Kamis, 07 April 2011

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

Google: All Employees Responsible For Success Of Our Social Strategy

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 02:56 PM PDT


Google has been stepping up their social strategy big time despite little success with the deployment of various features including a discussions system in Google Docs, social features in Google Maps, the Google +1 search recommendation feature, and even a Google Me social platform to rival that of Facebook. And now with new CEO Larry Page on board, a memo has been sent out to employees that puts the social success burden on salary bonuses.

The company-wide memo alerted employees that 25% of their annual bonus will depend on the success or failure of Google’s social strategy for 2011. Even employees not directly involved in Google’s social efforts will be held responsible with results reflected in their bonuses.

“This is a joint effort so it’s important that we all get behind it,” says Page in the memo. He expects all employees to encourage their family and friends to test out Google’s new social products.

[via Business Insider]

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Student Earns $50k A Year Jailbreaking iPhones

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 02:07 PM PDT

Since jailbreaking phones was deemed a legal undertaking thanks to exemptions added to the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) last year, full-time jobs have grown from the activity. A senior at George Mason University, Kevin Lee, earns about $50,000 a year unlocking iPhones for folks less adept with technology.

Lee started off unlocking iPhones for himself and friends with about 5 to 10 customers per week. That eventually led to a solid 30 to 40 customers weekly. He advertises on Craigslist and says he jailbreaks iPhones so that customers can enable custom designs and switch wireless carriers.

“I just had one customer from the Mongolian embassy who was moving to the capital of Mongolia, and he wanted to use the iPhone there,” says Lee.

But jailbreaking has gone beyond the tinkering by individuals, to a whole marketplace of its own. Cydia, the “unofficial iPhone app store” launched back in 2008 is a black market of iPhone apps with roughly 30,000 free apps and about 700 paid designs and mods. Cydia founder Jay Freeman says the company now earns about $250,000 in profit after taxes annually.

This could be a lucrative side project, if you plan on holding down your day job just in case Apple manages a Sony type of crackdown and finagle the courts to remove the DMCA exemptions.

[via Washington Post]

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Toys “R” Us Might Stock iPad 2 Next Month

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 01:30 PM PDT

Before the iPad 2′s launch, we had information that Apple was planning a much larger distribution of the iPad 2 than they had with the original iPad, selling it outside of traditional electronics stores. According to a tip received by the site ModMyi.com, Apple may begin selling the iPad 2 at Toys “R” Us next month. A Toys “R” Us employee supplied pictures and training materials to the site.


The materials include a knowledge test about the iPad 2, and a product knowledge sheet, things you would expect to see prior to the store launching the product.


If this turns out to be the case, it shows that Apple believes the iPad 2 has a broader appeal, and will sell outside of the regular electronics retailers. This is probably a safe bet, and since the retailer sells so much gaming equipment, it is no stranger to selling electronics.

So when you go in to Toys “R” Us to pick out a bike for your kid, you can pick up an iPad 2 while you’re there.

[via The Mac Observer]

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Why You Should Spend More on a TV and Less on Everything Else

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 01:14 PM PDT

Over the past year, I've been slowly but surely upgrading the equipment in my living room. I've decided that I spend enough time there to justify getting a new television, a new surround sound set-up, and all the devices I can pack into the room to enhance my entertainment experience.

Recently, someone asked me what I've learned during the upgrade. They wanted to know what I would have done differently and which decision I made that I believed was best.

Though I'd have to say that I'm quite happy with my new set-up. my realization from the beginning that I should spend more on a television was undoubtedly my best decision.

In the living room, practically everything we do revolves around the television. If we want to watch our favorite shows, we turn on our set. If we have a Blu-ray movie we want to watch, we power our TV on. If we want to listen to music on the Apple TV, we turn our television on. Practically everything we do in the living room that revolves around entertainment requires a television.

So, I set out to find the best set I could. I spent weeks sifting through reviews, narrowing down my options, and determining which television would fit in my budget. Along the way, I kept in mind my central tenet: spend more on the television, and save money on the other stuff.

Now, months after buying my new television I can say that it was the best move I could have made. Everyone who comes to the house is impressed by the picture quality (I calibrated the set to optimize it for my room) and not a single person has even noticed that I cut some corners on the surround sound system and other equipment. They marvel at the television while they fail to realize that I'm fumbling with a handful of remotes, rather than picking up the ultimately too expensive universal option I could have bought if I'd gotten a cheaper television.

For some folks out there, this revelation isn't all that surprising. They realize that buying a top television and saving cash elsewhere is a good move. But I've found that there are far too many out there that don't see value in such a thing. They spend all kinds of money on a set of speakers that deliver outstanding audio quality, but forget that when people are looking at a sub-par picture, everyone is missing out.

Now, I should note that just because a television is more expensive, it doesn't mean that it's better than a cheaper model. In fact, there are a slew of TVs that go for much more than mine did. Like anything else in the tech industry, research can mean the difference between getting the most for your cash and getting burned. But if you have the ability to opt for either a set that's very good or a top-of-the-line TV that's $200 more expensive, opt for the better option and don't buy the Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii you had planned on picking up.

Trust me, spending a little extra on the television and saving the extra cost elsewhere will make you happiest in the long run. And it will undoubtedly deliver the best value for your money.

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Clorox Ditches BlackBerry For iPhone And Android

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 01:05 PM PDT

BlackBerry’s place as the business smartphone of choice is slipping fast with the onslaught of apps and functionalities that rival iOS and Android platforms have to offer. The Clorox Company announced in a speech at the SNW conference yesterday that they are dropping the BlackBerry as their company phone and letting employees choose between iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone 7 devices.

The winning option was Apple, with 92 percent of staff choosing the iPhone, six percent Android, and two percent Windows Phone 7. Apple’s iPad is also being tested among staff, although it has yet to become the winning choice over conventional notebooks.

“Employee satisfaction with the IT team was not great” said Ralph Loura about when he first took over as Clorox CIO a year ago. At the time, the company was standardized on Windows 2000 desktop computers and BlackBerry mobile phones. “If you believe demographic studies, the workforce in their 20s and 30s isn’t going to accept black corporate PCs with black corporate mobile phones and not be allowed to run Facebook or Angry Bird apps.”

Beyond shifting to new devices, the company is also ramping up usage of cloud computing. Loura believes that eventually workflows can be transformed such that staff can use tablets instead of notebooks to run business apps from the cloud.

RIM’s BlackBerry was once dominant at the enterprise level thanks to its emphasis on security and data encryption. However, it seems its lack of apps, web browser deficiencies, and weak “cool” factor may see it lose more and more market share as iOS and Android ramp up data security.

[via Electronista]

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There and Back Again: Turning Plastic Into Oil

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 12:53 PM PDT

We are producing ever larger amounts of plastic waste. There is enough plastic in the Pacific Ocean gyre to fill Texas twice, and there are two trillion pounds of plastic sitting in US landfills. And at the same time, oil prices are going up at a rapid rate. Well, an Oregon company called Agilyx may have a solution to both of these pressing problems. The company has a patented method of converting plastic waste into synthetic crude oil.


Agilyx uses a set of four primary vessels, along with some secondary processing equipment, and can convert 10 tons of plastic into around 2,400 gallons of crude each day. You can see the process step-by-step here. The waste plastic is ground up, placed into a cartridge that is placed inside one of the vessels. Hot air is circulated around the cartridges, melts the plastic, and turns the plastic into a gas. The gas is pulled through a central condensing system, where it is cooled and condensed into synthetic crude. Impurities are filtered out, and gases that don’t condense are made environmentally friendly and released into the atmosphere (this part is a bit scary). Then, the oil can be sold to a refinery, mixed with regular crude oil, and distilled. It could possibly even be made back into plastic again.

This process can’t be used with all plastics, only those made from hydrocarbons, like ABS, polycarbonate, and polypropylene. PVC doesn’t include hydrocarbons, so cannot be used. No word yet on the cost of this process, or how much oil has to cost to make it viable. We hope this becomes mainstream, as it is quite an elegant solution. Getting rid of waste, and producing something useful at the same time. Your old computer, TV, or printer might actually power your car someday. Fantastic!

[via PC World]

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Facebook Announces Open Compute Project

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 12:12 PM PDT

Facebook announced the Open Compute Project today on Facebook live, hoping to share the innovations the company developed at its Prineville, Oregon data center. We watched the company’s press event today at its Palo Alto headquarters, in which CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained that Facebook’s new features have necessitated a more efficient data system. So Facebook has built a new system from the ground up, and they are now opening it up, making the server and data center designs and schematics freely available.


The innovations at the Prineville data center have made the servers 38% more efficient, and 24% less expensive than the previous servers, Facebook’s head of technical operations, Jonathan Heiliger said. Facebook was spending $50 million a year on data centers in 2010, and has invested $200 million in the Prineville center. They are also planning on investing $450 million in another center in North Carolina.

In 2010, Facebook moved to the HipHop PHP compiler it had designed internally, reducing CPU usage by 50%, and improving performance 1.8 times. The company will use a stripped down server chassis, and redesigned power supply. The Oregon center will not use air conditioning, cooling servers with natural air flow. These changes help Open Compute Project centers achieve a better power usage efficiency rating (PUE), which is a ratio of total data center power usage to the power delivered to the computing equipment. The Prineville center has a PUE rating of 1.07, beating the industry standard of 1.5.

Among the companies present at the annoucement were Zynga and Rackspace, which are considering implementing the project at their facilities.

[via Facebook live]
images from Inside Facebook

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FCC Mandates New Data Roaming Rules For AT&T And Verizon

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 11:52 AM PDT

The AT&T buying T-Mobile news that broke over two weeks ago worries many folks, who fear the merger eliminates competitive pricing and shuts out smaller carriers. In response to this concern, the FCC today voted 3-2 in favor of forcing large carriers such as AT&T and Verizon to share their data networks with small regional operators at “commercially reasonable terms.”

It is already mandatory for large carriers to share their voice networks, but today’s announcement will open up their data networks as well. Smaller carriers that do not have their own systems will now be able to demand access for data roaming at lower prices. Should they not be able to reach a “reasonable” roaming agreement with the likes of AT&T and Verizon, small companies can petition the FCC.

You can bet that AT&T and Verizon were fuming about this new ordinance. Verizon responded saying, “Today’s action represents a new level of unwarranted government intervention. By forcing carriers that have invested in wireless infrastructure to make those networks available to competitors that avoid this investment, at a price ultimately determined by the FCC, discourages network investment in less profitable areas. That is directly contrary to the interests of rural America and … it is a defeat for both consumers and the innovation fostered by true competition.”

What do you think of this latest development? Should the government have the power to determine what is “reasonable” when it comes to data roaming agreements between the large carriers and the smaller regional operators?

[via Bloomberg]

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Verizon, AT&T “pleased” with Xoom and Atrix sales

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 11:11 AM PDT

We covered several analyst reports yesterday, saying that the Motorola Xoom and Atrix were sales failures. Not so, say Verizon and AT&T. Verizon issued a statement to Computerworld, stating “We are pleased with customer response to the Xoom.” And AT&T issued a statement saying “Our customers are very satisfied with the Atrix, and we are equally as pleased with the results to date.” Neither company has released sales figures. So what is the real story?


It depends on what you are comparing it to. If sales of the Xoom are to be compared with the Apple iPad, they are certainly disappointing. The first-gen iPad sold 300,000 in the first weekend, and the iPad 2 sold 1 million. In contrast, only 100,000 Xoom tablets have been sold since the launch on February 24th. This sales number was calculated by a Deutsche Bank analyst, using Android usage patterns compiled by developers, and noting that Honeycomb, which runs only on the Xoom, has a user share of 0.2%, equivalent to around 100,000 units.

The Atrix, according to Pacific Crest analyst James Faucette, has sold “well below forecast.” The device, with its laptop dock, has been hurt by the cheaper iPhone 3GS and HTC Inspire.

But then, maybe Verizon and AT&T weren’t expecting much? What is that old saying, “If you expect nothing, you will never be disappointed?” That seems to be the best explanation, other than corporate spin, for Verizon and AT&T’s statements. But until we have definitive sales numbers, we can’t be sure.

[via Computerworld]

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75 Year Old “Spade Hacker” Shuts Down Internet for Two Countries

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 10:41 AM PDT

A 75 year old woman, who was just trying to scrape out a living by digging up copper wire to sell, inadvertently shut down the internet for two countries on March 28. The woman somehow unearthed and cut the fiber optic cable running between Georgia and Armenia, shutting down online access for a good part of the day, 5 hours in Georgia and 12 in Armenia.


She was arrested on evidence from several witnesses, but was "temporarily released due to her old age," ministry spokesman Zurab Gvenetadze of Georgia. She still may face charges, however. The cable, belonging to Georgian Railway Telecom LLC, suffered "massive and catastrophic" damage, according the company spokesman.

Since Georgia provides 90% of Armenia’s internet as well, it was a double play of destruction. The telecom company doesn’t know how the woman came across the cable, which was supposed to be secure, but severe weather and mudslides might have been to blame.

The fiber optic link was installed in 2008, and cost $76 million. The woman was dubbed “the spade hacker” by local media, but has not been otherwise named. She faces up to three years in prison if convicted. But really, she’s 75, and it was a (mostly) honest mistake. Scavenging for copper is common in the former Soviet Union, and some hunters have even been known to use tractors to unearth it.

[via guardian.co.uk]

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HTC Pyramid / HTC Sensation Rumor/Fact Roundup

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 10:15 AM PDT

It appears that HTC really has this Android game by the neck – pulling in thousands of Android lovers into their Sense-ational set of products piece by piece. Case in point: the HTC Pyramid. This is a phone that’s only just been leaked back in February, and the furvor surrounding it has drummed up quite a few requests by you, the viewers, on if and when we’ll be able to give out more information. The information we’ve got is all here, right here in this post. Get triangular up in here, and start clicking.

First, let’s go back to the beginning of this epic tale. It began one cold February afternoon when we happened upon a tip which lead us to an awesome-sounding phone by the name of HTC Pyramid. This phone was set to have a Qualcomm 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon MSM8260 processor and a fat 4.3-inch qHD 960 x 650 display. Sounds good!

Then somewhere in between there and this next story, it was said that the HTC Desire 2 would be the Euro version of this phone. That was proven incorrect by an inventory list leaked to show both the HTC Pyramid and the HTC Desire 2 to be two separate items. This list also showed a stack of other HTC items we’d not heard about at that point, several of them turning up Milhouse just weeks later.

Most of these items turned up at CTIA 2011, a place where we were supposed to also see the Pyramid along with a device called the HTC Doubleshot. Seemed all well and good, that did, but it didn’t happen. Then came a weird whopper right after we got back: HTC Pyramid Revealed as Android 3.0 Honeycomb Phone – this is something we’re extremely hesitant to point to as possible fact, simply because we expect Ice Cream to be the one to provide the bridge between Gingerbread and Honeycomb. Honeycomb is made for tablets, not just giant phones like this one.

Photos begin to be released at this point (in the revealed link) and continue to show up “in the wild.” Then we see another set of photos showing the Pyramid sitting next to the HTC Desire HD, qHD display and front-facing camera in tow. Then yet another source leaked some lovely photos, this time with the big fat battery cover off.

Then two more items, the first being the name quite possibly being HTC Sensation, the name HTC Pyramid having just been a pre-launch code. Possible? I think so! Then an event – coming up on April 12, 2011, an HTC joint where we might very possibly see this device come up!

Are you pumped up? Can you barely contain yourself? It’s a Pyramid Sensation!

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Microsoft Bing iPad App Takes on Safari

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 10:04 AM PDT

Microsoft released Bing mobile for iPad today, the company’s first foray into the world of iPad apps. This app is completely separate from the Bing iPhone and iPod Touch app. The app is centered on search, as you would expect, and it seems to be taking a shot at luring users away from the stock Safari browser. There are some limitations, but also some features that could make it a very useful app.


First, no matter where you are in the app, there is a search bar at the top. The bar is larger than the one found in Safari, and it includes voice search by TellMe. There is also a jump list on the side which includes suggestions, related searches, search history, and a category filter that lets you choose between web searches, or news, video, and image search.

The Bing app lets you do searches quickly, then jump back and forth between search results and destinations pages. The results pages stack, and and you slide your finger across the screen to jump to a different page. The information is saved from session to session, so that you can go through past searches by swiping backwards. There is also a dedicated history section that lists all past searches.

The app also functions as a content aggregator, so you can view weather, movie listings, and news. These are placed as tiles at the bottom of the home screen, and some, like weather and finance, can be customized so that you can see the stock symbols or weather location from the thumbnail. There is also a dedicated news reader showing the top stories by category, which also can be customized to your interests.

The drawbacks are that you can’t bookmark links or send them to a printer (though you can email and copy them), things you can do in Safari. Overall, it seems to be a useful app, and worth giving a try. If you have tried it, let us know what you think. The Bing app will be available on the App Store today.

[via CNet]

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BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 caught in wild

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 09:29 AM PDT

RIM’s 2011 smartphone range just refuses to stay under wraps until the Canadian company officially outs them, and after last week’s BlackBerry Touch (Monaco/Monza) leak, it’s the turn of the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 to get fondled. BGR‘s sources came through with a unit, which is said to be just as solid as you’d hope from a BlackBerry QWERTY device, with the added benefit of a “very responsive” touchscreen.

There’s also a new, large battery – though no word on exactly how large – which should hopefully keep the Bold Touch running for a decent length of time despite the extra input option. No other specs, so we’re going from the the original RIM roadmap leak: a 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor, quadband GSM/dualband UMTS, 5-megapixel camera on the back, and WiFi b/g/n with 2.4GHz/5GHz support and mobile hotspot functionality.

It’s also tipped to be the slimmest BlackBerry ever, though as you can see in the gallery below it’s still not quite at the level of the iPhone 4. As with the Monaco, the Bold Touch 9900 is expected to make its official debut at BlackBerry World in early May, with a retail launch in June or July 2011.

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SlashGear 101: What is AMD Fusion?

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 09:16 AM PDT

AMD’s news this week that it has begun mass production of the next phase of its AMD Fusion range of processors will mark the company’s new assault on Intel: in the lucrative mainstream notebook and desktop segment. Based around AMD’s new APU chips, the company claims Fusion is an entirely new architecture with its own unique advantages over what Intel is pushing. Join SlashGear 101 after the cut to find out what that means, why it’s important, and whether you should be putting Fusion-powered systems on your shopping list.

I’ve heard of a CPU and a GPU, but what’s an APU?

An APU is an “Accelerated Processing Unit”, and at its most basic it’s a mixture of CPU – the core brain of your computer – and GPU – the chip responsible for graphics processing – on a single unit. Although Intel’s new 2011 Core processor range has a basic video chip living on the same core unit as the CPU, AMD has gone one step further and included extra intelligence in how the tasks you ask of your computer are worked on.

So, rather than the CPU being responsible for all general tasks, and the GPU only being called upon to handle what you see on the screen, a system using APUs can assign tasks to both. Some tasks are better handled by the CPU, as is traditional, while other tasks are better handled by the way the GPU can work on multiple problems simultaneously. Although GPUs have been used in this way before, AMD’s Fusion technology is special because it pulls everything together in one place, and so reduces the delay normally found as data shuttles from one part of your computer to another.

AMD calls this “Heterogenius” computing, processing that can take advantage of the best of both CPUs and GPUs, and has branded it AMD Fusion. The first Fusion chips began to show up in netbooks earlier this year, under AMD’s VISION brand.

So is it just for netbooks, then?

Not at all. The first range of Fusion APUs – the C- and E-Series chips – were targeted at netbooks, with relatively low processor speeds and frugal power consumption, but the APU concept ramps up in performance just like a traditional CPU. What AMD has announced today is that its mainstream range of Fusion chips are now in mass production and headed off to notebook and desktop computer manufacturers.

These new Fusion chips are the A-Series, which AMD internally calls “Llano”, and they work in exactly the same way as described before. The difference is, they contain more CPU and GPU power to handle trickier tasks like gaming and video processing, just as the sort of people looking for a mainstream laptop or desktop might be asking for. They also demand more power to run. AMD expects the first computers using these A-Series APUs to go on sale before the end of June 2011.

Why should I care?

AMD argues that, by using the combined brains of the CPU and GPU in everyday computing, users will see their software run quicker without needing a hugely expensive processor. That should mean cheaper netbooks, notebooks and desktop PCs which are still capable of playing games and doing video processing – as well as browsing the internet quickly and doing all the usual Office tasks. If a manufacturer decides to prioritize battery life, then AMD reckons its Fusion chips will be happy sucking just a little juice while still offering the option to play high-definition video.

It’s also important that AMD Fusion is based on open standards for software developers to use. That means more likelihood that your favorite applications will work properly with the Fusion APU’s intelligence, and take advantage of the two kinds of processing on offer.

What’s next?

“Faster” and “frugal” are the two keywords in processors these days, and AMD Fusion is no different. As you’d expect, AMD will be increasing the speed that the CPUs and GPUs in the Fusion chips can run at – that will mean a shorter time to crunch video and other tasks – with lower power consumption so that notebooks and netbooks can run longer on a single charge.

Next in line for release will be AMD’s Fusion chips for performance notebooks and desktops, which the company hopes will take a bite out of Intel’s Core i7 range.

More on Fusion at AMD’s site.

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SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: April 7th, 2011

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 09:05 AM PDT

Welcome to Android Morning – that’s where we are today. Of course, if you like, you could look at a few video games while you’re at it, as we’ve been dipping our fingers into those circuits this morning as well. First let us speak of Google, a group that’s just purchased a content farm – no, server space – no, how about almost half of a German solar power plant? Yes indeed! What’ll you do next, Google, get involved at a government level? I hope so!

Android’s sure to be interesting day starts off with Google’s Andy Rubin insisting that Anti-Fragmentation rumors are FUD. FUD, for those that do not know, means “fear, uncertainty, and doubt,” and refers to a term that means disinformation used to build doubt about one’s competitors. Chris Davies columns all about it. We’re sure Andy is feeling pretty secure with word of Android owning 49% of the smartphone market by the end of 2012.

A couple of bonus tidbits: HTC EVO View 4G back to Gingerbread and
Hands-On with the Samsung Gem on U.S. Cellular and
HTC Pyramid Roundup

Then you’ve got a stack of games waiting for you in Atari’s Greatest Hits being released for iOS. Next, grab yourself your childhood dream in the retro-themed, brand spanking new Commodore 64 keyboard computer. So weird! You need not worry about the Japanese earthquake delaying the release of the NGP. EA gets punched in the face with a class-action suit over football game antitrust – aka EA, YOU MAKE GAMES WAAAY TOO WELL.

And YES you can have your Apple news too: Apple seeks patent for hybrid display which employs e-paper and LCD for a dual-purpose device. Exciting!

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iOS 4.3.2 in under two weeks time tips Apple source

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 08:51 AM PDT

Apple’s minor iOS updates seem to be coming thick and fast, with the latest rumor suggesting iOS 4.3.2 will drop within the next two weeks. According to BGR‘s source, the tweaked firmware will “include a few enhancements” though their exact nature is unspecified.

There’ll also be some security fixes and and a range of bugfixes. iOS 4.3.2 will be for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, though there’s no telling what it might do to the recent untethered jailbreak the iPhone Dev Team has released. The likely suggestion is that users who want to keep their jailbreak should probably hold off from updating to iOS 4.3.2.

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Tobii PCEye adds eye-tracking to your existing monitor

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 08:40 AM PDT

Tobii grabbed headlines back in March with their eye-controlled laptop, using a sensor bar under the display to track eye movement and map it to the mouse cursor. Now the company has a version designed for those people who already have a monitor they’re happy with, the Tobii PCEye, hooked up with a simple USB cable.

As long as you’ve got a 15-20″ monitor you should be able to use the PCEye, though it’s Windows-only at present to OS X users should look elsewhere. Calibration is a one-time, 5-20 second process, and there’s a magnetic VESA mount which allows you to snap the sensor-bar off your monitor and use it elsewhere.

Various apps support the eye-control, including an on-screen keyboard for text entry, and more are reportedly on the way. No word on pricing; we’re checking in with Tobii.

Press Release:

Tobii Unveils Eye Control Device for Personal Computers

The Ability to Control Any Computer Using Only Your Eyes is Now a Reality with Tobii PCEye

Stockholm, Sweden & Dedham MA, USA; April 5th, 2011: Today, Tobii announced the release of the Tobii PCEye, the most advanced stand-alone eye control device on the market, bringing eye control to the standard computer. It is easy to use, highly accurate and portable. It is compatible with a wide range of software for total access to any personal computer.

Tobii PCEye flawlessly translates eye movement to a mouse cursor on a screen. It is primarily designed for those needing an alternative method for controlling a mouse and a computer, such as individuals suffering from impaired motor skills. By simply attaching the device to a computer screen and connecting the USB cable, users can control their entire computer through gazing, blinking or dwelling on an item with their eyes.

"Ease of use, reliability and outstanding performance were our design goals for the PCEye," says Oscar Werner, Executive Vice President at Tobii Assistive Technology. "I believe that we have created a device that satisfies a very important need – those with high cognitive levels and motor skill impairments now have the computer access they need to lead a more independent life."

Computer Access for Everyone with Easy Eye Control
Representing a breakthrough for education leaders and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users, Tobii PCEye now offers eye tracking to a wider range of users.

"The PCEye offers a solution for the most disabled children I work with," says Lee Blemings, founder of Sensory Guru. "For the first time ever, children who can only move their eyes will play physical computer games alongside their able-bodied peers. It is a truly groundbreaking product."

"With Tobii PCEye we can proudly reach out to new, not yet serviced user groups with our AAC products," says Tara Rudnicki, president of Tobii Assistive Technology. "We have already seen massive interest from the Stroke, MND and ALS communities, people in different rehab situations, military veterans, people suffering from progressive muscle weakness or neurodegenerative disorders and education institutions. We are also overwhelmed by the attention we have received from the development community to extend into AAC eye games."

"To have an eye gaze system in our school that will enable our young people to access all software independently will promote independence, learning and self esteem,” says Simon Yeat, head teacher at Chailey Heritage School.

High Performance for All Eye Types
The PCEye utilizes Tobii's leading experience in eye tracking technology, as it can effectively track nearly every user regardless of eye color, lighting conditions, environments or head movement. The "track box", the box that defines the area/volume in which a person’s eyes can be tracked, is also one of the largest on the market.

For more European information on the PCEye please visit: www.tobii.com/pceye

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Fujifilm planning X200 and X300 interchangeable-lens versions of X100?

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 08:20 AM PDT

Salt-cellars at the ready, humans, because it’s camera rumor time. Buoyed by the runaway success of the X100, Fujifilm is reportedly readying both entry-level and interchangeable lens versions. According to Canadian photographer Bob Todrick, a Fuji rep confirmed to him that the X200 – a point-and-shoot version of the X100 – is due for release this fall, while an X300 pro-version will arrive in 2012.

The X300 will support interchangeable lenses, and its release will apparently be dependent on the sales success of the X100 and X200. Given demand for the former is far outstripping supply at present, it doesn’t seem unlikely that the X200 will be similarly popular.

Todrick claims that Fujifilm “have decided to pursue what they call the serious prosumer market” though it’s worth noting that his suggestions are meeting with no small amount of skepticism among some Fuji-fans.

[via 43Rumors and via DPReview]

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Pocketbook 360 Plus ereader plays Doom 2 (who needs ebooks?) [Video]

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 07:43 AM PDT

In the gadget world, you’re nothing until you’ve run Doom, and ereaders aren’t exempt. Luckily Pocketbook’s new 360 Plus has stepped up to the plate and delivered, with a new video demo showing the compact ebook reader running Doom II on its e-ink display.

Video demo after the cut

In fact, this particular flavor of Doom II is based on PrBoom, an open-source project from id Software’s original code. What’s most impressive is the refresh rate; apparently the Pocketbook 360 Plus uses E Ink’s latest Pearl display and a new Freescale processor, which together do away with the flashing black screen we usually associate with ereaders.

Sadly, according to The-e-book, Pocketbook is unlikely to ship the 360 Plus with Doom 2 preinstalled. No word on when exactly the 360 Plus will ship, nor for how much.

[via The-Ebook-Reader]

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Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt: Rubin’s Android Fudge

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 07:01 AM PDT

“I think I’m having a Gene Amdahl moment” Andy Rubin opened his Android openness piece with, referring to the ex-IBM engineer’s notorious “fear, uncertainty and doubt” quote that has matured into a catch-all term shorthand for using disinformation to build doubt around your competitors. To be fair there’s plenty of confusion to go around: claims attributed to OHA partners that Google was prioritizing only those who would kow-tow to its UI demands, attempting to block devices that switched out its own search for that of Microsoft’s Bing, and limiting code access to a cabal of favorites.

Serious allegations when you’ve built your platform on the promise of open access and flexibility. As we pointed out last week, there are several good reasons why Google would benefit from clamping down – at least a little – in the name of anti-fragmentation, but Rubin is keen to validate Android’s free-spirited ethos. Nonetheless, there are holes where we’d like to see facts.

According to Rubin, the openness issue boils down into two main strands. First there’s those who want “to market a device as Android-compatible or include Google applications on the device” – Google has a compatibility requirement checklist that it insists must be satisfied in that case – and second there’s “everything else”, the manufacturers who are “free to modify Android to customize any range of features … to support the unique and differentiating functionality of their products.”

As Rubin sells it, everybody gets Android and it’s up to them to decide down which of the two roads to take it. Problem is, that’s only one small part of the controversy. The companies – and we’re talking significant names here, like LG, Samsung and Toshiba – weren’t saying they couldn’t get hold of the Android source code, they were complaining that they couldn’t necessarily get it quickly or, more accurately, as quick as everybody else. Google, the argument went, was playing favorites, in effect coercing compliance by deciding which of their partners would get access earliest based on their willingness to toe the company line. Everyone is equal, sure, but some are more equal than others, and exactly how equal is supposedly based on what, exactly, you plan on doing to the code.

Rubin also spins the usual hyperbole about how, despite differences, everybody plays together for the greater good. In fact, he seems to have borrowed Steve Jobs’ phrasebook, claiming that “Miraculously, we are seeing the platform take on new use cases, features and form factors as it's being introduced in new categories and regions while still remaining consistent and compatible for third party applications.” It’s a compelling idea: more and more devices running a consistent underlying platform, ever expanding the playground for developers to ply their wares.

Thing is, those very developers recently described fragmentation in the Android ecosystem as a “huge” – or at the very least “meaningful” – problem. In a survey by analyst William Powers, around 57-percent of developers questioned said they believed it was an issue, a number that has in fact grown, not shrunk, in the past three months. True, that’s based on a sample of 250, but it’s not the direction Google might have hoped things would evolve in, and it’s not the promise of things “remaining consistent and compatible for third party applications” that Rubin insists holds true.

Fear of Google isn’t likely to go away any time soon. Like Apple and iOS, they’re the driving force behind Android and – for all they say OEMs are able to go away and modify to their hearts’ content – only HTC has really done that with any great success. Everyone else relies on access to the Android mother-teat, and with the smartphone segment so hotly contested it’s no surprise that there’s uncertainty whether Google has enough nipples to go around.

As for doubt, well, we’re still not convinced that we’re hearing the whole story. Android has demonstrated that openness and equal-access aren’t the same thing, and for all Rubin may have hoped that his “attempt to set the record straight” might lay things to rest, this controversy looks set to continue for some time to come.

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T-Mobile confirms Sidekick 4G and G2x release details

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 06:31 AM PDT

Poor T-Mobile USA. The carrier’s big Sidekick 4G availability surprise had already been scooped by RadioShack at the tail-end of last month, leaving it nothing to do today but blurt out a desultory tweet confirming the April 20 release. Still, it brightens up when it comes to the T-Mobile G2x, which is also due on April 20; pricing details after the cut.

The G2x – which is T-Mobile’s version of the LG Optimus 2X – will be priced at $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, and assuming a new, two-year agreement. It will drop in stores on the 20th but be available online from April 15.

Your money gets you a 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor, 8-megapixel camera and 4.0-inch touchscreen. More details of both phones in our sibling-site’s hands-on of the Sidekick 4G and LG G2x.

[via Android Community]

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Apple hybrid e-paper/LCD display plans tipped in new patent application

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 06:02 AM PDT

Talk of an e-paper based iPad has rumbled around since the reveal of the first-gen model, but so far Apple has proved unwilling to move beyond its multi-purpose IPS LCD display and consider either monochrome or color e-ink panels. According to a freshly published patent application by the company, however, they’ve at least given thought to the merits of electronic paper; in a submission titled “Systems and Methods for Switching Between an Electronic Paper Display and a Video Display” Apple describes a layered display sandwich which would combine traditional LCD and e-paper screens.

Rather than an all-or-nothing choice of either the electronic paper or LCD panels, the screen would be divided into segments which could selectively be set to show one or the other. That could mean video playback on the top half of the screen, using the color LCD, and text underneath, using the e-paper.

The hardware isn’t the only special thing Apple is hoping to patent, however. The submission also describes a system of intelligent switching which would analyze to what extent the on-screen graphics and text were dynamic and moving, deciding between the two panels automatically depending on which is better suited to the content. So, static text would trigger the e-paper display, while video content would activate the LCD display. Alternatively, the color composition of what was being displayed could trigger the change.

What would of course be necessary is an e-paper or LCD display that could be suitably transparent/translucent to allow the other layer to be seen through. Alternatively, Apple could look to technologies like Qualcomm’s mirasol, which offer both the low power consumption and zero-backlighting requirements of traditional e-paper, but can also show color images at video-friendly refresh rates. Still, mirasol and other color e-ink technologies still lack the saturation and refresh rates of LCD.

[via AppleInsider]

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Android to own 49% of smartphone market by end of 2012

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 05:20 AM PDT

Research firm Gartner has released its latest stats for the smartphone market and the company thinks that Android is heading towards a very dominant position in the next year or so. According to the firm Android will own 49% of the smartphone market by 2012. The growth of Android is very impressive over the last few years.

Other tidbits offered up in the report include that Gartner predicts 468 million smartphones will ship this year, which is an increase of 57.7% from the number shipped in 2010. Gartner also pegs the sales of open source handsets to hit a billion by 2015 and to make up 47% of all mobile phone sales.

In 2010, Android had 22.7% of the smartphone market and by 2012 49.2% of the market is predicted for more than double what the OS had in 2010. At the same time, Symbian will drop from 37.6% of the market in 2010 to a mere 5.2% of the market in 2012.

[via Android Community]

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Confirmed: Samsung Galaxy S II set for April launch

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 05:06 AM PDT

We noted yesterday that the rumors going around had the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone not landing until May or June. The original launch date was set for this month. Samsung has now confirmed the launch month for the device via Twitter.

The tweet says that the Galaxy S II will land at retailers in April. The specific launch day isn’t offered, so it could be any time now. What we still don't know is which areas will get what processor. Samsung will use the Tegra 2 chip inside some units and its own Exynos A9 in other areas.

Both of the chips will be clocked at the same 1.2GHz speed. The original clock speed of the processor was set at 1GHz so the 0.2GHz speed bump is a nice addition. I would assume it won’t hurt battery life too much or Samsung would have left the clock speed alone.

[via Android Community] Thanks Carl!

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EA smacked with class-action suit over football game antitrust

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 05:04 AM PDT

EA Games is the subject of a new class action lawsuit, which alleges that the game publisher has been violating antitrust and consumer protection laws with its Madden NFL, NCAA Football and Arena Football League titles since 2005. According to the suit, Electronic Arts’ exclusivity licenses with the National Football League (NFL), National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA), National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and Arena Football League (AFL) left no room for competition and allowed them to overcharge for games.

EA, unsurprisingly, argues that [pdf link] it has done nothing wrong, and that it’s up to each organization to license out its IP as it sees fit. It’s requesting that the suit be thrown out and that it be granted damages to cover its costs.

As ever in these class action suits, it’s usually the lawyers that are the real winners. Even if the courts find EA has been acting anti-competitively, the actual amount of money that each Madden NFL, NCAA Football or Arena Football League buyer will receive – after the legal team takes its cut – is likely to be minimal. Nonetheless, there’s plenty of discussion all over the gaming forums, and the three titles sold well over the past six years, so this one doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon.

[Thanks Matt!]

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Sony says Japanese disaster won’t delay launch of NGP

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 03:41 AM PDT

A few days ago, we mentioned that the Sony NGP might be delayed due to production issues resulting from the disaster in Japan right now. The story of delays in the next portable console from Sony started with Bloomberg and now Sony is saying that the Bloomberg report was not correct.

According to Sony spokesman Satoshi Fukuoka the launch of the NGP is on track. The console is still on track to launch with its original time line. The Bloomberg story claimed that the NGP might only be launched in one of the three major regions Sony was targeting in Asia, Europe, and the US.

Fukuoka said that Sony has never stated that the NGP would launch in all three regions at the same time. That means that the NGP may in fact only launch in one of the areas just as Bloomberg noted. Fukuoka said, “So far we see no impact from the quake on our launch plan.”

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Google buys 49% of German solar power plant

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 03:28 AM PDT

Google has big dreams and it’s much more than a search engine that it started out as. We all know the company branched off into the smartphone market with Android and is doing very well and it has a lot more up its sleeves. Google is also heavily into alternative energy.

The search giant has announced that it has invested €3.5 million into a solar photovoltaic power plant in Germany. The transaction will require formal approval by German regulators before it is complement and the deal is subject to customary closing conditions. The plant sits on 116 acres in Brandenburg an der Havel near Berlin and has a peak capacity of 18.65MWp making it one of the largest solar plants in Germany.

The facility will be able to provide clean power to more than 5,000 homes in the area and the site of the solar plant was formerly a Russian army training ground. This marks the first clean energy project investment outside of the US for Google. Google purchased 49% of the plant from Capital Sage AG.

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iRobot 110 is a remote controlled spy robot

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 03:11 AM PDT

Combine a robot with a spy camera and I am interested. This is exactly what iRobot has done with its cool new iRobot 110 bot. This thing is no kid’s toy, it is designed for military and police use as a bot that is easy to transport and can be used to get valuable intel on a location without putting someone in danger.

The little bot rides on tank treads that are rubber and the one you see in the pics here is the first of its kind. The bot is waterproof to depths of up to three feet and it is strong enough that it can survive 15-foot drops. I guess that means you could just throw this thing over a fence to see what’s on the other side. It has a pair of outriggers that can flip it back over in the event it crashes.

The controller is a wrist wearable box that has a LCD screen on it that allows the driver to view the video generated by the four cameras that are on the machine. The device itself is quite small with a weight of five pounds and ten inches in length. It also has full audio so you can hear what the bad people are saying. It runs on internal batteries that are good for six hours of eavesdropping per charge.

[via Technabob]

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Commodore gives its new computer its old-school brown 80′s skin

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 02:59 AM PDT

Way back in the 80′s when I was a little geek I wanted a Commodore 64 so bad I could hardly stand it. My parents wouldn't spring for the beast back then and I ended up with the TI-99/4A and remained bitter about it each time I went to the store and saw all the cool games Commodore 64 had. I mentioned last summer that the Commodore name was coming back and like most things from my youth be it a movie or toys commodore has decided to go retro with the new machine.

Details of the new Commodore started to surface again this week. The company has decided to go retro in a big way and has given the new machine the same skin as the old 80′s computer and I love it. The thing looks like the 80′s computer on the surface, but underneath it’s all modern. The new Commodore is cheaper than the original that sold for nearly $600 back in the day, at least in some of its new iterations.

The official price ranges from $250 to $900. Inside the beast are an Intel D525 processor, Intel NM10 chipset and ION 2 Graphics. The machine gets up to 4GB of RAM, Realtek 6-ch audio, and it has dual SATA 2 ports inside for storage. You can see from the pics that the thing has a CD drive and a memory card reader along with all the outputs we expect from a modern computer on the back. The machine has a heck of a price range and I don't note options that would drive the price up $650.

Commodore CEO Barry Altman says that the response to the machine has been “completely dramatic.” I am not surprised, there are hoards of geeks that were in grade school like me when this thing came out that couldn't hope to afford the $600 price tag in the 80′s that can certainly plunk down the loot this thing demands today.

[via NYT]

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IOIO Android breakout board makes your phone a DIY gadget brain

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 02:11 AM PDT

We’ve covered SparkFun electronics before on SlashGear, but with the new IOIO for Android the company has really excelled itself. A USB-connected I/O breakout interfact board for Android smartphones and tablets, it basically turns your phone into an Arduino-style electronics hub, linking external sensors, inputs and controls to your custom apps via a simple Java API.

So, you could hook up the IOIO for Android and a couple of heat sensors, and whip up an app that measures room temperature and then emails you if it’s getting too hot. Thanks to a range of I/O choices – including Digital Input/Output, PWM, Analog Input, I2C, SPI and UART control – you could also connect your home thermostat to automatically adjust the heating in response.

Basically, your programming abilities are the limit, and as we’ve seen with Android developers there’s no shortage of clever ideas out there. SparkFun have tested the IOIO for Android with the Nexus S and Nexus One, T-Mobile G1 and Motorola DROID X, as well as an unspecified tablet, but it should play nicely with anything running OS 1.5 or above. It’s available for pre-order now, priced at $49.95.

[via Android Community]

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Motorola XOOM 3G follows WiFi model in pre-launch price cut

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 01:42 AM PDT

After the WiFi-only Motorola XOOM saw a pre-emptive price cut in the UK yesterday, with retailer Dixons scything off £20 ahead of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet’s launch, rival Carphone Warehouse has no done the same with their 3G XOOM exclusive. Expected to arrive in mid-April, the XOOM 3G is now £579.99 contract-free.

Alternatively – and if you’re willing to sign up for a data agreement – they’ll (eventually) sell you a XOOM 3G for £199.99 on a £25 per month contract with “unlimited internet.” Either way you get the charging dock free.

Motorola looks like it may have the Honeycomb market to itself in the UK for a short period, but after that things will hot up. Vodafone is readying the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1V and other carriers will be looking to Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Tab 8.9 to make their own play for the segment.

Press Release:

The Carphone Warehouse announces price cut on the Motorola XOOM 3G

The Carphone Warehouse is today announcing it will be reducing the price of the Motorola XOOM 3G with Wifi to £579.99. The new lower price will be available exclusively online at The Carphone Warehouse. Set to launch in-store launch in mid-April, the Motorola XOOM is the world's first tablet to offer Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb delivering an improved user experience on Android favourites such as multi-tasking, browsing and notifications.

With a brand new tariff from Talkmobile, the tablet is also available with unlimited internet access for £199.99 on a £25 per month contract. The deal also entitles customers to a free charging dock worth £34.99.

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Atari’s Greatest Hits arrives in App Store: 100 classic games for $14.99

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 01:21 AM PDT

You want to know what’s awesome? Atari is awesome. You want to know what’s even more awesome? How about 100 classic Atari games, reformatted for iPhone and iPad, and available in their glorious retro entirety from the App Store [Tunes link] for a mere $14.99. 18 Atari arcade titles, 92 Atari 2600 games, and even some new fangled Bluetooth for multiplayer fun.

The core Atari Greatest Hits app is a free download, and then you have a choice of in-app purchases covering the 100 games. Twenty-five individual packs of four titles can be bought for $0.99 each, or you can have the lot for $14.99.

The full list of packs and individual titles is below, along with indications as to whether Atari has updated them to support Bluetooth multiplayer modes with other iOS device owners. There’s even original cabinet and box art.

[via TouchArcade]

Asteroid Pack
1. Asteroid
2. Asteroid Deluxe
3. Asteroids 2600
4. Canyon Bomber – Bluetooth Multiplayer
Battlezone Pack
1. Battlezone
2. Red Baron
3. Air-Sea Battle – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
4. Submarine Commander
Centipede Pack
1. Centipede
2. Millipede
3. Centipede 2600
4. Millipede 2600
Black Widow Pack
1. Black Widow
2. Space Duel – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
3. Desert Falcon
4. Space War
Crystal Castles Pack
1. Crystal Castles
2. Crystal Castls 2600
3. Surround – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
4. Maze Craze
Gravitar Pack
1. Gravitar
2. Gravitar 2600
3. Radar Lock
4. Demons to Diamonds – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
Star Raiders Pack
1. Star Raiders
2. Liberator
3. Star Ship – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
4. Human Cannonball
Missile Command Pack
1. Missile Command
2. Missile Command 2600
3. Fun with Numbers
4. Flag Capture – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
Lunar Lader Pack
1. Lunar Lander
2. Sky diver – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
3. Video Pinball
4. Code Breaker
Super Breakout Pack
1. Super Breakout
2. Breakout – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
3. Off – the – Wall
4. Circus Atari – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
Tempest Pack
1. Tempest – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
2. Tempest 2600 – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
3. Outlaw
4. Atari Video Cube
Majar Havoc Pack
1. Major Havoc
2. Secret Quest
3. Sentinel
4. Yars Revenge – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
Warlords Pack
1. Warlords – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
2. Warlords 2600
3. Combat – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
4. Combat 2 – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
Adventure Pack
1. Adventure
2. Haunted House
3. Return to Haunted House
4. Save Mary
Tic-Tac-Toe Pack
1. 3d Tic-Tac-Toe
2. A game of concentration
3. Backgammon
4. Brain Games
Fatal Run Pack
1. Fatal Run
2. Dodge 'Em
3. Night Driver
4. Street Racer – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
Quadrun Pack
1. Quadrun
2. Slot Racers – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
3. Stellar Track
4. Math Gran Prix
Casino Pack
1. Casino – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
2. Slot Machine
3. Video Checkers
4. Video Chess
Sword Quest Pack
1. Swordquest Earthworld
2. Swordquest Fireworld
3. Swordquest Waterworld
4. Sprintmaster
Championship Soccer Pack
1. Championship Soccer – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
2. Golf
3. Double Dunk
4. Basketball
Football Pack
1. Football – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
2. Home Run
3. Miniature Golf
4. Bowling
Real Sports Basketball Pack
1. Realsports Basketball – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
2. Realsports Boxing – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
3. Realsports Tennis – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
4. Realsports Baseball – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
Real Sports Football Pack
1. Realsports Football – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
2. Realsports Soccer – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
3. Realsports Vollyball – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
4. Video Olympics – BLUETOOTH MULTIPLAYER
Battlezone Pack
1. Battlezone 2600
2. Super Breakout 2600
3. Super Baseball
4. Super Football
Hangman Pack
1. Hangman
2. Black Jack
3. Steeplechase

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Samsung Galaxy Tab WiFi finally gets US price & release date

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 01:09 AM PDT

Samsung’s struggles with the original 7-inch Galaxy Tab would have been much simplified, many believed, if the company brought out a WiFi-only version of the slate, just as Apple did from the get-go with the iPad. Unfortunately it’s taken Samsung five to six months to delivery the Samsung Galaxy Tab WiFi (GT-P1010/W16), but at least now we have an official US release date and price.

As of April 10 the WiFi-only version of the Android tablet will show up in stores, priced at $349.99. That’s $150 more than the lowest prices of the 3G-enabled models, though of course the carriers will insist on you taking out a two-year data plan, which bumps the overall cost considerably.

In terms of functionality, it’s basically the same single-core Froyo slate as we’ve seen on several occasions, only relying on WiFi for its connectivity. Check out our original Samsung Galaxy Tab review for more details. The WiFi Galaxy Tab went on sale in the UK at the end of March, priced at £299 ($488).

[via Android Community]

Press Release:

Samsung Galaxy Tab™ Available for Purchase at Multiple Retail Stores and Online Outlets

Consumers receive chance to purchase WiFi-only version of Samsung's award-winning Android™ platform mobile tablet

DALLAS, April 6, 2011–Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.1, announced today that several retail stores and Web sites will carry the WiFi-only Samsung Galaxy Tab™ by April 10, offering customers the opportunity to buy this powerful and compact mobile tablet for $349.99. Consumers can visit http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab for a complete list of retail outlets selling the WiFi Galaxy Tab.

The Galaxy Tab is powered by the Android™ 2.2 platform and has a 7-inch TFT display with a 1024 x 600 resolution. The super-light and sleek device weighs just 13 ounces, is 12 millimeters thin and easily fits in a pocket or purse. The Galaxy Tab includes 32 GB of internal storage and offers microSD expansion to allow for up to 32 GB of additional storage.

"We are excited to have the WiFi version of the Galaxy Tab join our growing portfolio of Galaxy-branded devices," said Dale Sohn, President of Samsung Mobile. "The 7-inch Galaxy Tab is the first truly mobile tablet on the market, allowing users to comfortably hold the device in one hand while typing or navigating the Web with the other."

Outstanding Entertainment Options

The Galaxy Tab supports Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 to deliver an enhanced content experience and allow users to engage with thousands of sites with rich Adobe Flash Player compatible applications and content including games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, video, music and more. Plus, the device is designed with a rear-facing 3 megapixel camera for taking pictures on-the-go, and a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and camcorder for video chat.

In addition, the Galaxy Tab includes access to Media Hub, Samsung's own content service, offering a vast lineup of critically acclaimed films and TV programs for rent or purchase. The biggest and best names in entertainment, including CBS, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, Paramount and Warner Bros. provide new release movies, next day TV episodes and full TV show seasons to the robust Media Hub library. Media Hub also promotes content sharing, including the ability to send purchased films and TV programming to as many as five devices that carry the Media Hub application.
Google Services & Social Hub

Services like Google Maps™ Navigation and Google Goggles are available on Google's Android platform. With useful location-based services like Google Maps™, consumers can search in Standard English instead of entering an exact address. A search-by-voice function is just as intuitive, meaning searches can also be completed easily on the go. Google Goggles™ is a powerful, visual search tool that uses the Samsung GALAXY Tab's camera to uncover information – an image of a landmark or artwork is automatically used to perform a search, delivering relevant content like a description or history. In addition, with a camera, users can enjoy various augmented reality services which are downloadable in the application market. Plus, Galaxy Tab users have full access to more than 150,000 applications available for download from the Android Market™.

The Galaxy Tab keep users organized and connected with Samsung's Social Hub application. Social Hub works with the user's Messaging and Contacts to initiate the sending and receiving of information, whether it is e-mail, instant messaging, social network updates or SMS messages. Additionally, calendar information from portal calendars, such as Google Calendar, and social networking services are displayed together in one calendar with two-way synchronization.

Samsung Galaxy Product Portfolio
The WiFi Galaxy Tab joins other popular products under the premium Samsung Galaxy brand, including the upcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy 8.9, Galaxy Player 5.0 and Galaxy Player 4.0 and the portfolio of Galaxy S smartphones.

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.samsungwireless.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital
media and digital convergence technologies with 2009 consolidated sales of US$116.8
billion. Employing approximately 174,000 people in 193 offices across 66 countries, the
company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile
Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital
Imaging, 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.

Android is a trademark of Google, Inc.

1 Number

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.

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Apple delays BlackBerry PlayBook after touchscreen sweep tip insiders

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 12:57 AM PDT

Apple inadvertently – but, we imagine, with no great remorse – delayed RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook release by a month, according to the latest leaks from Taipei, with touchscreen shortages once again rearing their heads. According to DigiTimes‘ sources, RIM’s original launch schedule was pushed back when it was realized that Apple had already booked most of the available capacity for touch panel production.

Market watchers have warned of touch panel shortages for several months now, with the increase in demand from tablets such as Apple’s iPad and iPad 2, along with Android rivals from Samsung, Motorola and others, all resulting in an industry-wide scarcity. Apple is believed to have used its significant cash advantage to secure the lion’s share of supplies, leaving rivals to scurry to pick up what they need for their own products.

It’s not the first component delay we’ve heard of impacting the PlayBook. RIM’s original chipset partner was apparently Marvell, but the company jumped ship to the Texas Instruments OMAP4430 mid-development. The change in processor reportedly added an extra six months to the development schedule.

RIM is holding a PlayBook launch event on April 14; SlashGear will be there to bring you back all the details.

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HTC $33.88bn market cap bests Nokia as smartphone maker skyrockets

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 12:43 AM PDT

HTC has exceeded Nokia’s market cap, having grown more than 30 times in value in the past five years. Now at $33.88bn – versus Nokia’s $32.84bn – the smartphone manufacturer is also larger than Canadian rival RIM, at $28.5bn.

“Market cap“, or the stock market value of a firm, is the value of a publicly traded company based on multiplying its share price by the number of shares outstanding. The amount of company value still retained outside of publicly traded shares is not incorporated.

The strong HTC performance is credited to a solid portfolio of devices over the past few years, and the early – and broad – adoption of Android which has seen the two brands closely interlinked for many. Whether Nokia can change things with the launch of its first Windows Phone devices in early 2012 remains to be seen.

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Android still open insists Google’s Andy Rubin; Anti-fragmentation rumors are FUD

Posted: 07 Apr 2011 12:28 AM PDT

Google’s Andy Rubin has stepped up to address concerns over Android fragmentation and rumors that the search giant is clamping down on modifications to the open-source OS. Challenging reports last week that Google had embarked on a new, stricter policy toward manufacturers altering Android, giving priority to those companies who left the OS in its untampered state, Rubin insisted that there was no “one size fits all” solution and that the delay in releasing the Android 3.0 Honeycomb source code “does not represent a change in strategy.”

Instead, Rubin says, Android developers are “still hard at work to bring all the new Honeycomb features to phones” and that “as soon as this work is completed, we'll publish the code.” As for talk of preventing modifications in the name of anti-fragmentation, Rubin argues that the program has in fact been in place since Android 1.0, and that all of the founding Open Handset Alliance members signed up to the policy back in 2007.

Manufacturers are free to modify Android, he insists, but if they want to use the suite of Google apps then they must adhere to a set of basic compatibility requirements. “Miraculously,” Rubin says, “we are seeing the platform take on new use cases, features and form factors as it's being introduced in new categories and regions while still remaining consistent and compatible for third party applications.” It’s not clear how that sits with developers recently describing Android fragmentation as a “huge” problem.

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The Daily Slash : April 6, 2011

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 08:28 PM PDT

Welcome back, Gadgeteers! Today we’ve got a brand new format for SlashGear for you all and we’re super pumped about it! There’s been a lot of action going on in the recent past and this right here is the place where you’re gonna find out about it! Before we begin though, I must have you peek at both of our brand new startup Facebook groups – it’s like we’re starting fresh! [facebook.com/slashgear.com] and [facebook.com/androidcommunity.com] We’d love for you to like us and promise a fabulous experience. Believe it! Next we’ve got a whole tiny stash today of exclusive and otherwise awesome contents for your consumption – mount up!

First let me give you a swift overview of some of the reviews we’ve had not only today, but over the past week or so. Wouldn’t want you to miss a flagship!
Nintendo 3DS [Nintendo]
HTC Desire S [Android]
Bose Bluetooth Headset [Smartphones with Bluetooth]
Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY [Android]
HTC Arrive [Windows Phone 7]
T-Mobile Nokia C7 [Symbian]

Then there’s pure Android with Android Community!
SPB Shell 3D Home Screen Replacement
Tango Video Chat for ThunderBolt
Samsung Galaxy S 4G
Dell Venue
Guerilla Bob on Motorola XOOM
Weatherbug for Honeycomb
Vendetta Online MMORPG

Next I’ve just got to tell you all about our new Android Community logo – it’s so mad, you cannot possibly resist. So much so that we just had to have a free embroidered polo shirt giveaway contest. Check out all the info on the logo [right here.]

Then it’s time to go to SCHOOL, fool! Two lessons in Android you’re NEVER gonna forget: first you’ve got to read our Android 101 on what brands have to do to get approval from Google for Android. Then take a trip down breakdown lane with Android Remains Open, Android Remains Powerful. And while we’re here, take a peek at our EXCLUSIVE LEAK of the Kyocera Katsura gaming tablet.

Next it’s time for some personalization. Columns from the top minds in this streetwise field of electronics and mobile electronics:
For a gadget reviewer, I’m rubbish at advice – Chris Davies
Cutting the Cords – Philip Berne
Smartphone Screens: How Big is Too Big? – Avi Greengart
How Apple Can Become the Next Gaming Giant – Don Reisinger
Want to Hear a Great Story? – Ben Bajarin

Continue down the path into dreamland with Ben as he explores BlueStacks: Android for Windows followed by The Disruptive Potential of the Amazon App Store and his Two Concerns for Android.

Then lemme throw three curveballs your way: SG Comics Presents: Google & CNN Face Recognition Interview and a big fat invitation ticket to two events:
HTC April 12th [Pyramid? Honeycomb?]
and
BlackBerry April 14th [PlayBook!]

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BlackBerry PlayBook Event Invite Sent to Press

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:47 PM PDT

We’ve been pumped up about this device for what seems like an eternity. The BlackBerry PlayBook, now an unlikely hero in an intensely rapidly expanding and changing tablet market. What this event will certainly contain is a formal introduction to the near-final build of the PlayBook itself along with a demo and possibly the chance to bring one or two of the little beauts home with us. This event is going to be taking place April 14th at 6PM EST in New York, NY.


What’s possibly the most exciting announcement in recent history about this particular RIM device is its amazing ability to support Android apps. Take a peek at the story on this being reported back on March 24th, 2011, and wonder aloud to yourself how well it’ll handle Enzo’s Pinball. Then wonder with us if we’ll be looking at the 16, 32, or 64GB model at the event, and if the $499 pricetag is going to stick.

Perhaps we’ll see if the insides have changed enough to stave off HP representatives calling copy foul, and how far developers have gotten with the simulator. No matter what, we’re looking at a rather big product launch here, ladies and gentlemen, a rather large launch indeed. We’ll be there live!

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iPad 2 StealthArmor Mini Review Application Demo

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 05:35 PM PDT

It is here and now that yours truly takes the time to apply a brand new StealthArmor armored skin to the iPad 2. This is a special cut skin, precision machined as all StealthArmor skins are, to fit the device precisely. Therefore, precise movement and craftsman smooth movements are needed to apply the skin to the iPad 2 correctly. You’ll see your humble narrator apply this orange skin twice, one screw up resulting in a tiny misalignment that needed a full start-over. That DOES show you though that the skin is indeed removable – re-applicable to multiple devices if you for some reason have the need, or have a tough time applying in the first place.

These skins are thick, protecting your device from essentially anything, including a key to the face. Included in each package is a front and a back skin, this demo including the back in its entirety, plus the four little nubbins around the corners. What the nubbins consist of is a little extra corner cut off where the skin doesn’t quite bend correctly otherwise. You’ve got to apply each of these extra bits of skin on after your biggest piece is fully applied.

To make these final bits stick correctly, you’ll need a bit of heat. To get heat, probably you’ll want to grab a blowdryer from your closet and get to blasting. This will have no ill effect on your iPad 2, mind you, it’s just a bit of heat. Once you’ve got your corners on, you’re done! Such a simple process, and now you’ve got a hardcore protective armor on your iPad 2 with no worries for the future!

A couple of notes: the only thing we don’t really like about this whole process is the corners. Applying heat isn’t our favorite thing to do in any process, much less something like technology like this where heat is generally a bad sign. That said, we love the strength of the skin, and the ability to take the skin off and re-apply, even after a length of time, that’s just fabulous.

You can purchase your very own iPad 2 StealthArmor kit now from Fusion of Ideas. They cost right around $35 now for a limited time, going up to $45 once they’re fully available. Currently you’ll have to [pre-order]

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Microsoft And Toyota Bringing The Cloud To Cars

Posted: 06 Apr 2011 04:34 PM PDT

Microsoft and Toyota jointly announced today their partnership to invest 1 billion yen (about $12 million) to bring telematics to your next-generation Toyota vehicle by harnessing the Windows Azure cloud platform. And in case you’re unfamiliar, telematics is the fusing of telecomunnications and information technologies in vehicles.

The joint telematics system will first appear in 2012 Toyota electric and plug-in hybrid cars and will provide energy management, GPS systems, and multimedia technologies. By 2015, when Microsoft’s global cloud platform is set to complete, these next-gen vehicles will be able to connect to servers from around the world.

This adds a whole new segment to mobile computing ecosystems. Thus far, a harmonious ecosystem has been focused on the fusing of smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and computers. But now, we can add vehicles to that environment. There could be an iPhone or Android app, or in this case a Windows Phone 7 app, to remotely start your Toyota or even help monitor the energy levels of your plug-in vehicle.

Press release:

Microsoft and Toyota Announce Strategic Partnership on Next-Generation Telematics
Microsoft and Toyota to participate in 1 billion yen investment in Toyota Media Service Co.

REDMOND, Wash., and TOYOTA CITY, Japan — April 6, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) today announced they have forged a strategic partnership and plan to build a global platform for TMC's next-generation telematics services using the Windows Azure platform. Telematics is the fusing of telecommunications and information technologies in vehicles; it can encompass GPS systems, energy management and other multimedia technologies.

As part of the partnership, the two companies plan to participate in a 1 billion yen (approximately $12 million) investment in Toyota Media Service Co., a TMC subsidiary that offers digital information services to Toyota automotive customers. The two companies aim to help develop and deploy telematics applications on the Windows Azure platform, which includes Windows Azure and Microsoft SQL Azure, starting with TMC's electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2012. TMC's goal is to establish a complete global cloud platform by 2015 that will provide affordable and advanced telematics services to Toyota automotive customers around the world.

As part of its smart-grid activities, aimed at achieving a low-carbon society through efficient energy use, TMC is conducting trials in Japan of its Toyota Smart Center pilot program, which plans to link people, automobiles and homes for integrated control of energy consumption. TMC believes that, as electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles become more popular, such systems will rely more on telematics services for achieving efficient energy management.

Microsoft has a long history of delivering platforms and services to the automotive market, including in-car infotainment systems built on the Windows Embedded Automotive platform, in-car mapping services with Bing and the Microsoft Tellme voice application, and many other consumer solutions.

"Today's announcement of our partnership with TMC is a great example of how we continue to invest in the automotive industry and of our commitment to power the services that are important to consumers," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "It further validates the power of the cloud, as the Windows Azure platform will provide the enterprise-grade, scalable platform that TMC needs to deliver telematics in its automobiles worldwide."

"This new partnership between Microsoft and Toyota is an important step in developing greater future mobility and energy management for consumers around the world. Creating these more efficient, more environmentally advanced products will be our contribution to society," said Akio Toyoda, president of TMC. "To achieve this, it is important to develop a new link between vehicles, people and smart center energy-management systems."

Virtual Press Conference Information

Following a signing ceremony today at Microsoft's Redmond, Wash.-based headquarters, Ballmer and Toyoda will hold a virtual press conference online from 1 to 2 p.m. PDT. Media can register for the event at http://www.studiosevent.com/press-event and ask questions of both company leaders. More information on the announcement is available at the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/newscenter or the Toyota USA Newsroom at http://www.toyotanewsroom.com.

About Toyota

Founded in 1937, TMC (NYSE "TM") is a global automotive company with production in 27 countries and sales in more than 170 countries. Founded in 2000 as a wholly owned subsidiary of TMC, Toyota Media Service is a consumer IT service provider for Toyota automotive customers that actualizes the connected, in-car experience.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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