Selasa, 22 Februari 2011

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

Samsung Galaxy S 4G Heading To T-Mobile Tomorrow

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:01 PM PST

Last month we had reported on a leaked schedule of upcoming T-Mobile devices including the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and more recently posted a hands-on via Android Community. However, tomorrow is the big day when the Samsung Galaxy S 4G willl be available at T-Mobile stores.

The device features a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, and a 5MP camera. It will come preloaded with Android 2.2 Froyo and TouchWiz user interface along with HSPA+ 4G network connectivity up to 21 Mbs download speeds in available areas.

It should be priced at $199 with a two-year contract. However, it does include a $50 mail-in rebate which will drop the price down to $149.

[via IntoMobile]

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Motorola Atrix 4G Bootloader Locked Down Against Custom ROMs

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:23 PM PST

The Motorola Atrix 4G comes with a locked down bootloader to prevent folks from installing custom ROMs or making other types of modifcations to root-only applications. This won’t mean much for most folks that intend to use the device as is–which should already be pretty awesome. But for those intending to customize, this means a bit more tinkering.

We mentioned over the weekend that the Motorola Atrix 4G had already gotten rooted before it even reached store shelves. But that was by an AT&T developer who hasn’t made it public how he gained root access.

The developers over at XDA should have no problem taking this to task as they have successfully unlocked similarly locked down devices before, such as the Droid X.

[via IntoMobile]

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Your Neighborhood’s Census Data Gets Mapped

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:00 PM PST

Ever wondered about the demographics of your neighborhood? For those with school-aged kids, or those seeking to buy a new house, having access to demographics and other public data pertaining to certain neighborhoods can be very helpful. Companies, such as MoonShadow Mobile, have now mapped these types of data for easy access and visualization and to make the information more understandable.

MoonShadow Mobile specializes in working with large data sets with their map allowing users to look at race, gender, age, and other information pulled from eight different data sets. They have made a block-by-block, state-wide data visualization of New Jersey so far with more states to come. The New York Times has also mapped out demographic data but only measuring race covering the entire US.

And now with the results of the 2010 US Census getting published along with Google’s release of their Public Data Explorer last week, everyone can create their own data visualizations. It’ll be interesting to see what visually dazzling and useful data maps and graphs creative folks will come up with soon.

[via ReadWriteWeb]

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Minecraft coming to iOS and Android

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 01:33 PM PST

The wildly popular Minecraft, which according to the official website is “a game about placing blocks to build anything you can imagine” is now coming to iOS and Android. In an exclusive story by Gamasutra, Markus Persson, the game’s developer, revealed that the release is in the works and will be available later this year. Get more details after the cut.


The PC version of the game is still in beta, with a full release coming out later this year. There have also been several unofficial versions of the game for iPhone and iPad, but this one is the real deal. The mobile version of Minecraft is being developed by Aron Neiminen, new at Mojang, the Swedish company from whence Minecraft orignated.

According to Gamasutra: “Persson said that the iOS edition will not receive every update that the original browser and download version gets, but rather will be granted those features that “make sense” for the touch-screen platform.”

There are two versions of Minecraft, classic (which is free), and survival mode, which costs about $20. There have been over 1.3 million copies of the game purchased, and there are over 5 million accounts created on the games’ website.

The mobile version of the game promises to be as popular as the current version. It will be fun to explore.
[via Gamasutra]

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Twitter For BlackBerry Updated With Geotagging And Push Mentions

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 01:07 PM PST

The Twitter app for BlackBerry has been updated to version 1.1 in the Beta Zone. This new version of Twitter for BlackBerry will have geotagging capabilities, push mentions, topic autocomplete, and chat-style messaging.

The geotagging capability is nice, but can be easily turned off for those who don't want everyone to know where they're tweeting from. The push mentions will alert you when you've been mentioned on Twitter much like alerts you’re used to getting for direct messages. And direct messages are now called chat-style messages with a new design and the messages are now threaded.

There is also an autocomplete function that will give you a list of keywords based on what you've used before on hashtagged words in Tweets, Retweets, or searched for in Popular Topics or Facebook. For touchscreen BlackBerries you can now update your screen simply by pulling downwards on the stream.

[via IntoMobile]

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Windows 7 SP1 Available for Download

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 12:50 PM PST

Microsoft has begun to release the first major update to Windows 7, SP1, to customers around the world today. The download is 1.9GB, and should be appearing in the automatic update area on your Windows 7 PC. Microsoft had confirmed earlier this month that Windows 7 SP1 and the server product Windows 2008 R2 SP1 would arrive on Tuesday, February 22nd.

"Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) is an important update that includes previously released security, performance, and stability updates forWindows 7," Microsoft said. "SP1 also includes new improvements to features and services in Windows 7, such as improved reliability when connecting to HDMI audio devices, printing using the XPS Viewer, and restoring previous folders in Windows Explorer after restarting."

The best way to install the update is straight from your computer, just turn on automatic updating in the Control Panel. The update takes about 30 minutes, and you will need to restart about halfway through.

[via PocketLint]

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Android Phone Gets Driver Out of a Ticket

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 12:15 PM PST

College student Sahas Katta was able to beat his speeding ticket in traffic court using…drumroll please…his Android smartphone, and a handy app. Katta was pulled over and charged with going 40mph in a 25mph zone. But he wasn’t going 40, only 26mph. His word against the officer’s right? Not so much, since he was running My Tracks by Google in the background on his Motorola Droid phone.


The free app records and visualizes GPS data on a map, tracking distance, average speed, average moving speed, and max speed. Katta downloaded this information to Google Docs and brought it with him to the courtroom. He was able to convince the judge that the officer might not have been using his radar gun correctly, introducing enough reasonable doubt that he was declared “not guilty”. Nice!

[via Android Community]

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Fisker To Finally Start Production Of Luxury Hybrid Karma

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:57 AM PST

Green-promoting Hollywood celebs, such as Leonardo Di Caprio, can soon ditch their Priuses for the Karma. After several delays having to do with financing and logistics, the electric car startup company Fisker has finally confirmed production for the Karma, a luxury plug-in hybrid sports car. The Karma is set to start production on March 21st, and the target price tag for the vehicle should be $95,900.

Fisker raised $150 million this month at a $600 million valuation with plenty of big name venture capital backers. The company is often compared to Tesla because both focus on luxury electric vehicles. However, Fisker’s upcoming vehicle is more of a plug-in hybrid rather than all electric. The Karma is expected to go up to 50 miles on battery before it switches to gas. It can also go from zero to 62 mph in less than six seconds.

The Karma was originally scheduled to launch in 2009 but instead came several announcements of delays. Hopefully this time, Fisker has truly gotten their act together. They now plan to produce 1,500 Karmas a month by October and hope to eventually sell 15,000 Karmas annually.

[via Venture Beat]

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Seesaw Battery: AA batteries get smarter

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:43 AM PST

From designer Young Suk Kim, this battery that would make the frustrating task of getting those darn batteries out the compartment a lot easier. And there’s no need to break a fingernail in the process. It’s called the Seesaw, and the ends of the battery are tapered, so that you can push down on one end and the other end pops up!


This design is for AA batteries, but there is no reason that it couldn’t be used for AAAs like in all of those remote controls and kids toys we have around our houses. Here’s hoping this will get picked up by Energizer or Duracell, and we’ll see these in stores soon.

[via Yanko Design]

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Square Dropping Transaction Fees To Ramp Up Volume

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:10 AM PST

As if having an easy and convenient way to take credit card payments on the go for small businesses isn’t good enough, it gets even better. Square, the company spearheading the mobile merchant movement, is now dropping its per transaction fee making its rates the lowest in the industry for small merchants who typically do less than $1000 a month in business. This move will cost Square in revenue, but the company believes it should boost their volume.

The mobile payments industry is getting competitive and many traditional merchant and financial services companies, such as Intuit—father of Quickbooks—are getting in on the game. Considering that a majority of small businesses already use software packages like Quickbooks for their bookkeeping, they are more likely to stick with Intuit even when they move towards mobile payments.

Square’s decision to drop their 15-cent per transaction fee to just the flat 2.75 percent fee per transaction may help the company up their market share. However, if competitors follow suit, it will be interesting to see what other areas of differentiation can emerge. All this is great news for small businesses.

[via All Things Digital]

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First Millimeter Scale Computing System – Coming to an eye near you

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:01 AM PST

The University of Michigan Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science has created a prototype for what is believed to be the first complete millimeter-scale computing system. The prototype is an implantable eye pressure monitor for glaucoma patients. The whole system measures just over 1 cubic millimeter, and has an ultra low-power microprocessor, a pressure sensor, memory, a thin-film battery, a solar cell, and a wireless radio with an antenna that can transfer data to an external device held near the eye.


The work is being led by professors Dennis Sylvester and David Blaauw, and assistant professor David Wentzloff. According to Sylvester, “This is the first true millimeter-scale complete computing system. Our work is unique in the sense that we’re thinking about complete systems in which all the components are low-power and fit on the chip. We can collect data, store it and transmit it. The applications for systems of this size are endless.”

The processor in is the third generation of the researchers’ Phoenix chip, which uses a unique power gating architecture and an extreme sleep mode to keep the power consumption at a minimum. The system wakes to take measurements every 15 minutes, and consumes an average of 5.3 nanowatts. The battery charges using the solar cell, and requires 10 hours of indoor light or 1.5 hours of sunlight each day. It is able to store up to a week’s worth of information. The device is expected to be available several years from now.

The next step is to allow the device to communicate with others like it. Professor Wentzloff is working with doctoral student Kuo-Ken Huang to develop a consolidated radio with an on-chip antenna. This eliminates the need for external crystals that are relied on today for two isolated devices to talk to each other.

So maybe there could be several of these tiny computers in one persons body, all communicating with each other…are we getting closer to this? Hopefully not so visible, though.

[via ElectroIQ]

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Fujitsu To Launch Windows 7 Tablet With Intel Oak Trail At CeBIT

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:37 AM PST

We mentioned before here and here that tablets are increasingly being adopted at the enterprise level. Originally a luxury item for media consumption and game play on the go, tablets are rapidly heading to the work place. Fujitsu has this in mind and will be targeting enterprise users when they officially unveil their new Windows 7 tablet—the Stylistic Q550—at CeBIT.

Fujitsu’s Stylistic Q550 comes with a whole slew of enterprise level security features including a fingerprint reader, smartcard slot, and trusted-platform module (TPM). The tablet will run Windows 7 Professional using the Intel Oak Trail Atom processor and has a 10-inch LED touchscreen display that works with either stylus or finger.

The device comes with front and rear cameras, a choice of 32GB or 64GB SSD, an optional 3G module, and a USB port. Battery life is estimated at eight hours. The tablet should be available in Europe by April. There are no details yet on pricing or availability for the US.

[via Electronista]

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Apple iPad 2 event Wednesday March 2?

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:34 AM PST

Apple is reportedly set to announce a March 2 2011 event, at which the company will unveil the new iPad 2. According to AllThingsD‘s “multiple sources”, the event – on Wednesday next week – will take place in San Francisco, likely at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

The new iPad 2 is expected to feature the same size display as the current iPad, also running at the same 1024 x 768 resolution (rather than a so-called Retina Display at double the resolution); it’s also expected to have a slimmer chassis, with a squared-off back panel and curved edges. Cameras are also expected to make their debut on the Apple tablet, with one on the front and another on the back, for Face Time video calls among other things.

If the rumors are true, then Apple is likely to begin sending out invitations to the event imminently. The company usually gives press around a week’s notice for these launches, so we’ll be keeping an eagle eye on our inbox tomorrow and Thursday.

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Sega Jumping into Facebook Games with Baseball

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:24 AM PST

Sega will be entering the US social games business this month with an American version of Sega Play! Baseball, according to Total Telecom. Sega has done social games in Japan up to this point, and now is going to try its hand in the US, competing with Zynga, among others. They will be releasing a line of Facebook and Hi5 games in the next few months. The baseball game is pictured below (still mostly in Japanese).


Sega Play! Baseball is actually available now on Facebook, but it has not been completely localized yet. As you see from the screen shot above, it is mostly in Japanese. When it is officially released, it will be one of the first baseball games on Facebook by a major publisher. Sega also plans to launch Sega Play! Football in March on Hi5 (a social network focused on gaming).

Sega will follow the standard model for social games: free to play, but plenty of premium items and boost available for purchase. The company plans to grow its Sega Play! social games into a globally recognized brand. Any social games you’d like to see from Sega?

[via Games.com]

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Concept Phone: HTC Eerie HD3 by Wallec

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:03 AM PST

The HTC Eerie HD3 is a new concept phone which, with its 4.7 inch AMOLED display, is closer to a tablet than a smartphone. The phone was created by Wallec (wwalczyszyn from Deviantart), and has some pretty amazing specs. To start with, a 2GHz Snapdragon processor, supports 1080p HD video…continue past the break to see more.


The phone measures 120mm x 66mm x 11mm, and has 64GB of ROM and 2GB RAM. It also features a microSD card slot, and a 12 megapixel camera in the back with autofocus and LED flash. HTC Sense is on the handset, with Windows 7 Mobile Edition, but you can also use Android 2.5 or Windows Phone 7. The Eerie supports 4G, EDGE, GPRS and WiFi. It features a secondary 1 megapixel camera in the front. It weighs 165 grams with the battery.

Shown in the pictures, below, is the PC dock with HDMI, 4 USB ports, mini USB and an audio jack.

So what do you think? What would you add to (or take away from) this concept phone?

[via Concept Phones]

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Mass Apple retail staff meeting imminent: iPad 2, MacBook Pro refresh or something else?

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 08:57 AM PST

Apple has reportedly scheduled an all-hands meeting for employees, believed to be taking place later this week. Supposedly originally planned for last week, before being delayed, according to AppleInsider‘s sources staff have signed NDAs preventing them from revealing the topics under discussion. However, there’s speculation that Apple could be readying a MacBook Pro refresh, the iPad 2 or “a new in-store initiative or service.”

The MacBook Pro update – believed to bring Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors to the notebooks, and perhaps Light Peak connectivity - is expected on Thursday this week, while the second-gen iPad has been tipped for an unveil sometime in March. The nature of updated in-store activities has not been detailed; it could be a new sales push, or it might be some sort of service related to new products.

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SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: February 22 2011

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 08:44 AM PST

Well hello there all you morning readers, haven’t seen you around for a while! We’ve been to Barcelona and back and now we’re back in the New York Groove to get you all the news you want in the tiny package you love the best – SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up! Have a look at a HTC Inspire 4G Review, the winners of the Android Community Big Fat Android Toy Giveaway #1, and the Motorola XOOM Street Egg Ad that’ll swallow you up whole! Don’t forget the odd Motorola Roadster [In-Car Bluetooth Speakerphone] Review – talk in your car all day! Have a look at a slew of Lenovo item releases: the ThinkPad W520 quadcore desktop replacement, the Lenovo ThinkPad T420s, T420 and T520, and the Lenovo ThinkPad L420 and L520 entry-level notebooks. All of them very black with a red nose. Then while you’re mind is still at it, get the official price of the Verizon released Motorola XOOM.


R3 Media Network

Editor’s Choice
DIY Transformers 2 Megatron tank is utterly crazy
Nintendo 3DS games detailed: Nintendogs, Steel Diver, more
AT&T Motorola ATRIX 4G on sale now

SlashPhone
Sprint to Reveal a New Phone, Suspected to be The HTC 7 Pro
BlackBerry Bold Touch Caught in Wild
O2 Getting White Xperia Play

Android Community
Advent Vega Dock now on sale: HDMI and USB
Android Community Big Fat Android Toy Giveaway #1 WINNERS
Motorola XOOM priced by Verizon: No big subsidies for first Honeycomb slate
Toshiba updates AC100 to Android 2.2 with Flash Player support
Motorola ATRIX 4G arrives on AT&T for $200
Flash Player 10.2 for Motorola XOOM "within a few weeks"
Motorola DroidX & Droid 2 get a fancy Gingerbread Port
Motorola XOOM Street Egg Ad Released
Motorola ATRIX 4G Laptop Dock Demo
Motorola ATRIX 4G HD Dock Demo
Android Toy Series 2 Secret Figure #2 [SPOILER]
VCast Music gets updated on Android
Verizon fuels sales for Motorola Mobility
Samsung Pulls Captivate Update Page After News Leaked
Motorola Roadster Review [In-Car Bluetooth Speakerphone]
Twitter lets third party clients out of the penalty box
Samsung Epic 4G to get some Froyo today
HTC ThunderBolt Rooftop Ad Released
HTC Inspire 4G Review
US Cellular offers buy one get five deal on Android

SlashGear
DIY Transformers 2 Megatron tank is utterly crazy
Apple considering 24-bit iPod/iTunes update for boosted audio quality?
OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2: 12TB of super-flexible storage
SuperTalent CoreStore SSDs promise 350MB/s read & 220MB/s write rates
Verizon Motorola XOOM pricing confirmed: $600 with agreement
Palm Pre Plus webOS 2.1 update already up and running on French phone
$76 Micro Four Thirds/NEX lenses promised as China weighs in
T-Mobile readying unlimited data plan
Nintendo 3DS games detailed: Nintendogs, Steel Diver, more
Spring Design "phasing out" Alex ereader
Amazon Prime Instant Video service switched on
Toshiba AC100 Android 2.2 Froyo update arrives with Flash support
Apple looking to white iPhone 5 as touch supplier leaks
Steve Jobs says subscriptions are "for publishing apps" but confusion remains
Sony VAIO L Series all-in-one wraps touch-bezel around multitouch screen
Sony VAIO C Series: Garish looks hide decent notebooks
Palm Pre Plus gets webOS 2.1.0 update in Germany
Sony VAIO S Series: 13.3-inch ultraportable with 14hr runtime
Nokia N950 MeeGo phone named: "very elegant hardware" says CTO [Video]
Apple iPad 2 release in June after production delays tip analysts
Secusmart encryption microSD: security costs $2,700 [Video]
Apple iPad stock shortages tip iPad 2 imminent
Geohot Sony defense fund closes after rapid response
HP TouchPad tablet shipping April tip suppliers
AT&T Motorola ATRIX 4G on sale now
Motorola XOOM Flash Player 10.2 release "within a few weeks"
Lenovo ThinkPad W520 quadcore desktop replacement outed
Lenovo ThinkPad T420s, T420 and T520: up to 30hrs battery life
Lenovo ThinkPad L420 and L520 entry-level notebooks outed
Verizon Updates V Cast Music App for Android
Verizon Releases New Ad For Motorola Xoom
Apple's New Subscription Policy Upsets Readability App
Sony 3D Dual-View Split Screen Demo For PlayStation 3

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

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TomTom GO 2435 and GO 2535 PNDs quietly revealed

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 08:27 AM PST

TomTom has quietly pushed out two new ranges of standalone touchscreen GPS units, the TomTom GO 2435 and GO 2535 lines, complete with capacitive touchscreens and new, “intuitive” voice recognition. The GO 2435 has a 4.3-inch WQVGA display, Bluetooth, 4GB of internal storage and a 3hr battery.

Meanwhile, the GO 2535 has a 5-inch display, along with Bluetooth support. Both come in four different versions, the basic model, the 2435/2535T (with lifetime traffic updates), the 2435/2535M (with lifetime map updates) and the 2435/2535TM (with both lifetime maps and traffic updates).

There’s also the GO 2535TM WTE (World Traveler Edition) which adds European mapping data to the standard US, Canada and Mexico maps. Finally, a TomTom GO 2535M LIVE version throws in TomTom HD Traffic and a year’s access to the company’s connected services. No word on pricing at this stage.

[via GPSTrackLog]

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DIY Transformers 2 Megatron tank is utterly crazy

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 07:45 AM PST

All of a sudden, Batman Tumbler replicas don’t seem quite so intimidating. Chinese artist “Steel Legend” has put together an incredible, huge replica of the Megatron tank from the Transformers 2 movie, as seen on ZCool: almost five tons of hand-crafted madness.

The aggressive looking tank measures in at 4.5 x 3.2 x 2.5 meters, but unfortunately it doesn’t actually work. No, this is more of an oversized ornament for the particularly avid Transformers fan; it won’t reconfigure into an evil robot, either.

Still, as impressive art-pieces go, we’ve a soft spot for anything that looks like it could bring down an F-22 while simultaneously giving you tetanus.

[via Cloned In China]

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Apple considering 24-bit iPod/iTunes update for boosted audio quality?

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 07:31 AM PST

Apple is reportedly in talks with record labels over offering higher quality digital tracks, though it will take more than just a 24-bit master before the sound from your iPod is significantly improved. According to CNN, Apple is among the companies in talks regarding using 24-bit master recordings and higher-quality file types, with Interscope-Geffen-A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine saying the Cupertino company is considering changing “some of their electronic devices” to work with the boosted tracks.

“Apple has been great,” Iovine told CNN, “we’re working with them and other digital services – download services – to change to 24-bit. And some of their electronic devices are going to be changed as well. So we have a long road ahead of us.” The hardware change is necessary in order to handle high-resolution tracks, such as 24-bit/96KHz lossless files, which the current iPod and iPhone line-up can’t play.

It seems likely that a 24-bit catalog – whether from Apple or the other digital music vendors tipped to be interested – would end up costing a premium over the regular, lower-bitrate music currently on offer through iTunes. Whether users will pay that premium, or even notice the difference, remains to be seen; junking the shoddy bundled headphones Apple provides is a good place to start.

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OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2: 12TB of super-flexible storage

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 07:16 AM PST

OWC knows how to tease us: slap a huge amount of speedy storage into a shiny aluminum box, and give it a glamorous name. The OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 is a good example, up to 12TB of RAID storage, four SATA-I/II bays and up to 300MB/s data transfer rates with four different ports to choose from.

There’s no ethernet – this isn’t a NAS – but you do get a choice of FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0 and eSATA. We’re a bit disappointed not to see USB 3.0 in there, but then again OWC do generally have a soft spot for Apple machines and we’re yet to see a Cupertino computer with a USB 3.0 port.

RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 and Span setups are supported, and OWC promise two million MTBF with their 12TB model. The Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 kicks off from $299.99, as long as you don’t mind supplying your own drives, but of course the 12TB version is a hefty $1,279.99.

Press Release:

OWC ANNOUNCES MERCURY ELITE-AL PRO QX2
 MASSIVE 12TB ENTERPRISE RAID STORAGE DRIVE

Highly Reliable 2 Million MTBF for Critical 24/7 Applications
Plug & Play Desktop-Sized Hardware RAID Storage/Backup Drive
5 Year Warranty Protection for Macs & PCs

February 22, 2011, Woodstock, IL — Other World Computing (OWC®) http://www.macsales.com, a leading zero emissions Mac® and PC technology company, announced today the OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 hardware RAID storage drive with massive 12TB of storage/backup in a desktop-sized brushed aluminum enclosure. Featuring four 3TB high performance hard drives in four hot swappable drive bays, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 12TB RAID storage drive offers the flexibility of a "Quad Interface" of FireWire® 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, and eSATA; four selectable Hardware RAID settings of 0, 1, 5, 10; and 300MB/s data transfer rates for high speed, Plug & Play storage and redundancy for Macs and PCs.

Built for Demanding Performance-Intensive Applications

The OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 is built for demanding performance-intensive applications, such as:
· Cloud storage
Massive Scale Out (MSO)
Data warehousing & mining
Disk-to-disk backup & archiving
RAID arrays
Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Audio/Video/HD-video editing.
Digital photography/graphics.
Professional music.
Redundant backup.

2 Million MTBF for Enterprise-Class High Reliability

Designed for 24/7 enterprise-class capacity-optimized applications, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 offers two million MTBF, nearly double the MTBF of consumer class drives, for unsurpassed reliability for critical enterprise applications. Pre-configured in Hardware RAID 5 mode to provide data redundancy for uninterrupted access and protection against data loss, the drive can also be automatically configured to use the other hardware RAID settings: 0, 1, or 10, as well as a Span (NRAID). Selecting and visually confirming the RAID setting is performed by a recessed selector switch safely located behind the lockable front panel.

Comprehensive "Burn-in" Testing Ensures Highest Reliability – Includes Five Year Warranty

Unlike most other brands that are shipped with little or no testing, the OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 12TB as well as the full Qx2 line undergoes a multi-hour "burn in" performance certification procedure to ensure that the unit is operating properly and ready for demanding use. With this unmatched commitment to quality, OWC backs the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 with an industry leading five year warranty.

OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 12TB desktop hardware RAID Features:
Four 3TB high performance hard drives for 12TB capacity.
Four separate interfaces: FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB, & eSATA.
Four selectable hardware RAID settings: 0, 1, 5, 10.
Fast 300MB/s data transfer rates.
Two million MTFP for high reliability.
Extensively pre-tested for demanding use.
Front panel LEDs offer quick, at-a-glance system status.
All connection cables are included.
Removable Key Lock for extra security.
Five year warranty.

Pricing & Availability and Additional Drive Capacity Models

The 12TB OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 is available immediately, priced at $2,219.99. It includes cables for eSATA, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB 2.0/1.1, power cord, two keys for front panel lock, Backup and Utility software CD: Intech® SpeedTools Utilities™ OEM, Prosoft Engineering® Data Backup, NovaStor NovaBACKUP®, Carbon Copy Cloner©, and Freeware/Shareware/Public domain software pre-installed. For more information on the OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 12TB, see: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/RAID/Desktop/

In addition, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 is also available with various drive capacity options from 0TB (no drive included) to 12TB, starting from $479.99 see http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/RAID/Desktop/ for more info.

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SuperTalent CoreStore SSDs promise 350MB/s read & 220MB/s write rates

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 06:45 AM PST

SuperTalent is promising hitherto-unseen SSD performance for desktop and mobile users, with the new CoreStore range of solid-state drives. Set to hit the market in March, the new SSDs will come in PCIe and and mini-PCIe formats, and boast up to 350 MB/s read and 220 Mb/s write rates.

Video demo after the cut

That’s for the SLC-based versions; SuperTalent will also be offering MLC versions with the same read rate but an altogether more humble 80 MB/s write speed. Capacities between 16GB and 64GB are available using SLC flash, while the MLC versions will also get a 128GB version.

No word on pricing at this stage, but the new SSDs will go up for sale in March 2011. Benchmarking results in the video below.

Press Release:

SuperTalent Introduces Fastest & Smallest Gen 2 SSD

Marvell based PCIe & Mini-PCIe SSD solutions

San Jose, California – February 21th, 2011 – Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced their CoreStore TMline of SSD solutions designed to bring a new level of performance to the SSD market.

By combining the very latest Marvel controller (88NV9143), new DDR ONFi 2 flash and plugging directly to the PCIe bus, Super Talent is now able to create two solutions that deliver unforeseen performance.

Available in two standard formats, mini-PCIe and PCIe Card, Super Talent has a drive to fit many popular applications. The mini-PCIe card (30mm x 50.95mm) is perfect for embedded applications, Industrial PCs, All-in-One PCs, Netbook PCs, Notebooks. Don't have a min-PCIe slot, Super Talent also offers a version of this product that will plug directly into a standard PCIe card slot; perfect for any Desktop PC. Note: Gen 2 PCI slot required for top speeds.

“By utilizing our relationships with both first tier controller manufactures and DDR flash manufactures, we are able to create innovate solutions such as the CoreStore SSD and offer them to our customers before anyone else”., CH Lee COO of SuperTalent.

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Verizon Motorola XOOM pricing confirmed: $600 with agreement

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 06:21 AM PST

Verizon has confirmed its official pricing for the Motorola XOOM, ahead of the Android 3.0 tablet’s launch this Thursday, February 24. The Honeycomb slate will be $599.99 with a new two-year customer agreement or $799.99 without a contract, while data plans will kick off at $20 per month for 1GB.

Meanwhile, the 4G LTE update for the XOOM is promised in Q2 2011, and will be free for existing owners. Flash Player support, as we heard earlier today, will be “available soon as a free download.” Still no word on pricing or exact release dates for the WiFi-only version of the XOOM.

Press Release:

Motorola XOOM Tablet To Be Available On The Verizon Wireless Network On Feb. 24

"Best of Show" Winner at 2011 Consumer Electronics Show Delivers the World's First True Tablet Experience, with Upgrade to 4G LTE in Q2

02/22/2011

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI), today announced the Feb. 24, 2011 availability of the innovative new Motorola XOOM™ tablet, which won the coveted CNET Best of Show award at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show for being "the most potentially disruptive technology." The first device to run Google's new Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, the Motorola XOOM will be available for purchase from Verizon Wireless for $599.99 with a new two-year customer agreement or $799.99 without a contract. Wireless 3G data service for the Motorola XOOM will begin at $20 monthly access for 1GB. The Motorola XOOM will be upgradeable to 4G LTE service at no additional charge in the second quarter of 2011.

A powerhouse in both software and hardware, the Motorola XOOM is built around a 1GHz dual-core processor and 10.1-inch widescreen HD display. The sleek, stylish design features a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video chats, as well as a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera that captures video in 720p HD.

The Motorola XOOM showcases the innovations of the Honeycomb user experience that improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization, as well as featuring the latest Google™ Mobile services. The Motorola XOOM also features full support for tabbed browsing and support for the Adobe® Flash® Player, available soon as a free download, to enjoy all the video and other rich content available on the Web.

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Palm Pre Plus webOS 2.1 update already up and running on French phone

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 06:14 AM PST

Well, that didn’t take long. O2 Germany only began pushing out the webOS 2.1.0 update for Palm Pre Plus handsets a few hours ago – complete with the stern warning that it was for the German model and no other – and already a doctored version is up and running on other models. Olivier Charavel got webOS 2.1.0 on his French Pre Plus, and the best news is that it grants the smartphone with a new lease of life.

“webOS 2.1 is so fast it’s crazy” Charavel says, ”My Pre Plus feels like a brand new device. Amazing.” Interestingly, it seems the German webOS doctor for 2.1 seemed to recognize Charavel’s French Pre Plus with no problems; the phone told him to reboot and, once that was complete, he had the updated version up and running. We don’t have a Pre Plus to hand in order to try it ourselves, and as ever installing firmware not intended for your device can leave you with a bricked phone, but it seems this may be one of the easier update cycles.

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$76 Micro Four Thirds/NEX lenses promised as China weighs in

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 05:54 AM PST

Micro Four Thirds cameras and lenses may be smaller than their regular DSLR counterparts, but so far the pricing of the various interchangeable components is yet to go micro. That could well change with news of new, cheaper Chinese micro-4/3 lenses from Zhongyi Optics, which are expected to retail for a mere CNY 500 ($76).

The first example from the company will apparently be a 28mm f/2.8 model with a 4-group/5-lens design. Unsurprisingly, given the estimated pricing, it appears to be a manual rather than an auto-focus lens, but Zhongyi Optics has said it intends to make versions for Sony’s NEX range of interchangeable lens cameras as well.

[via 43Rumors]

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T-Mobile readying unlimited data plan

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 05:46 AM PST

T-Mobile USA is tipped to be readying a potentially true-unlimited data plan for its heaviest users. According to TmoNews‘ tipster, who sent them a shot of the carrier’s internal systems, “an unlimited plan for more than 5GB of monthly data use will launch sometime this year.”

The news was seemingly included on a 4G Mobile Hotspot training document, and indeed T-Mobile is expected to launch an HSPA+ hotspot device sometime this month. Codenamed “Lil Wayne”, the device will apparently support up to 21Mbps downloads. No pricing for the incoming unlimited plan has been suggested.

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Nintendo 3DS games detailed: Nintendogs, Steel Diver, more

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 05:24 AM PST

Nintendo has confirmed its launch day line-up of Nintendo 3DS games, an 18-strong list including Nintendogs + Cats, Steel Diver and Pilotwings Resort. Each will be priced at $39.99 – the 3DS itself will be $249.99 when it hits the US on March 27 – and Nintendo confirms that more than 30 new titles will follow in-between then and E3 2011 in June.

Nintendo’s offerings will include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart series. The bundled AR cards – six playing-cards with augmented reality glyphs – will work in different ways with the new 3DS games. For instance, Nintendogs + Cats will be able to spot the AR cards and map puppies onto your desktop.

Of course, there’s also backward compatibility with Nintendo’s DS library of titles, barring those that demand a secondary Game Boy Advance slot.

Third-party 3DS games:

  • Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition from CAPCOM
  • The Sims™ 3 from EA
  • Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
  • LEGO® Star Wars® III: The Clone Wars™ from LucasArts™
  • RIDGE RACER® 3D from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
  • Super Monkey Ball™ 3D from SEGA
  • BUST-A-MOVE UNIVERSE™ from Square-Enix, Inc.
  • SAMURAI WARRIORS®: Chronicles from TECMO KOEI AMERICA Corp.
  • Asphalt™ 3D from UBISOFT
  • Combat of Giants™: Dinosaurs 3D from UBISOFT
  • Rayman® 3D from UBISOFT
  • Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon® Shadow Wars from UBISOFT

Press Release:

Nintendo Reveals Launch-Day Lineup of 18 Nintendo 3DS Games

With More Than 30 Games Total Launching by Early June, There's Something for Everyone

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– On day one, new Nintendo 3DS™ owners will have plenty of video games to keep them busy. Nintendo and its third-party publishing partners have made sure that people who buy a system on March 27 will be able to choose from a variety of experiences that leverage the system's new features. A steady and diverse stream of games of all kinds will keep the fun going, with more than 30 Nintendo 3DS games total launching before the E3 Expo in early June.

"Seeing 3D visuals without the need for special glasses is just one aspect of Nintendo 3DS," said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "The real test of any system is whether the games and applications draw you in and keep you engaged. Through the launch window and beyond, Nintendo 3DS delivers."

On March 27, new Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to choose from the following Nintendo-published games, each available at a suggested retail price of $39.99:

Pilotwings Resort™, an aerial adventure featuring airplanes, hang gliders and rocket belts. Players soar above tropical Wuhu Island in 3D as they complete missions or snap pictures.
Steel Diver™, a submarine game that involves strategy and combat. The 3D visuals give players the sensation that they are looking into a miniature aquarium as they control the sub's speed, depth and pitch, and fire torpedoes.
nintendogs™ + cats, a game that lets players interact with realistic puppies – and kittens – in a variety of fun ways. There are three versions of the software, each with different starting breeds: French bulldog, toy poodle and golden retriever. But in each version players can unlock and enjoy more than 20 different breeds.
Other Nintendo 3DS games in the works for 2011 from Nintendo include The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, Star Fox 64™ 3D, Kid Icarus™: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart™ series.

Third-party publishers also have a strong slate of games ready to go on March 27. These include:

Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition from CAPCOM
The Sims™ 3 from EA
Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
LEGO® Star Wars® III: The Clone Wars™ from LucasArts™
RIDGE RACER® 3D from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
Super Monkey Ball™ 3D from SEGA
BUST-A-MOVE UNIVERSE™ from Square-Enix, Inc.
SAMURAI WARRIORS®: Chronicles from TECMO KOEI AMERICA Corp.
Asphalt™ 3D from UBISOFT
Combat of Giants™: Dinosaurs 3D from UBISOFT
Rayman® 3D from UBISOFT
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon® Shadow Wars from UBISOFT
Nintendo 3DS also comes pre-loaded with a variety of fun games, applications and features, such as the Nintendo 3DS camera, which can be used to take photos in 2D and 3D as well as be used in other games and applications. For instance, the built-in Face Raiders™ game asks users to shoot at funny depictions of their own photographed faces, while the Mii Maker™ application lets gamers use the camera to take a picture of a person and have an automatic Mii™ character created. The system also comes with six AR Cards, which, when viewed through the outer cameras, bring to life fun and interesting animations and images. For example, when used with nintendogs + cats, users might see their puppies or kittens sitting on their coffee tables or in the palms of their hands. With Nintendo 3DS Sound, users can enjoy sound-manipulation tools or rock out with their Nintendo 3DS system while listening to their MP3 or AAC music files.

Nintendo 3DS is also able to play nearly every game in the massive Nintendo DS library, except those that require use of a secondary Game Boy™ Advance slot.

For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit http://www.nintendo3ds.com.

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Spring Design “phasing out” Alex ereader

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 05:07 AM PST

Spring Design has apparently confirmed that it is “phasing out” the dual-screen Alex ereader, with no replacement in sight. On sale since March 2010, the Android-based device – which has an E Ink panel on top and a color LCD touchscreen underneath – will apparently be retired over the next six months, according to an email the company sent to The Ebook Reader.

“Thank you for your interest in Alex. Spring Design is phasing out the current Alex Reader within the next 6 months. We have not announced the product change and introduce any new product yet.” Spring Design

Their interest had been prompted by a persistent “out of stock” notice on the Spring Design webstore for both the white and black versions of the ereader. Although the company doesn’t say it outright, it looks like there’ll be no new stock in the meantime, too.

As for what Spring Design have waiting in the wings to replace Alex, there’s no word. The company had ambitious plans in early 2010, with talk of global-modem equipped versions and Kindle-style bundled data packages, but it seems the ongoing legal case with Barnes & Noble – in which a judge most recently said there was “significant factual dispute” over whether NOOK development had been unduly influenced by Spring Design’s own work – may have taken some of the wind out of their sails.

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Amazon Prime Instant Video service switched on

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 04:53 AM PST

Amazon has begun offering free streaming content to Amazon Prime members, as was tipped incoming earlier this year. The new service adds a “Prime instant video” button to select streaming movies and TV shows – Amazon reckons around 5,000 titles are available,  - though it looks like you’ll still need to rent or buy the digital version the old fashioned way if you want to put it on a mobile device.

Amazon Prime membership is priced at $79 per year, and there’s a list of almost 1,700 movie titles you can choose from – including The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest, Food Inc., and Mysterious Skin – together with 484 TV shows. None have commercials, though you’ll obviously need a reasonably good broadband connection in order to watch them.

No word on when – or indeed if – international Amazon Prime members will get similar access. The retailer recently bought Lovefilm, the European streaming/mail-rental service, so we’re hoping it will use that acquisition and offer the same deal outside of the US.

[via Engadget]

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Toshiba AC100 Android 2.2 Froyo update arrives with Flash support

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 04:04 AM PST

It’s taken months, but Toshiba has finally pushed out Android 2.2 Froyo for the AC100 smartbook. According to owner Steve Paine, the update – build 5.0029, measuring in at over 200MB – appeared today, and promises Flash Player 10.1 support as well.

The AC100 launched running Android 2.1, one of the first Tegra 2 based devices to hit the market, though as we found was held back by the absence of a touchscreen. Android 2.2 Froyo won’t exactly help with that, but it may make for a faster running ultraportable altogether, and the Flash Player 10.1 support will make for a more rounded notebook.

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