Rabu, 23 Februari 2011

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

Thunderbolt leaks again: Light Peak for 15-inch MacBook Pro

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 02:41 PM PST

Another shot of the new Apple MacBook Pro complete with the Apple Thunderbolt port has leaked, this time showing the 15-inch version of the notebook with the new Light Peak connector. Seen earlier today as an in-the-wild shot as well as on printed material about the 13-inch refreshed notebook, the image appears to have been snapped of an Apple online product page.

The connector – which resembles a Mini DisplayPort socket – is expected to grant new, high-speed data transfers to the updated MacBook Pro line. It will also double as an external graphics output, presumably using a bundled adapter cable.

Apple is expected to make the new MacBook Pro range official tomorrow, Thursday February 24. Intel is also scheduled to make a Light Peak announcement on the same day, so we’re guessing we’ll hear more about Thunderbolt’s technical capabilities then.

[Thanks Theo!]

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Who Wouldn’t Want an Ego Personal Semi-Submarine?

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 02:35 PM PST

How would you like your own personal submarine? Sounds terrifying, right? You’d be dead in a matter of minutes. Submarines are incredibly complex vehicles. Under no circumstances could you pilot one safely while drinking a vodka gimlet. Which is why the Ego Semi-Sub is much better than a real submarine. This baby was made for piloting while intoxicated and/or cuddling.

The Ego is battery powered and designed to be piloted just like a car. Each battery charge is good for six to ten hours and the boat has a top speed of four knots. It is on display at the Miami boat show right now, and there don’t appear to be any distributors offering this vehicle at the moment. Anybody want to pool some submarine money with me? You can have half the cockpit.

[Via w ooh ome]

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Feeling Naughty? Motorola Atrix Gets Naked

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 01:19 PM PST

Who out there is in the mood for some gadget fetishism? That’s basically what the folks at iFixIt offer, with their regular and ruthlessly thorough teardowns of hot new gadgets. They recently cut into a Motorola Atrix, and what they found inside was glorious. While the Atrix is no prom queen on the outside, inside she is a masterpiece of elegance. There is nothing extraneous, just neat interlocking pieces that fold together in a tight – almost light- package.

At the end of the teardown, iFixit put together a few comments. They noted that the phone “feels solid in the hand” but jabbed the rear panel for feeling “chintzy”. Two large ribbon cables soldered to several components were listed as the main barrier to a detailed excavation. The LCD is a separate piece from the front panel, which means you can replace either without replacing both.

iFixit is totally right about the “chintzy” feeling back. I’ve had several opportunities to play with an Atrix, and every time the rear panel bugged me. How Motorola could have such an ugly oversight on their flagship smartphone is a mystery.

[Via iFixit]

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Newest Farmville Crop Is…Watermelon Babies?

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 12:53 PM PST


Popular game Farmville has a new crop you can try, but its appearance can be a bit off-putting. Farmville China now has Watermelon Babies. You read that correctly. The crop looks like a regular watermelon, save for the fact that it has a pink baby-looking creature poking out the top.

Gorbie from the official Farmville forums has taken before and after pictures of the crop. When it's ready for harvest a pink baby sprouts out the top complete with eyes, arms and mouth. When the crop dies the watermelon and baby begin looking less vibrant and both turn brown and colors fade. Then you have this brown watermelon baby monster left on your farm.

Players don't seem to like having a dead baby on their farm and some may find it pretty upsetting. It certainly gives the game a different flavor and for anyone who's seen the sci-fi classic Soylent Green, you'll get a chuckle out of this. So if you get a chance to actually see a Watermelon Baby, you'll get to scream "Soylent Green is PEOPLE!!!" to your heart's content. I just did.

[via Games]

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Get A Little Less Dumb Every Morning With The IQ Calendar

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 12:51 PM PST

Word-a-day calendars are neat and all, but who the hell uses paper calendars? Oliver Shal has designed a brilliant, brain teasing calendar that’ll start your day with the confusion you need to excel. Imagine how relaxing it would be to wake up, and know you’ve either felt the smartest or the dumbest you’re going to feel that day already. The iQ alarm clock is so brilliant I’m certain its inventor is a robot.

He may also be a bit of a sociopath, because the mechanism by which this thing wakes you up is both ruthless and devastatingly effective. Upon waking you up, it rings “incessantly” until you answer from one to three brain teasers. The battery compartment is tamper-resistant. I hope they make it thrown-against-the-damn-wall resistant too.

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Adult Swim App (With Full Episodes!) Hits App Store

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 12:31 PM PST

iPad and iPhone users, rejoice! A universal app for Adult Swim has just landed in the App Store. It allows for streaming clips and full episodes of certain shows. Meaning you’ll never be more than a click away from the latest episode of Venture Brothers. Which might be the most comforting thing technology is capable of. It also contains a grid layout of the network’s next two months. Which means you’ll be able to tell when Venture Brothers is coming back faster than anybody.

The Adult Swim app is free, and includes a schedule for the network, a music player, and a list of every iOS app the network has made. But let’s face it, you’re never even going to see that stuff. Once you’ve got instant access to streaming episodes of the best animated shows on earth (and also SquidBillies) you won’t have much time for anything else. I’m thinking a tiny Bluetooth earbud and this app is all you’ll need to blot out entire productive days at the office.

[Via AppAdvice]

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Olympus May Announce New Micro Four Thirds Cameras March 2nd

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 12:21 PM PST

Fans of the compact lens system may be getting some new cameras next week if rumors are true. 43 Rumors is reporting that three new models from Olympus may be landing on March 2nd.

The source has already correctly predicted the announcements of the Olympus SZ-10, the VG-110, and the 3D VR-330 on February 8th. The source also wrote in the same message to expect another Olympus announcement on the 2nd of March.

This coincides with three new model design patents that Forum Olympus France has discovered. These could be the new models Olympus will unveil next week. Hopefully this rumor turns out to be correct as well.

[via 43 Rumors]

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Samsung Captivate Android 2.2 Froyo Update Tomorrow

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 12:14 PM PST

We pondered earlier this month when the Samsung Captivate would get its long awaited Android 2.2 Froyo update, and finally the time is here. AT&T announced on its Facebook page that the device would be receiving the update starting tomorrow, but the update could take several days to reach all devices.

With the release of Android 2.3, many Android phone customers are getting short on patience with the slow to come 2.2 update. Their frustration apparently warranted AT&T to include an explanatory video along with their Facebook message. The video showed a Q&A format with AT&T’s Android Senior Project Manager, Dante Martin, to answer some questions about the Android updates and basically to explain why the process takes so long.

Samsung’s Epic 4G and Sanyo’s Zio on the Sprint network already began receiving their updates earlier this week. And according to AT&T’s video, the Aria should be getting its Froyo update very soon.

[via Android Community]

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Samsung’s Galaxy S II Will Have MHL Port for USB and HDMI-out

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 12:03 PM PST

Good news, Samsung fans. The Galaxy S II will not lack for HDMI. While the new flagship Android smartphone has no HDMI-out, it will be the first smartphone with an MHL port. This port is capable of acting as both a USB port, and HDMI-out. Users will only need a special microUSB-to-HDMI cable in order to connect their phone to their TV or monitor or whatever.

The phone will not charge from the MHL port when it is plugged into a normal HDMI-slot, but MHL televisions (when they hit) will be able to charge the device as they pull media from it. You’ll also be able to connect and charge via USB as normal.

[Via SamFirmware]

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More MacBook Pro Images Leak, Specs Revealed On Box

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 11:46 AM PST

As if there was any doubt remaining as to the new MacBook Pros, a new series of leaked high-resolution photos have spilled the beans once and for all. Not only do we have a look at the new Pro’s side (complete with ports) but we’ve also got an image of the box, with spec sheet in view, and a picture of the new Thunderbolt High-speed I/O port logo.

Crummier images and a spec sheet already leaked out earlier today. These new notebooks are expected to launch on Thursday. They’ll be unveiled just a few days ahead of the next iPad, which is due on March 2nd.

Based on the box, this new Pro will have a 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel core i5 processor, 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, a 13.3″ LED-backlit display and Intel HD graphics. It has a FaceTime HD camera and an 8x slot-loading SuperDrive. The Thunderbolt port, along with two USB ports, an SDXC slot and a FireWire port, are revealed in the side-shot of the chassis.

[Via 9to5Mac]

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YouEye: Simple Online Solution For Eye-Tracking, User-Testing

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 11:39 AM PST

For web designers, being able to track users’ eye movements and behavior while looking through a web page is very helpful for determining which parts of the layout attract attention and which don’t. But to do this can be difficult and may require special equipment that could be expensive. A startup company just announced today at LAUNCH a new web-based solution called “YouEye” to simplify this process.

YouEye is a web-based solution that utilizes regular webcams therefore replacing the need for complex eye-tracking cameras and making it easier to recruit testers since they will not require any specialized equipment. The web-based service also makes it easy to setup eye-tracking tests, collect data, and share your results. And not only do they track eye-movements, but mouse activity and audio can also be recorded and analyzed.

The service uses a subscription model based on the number of tests and testers. Currently they are offering beta invites. You can also sign up to become a paid tester.

[via Read Write Web]

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Motorola Gives out Golden Xooms to Movie Stars

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 11:22 AM PST

Were you nominated for an Academy Award this year? The answer is almost certainly ‘no’. But if you were, Motorola has the coolest goodie bag present ever for you. The company has just tweeted that it will be giving out golden Xooms to all nominees at this year’s show. Can Android Honeycomb wash away the sting of losing an Oscar? We’ll know on Sunday, February 27.

The golden Xoom bears a striking resemblance to the European model Xoom. While the US version has an all-black back, the Oscar and Euro versions are black at the top but feature a different colored panel underneath. Motorola looks to be shipping these tablets out in a special case that has been designed to mimic an Oscar award envelope.

Interested in winning a golden Xoom of your own? Swing on by the contest page for details on how.

[Via Twitter]

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Barnes & Noble’s First PubIt! In-Store Event, Demo NOOK Color, Get Free Coffee

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 10:51 AM PST

Barnes & Noble, the world’s largest bookseller, is launching their first in-store promotion event for their “PubIt!” self-publishing platform tonight in its Santa Monica, CA store. For those not lucky enough to be in Santa Monica, you can head to your local Barnes & Noble this Saturday, February 26, to take a guided tour of the NOOK Color and get a free tall cup of Starbucks coffee.

Barnes & Noble is hosting the event tonight to show that when you publish with PubIt! you get lots of marketing and promotion support in stores as well as other unique marketing and merchandising opportunities via their Nook Bookstore. More than 11,000 independent publishers and self-publishing authors have brought their works to the platform, adding more than 65,000 new works to the Barnes & Noble NOOK Bookstore that currently has over two million digital titles.

“The variety and quality of the content we are seeing through PubIt! is beyond our expectations,” said Theresa Horner, Barnes & Noble’s Vice President of Digital Content. “We are thrilled with our initial sales for PubIt! titles as our millions of customers enjoy exploring newly added works from PubIt! writers and publishers.”

“This in-store PubIt! event is a continuation of bringing the digital and physical reading worlds together,” said Horner. “We recognize the importance of uniting the reader with the author regardless of the book format, and we look forward to conducting many more events to support our PubIt! authors in our bookstore.”

Press Release:

More than 11,000 Independent Publishers and
Self-Publishing Authors Bring Their Digital Works to
Barnes & Noble's PubIt!™ Publishing Platform

Company Launches First In-Store Event Featuring Popular PubIt! Authors,
Expanding Online Visibility to Retail Channel

35 PubIt! Titles Currently Among Top 200 NOOK Books™

New York, New York – February 23, 2011 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller, is experiencing major growth for PubIt! (www.PubIt.com), its easy-to-use digital publishing platform for independent publishers and authors, and announcing the expansion of its program into its bookstores. Since launching four months ago, more than 11,000 independent publishers and authors have joined the PubIt! community of booksellers, adding more than 65,000 new works to Barnes & Noble's expansive NOOK Bookstore™ of more than two million digital titles. In fact, there are currently 35 PubIt! titles among the Top 200 NOOK Books based on sales, and Barnes & Noble customers have purchased PubIt! works in more than 50 categories to date.

"The variety and quality of the content we are seeing through PubIt! is beyond our expectations," said Theresa Horner, Barnes & Noble's Vice President, Digital Content. "We are thrilled with our initial sales for PubIt! titles as our millions of customers enjoy exploring newly added works from PubIt! writers and publishers."

Continuing its strong tradition of author support, Barnes & Noble also announced its expanded promotion for PubIt! titles and authors into its retail channel. The company will host its first in-store event featuring PubIt! authors tonight in its Santa Monica, CA, store. The panel discussion will feature successful PubIt! author H.P. Mallory, Beth Orsoff, a traditional turned self-published author who has boosted her sales with PubIt!, and Lisa Cortés, President of Cortés Films and Executive Producer of the Academy Award®-winning film Precious. The discussion will explore new opportunities in do-it-yourself publishing, online and on-screen. For more information on the event, visithttp://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3085464.

"This in-store PubIt! event is a continuation of Barnes & Noble's strategy of bringing the digital and physical reading worlds together," said Horner. "We recognize the importance of uniting the reader with the author regardless of the book format, and we look forward to conducting many more events to support our PubIt! authors in our bookstores."

In addition to in-store events, Barnes & Noble offers PubIt! authors and publishers access to the unique marketing and merchandising opportunities through the NOOK Bookstore, a PubIt! bestseller list and additional exposure through the Read In Store™ program available for NOOK Color™ and NOOK™ device customers in the company's more than 700 bookstores across the country.

Authors have found great success with PubIt!. H.P. Mallory, author of Toil and Trouble, Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble, and To Kill a Warlock, calls PubIt!, "an incredible experience…one of the best decisions I ever made." Mallory's paranormal romance books have become such a hit that she just signed a three-book deal with a major publishing house. Lori Brighton, author of A Night of Secrets, The Mind Readersand The Ghost Hunter, says, "PubIt! places publishing in the author's hands, which benefits not only the author, but also the reader."

With clear and competitive terms – and no hidden fees – the self-service online PubIt! portal provides qualified content owners a simple and profitable way to bring their works to millions of new readers. PubIt! uses a Web-based platform for publishers to independently set up their accounts, upload their eBooks, set the list price and track their sales and payments from a competitive royalty based on the price. PubIt! publishers can be confident they will be compensated from the list price they set with no additional charges, regardless of file size. Publishers' content is offered in ePub format, the industry standard that allows content to be enjoyed by customers on hundreds of the most popular mobile, computing and eReading devices.

Barnes & Noble offers e-mail support and a robust online community for those interested in PubIt!. More information on PubIt! can be found at www.pubit.com.

PubIt! titles can be enjoyed across the company's entire family of NOOK products and software, including the award-winning NOOK Color, NOOK 3G and NOOK Wi-Fi® and NOOK software-enabled iPad™, iPhone®, iPod touch®, Android™ smartphones and tablets, and Windows-based PCs, laptops or netbooks. For more information on free NOOK software, please visit www.bn.com/nookapps.

About NOOK™ from Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble’s NOOK brand of eReading products makes it easy to read what you love, anywhere you like™ with a fun, easy-to-use and immersive digital reading experience. With NOOK, customers gain access to Barnes & Noble’s expansive NOOK Bookstore™ of more than two million digital titles, and the ability to enjoy content across a wide array of popular devices. NOOK products are the most full-featured, dedicated eReading devices on the market. NOOK Color ($249), the first full-color touch Reader’s Tablet, provides the ultimate reading experience with a stunning 7-inch VividView™ Color Touchscreen to read all of the content you love. For book lovers, NOOK 3G ($199) and NOOK Wi-Fi® ($149) offer a paper-like reading experience with a color touch screen for navigation. In Barnes & Noble stores, NOOK owners can access free Wi-Fi connectivity, enjoy the Read In Store™ feature to read NOOK Books for free, and the More In Store™ program, which offers free, exclusive content and special promotions. Barnes & Noble was the first company to offer digital lending for a wide selection of books through its LendMe™ technology, available through NOOK eReading products. Find NOOK devices in Barnes & Noble stores and online at www.BN.com, as well as at Best Buy, Walmart and Books-A-Million.

In addition to NOOK devices, Barnes & Noble makes it easy for customers to enjoy any book, anytime, anywhere with its free line of NOOK software, available atwww.bn.com/nookapps. Customers can use Barnes & Noble’s free eReading software to access and read books from their personal Barnes & Noble digital library on devices including iPad™, iPhone®, iPod touch®, Android™, BlackBerry® and other smartphones, PC, and Mac®. Lifetime Library™ helps ensure that Barnes & Noble customers will always be able to access their digital libraries on NOOK products and software-enabled devices and BN.com. Barnes & Noble also offers NOOK Study™ (www.nookstudy.com), an innovative study platform and software solution for higher education, NOOK Kids™ (www.nookkids.com), a collection of digital picture and chapter books for children, and NOOK Books en Español™ (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooksenespanol), the first-ever Spanish language digital bookstore in the United States.

For more information on NOOK devices and eReading software, updates, new NOOK Book releases, Free Friday™ NOOK Books and more, follow us onwww.twitter.com/ebooksbn and www.facebook.com/nookbn.

ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE, INC.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE:BKS), the world’s largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 705 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, also operates 636 college bookstores serving nearly 4 million students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the United States. Barnes & Noble is the nation’s top bookseller brand for the seventh year in a row, as determined by a combination of the brand’s performance on familiarity, quality, and purchase intent; the top bookseller in quality for the second year in a row and the number two retailer in trust, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web’s largest e-commerce sites, which also features more than two million titles in its NOOK Bookstore™ (www.bn.com/ebooks). Through Barnes & Noble's NOOK™ eReading product offering, customers can buy and read eBooks on the widest range of platforms, including NOOK eBook Readers, devices from partner companies, and hundreds of the most popular mobile and computing devices using free NOOK software.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company’s corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.

NOOK™, NOOK Color™, NOOK Books™, NOOK Newsstand™, NOOK Books en Español™, VividView™, NOOK Friends™, AliveTouch™, LendMe™, ArticleView™, Daily Shelf™, NOOK Kids™, NOOK Study™, NOOK Developer™, ReadAloud™, NOOK Book Personal Shopping™, Read In Store™, More In Store™, Free Friday™, PubIt! ™, Lifetime Library™, Read What You Love. Anywhere You Like™ and Touch the Future of Reading™ are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc. Other trademarks referenced in this release are the property of their respective owners.

Follow Barnes & Noble on Twitter (www.bn.com/twitter), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/barnesandnoble) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/bnstudio).

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Southwest Airlines To Offer InAirtainment Via iTunes

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 10:21 AM PST


Southwest Airlines has just announced their partnership with Apple to launch a new in-flight entertainment offering called InAirtainment. The service allows passengers to purchase music, movies, and TV shows during their flight from Apple’s iTunes store via the Southwest website.

“We want our customers to be able to find all their travel needs at Southwest.com and a big part of traveling is loading up on songs, movies, and all the television you’ve missed during the week,” says Southwest spokesperson Whitney Eichinger. “Our new InAirtainment page allows customers an easy in to iTunes and we offer special deals to customers booking through our site like the 20 free songs we are offering with the announcement.”

Southwest will receive a small percentage of the sales made through its new iTunes offering. Typical commissions paid out to Apple’s iTunes affiliates are around 5% on revenue generated via links to the iTunes store from other websites and emails.

[via 9 to 5 Mac]

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Snoop Dogg Promotes Samsung Galaxy Indulge on MetroPCS

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 10:06 AM PST

If you don’t know everyone in the video you’re about to watch, you might not get the depth. However, the smoothness of the 4G LTE connection is as apparent as the additional Gs in Snoops new name, thustly MetroPCS has done their job well. See Snoop Dogg (with a double dose of Gs,) Warren G, model Brittany Dailey, and Ted Williams – the man with the Golden Voice all work together to bring you The G Connection in promotion of MetroPCS and the Samsung Galaxy Indulge.

First, have a look at this video and tell us if you understand what’s going on, or what you’d think if you saw such a thing on television right this second – keep in mind that this is brand new:

Now let’s get down to business explaining the players in this masterpiece, each of them one by one:

Ted Williams, the man with the Golden Voice was only a few months ago completely homeless and broke. Have a look at his story here: [CNN report]
Warren G has never been broke, and in fact has been a player and a regulator for over 20 years. The G-Connection is his show in this promotion, and the “Regulators, mount up!” comes from his classic smooth rapping gangster hit: Regulate
Snoop Dogg started his career around the same time as Warren G, having been a partner of his at the time they both hooked up with Dr Dre launching them into superstardom. Snoop has an album called the Doggumentary coming out soon, thus this collaboration (with his type logo modified and in tact) makes perfect sense. Furthermore, his 2007 hit Sexual Seduction features a video style very similar to this new dating show promo.

ALSO there’s an “Indulge with Snoop Dogggg” sweepstakes where you’ve gotta head out to your local metroPCS store to sign up and win. If you win, you get a VIP trip for two to a Snoop concert this summer – this includes airfare and incidentals for two, front-row tickets, backstage passes, and two Samsung Galaxy Indulge phones with metroPCS 4G LTE service. Sounds fine, real fine. Check out the full press release below:

NOTE more videos will be released throughout the day today (and we assume in the near future,) so stay tuned!

METROPCS ANNOUNCES NEW COLLABORATION WITH ICON SNOOP DOGG
Superstar adds more Gs to his name to help introduce the Samsung Galaxy Indulge, the world's first commercially available 4G LTE Android smartphone, available exclusively from MetroPCS

DALLAS, February 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Snoop Dogggg has doubled down on his G's through his new collaboration with MetroPCS to introduce the new Samsung Galaxy Indulge™, the world's first commercially available 4G LTE Android™ smartphone offered only with 4GLTE service from MetroPCS.

"It feels good to be working with MetroPCS and Samsung for the launch of the Galaxy Indulge. I'm stepping it up to 4G's so my phone can keep up with my demanding, always-connected lifestyle," said Snoop Dogggg.

Fortunately, any consumer can indulge in the 4G lifestyle like Snoop Dogggg because MetroPCS offers 4GLTE smartphone service plans at about half the cost of other carriers' 4G smartphone service plans today. With $50 and $60 plans, including all applicable taxes and regulatory fees, MetroPCS delivers unmatched value with unlimited talk, text and 4GLTE Web page browsing, along with data access to streaming audio, video and gaming content, downloads and Android applications on the Galaxy Indulge.

"Indulge With Snoop Dogggg" Sweepstakes
The superstar's fans can win a rare chance to meet Snoop Dogggg up close and personal by entering the "Indulge with Snoop Dogggg" sweepstakes exclusively at any MetroPCS retail store through March 31 (no purchase necessary to win). One winner will walk away with a VIP trip for two to a Snoop concert this summer, including airfare and incidentals, front-row tickets and backstage passes, as well as two Samsung Galaxy Indulge smartphones with MetroPCS 4GLTE service. More details are available at http://www.metropcs.com/snoop-dogggg-vip-rules.

Video Series
The collaboration also features Snoop Dogggg starring as several characters in the online video series called "The G-Connection," which is based on popular dating game shows from past decades. The videos also feature rapper and producer Warren G, model Brittany Dailey, and the man with the "Golden Voice," Internet sensation Ted Williams. The videos were directed by Estevan Oriol, partner at SA Studios. The first of three episodes premieres today at www.youtube.com/MetroPCS.

Additional Chances to Win
In addition, MetroPCS and Samsung are offering more chances to win autographed Snoop Dogggg gear, Samsung Galaxy Indulge smartphones and MetroPCS 4GLTE service on MetroPCS' Facebook page at www.facebook.com/metropcs (no purchase necessary to win). MetroPCS is also offering prizes through giveaways in many of its home metropolitan area markets, including signed "The Doggumentary" CD's (in stores March 29th).

"We are very excited about teaming up with Snoop Dogggg to show consumers that they can have it all with MetroPCS 4GLTE services and the vast possibilities of the Samsung Galaxy Indulge Android smartphone," said Phil Terry, senior vice president, corporate marketing, MetroPCS. "Snoop is a great match for our brand and appeals to all of our customers, who want the latest high-end Android smartphones with 4G services at the best value."

About the Samsung Galaxy Indulge
Powered by the Android version 2.2 (Froyo) operating system (OS), the Galaxy Indulge delivers quick access to more than 200,000 applications from the Android Market™ and complete access to Google Mobile Services, as well as a combination touch screen/QWERTY keyboard, 3 megapixel camera and camcorder with auto-focus, music player, Stereo Bluetooth® capabilities and expandable memory storage up to 32GB. The Samsung Galaxy Indulge costs $399, plus tax, and is available at all MetroPCS stores and online at www.metropcs.com.

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Symbian UI refresh previewed on Nokia N8

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 09:39 AM PST

What looks to be the new Symbian homescreen layout has been briefly previewed, ahead of the promised Nokia update later in 2011. Shown briefly during a presentation by Nokia SVP of smartphones Jo Harlow, the refreshed UI – demonstrated on an N8 – has a slimmed down status bar with Android/iOS-style operator, battery, signal and time iconography, and a much narrower call/menu/options bar at the bottom.

In-between there are new widgets, no longer imprisoned by the traditional blocks fitting six to a screen. Instead it all looks more flexible and streamlined, taking a leaf out of Android’s book. The end result is a far more modern looking smartphone, with a UI that actually begins to live up to the N8′s slick aluminum chassis.

Now, it’s not 100-percent clear that this is the actual refreshed UI that will be going out to Symbian^3 devices in the coming months, but Harlow has previously committed to a significant attempt to improve “the visual feel of the graphics” and this would be a big step in the right direction. Still, despite the fact that Nokia envisions millions of new Symbian device sales before the platform is phased out in favor of Windows Phone, we can’t help thinking that all this is all a little too late.

[via My Nokia Blog]

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AOC Aire Black LED Displays just 12.7mm thick

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 08:39 AM PST

AOC has outed its latest LCD display, the AOC Aire Black LED, a mere 12.7mm thick despite offering up to 23-inches of picture. The 20-inch e2043Fk, 22-inch e2243Fwk and 23-inch e2343Fk all have a 5ms response time and nebulous 50,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio.

Inputs include DVI-D with HDCP support, and there’s Screen+ software onboard – the big differentiator between these three and the previous Aire range – to split the display up into four individual, easily-managed desktops. Power consumption is said to be a miserly 15W in use and 0.1W in standby.

The three new AOCs are available now, priced at $129 for the 20-inch e2043Fk, $149 for the 22-inch e2243Fwk and $179 for the 23-inch e2343Fk.

Press Release:

AOC Launches the Ultra-Slim Aire Black LED Monitor

New addition to the AireLED Series includes 12.7 mm-thin monitors with embedded Screen+ Feature and DVI-D with HDCP input

Fremont, Calif. – February 23, 2011– AOC, the world's largest manufacturer of LCD/LED Monitors and HDTVs, reveals the Aire Black LED, a glossy piano-black monitor featuring one of the world's slimmest display panels. This new all-black addition to the popular AireLED Series offers bonus features like embedded Screen+ software that allows the user to divide the screen into four self-contained work areas. The Aire Black LED monitor comes in 20-inch (e2043Fk, $129), 22-inch (e2243Fwk, $149) and 23-inch (e2343Fk, $179) screen sizes, and is now available at national retailers including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Office Max, Fry's, TigerDirect/CompUSA and PC Richards, among others.

The sleek widescreen Aire Black LED Monitor is one of the slimmest display panels on the market at 12.7 mm throughout. The monitor also offers impressive image quality with a 50,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, 5ms response time, and a DVI-D with HDCP input for the ultimate HD viewing experience. Along with being EPEAT Gold Certified for its green packaging and production, the Aire Black LED Monitor on average consumes only 15 watts of energy and includes an eSaver feature that lets the user preset power conservation modes for the display when the PC is not in use. The monitor's Power Saving Mode uses 50 percent less power, and Standby Mode uses only 0.1w.

"A clean and modern aesthetic coupled with amazing image quality have made the AireLED Series one of our most popular monitor lines for both business and home use," said Robert Velez, AOC Marketing Manager. "The Aire Black LED display reduces energy costs and offers incredible value, which is a trademark of the AOC brand and products."

The versatile Aire Black LED Monitor has a built-in VESA stand that locks into place so that the monitor can be used on a desktop and easily mounted on a wall by simply pushing a button and folding the stand at its tilt hinge. No assembly is required for the stand, making the monitor a helpful solution for businesses that require visual displays but have limited space. The monitor's easily accessible connections are located at the back of the stand, while its front features convenient LED touch controls for power and onscreen display.

SPEC HIGHLIGHTS
· Screen Size: 20", 22", 23"

· Ultra-slim display panel throughout (.5 in/ 12.7 mm)

· WLED Backlight

· 50,000,000:1 DCR

· 5ms Response Time

· DVI-D with HDCP Input

· Screen+ Technology

· e-Saver Feature

About AOC
AOC is the world's largest manufacturer of LCD/LED monitors and HDTVs. With more than 60 years of design and manufacturing experience, AOC has earned a reputation for selling user-friendly, technologically advanced monitors, TVs and multi-functional displays. Every aspect of AOC's global business focuses on the development of products that fit seamlessly into consumers' digital lifestyle. For more information, please visit us.aoc.com.

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Apple Event confirmed for March 2nd: iPad 2 incoming

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 08:07 AM PST

Apple has sent out invites for an event on Wednesday, March 2, where we’re expecting to see the company announce the second-generation iPad. The event will take place at 10am in the morning, Pacific time, at Apple’s usual haunt, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

Based on rumors up until now, the iPad 2 is predicted to have the same 9.7-inch display size and resolution as the first-gen model, but use a new IPS panel with improved outdoor visibility and reduced reflections. The chassis is expected to have a flatter back, more angled sides, and be generally thinner than the current iPad, while there’ll also be front and rear cameras added in.

In addition to the iPad 2, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple give a preview of iOS 5.0 for iPad. That’s expected to debut improved multi-tasking and notifications support, long criticisms of iOS in contrast to other platforms. SlashGear will be at the event next week, and you know we’ll be bringing back all the details as they happen!

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SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: February 23 2011

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 07:58 AM PST

First let us tell you of three rather important points from the Android Community side of the world today – first, the Nexus S and Nexus One Gingerbread 2.3.3 updates are going out OTA right this moment, then, take a peek at two bootloader points: Motorola XOOM Has Bootloader That's Both Unlockable and Relockable and Atrix bootloader gets totally locked down. Awesome and harsh! Then have a look at some of the biggest fattest news you’ll ever want to hear at a time like this as far as Apple goes: New MacBook Pro specs leak, plus Apple Thunderbolt Light Peak branding, hooray! Grab yourself the first big update to Windows 7 since its launch, and have another look at Intel Light Peak [Event This Thursday Fuels MacBook Pro Rumors].

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Sprint confirms Windows Phone plans with HTC Arrive Xbox tease
Apple Joint Venture will let prosumers take a Genius home
T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 4G on sale now
Nexus S losing Facebook contacts sync as Google tightens data policy
Microsoft pulls Omnia 7 Windows Phone update over "technical issue"
Ben Heck crafts speedy can beverage cooler from Peltier modules
iGugu InterneTV ships in wired and wireless versions
Husqvarna launches robotic lawn mower dubbed Automower 305
Buffalo adds new USB 3.0 DriveStation Duo and DriveStation Quad solutions
Sony to kill NEX-3 camera line already?
Microsoft is set to air new Windows Phone 7 Time Trials commercials online
MacBook Pro Thunderbolt connector spotted: Is it really Light Peak?
Razer Chimaera and Chimaera 5.1 headphones for Xbox and PC gamers drop soon
Dell set to ship XPS 17 and XPS 15 laptops with Sandy Bridge on March 16
New MacBook Pro specs leak, plus Apple Thunderbolt Light Peak branding
Urbanears Bagis headphones debut in bright colors
V-Moda unveils new Crossfade Customs Program
iBike Dash cycling computer turns your iPhone into fitness device
Intel Medfield smartphones/MIDs on sale Q3 2011 tip insiders
Sprint HTC Arrive is rebranded HTC 7 Pro due tomorrow?
Samsung 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab could launch in March
HP EliteBook and ProBook business notebooks launch: up to 32hrs battery
Motorola ATRIX 4G teardown finds repair-friendly guts
Finalized Honeycomb SDK released for Android 3.0 developers
Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread for Nexus S and Nexus One now OTA
Boost Brain Activity By Chatting On Cellphones?
Intel Light Peak Event This Thursday Fuels MacBook Pro Rumors
Netflix Gets New CBS Deal To Stream TV Shows
YouTube In Talks With NBA To Broadcast Live Games
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To see more Daily Slash posts, click here: [The Daily Slash] or here: [SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up]

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WiFi-only HTC Flyer up for pre-order

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 07:43 AM PST

The WiFi-only version of the HTC Flyer has shown up for pre-order in Germany, with retailer Cyberport listing the 7-inch slate for €499 ($686). Your money gets you the same 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen with active stylus, Android 2.4 Gingerbread with customized Sense, and 5-megapixel camera, but omits the integrated 3G/HSPA connection (and the need for a carrier agreement).

Instead, you’ll need to use either WiFi b/g/n or Bluetooth 3.0 to get online, with a wireless hotspot or tethering to a nearby phone. There’s also a 1.3-megapixel front facing webcam, 32GB of internal storage and a 4,000 mAh battery.

There’s no estimated delivery date, but HTC did tell us that it expected to launch the WiFi-only Flyer very soon after the release of the 3G model. That’s set to take place in early Q2 2011. As for pricing, it looks like going WiFi-only will shave €200 off the price of the Flyer. More on the Flyer in the video demo below:

[via NetbookNews]

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Sprint confirms Windows Phone plans with HTC Arrive Xbox tease

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 07:33 AM PST

Sprint has all but confirmed that tomorrow’s handset launch is a Windows Phone 7 device, with the carrier’s latest tweet – “Wouldn’t it be great to have your phone integrated with your home game console, like Xbox?” – highlighting one of Microsoft’s platform’s exclusive features. Sprint is expected to officially unveil the HTC Arrive, aka the HTC 7 Pro.

As we saw in our review of the HTC 7 Pro, it’s one of the more successful Windows Phone devices around right now. The QWERTY keyboard is particularly good, and the build quality and camera are reassuringly strong as well. The Xbox integration Sprint mentions is Windows Phone 7′s ability to pull in Xbox LIVE updates and statuses into the Gaming Hub on the smartphone.

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Apple Joint Venture will let prosumers take a Genius home

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 07:24 AM PST

Apple’s imminent retail staff meetings and secretive NDA demands for employees were, it was suggested, for an upcoming store service, rather than around the iPad 2 or MacBook Pro, and according to the latest leaks that seems to be the case. BGR‘s source has tipped a new service called Apple Joint Venture, extending the current Genius service to include home visits.

According to the tipster, Joint Venture will include telephone support calls and on-site visits to address hardware and software issues. Currently, Apple Geniuses aren’t allowed to give phone support, only ask users to make an appointment and come into their nearest store.

Unfortunately, Joint Venture isn’t going to be rolled out to all buyers of Apple kit; instead, the service will be targeted at small businesses and “prosumers”. Apple is expected to detail the plans to employees at a meeting on Sunday – where it will detail the fees involved, among other things – before it rolls out over the next few months.

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T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 4G on sale now

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 07:14 AM PST

T-Mobile has put the Samsung Galaxy S 4G up for sale, charging $199.99 for the HSPA+ compatible smartphone. Generally identical to the T-Mobile Vibrant that helped Samsung’s Galaxy S family clinch the top-selling US Android smartphone spot last year, the new version throws in a front-facing camera as well.

Otherwise it’s the same 4-inch WVGA display and 1GHz processor, along with 16GB of storage, a 5-megapixel camera and WiFi/Bluetooth. You’ll need to send off a $50 mail-in rebate and submit to a two-year agreement if you’re interested, of course, but at least you get a copy of Inception pre-loaded.

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Nexus S losing Facebook contacts sync as Google tightens data policy

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 06:38 AM PST

Facebook integration with the Nexus S is set to be scooped out after the Android 2.3.3 update currently being distributed OTA, with Google claiming that the social network’s cloud-based contacts violate its terms of service. According to the search giant, while currently Facebook contacts can be synchronized with the Nexus S’ contacts, the fact that the data can’t be exported from the phone “created a false sense of data portability.” It’s the latest jab in the ongoing war over data access between the two companies.

“We believe it is very important that users are able to control their data. So in the over-the-air update for Nexus S, we have a small change to how Facebook contacts appear on the device. For Nexus S users who downloaded the Facebook app from Android Market, Facebook contacts will no longer appear to be integrated with the Android Contacts app. Since Facebook contacts cannot be exported from the device, the appearance of integration created a false sense of data portability. Facebook contact data will continue to appear within the Facebook app. Like all developers on Android, Facebook is free to use the Android contacts API to truly integrate contacts on the device, which would allow users to have more control over their data. We are removing the special-case handling of Facebook contacts on Nexus S and future lead devices. We continue to believe that reciprocity (the expectation that if information can be imported into a service it should be able to be exported) is an important step toward creating a world of true data liberation — and encourage other websites and app developers to allow users to export their contacts as well.” Google statement

Google has previously accused Facebook of being too closed with its data, warning users at the paucity of export methods. Now, Google is telling the social network that it must use the normal Android contacts API “to truly integrate contacts” since it is “removing the special-case handling of Facebook.”

The change will not affect the Nexus One, however, since Google preloaded the Facebook app onto that handset and “created an expectation for users of how the device would function.” However, the decision will impact not only the Nexus S but “future lead devices” which suggests Facebook won’t get its foot into the Android door so easily in future.

[via Android Community]

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Microsoft pulls Omnia 7 Windows Phone update over “technical issue”

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 06:07 AM PST

The Windows Phone 7 update has been pulled for Samsung’s Omnia 7, after the new firmware was found to brick some users’ handsets. According to Microsoft, “a technical issue with the Windows Phone update process” has been spotted, and as a result Omnia 7 owners have had the release frozen.

“In response to this emerging issue, we have temporarily taken down the latest software update for Samsung phones in order to correct the issue and as soon as possible will redistribute the update.” Microsoft statement

As for those already suffering bricked handsets, Microsoft has suggested that owners return the phones to vendors to have them replaced. Hard-resets or – as advised by the devices themselves – connecting them to a PC does not reportedly work.

[via WinRumors]

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Ben Heck crafts speedy can beverage cooler from Peltier modules

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 05:50 AM PST

Ben Heck is a modder that landed his own show thanks to his modding prowess with all sorts of gadgets. Typically, we see gaming systems and related gear from Heck, but with the hot weather due to hit many areas before you know it Heck has a new gadget perfect for summer heat.

The latest project Heck created is a high-speed canned beverage cooler. The thing will be at home cooling off your hot can of adult beverage or a soft drink. The can cooler uses a Peltier module that cools, Arduino Nano with an I2C-bus temperature sensor, and a MOSFET to start and stop the cooling process.

The aluminum heat sink was create don a CNC router to help get the can cooler. I wonder how much the parts for the cooler cost; it’s much more interesting than the sort of can coolers you can buy in stores that use ice water to cool.

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iGugu InterneTV ships in wired and wireless versions

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 05:40 AM PST

A new media streaming solution has landed called iGugu InterneTV and the device ship sin wired and wireless versions. The device is a video streaming solution that shoots video and content from the PC to the TV allowing the PC to make a dumb TV smart.

The iGugu device comes in a basic version that has connectivity to the PC with VGA or HDMI cables and uses wireless USB with the PC to communicate with a remote control. The wireless version uses WiFi for connectivity between the PC and the TV with a range of up to 400-feet using an 802.11g wireless adapter that carries audio and video signals.

The InterneTV device supports Windows OS machined and resolution up to 720p. It will also support 480p, and PC resolutions up to 1024 x 768. The wired basic version sells for $129 and the wireless version is $249.

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Husqvarna launches robotic lawn mower dubbed Automower 305

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 05:04 AM PST

Husqvarna has been around for a long time and way back in the day the company made some dirt bikes. Today it is more known for lawn and garden items like lawnmowers. The latest offering from Husqvarna is a sweet robotic lawnmower for the person with a smaller yard called the Automower 305.

The robotic lawnmower is a smaller device that weighs about 7kg and it has an anti-theft system with an alarm and a pin code to prevent the mower from being stolen. The mower is battery powered and can run 40 minutes on a full charge and that full charge takes about 150 minutes.

The mower can move at 35cm/s and comes with wire and staples to allow the owner to define the range the mower needs to operate in. The big downside of the device is the price, at 1490 EUR it’s not cheap. The mower is good for lawns that are up to 500 m2.

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Buffalo adds new USB 3.0 DriveStation Duo and DriveStation Quad solutions

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 04:51 AM PST

Buffalo has unveiled new USB 3.0 storage solutions that have multiple storage drives inside with RAID capability to protect your data from loss. The new devices include the DriveStation Duo and Quad. Both have speedy USB 3.0 connectivity to make backing up lots of data faster. The devices are plug-and play and come pre-formatted and ready to use out of the box.

The Duo comes in 2TB, 4TB, and 6TB capacity and is a dual-bay RAID enabled external storage solution that supports RAID 0 and RAID 1. The quad offering is a four-bay device with four drives that has RAID 0, RAID 5, and RAID 10 capability.

The Quad solution has 4TB and 8TB offerings available with a 12TB version coming later in the year. All versions of the DriveStation Duo are available right now with the Quad version coming in March. Pricing for the Duo offering ranges from about $250 to over $600 for the 6TB version.

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Sony to kill NEX-3 camera line already?

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 04:08 AM PST

The Sony NEX-3A, 3K, and 3D digital cameras haven't been on the market for a long period yet and the things have been getting updates with new colors and features along the way. The last time we spoke about the cameras was when they received a firmware update to support the A-mount lenses back in October 2010.

Apparently, the cameras didn’t sell well as the webpage for the digital cameras on the Japanese Sony website has the purchase buttons removed. The image associated with the camera also has been updated with “end of production.”

That’s not good news if you are one of the folks that recently purchased the digital cameras. There has been no official press release from Sony on the end of production so this could be a mistake of some sort. As of now, the Sony Store in the US still lists all three models as available.

Via CrunchGear

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