What's new on SlashGear.com

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• LEGO Dice Roller will Decide Your Fate for You [Video]
• The Greatest 17 Seconds You’ll Ever Star Wars in the Snow
• Apple Patents Suggest a Multitouch Display is Coming to the Mouse
• Verizon Going to Court to Challenge Net Neutrality
• GPS Backpack for Dogs Created by Auburn University’s Canine Detection Research Institute
• Larry Page to Replace Eric Schmidt as Google CEO on April 4th
• Infinity Ward Getting Help from Sledgehammer Games & Raven Software for Modern Warfare 3
• Sprint Rumored to be Splitting Premier Program into Gold and Silver Levels
• Galaxy S 4G for T-Mobile Officially Announced
• MSI Tablet with Built-In Projector is Just a Prototype
• New Study Shows Kids Are Losing Touch with Reality, Focusing on a Virtual Existence
• India’s $35 Tablet Loses Primary Contractor, Could Face Delays
• Sony PSP Firmware Update to v6.37 Coming Soon
• Is 17 the Right Cut-Off Age for Mature-Rated Games?
• 1.78m dead Facebook users in 2011 adding to profile clutter
• Microsoft offers free Windows Phone 7 to Geohot
• SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: January 20 2011
• iPad 2 unveil February 9 tips iOS 4.3 screenshot speculation
• iPhone iOS 4.3 multitouch gestures get video demo
• T-Mobile Galaxy S 4G confirmed: HSPA+ model “coming soon”
• Eric Schmidt: Google pushing LTE, mobile money & cheap smartphones in 2011
• Nintendo 3DS UK wholesale price reveals 1/3 markup
• AGC Dragontrail takes on Gorilla Glass for toughened crown
• Android Sidekick 4G rumored for T-Mobile HSPA+ [Update: Confirmed!]
• LaCie Galet by Christofle is just in time for a geeky Valentine’s
• Nokia N9 now packing 1.2GHz Intel Atom for MWC 2011 reveal?
• BMW 1-Series gets Nokia C7 remote-control [Video]
• Samsung Galaxy S2 packs 8MP camera & dual-core Orion CPU tips insider
• Jawbone ERA Review
• T-Mobile Dell Streak 7 tipped at $330 by fine-print

LEGO Dice Roller will Decide Your Fate for You [Video] Posted: 20 Jan 2011 02:55 PM PST Remember when you were a kid, and you had a bunch of LEGO blocks lying around you? Whether or not you had just destroyed some crazy creation to make the mess, the mess always happened. But, eventually, you picked up those blocks, and started building something. Something you saw somewhere, in a movie, in a comic book, or maybe from the depths of your imagination. The LEGO blocks made it possible for a kid to be a kid, so to speak. But, now that you’re an adult, you’re wondering just what those LEGO blocks could do for you. Well, how about taking a small device created from LEGO that will roll dice for you? You probably won’t be able to take the self-loading LEGO dice tower into a casino in Vegas, or at least not take it to a table with you, but it couldn’t hurt to try, right? After all, if you’re a superstitious person, sometimes you just can’t roll your own die, and there might not be anyone around that you trust enough to win you a hundred thousand dollars, or lose it all in one swift throw of the dice. The LEGO dice tower uses a lever to load the dice into its tower, and then it will roll them out the bottom for you. Simple enough of a design, but one that makes us want to be a kid again and start building crazy contraptions. Check out the video below to see the tower in action. [via UberGizmo]

The Greatest 17 Seconds You’ll Ever Star Wars in the Snow Posted: 20 Jan 2011 02:49 PM PST I was really pumped up to find this particular video posted right up at the top of the official Star Wars blog (and yes, I am the only fellow on our whole crew who has such a feed in my reader,) right up there at the top, was a post called Minnesota Trench Run. I live in Minnesota, and this winter has been miraculously snowy, so it was a fabulously warm and fuzzy moment finding this clip. One guy, Mike Nelson, filmed the clip, and another guy, FX artist Aaron Dabelow added the X-Wing. Its stuff like this, Star Wars, that makes it alright for you to still be around selling action figures after 30+ years. Take a peek at this video and see how you like it – the X-Wing, added post-filming, is recreating the “trench run” through the recently shoveled path of snow in front of Mike Nelson’s house – his house, the Death Star, is destroyed at the end. Spoiler! Click here to view the embedded video. [Via Star Wars Blog]

Apple Patents Suggest a Multitouch Display is Coming to the Mouse Posted: 20 Jan 2011 02:32 PM PST While Apple may have already tried to revolutionize the current mouse we all know and love/hate, that doesn’t mean the company has stopped trying to figure out new, and better ways to make the mouse even more ridiculous. What better way to go above and beyond the call of duty, then to include a multitouch display on the top of it? According to some new apple patents, the Cupertino-based company may be doing just that. The new patents suggest that Apple is toying around with the idea of putting a multitouch display on the top of a mouse peripheral. The display would be able to show off different pieces of information. As one image shows, a calculator could easily be displayed there, and touch-sensitive keys would allow for the numbers to be activated when necessary. Apple wouldn’t get rid of the left- and right-click buttons, though. It would just be the middle of the peripheral that would see the majority of alterations. Part of the patent, is Apple’s idea of a virtual keyboard. Having the ability to change the keys to whatever a user needed at any given moment, and then being able to switch back when needed. Apple would also include a dedicated haptic feedback motor, so that when a digital key is pressed the user would feel it. Considering how popular multitouch is in today’s gadgets, and how a programmable virtual keyboard would be a benefit to those who use their keyboards often and for varied reasons, it seems that Apple would more than likely have a hit on their hands, if these were to come to market. [via Patently Apple]

Verizon Going to Court to Challenge Net Neutrality Posted: 20 Jan 2011 01:58 PM PST The issue of net neutrality has been one to cause some to get heated under the collar, and after the FCC ruled in favor of the new rules, several higher-ups in pertinent companies, like Verizon, sent out their own comments about the upcoming regulations and rules. If you’ll recall, Verizon’s been pretty open about their overall disapproval of the new rules, and now Verizon is taking it one step further by heading to court to challenge the new rules. Verizon has announced on Thursday that they will be going to court to combat the newest net neutrality rules. They will be taking their movement to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. According to the report, Verizon is concerned by the FCC’s authority, in its overall broad approach, to make new regulations on broadband networks. Michael Glover, Verizon’s Deputy General counsel, had this to say: “We believe this assertion of authority goes well beyond any authority provided by Congress, and creates uncertainty for the communications industry, innovators, investors and consumers.” The movement means that the net neutrality issue is about to pick up speed again, and Verizon will more than likely continue to make it interesting as the days continue. [via Reuters]

GPS Backpack for Dogs Created by Auburn University’s Canine Detection Research Institute Posted: 20 Jan 2011 01:46 PM PST While robots are taking a major role in today’s military scheme of things, there are always other options. Namely, animals. Simply put, a dog can get into places that a robot can’t, and given the right method of controlling them, can be a lot more help than, say, a limited machine. That’s where this backpack design comes into play. Designed within the walls of Auburn University’s Canine Detection Research Institute, it’s a backpack that puts a lot of features into a small space, all in the hopes of being able to guide a dog into a situation remotely. The backpack system features tiny vibrating panels on both sides of the pack. These panels, when activated remotely, tell the dog which direction to head. Using the integrated GPS system, along with the radio modem inside, controllers are able to see where the dog is exactly at any given moment, and guide the animal to wherever they need it to be. The general idea is to be able to no longer limit an animal by having to make sure that a human is with them at all time. The dog, moving on its own, will be able to cover more ground, and faster. Obviously, questions about what kind of missions these dogs would be sent on are already popping up. While rescue missions, where the dog would be able to go out and try to find lost hikers, would be less dangerous than other proposed uses, it’s obvious that some will want to use these remote-controlled animals for other uses. Like in war time situations. [via DVICE]

Larry Page to Replace Eric Schmidt as Google CEO on April 4th Posted: 20 Jan 2011 01:20 PM PST Google has just finished wrapping up their quarterly earnings call, and while the results were good for Google, their earnings are taking a backseat to the other story that they threw in for good measure. As the title above suggests, it’s been formally announced, which you can read in the press release after the break, that Google’s current CEO will step down, and Google co-founder Larry Page will step into the hot seat. The transition is set to start on April 4th, and Larry Page will officially be taking over Google’s day-to-day operations as Chief Executive Officer. Furthermore, though, Sergey Brin is planning on devoting his efforts to new products, and new products only. Of course, Schmidt is sticking around, and will take up the role of Executive Chairman. He will be focusing his own efforts externally for Google, with deals, partnerships, and adding customers his main priority. As for any internal time, Schmidt will be acting as an advisor to both Brin and Page. Check out the full press release below for more information. Press Release MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – January 20, 2011 – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced financial results for the quarter and the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010. “Q4 marked a terrific end to a stellar year,” said Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google. “Our strong performance has been driven by a rapidly growing digital economy, continuous product innovation that benefits both users and advertisers, and by the extraordinary momentum of our newer businesses, such as display and mobile. These results give us the optimism and confidence to invest heavily in future growth — investments that will benefit our users, Google and the wider web.” In addition, Google has also announced plans to streamline decision making and create clearer lines of responsibility and accountability at the top of the company. Starting from April 4, Larry Page, Google Co-Founder, will take charge of Google’s day-to-day operations as Chief Executive Officer. Sergey Brin, Google Co-Founder, will devote his energy to strategic projects, in particular working on new products. Eric Schmidt will assume the role of Executive Chairman, focusing externally on deals, partnerships, customers and broader business relationships, government outreach and technology thought leadership–all of which are increasingly important given Google’s global reach. Internally, he will continue to act as an advisor to Larry and Sergey. Commenting on these changes, Eric said: “We’ve been talking about how best to simplify our management structure and speed up decision making for a long time. By clarifying our individual roles we’ll create clearer responsibility and accountability at the top of the company. In my clear opinion, Larry is ready to lead and I’m excited about working with both him and Sergey for a long time to come.” Larry said: “Eric has clearly done an outstanding job leading Google for the last decade. The results speak for themselves. There is no other CEO in the world that could have kept such headstrong founders so deeply involved and still run the business so brilliantly. Eric is a tremendous leader and I have learned innumerable lessons from him. His advice and efforts will be invaluable to me as I start in this new role. Google still has such incredible opportunity–we are only at the beginning and I can’t wait to get started.” Q4 Financial Summary Google reported revenues of $8.44 billion for the quarter ended December 31, 2010, an increase of 26% compared to the fourth quarter of 2009. Google reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs (TAC). In the fourth quarter of 2010, TAC totaled $2.07 billion, or 25% of advertising revenues. Google reports operating income, operating margin, net income, and earnings per share (EPS) on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. The non-GAAP measures, as well as free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, are described below and are reconciled to the corresponding GAAP measures in the accompanying financial tables. GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $2.98 billion, or 35% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $2.48 billion, or 37% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2009. Non-GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $3.38 billion, or 40% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $2.76 billion, or 41% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2009. GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $2.54 billion, compared to $1.97 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009. Non-GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $2.85 billion, compared to $2.19 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009. GAAP EPS in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $7.81 on 326 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $6.13 in the fourth quarter of 2009 on 322 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $8.75, compared to $6.79 in the fourth quarter of 2009. Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin exclude the expenses related to stock-based compensation (SBC). Non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS exclude the expenses related to SBC and the related tax benefits. In the fourth quarter of 2010, the charge related to SBC was $396 million, compared to $276 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. The tax benefit related to SBC was $89 million in the fourth quarter of 2010 and $62 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. Q4 Financial Highlights Revenues – Google reported revenues of $8.44 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, representing a 26% increase over fourth quarter 2009 revenues of $6.67 billion. Google reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting TAC. Google Sites Revenues – Google-owned sites generated revenues of $5.67 billion, or 67% of total revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2010. This represents a 28% increase over fourth quarter 2009 revenues of $4.42 billion. Google Network Revenues – Google’s partner sites generated revenues, through AdSense programs, of $2.50 billion, or 30% of total revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2010. This represents a 22% increase from fourth quarter 2009 network revenues of $2.04 billion. International Revenues – Revenues from outside of the United States totaled $4.38 billion, representing 52% of total revenues in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to 52% in the third quarter of 2010 and 53% in the fourth quarter of 2009. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the third quarter of 2010 through the fourth quarter of 2010, our revenues in the fourth quarter of 2010 would have been $201 million lower. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the fourth quarter of 2009 through the fourth quarter of 2010, our revenues in the fourth quarter of 2010 would have been $132 million higher. Revenues from the United Kingdom totaled $878 million, representing 10% of revenues in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to 12% in the fourth quarter of 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2010, we recognized a benefit of $25 million to revenues through our foreign exchange risk management program, compared to $8 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. Paid Clicks – Aggregate paid clicks, which include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our AdSense partners, increased approximately 18% over the fourth quarter of 2009 and increased approximately 11% over the third quarter of 2010. Cost-Per-Click – Average cost-per-click, which includes clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our AdSense partners, increased approximately 5% over the fourth quarter of 2009 and increased approximately 4% over the third quarter of 2010. TAC – Traffic Acquisition Costs, the portion of revenues shared with Google’s partners, increased to $2.07 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to TAC of $1.72 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009. TAC as a percentage of advertising revenues was 25% in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to 27% in the fourth quarter of 2009. The majority of TAC is related to amounts ultimately paid to our AdSense partners, which totaled $1.74 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. TAC also includes amounts ultimately paid to certain distribution partners and others who direct traffic to our website, which totaled $333 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Other Cost of Revenues – Other cost of revenues, which is comprised primarily of data center operational expenses, amortization of intangible assets, content acquisition costs as well as credit card processing charges, increased to $877 million, or 10% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to $688 million, or 10% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2009. Operating Expenses – Operating expenses, other than cost of revenues, were $2.51 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, or 30% of revenues, compared to $1.78 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009, or 27% of revenues. Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) – In the fourth quarter of 2010, the total charge related to SBC was $396 million, compared to $276 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. We currently estimate SBC charges for grants to employees prior to January 1, 2011 to be approximately $1.6 billion for 2011. This estimate does not include expenses to be recognized related to employee stock awards that are granted after December 31, 2010 or non-employee stock awards that have been or may be granted. Operating Income – GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $2.98 billion, or 35% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $2.48 billion, or 37% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2009. Non-GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $3.38 billion, or 40% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $2.76 billion, or 41% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2009. Interest and Other Income, Net – Interest and other income, net increased to $160 million in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to $88 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. Income Taxes – Our effective tax rate was 19% for the fourth quarter of 2010. Net Income – GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $2.54 billion, compared to $1.97 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009. Non-GAAP net income was $2.85 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to $2.19 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009. GAAP EPS in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $7.81 on 326 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $6.13 in the fourth quarter of 2009 on 322 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $8.75, compared to $6.79 in the fourth quarter of 2009. Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures – Net cash provided by operating activities in the fourth quarter of 2010 totaled $3.53 billion, compared to $2.73 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2010, capital expenditures were $2.55 billion, which was primarily related to the purchase of our office building in New York City, as well as IT infrastructure investments, including data centers, servers, and networking equipment. Free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. In the fourth quarter of 2010, free cash flow was $981 million. We expect to continue to make significant capital expenditures. A reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the GAAP measure of liquidity, is included at the end of this release. Cash – As of December 31, 2010, cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities were $35.0 billion. Headcount – On a worldwide basis, Google employed 24,400 full-time employees as of December 31, 2010, up from 23,331 full-time employees as of September 30, 2010. WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION A live audio webcast of Google’s fourth quarter and fiscal year 2010 earnings release call will be available at http://investor.google.com/webcast.html. The call begins today at 1:30 PM (PT) / 4:30 PM (ET). This press release, the financial tables, as well as other supplemental information including the reconciliations of certain non-GAAP measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures, are also available on that site. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include statements regarding our continued investments in our core areas of strategic focus, our expected stock-based compensation charges, and our plans to make significant capital expenditures. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted include, among others, unforeseen changes in our hiring patterns and our need to expend capital to accommodate the growth of the business, as well as those risks and uncertainties included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2010, which are on file with the SEC, and are available on our investor relations website at investor.google.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, which we expect to file with the SEC in February 2011. All information provided in this release and in the attachments is as of January 20, 2011, and Google undertakes no duty to update this information. ABOUT NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which statements are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP EPS, and free cash flow. The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned “Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures” and “Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow” included at the end of this release. We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision making and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. Our management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance and liquidity by excluding certain expenses and expenditures that may not be indicative of our “recurring core business operating results,” meaning our operating performance excluding not only non-cash charges, such as stock-based compensation, but also discrete cash charges that are infrequent in nature. We believe that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our performance and when planning, forecasting, and analyzing future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management’s internal comparisons to our historical performance and liquidity as well as comparisons to our competitors’ operating results. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors both because (1) they allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in its financial and operational decision making and (2) they are used by our institutional investors and the analyst community to help them analyze the health of our business. Non-GAAP operating income and operating margin. We define non-GAAP operating income as operating income plus stock-based compensation. Non-GAAP operating margin is defined as non-GAAP operating income divided by revenues. Google considers these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful metrics for management and investors because they exclude the effect of stock-based compensation so that Google’s management and investors can compare Google’s recurring core business operating results over multiple periods. Because of varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types that companies can use under ASC Topic 718, Google’s management believes that providing a non-GAAP financial measure that excludes stock-based compensation allows investors to make meaningful comparisons between Google’s recurring core business operating results and those of other companies, as well as providing Google’s management with an important tool for financial and operational decision making and for evaluating Google’s own recurring core business operating results over different periods of time. There are a number of limitations related to the use of non-GAAP operating income versus operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP. First, non-GAAP operating income excludes some costs, namely, stock-based compensation, that are recurring. Stock-based compensation has been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in Google’s business. Second, stock-based compensation is an important part of our employees’ compensation and impacts their performance. Third, the components of the costs that we exclude in our calculation of non-GAAP operating income may differ from the components that our peer companies exclude when they report their results of operations. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP operating income and evaluating non-GAAP operating income together with operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP net income and EPS. We define non-GAAP net income as net income plus stock-based compensation less the related tax effects. We define non-GAAP EPS as non-GAAP net income divided by the weighted average outstanding shares, on a fully-diluted basis. We consider these non-GAAP financial measures to be a useful metric for management and investors for the same reasons that Google uses non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin. However, in order to provide a complete picture of our recurring core business operating results, we exclude from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS the tax effects associated with stock-based compensation. Without excluding these tax effects, investors would only see the gross effect that excluding these expenses had on our operating results. The same limitations described above regarding Google’s use of non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin apply to our use of non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS and evaluating non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS together with net income and EPS calculated in accordance with GAAP. Free cash flow. We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities minus capital expenditures. We consider free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by the business that, after the acquisition of property and equipment, including information technology infrastructure and land and buildings, can be used for strategic opportunities, including investing in our business, making strategic acquisitions, and strengthening the balance sheet. Analysis of free cash flow also facilitates management’s comparisons of our operating results to competitors’ operating results. A limitation of using free cash flow versus the GAAP measure of net cash provided by operating activities as a means for evaluating Google is that free cash flow does not represent the total increase or decrease in the cash balance from operations for the period because it excludes cash used for capital expenditures during the period. Our management compensates for this limitation by providing information about our capital expenditures on the face of the cash flow statement and under the caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. Google has computed free cash flow using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter and year to year. The accompanying tables have more details on the GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP financial measures and the related reconciliations between these financial measures.

Infinity Ward Getting Help from Sledgehammer Games & Raven Software for Modern Warfare 3 Posted: 20 Jan 2011 12:58 PM PST After development studio Infinity Ward (IW) lost Vince Zampella and Jason West, there was some speculation about how the next Call of Duty title would turn out, considering two of the largest influential elements of the titles were no longer in the picture. Since then, publisher Activision has tried its best to make sure that everyone is calm, collected, and understands that the development studio is doing just fine without the pair on hand. However, if calling in a pair of two other development studios is any indicator, it doesn’t look like IW is doing all that well on the next title in the franchise. The LA TImes is reporting, via their Company Town Blog, that Infinity Ward has called in some support for the next game, which is still officially unannounced at the moment. However, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is indeed coming, and now Raven Software and Sledgehammer Games have been called in to help with the development. Sledgehammer Games has even had to stop development of its own spin-off on a Call of Duty title to help out IW. It’s being reported that Sledgehammer Games will be helping IW with the single player campaign, while Raven Software will work with the remaining IW team members to develop multiplayer. All of this information is coming from “sources familiar with the matter,” so keeping that salt shaker in hand may not be a bad idea. [via Joystiq]

Sprint Rumored to be Splitting Premier Program into Gold and Silver Levels Posted: 20 Jan 2011 12:42 PM PST Changes are afoot for the major wireless carries in the United States. AT&T is changing their text messaging plans, Verizon is (finally) getting the iPhone, and Sprint has already made waves by adding a $10 premium cost to data fees, which is set to go into action on January 30th. But, it looks like Sprint is still changing things around, and now they’re making some more waves with their Premier Program. Unfortunately, it’s not looking good. Right now, if you’ve been a valued Sprint customer, and you’ve got a single line that’s $69.99 per month or more, then you’re considered part of the Premiere Program. If you’re on a family line, then you’re monthly bill has to be $99.99 per month or more to fall into the category. But, it looks like Sprint is changing that, starting on April 1st. The wireless carrier will be separating the Premier Program into Gold and Silver levels. To be part of the Gold level, you’ll need to have been a Sprint customer for 10 years or longer, and have an individual line that has a monthly bill of $89.99 or more. For families, you’ll need a monthly bill of $139.99 or higher to qualify. All other customers will be dropped into the Silver program. As for those who remain in the Gold level, you’ll still get the same treatment as you’re receiving now: newsletters, 20 percent discounts on two or more accessories purchased at one time, and offers to buy new devices before anyone else. You’ll also be able to continue to upgrade your device after only 12 months. As for the Silver members? They get all of the random benefits, like the newsletters and special offers, but they miss out on the early upgrade time. They’ll have to wait the full 22 months to get a new device. This isn’t confirmed yet, but BGR has it on good word that this will be happening, come April Fool’s Day. A coincidence that it happens to fall on that particular day? Perhaps. But, with the changes that Sprint has already made, it looks like the wireless carrier isn’t worried about rustling the feathers of its customers. [via BGR]

Galaxy S 4G for T-Mobile Officially Announced Posted: 20 Jan 2011 12:11 PM PST While the Samsung Galaxy S 4G for T-Mobile was already “confirmed” earlier today, T-Mobile saw fit to send out an official press release detailing, without actually adding any pertinent details about the device in question, the upcoming release of the “fastest smartphone running on America’s largest 4G network.” Thankfully, the press release does tell us a bit about the phone that some will find worthwhile, even if we are missing quite a bit more. The Galaxy S 4G will feature a Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, just as we’ve seen on all the other Galaxy S-branded Android-powered handsets from Samsung over the last few months. And yes, the Galaxy S 4G will run Android 2.2 under the hood, better known as Froyo. It will be able to take advantage of T-Mobile’s (theoretical) speeds up to 21 Mbps. Further details about the handset, like how fast the processor will be, or how much RAM and memory will be thrown in to the package, remain to be seen. Pricing and a release date are missing, too. However, T-Mobile says they are coming in a few weeks, so stay tuned. Full press release below. Press Release T-Mobile to Deliver Fastest Smartphone Running on America's Largest 4G Network Galaxy S 4G Offers Rich Entertainment Experience at Lightning-Fast Speeds BELLEVUE, Wash., and DALLAS — Jan. 20, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.1, today revealed the Galaxy S™ 4G, exclusively from T-Mobile. According to T-Mobile, the Galaxy S 4G will be the fastest smartphone running on America's Largest 4G Network™. Powered by Android™ 2.2 (Froyo), the Galaxy S 4G is T-Mobile's first smartphone capable of delivering theoretical peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps, delivering rich entertainment experiences at even faster speeds through its brilliant Super AMOLED touch screen display. T-Mobile's 4G network, America's largest 4G network, is currently available in 100 major metropolitan areas, reaching approximately 200 million people nationwide. With aggressive plans to expand and double the speed of its 4G network in 2011, T-Mobile expects that 140 million Americans in 25 major metropolitan areas will have access to these increased 4G speeds by midyear. "With Galaxy S 4G, T-Mobile will deliver its fastest smartphone yet on America's largest 4G network, providing rich entertainment virtually whenever and wherever consumers want," said Cole Brodman, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile USA. "And with 4G data plans from $10 per month, we're making blazing-fast 4G speeds and super smartphone experiences easily accessible to the millions who crave them." More information on the Galaxy S 4G from T-Mobile will be available in the coming weeks. T-Mobile's HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at T-Mobile.com. 4G used in connection with the Galaxy S™ 4G product name refers to the fact that the Galaxy S™ 4G is designed with HSPA+ technology. # # # About T-Mobile USA, Inc. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the third quarter of 2010, approximately 130 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.8 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS, the world's most widely-used digital wireless standards. Today, T-Mobile operates America’s largest 4G network, and is delivering a compelling 4G experience across a broad lineup of leading devices in more places than competing 4G services. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the current views of Deutsche Telekom management with respect to future events. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "project" and "should" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates, and projections, and therefore you should not place too much reliance on them. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond Deutsche Telekom's control, including, without limitation, those factors set forth in "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" contained in Deutsche Telekom's annual report on Form 20-F filed on February 28, 2010. If these or other risks and uncertainties materialize, or if the assumptions underlying any of these statements prove incorrect, Deutsche Telekom's actual results may be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Deutsche Telekom does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. About Samsung Telecommunications America Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com. About Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2009 consolidated sales of US$116.8 billion. Employing approximately 174,000 people in 193 offices across 66 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

MSI Tablet with Built-In Projector is Just a Prototype Posted: 20 Jan 2011 11:45 AM PST Not too long ago, it looked like projectors were picking up speed and heading into the mainstream market. They were even being built into phones. But then that phase seemed to get passed over relatively quickly. One market that seems to have shied away from the projector, is the tablet market. To some, a projector and a tablet would make the perfect bed fellows. MSI apparently agrees with those folks, and have created a prototype device that, at least right now, runs Windows 7 and is powered by Intel. The tablet itself features a 10-inch touchscreen display. The projector, though, sits in a rotating section on the “top” of the tablet. It’s able to rotate backwards and forwards, so that the owner can project an image from the tablet onto a wall behind the tablet, or right in front of it. As mentioned above, Windows 7 is coming initially on the device, but MSI was up-front about their aspirations of bringing Android to the device, with an ARM-based architecture under the hood. The device is just a prototype, and MSI has their feelers out, trying to find a good market for the tablet device. Entertainment on the go, or for on-the-move business workers who need to hold presentations in several different locations would probably be a good fit for this device. As for a projected release date, MSI doesn’t have one. Nor is there any word on what a tablet with a built-in projector would cost from MSI. [via Electronista]

New Study Shows Kids Are Losing Touch with Reality, Focusing on a Virtual Existence Posted: 20 Jan 2011 11:05 AM PST Yesterday, we reported that 7,000 students in Florida were currently enrolled in an e-learning classroom, where a teacher wasn’t required, if not needed at all, and learned core lessons from a computer. We’ve seen how education departments trying to save money have turned to robots to help in any way they can. And, further back, we’ve seen how the iPad was being made part of lesson plans in some schools. The “negatives” of these changes are obvious, but new research may show us, bluntly, why this future may not be the best for our kids. The research was conducted within the University of Southern California. The gist of the study was to see how kids are in today’s world. Comparing their usage of technological devices, versus how they interact with one another, and more importantly, how they go about handling normal, day-to-day actions. Unfortunately, the research doesn’t paint a good light for the future generation. The researchers suggest that kids are now being taught how to interact with the world virtually, but in the process they are losing how to do simple tasks. Like tie their shoes. Some of the results include: two-thirds of kids part of the research could use a computer just fine, but only one-third could write their first and last name with a writing utensil. 73% can use a mouse without effort, but only 11 percent can tie their shoes. And, one-in-five know how to use an iPad skillfully, but 48 percent don’t know their own home address. The argument that these kids are simply learning how to interact with the world in a new fashion, so that they can be successful, seems misguided. Yes, it is a good thing that these kids can use an iPad, a computer, and a mouse. Yes, it’s a good thing that they can email one another, tweet about their (non-existent) classes, or even text message all day. But, if they can’t tie their shoe, something is obviously missing out of the equation. Perhaps putting teachers back into classrooms, and finding a happy medium to the way that kids interact with technology, from computers to videogames to whatever else, is something that the world needs to strive for. Technology is something that needs to be part of their lives, our lives, but we need to define a line where a student, a child, can understand the usage of an iPad, but can’t tie their shoe. We need to define that line, and draw it in something a bit more permanent than just the sand. [via CrunchGear]

India’s $35 Tablet Loses Primary Contractor, Could Face Delays Posted: 20 Jan 2011 10:41 AM PST The $35 tablet from India has fallen out of the spotlight since its debut back in July, 2010. The last time the device managed to rise above the water, was the allegations that the device wasn’t manufactured in India at all, but had been outsourced to China. Before that, it was rumored that the specifications for the device had found their way onto the ‘net, thanks to the similarities it held with another tablet device. But the tablet has popped up again, but with more disappointing news. It looks like the device could be facing a delay. According to sources familiar with the matter, Times of India is reporting that the primary contractor for the $35 tablet has been dismissed. HCL Infosystems had been tagged as the main vendor of the tablet, but it seems that complications with further demands for new conditions, along with rumors that a Rs 60 crore ($13m USD) bank guarantee couldn’t be reached have lead to the vendor’s removal from the project. Another interesting note to the story. It seems that the shipping and import costs for the tablet to make its way out of India are rounding up to be about Rs. 5700, or about $124. It will be interesting to see how this extra cost, which is significantly higher than the projected cost of the tablet itself, will affect the final pricing for the device. [via The Digital Reader]

Sony PSP Firmware Update to v6.37 Coming Soon Posted: 20 Jan 2011 10:18 AM PST Despite the rumors swirling around that the next version of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) will be announced on January 27th, Sony has announced on their official blog that they’re not forgetting about the current generation of PSP out there in the wild. Unfortunately, Sony’s being pretty tight-lipped about the update, providing a bare minimum of information on their site to announce the firmware update. The newest firmware is v6.37, and details are non-existent. Sony has classified the update as “minimal” one, and only allude to the fact that the update will improve the overall system software stability during use of “some features.” No explanation as to what they’re talking about, or what features they mean, but it looks like the system should get at least a bit smoother in daily operation, if nothing else. No timetable as to when the update will actually be launched, either. Just “soon.” Will Sony include any special surprises? We’ll just have to wait and see. [via PlayStation Blog]

Is 17 the Right Cut-Off Age for Mature-Rated Games? Posted: 20 Jan 2011 10:10 AM PST In the video game industry, debate rages over what kind of content is appropriate for children and what is not. Some say that the interactivity of a violent game make it a potentially more dangerous activity for the average child than watching a violent film. Those on the other side of the debate say that with the vast majority of players, violent games have little impact, and the industry should not be treated differently than Hollywood. As readers of my columns here on SlashGear know, I'm very much a supporter of the gaming industry. And I fully believe that games should be held to the same standard as films. I personally know that violent games did not make me violent when I was a child. But as for other kids, well, I'm not a psychologist, so I can't really say for sure. But all this talk of what's good for kids and what's not often leaves out a key component in that entire debate: the ESRB's Mature rating. The Mature rating is designed to keep kids away from potentially objectionable content. Games with a Mature rating are considered suitable only for people aged 17 years or older. It's the gaming industry's answer to Hollywood's R rating. Over the weekend, I was discussing ESRB ratings with some friends who have children. I outlined for them the major differences between the ratings and talked about some games that fit into each category. After I mentioned the Mature rating and included titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops and the Grand Theft Auto series, a friend stopped me and asked me a rather interesting question: "Why 17?" Of course, the simple answer is that the ESRB likely followed the film industry’s lead with the R rating. But the question also made me think. Is 17 really the right age for a mature-rated title? And if not, should it be higher, lower, or eliminated altogether? It's a question that cannot be answered so easily. Some titles, including Medal of Honor, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and several others, certainly feature content that might be objectionable to kids. But as anyone who has spent time playing mature-rated games on Xbox Live knows, the mature rating is largely ignored by younger teenagers that want to frag you as soon as you turn around. And when they do so, they usually throw off a few obscenities to make you know who did it. However, just because younger kids are playing these games doesn't mean that the Mature rating's age requirement is too strict. Quite the contrary, it might just mean that few people care. At the same time, how would upping the age requirement affect the industry? It's likely not something that teenagers would like to see happen, and considering 18 years old is the age at which people can go off to war, having the Mature rating's age requirement any higher than that wouldn't make much sense. And then there is the question of whether or not we need age requirements at all. Should a parent be able to decide what's right for their kids and what's not, regardless of age? Should kids themselves have the ability to make their own decisions about a particular game, even if the title they want to play is Call of Duty: Black Ops and they're 12 years old? It's hard to say. And in the end, it likely depends on the individual. But like the movie industry, the video game business likely has a responsibility to impose some kind of limitation on kids when objectionable material is readily available. It's just debatable if age, and especially 17 years of age, should be used to judge whether or not a child can handle a respective video game's content. So, let's hear from you. Is 17 the right cut-off for mature-rated games?

1.78m dead Facebook users in 2011 adding to profile clutter Posted: 20 Jan 2011 09:01 AM PST 1.78m Facebook users are likely to die during 2011, though don’t worry: the social network itself isn’t killing people off. Instead, that’s the user-churn predicted by Entrustet, a digital-legacy planning firm, which has bashed Facebook’s user stats with death rates from the Center for Disease Control and decided that the site will be littered with profiles for ex-networkers by the end of the year. Of that 1.78m, 480,000 are expected to be in the US. Entrustet is also predicting the number is only going to rise, and that duplicate accounts will increasingly become an issue; their figures suggest that an unlikely 150-percent of 20- to 24-year-olds in the US are on Facebook. For its part, Facebook offers a “memorializing” system where relatives of deceased members can have the profiles frozen; alternatively, the site will remove profiles of the deceased on request. A new move is to mark all members who have not logged in within the past thirty days as “inactive”, though this seems more to better educate its own usage figures than to handle unwanted profiles. [via CNN]

Microsoft offers free Windows Phone 7 to Geohot Posted: 20 Jan 2011 08:30 AM PST Microsoft continues its surprisingly sensible approach to Windows Phone 7 hacking, offering notorious Sony and Apple hacker George “Geohot” Hotz a free WP7 handset. Hotz had expressed his disillusion with Sony after the company sued him for his work hacking the PS3′s copy protection, and suggested that he might look instead to Windows Phone 7; Microsoft “entrepreneur on loan” Brandon Watson promptly tweeted him with the offer of a free phone to “let dev creativity flourish.” “#geohot if you want to build cool stuff on #wp7, send me email and the team will give you a phone – let dev creativity flourish #wp7dev” Brandon Watson According to Watson’s Twitter profile, he is working with Microsoft to help the company restore its “developer mojo”; it’s not clear whether Hotz took the exec up on his offer. Microsoft recently met with the ChevronWP7 team responsible for the Windows Phone 7 unlocking tool which turned regular handsets into developer-friendly models, in an attempt to embrace the homebrew community rather than fight against it. [via MCVUK]

SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: January 20 2011 Posted: 20 Jan 2011 08:20 AM PST First, watch your ports! Turns out there’s a way for people to hack the crap out of your computer just by attaching their Android to it. Next take a ride on the confirmation train with both T-Mobile Galaxy S 4G and Vibrant 4G, and take a peek at some possible specs on the Samsung's Galaxy S2, too. Here on SlashGear take a peek at the lovely brand new Jawbone ERA in a high-res review. Next go ahead and take that big jump with Google Voice as they introduce mobile number porting. Remember when LoveFilm bought Amazon Europe’s DVD rental service? Now Amazon is buying LoveFilm – how about that? Remember how big A likes to add features to their OS? It seems as though iPhone iOS 4.3 has multitouch gestures – oh and iPad 2? February 9, perhaps. All this and MORE on SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up. R3 Media Network Editor’s Choice SlashPhone The Samsung Star II Improved with Social Networking Integration HTC Thunderbolt Exclusivity Given to Best Buy in Exchange Not Selling Verizon iPhone 4 Nokia X7 Arrival to AT&T Has Been Canceled Android Community LG Optimus 2X Now Available for Pre-Order in Europe T-Mobile Galaxy S 4G "coming soon": Vibrant 4G confirmed T-Mobile Sidekick 4G rumors resurface with HSPA+ twist [Update: Confirmed!] Samsung's Galaxy S2 to have dual-core Orion CPU, 8MP camera, NFC & more? Dell Streak 7 to be $330 from T-Mobile USA? Android exploit turns smartphone into USB security hole Sony Ericsson's Hallon/Vivaz 2 gets previewed and adored 7-inch HTC Flyer slate due in US come March, with two more tablets in June? HTC Gratia UK launch confirmed for February 2011 SlashGear iPhone iOS 4.3 multitouch gestures get video demo T-Mobile Galaxy S 4G confirmed: HSPA+ model "coming soon" Eric Schmidt: Google pushing LTE, mobile money & cheap smartphones in 2011 Nintendo 3DS UK wholesale price reveals 1/3 markup AGC Dragontrail takes on Gorilla Glass for toughened crown Android Sidekick 4G rumored for T-Mobile HSPA+ [Update: Confirmed!] LaCie Galet by Christofle is just in time for a geeky Valentine's Nokia N9 now packing 1.2GHz Intel Atom for MWC 2011 reveal? BMW 1-Series gets Nokia C7 remote-control [Video] Samsung Galaxy S2 packs 8MP camera & dual-core Orion CPU tips insider Jawbone ERA [REVIEW] T-Mobile Dell Streak 7 tipped at $330 by fine-print USB smartphone exploit turns Android into an invader Samsung's Liquavista buy-out official: color video e-paper and more in pipeline Facebook for Feature Phones launched with free data on certain carriers Boxee Box gets VUDU streaming; Netflix later in January iPad 2 FaceTime, Camera and PhotoBooth support spotted AT&T Nokia X7 cancelled: Mediocre carrier support blamed Google Voice mobile number porting trialled ahead of "near future" full launch Sony Ericsson Vivaz 2 (aka Hallon) gets pre-announce preview Amazon buys LoveFilm for European postal/streaming media HTC Flyer 7-inch tablet due March, plus two slates in June? HTC 7 Pro and HTC Gratia hit UK in February 2011 iPad 2 unveil February 9 tips iOS 4.3 screenshot speculation To see more Daily Slash posts, click here: [The Daily Slash] or here: [SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up]

iPad 2 unveil February 9 tips iOS 4.3 screenshot speculation Posted: 20 Jan 2011 08:09 AM PST FaceTime, Camera and PhotoBooth apps aren’t the only thing the new preview image of the iPad in iOS 4.3 Beta 2 is giving away; the thumbnail has also prompted speculation that Apple could officially announce the second-generation tablet on February 9 2011. Eagle-eyed Florian Schimanke spotted that the calendar icon in the new graphic shows February 9; all well and good, until you remember that the previous graphic showed January 27, the date the first iPad was officially unveiled. If true, that would put the iPad 2 announcement straight up against HP’s webOS event on the same day, and the company is strongly suspected to be bringing along webOS tablets to take on Apple’s slate. Of course, this could just be a generic screenshot and nothing quite so loaded, but we’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to see if Apple fires out invitations. [Thanks to everybody who sent this in!]

iPhone iOS 4.3 multitouch gestures get video demo Posted: 20 Jan 2011 07:50 AM PST Multitouch gestures have been spotted in the iOS 4.3 Beta 1 release, with BGR‘s sources sending in evidence of internal settings pages that suggest the iPhone will also get the gesture support, not just the iPad. Meanwhile Antoni Nygaard has managed to get the functionality working on his iPhone 3GS, and caught the whole thing on video. Video demo after the cut As you might expect, the same gestures that would work well on the 9.7-inch display of an iPad are a little more cumbersome on a 3.5-inch smartphone. Count on completely covering the display while you swipe with four fingers, for instance. Nygaard also demonstrates the changeable rotation lock/mute switch setting, which upset iPad owners when it was removed in iOS 4.2. Previous rumors suggested that Apple would ditch the physical home button on the iPad and iPhone and instead use gestures for controlling home and app switcher functionality; it certainly seems that’s possible, though whether it’s especially elegant on the iPhone is a matter of opinion. [via Engadget and via IntoMobile]

T-Mobile Galaxy S 4G confirmed: HSPA+ model “coming soon” Posted: 20 Jan 2011 07:37 AM PST T-Mobile USA CEO Philipp Humm has confirmed that an HSPA+ version of the Samsung Vibrant is “coming soon” to the network, as the T-Mobile Galaxy S 4G. Joining the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G, PCMag reports, the Galaxy S 4G is expected to have the same specifications as the existing Vibrant, but update the modem to support T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network. No specific release dates for either 4G device have been confirmed, though we’re guessing Samsung will want to rush the Galaxy S 4G onto the market as soon as possible before the dual-core Galaxy S2 makes its rumored debut at Mobile World Congress next month. Meanwhile, there’s still no timescale for the release of Android 2.2 Froyo for existing T-Mobile Vibrant owners. [via Android Community]

Eric Schmidt: Google pushing LTE, mobile money & cheap smartphones in 2011 Posted: 20 Jan 2011 07:31 AM PST Google CEO Eric Schmidt has taken to the Harvard Business Review to talk about the search giant’s strategic initiatives in 2011, all of which are centered on mobile. Schmidt highlights three areas of focus – LTE, mobile money and inexpensive smartphones – which will require attention if Google’s plans to deliver personalized information about where you are and what you could do there right now are to come to fruition. “To realize that vision, Google needs to do some serious spade­work on three fronts,” he suggests, kicking off with LTE speeds for mobile devices. “8-to-10- mega­bit networks, roughly 10 times what we have today … will usher in new and creative applications, mostly entertainment and social, for these phone platforms.” As for mobile money, we’ve already seen Google pushing for its adoption with NFC support in Android 2.3 Gingerbread and in the Nexus S; Schmidt wraps that in some talk of developing nations, similar to what we’ve heard Nokia discuss. “Phones, as we know, are used as banks in many poorer parts of the world” the Google CEO explains, “and modern technology means that their use as financial tools can go much further than that.” Those new developing markets are potential customers for bargain Android devices, Schmidt seems to think. “We envision literally a billion people getting inexpensive, browser-based touchscreen phones over the next few years” he suggests, “can you imagine how this will change their awareness of local and global information and their notion of education? And that will be just the start.” [via Near Field Communications World]

Nintendo 3DS UK wholesale price reveals 1/3 markup Posted: 20 Jan 2011 07:11 AM PST Nintendo Europe weren’t quite as forthcoming with pricing for the new 3DS as their US counterparts, only saying that the cost for the 3D-capable console would be set by retailers. However, one of those retailers has spilt the beans on just what they’re paying, telling GamesRadar that the UK 3DS wholesale price is £173 ($277). Given the street price for UK Nintendo 3DS pre-orders has settled at around £229.99 ($368) – versus the confirmed $249.99 in the US – that’s a roughly one-third markup on the new console. Now, obviously we’re expecting retailers to make some profit, but given the significant difference between European and US pricing, we can’t imagine gamers will be too happy when they realise quite what that amounts to. Meanwhile, 3DS games themselves look to be on the expensive side as well, coming in at $39.99 and $49.99 in the US and €49.95 to €59.95 in Europe. Don’t forget to let us know whether you’re planning on picking up a 3DS in our poll! Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

AGC Dragontrail takes on Gorilla Glass for toughened crown Posted: 20 Jan 2011 07:03 AM PST Right now the big name in toughened glass is Corning, whose Gorilla Glass is found fronting devices such as Dell’s Streak and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, but it seems the company has some competition ahead. Asahi Glass Company is launching Dragontrail, a chemically-strengthened glass that’s supposedly six-times stronger than regular soda-lime glass. It’s also said to be “highly resistant to scratches” and have a clearer finish than resin panels. Dragontrail should also tick a few eco boxes, with the company claiming it’s free of environmentally-harmful additives as well. AGC reckons it could well take a $360m global market share supplying cover glass for smartphones, tablets, TVs and other gadgets, though we can’t imagine Corning will take that challenge lying down. No word on what products we can expect to see AGC protecting first. Press Release: AGC Unveils Damage-Resistant Dragontrail™ Glass for Smartphone, Tablet PC, TV Makers Worldwide Tokyo, January 20, 2011 – AGC announced today it will launch worldwide sales of Dragontrail™, a glass material that is highly receptive to chemical strengthening, to respond to surging global demands for high-quality cover glass used for screens on electronic devices. By 2012, AGC expects to achieve sales of over 30 billion yen (about 360 million USD) in the global market for chemically strengthened cover glass used in smartphones, tablet PCs, TVs and similar devices. Chemically strengthened Dragontrail is six times stronger than conventional soda-lime glass, highly resistant to scratches and features a beautiful, pristine finish compared with resin. Dragontrail, developed from market-proven raw glass for chemical strengthening, is free of environmentally harmful materials AGC uses a highly efficient float process to manufacture Dragontrail by utilizing the company's extensive technical expertise in producing specialized glass for electronics acquired through manufacturing TFT glass substrates. The superior production efficiency of this manufacturing process ensures stable supply of cover glass for the growing global mobile device market. AGC will also proactively respond to growing demand for cover glass used in televisions. "Dragontrail is a a strategic product that will build new foundations for growth under Grow Beyond, our management policy," said Yoshiaki Tamura, Deputy President of AGC's Electronics Company unit. "We will continue to explore new applications for this versatile product as we expand its global market." The demand for cover material is growing in parallel with the rapid proliferation of smartphones, tablet PCs and other devices, many of which feature designs where touchscreen panels cover the majority of their surfaces. These mobile devices require protection against shocks and grazing resulting from touch operation, accidental drops and scraping inside a pocket or bag. AGC's Dragontrail offers a superior substitute to conventional cover material, such as soda-lime glass, which lacks strength, and resin, which is prone to scratches and limited by poor texture quality

Android Sidekick 4G rumored for T-Mobile HSPA+ [Update: Confirmed!] Posted: 20 Jan 2011 06:37 AM PST T-Mobile’s Sidekick range met its end back in July 2010, with the carrier promising it was would “work on the next chapter of our storied Sidekick franchise.” According to TmoNews, that chapter will involve Android 2.3 Gingerbread; their source claims to have been briefed this week on a new T-Mobile Sidekick 4G running Google’s open-source platform and packing both a physical QWERTY keyboard and a touchscreen display. Very little is known about the hardware, and it’s not clear whether Sharp is making this particular batch of next-gen devices. The name – which might not make it to production models – certainly implies HSPA+ connectivity. Sidekick certainly built up a strong fanbase of users, though it’s unclear what would differentiate a new line of Android models from other Android phones with physical keyboards, such as T-Mobile’s own G2. [via Android Community] Update: PCMag reports that T-Mobile USA CEO Philipp Humm confirmed the upcoming Sidekick 4G at a briefing earlier today: “We will launch as new the Samsung Galaxy S 4G … and coming soon, will also be a Sidekick 4G. Everybody knows the Sidekick, and we’re going to relaunch the Sidekick and bring it as a 4G device, Android based, into the market”

LaCie Galet by Christofle is just in time for a geeky Valentine’s Posted: 20 Jan 2011 06:19 AM PST We’re not entirely sure why you’d want a hand-crafted, silver-plated 4GB memory key in the shape of a pebble, but perhaps Valentine’s 2011 is geek-themed and nobody bothered faxing to let us know. LaCie‘s latest design partnership is with Christofle, the end result being the Galet USB Key. The French-finished memory disc comes in a “charming gift box” and LaCie reckons it’s ideal for wearing around the neck on a chain; we’d also suggest replacing your boring old pocket-watch with one, or perhaps wearing it as a less-useful monocle. The LaCie Galet is available now, priced at £94.99 ($152). Press Release: Christofle and LaCie Reveal Luxury for Every Day: Galet USB Key • Imagined by Christofle • Assembled and silvered in France • 4GB of storage London, UK (20th January 2011) – Today, two distinguished brands, Christofle and LaCie, introduce an elegant object for your digital belongings – Galet, design by Christofle. With its beautiful pebble shape and magnificent silver-plating, the Galet is a conversation piece that proves beauty and functionality can easily co-exist in our daily lives. Changing the definition The Galet is a new way of thinking about personal technology. Like a designer watch or a luxury pen, the Galet is an essential accessory. Hand-crafted in France, each piece is individually plated with precious silver through Christofle's 150 year-old silvering process. Then it is carefully inspected for a smooth finish and radiant polish, which guarantees its excellence. The Galet is assembled and hand-packed in a charming gift box at LaCie's factory in Paris, ensuring each Galet represents the finest presentation and quality. Once the process is complete, the result is a timeless gift that will bring convenience and luxury to one's daily life. Mobility made chic The Galet is a collector of photo and music memories. It is a beautifully simple USB solution to keep your cherished files close and accessible. The Galet's pebble shape easily fits into your life – in your pocket, on your key chain, or even around your neck – so you can take it with you wherever you go. "The spirit and philosophies of Christofle and its luxury brand, combined with the technical expertise of LaCie, have come together to transform a universal technology into an object that is as beautiful and simple a treasured piece of jewellery," said Luc Pierart, Business Unit Manager, Consumer Peripherals, LaCie "Each time you open it, its mystery is revealed – an elegant USB key." Availability The Galet comes in 4GB and includes LaCie's Private-Public software with password protection. The Galet is available for £94.99 in Christofle boutiques worldwide, as well as the LaCie Online Store. For more product information, visit www.lacie.com.

Nokia N9 now packing 1.2GHz Intel Atom for MWC 2011 reveal? Posted: 20 Jan 2011 06:04 AM PST Nokia’s MeeGo-based N9 flagship smartphone has hit a few hurdles along the way; originally the company hoped to have a MeeGo device on the market by the end of 2010, a window that slipped to 2011. Initially, the N9 was expected to use a Texas Instruments OMAP processor, as with its existing handsets. However, according to Finnish magazine Prosessori, Nokia has junked the TI chip and opted instead to power the N9 with a 1.2GHz Intel Atom processor The nature of that Atom CPU isn’t clear – it could be from the current Moorestown line-up, or more likely it would be a lower-power Medfield chip from the range expected to debut later this year. However, it would certainly bring the Intel/Nokia partnership closer together, and be a unique differentiator for the MeeGo handset. There’s also talk of an LTE prototype and the same 12-megapixel camera from the Nokia N8, but most interesting is the suggestion that Nokia CEO Stephen Elop will officially unveil the new N9 at Mobile World Congress 2011 next month. SlashGear has been speaking to a number of industry insiders over the past few weeks about what to expect from the Barcelona show, and they’ve told us that there’s talk of something big from Nokia this year; no details at this stage, unfortunately, but we’ll be at MWC bringing you all the news as it’s announced. [via Engadget]

BMW 1-Series gets Nokia C7 remote-control [Video] Posted: 20 Jan 2011 05:41 AM PST Nokia’s C7 proved a respectable business handset when we reviewed it, but then we didn’t try remotely-controlling a BMW with the Symbian smartphone. That’s just what two engineers from Nokia Asia have apparently managed, taking just twenty days to create the necessary software and remote control hardware to operate a 1-Series’ steering, brakes and accelerator, as well as all the regular gadgets inside. Video demo after the cut We’re not quite sure why the duo did it, beyond them apparently wanting to prank a poor parking attendent by driving off the car he’s just about to get in and park, but we won’t argue that it’s a cool hack. Not something we expect to see in the Ovi Store any time soon, however. [via MyNokiaBlog]

Samsung Galaxy S2 packs 8MP camera & dual-core Orion CPU tips insider Posted: 20 Jan 2011 05:15 AM PST Samsung isn’t exactly holding back when it comes to teasing what it has for MWC 2011 next month, with its “Evolution is Fate” campaign promising a replacement for the best-selling Galaxy S, and spec tidbits continue to leak out of Korea ahead of the big reveal. According to Nocut News, the Samsung Galaxy S2 – internally known as the Samsung Seine – will use the company’s new 1GHz Orion processor, based on dual ARM Cortex A9 cores, paired with an 8-megapixel camera and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The Galaxy S2 camera is said to be capable of 1080p Full HD video recording, while up front is a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen. Samsung is believed to have included NFC, as on the Nexus S, along with 1GB of RAM, and the whole thing is said to be just 9mm thick. In contrast, the original Galaxy S is 9.9mm thick. Orion began sampling back in Q4 2010 and was scheduled to go into mass production sometime in the first half of this year. It supports Full HD output via an HDMI 1.3a port – in fact the chip can concurrently run an external display while simultaneously driving two onboard displays, not that we’re expecting Samsung to make the most of that capability – and has an embedded GPS receiver. The same dual-core chip should also power Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Tab slates. [via Android Community]

Jawbone ERA Review Posted: 20 Jan 2011 05:00 AM PST Jawbone’s newest Jawbone Bluetooth headset has arrived, the Jawbone ERA, evolving the discrete styling of the ICON and taking its place at the top of the company’s range. There’s more than just good looks promised, though; Jawbone has also slotted in a bigger speaker for HD Audio, together with an accelerometer for more intuitive control. Is it enough to warrant the $129.99 price tag? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Hardware The Jawbone ERA is longer than the ICON, which shifts the microphone closer to your mouth, but the physical controls have been streamlined thanks to the addition of an accelerometer. Jawbone call it Motion-X, but it’s basically a way to kick the headset easily into pairing mode – “ShakeShake” – or answer/end calls – “TapTap” – by shaking or tapping the body of the ERA. Power on and shake ERA four or so times and it will automatically go into pairing mode; then, when you’re wearing the headset, a brisk double-tap will answer incoming calls. Inside there’s Bluetooth 2.1+EDR with headset and hands-free profile support, as well as (mono) A2DP, and Jawbone reckon up to 33 feet range. Multipoint support means the ERA will remember up to eight paired devices, of which two can be simultaneously connected at any one time; that means you can have your cellphone and your laptop paired, and handle voice and VoIP calls with the same headset. In the box there’s the ERA, four round earbuds for use with the easily-detached ear hook, four different earbuds with integrated rubber hoops for when you don’t want to use the ear hook, a short microUSB cable, carry pouch and a USB AC adapter. Unlike previous Jawbone ear hooks, the loop supplied with ERA is far more flexible which makes for more comfort together with a better fit for those wearing glasses or sunglasses. Jawbone ERA unboxing and hands-on: As with ICON, ERA will work with Jawbone’s MyTALK online suite of services to extend the headset beyond merely answering calls. Basically, it’s an app store for your Bluetooth headset, and with ERA Jawbone has boosted the connectivity speed so that updates take seconds rather than minutes. That’s useful, because you can now upload your address book to the headset’s onboard flash storage: whereas on the ICON the caller ID was read out as a number by a synthetic voice, with the ERA you hear the caller’s name (Jawbone ERA’s CallerID Function works with ten contacts that you’ve programmed using MyTALK). read out by a proper voice artist. Jawbone tells us it will be adding further voice artist recordings throughout the life of the headset, so names not initially covered – and which will get the robotic voice – will eventually get the premium treatment. There’s also the usual voice-control, the ability to dictate an SMS or Twitter update by voice, and the ability to send a short voice memo to Jawbone’s Jawbone THOUGHTS app. Performance Audio quality lives up to the solid construction of the ERA itself, putting the headset among the best we’ve tested. Jawbone has used a new wideband speaker – supposedly 25-percent larger – for what it calls HD Audio, along with the latest version of its noise-cancelation tech, NoiseAssassin 3.0. The latter adds automatic volume adjustment and intelligent DSP; with normal voice calls and Skype there was little in the way of obvious processing and simply clear, bright sound. When we tested in more noisy environments, however, such as while driving, the processing shifted into gear and was more ruthless at cutting out background sounds. We prefer the ERA’s performance to that of our previous favorite, Plantronics’ Voyager PRO+, and the Jawbone is more discrete in its design as well. While the ShakeShake pairing system is slick, it’s the tap-to-answer that really makes the ERA straightforward to use. Rather than hunting for a button – or having to press so hard that it hurts your ear or even dislodges the headset – it’s intuitive to gently tap the ERA a couple of times and then start talking. Jawbone tells us that the Motion-X tech on the ERA is simply the first step in how it expects to develop the technology, and the upgrade potential via the MyTALK system means there’s a good chance new motions will be introduced at a later point. We haven’t had a chance to put battery life to the test properly yet, but will do so over the next week or so. Jawbone claims up to 5.5hrs of talktime or 10 days of standby time. Wrap-Up It’s tough not to be impressed by the Jawbone ERA: the HD audio and effective noise-reduction technology take care of the core functionality, around which the solid build quality, innovative use of an accelerometer, and comfortable fit add up to an all-round winner. Jawbone definitely seems to be listening to feedback, and given the upgradable nature of the ERA we’re hopeful the MyTALK platform will mean future software modifications aren’t solely preserved for new headsets. At $129.99 – available in Shadowbox, Smokescreen, Midnight and Silver Lining finishes – it’s in the premium price range, but the functionality means you’re getting one of the best performing devices for your money. We’d opt for the ERA over the $99.99 Jawbone ICON (which will remain on sale alongside the new flagship) for its boosted HD Audio performance and easier control.

T-Mobile Dell Streak 7 tipped at $330 by fine-print Posted: 20 Jan 2011 04:21 AM PST Pricing for Dell’s upcoming Streak 7 tablet may have been prematurely posted, with T-Mobile USA apparently giving details of its Equipment Installment plan for the 7-inch slate. According to the Dell Streak 7 product page, as spotted by Streak Smart, the tablet will be available as a “$82.50 down payment, plus 3 monthly payments of $82.50, required”; that would work out to $330. There’s no mention of the Equipment Installment plan – which breaks the on-contract price down into four interest-free payments – on the Streak 7′s page itself, but the wording is identical to other products currently available through the carrier. It’s worth noting that this would still require you to take out an agreement with T-Mobile, since it’s just a way to spread the upfront subsidized cost of the Streak 7, not the price of a SIM-free version. More on the Tegra 2 powered Dell Streak 7 here. [via Android Community]

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