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• 99.7% Of People In The World Still Have Not Bought A Tablet
• Sweden, Denmark to Pay Postage by Text
• Steve Wozniak Urges Educators To Embrace Technology
• Apple To Drop Some Games And Peripherals From Retail Stores?
• Real Life Disney “Up” House Flown On National Geographic Show
• iPad 2 For Creative And Affordable Virtual Window Concept
• Being Myself Online Tastes Better
• Trash | Track, where does your junk go?
• Apple iOS Notification System Redesign Idea
• Samsung Mobile Introduces New Bluetooth Headsets For 2011
• Bloodhound to test fire the UK’s largest hybrid rocket
• SG Comics Presents: ‘Winning’ News
• HP Announces Omni Pro 110, Sleek New All-in-One Business PC
• Lines form for iPad2 in Texas
• JVC Everio GS-TD1 Full HD 3D camcorder on sale now
• iSound DIY Apple speakers worthy of Jony Ive
• Skype adds adverts this week to Windows app
• T-Mobile HTC Doubleshot tipped for CTIA 2011
• Sony Ericsson Windows Phone just a cancelled prototype tips insider
• Rovio’s Mighty Eagle to Appear in Death Rally GDC 2011 iOS Destruction Derby Game
• HP Touchpad caught in wild with SIM slot on show [Video]
• Dell Sandy Bridge ultra-slim notebook imminent
• Facebook and Skype in talks over video calling to take on FaceTime?
• 1m HTC Flyer orders tipped as pen-slate interest tentative
• Cisco umi 1080 telepresence kit gets price & plan reduction; umi 720 and free app incoming
• Sony VAIO S ultraportable pre-sales kick off at $875
• Necono cat camera shoots “whimsical” time-lapse [Video]
• Western Digital buys Hitachi GST in huge $4.3bn deal
• 3DS logs flash cart use, could get console banned by firmware
• IBM describes child-monitoring bear that keeps them from playing too rough

99.7% Of People In The World Still Have Not Bought A Tablet Posted: 07 Mar 2011 03:36 PM PST With all the rage that is the Apple iPad 2 and rival tablets such as the Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tabs, HP TouchPad, to name a few, you would think that a good number of people have already bought into the whole tablet craze. But a recent report shows that the market still has plenty of frontier land to stake with 99.7% of the Earth’s population not having bought a tablet device yet. By the end of 2010, only 0.3% of the world’s inhabitants owned a tablet, according to RBC analyst Mike Abramsky, who published a detailed 88-page report on the future of the tablet market. In the above chart, Abramsky compares the smartphone and tablet user base with other markets such as TV subscriptions, total PCs, and mobile subscribers. Abramsky even goes on to detail that he predicts by 2014 Android devices will take the lead over Apple. He believes that Google’s Android will take the lead with 40% market share, with Apple at 34%, Microsoft at 13%, BlackBerry at 8%, and HP WebOS at 5%. He predicts over 400 million tablet users and 185 million tablets to be sold in 2014. [via Business Insider] Relevant Entries on SlashGear HP Windows 7 Tablet Gets Canceled, We Hope for webOS Tablet Instead 21% of people keen to buy Apple’s unannounced tablet bModo shows off its first Windows 7 tablet PC Advent’s Tegra 2 Vega Android tablet gets listed at retailer Apple granted patent on iChat and tablet tech ahead of expected tablet launch

Sweden, Denmark to Pay Postage by Text Posted: 07 Mar 2011 03:23 PM PST Sweden has had a long history of paying for things with your cellphone. I remember hearing years ago about vending machines that would bill your cellphone account for whatever delicious treats you wanted to vend. Now, the Swedish postal system has decided to offer a service that allows the use of a cellular text message (SMS) to pay for postage. The user sends an SMS message and service will send a special code back. Just write this code on the envelope in the place of a stamp to verify payment. The Sydsvenskan newspaper spoke with Anders Åsberg, the head of marketing and development at Posten AB, the Swedish postal service. This idea is a new one, “We’re very interested and are just now looking into a solution.” He mentions that there isn’t a more significant risk of forgery with the new system. For all of you Swedes out there, this doesn’t mean a rate hike either. The cost of postage should remain the same. Posten AB just wants to make it easier for it’s customers to send mail. The SMS messages will replace stamps on all letters and packages up to 2kg. Denmark plans on allowing it’s postal customers to use a similar service. They’re about ready to get started with this program. It should launch on April 1. We talk a lot about SMS messages here on Slashgear. Brush up on the latest SMS news here. [via The Local] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Denmark Will Build Underwater Tunnel To Germany iPhone 4 spreads this Friday: 17 more countries on July 30th Amazon buys LoveFilm for European postal/streaming media eviGroup Paddle tablet now available Apple loses case in Danish court over faulty G4 iBooks

Steve Wozniak Urges Educators To Embrace Technology Posted: 07 Mar 2011 03:19 PM PST "Be brave, use the new technology, because it's going to change our lives so much." These were Steve Wozniak's words of advice to educators and students this past week. The co-founder of Apple spoke last week in Abilene, TX at Abilene Christian University's Connected Summit about his views on education and technology. Technology and computers are more present than ever in our classrooms now with interactive whiteboards and laptops becoming more of the norm, but Steve Wozniak feels that we need to make technology in teaching more effective on younger students. "By third grade, teachers can pick out the kids that have given up," said Wozniak. "Students get discouraged, and then never try to excel in later grades. First-, second-, and third-graders need more attention than they are getting." He said that the way schools are regimented into teaching leads to judgment early on, and if kids feel like they are a "failure" early on, they'll adopt the attitude of not trying anymore. Wozniak has experience in teaching as he volunteered in San Jose teaching fifth-graders computer skills and programming. Not a bad teacher to learn from, as Woz helped build the Apple I all those years ago. "It wasn't important what I taught, but how I taught it, " Wozniak said. He credits his title as a volunteer that let him stray outside the boundaries of a curriculum and experiment with teaching styles "It seems like this change should have happened already. Like the iPad, you should be able to toss your backpack and just have all your books on it. But we're not quite there yet. The cost has to be less. Publishers don't necessarily have to profit less, but the costs should be less." About eventually replacing textbooks and paper and replacing it all with digitized versions, Wozniak isn't sure about its future either but just says that 20 years from now, they will be very different. [via Ars Technica] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Wozniak on iPhone 4: “It's like the AT&T dead zone has been extended” Original Apple-1 expected to sell for up to $242k Steve Woz's glitchy Prius accelerates to 97-mph on its own, Toyota plans to borrow and test unit Woz: Android will eventually beat the iPhone [Update] iPad is the New Christ

Apple To Drop Some Games And Peripherals From Retail Stores? Posted: 07 Mar 2011 02:38 PM PST The next time you step inside your local Apple Store, you may experience an even more immaculate space at the already minimalist tech haven and find additional areas for personalized customer support. Inside sources quoted by The Loop, suggest that Apple Stores will be eliminating over 30 boxed games along with some hardware items from their retail shelves very soon. All this is to make more room for helping customers setup their new purchases. Apple will be removing their printers, scanners, and likely some hard drives from the front-end display area of their stores. All those peripherals will be kept in stock but just out of sight and Apple employees will still suggest the items to customers during checkout. Apple may also be eliminating up to 32 games from their stores, reducing the number of displayed games to around 8 per store. Games now being easily downloaded via the App Store, make little sense to be kept taking up physical retail space. The space recovered from eliminating games and peripherals will be used for personalized setup service. Some Apple stores have begun hiring new employees specifically for this task while others will have the employee that made the sale continue on with the setup. It is believed that 80 percent of Apple’s retail stores will make this change within the next few months. [via TUAW] Relevant Entries on SlashGear iPhone to be released at 2,000 stores in June Apple follows AT&T, now selling iPhone contract free Apple May Do Away With Boxed Software Circuit City to enter the used game business Apple opening French retail store next year

Real Life Disney “Up” House Flown On National Geographic Show Posted: 07 Mar 2011 02:12 PM PST There are many things people want to recreate from movies to see if they're possible and what the experience would be like if they were real. One of those would be the flying house from Disney/Pixar's Oscar-winning film "Up". Some engineers and an army of volunteers proved that movie magic can happen in real life. The National Geographic Channel has a new show premiering this fall called "How Hard Can it Be?" and in one episode the project will be to lift a house using balloons like in the animated movie "Up". The producers didn't build an actual working house, but really just a shell of a house that measured 16-feet wide x 18-feet tall. The crew went to a private airfield just outside of Los Angeles to perform the experiment, constructing the house and outfitting it with 300 8-feet tall colored weather balloons. Each balloon took an entire helium tank to fill up. On March 5th the tiny house was lifted into the air and reached more than 10,000 feet, staying up in the air for about an hour. The show won't air until this fall, but the cameras of ABC's Good Morning America were there to capture the event. It's pretty amazing they actually got a house to float and stay up there for that long. You'll have to watch the entire episode when it airs to see just how they did everything. [via Inside The Magic] Relevant Entries on SlashGear National Geographic makes real flying house from animated flick Up Last HD-DVD release from National Geographic National Geographic cut cost of global conversation Disney buys a stake in Hulu Disney digicam adds Pluto to your portraits

iPad 2 For Creative And Affordable Virtual Window Concept Posted: 07 Mar 2011 01:31 PM PST If you live somewhere with an awful view, then here’s an idea that can completely change your perspective. Design studio Clarke Hopkins Clarke put out a video detailing their concept of a virtual window made from multiple iPad 2 devices. Virtual windows comprised of multiple screens and various gadget wizardry have been made before but with the advent of the iPad 2, this idea can be achieved more easily and affordably. The design company envisions a couple different ways the iPad 2 Window concept can be deployed now that the new device has nine times faster graphics along with dual cameras. The front-facing camera along with a custom app could be integrated such that face tracking would allow for the displayed scenery to change according to the location of the passerby. This illusion could also be used to connect two separate spaces such as during a video conference call. On top of that, you can control your window’s view using your iPhone. Now imagine that terrible view of the dumpster you get outside your window. If you can afford four iPad 2 devices—$499 each—then you could easily have yourself a lovely view of sandy beaches. But then again, if you are willing to shill out that much money for a workaround, you probably could afford a better place. [via Yanko Design] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Sony Eclipse concept media player gets power from the sun Auto Draft Creative Zen – Creative launches a newer, smaller PMP iPad dock looks like an old TV The Meaning of Time clock lets you choose the overall look

Being Myself Online Tastes Better Posted: 07 Mar 2011 01:30 PM PST When I walked into Square Burger for the second time, it wasn’t hard to notice that the staff was treating me a little bit differently. The bartender remembered my name and the beer I had drunk on my last visit. They have a few dozen beers on tap, so that was something of an accomplishment on both counts. I sat at the counter and ordered lunch. The first time I had eaten a burger with bleu cheese and balsamic onions. This time I went for a cheeseburger with bacon. I stuck with the sweet potato fries, because they were awesome. I’ve been to Square Burger five times in the last year and a half, and I’ve never tried the regular fries. Those sweet potato fries are better than they deserve to be. [Image credit: Alex Bartok] As I was paying my check, the manager approached me. He thanked me for coming in for lunch. The place was busy, the food was good, there was no need to thank individual customers, though I appreciated the sentiment. What he said next threw me for a loop. “I read your review on Yelp. I hope you like some of the changes we’ve made. We adjusted the beef a little bit and changed the buns. We also changed the bleu cheese.” “Oh, yeah.” I said. I had almost forgotten I had left a review. I don’t review many places on Yelp, but if I go somewhere that is run by locals and new to the area, I’ll add my two cents. “I thought it was good, but I would have liked a different cheese, like Maytag bleu cheese.” “That’s exactly what we’re using. Maytag.” So, let’s take a step back. Put aside the fact that I’m enough of a food snob to know they were using the wrong type of bleu on their burgers. They recognized me. They called me by name. In fact, I’ll bet when I walked in, they pulled up the Yelp review so they would know it. There weren’t many reviews for Square Burger at the time, maybe four or five at most. Most had been pretty good. Mine was a good review, with some reservations. I thought the beef tasted funky. Too much brisket in the mix, I proposed. The buns were too soft for a good burger. And then there was the bleu cheese. I didn’t order the same burger again, but by the time I came back for my second visit, they had changed everything I suggested. I don’t think restaurants should change at the whim of every reviewer, especially not Yelp reviewers. I don’t trust Yelp reviewers, which is why I post reviews there. I want to represent an intelligent opinion on a site that sorely needs them. My real point is that I used my real name. I almost always use my real name. Sometimes I use the name Phlipper, which is a nickname I’ve had since elementary school, but which nobody really calls me. It’s my Internet handle. There aren’t many Phlippers around, so I usually snag that as my nickname. Not on Twitter. On Twitter somebody got to it first. So, instead, I use my full name. TechCrunch recently started using Facebook for their commenting system. It’s a great idea. Everybody who comments uses their Facebook identity, which is usually their real name. Of course, as I pointed out in my last column, not everybody on Facebook is who they seem. But it’s a great start. I think it’s time we eliminate anonymity on the Web. In fact, I think it’s vital for the Web to survive. I’ve been looking at apartments recently, and of course, like every good child of the digital age, I’ve been reading reviews of my prospective new homes on the Web. There is no great apartment reviews site that I’ve found, nothing thorough and detailed and reliable. But the worst part is that the ratings and comments are completely unreliable. When you read an apartment review, here’s what you normally find: twenty to thirty perfect reviews that mention no flaws in the complex, and ten or so that say this is the worst place they have ever lived, ever. Usually, those ten focus on the same obscure problems. Not enough covered parking spots, though garage spots and open spaces are easy to come by. The street is too crowded with kids on skateboards. Seriously, am I supposed to believe that only ten people hated this place, and all of them because the complex allowed kids to ride skateboards in the street? I even saw one apartment complex where every negative review took a pot shot at a management office worker named Patsy. There were thirty glowing reviews, all fives out of five, and a half dozen that awarded zero stars, complaining that Patsy had ruined their experience in one way or another. It’s obvious to see what’s happening there. The apartment complex, or the owners and management company, is posting their own positive reviews. I saw one complex that had fifty positive reviews, all five stars. Nobody thought this place should lose even a single star. At first I wanted to believe I had found the best apartment building ever, but then I wondered if it were possible that the managers would post fifty reviews, all of them unique, but all of them perfect? Yes, it’s more than possible. They could have an office temp do that work before lunch, then post another fifty by close of business. The negatives? Mostly they seemed to be so identical in tone and complaint that I imagine they all came from one or two disgruntled renters. All of the reviews, positive or negative, were posted anonymously. Not even a pseudonym, or a fake email address. Just anonymous. It’s time to remove that anonymity. There is no good community-oriented resource on the Web because anonymity hides the truth of who is posting and their affiliation. I know that we open ourselves up to privacy concerns when we reveal ourselves to total strangers, but I would rather read reviews from the few people who are brave and honest enough to use their real identities than those who can and do hide behind the anonymous label. But let’s get back to that burger. As a reviewer (of consumer electronics), it felt weird to be getting special treatment. I try to keep myself neutral and untainted by gifts and bribes as a reviewer. Then I realized, I don’t review burgers. I just eat them. I want the best burger that Square Burger can serve. If I got special treatment, and a better burger, I’m not only fine with that, I’d prefer it. It makes me want to post more reviews on Yelp for every place I frequent. Bottom line: if you live near McKinney, Texas, go to Square Burger on the town square. Get the lamb burger and a pint of Franconia Dunkel, a local brew. Skip the deep fried pickle spear. But whatever you do, make sure you get the sweet potato fries. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Amazon patents auto gift exchanges for online shopping Magic Online III – you’re better off sticking with real cards eML1′s cellphone for models Apple’s online store is closed for business Apple’s online store is back open, get an iPhone while you can!

Trash | Track, where does your junk go? Posted: 07 Mar 2011 01:18 PM PST In 2009, MIT’s Sensable City Lab recruited 500 Seattle volunteers to tag their trash with cellular tracking devices. The project followed the tags through the entire waste disposal process. The results were compiled into a composite map showing the source and destination of each of the 3000 tagged objects. This paints a very specific picture of the way that waste travels from Seattle’s municipal area. More and more effort is being spent looking at the supply side of our whole economic system. Where do the materials come from that turn into our various gadgets, devices, and objects of technolust? Companies compile, compute, and compare this data in such a way that leaves the consumer very much in the dark. MIT’s Senseable City Lab posed the question, what about the other side? What happens to the garbage when we throw it into a streetside can or into our home refuse receptacles? In hopes of finding a concrete answer, the Lab formed the Trash | Track team. Together, they designed this device, a cellular tracking tag that reports it’s position periodically via SMS. The team then went to Seattle and tagged around 3000 pieces of refuse with this little gadget. 2011 is ramping up to be a big year for the Trash Track project. Their website reports that they just won the 2011 National Science Foundation international Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge for their visualization following the refuse to it’s final resting place. Associate Professor Carlo Ratti, director of the Sensable City lab said, “Trash disposal is one of today’s most pressing issues – both directly and as a reflection of society’s attitudes and behaviors. Our objective with this project is to reveal the disposal process of our everyday objects, as well as highlight potential inefficiencies in today’s recycling and sanitation systems.” This video was released last week as part of his presentation at TED. [via Trash | Track] Relevant Entries on SlashGear R2-D2 talks trash Russia to spend $2B to clean up orbiting space junk Dog's best friend-the SimpleHuman Sensor Trash Can Glam trash bags: Only true divas need apply Mr. Fusion could soon be a reality

Apple iOS Notification System Redesign Idea Posted: 07 Mar 2011 12:51 PM PST Apple is the company of the hour and has been for a long time. Fans tout the sleek hardware designs and the intuitive software on each of their products. The iPhone changed the smartphone landscape and iOS is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, mobile operating systems out there, save for those pesky notifications. If there is one thing fans and critics can agree on is that iOS's notification system is downright bad. Android and WebOS have been celebrated for their notifications systems because they are unintrusive and allow the user to deal with it or just let it go away. iOS has those annoying text-message-like notifications that pause and hold you hostage until you acknowledge it. A new redesign of iOS's notification system has come up and it is one of the best redesigns we've seen for Apple's notification system. Shawn Hickman has made a notification system that could be a winner and Apple should take notice. The design has new notifications come up through a bar on the bottom of the screen. It displays the context of the notification and the respective app (Twitter, Facebook, etc…). When you get a notification the left-most small dot on the bottom turns red and the bar comes up, if you don't take any action after five seconds the bar goes away. To see all the notifications you have, you swipe to the left-most screen where Searchlight was. Hickman has combined the notifications with Searchlight and presents your notifications in a nice orderly list categorized by app. Shawn Hickman put a lot of thought into the design details of the new system because he felt that having notifications from the bottom is much better than pulling it from the top, like how Android does it. It just makes the gestures much easier and bottom of the screen makes notifications non-intrusive and won't interrupt what you're doing. The little red dot and the combination of the notification/Searchlight screen make it seem like something iOS should consider because it's so integrated. Hopefully Apple takes Hickman's idea and brings it to iOS so users can finally have a competent notification system. [via TalkingPenguin] Relevant Entries on SlashGear webOS notifications designer defects to Apple Apple Improving Notifications On Next iOS Apple Store is down, no surprise whatsoever SlashGear redesign goes live! Soft Touch Alarm Clock Concept Has an Inflatable Wristband

Samsung Mobile Introduces New Bluetooth Headsets For 2011 Posted: 07 Mar 2011 12:21 PM PST Samsung is introducing new features to its lineup of Bluetooth headsets for 2011. They announced today three new models, the HM1610, the HM3600, and the Samsung Modus 6450 that continue inline with Samsung’s commitment to customer satisfaction in the areas of comfort, sound quality, and ease of use. The Modus 6450 is made for those that want a noise-canceling Bluetooth headset that can also stream stereo audio. It can be worn as a mono-style headset for calls and can be transformed into a stereo Bluetooth headset by connecting an included stereo ear bud. The device improves on its predecessor, the HM3500, with Android application support, voice command features, and EQ settings. The HM3600 is made for those that place comfort and affordability as priorities. This headset is ultra comfortable while providing advanced features such as voice prompts, dual-mic noise and echo cancellation, and automatic volume adjustment. The HM1610 is a sleek and more fashionable headset that has enhanced audio and offers advanced multipoint connectivity and streams high fidelity media for stereo-quality sound on a mono Bluetooth headset. Pricing and availability information are not yet confirmed. Press Release: SAMSUNG MOBILE EXPANDS ITS BLUETOOTH HEADSET PORTFOLIO WITH THE HM1610, HM3600 AND MODUS 6450 Elegant, affordable and comfortable Bluetooth offerings from Samsung come equipped with enhanced features for 2011 such as advanced multi-point technology, voice commands, SoundAlive stereo-audio enhancements and Android application support DALLAS, March 7, 2011 – Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No.1 mobile phone provider in the United States1, today announced the availability of three additions to its Bluetooth® headset portfolio, the HM1610, the HM3600 and the Samsung Modus 6450 – the second device in the Modus family of Bluetooth products. The announcement of these three Bluetooth headsets further exemplifies Samsung's commitment to the core customer satisfaction areas of comfort, sound quality and ease of use. Modus 6450 – A Dual Headset Offering an Advanced Stereo Experience The elegant next-generation Modus 6450 wraps the best in functionality, fun and fashion in a sleek crystal-blue form factor. The Modus is designed for consumers looking for a conventional noise-cancelling Bluetooth headset with the capability to stream stereo audio. It can be worn as a mono-style headset for placing and receiving calls and readily transforms into a stereo Bluetooth headset when connected to the included stereo ear bud headset for an enhanced audio experience. The 6450 improves on its predecessor, the HM3500, with a premium headphone set, Android application support, voice command functionality, and EQ settings. Rather than just simple voice prompts, the Modus 6450 implements voice commands and EQ settings through a separate Voice Command Button on the headset, distinguishing it from most competitors that must use a multifunction button for voice command start. The Modus supports a multitude of advanced noise cancellation features and a dual microphone design to separate the user's voice from the surrounding background noise. When enjoying rich, full-fidelity Bluetooth stereo while also connected to a phone, the Modus will gently mute the stereo audio, allowing the user to answer or initiate phone calls and seamlessly restores its settings when the call is complete. The user can also stream full fidelity audio and enjoy the rich sound through the single earpiece of the Bluetooth headset. The Modus 6450 is compatible with its own specially-designed Android application, Samsung FreeSync – equipped with several features that set it apart from other applications, including EQ settings for stereo mode, LED settings, and language selection. The FreeSync application allows for text-to-speech messaging and caller ID services and the ability to enable or disable Bluetooth headset functions through the application. Via the FreeSync application, owners of the Modus 6450 can receive incoming phone calls, SMS messages, email, and appointment notifications through a friendly text to speech interface that personally reads information to you. Additionally, the headset and the app work together to allow for voice command, pairing assist, multiple language support and control of various headset and stereo EQ settings. Together, the Samsung Modus 6450 and the Samsung FreeSync Android application allow for a truly customizable headset experience. Key Modus 6450 Product Features - Samsung FreeSync Android App-compatible & Android application support - Voice Command & Voice Prompt - Voice command and EQ setting implementation through a separate Voice Command Button on the headset - Mono & Stereo convertible - SoundAlive stereo audio enhancements - Dual-mic noise/Echo cancellation - Simple, LED display shows battery/call status - Advanced Multipoint and Multiconnection Technology - Active Pairing - Up to 6 hours of talk time/180 hours of standby time - Bluetooth version 2.1+EDR HM3600 – Designed with Comfort in Mind With its on-ear design and advanced pairing options, the Samsung HM3600 is designed for consumers that place comfort and affordability as top priorities when choosing a Bluetooth headset, without having to sacrifice an advanced feature set. Its unique, ultra-comfortable on-ear design minimizes ear fatigue during long duration and active lifestyle usage. In addition to its design, the HM3600 provides users with several advanced features, such as voice prompts to keep the user informed, dual-mic noise and echo cancellation and automatic volume adjust. With easy pairing and proximity pairing, the HM3600 pairs automatically with the nearest handset the first time, and with advanced multipoint technology, users can pair the HM3600 to two devices at once. Compared to other on-ear Bluetooth headsets in its class, the HM3600 is a more lightweight and affordable option. Key HM3600 Product Features - Comfortable on the ear speaker design - Dual mic Noise Reduction & Echo Cancellation - Voice Prompts - Advanced multipoint technology - Up to 9 hours of talk time/300 hours of standby time - Bluetooth version 3.0 - Lightweight, 13g design HM1610 – Competitive features at a Competitive Price A sleek, stylish mix of communication and fashion makes the HM1610 stand apart from other mono entry tier headsets. Near end enhanced audio technology ensures that HM1610 users experience significantly improved sound quality and speech intelligibility on their end of the headset. Receive side audio noise cancelling offers in-channel noise reduction and tonal voice quality enhancement, improving intelligibility of incoming voice even in high background noise environments. Additionally, wind noise reduction and noise cancelling for the microphone allows for significant improvement in audio quality in the presence of wind speeds up to "jogging speed" (6mph). The active wind noise reduction algorithm improves signal to noise ratio of microphone audio in the presence of wind by up to 20dB. In addition to sound quality, the HM1610 offers advanced multipoint technology that allows seamless connectivity between two Bluetooth-enabled audio-streaming devices, including mobile phones, computers and MP3 players. The HM1610 also features high fidelity media streaming, ensuring stereo-quality sound from a traditional mono Bluetooth headset. This advanced feature-set in an elegant blue-trimmed form factor positions the HM1610 as an upper tier headset at an entry tier price. Key HM1610 Product Features - Near End Enhanced Audio Technology - Single-Mic Noise Reduction and Echo Cancellation - CSR CVC v6 Receive Side Audio Enhancements with Receive Side Noise Cancellation, PLC, BEC - Wind Noise Reduction - Speech Intelligibility EQ - Active pairing - Advanced Multipoint technology - A2DP Mono Music Streaming - Automatic Volume Control - Bluetooth version 3.0+EDR - Up to 6 Hours of Talk Time/250 Hours of Standby Time 1Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S. claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics Q4 2010 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports. About Samsung Telecommunications America Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com. About Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2008 consolidated sales of US$96 billion. Employing approximately 164,600 people in 179 offices across 61 countries, the company consists of seven independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com. 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Bloodhound to test fire the UK’s largest hybrid rocket Posted: 07 Mar 2011 12:09 PM PST The Bloodhound Super Sonic Car project has been looking to oust the Thrust project as the current holders of the land speed record (LSR). The team has designed a two-stage rocket system to propel the car at a velocity of 1050mph. The first stage is a EUROJET EJ200, the same engine as found in the Eurofighter Typhoon. The second stage is a custom designed hybrid rocket designed by The Falcon Project Ltd. This specialist rocketry company is led by self-taught rocket scientist, Daniel Jubb, 27. Bloodhound announced plans to test fire this second stage rocket system last week. The Formula 1 series of racing cars are ubiquitous with speed. Every year they race at speeds near 200mph. They don’t have anything on the Bloodhound project. In this engine, the Cosworth F 1 engine is just the fuel pump. The fighter engine is set to accelerate the car to around 350mph in the first 25 seconds of the run. Then, the Cosworth engine kicks in to deliver nearly a ton of liquid oxidiser to the second stage rocket, fast enough to fill a bath tub in three seconds. As the oxidiser mixes with the solid fuel filling Jubb’s rocket, the car will reach it’s max design speed of 1050mph, shattering both the sound barrier and the world land speed record. This will all happen in under a minute, close to 45 seconds. From Bloodhound’s press release: BLOODHOUND SSC is the world's ultimate racing car but something more besides: it is the focal point of global education initiative designed to stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The development of its rocket by a small, visionary and dedicated team of engineers encapsulates the spirit of the Project. When, later this year, the rocket breathes fire at its UK test location, BLOODHOUND SSC will be that much closer to speeding across a dry lake-bed in the Northern Cape, South Africa; the world will be watching. Mike Horne Design worked on ThrustSSC, the current holder of the LSR at Black Rock Desert, Nevada on October 15, 1997. The ThrustSSC car broke the sound barrier and topped out at 763 mph. [via Bloodhound SSC] Relevant Entries on SlashGear The rocket powered chair Rocket Fishing Rod-kills fish more efficiently The Retro Rocket Lamp uses old jet engine parts You can call me Rocketman Great Bowls of Fire – fire pit with style

SG Comics Presents: ‘Winning’ News Posted: 07 Mar 2011 11:07 AM PST We had a flood of Apple news last week, but what seemed to be “winning” news in mainstream media was an awful lot of Charlie Sheen. After a slew of crazy and offensive antics over the past few weeks including anti-semitic slurs, hookers, drugs, and getting fired off of “Two and a Half Men,” the troubled actor seems to only be gaining in popularity. Spawning several catch phrases including “winning” and even trending #tigerblood, the actor has now landed on the Guinness world record for hitting 1 million followers on Twitter just one day after he signed up for an account last week on March 1st. And here’s a hilarious spoof by Jimmy Fallon in case you haven’t seen. Relevant Entries on SlashGear DC Comics iPad app joins Marvel SG Comics Presents: Verizon vs. AT&T SG Comics Presents: Angry Turds Sony’s Digital Comics Service Could be Launching on PlayStation 3 GameStop gets exclusive access to Red Hulk

HP Announces Omni Pro 110, Sleek New All-in-One Business PC Posted: 07 Mar 2011 10:49 AM PST HP announced today a sleek all-in-one PC for small businesses called the HP Omni Pro 110 PC. The system aims to be a “well-rounded” full performance computer that’s also easy to setup and energy efficient. The Omni Pro 110 PC has all its components integrated into the monitor for a space-saving streamlined design that relieves clutter from your desktop. The system features a 20-inch diagonal widescreen, HD anti-glare display, integrated high-performance stereo speakers, webcam, and microphone. As for processing power, you can choose between an Intel Pentium or Intel Core 2 Duo along with Intel G41 chipset and up to 4GB DDR3 SDRAM memory with hard drives up to 1TB. Also included is a tray load SuperMulti LightScribe DVD Writer Drive and an integrated 6-in-1 Media Card reader. The HP Omni Pro 110 is Energy Star qualified and comes with an optional HP Power Assistant software to help further reduce PC energy consumption. This all-in-one machine has a starting price of $639. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Rumor: HTC Omni being used within Google doors HTC Roadmap reveals Omni super-smartphone CoolIT unveils slick OMNI Universal Liquid Cooling kit for AMD video cards Further HTC Omni details emerge – is this the hottest true Smartphone? Sleek by 50 Cent carbon fiber headphones previewed

Lines form for iPad2 in Texas Posted: 07 Mar 2011 10:44 AM PST It looks like the faithful are staking out their prime positions outside an Apple Store in Dallas. A picture showing a tent, set up on McKinney Avenue, just outside the Dallas Apple store is clear evidence that Apple’s desire to have lines for the iPad 2 is working. Apple announced last week that there wouldn’t be preorders for the new iPad and that the new tablet would be available in stores and online starting this Friday, March 11th, at 5pm. The McKinney avenue location is a temporary storefront while the Knox Street Apple store is undergoing a face lift. But can there really be a line of one? The scuttlebutt is that Justin Wagoner, is once again staking claim so he can get his iPad 2 first. Wagoner pitched the very same style of tent when the iPhone 4 was announced. And maybe waiting is Justin’s style since he seems to have waited for the iPad 2 after seeing the original come out. And with good cause, since the new iPad comes with a dual core A5 processor, dual cameras, faster graphics, iOS 4.3, and support for both GSM and CDMA networks. Good things can come to those who wait. [via TUAW] Relevant Entries on SlashGear iPhone lines not as long at smaller stores Free Lines – power outlets where you need them Texas Instruments OMAP4 Gesture Recognition Apple patent app shows optical MagSafe data connector and convertible tablet Texas Instruments’ OMAP 5 may bring Minority Report UI to Reality

JVC Everio GS-TD1 Full HD 3D camcorder on sale now Posted: 07 Mar 2011 09:40 AM PST JVC‘s Everio GS-TD1 – the first Full HD 3D consumer camcorder – has finally gone on sale, having made its official debut back at CES 2011 in January. Priced at $1,699.95, the GS-TD1 pairs two 3.32 megapixel CMOS sensors with an F1.2 JVC 3D Twin HD GT lens and a 3.5-inch glasses-free 3D preview display, along with 64GB of integrated storage. There’s also an SDXC memory card slot. JVC offers three different recording modes: the new “LR Independent” format (MP4 MVC) for Full HD; “Side-by-Side” format (960 x 1080 X 2) for AVCHD 3D recording; and 2D AVCHD shooting for regular use. There’s support for YouTube 3D as well. An SDXC card slot, 3D optical 5x zoom, Optical Axis Automatic Stabilization System and Automatic Parallax Adjustment round out the main specs. As we discovered back at CES, the GS-TD1 packs an impressive amount of tech into a reasonably small package; find more in our hands-on report here. Press Release: JVC First To Offer Full HD 3D Consumer Camcorder New GS-TD1 3D camcorder now available WAYNE, NJ, March 7, 2011 －JVC today announced the availability of a new 3D consumer camcorder, the first on the consumer market that offers 3D video recording in Full High Definition. The new JVC GS-TD1 uses two camera lenses and two imaging sensors – one for each lens – to capture three-dimensional images in much same way that human eyes work. 3D video shot using the GS-TD1. What's more, the camcorder can shoot 3D video that can be burned to a Blu-ray disc or DVD-R for 3D playback on a compatible Blu-ray player. "With more commercially-produced 3D content coming along this year, sales of 3D TVs are expected to be strong," observed Dave Owen, Vice President, Consumer Video, JVC U.S.A. "But what could be better than creating your own home videos in 3D? We think there will be plenty of 3D TV buyers eager to do just that. Furthermore, we think they'll appreciate that our new camcorder offers both Full HD 3D recording and several options for archiving and playing back their 3D footage." The JVC GS-TD1 features a pair of 3.32 megapixel CMOS sensors and a new JVC-developed high-speed imaging engine that processes the two Full HD images – left and right images at 1920 x 1080i resolution. Three shooting modes are offered, a key feature that provides several options for HD resolution and archiving of 3D footage. These three shooting modes are: a new "LR Independent" format (MP4 MVC) that records in Full HD, the widely used "Side-by-Side" format (960 x 1080 X 2) for AVCHD 3D recording, and 2D AVCHD shooting. The camcorder uses a F1.2 JVC 3D Twin HD GT Lens that sets a new standard in high-resolution lenses, with extra-low-dispersion glass for crisp, high-contrast images, as well as multiple aspherical lenses for fine image reproduction. The combination of the fast F1.2 lens and the back-illuminated CMOS sensors provides the GS-TD1 with outstanding low light performance. The GS-TD1 also features round iris diaphragms that enable beautiful bokeh effect (background blurring) shooting of video and stills alike. Additional highlights include 64GB of built-in flash memory, SDXC card slot, 3D optical 5x zoom, Optical Axis Automatic Stabilization System for disparity control to give depth to 3D images, JVC's BIPHONIC technology for dynamic 3D sound and Automatic Parallax Adjustment to optimize the 3D-video comfort zone. The GS-TD1 operates like other consumer JVC camcorders, with easy-to-use, intuitive controls. A 3.5" 3D touch panel LCD monitor displays 3D images without any need for 3D glasses, making it easy to check 3D images while shooting and watch 3D playback in the field. The GS-TD1 comes with new Everio MediaBrowser 3D software (for Windows®) for full management, editing and sharing of content. In addition to full-fledged video and still image editing, files can be uploaded effortlessly to social media sites such as YouTube™ or Facebook, and the software allows 3D video to be shared on YouTube. For archiving and playing back 3D recordings, there are several options depending on the shooting mode used. · Full HD 3D video, shot using the MP4 MVC mode, can be archived to a computer hard drive or Blu-ray disc drive. This Full HD material can be played back in 3D by running the footage back through the camcorder. · AVCHD 3D (Side-by-Side mode) video can be burned to a DVD-R disc and played back in 3D on any AVCHD-compatible Blu-ray player – including non-3D AVCHD-compatible Blu-ray players – when the disc was created with a PC or JVC Share Station. The JVC GZ-TD1 Full HD 3D camcorder is available now for $1,699.95. Relevant Entries on SlashGear JVC Launches New HD 1920x1080i Comsumer Camcorder JVC Everio X GZ-X900 goes on sale in Japan JVC Everio X GZ-X900 hands-on video & sample footage JVC GS-TD1 Full HD 3D Camcorder hands-on JVC 4k2k consumer camcorder “just around the corner”

iSound DIY Apple speakers worthy of Jony Ive Posted: 07 Mar 2011 09:13 AM PST Apple doesn’t offer standalone desktop speakers, but if they did you can bet they’d look something like this. Brett wanted a 2.1 speaker system to match his 27-inch LED Cinema Display, and finding nothing he approved of commercially, turned to a CNC machine, hand-built crossovers and some beautifully minimalist design for his own DIY creations. The original plan had been to integrate a subwoofer into the desk, complete with box paths and a cavity at the back for a USB hub, storage and a power supply. However, that’s been pushed back to phase two, and for now there’s a regular sub lurking under the table. A Dayton Audio amp powers the whole system, and the gold finish to the speaker cones – while not exactly in keeping with the grey and black of the general color scheme – do a great job catching the eye. Apple could do a lot worse than borrow the design themselves. [via Hack a Day] Relevant Entries on SlashGear JBL Creature III speakers are Apple exclusive but work with PCs too CES 2007 Cherry Picks: iSound Time Travel Apple Speakers released Chill Pill portable speakers released Apple announces MacBook Air with 128GB SSD option

Skype adds adverts this week to Windows app Posted: 07 Mar 2011 08:41 AM PST Skype has announced it will begin showing adverts as part of the Skype for Windows home tab later this week, the first time advertising has been promoted within the app. The US, UK and Germany will be the first markets covered, while Groupon, Nokia, Universal Pictures and Visa have all signed up to show their wares on a daily basis. Happily there’ll be a “hide ad” button for users fed up of seeing each day’s deal, along with – as you’d expect from a VoIP company – a Click & Call button so that they’ll be able to get in touch straight away. Meanwhile a share button will hook into Facebook and Twitter. The decision is likely to frustrate many users of Skype, though with the company offering most of its services free, it’s arguably a surprise that it’s taken this long for adverts to infiltrate. Earlier this year Skype 5.0 dropped its beta label and began charging for group video calls. Press Release: Skype launches new advertising opportunity for the world’s premier brands Groupon, Nokia, Universal Pictures, and Visa among first brands to advertise on Skype · Skype establishes advertising sales partnerships in US, UK and Germany to sell advertising to premier brands LUXEMBOURG, 7 March 2011 – Skype today announced the launch of advertising in Skype software, which will appear in the Home tab of Skype for Windows starting this week. This move represents the first time that advertising will appear in Skype, giving brands a unique opportunity to be part of the Skype experience, which has enabled millions of people around the world to do things together when they're apart through voice and video calling, instant messaging, conferencing, and more. Skype has partnered with leading advertising companies: Meebo in the US, Ad2One in the UK, and Ströer Interactive in Germany to sell advertising for Skype in each of their respective markets. With 145 million average monthly connected users for the fourth quarter of 2010 and 29 million concurrent users at peak times, Skype's reach and engaged user base makes it an attractive platform for brands to market their products. The first advertisers to sign up with Skype include: Groupon, Nokia, Universal Pictures, and Visa. "We're really pleased by the initial response among advertisers. We believe advertising on Skype helps fill a creative gap by giving brands a platform that has broad reach and global engagement, while also supporting large-format, rich and interactive ads," said Doug Bewsher, Chief Marketing Office for Skype. Skype "Home" provides a sponsored large masthead space at 650 × 170 pixels expandable to 650 × 340 pixels for advertisers to display ads that can include audio or video. Since the ads are on Skype, advertisers can add a Click & Call button in the ad as another call to action. In addition, it allows people to share the ad to their Facebook or Twitter accounts, and with one-click, ads can also be closed with the Close Ad button. "The user experience on Skype is always job number one. So, we've spent a lot of time working through the best way to show advertising in the Skype environment. We believe our daily sponsorship ad from one brand per day is valuable for premier advertisers, but doesn't detract from the experience for our users," said Bewsher. "We are just taking our first steps in this space and we expect to test and learn a lot as we move forward." “Many people log into Skype as part of their daily routine, just like they check Groupon,” said Rob Solomon, president and COO of Groupon. “We look forward to leveraging Skype’s new display advertising to connect Groupon to an even larger captive audience.” "Skype is known for great value with its low-cost calls to mobiles and landline phones, and free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls. We believe that advertising, done in the right way, will help us continue to add more value into the Skype experience as a whole," said Bewsher. Skype's advertising sales partners in the US, UK, and Germany will help present advertisers with the opportunity to market on Skype. "We're excited to be partnering with Meebo, Ad2One, and Ströer Interactive. They give us great sales teams, reach and meaningful advertiser relationships, right from day one," said Andy Sims, director of advertising for Skype. "All three partners are leading providers of advertising services, have deep relationships with top advertisers and agencies in their markets, and have experience selling high-impact brand advertising." For more advertiser information, go to www.skype.com/go/advertise. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Skype pull Windows Mobile VoIP app Skype no longer developing for new Windows Mobile OS CES 2008: PSP Getting Skype support? Skype for iPhone adds video calling over 3G/WiFi [Video] Skype app for iPhone coming soon?

T-Mobile HTC Doubleshot tipped for CTIA 2011 Posted: 07 Mar 2011 08:29 AM PST A new HTC Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone has been tipped to make its debut at CTIA 2011 early next month, on its way to an eventual release with T-Mobile USA. According to TmoNews‘ source, the HTC Doubleshot is a lock-in for the phone show, though they’re not able to share any details beyond the (code)name and the expectation that the Doubleshot will pack Gingerbread. From the name, however, we’re guessing HTC may be giving the Doubleshot a dual-core processor or twin displays. It’s not the first dual-core rumor we’ve heard for the company; the HTC Pyramid made headlines in early February, believed to tote a 1.2GHz Snapdragon chip. We’ve heard independently that the Pyramid is set to make its official debut at CTIA 2011 as well, and we’ll be on hand at the show to bring back all the details. [via Android Community; Image credit Coffeegeek] Relevant Entries on SlashGear SlashGear goes to CTIA Wireless 2007 Sprint readying EVO View tablet, Nexus S 4G and EVO 3D for CTIA? Man Down! Man Down! SlashGear First Day at CTIA 2006 LA T-Mobile readying unlimited data plan Video of BlackBerry Pearl at CTIA 2006

Sony Ericsson Windows Phone just a cancelled prototype tips insider Posted: 07 Mar 2011 07:48 AM PST The leaked shots of what appears to be a Sony Ericsson Windows Phone 7 prototype may not, in fact, be a sign that the company is planning a Microsoft smartphone for imminent release. According to Mobile Review’s Eldar Murtazin, the pictured device is “an old prototype that was cancelled last year.” That would certainly fit with previous comments from Sony Ericsson CTO Jan Uddenfeldt, who said last month that Windows Phone 7 was not on the company’s immediate roadmap. “We have not released any new windows products for the last nine months or 12 months” he pointed out, suggesting that “it's still a possibility that we could, but we don't see any real reason for it because Android is growing so dramatically, and it has an attractiveness when it comes to the user-friendliness and market growth, and the carriers are loving it.” If the debunk is true, it means we’re still yet to see a brand new Windows Phone device this year. HTC is providing CDMA and world phone versions of the HTC 7 Pro and HTC Trophy to Sprint and Verizon, respectively, but the manufacturer’s new range at MWC 2011 consisted solely of Android phones. Relevant Entries on SlashGear More pics of prototype Sony Ericsson Windows Phone 7 smartphone leak Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone on sale March 2011 tips insider Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone leaks New Sony Ericsson phone hopes to light up your life PlayStation Phone leak prompts Sony denial and general confusion

Rovio’s Mighty Eagle to Appear in Death Rally GDC 2011 iOS Destruction Derby Game Posted: 07 Mar 2011 07:38 AM PST I suppose you could call this game more of a race and kill game, along the lines of Twisted Metal, if you know what I mean – does it sound like the kind of game you’d be seeing birds flying around in? Heck no! That’s why we found it utterly baffling when @Rovio spoke of “Mighty Eagle” aka the pay-for-help element in the original Angry Birds game appearing here in this new game for iOS, a remake of the 1996 original, Death Rally GDC 2011. Thusly your humble narrator inquired on what the heck was going on, to which we received word that Angry Birds wouldn’t be appearing in the game, but that Mighty Eagle would, aiding players in their tasks at hand. Oh eagle! Why weren’t you around when I was trying to beat Final Fantasy 7!? Not even born yet. Is this the beginning of something much bigger for Rovio? Sure it is. They’ve already got their hands in quite a few pies including one major movie event by the name of RIO, why not try to attach themselves to other video games as well? If you’ll take a peek at the video below, a trailer for the game Death Rally GDC 2011, you’ll notice a single frame image near the end that you might very well recognize as your good pal Mighty Eagle. In this game we’re going to assume he’ll help in whatever single-player story mode they’ll have going on – oh, and this game will only be on iOS for starters, but we’re very much hoping for an Android release soon thereafter. The single frame shows that notorious evil glare of the big bird, one that if you had no idea you were looking for, you’d almost certainly miss. Rovio made sure we wouldn’t miss it by tweeting the video saying he’d be there, much in the same way they said there’d be a clue for Angry Birds’ special secret RIO level during a trailer during the Super Bowl. In that case, it was a teeny tiny Angry Bird on a box that there was essentially NO WAY you’d have seen, again, unless you had the ability to stop the video and go frame-by-frame. Looking forward to more fun clues like this, Rovio – you’re doing it right! Relevant Entries on SlashGear ARM shows off roadmap and reveals ARM Eagle ARM Eagle next generation core at Computex 2010 EA Games Debuts a Batch of New Games for iOS Including Scrabble and Mortal Kombat Pastor holds rally to burn video games, music Teen Creates Death Ray with Brightness of 5,000 Suns

HP Touchpad caught in wild with SIM slot on show [Video] Posted: 07 Mar 2011 07:35 AM PST HP’s webOS Touchpad tablet has escaped into the wild, flaunting its SIM card slot and frolicking with a first-gen iPad. Vietnamese site Tinhte scored the prototype, which hasn’t yet been shown functioning, and dug around in its edge-mounted SIM reader. Video demo after the cut The presence of that reader does imply a GSM version of the Touchpad, either on the roadmap for release after the WiFi-only model or – since we don’t know from which stage of the development process this particular unit comes – considered at some point in the run-up to the Touchpad’s launch last month. Of course, since HP is expected to release a Touchpad 3G version in Europe, it will have to be GSM since there’s no CDMA support there. Otherwise this is the same highly-glossy slate we remember from our own hands-on, though the question is how it will hold up to the freshly-slimmed iPad 2 Apple announced midway through last week. The last rumors we heard pegged the Touchpad for an April 2011 release in the US. [youtube UGPaaI0f098] [via Engadget] Relevant Entries on SlashGear MOTORIZR Z10 HTC Legend caught on camera again; Hero 2.1 update in March Verizon Pocket eDGe dual-display ereader caught in wild Wii Wheel caught in the wild? Not quite New HTC Android phone caught in wild: HTC Desire replacement?

Dell Sandy Bridge ultra-slim notebook imminent Posted: 07 Mar 2011 06:31 AM PST Dell has promised the imminent unveil of a new Sandy Bridge based ultra-slim notebook ”that will answer a few questions plus bring performance and style together in a big way.” Tipped for reveal within the next six weeks, the unnamed ultraportable will follow a refreshed Inspiron range using Intel’s 2011 Core processor line-up. The teaser comes as part of Dell’s outreach on the Intel Cougar Point issue, which saw the company freeze production of new notebooks earlier this year. Shipments resumed on select ranges last month, and Dell claims to be offering the most Sandy Bridge based models of all manufacturers. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Intel Sandy Bridge roadmap leaks First Intel Sandy Bridge notebook is from Santech Intel Sandy Bridge chips packing PCI Express 3.0, super-frugal battery life possible? Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs getting early release MSI GT680R-008US Gaming Notebook uses Sandy Bridge

Facebook and Skype in talks over video calling to take on FaceTime? Posted: 07 Mar 2011 06:20 AM PST   Facebook and Skype have apparently returned to the negotiating table, with the prospect of Facebook users being offered video call functionality. Talks last year between the two companies resulted in the launch of Skype voice calls between Facebook friends, but according to Bloomberg’s pair of sources the discussions had also tentatively covered video calls as well. That failed to appear in the October Skype update, but with Apple’s FaceTime system gaining momentum – likely to be aided with the launch of the iPad 2 later this week, which features twin cameras for FaceTime support – it seems Facebook’s interest has re-awakened. Interestingly, prior to the launch of the HTC ChaCha and Salsa Facebook phones at MWC 2011, SlashGear had been told by a trusted source that the handsets would support Facebook video calling. That obviously failed to materialize in time for the Barcelona show, but the two handsets do have front-facing cameras and only software stands in the way of the functionality. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Skype 5.0: Facebook, group video calls & more Skype 5.0 for Mac public beta released: Group Video, Address Book integration, more [Video] Skype Continues to Hint at Video Calling on the Move Skype provides exclusive Intel calling features Skype and Qik Hint At Video Calling Partnership With AT&T

1m HTC Flyer orders tipped as pen-slate interest tentative Posted: 07 Mar 2011 06:02 AM PST Supply chain guesstimates certainly aren’t the most definitive way to judge a product’s potential, but in the face of a reported 12m iPad 2 orders for Q2 2011 alone, talk of HTC having orders for a twelfth that amount of their Flyer slates doesn’t seem all that ambitious. According to a Chinese Economic Times report, HTC has ordered 1m Flyer tablets up to the end of August 2011. The HTC Flyer is arguably more of a niche product than the iPad 2, mind, which could certainly account for some vendor caution. Unlike the 9.7-inch Apple slate, the Flyer has a 7-inch display and can be used with a stylus for more precise text entry and sketching. It also runs Android, though will launch with Gingerbread rather than the tablet-centric Android 3.0 Honeycomb. HTC is yet to announce pricing for the Flyer, though it’s expected to retail for around $600 with 32GB of onboard storage. [via DigiTimes] Relevant Entries on SlashGear HTC Flyer priced by Amazon Germany WiFi-only HTC Flyer up for pre-order HTC Flyer 7-inch tablet due March, plus two slates in June? Memorex M-Flyer has spring-loaded USB action HTC Flyer tablet a 7-inch Pegatron rush-job for Q1 2011?

Cisco umi 1080 telepresence kit gets price & plan reduction; umi 720 and free app incoming Posted: 07 Mar 2011 05:38 AM PST As far as we’re aware, Cisco’s umi 1080 telepresence system hasn’t exactly taken the video calling world by storm – the company itself says that, since the set-top camera went on sale in October 2010, “thousands of people” have used it – but perhaps a price cut, a cheaper model and a free computer app will address that. The Cisco umi 720, as the name suggests, will demand less broadband speed for reduced image quality, with a lighter impact on your wallet. The original umi 1080 is now down to $499 (from $599), while the umi 720 will arrive at $399. Both will still require a service plan, either $99 for the year or $9.95 per month; still, that’s a lot less than the $275 annually/$24.99 monthly Cisco was previously demanding. As for the softphone version, that’s Cisco umi Connect, a PC and Mac client for HD video calls that’s expected to be offered – free, and free of service fees – as a full app this summer. We’re still not convinced that any of this telepresence kit will make significant headway into the domestic market, especially with the growth in HD webcams on notebooks. Press Release: Cisco Connects Businesses to Consumers via Video; Announces Seamless Connectivity between ūmi and Cisco TelePresence and Expansion of Consumer TelePresence Portfolio SAN JOSE, Calif. – March 7, 2011 – Extending the company's success in telepresence, Cisco today announced that it is enabling businesses to connect with consumers via full interoperability between Cisco ūmiTM and the Cisco TelePresence portfolio for businesses. Cisco is also announcing an expansion of its ūmi product line with a range of options, from free HD desktop video to high-quality immersive telepresence experiences on an HDTV. Business Services in the Home As video communications becomes pervasive, businesses and consumers are increasingly looking to augment in-person meetings and interactions with lifelike video experiences. With today's announcement, ūmi users in the home will be able to connect with businesses over telepresence, paving the way for innovative new video services such as distance learning, tele-health, virtual professional services and community services. For example, there are currently field trials underway in Korea that connect Cisco TelePresence and ūmi systems in the home to offer business and government services to consumers through their HDTVs. Expanded ūmi Product Line Key to today's announcement is the extension of the ūmi product line, making home telepresence experiences available to more consumers. ūmi is a first-of-its-kind, easy-to-use consumer product that delivers a high-quality, immersive video calling experience that goes beyond just seeing the people you talk to. The expanded portfolio includes: Cisco ūmi Connect, a free HD calling client for PC and Macs (currently in trials); Cisco ūmi 720, a new product that delivers an immersive telepresence experience with lower broadband requirements, which will be available at $399; Cisco ūmi 1080, the original breakthrough telepresence offering for the home now available at a reduced price of $499. The service fee for Cisco ūmi 1080 and 720 is now $99.00 a year, or $9.95 a month. There is no service fee for ūmi Connect for PC and Mac. ūmi 1080 and 720 include an HD camera, a console and a remote. Unlike video chat, ūmi telepresence was specifically designed for the living room and group-to-group conversations, delivering a truly immersive and lifelike video experience that fits into every home, automatically adjusting to lighting conditions and background noise to provide the most natural communications experience possible. Both ūmi 1080 and 720 products offer optical zoom and automatic pan and tilt to deliver close up and room size experiences. ūmi 1080 and 720 connect to any existing HD television and broadband internet connection to deliver a high-quality, HD video calling experience in the home. The new Cisco ūmi 720 requires less bandwidth, 1.5 mbps upload and download speeds which are readily available across most of the U.S. Both versions of Cisco ūmi intelligently adapt to the quality of the broadband in the home. Sharing Video Experiences In addition to its immersive and lifelike experience and incredible ease of use, ūmi also offers HD recording and sharing on FaceBook, Flipshare and You Tube. In the case of a missed call consumers can leave video messages for one another. Both recorded videos and messages can be retrieved from a PC, Mac or smart phone. In addition, with Cisco ūmi telepresence, users can also place and receive video calls from anyone with a computer (PC or Mac), webcam and ūmi Connect or Google Video Chat. "With today's announcement, Cisco is continuing to deliver innovative, market-leading video and telepresence solutions that enable consumers to connect and transact with businesses from the comfort of their home," said Marthin De Beer, senior vice president, TelePresence, Emerging Technologies & Consumer Business, Cisco. "By offering a range of video solutions – from high-end Cisco TelePresence for business to the free Cisco ūmi Connect product, we are extending our leadership in telepresence and driving the pervasive use of HD video." ūmi for Service Providers Today's announcement gives consumers, businesses and service providers the industry's widest choice of high-definition telepresence video communications options. Verizon will be launching ūmi for its FiOS network this year. In addition, ūmi is in field trials with service providers in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Availability Cisco ūmi 1080 is now available for 499.00 at Best Buy Magnolia and at bestbuy.com; Cisco ūmi 720 is scheduled to be available for $399.00 early this summer. Cisco ūmi Connect is in beta trials and is scheduled to be available via free download this summer. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Cisco Upgrades Video Sharing/Conferencing Portfolio Cisco home telepresence tipped for Comcast/Verizon reveal next week Cisco HD Video Conferencing blows Scoble’s mind – Updated Cisco’s Android Cius slate gets sub-$1,000 price tag Apple and Cisco Settle iPhone Trademark Lawsuit

Sony VAIO S ultraportable pre-sales kick off at $875 Posted: 07 Mar 2011 05:27 AM PST Sony only announced the VAIO S Series late last month, but the company has already thrown the 13.3-inch ultraportables up for pre-order. Priced from $874.99, the big sales point of the S Series is the runtime: up to 15hrs if you pair the notebook with the optional $150 “slice” battery. Without that extra “slice” you’re looking at up to 5.5hrs runtime from the standard battery or up to 8hrs from the $100 upgraded “large capacity” battery. The entry-level VAIO S has a Core i3-380M processor, but there are Intel’s Core i5-480M and i5-580M to choose from as well. RAM is up to 8GB, and there’s NVIDIA GeForce 310M graphics with 512MB of dedicated memory if you’re not happy with the standard Intel HD integrated GPU. WiDi 2.0, optional Blu-ray and the promise of Core i7 chips later in the year round out the main specs; more details on hardware and software here. The Sony VAIO S Series is expected to begin shipping midway through March. Press Release: SONY PACKS PERFORMANCE IN THE NEW THIN AND LIGHT VAIO S SERIES LAPTOP SAN DIEGO, March 7, 2011– Sony Electronics today announced the VAIO® S Series laptop featuring the powerful performance of a larger full-sized PC packed into a thin one-inch profile design and 13.3-inch screen form factor. Incorporating all the mobility of VAIO laptops, this new line delivers ultimate portability and performance with the second generation Intel® Core™ i5 and Core i7 processor coupled with Hybrid Graphics as well as dual channel solid state drive options (select models). Select S Series models sport a premium and elegant design in black or white with magnesium and aluminum materials, and all of them incorporate a built-in lithium polymer battery that when coupled with the all new and advanced large-capacity optional sheet battery, you can stay mobile and unplugged for up to 15 hours. Intelligent charging enables you to charge the optional sheet battery separately and attach it to the system without shutting down for maximum flexibility. "We continue to raise the bar when it comes to the mobile computing experience," said Mike Lucas, senior vice president of Networked and Technologies and Services Division at Sony Electronics. "The VAIO S Series laptop makes no compromises by offering the ultimate, full-featured ultra-mobile PC." Ultra Mobility and Performance Performance is top priority with the second generation Intel Core i7 and Core i5 processors that deliver even more performance automatically when you need it with a better visual PC experience built-in. With Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, the processors increase speed automatically delivering the performance needed for multitasking. AMD Radeon™ HD 6630 1GB Hybrid Graphics card (select models) gives a performance boost to your day-to-day processor functions for a faster, more optimized overall computing experience while lowering power consumption. For maximum performance and mobility, select models features dual channel solid state drive with RAID 0 technology. The S Series laptop comes with one-touch VAIO, ASSIST and WEB buttons, for launching Media Gallery™ software, VAIO Care™ software and access to the web without full boot-up into Windows, all with a touch of a button. All models incorporate backlit keyboards, illuminating the lettering for typing in low light situations. The built-in web camera powered by an "Exmor" sensor also allows for great low-light performance. And with the built-in microphone you can video message with family, friends and coworkers. Face tracking technology allows the camera to automatically adjust focus and follow you as you move around while video chatting. Packed with Multimedia Sony knows entertainment is always at the forefront and the VAIO S Series delivers. Whether you're watching a stunning Blu-ray Disc™ movie (select models) or enjoying video captured from your compatible camcorder. The versatile Blu-ray Disc drive on the VAIO S Series laptop (select models) combines the power of HD video playback with the convenience and utility of DVD and CD read/write functionalities. Providing the best picture and the best sound with stunning clarity, Blu-ray Disc technology is the ultimate way to enjoy your entertainment. With Intel® Wireless Display 2.0, you can sit back and experience your favorite videos, photos and music on your TV. Stop crowding around a laptop screen and view and share content from your hard drive, home network or the internet wirelessly on your HDTV utilizing the adapter (sold separately). Pricing and Availability The VAIO S Series laptops are available for pre-sale today at www.sonystyle.com/sseries starting for around $970, and the optional sheet battery for around $150. Video footage of the new S Series laptop will be available at http://blog.discover.sonystyle.com/vaios. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Sony VAIO X half-inch luxury ultraportable debuts Sony VAIO P “mark 2″ coming October: faster boot promised Refreshed Sony VAIO P up for US preorder; ships June 25th Sony VAIO X super-waif ultraportable gets unboxed [Video] Sony axe VAIO TT premium ultraportable: casualty of netbooks?

Necono cat camera shoots “whimsical” time-lapse [Video] Posted: 07 Mar 2011 04:56 AM PST The world needs more gadgets shaped like cats. Not since the ill-fated CueCat has the interest of the internet been so feline-forged as today, with the Necono digital camera. A 3-megapixel camera dressed up as a stripy cat, the odd Japanese toy has magnetic paws to grip on in unusual places. The camera itself is in the cat’s eye, and while there’s no integrated display to preview your shots, sometime in the spring a monitor dock will go on sale too. There’s a 10 second timer mode, as well as an interval mode which snaps a shot every second. Image quality is described as “whimsical” which probably means this won’t replace your DSLR. Then again, you probably don’t want to stroke your DSLR either – or at least you wouldn’t admit to it – so perhaps a tiny tabby in your pocket or purse is a good addition to your photography arsenal. [youtube TIqykMBav6g] [via CrunchGear] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Pentax A40 – Shoots DivX video at 640 x 480 Gun camera tests JVC unveils cool full HD 3D consumer camcorder Casio announces two new Exilim “YouTube cameras” NERF Switch Shot EX-3 shoots darts and plays Wii

Western Digital buys Hitachi GST in huge $4.3bn deal Posted: 07 Mar 2011 04:53 AM PST Western Digital has just announced a huge deal that will see the hard-drive company acquire arch rival Hitachi Global Storage Technologies for a whopping $4.3bn. The deal – expected to close within Q3 2011 – will comprise $3.5 billion in cash and 25 million WD common shares valued at $750 million, along with a pair of Hitachi execs added to the WD board of directors. Western Digital will remain the in-use brand, with Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer of Hitachi GST, joining at closing as president. He’ll report to WD CEO John Coyne. Neither company is talking specific plans for the future, but “enhanced R&D capabilities” and economy of scale both get a name-check in the press release. Press Release: Western Digital to Acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Combination of Hard Drive Companies Will Create Industry’s Broadest Product Portfolio and a Significant Pool of Resources for Innovation IRVINE, Calif. and SAN JOSE, Calif., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) and Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT / TSE:6501) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby WD will acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion. The proposed combination will result in a customer-focused storage company, with significant operating scale, strong global talent and the industry’s broadest product lineup backed by a rich technology portfolio. Under the terms of the agreement, WD will acquire Hitachi GST for $3.5 billion in cash and 25 million WD common shares valued at $750 million, based on a WD closing stock price of $30.01 as of March 4, 2011. Hitachi, Ltd. will own approximately ten percent of Western Digital shares outstanding after issuance of the shares and two representatives of Hitachi will be added to the WD board of directors at closing. The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of each company and is expected to close during the third calendar quarter of 2011, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. WD plans to fund the transaction with a combination of existing cash and total debt of approximately $2.5 billion. WD expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to its earnings per share on a non-GAAP basis, excluding acquisition-related expenses, restructuring charges and amortization of intangibles. The resulting company will retain the Western Digital name and remain headquartered in Irvine, California. John Coyne will remain chief executive officer of WD, Tim Leyden chief operating officer and Wolfgang Nickl chief financial officer. Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer of Hitachi GST, will join WD at closing as president, reporting to John Coyne. “The acquisition of Hitachi GST is a unique opportunity for WD to create further value for our customers, stockholders, employees, suppliers and the communities in which we operate,” said John Coyne, president and chief executive officer of WD. “We believe this step will result in several key benefits-enhanced R&D capabilities, innovation and expansion of a rich product portfolio, comprehensive market coverage and scale that will enhance our cost structure and ability to compete in a dynamic marketplace. The skills and contributions of both workforces were key considerations in assessing this compelling opportunity. We will be relying on the proven integration capabilities of both companies to assure the ongoing satisfaction of our customers and to bring this combination to successful fruition.” “This brings together two industry leaders with consistent track records of strong execution and industry outperformance,” said Steve Milligan, president and chief executive officer, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. “Together we can provide customers worldwide with the industry’s most compelling and diverse set of products and services, from innovative personal storage to solid state drives for the enterprise.” Hiroaki Nakanishi, president, Hitachi, Ltd. said, “As the former CEO of Hitachi GST, I always believed in the potential of Hitachi GST to become a larger and more agile company. This is a strategic combination of two industry leaders, both growing and profitable. It provides an opportunity for the new company to increase customer and shareholder value and expand into new markets. Additionally, it is important to us that WD shares common values with Hitachi GST to create a more global company that is well positioned to define a broader role in the evolving storage industry.” WD’s exclusive financial adviser on the transaction is Bank of America Merrill Lynch; its lead legal adviser is O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Goldman, Sachs & Co serves as financial adviser to Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi GST. Legal advisers to Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi GST are Morrison Foerster LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates, respectively. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Western Digital unveils new 2TB HDDs Western Digital Passport 320GB – largest external 2.5-inch drive Western Digital My Books upgraded to 2TB Fujitsu selling hard-drive business to Western Digital Western Digital’s new AV drives are in it for the long haul

3DS logs flash cart use, could get console banned by firmware Posted: 07 Mar 2011 04:51 AM PST If you have, your eyes set on a new Nintendo 3DS game system and you are the sort that has no qualms, pirating video games, Nintendo has a new way they can brick your console in retribution. Apparently, the 3DS will remember each time a flash-cart pirated game is played on the console. With the ability to know and remember that a pirated flash game was played Nintendo can then target the machines that are being used by nefarious types and render them unable to boot via a firmware update. A warning about the ability in the 3DS comes from Enterking, a Japanese gaming gear purveyor. A warning note on the Enterking site said, “Dear customers who resell Nintendo 3DS. Non-purchase able 3DS system: if you use equipment which is illegal or unapproved by Nintendo or if you do customization which is unapproved by Nintendo, there is a possibility that Nintendo 3DS becomes non-bootable by system update. Because of terms of agreement above, Enterking refuses to buy 3DS system with a record of illegal or unapproved equipment.” The flash-cart that Nintendo is targeting is R4 flash cart that can be used to store pirated games online to play on the DS console out now. The cart was such a problem that it was banned in Japan. [via Eurogamer] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Hacking your way into the Halo 3 beta gets you banned for life LuxuryRide Cart – It isn’t your regular old golf cart New firmware hack for Xbox 360 bypasses detection Acekard 2i flash-cart for Nintendo DSi Flash Rods are part Hot Wheels and part storage device

IBM describes child-monitoring bear that keeps them from playing too rough Posted: 07 Mar 2011 04:39 AM PST If you hang out with young kids for very long you will quickly realize that in the mind of a toddler everything they see belongs to them. If you don't give a toddler what they want, one of two things will commonly happen. They will scream and cry or they will punch you to get what they want. It can be hard to tech a kid that they need to not play rough with their pals. IBM has a new abstract that outlines a system that would put a system of monitoring a child and giving them voice commands to teach them to play nicely. The system would apparently be stuffed inside a stuffed bear, a knit hat, or some other thing that can be kept close to the kids and monitor them. When the system sense the child playing to rough it will use voice prompts to correct the behavior. IBM describes the system, “to help a child who plays rough with other children the interaction data can include multiple interaction operations that can be performed by the interactive device for helping the child play less rough with other children. For example, one interaction operation can include an audible warning telling the child ‘to play nice’ in a strict tone of voice, whereas another interaction operation can include an audible warning that asks the child ‘would you like someone to do that to you’ in a softer tone of voice along with a visual cue as well.” Basically, the system yells at your kid for you. The image here isn’t the system, it’s just a cute bear in a IBM shirt from Flickr. [via SlashDot] Relevant Entries on SlashGear MP3 player by Tomy, it’s a bear! Teddy Bear Lamp is a headless wonder The Bear Baby Bath Thermometer BMW Sauber F1 Child Seat Teddy Bear Flash Drive now available

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