 28 will have either a 4GB or 8GB option, while the Archos 32 will have 8GB of memory. Both PMPs feature integrated WiFi, making sure that you’re able to connect to the Internet while you’re out and about, as long as you can find a hotspot. You’ll be able to play “3D games,” as well as make full use of applications. There’s also a video camera on the Archos 32, but not the 28. The Archos 28 will set you back $99.99, for the 4GB model, while the 32 costs $149.99 Press Release
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| Archos 70 Internet Tablet Available Now, First Android Tablet with 250GB HDD Posted: 29 Dec 2010 12:41 PM PST Archos has just pulled the official curtain off the company’s latest Android-based Internet tablet. The Archos 70 Internet tablet may just look like another tablet on the outside, especially when compared to previously released Archos-branded Android-based tablet devices, but this one’s special. Why? Because this one’s the first Android tablet to feature a 250GB hard drive under the hood.
The tablet features the same amenities we’ve come to expect. The device features integrated WiFi, and the tablet is made of a unique over-molded PVD stainless steel structured slim design. The display features a capacitive touchscreen (thankfully), and there’s a 1GHz processor controlling the show. There’s an HDMI out port, making sure you’ll be able to connect your tablet to an external display, if you want. You won’t find Android 2.3, though, as the device is available with Android 2.2. The press release doesn’t make a mention of upgrade plans, either. The tablet is available right now from Archos.com. It has a price tag that will set you back $349.99. Check out the full press release below for more information. Press Release
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| Windows Phone 7 DRM for Apps Cracked with Proof of Concept Program [Video] Posted: 29 Dec 2010 12:12 PM PST Security is an important aspect of anything that gets used by anyone, at any given moment around the world. For developers of applications that get purchased through a digital storefront, like Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, making sure that it’s not easy, next to impossible in fact, to steal apps and put them on a device free-of-charge is just as important. But, as WPCentral reports, it looks like the Digital Rights Management (DRM) security tools set in place by Microsoft have been cracked.
Fortunately, though, the program that is being used to do so is not known to the general public. In point of fact, the “white hat” developer that created it is just showing it as a proof of concept. If the program were to make it out into the world, then it would be possible for some people out there to strip the DRM from applications available in the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, and then download them for free. As of the time of this writing, Microsoft hasn’t made an official comment regarding the security hole. WPCentral has been in contact with Brandon Watson from Microsoft, but so far they have not heard back from him. The video demonstrating the proof of concept program making short work of DRM for the Windows Phone 7 applications can be viewed below. [via WPCentral]
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| Technology Predictions for 2011 Posted: 29 Dec 2010 12:03 PM PST Since we are about to bring 2010 to a close I thought it would be fun to make some predictions about the technology industry for the upcoming year. Some of these predictions will be more educated and some may be bold but I'll provide ample reasoning for all of them.
Smartphones / Super-phones will outsell notebooks and desktops Apple will become the most valuable company on the planet Tablet sales will be in the 50 millions The rise of the personal cloud Verizon will remain the dominant US carrier We will sell more PCs than ever before Do you have predictions for 2011? I’d love to hear them, share them below.
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| Apple’s iTunes Rental Service is Roughly One Tenth the Size of Netflix, Analyst Says Posted: 29 Dec 2010 11:46 AM PST Brian Marshall, an analyst with Gleacher & Company, has come forward and put his two cents in as to how he believes Apple’s iTunes rental services compare to that of Netflix. Or, perhaps how they don’t compare. He published his note on Wednesday, pointing out sheer numbers in his comparison between the two services. Considering how popular Netflix is, and the fact that the company is now eyeing the possibility of an international roll-out of its services, perhaps the results aren’t too shocking.
Marshall says that, according to his research, Netflix serves up about 5 million downloads every day in rental form, while Apple is looking at 475,000 rentals through iTunes every day. Marshall notes that he believes that almost 90% of rentals through iTunes are of the .99 cent variety. While the rentals, which average about $2.99, make up about 75 percent of movie viewing. Marshall also points out the pair of companies revenue based on the rental services. Netflix reported $553 million in revenue for the third quarter of 2010, while Apple rentals are estimated at $60 million per quarter. [via BGR]
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| Origin PC Set to Show off Hybrid Liquid-Cooled Xbox 360 Gaming Computer at CES 2011 Posted: 29 Dec 2010 11:18 AM PST For companies at the Consumer Electronics Show, showing off your latest, greatest, and flashiest gadgets is a sure-fire way to make sure that people notice you at one of the largest tech-based events of the year. For Origin PC, they’re planning on showing off one of the craziest hybrid gaming PCs ever, making sure that they get noticed, and memorized, at CES in 2011. While it may look like a normal, albeit bigger than usual gaming rig, there’s something extra thrown in for good measure: a liquid-cooled new Slim Xbox 360.
This new gaming rig from Origin PC not only has a high-end gaming set up inside the case, but one of the brand new slimmed-down Xbox 360s. Microsoft’s video game console is liquid-cooled, making sure that it can stand-up to the heat, and extra-long hours of playtime, while in use. The base set-up for the powerful piece of equipment has an Intel Core i7 930 processor, which has been overclocked to 4.9GHz. You’ll find dual NVIDIA GTX480 graphics cards inside, along with 6GB of Corsair Dominator memory, clocked at 1,600MHz. The whole set-up is water-cooled. As for a price? Origin PC says that the base model will go for around $7,669. But if you’ve got even more money to toss around for something like this, you could always go for the “high-end” version, which Origin says will set you back $16,669. [via Kotaku]
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| Micro-USB Formally Chosen as Cellphone Charger Standard by European Standardization Bodies Posted: 29 Dec 2010 10:54 AM PST At the end of June, in 2009, the European Commission started a movement to make micro-USB the standardized charging port for cellphones. It was subsequently backed by roughly 90% of the cellphone market holders, with Apple, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and Samsung (among others) all agreeing to the standardization. As any major decision usually does, even if it’s obvious it should be in place, it’s taken the EC plenty of time to make a decision, and now thanks to the two vital bodies within the European Standardization Bodies, it’s finally been passed.
In a press release that’s not very lengthy, but certainly very wordy, the EC and European Standardization Bodies have agreed that the micro-USB charging port should be the standard amongst all cellphones. Both ETSI and CEN-CENELEC have published the harmonized standards needed for the manufacture of data-enabled mobile phones compatible with a new common charger. But, it’s still up the manufacturers out there to make sure that micro-USB ports are installed in their phones. According to the European Commission, the first of these standardized cellphones will be released in early 2011, and they expect the charging port to be “predominant” by the end of 2012. You can check out the press release below. Press Release
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| Man Punches 15-Year-Old in the Arm for Not Turning Off iPhone on Flight Posted: 29 Dec 2010 10:29 AM PST Traveling can be a hectic experience for some people. Especially when you’re not in control of those around you, and you have to deal with a bunch of strangers. Crying babies, obnoxious people who don’t know how to share an armrest. So many possibilities that it’s almost a wonder that anyone chooses to travel at all. But, we can’t help but think that a kid, who happens to be playing games on his iPhone while listening to music (with headphones in), is worthy of actually getting angry over. Not to the point of punching him, anyway.
Michael Calcagno, reporting for KBOI-TV, says that a man named Russel Miller grew angry at a 15-year-old boy that was playing with his iPhone. The 15-year-old was wearing headphones at the time, and must not have heard the flight attendants call out that the Southwest flight, heading from Las Vegas, was on their final approach and all powered devices needed to be turned off. When the kid didn’t respond, or turn off his iPhone, Miller grew angry, and confronted him. While the details what words were exchanged are absent, it appears that it boiled down to Miller punching the 15-year-old in the arm. Flight attendants, and other passengers, confirmed the action, and it even left a mark on the boy’s arm. The pilot was forced to call for local and airport police to wait at the gate. When they landed, Calcagno reports that Miller was taken into custody, and was subsequently charged with one count of misdemeanor battery. He was booked at the Ada County Jail in Idaho. Anyone think Miller was worried that the plane would crash if the iPhone wasn’t turned off? [via MacDailyNews]
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| What I Learned From a Year in 3D Posted: 29 Dec 2010 10:10 AM PST As SlashGear’s self-appointed movie reviewer, I’ve seen about a half dozen 3D movies this year on behalf of the site, and another half dozen on my own recognizance. After Avatar, it was clear that 3D was more than just a fad, that the new technology was a potential cash cow and definitely here to stay. But has it finally become mainstream? Is this really the year that 3D finally took off, or was the glut of 3D movies just another flash in the pan? After enjoying some of the best – and suffering the worst – that 3D has to offer, here’s what I’ve learned this past year.
[Image credit: Matt Neale] The Obvious Lessons I’m just going to lump these obvious lessons into one group so I can get onto the more interesting ideas. Yes, 3D movies mostly suck. 3D adds little value to even a good movie, and completely decimates the worst of the bunch. For every Avatar and Tron: Legacy, there is a Clash of the Titans and Alice in Wonderland, or worse. Remember Piranha 3D? I didn’t until I started researching for this column and going back through my old reviews. The worst 3D movies have been converted to 3D after the fact. Actually, these were all so very bad that they should really be legally required to market themselves differently. Perhaps as 2.5D movies, or Diorama movies, since they more closely resemble a strange mix of two-dimensional figures placed at depth in a 3D space than anything you’ll experience in real life. The other problem with 3D movies is the ticket price. At my local theater, a Cinemark branch, they usually hit you twice with a 3D tariff. First, you get the 3D surcharge, which is an extra $2 or so, depending on where you see the movie and at what time. But most big 3D movies are also IMAX features (XD at Cinemark), and so you’re paying an extra $2 or more for that privilege. Don’t get me started on why the current incarnation of IMAX is a huge rip-off (and destroying the once fabled IMAX brand). Needless to say, you’ll pay an extra $4 or more to see Jackass 3D on opening weekend. The best 3D doesn’t poke you in the eye The best 3D scene I saw in any movie this year was, surprisingly enough, in the movie Step Up 3D. It was not your quintessential horror or sci-fi 3D movie, but rather a dance film. It was awful. The acting was atrocious. The dancing was exciting at best, frenetic and poorly filmed at worst. It was a great concept, I’ll give it that. A dance movie makes for a fun and unique 3D experience, for sure. But it wasn’t a good movie, 3D or not. However, there was one scene that caught my eyes. It was a simple rooftop shot of New York City, laid out like a panoramic landscape. Seeing the huge city in three dimensions in the theater gave it a depth I had never experienced before in a movie. It added real distance to the buildings. A very real sense that the characters were just small pieces in a much larger cityscape. New York, in movies, often feels like a painting of famous landmarks and buildings. In that one scene in Step Up 3D, the director managed to place the audience in the middle of a breathing metropolis in a way that was fresh and fascinating. The worst 3D movie effects try to throw something off the screen into your face. The best 3D effects try to immerse you in a world with depth and substance. While this may seem more obvious in the 3D fantasy worlds of Tron: Legacy and Avatar, it works equally well in a huge, establishing shots in real world cities. I would like to see this used more. It seems 3D is most successful when it’s the least self-aware. This was not the year of 3D Not even close. I’ve seen plenty of year-end wrap-up stories claiming that, with the plethora of 3D garbage hitting the screen this year, the technology and effects had finally come of age. This is nonsense. The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind were two notable milestones in the use of color in major motion picture releases, but even those movies came decades after the first color movie was released. Still, even after the watershed year of 1939, when both of those movies were released, color was not even close to becoming mainstream. By the mid-1950s, color movies still made up about half of major motion picture releases. Sure, if half of all movies today were released in 3D, we would say the technology had finally hit the mainstream, but I think there are better ways of judging the acceptance of 3D. Could a 3D movie win an Academy Award? Avatar was nominated (and robbed, I believe), but it did not win. But being the Best Picture of the year isn’t the appropriate milestone, either. Tipping the scales I want to see movies where 3D is simply one aspect of the artistic nature of the cinematographer’s device. I want the 3D to be an afterthought, not a key selling point. I’m sure theaters will still try to charge more for tickets, but I would like to see a movie released that was filmed in 3D as a nod to the future of filmmaking, and not as a new-fangled immersive trick to be played on our eyes. I want to see a sports movie in 3D. A boxing movie, or a baseball movie. I want to see a thriller in 3D. Not a horror movie, a bank heist. I want to see a romance in 3D. A movie where characters walk the streets of New York or Los Angeles or Seattle and kvetch and moan about how two people can’t possibly get together in this big world in which we live. Then, show me that big world sprawling before me in three dimensions. That’s when I’ll finally say that it’s the year of 3D. I would like to see serious directors embrace 3D not with projects that are built around the immersive effect, but which use 3D as simply another way to set the scene. Most of all, I’d like to see a movie released that doesn’t advertise its 3D nature in huge letters on the marquee. As long as 3D movies have to call attention to the 3D effects, and as long as moviegoers have to steel themselves to unwrap those cheap 3D glasses and endure the occasional stereoscopic headache, 3D has not come of age.
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| Intel 310 Series SSDs Weighs the Same as Two Nickels, Doesn’t Slack on Features Posted: 29 Dec 2010 10:06 AM PST As our favorite things in tech get smaller, it’s hard to imagine that they still pack the same features, if not more, than the bigger versions in the past. But, it keeps happening over and over again, and now we see the same thing coming from Intel yet again. They’ve just announced their brand new 310 Series of Solid State Drives (SSDs), and they’re happy to show off the ridiculously small size. Best of all, though, is that the company managed to pack in all of the same features and power of the x25-class of SSDs that these are meant to replace.
As Intel puts it, the new 310 Series of SSDs are able to deliver Intel x25-based performance, all in a package that comes in at one eighth the size of its predecessor. The ultra-compact design makes it possible for the SSD to have accelerated performance with higher-capacity hard drives in dual-drive notebooks. And Intel is quick to point out that the new SSDs are perfect for tablets, as well as military-grade or low-power, rugged, embedded apps. Not surprisingly, Intel is already showcasing the SSDs to potential buyers, pricing the 40GB model at $99, and $179 for the 80GB version. Check out the full press release below for more information. And check out the video below to see what Lenovo thinks of the new 310 Series. Press Release
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| iPad Magazine Sales Started Off Well, Now Declining Posted: 29 Dec 2010 09:39 AM PST When the iPad launched, Apple’s tablet device, there was a lot of hype going around that the device would be the end-all of physical media as we knew it. Many were even saying that, for magazines to survive into the future, it would depend solely on the strength of the iPad’s shoulders. Some periodicals debut on the device were indeed impressive. Wired saw over 100,000 downloads of its first-ever iPad edition back in June. But, it doesn’t look like the trend has picked up, and some may even start saying that the longevity of the magazine has absolutely nothing to do with the iPad.
According to a new report from the Audit Bureau of Circulation, which watches over the circulation data of magazines from companies that are willing to release the numbers, all of them that have editions for the iPad have seen significant drop-offs in sales over the last few months. Wired, for example, was managing to pull down 31,000 downloads on average between July and September, but dropped to 22,000 in October. It did see a rise to 23,000 in November, though. Other periodicals saw drops, too, such as Men’s Health, which saw 2,800 downloads per month in the Spring, but saw only 2,000 downloads per month in September and October. Vanity Fair slipped to only 8,700 downloads in November, versus the higher 10,500 downloads between August and October. Apparently, publishers are hoping that numbers pick back up with the holiday ramp up in hardware sales, but due to the lack of subscription support within the App Store, the outlook doesn’t seem to be that good. [via Electronista]
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| LUMI Mask Will Wake You Up Gently if Enough Money is Raised Posted: 29 Dec 2010 09:17 AM PST Kickstarter has seen a lot of cool gadgets recently, all finding their way onto the site to help get money raised for the designer’s (hopefully) great idea. iPod Nano watches, and then edible Jelloware cups. All of which have spent their time on Kickstarter, trying to find “backers” to invest in the idea, and bring it to life. For designer Taylor Franklin Hide, his idea is a mask that not only helps you sleep by blocking out everything in sight, but will also wake you up when the time is right.
It’s pretty straightforward. Before you go to sleep, you simply dial in the time you need to wake up right into the LUMI, and then you put it over your eyes. 30 minutes before your scheduled wake up time, a soft light will turn on within the mask. As it grows closer to your time to wake up, the light will brighten. The idea is that, just as the sun may wake you up in the same fashion, and therefore “naturally,” the LUMI mask will do the same thing, albeit with artificial light. And then, like an alarm clock, a sound will go off at the end of the sunrise, notifying you that it’s officially time to wake up. The process is slow, so waking you up should not be one of those knee-jerk reactions. The hope? That people aren’t as grumpy after waking up with the LUMI. As of right now, Hide has 56 backers, with $2,5656 in total investment. His goal is $10,000. Follow this link to go ahead and invest, if you’re up to it. [via CrunchGear]   
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| iPad 2 Case Mold Drawings Show Tapered Edges and Contoured Back Posted: 29 Dec 2010 08:49 AM PST With 2011 inching closer, rumors and leaks regarding the second generation iPad are going to pick up speed. It’s just what always happens, the closer we get to the expected announcement of a particular device from the Cupertino-based company. Earlier in the week, we saw a video of what the iPad 2′s case might like; earlier than that, we heard rumors that the device may feature a smaller bezel this time around, along with a boost to the speaker. 9to5Mac managed to get their hands on some case mold drawings, and have pointed out a few interesting details from the images.
First and foremost, are the obviously tapered edges. The images also suggest that the second generation tablet device will have a slightly contoured back, much like the first generation’s body. The original report also says that the drawings confirm that the size of the camera hole is the same size as that of the iPhone 4′s. The drawings also show a new port opening on the left-hand side of the device, of which there’s no confirmation to its purpose. It could be a microSD card slot, as one rumor has reported in the past, but a likely candidate is the miniUSB or USB port that’s been hinted at. The drawings don’t give us much. They do give us more questions, though. That port on the left side of the device is certainly something to keep in our mind’s eye, as we count down the days until Apple unveils the device officially. [via 9to5Mac]   
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| Skype Continues to Hint at Video Calling on the Move Posted: 29 Dec 2010 08:07 AM PST Earlier in the week, Skype had some documents find their way onto the Internet, of which a few of them seemed to outline the possibility that the company was getting ready to launch video calling on the iPhone. The fact that Verizon’s name was included only helped to fuel the rumors and anticipation. And by now, we know that Skype will have some kind of video calling announcement to make in Las Vegas in just a few days, at CES 2011. But, the company isn’t slowing down, and they’ve even launched a new “What’s Next” page, where they’re fine showing you all sorts of neat teases about what’s to come.
The main takeaway of the site, in the video you can watch through the source link below, is that Skype is focusing on the whole “moving” thing. No longer will you have to be tied down to your computer at home, or your laptop. While there’s no official announcement on the site, obviously, and there’s no word on what type of devices we should expect to see in the (hopefully near) future, it’s pretty clear that Skype is planning something on the mobile front. It won’t be too long before we have all the answers, but it’s not helping that Skype is more than willing to continue to poke us with teases and taunts. Let’s just hope it’s something worthwhile. [via Skype - What's Next]
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| SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: December 29 2010 Posted: 29 Dec 2010 07:59 AM PST Take a peek at a prediction column by Chris Davies: 2011: The Year of Pentaband? Glance in awe as Paul Allen sues Apple, Google, YouTube, Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, eBay, Netflix, OfficeMax, and Staples, all at once. Giggle to yourself as you see France enact a tablet tax which exempts only Windows devices. Scratch your head as Verizon plans to focus on Android, not a new iPhone, at CES. Dance with glee as Sony Ericsson’s 1GHz XPeria Mini Pro’s replacement leaks with stats! Wonder at Rovios elite strategy as ad consistency, location, method changes for Angry Birds on Android devices. All this and MORE on SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up!
R3 Media Network Editor’s Choice Android Community SlashGear To see more wrap-up posts, follow the following tags: [The Daily Slash] or [SlashGear Morning Wrap-up]
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| Nintendo 3DS Might Ruin Kid’s Eyeballs, if They’re Six Years Old or Younger Posted: 29 Dec 2010 07:34 AM PST For as long as content has been displayed on a screen, parents have been telling kids not too sit to close. To blink. Or maybe not stare so hard. All of this in hopes that maybe, just maybe, their child’s vision wouldn’t get messed up before life eventually degraded them naturally. It looks like Nintendo is going to go ahead and step forward and say that, for kids that are six years or younger at least, using the Nintendo 3DS for extended periods of time with the 3D turned all the way on is dangerous for your kid’s eyes.
According to the company, kids under six just shouldn’t use the full 3D ability of the 3DS, because their eyes are still in the development stage. And thanks to the stereoscopic 3D that the machine uses, and the fact that a different image is thrown at the user’s eyes, it “has a potential impact on the growth of children’s eyes.” Of course, having the warning is one thing, and parents can only do so much, so Nintendo has added a parental lock on the device, which will turn off the 3D capability of the portable gaming unit when the time is right. This type of warning for younger children, when 3D is involved, isn’t new. Sony has made the same kind of warnings in the past, saying that a child should be seen by an eye doctor first to determine whether or not they’re ready for the use of the technology. Of course, considering the device is for the family, and many families include smaller children, this seems like a pretty sizable hill for the company to climb. [via Electronista]
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| Posted: 29 Dec 2010 07:15 AM PST When Dell’s Streak 7 “Looking Glass” tablet crossed the FCC earlier this week, the surprise wasn’t that the 7-inch M02M slate existed but the radio it used. Boasting both AT&T and T-Mobile USA UMTS/WCDMA compatibility, the Streak 7 looks set to join the exclusive club of pentaband 3G devices. In a market where more – whether more CPU cycles, more megapixels or more screen inches – is generally the easiest fight to compete in, cellular radios seem to have been left behind. Could 2011 be the year pentaband goes mainstream?
Some background first. At a simplistic level, while Europe, Asia and other regions have generally standardized on the 2100MHz band for 3G access, in the US T-Mobile uses 1700MHz and AT&T uses 1900MHz. That means 3G cellphones bought on one European network will – carrier locks permitting – be able to access 3G data on another network. Conversely, a 3G device bought for use on AT&T is unlikely to work on T-Mobile USA; both carriers use the same sort of UMTS technology, but the different frequency bands they operate on means the handsets aren’t compatible. Pick up a Nokia N8, however, and you can slot an AT&T or T-Mobile USA SIM inside and get UMTS/WCDMA speeds from either network. Now, this isn’t some magical technology the tricksy Finns are keeping all to themselves. The N8 – and the C7, C6-01 and soon-to-market E7 – all use generally available chipsets; it’s a matter of manufacturer choice to opt for a quad or triband UMTS radio, as you find in most other devices. Why might they make that choice? Cost is likely one argument, since pentaband chipsets are more expensive than those with lesser frequency support. There’s also the issue of carrier control. The US mobile industry is notorious for the amount of heft the carriers wield, versus an arguably more symbiotic relationship between networks and device manufacturers elsewhere. The different UMTS bands therefore become a bargaining chip to keep subscribers locked into a particular operator: if you’ve completed a two year agreement with AT&T, you can’t take your existing handset and jump to a SIM-only T-Mobile deal unless you’re willing to do without 3G support. Instead, T-Mobile will happily sell you another device, this time one which will only work with their own 3G networks in the US. It’s telling that the only real pentaband options in the US right now are from Nokia, a company you’ll struggle to find offered through carriers. Instead, the N8 and other handsets are sold direct, SIM-free and unlocked (though the Finns are doing a spectacularly bad job of advertizing their relatively unique, cross-network hardware advantage). Even Apple, credited for upending the nature of carrier control in the US with the launch of the iPhone, has shied away from pentaband. Rumors about the iPhone 4 suggested it would switch to a pentaband chip, but the end result still resolutely clung to AT&T’s network and ignored T-Mobile’s for anything more than EDGE data. So why would Dell pick pentaband for the Streak 7, when its 5-inch sibling made do with AT&T 3G support only? The obvious reasons are flexibility and simplicity: it’s a single SKU that Dell can offer on both GSM US networks, offsetting extra cost from the radio against the ease of running a single production line. Perhaps it’s also easier to “sneak” pentaband support in with the carriers with a data-centric device; we don’t know yet whether the Streak 7 will support voice calls or, like the similarly-sized Samsung Galaxy Tab, be locked down to data-only. Still, Dell is known for driving the PC industry with its standardization and production streamlining systems, and while it’s yet to make a similar dent in the mobile market, the Streak 7 could well ease the way for changing manufacturer attitudes toward wireless segmentation. Samsung’s Galaxy S was the best-selling Android device in the US last quarter, aided in no small part by availability (with different radios, among other things) on all of the key carriers – how much easier for Samsung would it be if the promised successor, due to make its debut at MWC 2011, adopted pentaband and thus a single core device could cater to both AT&T and T-Mobile? Pentaband is in the customer’s best interest and the carrier’s worst. As we’ve seen in the past, situations where that dynamic is the case can often take a while to change. Nonetheless, change isn’t impossible, and conscious decisions to adopt broader radio support by companies like Dell will help pave the way. If subscribers can be better educated in the process as to why pentaband is beneficial, market forces should hopefully do the rest.
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| Palm hiring spree highlights push for developers & new form-factors Posted: 29 Dec 2010 06:36 AM PST Palm has begun a fresh round of hiring, and the webOS maker isn’t hanging around when it comes to paving the way for the 4-5 new smartphones and tablet expected to launch in 2011. While various engineer and management positions are open, it’s likely Business Development Manager – expected “to successfully recruit and manage partnerships with top strategic developers to deliver compelling solutions and applications for the webOS ecosystem” – that will pave the way for further webOS success, as they boost App Catalog content.
Palm is believed to be working on a tablet codenamed Topaz – a keyboard accessory for which has already leaked – which analysts have predicted will launch in March 2011. The new Enyo app framework is also pulling in fresh engineers, complete with explicit support for multiple form-factors. One role, senior Linux Kernel engineer, would be responsible for developing and maintaining code for “a variety of upcoming products.” More Palm/HP jobs here and here. [via PreCentral]
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| Vodafone Huawei EC W820 video call home tablet hits FCC Posted: 29 Dec 2010 06:27 AM PST A Vodafone-branded Huawei tablet has been spotted crossing the FCC, offering a 7-inch WVGA touchscreen and a 2-megapixel camera. The Huawei EC W820 appears to run a proprietary OS, rather than the more common Android, supporting voice and video calls, SMS, media playback, internet browsing and various widgets.
There’s wireless support for dualband 850/1900 GSM/WCDMA, along with WiFi and Bluetooth according to the user manual. Internal memory is 256MB of RAM and 1GB of ROM; there’s an SD card slot for up to 16GB cards, along with a USB 2.0 port that can support up to 16GB external thumb-drives. Stereo speakers, a kick-stand and a trackball round out the main specs, and there’s a 3.5mm headphone socket and user-replaceable battery. Going by the screenshots in the user guide, it’s headed to Vodafone Spain first. No word on when the device might arrive on Vodafone, nor under what name, but it looks like a more modern version of the little-loved O2 Joggler.      [via Wireless Goodness]
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| Posted: 29 Dec 2010 06:17 AM PST
Meanwhile, according to Sony Alpha Rumors, Sony will bring along compact cameras capable of 1080p60 recording in AVCHD format, while contrast auto-focus is tipped to be as fast as that on the Panasonic LUMIX GH2. In fact, the new models are expected to focus in just 0.1s.
Among the new Sony cameras will be a Cybershot DSC-HX1 successor together with a range of new Bloggie cameras with larger displays. There’ll also be 3D-capable models. Sweep Panorama and AVCHD are both tipped to make the transition to the compact range from Sony’s NEX line-up. Finally, Panasonic will apparently out a range of new S-series compacts, including the DMC-S1 and DMC-S3. No specs, but there’s also talk of the Panasonic DMC-TS3, Panasonic DMC-FH2 and the Panasonic FH5.
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| ELP energy-monitoring system allows remote appliance control [Video] Posted: 29 Dec 2010 06:06 AM PST A new energy-monitoring system promises to make tracking individual appliance electricity use straightforward, as well as allowing users to not only view data from their smartphone but remotely shut down greedy devices. The Energy Literacy Platform, a Tokyo-based startup, use compact ELP Modules which plug inline between appliances and AC sockets; they link wirelessly to an ELP Receiver that uploads stats to the ELP server.
Video demo after the cut
That server allows usage monitoring either from a regular browser or from a smartphone. Since the control is bi-directional, as well as tracking which appliance is sucking down power – such as a lamp or TV that has been left turned on – you can shut it off remotely. However, it’s also possible to program the individual ELP Modules with a preset level of power above which they’re not allowed to supply. LED indicators on each transition from green through to red as that limit is approached, after which time the socket shuts off altogether. ELP expects to have the system on the market in the summer of 2011. Click here to view the embedded video. [via TechCrunch]
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| Skype blames Windows app bug for supernode outage Posted: 29 Dec 2010 05:51 AM PST
Although a majority of supernodes were still available, in-built safety measures designed to protect them should excessive traffic attempt to connect kicked in when load across the remaining servers suddenly ramped up. Windows users attempting to restart the v5.0.0152 app also added to the strain. Rabbe describes this as a feedback loop, with each crash cycle bringing down more supernodes. Skype has already pushed out a new beta to replace the flawed Windows version, and is looking at changing its testing processes so as to avoid similar bugs making it through again. Meanwhile the paid and enterprise services will be bolstered in 2011 with a new round of investment. Paid users affected by the outage will receive free calltime.
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| Thermaltake unveils Max 5G external HDD enclosure Posted: 29 Dec 2010 05:48 AM PST Typically, external enclosures for your HDD are just aluminum shells with the interface and power tech needed to allow them to operate outside a computer. They are typically passively cooled which means no fans. Thermaltake has unveiled a new external storage enclosure for 3.5″ HDDs that uses active cooling called the Max 5G.
The enclosure has dual 80mm fans that have blue LEDs for added bling. The fans are intended to cool the HDD for better durability and performance. The LEDs can be turned off and the enclosure connects to the PC via USB 3.0 port. The enclosure supports 3.5″ SATA drives up to 2TB and comes with the USB 3.0 cable. The enclosure is intended to stand on its side with the fans facing forward and has a tilt out brace on the bottom to keep it from tipping over. The enclosure is made from metal mesh and plastic and the fans spin at 800rpm. That low speed should mean that the fans produce very little noise. Pricing and availability are unknown as this time.
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| First Intel Sandy Bridge notebook is from Santech Posted: 29 Dec 2010 05:34 AM PST We have been hearing about the coming Intel Sandy bridge processors for a while now and you can count on seeing lots of notebooks and other gear using the CPUs at CES this month. The first notebook to break cover using the new processors has been spied and it's the Santech N67. The machine is fully customizable when the buyer orders so it will have a ton of options to choose from.
The Sandy Bridge part the rig can be optioned with is the Intel Core i7 2630QM and it will be offered in the notebook starting on February 25. Other CPUs buyers can also choose include the Core i7 2720QM, 2820QM, or the i7 Extreme Edition 2920XM CPU. Other specs include a 15.6-inch screen with 1366 x 768 standard resolution and an optional full HD 1920 x 1080 panel. The screen can be had in glossy or matte finish and the notebook has dual USB 3.0 ports. The battery is an 3-cell lithium-polymer unit with 76.96Wh of power inside. The number of other options is staggering with all manner of video, storage, and other things that can be customized. Fully optioned rigs will run up to 3000 euro or about $4,000 here. Via Notebookitalia
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| Livio Radio system brings internet radio into the car Posted: 29 Dec 2010 05:17 AM PST If you are in the car a lot and live in an area where your favorite music genre isn't available things can get tedious. You can only listen to your CDs so many times before you want something different. DICE and Livio have announced a cool new system that allows drivers to take internet radio stations with them on the road.
DICE makes the electrical gear that is needed in the car to integrate with the car stereo and the steering wheel mounted controls on vehicles that have them. The DICE gear integrates with a smartphone for seamless and subscription-free internet radio access in the car. The DICE solution uses the Livio Radio Car Internet Radio App and the software app works only on the iPhone or iPad. The app offers more than 45,000 AM/FM and internet stations for users to listen to via their car stereo. The gear will be shown off at CES 2011.
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| Ford MyKey feature upgraded to block explicit satellite radio content Posted: 29 Dec 2010 04:51 AM PST I know that we can all attest that at one point or another no matter how level headed and responsible, teens all tend to make really dumb decision at one point or another. Parents that try to prevent those dumb decisions from having dire consequences know that the Ford MyKey system is a really cool and easy way to prevent some of those bad decisions from being made while driving.
MyKey allows parents or your boss to limit the speed on any Ford vehicle with the feature to 65mph, 70mph, 75mph, or 80mph. A new upgrade of the MyKey feature also allows mom and dad to be there to tell the kid they can't listen to that music even when they aren't really there. The upgraded system will debut first in the Ford Taurus and Explorer and allows satellite radio stations with explicit content to be blocked. Other features that are already on the MyKey system include limits for radio volume and a feature that mutes the radio until front seat riders buckle up.
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A new Olympus compact camera has leaked ahead of its official release at 
Skype CIO Lars Rabbe has 
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