Kamis, 17 Februari 2011

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

Facebook Adds New Relationship Status Options: Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 03:12 PM PST

In "The Social Network" Mark Zuckerberg had an epiphany right before he launched Facebook, an option for users to state their "relationship status" on their page. The global phenomenon now has over 600 million members and is ever expanding. It continues to improve and add features to its platform, but just today it added two new relationship status options: "in a civil union" and "in a domestic partnership."

The new additions join: single, in a relationship, married, engaged, it's complicated, in an open relationship, separated, and divorced. The change begins today in the U.S. and several other countries, including Canada, the U.K., Australia, and France. Facebook consulted its Network of Support, which includes GLAAD, GLSEN, and the Human Rights Campaign, before performing the changes.

This does not change the everyday use of Facebook or any of its primary functions, but just expands the scope of how people can express and represent themselves. No status on when other countries can expect the additional options to their profiles as well.

[Via ReadWriteWeb]

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Spotify Signs Deal With EMI, Closer To U.S. Launch

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:50 PM PST

Spotify has signed a licensing deal with record label EMI today, giving the European music service two out the four major music labels. Last month Spotify signed a licensing deal with Sony Music, leaving Warner Music Group and Universal Music as the last two major record labels.

The popular music streaming service is big in Europe but it's been having trouble breaking into the subscription-based music market. There are plenty of subscription-based music services out there already like Rhapsody and Sony's own Music Unlimited which launched today. The problem is that U.S. labels charge higher royalties to subscription services than free ad-supported services.

If the provider changes any subscription fees, the higher rate is applied to all streams, not just the paid subscription ones. That's why you don't see any free premium music subscriptions, only free trials. Spotify has only around 750,000 subscription customers paying for music, and over 10 million customers using the free version. With higher royalty fees plus Apple's new subscription services fees, Spotify will have to adjust quite a bit. We'll see if Spotify can sign deals with the remaining major labels and if a U.S. launch means changing its pricing model to be more like U.S. subscription music services.

[Via Business Insider]

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The XPERIA Play’s Gaming Appeal Is Practically Non-Existent

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:45 PM PST

Apple's iPhone has done quite a bit to change the mobile market. It has ushered in the touch-screen craze, delivered an easy way to get third-party programs onto the platform, and generally changed how all other mobile phones are judged. But one of the most significant changes the iPhone initiated was the growth of gaming on smartphones. Thanks to the Apple App Store, more and more people are downloading games like Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, and countless others. The iPhone is now a full-fledged gaming device that, by all measures, can be compared to the Nintendo DS and Sony's PSP.

That success has prompted Apple competitors, like Sony Ericsson, to double down on gaming for mobile phones.

Announced at the Mobile World Congress, Sony Ericsson's upcoming XPERIA Play runs Android and includes a 1GHz processor. But perhaps its most obvious difference compared to the rest of the competition is that it features slide-out gaming controls. Sony also says that users will be able to download games to the device.

Now, some might be excited to see what the XPERIA Play has to offer. After all, Sony has been a gaming giant for years, and the company has proven in the past that it knows what it must do in order to be a success in that space.

But I'm not excited about the XPERIA Play. I understand that Sony bringing games to the Android platform is an important step for the company, but at this point, when we consider the full feature-set the XPERIA Play offers, I just don't see all that much value.

For one, I'm disappointed to see that the XPERIA Play will come with only about 50 games at launch. That figure will of course be higher over time, but considering there are thousands of games available on the iPhone, and hundreds of outstanding options on the Nintendo DS, I just don't see a reason to turn to the XPERIA Play as my gaming choice.

Moreover, the device doesn't seem to be a worthwhile smartphone choice. Sure, it's running Android, but until Sony Ericsson can prove that it can deliver a device that can compete on the same level as some of the top Android devices on the market, I don't see why I should opt for the XPERIA Play simply because it offers gaming functionality.

And all this fails to mention that Sony is prepping for the release of the Next Generation Portable at the end of the year. That device promises PlayStation 3-like graphics and a full gaming experience (complete with dual analog sticks — another major XPERIA Play omission) that I'm after.

The way I see it, I can satisfy my desire for casual games with my iPhone. And later this year, I can get my hands on the NGP if I want more-capable titles while I'm on-the-go.

In other words, the XPRRIA Play is a decidedly middle-of-the-road product for me. It's not the most ideal smartphone or the most ideal casual-gaming offering. And it won't be able to compete with so-called "hardcore" gaming devices.

So, count me out on the XPERIA Play. I'm just not seeing much of a reason to buy it.

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Scientists Have Developed The World’s First Anti-Laser

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:41 PM PST

A team of physicists from Yale University has built the world’s first anti-laser device capable of absorbing an incoming laser beam. The incoming laser beam is absorbed entirely such that it is canceled out. However, the device is not intended as a defense mechanism against high-power laser weapons but instead will prove useful in next-generation supercomputers built with components using light rather than electrons.

As for an overview of how the device works, let’s quote BBC based on what Professor Douglas Stone revealed to them: “The device focuses two laser beams of a specific frequency into a specially designed optical cavity made from silicon, which traps the incoming beams of light and forces them to bounce around until all their energy is dissipated.” The device can absorb 99.4 percent of incoming light for a specific wavelength.

Professor Stone also said that the anti-laser would be most useful in optical computing with a big advantage being its use of silicon which is already widely used in computing. However, he reiterates that the device is not meant for defense against high powered laser weapons. He goes on to say, “The energy gets dissipated as heat. So if someone sets a laser on you with enough power to fry you, the anti-laser won’t stop you from frying.”

[Via BBC News]

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HTC Desire S priced and dated by Amazon

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:29 PM PST

The HTC Desire S launched at MWC 2011 earlier this week has been priced and dated by retailer Amazon UK. According to the listing, the Gingerbread smartphone will arrive on April 18 2011, priced at £419.99 ($679); that’s SIM-free and unlocked, of course, and we’d expect carrier-subsidized versions to be considerably cheaper, if not free with a new, two-year agreement.

The Desire S taked the basics of its predecessor, the HTC Desire, and adds in an updated OS and front-facing camera for video calls, along with a change to HTC’s unibody styling. More details – and video – in our hands-on HTC Desire S report.

[via Android Community]

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Intel: MeeGo Must Go On, Seeking New Partner

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:12 PM PST

Last week Microsoft and Nokia surprised the world with their partnership announcement that has been quite an episode. Nokia chose Microsoft’s Windows Phone over Google’s Android platform, pretty much sending Nokia’s old Symbian to the retirement home and dumping Intel–now the single parent raising MeeGo. Intel’s CEO, Paul Otellini, held a meeting today with analysts in London to express his thoughts on Nokia’s decision and his plans for MeeGo’s future.

Otellini believes that Nokia was baited by lots of money from Google and Microsoft to make the switch. He said that Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop received “incredible offers–money” from the two suitors and continued saying, “I wouldn’t have made the decision he made, I would probably have gone to Android if I were him. MeeGo would have been the best strategy but he concluded he couldn’t afford it.”

He believes that Nokia will find it difficult to differentiate using the Windows platform saying, “It would have been less hard on Android, on MeeGo he could have done it.” But after seeing the MeeGo demo at MWC 2011 being far from impressive, it’s hard to say if MeeGo really was an option. Despite all of this, Intel firmly stands by MeeGo saying that they will find another partner. “The carriers still want a third ecosystem and the carriers want an open ecosystem, and that’s the thing that drives our motivation,” says Otellini.

[Via Reuters]

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ST-Ericsson “Focusing strongly” on the Windows Phone Platform

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:04 PM PST

Mobile chip maker ST-Ericsson is focusing strongly on the Windows Phone platform, to be ready when Nokia starts ramping up production of WP7 phones, according to Reuters. So far, Microsoft has only allowed use of its software on Qualcomm’s chipsets, but ST-Ericsson CEO Gilles Delfassy said that would change. “We expect this situation will not prevail. Now everything has changed. The environment is different. We will be ready when Nokia ramps big volumes.” he said in a Reuters interview.

ST-Ericsson, is a joint venture between Sweden’s Ericsson (ERICb.ST) and STMicroelectronics (STM.PA) of France and is a key supplier to Nokia, among other major phone makers. There were previous leaks that Nokia was using ST-Ericsson hardware for MeeGo. We will just have to wait and see where Nokia decides to go when they are ready to start producing WP7 phones.

[via Reuters]

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Google launches One Pass subscription service

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 01:03 PM PST

Google just officially announced their new digital content subscription service called One Pass. To compete against Apple's subscription service, which has received tons of criticism for its pricing model, Google's One Pass allows publishers to control price and pricing models and “maintain direct relationships with their customers.”

Once a reader purchases a subscription, they will be able to access content from PCs, laptops, tablets, and any Android powered device with a single sign-on using an e-mail and password. The length of time content will be accessible is up to the publisher and payment can be done in a number of ways (subscriptions, day passes, pay-per-article, metered views). For people who already have subscriptions, you can just move everything over to One Pass.

Payment of One Pass is through Google Checkout so it simplifies the process for publishers. That could entice publishers to jump onto One Pass much more than Apple's subscription service. Google One Pass is currently only available in the US, Canada, Spain, Germany, France, and the UK, but publishers from any country can use One Pass as long as Google Checkout is available in that country. Publishers will have to host their own content.

[Via Google Blog]

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BlueDot YouTube Box Releasing in Japan

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 12:29 PM PST

Not that there is any shortage of set top boxes, or internet connected TVs, but here is another one, dedicated to YouTube. BlueDot is introducing its first YouTube box in Japan, the YouTube XL BTC-10. It connects to your TV via an HDMI cable, and to the internet via an ethernet connection so that you can connect to YouTube directly from your TV.

The BlueDot box will be available in Japan in March, and sell for 13,000 Yen, or about $155.

[via Akihabara]

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Acer To Launch Windows Phone 7 Devices This Fall

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 12:14 PM PST

Acer is the latest to embrace Windows Phone 7 as the company says they are preparing mobile devices for release in either September or October in 2011. Pocket-lint says an Acer spokesperson confirmed the information for the Fall release.

Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci said last November that Acer was developing things mainly for Android, but they were working on Windows Phone 7 as well. "If we look at Windows Phone 7, today, I think we see the same opportunity you can see on Android in terms of customization," said Lanci.

The Fall release puts Acer's Windows Phone 7 debut with the next update to the platform, codenamed "Mango". That means Acer's devices would be running the newest version of Windows Phone 7, but it also means it could be competing with Microsoft's newest partner, Nokia. It will be interesting to see how the devices compare given Nokia’s strength in hardware and freedom to customize the Windows OS.

[Via Pocket-lint]

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Tandar – Interactive Monkey Pet with a USB tail

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 11:39 AM PST

Yes, it’s furry, it talks, and it is a little bit scary – and it has a USB port on its tail. And it can also be a nightlight. It is the new Tandars Interactive Pet. Beware if you go to the website, you will need to get past a slowly blinking monkey and a talking tree. The Tandar Monkey uses the USB port to recharge, which takes about 15 minutes for quick playtime and 2 hours for a full charge (hint: do this while the kids are sleeping, or you will be in for a major fit).


The monkey will let you know it needs to be recharged by saying “ah jee baz nam nam”, and acting sluggish. When it is finished charging, it will hiccup and burp to let you know. You can also turn off the pet by pressing a switch on its hip.

We are hoping that the USB port has some kind of a cover to keep cheerios and goldfish and stuff like that from getting stuck inside it.

The Tandars Pet sells for $49.99 (ouch!).
[via Everything USB]

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Sony PlayStation 4 Still Five Years Away?

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 11:22 AM PST

The Sony PlayStation 3 has been around for awhile now. In tech years, it could be like a hundred years old. But when it came out in 2006 the machine was meant to be so advanced that it would have a lifecycle of ten years versus six years like its predecessors the PS2 and PS1. But now reaching its halfway point, could Sony ponder pushing forth a PS4 sooner than later? Most signs confirm a negative.

Sony Computer Entertainment CEO, Kaz Hirai, reinforces the point that they are only at the halfway point with the PS3 and that compelling titles are still coming out from Sony’s game studios and third-party studios. “Every year, we reveal and release new features,” says Hirai indicating that the PS3 still hasn’t reached its full potential. “That’s why, we’re not deliberating on a PS4 or next generation machine, whatever you call it.”

For now, Sony is focused on launching the recently announced NGP and perhaps integrating it with the PS3. And in Hirai’s own words:
"As regards home consoles, the PS3 was put into business in 2006, and it has a 10 year life cycle…I think the value of the PS3 will continue to rise. Because of this, a near-future PS4 or next-generation home console is not something that we are even debating now. That is to say, we are still concentrating fully upon the PS3. Right now, I appeal to you to think of the PS3 and NGP as a new, co-operative partnership."

[Via GameRant]

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Panasonic Releases New HD Cameras and Camcorders

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 11:03 AM PST

Panasonic has just released two new HD mobile cameras (the HM-TA20, and TA2) , and three full-HD camcorders (HX WA10, HX-DC10 and HX-DC1). The TA20 camera is waterproof, shockproof and dustproof (which sounds great to me, with two small kids in my house), and has a night view mode for shooting in dim lighting. It has a 3.0 inch touch LCD, and also can be used as a webcam with Skype. Continue after the cut to see all the details about these devices.


Features of the TA20:

  • Full-HD Shooting with a 3-Meter Waterproof, 1.5-Meter Shockproof and Dustproof Design
  • 3.0 inch LCD
  • Tripod stand included for self-portraits
  • 4x Digital Zoom
  • Face Detection
  • 8-megapixel still picture recording
  • Simultaneous linear PCM sound recording with still pictures
  • Three playback effects: sepia/monochrome/soft skin
  • Direct connection to high-definition TVs with a single HDMI cable

Panasonic is also introducing the TA2 HD Mobile Camera, but as far as we can tell from their website, it has the same features as the TA20.

The WA10 pistol grip camcorder has full-HD 1920 x 1080p resolution, and 16 megapixel still image recording. It can also record in the MPEG-4 AVC file format (MP4).

Features:

  • Waterproof to 3 meters for up to 60 minutes (must be in dry conditions for more than 10 minutes after 60 min water exposure)
  • BSI (Backside Illumination Sensor), for shooting in dimly lit areas
  • Can take still photos while shooting a movie without changing modes
  • 2.7 -inch wide TFT LCD monitor
  • Optical 5x zoom/12x Advanced zoom for movie recording.
  • Electrical Image Stabilizer

Panasonic is also releasing the HX-DC10 and the HX-DC1. The HX-DC10 has Full-HD11 video shooting with BSI Sensor, 16-Megapixel still picture recording. The HX-DC1 features Full HD Recording in MP4 Format, 14-megapixel still picture recording 3.0-inch Wide TFT LCD Monitor.

[via Panasonic]

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AMD Wireless TV takes on Intel WiDi [Video]

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 10:31 AM PST

AMD is joining with software partner Vivu to go head to head against Intel’s WiDi streaming video. The new solution, dubbed is AMD Wireless TV and will stream wirelessly from virtually any AMD Fusion powered PC to an HDTV with no additional hardware required. First shown as a demo at CES, AMD Wireless TV can stream 720p HD video and users can adjust video quality for any situation, be it a movie at home, or wanting to wirelessly project a presentation at a meeting.

Basic specs are as follows: any AMD Fusion-powered computer using 802.11n Wi-Fi, Adobe Flash Player, and ViVu’s prototype software using its MXTP technology. But what’s really cool is the range of devices that AMD is streaming to from just a simple notebook. In the demo video below, we see them streaming to an HDTV flat panel display and a pair of tablets with no additional hardware. The solution also was selected by Digital Trends as one of the best gadgets at CES. Look for AMD and Vivu to have it out later this year.

AMD and ViVu Showcase Wireless HD Content Streaming Solution Powered by AMD Fusion APUs

SUNNYVALE, Calif. —2/16/2011

AMD (NYSE: AMD) and ViVu recently demonstrated for the first time a next-generation, high-definition (HD) content streaming solution powered by AMD technology. The demonstration, which first took place at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), featured 720p HD video streaming wirelessly from an AMD-powered notebook PC to a flat panel display and two tablet devices all at once without any additional hardware. The demonstrated technology is based on standards-compliant 802.11n wireless technology, the Adobe Flash Player and a prototype software solution from ViVu, a leader in desktop videoconferencing solutions.

"Consumers want to stream from their PCs onto their TVs but don't want to pay a huge premium to do so, nor do they want to choose between a growing number of conflicting ways to do it," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst for the Enderle Group. "ViVu turns virtually any AMD Fusion powered-PC into a potential low latency streaming device, and most of the current generation of smart TVs into receivers of this content without adding any additional hardware cost. As a result, ViVu successfully addresses both the need to stream a user's media to their smart TV and the requirement that it also be inexpensive and easy."

With settings that can be easily adjusted for a number of different devices (TVs, tablets, projectors) and content formats, including videos, presentations and documents, the ViVu solution is ideally suited to harness the power of AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) and AMD discrete GPUs for a variety of applications from home entertainment and gaming, to enterprise video collaboration and remote presentations.

"Leading-edge video applications, such as those developed by ViVu, are exactly the type of immersive experiences we designed AMD Fusion APUs to enable," said Manju Hegde, corporate vice president, AMD Fusion Experience Program. "Until now, streaming of HD telepresence-quality video was not possible without additional cables or hardware. We received an overwhelmingly positive response to our collaboration with ViVu at CES, and look forward to seeing this solution in market to the clear benefit of consumers and businesses alike in the near future."

"At ViVu, we fully realize the future of the computing market is becoming more visual and engaging, and delivering HD quality video to virtually any device from virtually anywhere is an incredibly important part of that," said Sudha Valluru, chief executive officer and founder, ViVu. "To meet the needs of this booming market, sophisticated hardware and software are required, which makes AMD the ideal technology partner for us. AMD Fusion APUs combine the best of CPU and GPU technology, and working together we are helping to deliver completely new and exciting experiences."

The ViVu wireless HD video streaming solution is expected to be available later in 2011.
Resources

* Technology Demo Video
* ViVu press release on next-generation interactive video applications
* ViVu blog on showcasing telepresence-like video on laptops at CES
* Digital Trends Best Gadgets at CES
* AMD Fusion blog
* Follow AMD on Twitter @AMD_Unprocessed

About AMD

AMD (NYSE: AMD) is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its ground-breaking AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APUs). AMD’s graphics and computing technologies power a variety of devices including PCs, game consoles and the powerful computers that drive the Internet and businesses. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners

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IBM and Nuance – “Dr. Watson is on his way”

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 10:20 AM PST

This week IBM’s Watson has been going up against Jeopardy champs in the Jeopardy challenge. Now, IBM has announced that it will collaborate with Nuance to apply Watson’s advanced analytics to the healthcare industry. The initiative will combine IBM’s Deep Question Answering (QA), Natural Language Processing, and Machine Learning capabilities with Nuance’s speech recognition technology and Clinical Language Understanding solutions. They hope to assist doctors in making patient diagnoses, by helping them to process large amounts of information more quickly.


Columbia University Medical Center and the University of Maryland School of Medicine are working with IBM and Nuance on this initiative, to determine how this technology could make a doctor’s job easier. According to IBM’s press release:

“Watson’s ability to analyze the meaning and context of human language, and quickly process information to find precise answers can assist decision makers, such as physicians and nurses, unlock important knowledge and facts buried within huge volumes of information, and offer answers they may not have considered to help validate their own ideas or hypotheses.”

An example of how this might work is that a doctor considering a diagnosis could speak questions about the case into the system and then the system would rapidly search through all of the releated texts, reference materials, prior cases, journals, and medical literature, and deliver back to the doctor the most likely diagnosis and treatment options.

If this is effective, it could be a huge change in the way the medical industry operates. It kind of reminds us of the “computer” on Star Trek.

IBM and Nuance expect the first commercial offerings to be available in 18-24 months.

[via IBM]

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti Coming in March, GTX 590 Later

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 10:19 AM PST


NVIDIA is getting ready to launch the GeForce GTX 550 Ti on March 15th. The video card is based off of the new GF116 chipset and is expected to be up to 35% faster than AMD Radeon's HD 5770 in DirectX 11, and about 20% faster in DirectX 10. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti should perform just as fast as the GeForce GTX 460.

The GeForce GTX 550 Ti will have two dual-link DVI-I ports and one mini HDMI port for display output. Its 110W thermal design power (TDP) is pretty much the same as the GeForce GTS 450's 106W and will have the same sunflower cooler.

The GTX 550 Ti only comes with 1GB GDDR memory. The larger GeForce GTX 590 is a dual GF110 GPU solution and will have 3GB GDDR memory. No formal date was given on the GTX 590 but beta drivers indicate that it should be soon.

[Via VR Zone]

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Sony Debunks Rumor Of Withdrawing From iTunes And Announces Own Music Unlimited Service

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:51 AM PST

Last week there were rumors that Sony was planning to withdraw from Apple's iTunes store after Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Michael Ephraim’s interview resulted in some quotes taken out of context. However, today Sony has cleared the air of the rumor and announced the launch of their Music Unlimited service, which will be available today in the US, Australia, and New Zealand.

"Sony Music as I understand it has no intention of withdrawing from iTunes, they're one of our biggest partners in the digital domain. I think those words were either taken out of context or the person who spoke them was unclear on the circumstances," said Shawn Layden, Sony Network Entertainment COO.

Sony's Music Unlimited is a subscription based service where the user will pay a flat fee of $10 per month to stream music to devices such as Sony TV's, the PS3, or Blu-Ray players via Sony’s Qriocity. However, the problem with this is that users can't take music with them on their iPods or mobile phones, a big reason many people purchase music.

While Sony isn't going mobile just yet with the service, expect to see it on Android first. Sony has expressed interest in working on Google's platform, and now with Apple's stance on subscription services it seems like Android will be favored. Sony seems confident that people want music on their TVs controlled by their PS3s and the company will push it hard. Do you think that's a sound strategy?

[Via Business Insider]

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Verbatim Mobile Keyboard for iPad and iPhone

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:49 AM PST

Verbatim has just released a compact foldable keyboard for iPad and iPhone. The keyboard works with Bluetooth, and measures 9.2 x 6.4 x 2 inches. It also has an iPhone stand which slides into the keyboard for storage. The keyboard weighs 15.7 ounces, and comes with a carrying case. Continue after the break to see more details…


The keyboard also allows users to play, pause and control iTunes music directly from the media console. It comes with a carrying case, and runs on two AAA batteries (which are included). It’s available on Amazon.com for $79.99, but as of now, it is not immediately available to ship. Today, Amazon is saying it will ship in 1-4 weeks.

The company also states that the keyboard is available at Fry’s, but it is not listed on their website yet.

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Touchscape Multi-Touch Coffee Table

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:27 AM PST

If the multi-touch screens of your iPhone, iPad, or Android devices, are just not enough tactile fun, then consider adding the Touchscape Multi-Touch coffee table to your living room. Albeit the table can’t compete in portability, but it would be awesome fun for friends at your house party–just be sure to have some coasters. Continue after the jump for a video of the Touchscape in action as it shows off some Windows 7 action.

The Touchscape table features a 47-inch LCD high viewing angle screen with full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution and is powered by a quad core processor. It utilizes a patented MT technology to track as many touches as possible on the screen. A self-monitoring system then automates updates, monitors performance and keeps the system alive.

The demo video below shows the Touchscape in action with native Windows 7 but also has its own platform that can run various programs whether or not created using its SDK.

[Via GeekyGadgets]

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Google Music Service Coming With Honeycomb

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:17 AM PST

Google could be launching its own web-based music service with the release of Android Honeycomb. Motorola Mobility Chief Executive Sanjay Jha was talking about the Motorola XOOM which will be dropping at the end of the month running Honeycomb when he let it slip suggesting that Google will be offering music service in addition to its video service.

"If you look at Google Mobile Services [via Android] today, there's a video service, there's a music service – that is, there will be a music service," said Jha at MWC. Google already has its video service with the acquisition of YouTube, but a music service has been rumored for quite a while.

The rumors about Google's music service are that it will be cloud-based and your music will be stored on Google's servers. Then you could stream or download the music to whichever compatible device you have. The service could have an online store as well, making it a possible competitor to Apple's iTunes. It'll be interesting to see if this is true or just wishful thinking from a Motorola executive

[Via Android Community]

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Apple ties up 60% of touch panel supplies for 2011 iPad 2 tip insiders

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 08:57 AM PST

Apple has reportedly snagged nearly 60-percent of the global touch panel supply, leaving rival companies struggling to secure the hardware needed for their own touchscreen products. According to DigiTimes‘ supply chain sources, Apple’s target of 40m iPad shipments in 2011 has led to massive orders, forcing tier-one rivals like Samsung, HP and Acer to look to smaller suppliers in order to fulfil their own demand.

While general supplies of touch systems are strong, it’s the glass capacitive touch panels that tablets like the iPad use which are causing a bottleneck. Low manufacturing yields have been blamed, with smartphone-style thin-film capacitive touch not providing the same slick glass feel on tablet-scale devices. Previous rumors have suggested that Apple invested around $3.9bn in displays for its products; it could well be possible that touch panel supply is part of that.

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Motorola ATRIX 4G arriving early: February 22 in AT&T stores

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 08:41 AM PST

Losing iPhone 4 exclusivity seems to have perked up AT&T’s supply chain, with the news today that the Motorola ATRIX 4G will be shipping sooner than expected. According to AT&T spokesperson Seth Bloom, the Android smartphone should now land in retail on February 22, rather than March 6, with pre-orders shipping for delivery on February 21.

ATRIX 4G pre-orders kicked off on Sunday, with the 4-inch qHD Android smartphone priced at $199.99 with a new, two-year agreement. It’s also offered with a Keyboard Dock accessory – consisting of a notebook-scale keyboard and 11.6-inch display – which can turn the Tegra 2 based Motorola into a laptop replacement.

For more on the ATRIX 4G check out our unboxing and first-impressions article. We’ll have the full SlashGear review up very soon!

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Google Updates Social Search, Your Friends Opinions May Now Affect Your Search Results

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 08:35 AM PST

Google announced today an update to their Google Social Search feature that will more fully integrate the social search results into normal search results. Now when you view a search results page, you might also see little annotations under the results that have either been shared or liked by your friends. In fact, your friends’ sharing and linking activities may actually affect your search results.

Google's Social Search was launched back in 2009, but the social search results were placed way down at the bottom of the page and mainly showed results that people created and linked through their Google profiles. But now they are fully incorporating results from social sites such as Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube.

And more interesting is that if someone you're connected to has publicly shared a link, then that link may show up higher in your results and an annotation of that person will show up right below the result. The company says that, “With these changes, we want to help you find the most relevant information possible, personalized to your interests and the people you care about.”

Google’s Social Search only works when you are logged into your Google Account. And this new update will start rolling out today in English only. You should start seeing the results within this coming week.

For a more in-depth explanation, watch Google's Social Search video:

[Via Google Blog]

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Dell smartphone/tablet roadmaps leak: Android Ice Cream smartphones & Windows 8 slates

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 08:35 AM PST

What appears to be Dell‘s roadmaps for smartphones and tablets over the next twelve months have leaked, with mention of Windows 8 for tablets and both Android Ice Cream and “next gen” Windows Phone 7 for smartphones. According to AndroidCentral and WPCentral‘s sources, four new tablets are in the works: the Dell Gallo in April, followed by the Dell Sterling in Q4 2011 and the Dell Opus One and Dell Silver Oak in Q1 2012, all running Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

Meanwhile a Dell Rosemount Windows 7 tablet will drop in June 2011, followed by a Windows 7 tablet, the Dell Peju, in Q1 2012. Interestingly, the Gallo is expected to get a “handwriting” update in October 2011, potentially some sort of active digitizer as on the HTC Flyer.

In smartphones, on the Android side there’s the Ice Cream based Dell Hancock – with a dual-core CPU, 4-inch qHD display, 8-megapixel and 1.3-megapixel dual cameras and 1080p video support – in September 2011, followed by the Dell Millenium – with a 4.3-inch qHD display, 8-megapixel and VGA cameras, and DLNA support, along with 1080p HD video – in October 2011. Going by Dell’s tiny roadmap image, the Hancock will also have a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Finally, in Windows Phone 7, there’s an update scheduled for the Dell Venue Pro in Q2, for unspecified “additional features and enhancements”, and the Dell Wrigley, a “next-gen” WP7 device with a 1GHz CPU, 4-inch WVGA display, 8-megapixel camera and 720p HD support in mid-Q3.

[via Android Community]

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Motorola XOOM WiFi/EVDO/HSPA detailed; “ability to deliver 50MB/s” justifies $799 price

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 08:18 AM PST

Details of Microsoft’s various XOOM models have been released, with the initial Verizon version of the slate up against the WiFi-only MZ604 and HSPA MZ601/MZ603 versions. Meanwhile, Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha has defended the $799 pricing of the 32GB Verizon XOOM MZ600, confirmed earlier this week, saying that it’s the potential for 4G that makes the Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet more valuable than Apple’s iPad.

According to Jha, Motorola “felt that our ability to deliver 50Mb/s would justify the $799 price point. It is 32GB with 3G and a free upgrade to 4G.” Asked whether the Apple slate had indeed been the benchmark by which Motorola had planned the XOOM launch, he agreed that it was the current yardstick but that it was not necessarily the outright winner. “Being competitive with iPad is important” he said, “we feel that from the hardware and capabilities we deliver we are at least competitive and in a number of ways better.”

As for the WiFi-only version – which has WiFi b/g/n support but no 3G/4G – Jha said it would be “meaningfully cheaper” than the cellular-equipped versions. “The price is set by iPad at $599 and we will be right around there” he confirmed.

[Thanks Barry!]

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Kno dual-screen tablet pre-orders to ship in 60 days?

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 06:06 AM PST

The Kno tablet has been one of the tablets that has teased for over a year now. The tablet has already seen a couple ship dates announced and then missed so we are all a bit skeptical at this point on the Kno. This is the tablet with two screens that is being marketed to students as a textbook replacement.

The dual screen Kno has a pair of big 14.1-inch screens and has a MSRP of $899. That seems high, but if the books the student needs are available digitally, the price may be better than buying printed textbooks. Back in January at CES we spent some quality hands-on time with the Kno.

The Kno has now been fingered with a new launch date and that launch day is claimed to be mid-April. The word comes from notifications set to pre-order customers. The real question is if these things do ship, will there be textbooks for it.

Via CrunchGear

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Redbox readying movie streaming service to battle Netflix

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:55 AM PST

I am a big fan of Redbox kiosks for renting movies. That is really the only place left in my area to get a movie from. Netflix is one of the big competitors to Redbox that is still available in all areas, even if Netflix is more a steaming company now than a disc rental business.

Redbox is set to take the fight to Netflix according go the LA Times. Netflix is reportedly looking to launch a streaming movie service for subscribers that would allow the user to rent movies on a per title basis rather than paying a monthly fee for all they can watch.

The service would have a monthly fee option that would allow the user to watch streaming films on multiple devices and rent discs at kiosks as well. That last option sounds appealing if the monthly fee is in the right range. The worst part about Netflix is waiting for the movies or finding out that what you really wanted to see didn't ship. At this point, an exact time frame for the new Redbox service is unknown.

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Intuit GoPayment offers iPhone credit card processing with free card reader

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:13 AM PST

If you run a business that is outside of an office most of the time and you need the ability to take credit card payments there are some options out there for you. Intuit has a card processing service that provides the user with a free card reader for the iPhone that is called GoPayment.

GoPayment launched last month and is a no monthly fee offering that will work for business small and large. The credit card reader plugs into the headphone port of the iPhone and then cards are swiped and the app running on the smartphone submits the payment to Intuit for the actual processing. The low volume offering for small businesses provides a free reader, no monthly fee, and the rates are a percentage of the sale.

Swiped cards have a 2.7% fee, entered or non-qualified transactions have a 3.7% fee, and both are hit with a 15 cent per transaction fee as well. People with over $1000 monthly card volume can pay a $12.95 monthly fee and get 1.5% swiped transaction or 2.7% keyed with 3.7% for non-qualified transactions like corporate sales. The per transaction fee is 30 cents on this plan. Up to 50 users can use a single account making it great for field service businesses.

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GLSO files patent app for sweet iPhone Volt Solar Charger

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 04:54 AM PST

I mentioned back at the beginning of the month that GSLO had received its first test shipments of the Volt Solar Charger. GLSO has one of the only solar panel packing iPhone 4 cases on the market and the thing will be hitting stores before you know it. GSLO has announced that it has filed a patent app for the Volt Solar Charger.

GLSO reports that the Volt is the only iPhone battery pack it knows about that will work with the AT&T and Verizon version of the iPhone. The Volt case will come to North American in red, black, and white with a one-year warranty. GSLO is still taking reservations for the case if you want to order one up.

"Filing this patent application is an important step in bringing the Volt Solar Charger to market," Rohde said. "We anticipate that this filing will protect our proprietary technology and dissuade potential competitors from copying our design."

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Pioneer DJM-900nexus DJ mixer aims at club DJs

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 04:18 AM PST

Pioneer has been adding a lot of gear to its line of DJ controllers over the last few months. The company has now added another new DJ controller to its line that is aimed at the club DJ looking for a new mixer. The new mixer is called the DJM-900nexus and it is designed specifically for pro DJs.

The mixer has a bunch of different effects including new sound color FX with Space, Dub Echo, and Gate/comp in addition to Filter, Crush, and Noise that can be activated with twist knobs. The device also has Beat Effect with 13 effects including new Spiral and Melodic effects. A touchscreen is in the side of the mixer as well called the X-Pad that allows control and access to the 13 integrated effects and more.

The DJM-900nexus is designed for sound quality with integrated 24bit/96kHz high performance USB soundcard inside that can handle input from four stereo sources via the singe USB port. The mixer also has the same input and output circuits as the DJM-2000 for accuracy of sound and has booth outputs and headphone outputs along with a 32-bit DSP. The mixer has hoards of other features as well. It will land in March for $2,399.

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