Senin, 18 April 2011

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

Microsoft Photosynth Panorama App With Bing Maps Goes iOS Before WP7

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 03:20 PM PDT

Microsoft seems to be on a roll lately launching apps on iOS prior to its own platform Windows Phone 7. After having recently launched a Bing Maps app for the iPad, Microsoft today unveiled a smart panorama photo stitching app for the iPhone and iPad called Photosynth. The app was previously limited to the Windows desktop environment and online, but made its leap today to mobile devices.

Photosynth uses an intelligent auto-stitching process that creates panoramic images beyond horizontal spans to full spherical 360 degree views that can then be easily shared via Facebook, Bing maps, or a freely hosted Photosynth.net account. The video below demonstrates the power and ease of the app.

It’s interesting that Microsoft chose to launch the app on iOS prior to its own WP7. It shows that they acknowledge the importance of having a foot hold on the iOS platform if it wants the app to reach the most users. Until it can get WP7 up to speed and hopefully soon with its Mango update, we may expect to see more Microsoft apps released on iOS first. The app is optimized for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and 4th generation iPod touch, although it will also work on the iPad 2. It is available now for free download at the App Store.

[via TNW]

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3D TV’s All Over the Place, Really?

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 03:05 PM PDT

Most new-TV’s coming out next year are going to be featuring 3D technology. Many of them are going to be featuring the active-shutter style of 3D, where instead of the red/cyan (pictured) or polarized glasses there is some kind of device that blocks each eye at the same time the specific image on the screen is projected in turn to produce the three dimensional effect. Really? I thought we’d all passed on this terrible idea back when everyone stopped using the VirtualBoy.

Consumer Reports had these interesting numbers about the TV’s announced for next year. The vast majority of the new sets coming out are going to feature some kind of 3D. And most of it is going to be this active shutter style stuff. Though LG is working on the polarized glasses style of display. And there are going to be a few that feature auto-stereoscopic displays.

Based on an unofficial assessment of the new-product announcements we’ve so far seen this year, anywhere from 60 to almost 75 percent of a manufacturer’s TV lineup will include 3D capability. For example, 23 of LG Electronics’ 31 announced TVs this year will include 3D (74 percent), and 23 of the 37 TVs Sony has so far unveiled this year will have 3D (62 percent of its lineup). Panasonic (70 percent) and Samsung (60 percent) also follow this trend.

I’ve been unimpressed with 3D for about as long as I can remember and I am somewhat irked that this idea seems to be taking hold. Don’t get me wrong, a full-on holographic display would be super keen, but these faux 3D trick of the eye things usually just give me a headache. This even happened with the latest 3D movies I’ve gone to see, Coraline comes to mind. Call me a cynic, but it looks like the industry is grabbing hold of this as the latest-and-greatest feature that they can slap into a TV to charge you another couple of bucks. Until we have a Holodeck, I’ll stick to going outside for my three dimensional fix.

[via Consumer Reports]

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ITC Staff Backs HTC, Nokia in Apple Patent Case

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 02:07 PM PDT

The U.S. International Trade Commission recommended that HTC and Nokia should not be found liable of patent infringement vs Apple Inc. Today marked the start of an ITC trial in Washington where Apple is attempting to ban imports of HTC’s mobile phones into the US. They are also moving to block imports of some Nokia devices. This recommendation is not binding, but it does mark the bureaucratic position of the US government, ostensibly the will of the people, in this matter.

HTC and Apple have been duking it out over this for a while. Apple levied this suit in the beginning of March, last year. At this point, there are more than a dozen cases up in front of the ITC involving smartphones. Apple is fighting hard to protect it’s patents. Some of them were applied for as many as 17 years ago, which means they’re due to expire in a couple of years anyway. As of 1995, patents last twenty years.

"Advances in technology have made the patent moot," Pat Flinn of Alston & Bird of Atlanta said of the Apple patent for signal processing (#5848105). "The Apple iPhone doesn't practice the patent." The patent number there is also a link to the patent document on Google’s patent website. It’s all legalesed techno-greek to me. The ITC complaint is In the Matter Of Certain Personal Data and Mobile Communications Devices and Related Software, 337-710, U.S. International Trade Commission (Washington).

[via Bloomberg]

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Third Windows Phone update coming May 3 2011

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 02:02 PM PDT

Microsoft’s third Windows Phone update is due to be released on May 3 2011, addressing a recently discovered security issue that could see users of WP7 handsets open to phishing attacks or content spoofing. The update, a source with inside information told SlashGear, is described as a security certificate fix, closing a loophole around compromised third-party certificates issued by Comodo.

Microsoft revealed the security problem in late March, after certification authority Comodo informed them that nine certificates had been signed “without sufficiently validating” the relevant third-party identity. Comodo revoked the certificates, and Microsoft released a patch for desktop versions of its Internet Explorer browser.

However, that left the version of IE on Windows Phone 7 handsets unpatched, something this new update looks to address. It’s unclear whether the update will be released via the Zune software, as per the two previous firmware changes, or as an OTA update direct to handsets.

Affected websites:

  • login.live.com
  • mail.google.com
  • www.google.com
  • login.yahoo.com (3 certificates)
  • login.skype.com
  • addons.mozilla.org
  • “Global Trustee”

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Apple Sues Samsung Over Galaxy Series Phones And Tablets

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:42 PM PDT

There may be a huge epic legal battle brewing between electronics giants Apple and Samsung. Apple has just filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics claiming the Korean company is copying the “look and feel” of their iPhone and iPad. The suit targets the Galaxy series including the Galaxy S smartphone line of Nexus S, Galaxy S 4G, and Epic 4G along with the Galaxy Tabs.

Apple filed the lawsuit on April 15 in the Northern District of California stating that specific Samsung products—as listed above—violated Apple’s intellectual property infringing on a number of the company’s patents. The filing document claims that Samsung not only copied the hardware shape, but copied core technology to even the screen icons. A glance at Apple’s 2009 and 2010 patents juxtaposed with Samsung’s Galaxy devices does show an astounding resemblance.

“Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple’s technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products,” the lawsuit said.

Apple is seeking injunctions, actual damages, punitive damages, and a finding of willful infringement.

"It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging," said an Apple representative. "This kind of blatant copying is wrong, and we need to protect Apple's intellectual property when companies steal our ideas."

This will surely complicate the relationship between the two companies, as Samsung currently supplies various components for Apple’s iOS devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod—touch, nano, and shuffle— as well as the flash components in Apple’s latest MacBook Air. Not only this, but Samsung manufactures Apple’s A4 and A5 processors, RAM modules, and display technologies.

Samsung has yet to comment, but we’ll keep you posted on further developments.

[via All Things Digital]

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Bridgestone AeroBee Flexible E-Paper Shown off in Video

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:07 PM PDT

Bridgestone is a Japanese company best known for making tires. Last year they developed a QR-LPD, Liquid Powder display. Lately they’ve been working on blowing up the size of their displays. The largest? An A3 sized display with a resolution of 1920×2560. That’s the size of two sheets of standard printer paper side-by-side. That’s more than big enough for almost any task I can think of. Since they showed us those babies last year, they’ve improved the technology greatly and built them into some working tablet prototypes.

DigInfo News captured this video at Finetech Japan. Bridgestone is demoing the AeroBee eReader using QR-LPD technology. If you haven’t heard about this stuff before it uses a black and white electrified powder suspended between two electrified plates of glass or plastic. Because they can also put it in plastic these displays can be made to be flexible or placed on curved surfaces.

The tablet shown in this video is running an ARM 11 processer @533MHz with 128Mbyte of RAM. It also has 4GB of iNAND for storage. They slapped a Linux 2.6.24 kernel in there and a few different demonstration programs, and I’m impressed. The response time of this display looks to be completely flawless the paint-by-numbers style application. When can I get one?

[via CrunchGear]

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Dropbox Hits 25 Million Users, Updates iOS App

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:01 PM PDT


The ever more popular cloud storage and file syncing service Dropbox has just hit 25 million users today with over 200 million files saved to the service daily. Those are some awfully impressive numbers considering just a year ago, they had 4 million users and only 2 million users in late 2009. And with this milestone announcement, they’ve launched an updated iOS app with a slew of new and improved features.

The iOS Dropbox app version 1.4 now lets you queue multiple photos or videos for upload at once instead of having to upload one at a time. But perhaps even more awesome is that the updated Dropbox app now lets you directly upload files from external apps via the iOS “Open In” feature. This works with any external app that supports “Open In.” Adding to all this uploading fun is a new dedicated upload tab.

A tabbed interface has been brought back to the app for easier navigation of your Files, Favorites, Uploads, and Settings. And, new language support has been added for Spanish, French, German, and Japanese.

Besides all of the above and various bug fixes, this new version 1.4 also brought with it an updated Terms of Service with a passage that reminds users that should United States law enforcement have valid legal process requiring access to your Dropbox files, then they will decrypt your files and promptly hand them over to the authorities. It’s no surprise, but still a good reminder to keep any incriminating evidence off the cloud.

The new Dropbox 1.4 is ready now for free download at the App Store.

[via TUAW]

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iRobot Packbots Enter Fukushima Reactor

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 12:20 PM PDT

Sunday, iRobot packbots entered the Fukushima Daiichi reactor building 3 to explore parts of the plant that have been closed to people since the facility was evacuated. Japanese nuclear workers were entering some locations in the plant just after the disaster, but now they’ve mostly pulled back to safe locations. The shorter term radiation doses were relatively safe, but at sustained elevated levels the threat of damage grows. The repair efforts continue with support from a number of robotic helpers.

The packbots had the important job of taking radiation and temperature readings from inside the rooms that had been sealed since the disaster. TEPco has not released these finding to the public just yet. Rest assured, you don’t want to go in there. The bots also feature a video camera with a live-feed to operators at a safe location. The iRobot packbots are notable for their use in US Military operations in Iraq and Afganistan as bomb defusal bots.

There are a number of remote controlled robots in use for the repair operations in the Fukushima Daiichi reactor. TEPco started with remote controlled helicopter drones to get sustained closer looks at the damage throughout the reactor complex. They’ve also been using remotely controlled excavators and transporters. Much of the debris and rubble left from the disaster is too radioactive to safely deal with directly.

[via Technology Review]

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Angry Birds: Easter

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 11:24 AM PDT

Angry Birds is a re-imagining of a game-type that’s been around since time immemorial. I don’t think humans will ever get bored with games involving throwing things at other things using basic animations and ballistics simulations. This game has been a smash hit across the board and Rovio dropped the latest seasonal release, just in time for easter. The Piggies are stealing chocolate eggs and it’s up to the explosive avians and you to bust up their homes. Stand back big bad wolf, the birds are on the job!

Rovio is a Finnish gaming company. They incorporated in 2003 to begin making games specifically for mobile platforms. Angry Birds is their latest smash hit. People just seem to love this game. The first Angry Birds dropped on us two years back and they’ve continued releasing new versions with topical art assets and new puzzles.

They had this note on their company’s blog post announcing the release.

Furthermore, we will soon launch the biggest alternate reality game with Angry Birds ever – be prepared to seek for clues around the world to discover the secrets hidden in Angry Birds Seasons! [via Rovio]

That’s interesting, we’ll keep you posted on what this might mean, because honestly we have no idea.

Rovio released a game-play trailer that shows some of the new stuff going on in this latest version. And I know I love both destruction and movies! Check it!

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SG Comics Presents: Cisco Flip Meeting

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 10:00 AM PDT

Last week Cisco announced that it was shutting down its Flip video camera business that it bought just two years ago from Pure Digital for $590 million dollars. It was their bid to tackle the consumer market, a segment that is apparently beyond their expertise. There are many reasons behind their decision.

The product had been quite popular at one time with many celebrities toting around Flip cams, but with the onslaught of smartphone cameras—now boasting up to 1080p full HD along with instant sharing capabilities via WiFi and data plans, plus almost every other feature you can imagine—even the promising FlipLive WiFi-enabled camera is a step too late. On flip side, Flip die-hards feel there is still hope for the brand and the product, but that Cisco is simply giving up.

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PlayStation 3 Hacker George Hotz Donates $10k to EFF, Mocks Sony in Process

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 09:47 AM PDT

If you’ll take the time to remember back a few days ago, a lawsuit between Sony and PlayStation 3 hacker George “Geohotz” Hotz ended in an agreement that Hotz would never again tinker with the game console or any other Sony product ever again. During the suit, Hotz had thousands of dollars donated to his name in order to hire legal defense so that he might have a fair shot at defending himself against the army of legal beans Sony had/has working for them. Now that the suit is over, what happens to the $10,000 or so left over? Only Hotz knows for sure.

Before we continue, I suggest you head back to our last post on this subject so you’re fully up to date. In a nutshell, Hotz is a head of a team of hackers taking the time to break into the software on the PS3 so that people will be able to do what they wish with the hardware instead of having to rely on Sony-approved disks to play games. Hotz noted on his blog just yesterday on the outcome of the case: “At the end of the day, something I take comfort in. The PS3 got OWNED,” Hotz wrote. “‘Once the code works they’ll never be able to take it away from us.’” He refers to the fact that others besides himself continue to work on cracking the latest firmware.

And what about the money? With the money not used in legal defense of Hotz, Hotz donated to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “This money goes to the EFF in hopes that America can one day again be a shining example of freedom, free of the DMCA and ACTA, and that private interest will never trump the ideas laid out in the constitution of privacy, ownership, and free speech,” wrote Hotz. The EEF is a nonprofit digital rights advocacy and legal organization organization that survives solely on donations from people like you.

Hotz most sour quote from this entire case sticks mud in Sony’s eye one last time: “If you piss them off enough for them to pull out the legal team and their million dollar checkbook, worst thing that happens is you have to super swear to never do it again.” For those times that groups want MORE than that, there’s the EEF. Stay safe, everyone!

[via geohotgotsued]

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White iPhone 4 goes live at Three UK

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 09:24 AM PDT

The white iPhone 4 has become something of the thorny unicorn in Apple’s side, but it seems the long wait may finally be over. UK carrier Three has just thrown up a product page for the pale smartphone, with the 32GB version priced at £159 ($259) on a £35 per month agreement. According to the product page, the first white iPhone 4 handsets will ship from April 20, or this coming Wednesday.

Although the white iPhone 4 has been listed on Three’s general product page for some time now, it has been – and remains – impossible to actually select the smartphone and add it to the basket. That’s not the case with this particular deal, however.

According to the page, this particular white iPhone 4 deal is available only until the end of the month, and Three’s online support staff confirm that it’s authentic and not a mistake. Other rumors have suggested that Apple intends to launch the white iPhone 4 generally on April 26 2011.

[via Recombu]

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Eye-controlled Head-Mounted-Display prototype shown by Fraunhofer IPMS

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 08:52 AM PDT

We’ve been tracking the Fraunhofer IPMS’ research into bi-directional OLED displays for a few years now: panels that integrated both a display and a camera, so that they can simultaneously track an object and display something. The institute has long promised that our head-up display (HUD) ambitions could well be satisfied with the technology, and now it has a prototype to show us. Set to make its debut at SID Display Week 2011 in May, the OLED microdisplay-based eye tracking HMD (head-mounted display) is, as the name suggests, capable of being controlled simply by eye movements.

By combining the display and eye-tracking camera into a single component, the HMD as a whole can be smaller, lighter and use less power. Rigo Herold, one of the researchers behind the prototype, suggests that it could be used to show bio feedback during exercise, or even play videos, advancing through different screens or various clips in a library by looking between different controls presented in the field of view.

The demonstration model is a monochrome display with a 32-degree viewing angle and 1500 cd/m2 luminance. Unfortunately all we have so far is this tiny little image of it, but it certainly looks like it would be ideal for augmented reality applications involving overlaying graphics over a real-world view and then controlling a UI with eye-movements.

[via OLED-Display]

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Casio TRYX hits Best Buy in bendy white

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 08:32 AM PDT

Casio’s distinctive TRYX digital camera, announced back at CES 2011, has been on sale in black at Amazon for a short while now, but if you demand that your gadgets match your Stormtrooper costume then you need to head down to Best Buy today. The retailer has clinched the exclusive on the white TRYX, which will go on sale – alongside its black sibling – for $249.99 in stores today.

The camera has a 12.1-megapixel sensor and a 21mm ultra-wide angle lens, and is capable of slow-motion video and 360-degree panoramic stills. However the really interesting aspect is the twisty-flexing design, which allows the 3-inch touchscreen TFT LCD to be rotated 270-degrees and the frame of the camera rotated a full 360-degrees.

Whether that’s enough to justify the $250 price is up to you, but at least you shouldn’t have a problem attracting attention from the people you want to photograph.

Press Release:

New Casio TRYX™ Camera Arrives at Best Buy® Stores Nationwide

Award winning design rethinks the shape of digital cameras

MINNEAPOLIS, MN & DOVER, NJ (April 18, 2011) – Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) and Casio America, Inc. today announced the availability of the Casio TRYX™, the new shape-shifting, high-performance digital camera from Casio. The device comes in black or a white version that is exclusive to Best Buy, and can be purchased at Best Buy stores nationwide and on bestbuy.com for $249.99.

TRYX is an award-winning 12.1 megapixel camera with a sleek, innovative design that allows users to turn, twist, hang and stand the camera to capture images at nearly any angle. Its 21mm ultra-wide angle lens takes slow-motion video and 360-degree panoramic vistas while recognizing moving objects and faces to limit distortion and blurring.

"We're excited to offer a camera with so many options for easy-to-use customization," said Lisa Farrell, SVP, general manager portable electronics for Best Buy. "TRYX provides a unique addition to our wide assortment of digital imaging products, and reflects Best Buy's desire to bring the latest and greatest technology to our customers."

The partnership with Casio highlights Best Buy's commitment to supplying a full range of high-quality digital imaging offerings for all its customers, from individuals and families looking to

capture and share memorable moments to industry professionals requiring top performing products and service. The wide assortment of digital imaging products at Best Buy and on bestbuy.com includes camcorders, point-and-shoot cameras, Digital SLRs and a broad array of photography accessories.

"TRYX is more than just a few fun twists and turns. It's a high-quality camera with innovative features that allow the user to be creative and customize their images instantly," said Toshi Iguchi, Senior General Manager, Digital Imaging Division, Casio America, Inc. "Best Buy is the perfect partner for us because they have a rich history in the digital imaging space and their employees have the expertise and knowhow to help customers discover all that TRYX has to offer."

For more information about the Casio TRYX and Best Buy's digital imaging offerings, visit: www.bestbuy.com

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Smartphones eat portable gaming market as revenues slide

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:07 AM PDT

Smartphone gaming continues to ratchet up the pressure on traditional mobile platforms like the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP, with market analysts Flurry releasing stats that show iOS and Android gaming almost doubled their market share against the old-school consoles. The Nintendo DS dived from 70-percent in 2009 to 57-percent in 2010, while the PSP share slipped from 11-percent to 9-percent, judged by revenue.

Interestingly, it’s only the portable segment which is really feeling the squeeze. Smartphone gaming revenue increased from 5- to 8-percent of the US market, while console gaming revenue grew from 71- to 76-percent. In contrast, traditional portable gaming revenue dipped from 24-percent to 16-percent.

Overall, though, it’s billed as bad news for the mobile gaming segment as a whole. While smartphone game sales are increasing, the per-app price is generally less than what’s charged per DS or PSP title; that’s seen the value of the market drop from $2.7bn in 2009 to $2.4bn in 2010. Sony’s push with the PlayStation Suite of development tools for the NGP – which will allow developers to create games for both the new console and Sony Ericsson’s Android handsets – may only speed that drop, as mini-titles on dedicated handhelds become more commonplace.

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Verizon MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot on sale now

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 06:51 AM PDT

Verizon has launched the Novatel Wireless MiFi 4510L mobile hotspot, offering a 4G LTE connection for up to five WiFi-connected clients. The MiFI 4510L is priced at $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, as long as you’re happy with the two-year data plan agreement; they kick off at $50 per month for 5GB of data.

The 4510L has a WiFi b/g/n radio and an E Ink display to show network and wireless status along with battery life. Novatel reckons a full charge is good for up to 5hrs of active use, and there’s WEP/WPA/WPA2 and VPN pass-through support along with backward compatibility with 3G EVDO Rev.A networks.

In all, Verizon is saying LTE coverage should lead to 5 to 12 Mbps downloads and 2 to 5 Mbps uploads. The Verizon MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot is available online today, and in-store from April 21.

Press Release:

The MiFi® 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot Available On The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network Beginning April 18

04/18/2011

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon Wireless and Novatel Wireless (NASDAQ: NVTL) today announced that the award winning MiFi® 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot that runs on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network is available online today at www.verizonwireless.com. The MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot is the next-generation of the Novatel Wireless MiFi Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, building on innovation and design, proven performance and industry-leading user experience.

The MiFi 4510L allows businesses and consumers to create a personal Wi-Fi cloud capable of sharing the high-speed Internet connectivity of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE and 3G Mobile Broadband with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously. The 4G LTE MiFi 4510L includes new features, such as an intuitive status display on the device showing signal strength, battery level, roaming and number of connected devices.

Key features:

4G LTE – customers can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G Mobile Broadband coverage areas
Backward compatible with the Verizon Wireless 3G network
Simple one-touch connectivity
Intuitive eInk® display with status indicators
Security: WEP/WPA/WPA2 and VPN pass-through support
Supports Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems
Advanced integrated antenna technology
Battery: up to 5 hours usage
WiFi connectivity: 802.11b/g/n
Dimensions: 3.74"(H) x 2.36"(W) x 0.53"(D)
Pricing and availability:

The 4G LTE MiFi 4510L is available today online at www.verizonwireless.com and will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on April 21 for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a 4G Mobile Broadband plan.
4G LTE Mobile Broadband plans begin at $50 monthly access for 5GB. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. Data usage can be tracked by logging on to My Verizon online at www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon.
The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network, launched in December 2010, is the fastest, most advanced 4G network in the United States, providing speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon Wireless' 3G network. Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network currently reaches one-third of all Americans, with plans to expand the network to the company's entire 3G coverage area over the next three years.

For more information on the MiFi 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot or other Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

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Lenovo Smart TV tipped for late-2011

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 05:33 AM PDT

Lenovo is reportedly considering making a play for the smart TV market, following notebook rivals like Samsung and LG into the living room. According to DigiTimes sources, Lenovo is currently in talks with Wistron and Compal – who collectively count Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi among their clients – as well as other OEMs regarding production of the smart HDTVs.

The exact technology Lenovo may use for its smart TVs is unknown. Most companies are still using their own homegrown platforms, generally offering Netflix and other streaming media access, along with browsing photo and video galleries, while Sony has a range of Google TV equipped models that use the more complex system.

While Lenovo is yet to comment on the possibility of a smart TV push, the sources expect orders at OEMs to be placed in the second half of this year. That might suggest a holiday launch schedule.

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Nuclear Submarine flaws revealed in government PDF blunder

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 04:37 AM PDT

A heavily edited, declassified military report detailing weaknesses in British nuclear submarines has left the Ministry of Defense (MoD) red-faced, after it was revealed that the high-tech redaction used merely involved turning the background color black to match the text. The Daily Star discovered that merely copying the full text of the dossier – written in 2009 and listing what structural damage would prompt a core meltdown, other “potentially catastrophic accidents” and flaws in reactor designs – and pasting it into a fresh document would reveal the sensitive information.

The MoD had released the report after Freedom of Information demands by anti-nuclear campaigners, taking a virtual black pen to great swathes of the document so as to hide the more delicate details. However, their method of choice involved swapping the white background in the PDF document to black, but leaving the text itself in place. Even highlighting the document with a select-all command would flag up the hidden text.

In addition to the UK sub weaknesses, details of US on-board disaster policies were visible to those following the simple anti-redaction steps. “This is hugely embarrassing. Whoever is responsible should be sacked” an unnamed MoD source has said, suggesting that “the Americans will be furious their procedures have been exposed.”

The MoD has removed the original document and has replaced the report accordingly. However, the reactor details specified concern models still being installed in new British submarines, which are expected to remain in service for another two decades.

[via BBC]

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Orange Motorola ATRIX arrives “early May” [Video]

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 04:05 AM PDT

Orange UK has confirmed launch details for the Motorola ATRIX, which will be landing as a carrier exclusive in early May. Available free on agreements from £35 ($57) per month and above, the dual-core ATRIX’s HD Multimedia Dock and notebook-like Lapdock will also be on offer.

The Lapdock – which has a full-sized keyboard, 11.6-inch screen and battery – will be priced at £299.99, though subsidized on certain tariffs (and business users will get it free with the ATRIX in certain deals). As for the HD Multimedia Dock, that will be offered with a remote control and a USB keyboard/mouse set as part of the “Work and Play Kit”, normally priced at £129.99 but £49.99 throughout May.

Upgrading Orange subscribers will get the Work and Play Kit bundled free, meanwhile. If you’re still on the fence about the handset, check out our full ATRIX 4G review.

Press Release:

Orange Unveils Pricing And Availability For Motorola ATRIX™ The World's Most Powerful Smartphone

Motorola ATRIX™ will be available to purchase exclusively from Orange in early May
Customers can reserve their handset now through Orange retail shops and Orange telesales

As Motorola's exclusive UK launch partner, Orange today announced pricing and availability for Motorola ATRIX™ – the world's most powerful smartphone. From today, consumers will be able to register their interest online or reserve their device from Orange retail shops and Orange telesales ahead of launch in early May.

Tipped to be one of the biggest device releases in 2011, Motorola ATRIX is the true epitome of mobile computing. The handset features a dual core processor which delivers up to two GHz of processing power. As a result, Motorola ATRIX is capable of opening web pages twice as fast as most other smartphones, and it has been designed to become a user's primary digital hub to create and edit media content on the go. It also features a biometric fingerprint reader for easily unlocking the phone.

Running the Android operating system, Motorola ATRIX also offers Motorola's revolutionary webtop application which runs a full Mozilla Firefox 3.6 browser and supports Adobe® Flash® Player for rich graphics, animation and video.

To support the device, Motorola has developed two companion accessory docks for purchase separately:

* The Motorola HD Multimedia Dock, which has three USB ports and an HDMI port enabling connections to a keyboard, mouse, speakers and HDMI-compatible monitor for working at your desk, or connecting to an HDMI-compatible television and home theatre audio system for enjoying video, music, games and more

* The Motorola Lapdock™, which has an incredibly thin design with an 11.6-inch screen, 36Wh three-cell battery that delivers up to eight hours of battery life, full keyboard, stereo speakers, and weighs just 1.1 kilograms. Users simply dock their Motorola ATRIX into the back for true mobility at work, at home and playing on the go in a form factor that's lighter and smaller than most laptops on the market

Motorola ATRIX will launch exclusively on Orange and will be free on a £35 per month, 24 month contract, which includes 600 minutes, 750 MB data allowance, unlimited texts, 50 MMS and unlimited wi-fi (subject to fair usage) per month.

Those who purchase Motorola ATRIX from Orange will also be able to take the Work and Play Kit which includes a remote control, mouse, HD multimedia dock and keyboard for only £49.99 (standard retail price £129.99), and to celebrate the launch, existing Orange pay monthly customers who upgrade to Motorola ATRIX during the month of May this year will receive the Work and Play Kit for free.

Customers will also be able to purchase the Motorola Lapdock from Orange, normally priced at £299.99, at reduced price points on select tariffs. A unique price plan is also being introduced which includes free tethering** allowing customers to connect to the internet on the move using the Motorola Lapdock – the new Panther Extra 60 plan*** also includes 3,000 minutes, 1GB data allowance, unlimited texts and unlimited wi-fi (subject to fair usage) per month.

Business customers can also get Motorola ATRIX and the Motorola Lapdock bundle free of charge on Solo 55 and existing customers will get a great deal when re-signing with Motorola ATRIX.

Simeon Bird, Director of Propositions, Orange UK said: "We're pleased to be bringing Motorola ATRIX to our customers as it's one of the most innovative handsets we've seen this year and it supports our passion for innovation. With its intelligent support accessories, the handset not only stands out from the rest of the pack, but the overall experience takes mobile computing to the next level."

Andrew Morley, vice president marketing, international markets, Motorola Mobility said: "The award winning Motorola ATRIX ushers in a new era in mobile computing. We are excited to be bringing this highly anticipated smartphone to the UK with Orange."

For more information on Motorola ATRIX, accessories, and to register interest in the device, go to www.orange.co.uk/motorolaatrix or to reserve a handset, please visit Orange retail shops or call Orange telesales.

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Samsung 2GHz phone “by next year” as Exynos takes on Tegra 2

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 03:51 AM PDT

Samsung is looking to challenge Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 with a significant processor push that will take chipset speeds to 2GHz and broaden availability across manufacturers. According to a Samsung exec quoted in the Maeli Business Newspaper, the company intends “to release a 2GHz dual core CPU-equipped smartphone by next year,” going on to suggest that the handset “will have the data processing capacities of a regular PC.”

The chip responsible for that hitherto-unseen grunt is still in development, but may not be limited solely to Samsung’s own range of handsets. Instead, the company is believed to be considering making Exynos chips available for other manufacturers, in an attempt to take on Snapdragon and Tegra 2 as the mainstays of the smartphone SoC industry.

Exynos is the new branding for Hummingbird, announced back in February 2011, and builds on Samsung’s Cortex-A9 expertise. Recently the company confirmed it would be overclocking the Galaxy S II from 1GHz to 1.2GHz, in a move that better positions the handset against the new HTC Sensation.

[via Android Community and via Engadget]

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Vodafone leads Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread push in UK

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 03:30 AM PDT

Having been spotted in the wilds over the weekend, the Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread update has now splashed down in the UK. Carrier Vodafone is seemingly the first to offer the new firmware, which brings the updated Android keyboard, UI and other enhancements to the Super AMOLED smartphone.

The software is released via KIES, Samsung’s PC app for managing handsets, with an OTA notification if the global release is anything to go by. We’re currently updating KIES to see if our open-market generic Galaxy S is ready to play with Gingerbread; let us know how you get on with the install in the comments.

[via Android Community]

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HTC Windows Phone with 16-megapixel camera tipped [Video]

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 03:00 AM PDT

HTC hasn’t been short on new smartphone launches this year – the HTC Sensation most recently, the HTC EVO 3D last month, and then five new phones back at MWC 2011 – but Windows Phone has been conspicuous by its absence. According to a new, leaked promo caught by Pocketnow, however, HTC is readying a beastly photo-focused Windows Phone handset with a whopping 16-megapixel camera.

Video after the cut

Full specifications of the smartphone are unknown, beyond the high-resolution camera and a dual-LED flash. The smartphone pictured looks just like the Android-powered HTC Desire S only with Windows Phone buttons; that could be a placeholder, or it might be that HTC is looking to borrow the Desire S’ slick styling for its new device. Such a route has been seen before, with the Windows Mobile-based HTC HD mini being repurposed as the HTC Aria.

Of course, there’s more to a camera than the core sensor – it doesn’t matter how many pixels you can capture if you’re grabbing them through shonky optics or using a sub-par processing engine. HTC’s phones are generally average when it comes to imaging quality, and so, if this leak is authentic, we’re hoping the company is looking to the good examples set by Nokia on the N8, for instance, to make the most of all those megapixels.

Update: HTC tells us that, as usual, they “do not comment on rumor and speculation.”

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ASUS Eee Pad Transformer stock delay: Honeycomb demand gobbles supplies

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 02:40 AM PDT

Want an ASUS Eee Pad Transformer? If you answered yes, it looks like you weren’t the only one; according to ASUS, a combination of “unprecedented demand” and the requirement to do unspecified “additional testing” has meant that the first UK batches of the Honeycomb tablet have sold out. What impact that will have on the US launch remains to be seen.

ASUS says that “the UK is the global launch partner and will continue to see the largest volumes of stock globally” which certainly implies that other regions, like the US, may have to wait a little longer before they can grab the transforming tablet. Exact release dates for the US are yet to be confirmed.

The new wave of stock – including both the tablet section and the battery-equipped keyboard – is expected in the UK at the end of this month or in early May. More on the Eee Pad Transformer in our hands-on report.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer demo:

Press Release:

Eee Pad Transformer — stock availability update
APR 18, 2011

After unprecedented demand and stock delays due to additional testing procedures, ASUS announce significant stock numbers due to arrive in UK

Initial demand for the Eee Pad Transformer has been far beyond our expectations, and following the on-sale date (6th April 2011) the first batches delivered to the UK have entirely sold out. Please accept our sincere apologies for the difficulties regarding stock availability with our retail partners.

ASUS always strives to set benchmarks for product innovation, design and quality. We have implemented a number of additional testing procedures for the Eee Pad Transformer to ensure an unrivalled user-experience. This has resulted in delays to a number of shipments to the UK. We are now due to receive a significant quantity of both Eee Pad Transformers and keyboard docks at the end of April/early May (exact date will depend on customs clearance and freight forwarding to our retailers). We are working hard to increase both the number of demonstration models on display and also general stock availability within retailers throughout the UK.

The UK is the global launch partner and will continue to see the largest volumes of stock globally. We anticipate the additional stock being distributed amongst Comet, PC World, Currys and Carphone Warehouse stores late April/early May, whilst Amazon.co.uk and Ebuyer.com are also taking pre-orders.

Once again, we apologise for any inconvenience caused and please rest assured that we are working hard to increase availability of the Eee Pad Transformer as quickly as possible.

ASUSTEK (UK) LTD.

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Philips shedding HDTV business amid dire losses

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:57 AM PDT

Philips may be producing some of the more curious HDTVs around at the moment – its Cinema 21:9 range of super-widescreen sets, such as the most recent Gold model, are particularly eye-catching – but it seems converting that curiosity to purchases continues to escape the company. According to Philips’ latest financial release [pdf link], it will be spinning off TV production to a joint-business with existing partner display manufacturer TPV, leaving it with just 30-percent of the company.

“Finding a solution for our Television business was our top priority and we strongly believe that the intended 30% / 70% joint venture with TPV that was announced today will enable a return to profitability for the Television business, and an increased portfolio focus for Philips in health and well-being. Philips has been active in the TV industry for many decades and the long-term strategic partnership with TPV shows our commitment to the continuity of Philips televisions for our consumers and trade partners.

The joint venture leverages the innovation and brand strength of Philips with the scale and manufacturing strength of TPV. Philips will receive a deferred purchase price and brand license income as part of the agreement. We expect certain costs in relation to the separation which will impact short-term earnings.” Philips statement

In six years time, meanwhile, Philips will have to option to shift the final 30-percent to TPV. The company already licenses Philips TVs in China, while Funai does the same in the US. It’s unclear whether the same line of Cinema 21:9 sets will continue going forward – or, indeed, use Philips’ Ambilight technology – in an attempt to make the HDTV business profitable again.

Philips has reported a €87m loss in its television business for the past quarter, down from €7m profit in the same period one year ago. Overall net income for the company was €137m, with particular growth in lighting such as the Philips Living Colors lamp range.

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Intel tips Atom Z670 ASUS Eee Pad Slider version

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:36 AM PDT

Of ASUS’ recent tablet announcements, it’s the Eee Pad Transformer that has caught most attention here at SlashGear; still, there’s the Eee Pad Slider waiting in the wings as well. According to an Intel spec sheet – since pulled – spotted by Liliputing, however, the Slider may be coming in two forms: the Tegra 2 version we’ve already seen, and a model using Intel’s Atom Oak Trail CPUs.

According to the press page Intel published last week at the launch of the new Atom Z670 processor, the Eee Pad Slider is among the various tablets to use the Oak Trail chip. Intel yanked the page, but neither it nor ASUS has given any official comment as to whether the Slider’s inclusion was a mistake or a premature confirmation.

Whether a Z670 Slider would keep the Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS already shown on the Eee Pad, or be intended to allow ASUS to switch to Windows 7, remains to be seen. A Windows-based Slider would be better positioned to take on Samsung’s Sliding PC 7 at potentially a lower price.

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HP TouchPad getting cloud HP Music and Movie Stores with smart-sync?

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:14 AM PDT

HP is apparently readying two self-branded media download stores for launch with the incoming HP TouchPad, the HP Music Store and HP Movie Store. According to an official presentation unofficially shared with PreCentral, the Music and Movie Stores won’t just offer on-device downloads, but use a “smart algorithm” to handle intelligent caching.

While all of the content bought will be stored in an online cloud locker, that intelligence will try to make sure that the music users are most likely to want to listen to is cached to the device as well. The streaming system is also expected to support HP’s smartphones, though it’s expected that it will require webOS 3.0.

Palm had previously partnered with Amazon for the Amazon MP3 Store, which was preloaded on the Pre and other smartphones. This new system, however, allows HP more flexibility in their media partnerships, as well as better fitting multimedia content into the overall Synergy strategy.

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Samsung itching to dump HDD business as SSDs arrive in MacBook Air

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:04 AM PDT

Samsung is reportedly looking to dump its hard-drive business, in an attempt to refocus in areas of stronger growth such as flash storage, in which the company has seen recent wins from industry heavyweights like Apple. According to the WSJ‘s source, Samsung is hoping to sell its traditional hard-drive business for $1.5bn, in a move that would leave it focusing on solid-state drives instead.

According to the WSJ, Seagate was potentially interested in the platter-drive side of Samsung’s business, but no deal has been finalized. Samsung will apparently accept under $1bn, the insider claims, though the company has declined to comment on the reports.

Meanwhile, what are believed to be Samsung’s mSATA “blade” SSDs have been spotted in recent MacBook Air models, differing from the original Toshiba Blade X-gale flash storage first found inside the aluminum ultraportable. According to Anandtech [via 9to5Mac], that could add up to a surprise boost of speed for the newer machines: Samsung’s SM128C 128GB SSDs manage 261.1 MB/s read and 209.6 MB/s write, while the original Toshiba TS128C 128GB SSDs manage just 209.8 MB/s read and 175.6 MB/s write.

It seems that Apple is mixing and matching its memory choices, with no way of identifying what’s inside your new OS X notebook until you load up the System Profiler.

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