Kamis, 10 Februari 2011

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

Opening iPad Numbers Crush iPod and iPhone

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 02:17 PM PST

This has to make Apple execs happy. A presentation at Google's thinkmobile event by Mary Meeker, former Wall St. analyst now at Kleiner Perkins, showed just how monstrous the iPad's numbers are compared to its older siblings the iPod and iPhone.

The first slide shows that through the first three quarters of each device after its initial offering. The original iPod sold 236,000 in 2001. The original iPhone beat it in 2007 with 3.7 million sold. Now the iPad has demolished both of those with 14.8 million sold in the first three quarters of its life. The chart really shows how fast the public is willing to embrace a new Apple product, a result the company as nurtured for many years.

The second slide shows how Apple's iTunes has vastly changed over the years as well. Remember when people used the program to purchase music and movies only? That was a big deal when the idea was first introduced but it's second nature to many now. The slide shows that iTunes is all about the App Store now as 624 million songs were sold through iTunes, but a staggering 10 billion apps were downloaded.

Google got some good news as well at its own even when the slide about Android came up showing sky rocket growth in the first nine quarters of Android shipments. Android is now topping 70 million units shipped and has passed Apple's iPhone shipping numbers as well.

[Via Cult of Mac]

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Onkyo Debuts Two Affordable Home Theater Systems

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 02:13 PM PST

Onkyo just announced today the release of two new "home-theater-in-a-box" (HTiB) systems for those wanting to indulge but on a budget. The systems feature the latest HDMI connectivity standard with support for 3D video and lossless audio all built to exacting standards for the ultimate music, movies, and gaming experience in your home.

The higher end model HT-S5400 7.1-channel HTiB offers two extra audio channels for more audio control to enhance movie and gaming ambience. The audio channels can support Dolby Pro Logi IIz along with having superior audio DACs. The model also features a front panel USB port for iPod or iPhone connectivity.

The more affordable 5.1-channel HT-S3400 model omits a few features including the USB port, subwoofer pre-out, and Audyssey 2EQ.

On top of this, Onkyo also announces a new Remote Interactive Dock for iPod/iPhone, the DS-A4, which provides audio, video outputs, charging, and full function remote control.

The Onkyo HT-S5400 is priced at $599, the HT-S3400 at $379, and the DS-A4 at $139. All will be available in April.

[Via Onkyo]

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New 3D Network To Launch On DirecTV

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 01:31 PM PST

A new 3D channel is setting to premiere this Sunday on DirecTV, making it the third 3D channel on national satellite TV provider. The new network is a collaboration of Discovery Communications, Sony, and IMAX and is called 3net. The network will premiere at 8:00PM EST.

The first night's lineup will consist of "China Revealed" and "Forgotten Planet", both one-hour original programs, and IMAX's "Into the Deep". 3net will join DirecTV's other two 3D channels n3D and ESPN3D and like n3D will broadcast content 24/7, ESPN3D starts their 24/7 broadcasting on Valentine's Day.

The network says they will debut new content every night at 9:00PM and hopes to offer the largest library of native 3D content by 2011. So if you have the a 3D TV, the 3D glasses, and right antenna enjoy the added dimension.

[Via Discovery]

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Google Bulks Up Sign-In Security

Posted: 10 Feb 2011 01:20 PM PST

If you've ever had your account hacked resulting in a deluge of spam bombarding the inboxes of your friends and family addressed from you, then you'll surely appreciate Google's new efforts to bulk up sign-in security for all their Gmail and Google Accounts users. However, this new two-step verification process may be more of a nuisance than worthy of celebration.

The two-step verification involves having to enter not only your password each time you sign in but also another code that you receive via a text message on your phone. The new system will be rolled out over the next few days, during which you will notice a new link on your Accounts Settings page. Setup can take up to 15 minutes and you can have several backup devices from which to receive your sign in codes.

Sounds like a major pain in the side? Yes, but Google believes this extra step is worth it to ensure your email accounts and other important data in your Google accounts do not get compromised. If it helps any, they do offer the option to "Remember verification for this computer for 30 days" which will save you from having to retrieve security codes off your phone for a month.

[Google: 3 Million Businesses Use Google, New Features Coming Soon

  • Google junk Windows after security breach
  • Google Wave available for all
  • D-Link doubles security for home network routers
  • Google Offering $20,000 Prize to Hack Chrome


    		•

    LG VL600 LTE Modem for Verizon is now Mac-Compatible

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 01:12 PM PST

    If you have an LG VL600 LTE, rejoice! After being promised an update in early December, LG’s VL600 LTE dongle now has Mac drivers. You can download the new drivers here. Our own Ben Bajarin has already got his modem up and running on his MacBook Air, and getting 3.3 mb download and 3.8 mb upload speeds.


    Be sure and check out SlashGear’s full hands-on for the LG VL600 LTE.

    [via Engadget]

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    Verizon Gifts Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers with a Replacement iPhone 4

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:59 PM PST

    Earlier today, Superbowl winning Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers sent out a tweet complaining about his terrible iPhone connection, saying that he’d like to call in to the sports radio talk segment the Jim Rome show, but couldn’t because he kept hearing voices. Not the voices of ghosts, mind you, but of his AT&T iPhone which he said kept telling him “I will drop ur call.” Someone over at Verizon wireless who has a good eye for opportunity has just replied a few minutes ago with an offer for Rodgers that appears to be no less than a free Verizon iPhone 4.

    This all began a couple of weeks ago when Aaron Rodgers was asked to do a phone interview with the Jim Rome show, only to be cut off by a terrible connection more than once. A transcript of a couple of the more important interactions:

    ROME: "I'm going to give it a shot. Same phone, same deal. I'm going to hope for the best. We go back to it. Aaron Rodgers joins me once again. Aaron, sorry about that. The connection wasn't good. Good to have you back though. Thanks."

    RODGERS: "Yeah, you bet, man. I love the iPhone, but sometimes AT&T doesn't work around here."

    ROME: "That's the truth. Around here also…"

    A few moments later:
    RODGERS: (Unintelligible)

    ROME: "Aaron, my man, I just can't do it. I hate that. AT&T and the iPhone. Too bad it hasn't come to Verizon yet, but that's February 10th. Great phone, spotty service. AT&T, thanks for nothing. Hate that. You got a guy coming off the best game of his career in demand, tough to get the interview, commits to it, probably in a place where it's got to be a cell phone shot. iPhone. I mean, you got apps. But what good is it if we can't do a freaking interview? Yeah, but the apps are great. Yeah, it's great if you can use it as a phone. iPhone, not iApps. And I'm not here to crack you iPhone users, don't freak out on that, I've got one. That's why I don't use it as much as my Verizon BlackBerry. Big drag. We'll try to re-establish that with another phone or if not, what are you going to do? Guy made time for it. Tried to do it. We'll see if maybe we can still turn that around."

    Immediately after this, the tweets started rolling out, and it began to look rather bleak for AT&T at the same time as it started to look like one heck of a free commercial for Verizon:

    Jim Rome continued the show with a reading of an email, and suddenly the show was very much about AT&T’s coverage with their version of the iPhone. The email Rome read: “Hey, Jim, I agree completely about iPhones. I was on a call with one about a month ago. I could not hear a word the guy was saying, signed Joe Pa.”

    Today, the story took another interesting turn. Aaron Rodgers tweeted his wish to call in to the Jim Rome Show again, saying that he was afraid as his iPhone warned him of the inevitable:

    This alerted Verizon to the continuing situation, and they immediately took action with their fabulous free phone machine, appearing to offer Rodgers a brand new iPhone 4 from their recently released collection:

    What can we learn from all this? Perhaps just make sure to have excellent service, especially when your device is in the hands of celebrities and sports icons.

    One bad call can go a long way.

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    Verizon iPhone 4 Cheaper for Apple to Build

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:46 PM PST

    The new Verizon iPhone 4 costs 9% less for Apple to build than the AT&T iPhone 4, according to a teardown analysis report by IHS iSuppli. The bill of materials, or the total cost of the phone’s components, costs about $171.35 for the Verizon phone. The AT&T phone’s bill of materials costs $187.51. The total production cost for the Verizon iPhone 4 is $178.45. So why is it cheaper?

    The biggest change is the antenna. With the new design, Apple walled off the Bluetooth/LAN antenna for increased performance. The most expensive component of the iPhone 4 is memory, at $40.40. The display costs $37.80.

    According to Andrew Rassweiler, senior director of teardown services for IHS:

    “With the CDMA iPhone 4, Apple Inc. has shown once again that it never recycles a product design. Apple’s new designs always exhibit changes, evolution and optimization. This approach is evident not only in the antenna design but also in items like the integrated GPS functionality and the shrinking of the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo module. As we dig deeper into our teardown analysis, we’re certain that we will find a host of other tweaks all designed to improve quality but keep costs on a steady path of decline.”

    To see SlashGear’s full review of the Verizon iPhone 4, go here.

    [via PCMag.com]

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    iPhone Password Broken In 6 Minutes

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:28 PM PST

    If you feel safe that your iPhone is secure because you set a password, this might make you a little nervous. Six minutes is all it will take an experienced hacker to break into your iPhone and get all your information. Watch a video of the process after the jump.

    The Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology in Germany has published a report and posted a video on just what steps to take and how easy it is to break into your phone. What you need is to actually have the iPhone and needs to jailbroken first. After that the device is vulnerable to divulge all your information.

    This has to be unsettling for Apple and its enterprise customers who have switched or are planning to switch to Apple products like the iPhone and iPad for corporate purposes. The security weakness would leave company passwords, confidential e-mails and private information in the hands of hackers. Mobile wiping is available for iPhones and iPads but Apple still needs to beef up its security.

    [Via LA Times]

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    Google Closing In On Next New Networks

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:20 PM PST

    Google is getting close to acquiring Next New Networks (NNN), an online video studio and home to popular web shows such as Barely Political, Channel Frederator, and Fast Lane Daily. The acquisition would help Google create more professional content on their Youtube subsidiary.

    NNN was founded in 2006 and creates its own shows and also partners up with other popular online talent to help grow their audiences and provide production support. It is unlikely that Google wants to start its own production studio, but rather more like an in-house talent agency that seeks and supports popular grassroots talents to create more professional content and increase traffic and ad revenue.

    It is expected that Google will pay tens of millions of dollars for NNN and the deal may close sometime this coming week.

    [Via CNN Fortune]

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    Google TV is Dying, and an Apple TV with Apps will Finish it Off

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:15 PM PST

    You remember Google TV, right? It was supposed to be the software, running on several different devices, that would reinvent how we consume entertainment in the living room. And perhaps most importantly, it was supposed to be the platform that would beat all competitors.

    But that hasn't happened. Since the release of the Logitech Revue and Sony's Google TV-based products, the entertainment platform failed to catch on with consumers. And even those who opted to get Google TV-based products were disappointed to find out that it had potential, but couldn't deliver on the features they were after, like app support and the ability to watch some of their favorite television shows through its included browser.

    Even with those issues, some companies aren't willing to give up on Google TV just yet. Last month, for example, Vizio announced that it would integrate Google TV into a line of its HDTVs. Logitech and Sony also seem committed to the platform for now.

    Google is undoubtedly happy to see that. But what about consumers? Current Google TV products have been ignored. And not even support from Vizio, one of the top HDTV makers in the world, will likely be able to change that.

    It gets worse for Google. While the company has been trying to get its entertainment platform off the ground, Apple has been enjoying some success in the set-top box market.

    After launching the Apple TV last September, Apple announced in December that its device would hit over 1 million unit sales before the end of the year. Since then, we haven't heard much about Apple TV sales. But it seems that Apple is relatively pleased. And at the very least, we know that the device is catching on far better than Google TV-based products.

    Realizing that, I think we can safely assume that Google TV is dying slowly, and Apple TV is healthier than ever.

    But that doesn't mean that Google TV is dead. Quite the contrary, Google has the ability to revive its ailing platform if it can ink deals with content providers and finally deliver apps to customers. That alone would do wonders for its service and potentially bring it back to life, unless, of course, Apple can beat Google to the punch.

    Right now, Apple has the unique opportunity to finally kill off Google TV. All the company needs to do is bring its App Store to the Apple TV. Companies offering all kinds of multimedia products would jump at the chance to get in on yet another Apple marketplace. And consumers that saw little value in a black box that only does streaming might quickly realize that a black box that does streaming and offers content from major partners, like Hulu, through an App Store, is a worthwhile investment.

    Even better for Apple, it puts Google in a difficult position. If it finally offers apps, will it be able to bring back those customers that Apple stole away? More importantly, will it be able to entice developers to work with it, rather than the Apple TV that at least so far, has proven to be more popular?

    It's tough to say. But it's quite possible that if Apple beats Google to the market with apps on its set-top box, the search giant might be forced to answer those questions.

    Say what you will about the underpowered Apple TV, but I think it has a chance right now to kill Google TV once and for all. All it needs is apps — and more attention from Apple.

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    Obama: “Connecting Every Corner of America to the Digital Age”

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 12:11 PM PST

    During an address at Northern Michigan University in Marquette on Thursday afternoon, President Barack Obama said the US will spend $5 billion to build next-generation high-speed wireless networks in rural areas, and create incentives to free up more radio frequencies for mobile broadband. According to Obama (who is shown below using his BlackBerry), “It’s how we’ll spark new innovation, new investment, new jobs … We can’t expect tomorrow’s economy to take root using yesterday’s infrastructure.”

    Obama compared expanding wireless networks to building highways, railroads, and expanding electricity across the country in earlier decades. Right now, just 65 percent of US homes have broadband internet service. “When it comes to high-speed internet, the lights are still off in one-third of our households.”, he said. Expanding broadband internet will give people in rural areas easier access to information, and opportunities outside their hometowns.

    In his state of the union speech, Obama committed 4G high-speed wireless services available to at least 98 per cent of Americans within five years.

    Details include:

    • A goal to free up 500 MHz of radio spectrum, mainly for mobile broadband. Obama proposes financial incentives to encourage companies and government agencies to release some of their spectrum they hold so it can be auctioned off for this purpose.
    • A one-time $5-billion investment in the construction of 4G networks in rural areas. Obama noted that private companies don’t expand there on their own because it isn’t profitable.
    • A $3-billion fund to support research, testing and development of “key technological developments” to enable and take advantage of the 4G rollout.
    • $10.7 billion to develop and deploy a nationwide interoperable wireless network for public safety and emergency services.
    • Using $27.8 billion raised from the proposed auctions of government and commercial spectrum to cut the national deficit by $9.6 billion over the next decade.

    [via CBC News]

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    No kidding? Skull Implanted Camera Gives Professor a Headache

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 11:45 AM PST

    NYU professor Wafaa Bilal had a camera implanted in his skull last fall as part of a year-long art project, and now it is giving him a headache. The camera apparatus was installed by a body modification artist at a Los Angeles tatoo parlor. It consists of a titanium base fixed between Bilal’s skin and skull. The camera is then attached with three posts. Bilal was undergoing antibiotic and steroid treatment, but his body still rejected the device and he was in constant pain. One of the posts has been removed, but the remaining two and the base are intact.

    The camera takes a picture every 60 seconds, and the images are sent to a web site as well as being projected on screens at a museum in Doha, Qatar. Bilal said he was determined to continue with the project, and hopes that once he heals, a lighter camera can be attached. Meanwhile, he has the camera tied to the back of his neck with a string, and it is still feeding images to the website. The images we have seen so far look to be curtains.

    So why is he doing this? The whole thing is a performance, and “With the performance comes endurance. But also it’s a commitment. And I didn’t feel that strapping something around my neck would be the same way I’m committed to the project as mounting it to the top of my head.”, Bilal said.

    Bilal fled Iraq during the first Gulf War in 1991, and lived in refugee camps in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. He says he wished he had a record of the places he left behind. He also wants to slow life down and call attention to the present. "Most of the time, we don't live in the places we live in," he said. "We don't exist in the city we exist in. Perhaps physically we exist, but mentally we are somewhere else." Admirable, but this seems a very painful way of going about it.

    Bilal also says that the project points to a future where communication devices will become part of our bodies.

    [via PC News]
    from The Chronicle of Higher Education

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    Yahoo Announces LiveStand Digital Newstand

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 11:45 AM PST

    Yahoo has unveiled details on its latest push into the mobile media market with Livestand, a digital newsstand platform that will land sometime in the first half of 2011. Livestand will cater the content to the reader's interest by giving personalized digital newsstand from publishers based on their choices.

    "Tablets are great for laid back experience, but most magazine content remains trapped online," says Blake Irving, Yahoo's Chief Product Officer. "But consumers don't want a digitized magazine. They want rich media, they want connections beyond commenting."

    The platform will allow publishers to do away with many problems of cost and presentation of their online formats. Yahoo is hoping Livestand can bring in a new way of interacting and reading your news. Livestand will feature content from Yahoo News, Yahoo Sports, Flickr, and gossip site OMG. It will also be integrated with Yahoo Finance and Yahoo mail.

    "You don't exactly curl-up with your PC, "Irving says. "With Livestand, brands can finally match the intimacy that magazines once brought to their audiences." Livestand will be aimed at the tablet market first, then move onto smartphones and PCs. There will be subscription services for Livestand but no information is out on that yet.

    [Via All Things Digital]

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    Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 RC Released

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 11:42 AM PST

    Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 9 is looking promising and today they just unleashed the RC (release candidate) version for all to download. This RC build is considered feature complete meaning that it pretty much resembles the final release except for some additional bug fixes. This release includes a customizable Tracking Protection feature, a more streamlined interface, and overall improved performance.

    When it comes to the interface, IE 9 has a more svelte header area and features a “One Bar”–an all-in-one search and address bar similar to that of Google’s Chrome. The tabbed area, however, is aligned with the One Bar which may be a nuisance for folks who like to open a dozen tabs at the same time as they would have to either drag the tabs into a second row or shrink the width of the One Bar.

    As for security and performance features, IE9′s new Tracking Protection is essentially the same as the previous InPrivate Filtering feature except with added functionality. It will automatically block tracking cookies, but also can be customized to block only the ones you select.

    Improved support for HTML5, CSS3, and geolocation is also included in this release along with the ability to pin web apps to the taskbar.

    [Via Download Squad]

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    Only Modest Lines for Verizon iPhone 4

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 10:48 AM PST

    After all the excitement surrounding the release of the iPhone 4 on Verizon, the lines at stores were somewhat underwhelming this morning. This even though, according to Analyst Mike Abramsky with RBC Capital Markets, Verizon is expected to sell more than a million phones in the first week.Yes, it is cold outside, but that hasn’t stopped people from lining up for new releases in the past. More likely, it is because this isn’t really a new release.

    The iPhone 4 has already been out for over six months, and though it is new to Verizon, many people may be waiting for the iPhone 5. Also, at $30, Verizon’s data plan is more expensive than AT&T’s. More importantly, perhaps, Verizon made the phone available to existing customers on February 3rd, and it was available online yesterday.

    Check out SlashGear’s full review of the Verizon iPhone 4, and let us know if you were one of those who braved the cold to get a new phone today.

    [via TechFortune]

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    Apple TV to Support Gaming?

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 10:00 AM PST

    Strings inside Apple’s iOS 4.3 beta firmware that’ll be used on Apple TV have been shown to display clues leading to one possibility: the ability to play games on Apple TV without having to jailbreak first. An anonymous tipster speaking with Engadget has revealed the following references: “ATVGames” and “ATVThunder,” both of them inside iOS 4.3 beta 3, as well as “com.apple.appletv.play.live.thunder” and “.play.archive.thunder.” What’s all that junk mean? It might be nothing of too much interest, but what these tipsters may have found are clues to a controller, a set of game leaderboards, a way to schedule games, and a storefront.

    This could mean a big jump in sales for that little Apple box of television, especially if their app store were to be opened to any sized screen (think human-sized Angry Birds up in Mike Tyson’s mansion.) In addition to this find, there’s a video up in the world displaying what they’re calling “Apple TV 2 Remote Touch Behaviors.” This video shows Alex Hisrbrunner using a Harmony remote to display hidden Apple TV commands like the funny wiggling of icons available in iOS now to sort (here doable with a standard remote.)

    This function, having been only available thus far on iOS devices such as iPad, iPod Touch, and iPhone, points directly at a more integrated experience on all Apple products, not just Apple TV. What do you think – App Store for all Apple devices? Or what?

    [via PCmag]

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    Is the Market too Crowded for webOS to be Successful?

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 09:55 AM PST

    Let's start off by remembering that the smartphone market is still relatively early. Even though it is one of the hottest topics around, smartphones as a whole still only represent less than 30% of the total global mobile phone market. That being said the smart phone market grew 75% last quarter alone and is expected to grow at that pace each quarter for the next few years.

    Right now RIM, Apple and their iOS and a host of Android vendors dominate the smart phone sector. Windows Phone 7 is on the far fringe of this market and HP's webOS devices still farther yet. So the real question is in a market dominated right now by three companies is there room for more? The short answer is yes and here is why.

    There is Always Room For Innovation
    Too often companies are so afraid of competition that they are immobilized to even attempt to compete. To these companies I remind them that there is always room for innovation. People told Larry Page and Sergey Brin they were crazy when starting Google since Yahoo! was by far the most dominant web search engine around. They lived by the point that there is always room for innovation.

    Someone can always make something better. Technology evolves at such a rapid pace that the next great innovation or technology disruption is always just around the corner.

    That being said, innovation or competing with the incumbents in a market is not always easy. Especially when you have companies like Apple and Google innovating as well as anyone. For HP, competing with the likes of Apple, RIM and the Google army will be extremely difficult. Time will tell if they can do it, but it is possible.

    The Market Opportunity is Huge
    The other important point to factor into the discussion is the market size. Given that the market size for personal computing devices is so large, we can't write off any one company at this point. If we just add the growth forecasts for PCs, smart phones and tablets in 2015 we are talking about anywhere from 1 to 1.5 billion devices conservatively.

    Just to illustrate one last point take a look at the chart below created by Horace Deidu of Asymco. Using Canalys data he charted the platform growth in smart phones by vendor.

    The time frame is what is important to pay attention to. In the past two years the newcomers have taken over 50% of the market. All of that to say it is not out of the realm of possibility that newcomers can enter the market and still take some market share.

    How much market share, though, is left to be determined; however I am confident that three years from now the above chart will look very different.

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    Symbian Still Number One Smartphone Platform According to Gartner

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 09:55 AM PST

    With the explosion of smartphones, most of the focus has been on the iOS and Android platforms. However, neither of them is the top smartphone platform- yet. According to a new report from Gartner, for Q4 2010, Nokia’s Symbian is still leading Android – just barely. This will not last, though. Nokia’s Symbian sold 111.6 million units in 2010, but it lost market share,  from 46.9% in 2009 to 37.6% in 2010. Android sold 67 million units, making it number two, but Android grew by 888.8%.

    Nokia is scheduled to make an announcement tomorrow regarding moving to a new platform. Insiders say that Nokia will be moving to Windows Phone 7, though there have been talks with both Microsoft and Google. Google’s VP of Engineering, Vic Gundotra’s, recent dig at Nokia on Twitter that “Two turkeys do not make an Eagle” makes any teaming up by Nokia and Google unlikely. Microsoft, with only 4.2% market share, is far from being a market leader, but teaming up with Nokia could help them climb up out of the basement.

    In any case, we can be sure that by Q4 2011, Symbian will no longer be the top mobile platform.

    Slashgear will be covering the Nokia announcement in London live tomorrow.

    [via Mashable]

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    webOS 3.0 ENYO SDK Released to Developers

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 09:14 AM PST

    Yesterday was the biggest day HP / Palm have had in a long time, due in no small part to the release of webOS 3.0. This operating system will be working on the several new devices HP announced yesterday including the Palm3, the Veer, and the lovely TouchPad. Today developers for the webOS platform will be able to get their hands on the SDK of the system so they’ll be able to begin testing their apps and whatnot out, and so they’ll be able to begin creating all new ways to modify, manipulate, and use the new system to their advantage.

    This webOS 3.0 ENYO SDK will be available to download from what was formerly known as the Palm Early Access channel today. The privilege of downloading this SDK will be reserved for those that email pdc@palm.com and beg and scream and ask nicely if they can have it. And you DO want it, right? ENYO is resolution independent so you can develop for any of the three devices announced yesterday. If you’ve used Palm’s Mojo SDK in the past you’re going to have to change the way you work just bit, but HP has stated that older Mojo-based apps will still function in this new version of the SDK.

    Will you be amongst the developers working on webOS 3.0 for these perhaps rather promising new devices? Shoot an email over to pdc@palm.com to request a look at the SDK and try it out. Tell us if it’s the system for you, or if you plan on skipping it while you continue to develop for Android 3.0 Honeycomb, Android 2.4 Ice Cream, and iOS 2.3.

    [via Switched]

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    iPad Mini in the Works?

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 08:39 AM PST

    With all the absolutely absurd iPad refresh rumors permeating the digital air as of late, it’s been difficult to sort out what’s slightly possible from the completely insane. The following rumor might be somewhere in between crazy and real, but the idea is fun enough that we’d like to share it no matter what. The rumor we’re referring to here is for the iPad Mini.

    This rumor centers around the iPad 3 notion floating around this morning, though it’s unclear whether the iPad 3 would be the same thing as the iPad Mini or if they’d both be released closer to the end of 2011. But wait, that’d be crazy – that would mean that Apple would have to release the iPad 2 sometime very soon in order to have enough time to develop a third and maybe a fourth iteration by the end of the fourth quarter of this year!

    One of the sources for both rumors is blogger John Gruber, who, apparently with “iron-clad” Apple inside sources, has pronounced iPad 3 as real and as being released before the end of this year. In the following statement written by Gruber yesterday, “If my theory is right, they’re not only going to be months behind the iPad 2, but if they slip until late summer, they might bump up against the release of the iPad 3,” the HP TouchPad is said to be releasing in between iPad 2 (which, if what he guesses is true, will be being released this spring,) and the iPad 3, which, again if he’s correct, will be inside 2011, maybe even inside this coming summer.

    And what about the iPad Mini? TGDaily writer Raven Lovecraft is guessing that this will either be released near the iPad 3 or will actually BE the iPad 3, releasing near the end of 2011 and roughly the size of a Samsung Galaxy Tab. One handed iPadding? Sounds alright, yes?

    We’ve got a feeling though that it just isn’t true. While the release of two versions of the iPad before the end of 2011 might be a possibility to combat the oncoming tide of Android Honeycomb tablets, a Mini doesn’t follow with what’s been said in the past about such a size of slate. On the other hand, a 7-inch iPad has been tipped before, so who knows?

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    Nokia E7 Review

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 08:08 AM PST

    Arriving on the market late, the Nokia E7 finds itself launching at a shaky point in the Finnish company’s history. Under new management, suffering doubts – internal and external – over the strength of its current platforms, and watching increasing amounts of attention and revenue being taken by key rivals like Apple, Nokia has high expectations for its new business flagship. Misplaced, misguided or money in the bank? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.

    Hardware

    The E7 may be the largest of the recent Symbian smartphones – looking at first glance like an oversized N8 and significantly chunkier than the svelte C7 – but inside it’s business as usual. Keeping Symbian moving is a 680MHz ARM 11 processor, paired with 256MB of RAM and OpenGL 2.0 graphics support. Connectivity follows Nokia’s throw-in-the-lot pattern of recent devices, with pentaband UMTS/WCDMA (supporting Euro, T-Mobile USA and AT&T 3G bands in a single device), WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS/A-GPS and an FM radio. Accelerometers, a digital compass, proximity and ambient light sensors, and a front-facing camera for 3G video calls round things out.

    The E7 may measure 123.7 x 62.4 x 13.6 mm but there’s still been some compromise in terms of fitting everything in. Gone is the N8′s FM transmitter and microSD card slot, leaving only the 16GB of fixed storage, and there’s no 2mm charging port either. Instead, you get a microUSB port and mini HDMI output, and Nokia bundles both an HDMI adapter (to get a full-sized port) and a USB Host adapter (to plug in a keyboard, mouse, or USB drive) in the retail box.

    Nokia E7 unboxing & hands-on:

    The camera also gets a downgrade in comparison to the N8, a mere 8-megapixels versus the photo flagship’s 12-megapixels, and using EDoF (Extended Depth of Field) rather than active auto-focus. It also has a dual-LED flash rather than Xenon. Still, the smaller camera module does allow Nokia to do away with the N8′s unsightly hump.

    Controls are limited to a power/profile button on the top edge (in-between the HDMI and 3.5mm headphones ports), a volume rocker and camera shortcut on the right edge, and a lock switch on the left edge. All are beautifully bevelled, the silver aluminum glinting against the matte black finish. A backlit home/menu button sits underneath the 4-inch capacitive touchscreen. That display runs at an underwhelming 640 x 360 resolution – given the size, the pixels are clearly discernible – but the quality of the 16m color AMOLED panel, using Nokia’s Clear Black branded technology, is almost enough to make us forgive the pixel shortage. Colors are rich, blacks inky and the E7 holds its own on all but resolution when put next to a Samsung Super AMOLED screen.

    You honestly have to search hard to find a hardware point on which to criticise Nokia. The Finnish company has built a reputation for rock-solid phones – at the budget end and at the premium end – and the E7 is no different. Our only complaint is a slightly rattly lock switch, and when that’s the sum flaws of a handset then the company is obviously getting something right. Of course, we knew that from the N8; what the E7 introduces is a brilliant QWERTY keyboard as well.

    We had high hopes for the E7′s ‘board after Nokia World 2010, even having only played with the prototypes the company brought to the show, and the production models don’t disappoint. A nudge at the left edge pops the spring-loaded display open with a pleasing thunk, tilted at a useful angle. The keys themselves consist of four rows of slightly domed, hard backlit buttons, with a broad spacebar and dedicated @ and arrows. Numbers share the top row of letters, triggered with the function key.

    The whole thing is perfect for holding two-handed and thumbing out emails and texts. The buttons have just the right amount of resistance and travel – far better than the membrane panels we’ve seen on, say, recent Motorola Android phones – and you can even put the E7 flat on a table and use four fingers for speedier typing. Nokia bills the E7 as the new Communicator, and fans of those business-phones’ full keyboards won’t be disappointed.

    Software

    The E7 runs Symbian^3, the same PR1.1 release as just made public for the N8, though of course renamed PR1.0 for the newer device. That makes it instantly familiar to existing users, but also means it faces the same uphill struggle to convince would-be buyers that Symbian remains competitive in the face of Android, iOS and other platforms.

    It can be easy to overlook Symbian’s strengths. The 680MHz processor may be old tech in comparison to the newest 1GHz single- and dual-core chips we’ve seen on recent Android devices, but it’s certainly sufficient to keep the E7 moving along swiftly. The only real sluggishness we’ve noticed has been in the native Symbian browser, where complex webpages could be slow to render or navigate around. The flip side, of course, is that a low-power CPU means less battery consumption, something we’ll touch on later.

    As on the N7, C7 and C6-01, the E7 has the same three-pane homescreen, each with room for up to six widget blocks. Options include email (with the two newest messages from the inbox shown), calendar, speed-dials, sets of four app shortcuts, media controls and entertainment news from Paramount and others. Alternatively there are more on offer to download in Nokia’s Ovi Store. Bizarrely, Nokia continues to insist on introducing artificial lag in swiping between the three panes, something which belies the capacitive touchscreen’s actually responsive performance.

    Beyond that it’s generally Symbian as standard. Preloaded is the Ovi Store, Nokia’s photo and video editing apps, QuickOffice and Ovi Maps, among others. Ovi Maps in particular has evolved into a capable Google Maps alternative, complete with turn by turn directions, offline mapping data support and various third-party POI, recommendation and review services. There’s also rudimentary social networking integration, capable of pulling in Facebook and Twitter updates and pushing them to a homescreen widget, though nothing as comprehensive as we’ve seen on Android. Nokia’s sharing functionality falls well short as well; perhaps we’ve been spoiled by Android’s all-inclusive Share feature, which offers both the platform’s homegrown apps and any compatible third-party methods as well, but Nokia’s standard options – by email, message or Bluetooth, or on Facebook or Twitter – fail to open up to other apps you might download from the Ovi Store.

    Symbian’s perhaps tired UI will be refreshed in a software update expected later this year, and that really can’t come too soon. Little things, like the absence of a QWERTY keyboard in portrait orientation – instead you get a T9-style numeric keypad with numbers – jar the user experience somewhat, though at least the E7 has its physical ‘board to salve the pain. Filling in text boxes using the on-screen keyboard (both portrait and landscape) still insists on calling up a separate dialog pane, though thankfully the same isn’t true when you’re using the hardware keyboard.

    Nokia’s native browser is also due for an overhaul, useful since right now it’s outclassed by rival devices. There’s Flash Lite 4 support (for most Flash Player 10.1 content), which is welcome, but there’s no text-reflowing on zoom which makes for plenty of pinch-zooming or panning if you want to read blocks of text. The relatively low screen resolution also makes its presence known; where on rival devices with similar-sized displays you can often read text at low levels of zoom, the E7′s 640 x 360 simply lacks the pixels for that degree of crispness.

    The Ovi Store offers some salvation, with the popular Opera Mobile Browser being one of the most downloaded titles (and offering a far better online experience). There are also mainstream titles like Skype – which works very well for voice and IM chat – and popular Twitter app Gravity (which we still say Nokia should buy and install as standard). Unfortunately, there are also plenty of gaps where rival platforms iOS and Android have big name apps; it’s worth exploring the Ovi.com site to see if anything you particularly rely on is available on Symbian yet.

    For enterprise, out of the box there’s support for multiple email accounts – with presets for Exchange, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Ovi Mail, Hotmail, and various ISP accounts – together with threaded SMS and MMS conversations. There’s also a Message Reader app, which will do text-to-speech from your inbox. With the right capacitive stylus (not included) you can also use handwriting recognition, though we don’t imagine many will opt for that over the physical keyboard. Finally, there’s VPN support for those needing to access private networks, and a SIP client that tightly integrates VoIP services into the native contacts app.

    Camera

    Nokia has built a reputation for high-quality cameras on its mobile devices, and the E7 follows some way in that tradition. As we said, the limitations of space mean the 8-megapixels have to make do with EDoF rather than true auto-focus, and a dual-LED flash rather than Xenon. Still, it does mean you can use the LEDs as a video light, and the E7 will shoot 720p HD clips at 25fps that can then be easily played back via the HDMI port. A second, VGA-resolution camera on the front is intended for video calls, but can also be used to shoot grainy stills.

    The end result is similar to what we saw on the C7: decent general scenes, but a real struggle with macro and close-up shots. The EDoF system simply can’t handle getting up too close, as you can see in the macro sample in the gallery. Otherwise it’s a good showing, with accurate colors and crisp edges. The speed between shots is also impressively fast. It’s worth noting that it was a grey and dreary day when we took the sample shots, which the E7 still managed to make the best of.

    Video, meanwhile, only really smears during the fastest pans, and the quality is solid for 720p HD on a cellphone. Detail can be prone to blurring at times, however. You can see a sample clip below. Being able to hook up an HDTV via HDMI (as long as you’ve remembered the adapter cable) is useful, and quality is solid.

    Phone and Battery

    On another device we’d save some serious words of criticism for a sealed-in battery, but the E7′s frugal CPU actually leaves the smartphone capable of a couple of days’ use from a single charge. Impressive stuff, given the size of the display and the fact that we had Gmail regularly checking throughout. On the flip side, we didn’t reach for the E7 to generally play with apps and the internet as much as we find ourselves doing with, say, an Android device, so that somewhat reduced use needs to be accounted for too.

    Phone performance is solid, as we’ve come to expect from Nokia, though the absence of the camera hump meant that the speakerphone sounded a little more muted than on the N8. It’s possible to set the E7 to automatically kick into speakerphone mode when the display-slide is opened.

    Wrap-Up

    There are several reasons for which we want to love the Nokia E7. The physical design is cleaner than the N8, build quality puts rival handsets from Samsung and LG to shame, the physical keyboard could give RIM nightmares and, mediocre display resolution aside, Nokia’s hardware spec sheet is bulging with everything the smartphone needs to be taken seriously. Even the relatively underpowered CPU makes sense when you look at battery life and the moderate demands Symbian makes of it.

    Unfortunately, as with the N8 and C7, solid, beautiful hardware isn’t sufficient in today’s smartphone market. Symbian remains the sticking point for us and for many users; serviceable, but lacking the flare, ambition and ease of use of rival platforms. Yes, it can be coaxed into doing much of what the majority of us expect from a high-end device, but it feels workmanlike where now we expect magical.

    If the Nokia E7 was running Android, or Windows Phone 7, it would undoubtedly be a best-seller. Nokia’s quality design and construction are rightly admired, and for text entry the E7′s physical keyboard is superb. Where the original Nokia Communicators drove innovation in the mobile segment, however, blurring the lines between phone and computer, the E7 falls short. Symbian fans will love it, but the E7 won’t open up the market any more than the N8 and C7 before it.

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    IDAPT i1 Eco charges your gadgets while saving the world

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 08:02 AM PST

    IDAPT is pretty keen on universal charging, but with its latest model there’s a dash of earth-friendliness in there too. The IDAPT i1 Eco boasts compatibility with over 4,000 devices – assisted by the fact that there’s a regular USB output on there – and automatically shuts off when your gadgets are rejuiced.

    Two devices can be recharged simultaneously, and using IDAPT’s interchangeable IDAPT Tips the i1 Eco can handle Apple gadgets as well. In the box are three standard Tips – a 30-pin Apple dock connector, miniUSB and microUSB – while input options include 12V from your car or 100V-240V AC for travelling.

    IDAPT expects the i1 Eco to go on sale in Q2 2011, and be priced at around €20.

    Press Release:

    IDAPT i1 Eco – Dual Universal Charger – €20.00 with 3 tips
     – Target price under 20 Euros with 3 IDAPT tips TBC
    - Available in Q2 2011

    - a unique lasting and upgradeable product
    - iPad/iPhone/Android/HP/Nokia/Samsung Compatible
    - compatible with 4000+ devices
    - Mains or car use

    IDAPT, a mobile power leader based in Barcelona, is excited to
    announce the new i1 Eco dual universal charger. The compact
    IDAPT i1 Eco is made of recycled materials, meets Energy Star
    standards, and minimises the user's carbon footprint while charging
    most electronic devices.

    The IDAPT i1 Eco has two points of charge, a USB port and a tip port.

    The future-proof interchangeable tips system used on all IDAPT chargers
    makes the IDAPT i1 Eco compatible with over 4,000 different devices including
    iPad and iPhone as well as BlackBerry, Nintendo PSP, XBOX controllers, GPS
    systems and Bluetooth products.

    Charges just about every gadget there is – anywhere
    - 1 x IDAPT tip point of charge, 5VDC up to 850mA
    - 3 x IDAPT Tips supplied Mini USB, Micro USB, iPod/Phone 30 pin
    - 1 x USB charge point, 5VDC up to 1A (for iPad and more)
    - tips available for almost every phone/smartphone/tablet on the planet
    - iPad/Pod/Phone/Blackberry/Kindle/Samsung Tab Galaxy etc etc
    - almost every MP3 Player / GPS System / Games Controller & more
    - compatible with 4000+ devices
    - 12v car input (through MicroUSB)
    - universal Voltage (100~240v)

    Eco features
    - made of recycled materials
    - no chemical painting
    - auto-off system with re-start button
    - meets Energy Star standards
    - minimises the user's carbon footprint
    - a lasting and upgradeable product
    - long working life due to future-proof tip system

    The IDAPT i1 Eco charger helps conserve energy through its Auto-off
    system which turns off the charger while not in use and a re-start
    button to wake it when necessary.

    The dual charger can recharge mobile devices while at home or on the
    go, via 100v to 240v wall sockets or the included car adapter, with minimal
    impact on the environment.

    Additionally, no chemical painting is used in manufacturing in order to
    ease the process of future recycling.

    Future-proof – compatible with 4000+ devices
    As of Feb 2011 IDAPTs will charge over 4000+ mobile devices and new tips
    are being introduced on a regular basis, making IDAPT future-proof. The
    USB port covers all devices like iPads and big tablets not suitable for tip use.

    The whole concept of IDAPT’s interchangeable tips makes this charger
    a lasting and upgradeable product. Most chargers become useless once
    users change phone or get another gadget, so they have to be dumped,
    causing damage to the environment. By having this charger one only needs
    to replace a tip and recycle the old one, saving energy and money.

    http://www.idaptweb.com/UK/idapt/tips/availables_tips.html

    - AA/AAA batteries
    - Nintendo, Sony PSP, X-Box Controllers
    - iPod / iPhone (latest generation compatible)
    - iPad via high-power iPad verified USB port
    - LG1
    - Multi-tip A – Samsung / Kyocera / Audiovox / LG / Kindle and many more
    - microUSB – Plantronics / Motorola / Blackberry and many more
    - miniUSB – Garmin / Magellan / Tom Tom / Navigon and more
    - Nintendo DS-L / DSi
    - Nokia 1 / Nokia 2
    - HP/Palm
    - PSP Go
    - Samsung 1 / 2/ 3/ 4
    - Sansa
    - Sony Ericsson 1 / 2
    - Almost all GPS Systems

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    SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: February 10 2011

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 07:28 AM PST

    It’s iPhone 4 day. This phone has been out for months on AT&T’s mobile network, but the release on Verizon will today create a whole new meaning for fervor. Next, Guitar Hero is Over – if you want it. Grab yourself a rumor not about iPhone 5, not about iPad 2, but about some sort of iPad 3 iPad 3 this fall tips latest batch of frantic Apple refresh rumorscoming out this fall. Grant yourself a moment to discover the Stabucks mobile payment app easily scammed by simple screengrabStarbucks mobile scam, read some choice words as delivered by the Nokia CEO It's not just differentiation but sustainable differentiation", and see the newest tip on the upcoming HTC adding Facebook button to social networking phone?HTC Facebook phone. All this and MORE on SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up!

    R3 Media Network

    Editor’s Choice
    7-year-old boy wins eBay auction for Harrier jet, dad not happy
    M16 golf ball launcher is Mr. Driving Range Ball Picker Upper's worst nightmare
    Stabucks mobile payment app easily scammed by simple screengrab

    SlashPhone
    Palm Pre 2 Pre-order Available Via Verizon Wireless on Feb 10th
    MetroPCS Launches Samsung Galaxy Indulge 4G Android Smartphone
    Google Release Native Google Translate Software for iPhone

    Android Community
    Alltel Samsung Gem offers Android on a budget
    Sonos Controller for Android to land in March
    National Trust offers cool app that helps you find places to visit in the UK
    App for strawberry lovers hits Android
    HTC adding Facebook button to social networking phone?
    Broadcom BCM21654 Android chip provides advanced graphics and a good price
    Honeycomb Renderscript Detailed [The Balls]
    Motorola Bee Concept Phone Runs Honeycomb, Trumps ATRIX

    SlashGear
    Amazon App for Windows Phone 7 released
    Sonos Controller for Android due March with voice control [Video]
    Nokia CEO: "It's not just differentiation but sustainable differentiation"
    Scythe Gouriki 3 PSU breaks cover
    7-year-old boy wins eBay auction for Harrier jet, dad not happy
    M16 golf ball launcher is Mr. Driving Range Ball Picker Upper's worst nightmare
    Stabucks mobile payment app easily scammed by simple screengrab
    dB Logic EP-100 earphones ship with SPL2 Healthy-Listening tech
    Qualcomm's HP Touchpad-powering Snapdragon APQ8060 detailed
    Mophie juice pack air for Verizon iPhone 4 pre-ordering now
    Verizon iPhone 4 in stores now
    Nokia eyeing boutique developers for halo apps; in Adobe dev-tool talks?
    Club3D unveils new Radeon HD 6950 video card
    HTC Facebook phone with dedicated shortcut key at MWC tips source
    Broadcom's new BCM21654 baseband processor for Android debuts
    iChair iPhone 4 cases work for AT&T and Verizon smartphones
    Verbatim color-tunable OLED lighting debuts
    Activision ends Guitar Hero and True Crime franchises
    iPad 3 this fall tips latest batch of frantic Apple refresh rumors
    Nokia close to Windows Phone 7 deal report insiders

    To see more Daily Slash posts, click here: [The Daily Slash] or here: [SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up]

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    WiFi-only Motorola XOOM clears FCC

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 07:23 AM PST

    No glamor shots or details, but what looks to be Motorola’s WiFi-only version of the XOOM has been spotted crossing the FCC. WirelessGoodness caught the listing – complete with the usual confidentiality request – in which Motorola submits a WiFi a/b/g/n tablet with Bluetooth for testing.

    We’re expecting the WiFi-only version of the XOOM to follow on in early Q2 2011, after the 3G-enabled model arrives on Verizon and European carriers. Hopefully it’ll do so with a considerably lower price tag than the 3G unit, which is expected to be priced at $800 when it goes on sale later this month.

    [via Android Community]

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    Amazon App for Windows Phone 7 released

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 06:52 AM PST

    Amazon has outed its latest mobile shopping app, and now Windows Phone 7 users can know the wallet-draining usefulness of having an easy way to browse the online retailer’s shelves while on the move. The Amazon App for Windows Phone 7 uses the by-now-familiar side-scrolling Hub layout, in this case flipping between product overview, details, related items and reviews.

    There’s also integrated search and the usual 1-Click ordering, Prime support for those subscribers to Amazon’s priority mail service, Wish List access and package tracking. There doesn’t appear to be any use made of WP7 phones’ cameras, for snapping barcodes and making price comparisons, however.

    The app is a free download from the Windows Phone Marketplace, and available now.

    Press Release:

    Amazon’s Collection of Mobile Shopping Apps Now Includes the Amazon App for Windows Phone 7

    Wherever they are, customers can now search and buy millions of Amazon.com products with their Windows Phone 7 devices

    Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced the Amazon App for Windows Phone 7, a free app that offers customers a fast and convenient way to shop Amazon.com and thousands of other merchants, wherever they go. Designed specifically for Windows Phone 7, the app displays all of a product’s details in a single view and allows users to scroll horizontally to search and buy without the need to load new screens or leave the app.

    “We are thrilled to add Windows to our suite of Amazon shopping applications,” said Sam Hall, director of Amazon Mobile. “We’ve combined the unique attributes of Windows Phone 7 with the popular Amazon shopping features customers have come to know and trust, to create an app that’s customized for Windows Phone 7 devices.”

    The Amazon App for Windows Phone 7 leverages the new panoramic-style layout of the Windows user interface, where customers can quickly swipe left and right to view details of a product, read customer reviews, browse related items and make a purchase from Amazon and its merchant partners, all without having to load a new screen or leave the app. Customers can also access their Amazon.com account and favorite shopping features wherever they are, including Gold Box Deal of the Day and Lightning Deals, personalized recommendations, Wish Lists, 1-Click ordering, Amazon Prime membership, order tracking and more.

    “Amazon for Windows Phone 7 takes advantage of the phone’s unique features and design,” said Todd Brix, senior director, Windows Phone Marketplace, Microsoft Corp. “With its panoramic layout and user-friendly design, Amazon for Windows Phone 7 is a prime example of the rich applications that will let Windows Phone 7 users get the most out of their phone,” he continued.

    The Amazon App for Windows Phone 7 is now available as a free download through the Windows Phone Marketplace. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/windowsphoneapp.

    Amazon’s family of mobile shopping applications includes Amazon Deals for iPhone, Price Check by Amazon for iPhone, Amazon Windowshop for iPad and the Amazon App for iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and Android-based devices. Customers can learn more by visiting www.amazon.com/amazonmobile.

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    Sonos Controller for Android due March with voice control [Video]

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 06:27 AM PST

    Sonos has announced its latest controller app, this time headed to Android smartphones. The Sonos Controller for Android will hit the Market in late March and, like the company’s existing iOS apps, be a free download. New on the Android version, however, is music voice search, which will allow users to search for tracks, artists and albums using spoken requests.

    Voice control also works for searching for new streaming radio stations, and the Android app has the same multi-room volume and track control as its predecessors. It requires a device running Android 2.1 or later, with a screen size of HVGA 320 x 480, WVGA 480 x 800 or WVGA 480 x 854; that basically means most recent phones.

    Video demo after the cut

    Sonos will be showing off the Sonos Controller for Android app next week at Mobile World Congress 2011, and you can bet we’ll be stopping by to check it out. More details in the video below.

    Press Release:

    ROCK THE HOUSE: SONOS INTRODUCES SONOS CONTROLLER FOR ANDROID

    Wireless Music System for Android Provides Unlimited Music, Incredible Control and Amazing Sound in Every Room

    SANTA BARBARA, CA–February 10, 2011–Sonos, the leading developer of wireless multi-room music systems for the home, today introduced the Sonos Controller for Android, a free app that transforms most Android™ smartphones into a wireless music controller for the award-winning Sonos Multi-Room Music System. The Sonos Controller for Android, available in late March as a free download from Android Market™, will make its public debut next week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. To watch a video introduction of the Sonos Controller for Android, please visit www.sonos.com/android.

    With the award-winning Sonos S5 in any room and an Android phone in hand, music lovers will enjoy an unmatched wireless music experience in the home. You'll be able to access and play all the music on earth–from the Internet and your personal music library–throughout the home, wirelessly. Use the free Sonos Controller for Android app to control all your music and rooms, all from the palm of your hand. And, Sonos Controller for Android features Sonos' latest innovation in the home music experience–music voice search–allowing users to find any artist, album or track by simply speaking into the phone.

    "Sonos' mission is to fill every home with music," said John MacFarlane, CEO, Sonos, Inc. "We are thrilled to bring the joy of music to the homes of Android fans worldwide."

    To get started enjoying music in any or every room of the home, all you need is a Sonos ZonePlayer and a Sonos Controller such as the free Sonos Controller for Android. The most popular Sonos ZonePlayer is the Sonos S5, an all-in-one wireless music system you can plug in anywhere. Now you can play any track you like, anytime you like, in any room you like. Wirelessly play the same song in every room of the house–perfectly synchronized. Or, mix it up and play different songs in different rooms.

    When it comes to controlling Sonos, you simply reach into your pocket for your Android smartphone. With Sonos Controller for Android, you can search for songs and stations by typing or speaking, choose the music and control the volume in as many rooms as you like. And because your Android phone is controlling the music, and not the source of it, when a text comes in or you need to make a phone call, the music doesn't stop.

    Sonos connects directly to the Internet so you can access a world of music without ever turning on your computer. Search and play more than 100,000 Internet radio stations, shows and podcasts–from around the world. Play songs, playlists and radio from the most popular music services like Deezer, iheartradio, Last.fm, Napster, Pandora, Rdio, Rhapsody, SiriusXM Internet Radio, Spotify, Wolfgang's Vault, and more. And of course, Sonos can play your entire digital music library (such as iTunes) stored on a computer or Network Attached storage drive.

    The Sonos Controller for Android is designed to work on any Android smartphone running Android 2.1 or later with a screen size of HVGA 320 x 480, WVGA 480 x 800 or WVGA 480 x 854. Sonos Controller for Android joins the family of Sonos Controllers which includes free apps for iPhone and iPad, a dedicated touchscreen controller, the Sonos Controller 200, and free software for your Mac or PC, included with every ZonePlayer. All controllers work together seamlessly.

    Sonos will be demonstrating the Sonos Controller for Android at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 13-17, 2011. For a demonstration in person, you'll find Sonos at the following locations:

    • Android: Hall 8; Booth 8C25
    • Motorola: Hall 8, Booth 8A28
    • Sonos: Hall 7; Suite 7HS11

    For more information about Sonos or to locate an authorized Sonos dealer in your area, please visit www.sonos.com or call 877.80.SONOS.

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    Nokia CEO: “It’s not just differentiation but sustainable differentiation”

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 05:45 AM PST

    Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has insisted that the decision over the company’s future platform strategy must enable long-term viability and partnership opportunities, rather than simply a short-term rescue to the company’s finances in 2011. “It’s not just differentiation but sustainable differentiation” the new chief-exec told AllThingsD in an interview last week, running through the pros and cons of MeeGo, Android and Windows Phone 7 as the potential suitors for Nokia’s well-esteemed hardware.

    “We need to be in the United States in one way, shape or form, we have to have a viable way to reopen doors” he commented, suggesting that – despite many opinions otherwise – the US is where the pace of the smartphone market is set. That might make MeeGo a difficult sell, despite Intel’s investment in the project; “For it to be a valid ecosystem, that also implies other (phone makers), our competitors–would be attracted to it as well,” Elop explained, pointing out that without collaboration the OS might lack “credibility.”

    “The combination of Android's existing market share plus the market share that Nokia could bring to the Android ecosystem is a very large number and would signal a very substantial shift in the dynamics of the mobile operating system market” Stephen Elop, CEO, Nokia

    As for Android and Windows Phone 7, the CEO only had positive things to say, though that may have changed in the meantime after Google VP Vic Gundotra’s sarcastic snipe earlier this week.

    “Windows Phone is in its early formative stages in terms of getting customer traction and so forth. It's a beautiful product and I say that as as someone who is competing with it” Stephen Elop, CEO, Nokia

    It seems Elop will look to different strategies at the low end of the market, too, where the leaked memo believed to be written by the CEO highlighted the danger of cheap Chinese manufacturing. SlashGear will be at Nokia’s capital markets day tomorrow, Friday February 11, so expect all the news – whatever surprises Elop announces – here.

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    Scythe Gouriki 3 PSU breaks cover

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 05:45 AM PST

    Scythe has a lot of cooling gear for CPUs and the company makes more than just cooling products. The latest new product to hit market from Scythe is a new series of PSUs for computers called Gouriki 3. The PSU comes in three different versions with different power ratings.

    The power ratings include 500W, 600W, and a 700W unit. All of the PSUs are 80 Plus bronze certified and measure 150 x 155 x 86mm. The cooling system is a single 140mm fan spinning at different speeds depending on the power rating. The 500W unit is 1100rpm, the 600W unit is 1200 rpm, and the 700w unit is 1450 rpm.

    The fan in the PSU case is controlled automatically and will spin slower than the max speed I listed if the load on the machine is lighter. All three models have a single 12V rail and use the Intel ATX 2.3 recommended configuration. Pricing and availability are unknown.

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    7-year-old boy wins eBay auction for Harrier jet, dad not happy

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 05:30 AM PST

    When I was a kid the coolest jet to me was the Harrier. It wasn't the fastest jet or the best looking, but the thing was able to take off and land vertically so I could have one in my back yard. Apparently a 7-year-old boy from London though the same thing.

    The kid happened on a Harrier up for auction on eBay that lacks weapon systems or the ability to fly. Those little details didn’t keep the kid from bidding and winning the auction for the fighter jet. The kid bid about $113,000 on the aircraft at a fixed price.

    The kid’s dad notified the seller that his son had hit the buy now button and lacked the money in his piggy bank to cover the jet. The sellers weren’t mad and removed the bid and say the boy did them a favor with the press the attempted purchase received more interest was generated when the jet was relisted. The jet would apparently cost millions of pounds to return to the air and is one of six left in the world.

    Via MyFoxChicago

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    M16 golf ball launcher is Mr. Driving Range Ball Picker Upper’s worst nightmare

    Posted: 10 Feb 2011 05:15 AM PST

    If they ever remake Caddy Shack, this is the weapon that Bill Murray’s character will use to hunt gophers. Feast your eyes on the golf ball launcher that attaches to the barrel of your AR-15, M4, or M16 rifle. The launcher replaces your muzzle brake and launches the golf ball a really long way.

    Just think of how much stress you could put that dude under that drives the armored golf cart that picks the balls up at the driving range when you whip this out. Of course, someone will call SWAT right away too considering the launcher is attached to an assault rifle.

    The balls are propelled from the end of the launcher by the gasses forced down the barrel when a blank is fired. Some users claim the launcher will hurl a golf ball around 400 yards and at 200 yards the ball only drops 5-10 feet. It’s not a good week to work at a driving range. You can get the accessory for $20, just set some money aside for bail and a good attorney if you hit the range after install.

    Via Wired

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