Selasa, 19 April 2011

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

T-Mobile Confirms LG G-Slate To Ship April 20th

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 03:36 PM PDT

If you like the smaller form factor of the BlackBerry PlayBook but the QNX interface isn’t quite your cup of tea, then you may fancy T-Mobile’s LG G-Slate that will be the second (after the Motorola XOOM) Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet to hit the market and features a 3D camera—if you’re into that kind of thing. T-Mobile confirmed full launch details today that the device will ship nationwide beginning tomorrow, April 20.

As we’ve said before, the G-Slate will have a starting price of $530 after a $100 mail-in rebate with two-year service agreement for current customers. Pricing for new T-Mobile customers starts at $630 with a two-year service agreement. You can also get the 32GB G-Slate sans contract for $750. The unsubsidized pricing is cheaper than the Motorola XOOM but slightly more expensive than the equivalent iPad 2.

Overall, this 8.9-inch dual-core Tegra 2 tablet has been gotten high marks for its specs but gets dinged on its heftier price tag. Make sure to take a look at our full review here. Unlike the Motorola XOOM, the LG G-Slate will come with Flash Player support out of the box. The 3D camera on board will also help to differentiate it, but is likely a contributing factor to its higher unsubsidized price. And it does come with a pair of 3D glasses.

[via Android Community]

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BlackBerry PlayBook Teardown Time!

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 02:46 PM PDT

Are you picking up a BlackBerry PlayBook today? The long overdue tablet has finally arrived and not only has it already gotten our full hands-on review, it’s also getting the teardown treatment from the folks at iFixit. So, find out what we have to say about RIM’s first tablet and then take a glance at its beautifully photographed innards following the cut.

And to refresh your memories, the BlackBerry PlayBook is a 7-inch tablet featuring a WSVGA LCD touchscreen of 1024×600 resolution with a 1GHz dual-core processor, 5-megapixel back camera, 3-megapixel front camera, 1080p HDMI video output, WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.1. For the full specs, you can venture back to our BlackBerry PlayBook review, if you haven’t already.

If instead, you’d just rather see for yourself what’s inside, below are a few more images. To get the full play-by-play so that you can potentially teardown your own BlackBerry PlayBook go here. But remember the 16GB version costs $499, the 32GB version costs $599, and the 64GB version costs $699.

[via iFixit]

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Intel Reports Q1 Results Exceed Expectations Thanks To Enterprise Strength

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 02:30 PM PDT

Industry folks have been anticipating the report of Intel’s Q1 results and it will be fully unleashed today after the market closes at 5:30pm ET. Why do we care? Well, analysts will tell you this is important stuff partially because Intel’s earnings results are a health indicator of the PC market, given the trend towards tablets and Intel’s lack of participation in tablets.

Analyst expectations of Intel are, as you probably guessed, rather low. They expect that tablets are so huge, and that Intel being still reliant on the PC market, will see an increasingly negative impact on revenue if they continue to be shut out of the tablet market. When Intel forecasted a revenue of $11.5 billion, plus or minus $400 million, for Q1 of 2011, analysts scoffed at the number as being too high. In late January, Intel lowered the number to a range between $11.3 billion and $12.1 billion garnering much of the same reaction from analysts. Well, today Intel reported actual EPS and revenue on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis of $12.9 billion and $12.8 billion, respectively, that exceeded all expectations.

"The first-quarter revenue was an all-time record for Intel fueled by double digit annual revenue growth in every major product segment and across all geographies," said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. "These outstanding results, combined with our guidance for the second quarter, position us to achieve greater than 20 percent annual revenue growth."

Looking at just the Non-GAAP results (meaning the numbers that exclude certain expenses and impacts related to acquisitions) revenue increased by 12% when compared to Q4 of 2010, and increased by 25% when compared to Q1 of 2010. You can take a look at the rest of the numbers here. Intel thanks this record result to their strength in enterprise solutions and push for new products. They continue on to make some bold statements about future growth, perhaps in hopes that this will finally get Wall Street excited about them again.

[via WSJ]

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Portal 2 Craziness Around the Web

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 01:44 PM PDT

If you were not aware, aka perhaps you were still hiding under a rock somewhere, Portal 2 launched today. Yes, Portal 2, with both the original single-player mode and the co-op mode where you're controlling two robots for the greater good of trans-dimensional cruising. There has been just a little bit of excitement leading up to the launch, and all kinds of craziness popping up around the web regarding the game. Legos, aliens, and disappointments. Pity the poor college students who couldn’t afford to buy the game. See our favorites after the cut.

Portal 2 is exploding all over these internets, and with this explosion comes the reverberations through the chans and brains of the web. What follows is a short collection of what’s sure to continue to unfold. Do you have Portal 2? Do you plan on purchasing Portal 2? Take a peek at a place like Reddit today and let us know if you see the difference from day to day.

Our favorite, lego ATLAS, P-Body and turrets from The Brothers Brick:

A slider comparison between minimum and maximum settings on the game, via Games Akutell.

And the reddit alien dressed as a video game character:

And you can get your very own T-shirt, commemorating the occasion:

There were some problems loading the game, and this reddit poster took it hard, titling the post “My life is over.”

Here is someone who would really rather play a more exciting game than Portal 2:

And others who will not be doing anything else:

Coffee shop Portal art:

Portal-inspired fingernails:

Have you played it yet? Beaten the game? Stayed inside and not showered because you took the day off to play?

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A Half-Baked PlayBook is the tip of the Firmware Nightmare

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 01:41 PM PDT

If there’s one message that comes through loud and clear about the BlackBerry PlayBook – both in our review and in others – it’s that RIM’s first tablet is half-baked in its current state. The 7-inch slate is dependent on a phone for half of its key apps, glitchy in more places than it should be, and has left reviewers warning would-be early-adopters that it might even be too early for them to consider, well, adopting. Welcome to the firmware nightmare, where every device is a work-in-progress and nobody is ever quite satisfied.

The PlayBook is just the latest in a growing number of devices pushed to market before they’re fully cooked, with manufacturers selling us on the promise of what their shiny hardware will do however many months down the line, after they’ve had a chance to similarly buff the software. Motorola’s XOOM is another good example, with a non-functioning memory card slot and missing Flash support at launch, but we’re increasingly seeing it in phones and other devices too.

Once upon a time, we’d buy a phone, live with it – and its stock feature-set – for the length of whatever agreement we’d signed up to, and then upgrade to The Next Big Thing. Now, there’s an expectation that our devices will evolve in features, functionality and stability over time: become better tomorrow than the gadget it is today.

That accelerated software cycle has, however, given manufacturers a green card to release before things are entirely ready. Consumers are treated as beta testers, hooked in with hardware and the promise of what that hardware is capable of, with the firmware to actually make all that a reality delivered somewhere down the ownership line. As our own Vincent Nguyen said, buying RIM’s latest is very similar to buying on credit: “Buy our PlayBook now, and we promise to deliver later.”

On the flip side, meanwhile, there’s a fresh sort of upgrade anxiety, a sense that the next great firmware for our phone, or our tablet, or some other gadget is just around the corner. It’s the new obsession, and it leads to all manner of paranoia when that next update isn’t quite as timely as we’d like it. Most carriers and manufacturers have told me horror stories of frenzied consumers baying frantically for the newest software release, whether that be Gingerbread on their phone or iOS on their tablet. The device you have today – the device you chose to buy in the first place – isn’t good enough any more; it’s a short, if obnoxious step to blaming OEM and network for purposefully undermining your user experience. I know of at least one PR person who, after a disgruntled and impatient smartphone owner managed to discover their direct number, called them repeatedly throughout the day accusing them of deliberately withholding their upgrade.

We’re all complicit – users chasing the holy grail of functionality, manufacturers chasing sales – but I can’t help but think that the pendulum has swung too far. When impatience, our own and that of vendors, shifts us from the occasional glitch to entirely absent apps, when we have hardware proudly mentioned on the spec sheet and yet that we can’t actually use, that’s not future-proofing but a false economy. Give me a device that serves its purpose 100-percent of its life, rather than something I’m expected to coddle until the potential catches up to the promise. In the meantime, I’m going to try to expect less from tomorrow and insist on more – even if that means more moderation – from today.

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PAX to add PAX Dev Pre-Convention for Developers

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:45 PM PDT

The PAX Prime gaming convention will add a pre-convention just for programmers, designers, producers and artists. This event, called PAX Dev, will allow these folks to actually get some work done, away from the press, and the craziness of the main convention. It will take place two days before PAX Prime, Wednesday and Thursday, August 24 and 25.


The event will be at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel, and there are only 750 tickets available, at $249 for early registration, or $329 at the door. The press will not be admitted, so it will be an “intimate event where game developers can concentrate solely on the art of game development.”

"The idea started with friends in the game dev community asking us to host an event where they could really focus on exchanging ideas without any distractions," said Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade. "There are events that are great for signing your next deal or promoting your current project, but that's not PAX Dev. We're 100 percent focused on the craft of game development."

Registration is here: http://dev.paxsite.com/registration.php, or register for PAX Prime here: http://prime.paxsite.com/registration.php

[via BrainLazy]

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T-Mobile Announces Bobsled For Free Facebook VoIP Calls

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:31 PM PDT

T-Mobile announced today a new service called Bobsled that will bring a host of services that integrate traditional telecommunications with internet-based voice and data services. The first product to launch under Bobsled “brings your voice to Facebook.” The service will allow you to make free calls to your friends on Facebook via a downloaded app. The service is powered by Vivox, a VoIP company that has been offering voice chat in video games for Sony as well as within Facebook.

Bobsled will initially start off as an integrated service within Facebook and is not exclusive to T-Mobile customers. After you download and install the app, a Bobsled icon will appear on your Facebook chat box from where you can click to call any Facebook friend. The service will work even if the call recipient does not have the app installed. They will first get a chat message alerting them of a call request with a link. They click the link to get connected. Voicemails can also be left for a friend either as a private message or as a public wall post.

T-Mobile says that they plan to add the service to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, including support for video chats and placing VoIP calls to mobile and landline numbers. The service will also operate independently, meaning it will work regardless of the carrier. However, no specific timelines have been given.

The Bobsled brand also currently powers Group Text and Cloud Text apps on the new T-Mobile Sidekick 4G. T-Mobile hopes to position itself as a provider of cloud-based communications services with this new brand.

Press Release:

T-Mobile Launches Bobsled by T-Mobile — A New Communications Brand to Bridge the Traditional Telco and IP Worlds

The brand's Facebook calling application will provide free, one-touch calling within Facebook to more than 500 million consumers worldwide

BELLEVUE, Wash. — April 19, 2011 —T-Mobile today introduced Bobsled™ by T-Mobile, a new brand aimed at bridging traditional telecommunications and Internet-based voice and data services to enable people to stay connected in a simple and cost-effective way. The first product available under the new Bobsled by T-Mobile brand is the Bobsled application for Facebook, which provides Facebook's more than 500 million users worldwide with free, one-touch calling to their Facebook friends from a personal computer and through the social platform's chat window.

In addition to making live voice calls across the globe, users will also be able to send voice messages to their friends either privately or via their "walls." The Bobsled application for Facebook is available today as a free download for all Facebook users and is not exclusive to T-Mobile customers. This captures a unique opportunity for the brand, as a recent survey found that 88 percent of Facebook users surveyed want voice chat capabilities within the site.1

"T-Mobile's focus is to innovate to provide simple and affordable communications for customers, enabling people to stay connected wherever they are," said Brad Duea, senior vice president, T-Mobile USA. "Bobsled by T-Mobile takes our communications services innovation to a whole new dimension, bringing simple and cost-effective connections to more than half a billion people overnight, allowing people on Facebook to more easily connect and giving voice to social networking. Our new Bobsled brand will evolve in the coming months to provide even more ways for people to connect, no matter what platform, device or mobile provider they are using."

Once downloaded, customers can use the Bobsled application for Facebook to place voice calls to their friends through Facebook Chat with just one click. This is one of the first voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) applications seamlessly integrated into Facebook Chat, which makes it quick and simple to place an impromptu call to a Facebook friend. The application eliminates the need for dialing — users simply click on a friend's name to start the conversation. There's also no need to remember screen names or to input numbers. With the new application, customers also can leave a voice message for friends when they're not available. Anyone on Facebook can receive a call; no application download is required to receive a call via the Bobsled application for Facebook.

As the way people communicate transcends networks and devices, Bobsled by T-Mobile positions T-Mobile as a provider of cloud-based communications services over the Internet. In addition to providing Facebook users with one-touch calling, Bobsled by T-Mobile also powers the Group Text™ and Cloud Text™ applications on the new T-Mobile® Sidekick® 4G™. Bobsled Group Text lets customers create, name, manage and participate in reply-all group text conversations, enabling them to lead their network in conversation and social planning. Bobsled Cloud Text provides the option to text with friends or groups across platforms, whether from the comfort of their PC's large screen and keyboard, or from their new Sidekick 4G.

In the near future, T-Mobile plans to evolve Bobsled by T-Mobile to include video chat, to create the ability to place VoIP calls to mobile and landline U.S. numbers and to offer applications on smartphones and tablets across various mobile platforms, regardless of the carrier that powers such devices.

The Facebook application for Bobsled by T-Mobile is powered by Vivox, Inc., the No. 1 integrated voice platform for the Social Web, offering high quality, best-in-class voice capabilities for clear and crisp calls. More information about Vivox is available at http://www.vivox.com.

More information on Bobsled by T-Mobile is available at http://www.letsbobsled.com

The Bobsled application for Facebook is available for download at http://apps.facebook.com/bobsledbytmo

1 According to an internet survey conducted by Vivox and T-Mobile in March 2011.

About T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the fourth quarter of 2010, approximately 130 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.7 million by T-Mobile USA — all via GSM and UMTS, the world's most widely-used digital wireless standards. Today, T-Mobile operates America’s largest 4G network, and is delivering a compelling 4G experience across a broad lineup of leading devices in more places than competing 4G services. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services empower and enable people to stay connected and productive while mobile. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA as a leader in customer care and customer satisfaction. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the current views of Deutsche Telekom management with respect to future events. These forward-looking statements may include statements with regard to the expected development of revenue, earnings, profits from operations, depreciation and amortization, cash flows and personnel-related measures. You should consider them with caution. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond Deutsche Telekom's control. Among the factors that might influence our ability to achieve our objectives are the progress of our workforce reduction initiative and other cost-saving measures, and the impact of other significant strategic, labour or business initiatives, including acquisitions, dispositions and business combinations, and our network upgrade and expansion initiatives. In addition, stronger than expected competition, technological change, legal proceedings and regulatory developments, among other factors, may have a material adverse effect on our costs and revenue development. Further, the economic downturn in our markets, and changes in interest and currency exchange rates, may also have an impact on our business development and the availability of financing on favourable conditions. Changes to our expectations concerning future cash flows may lead to impairment write downs of assets carried at historical cost, which may materially affect our results at the group and operating segment levels. If these or other risks and uncertainties materialize, or if the assumptions underlying any of these statements prove incorrect, our actual performance may materially differ from the performance expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. We can offer no assurance that our estimates or expectations will be achieved. Without prejudice to existing obligations under capital market law, we do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to take new information or future events into account or otherwise.

In addition to figures prepared in accordance with IFRS, Deutsche Telekom also presents non-GAAP financial performance measures, including, among others, EBITDA, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted EBIT, adjusted net income, free cash flow, gross debt and net debt. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the information prepared in accordance with IFRS. Non-GAAP financial performance measures are not subject to IFRS or any other generally accepted accounting principles. Other companies may define these terms in different ways.

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KORG iELECTRIBE Gorillaz Limited Edition Mini Review

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:21 PM PDT

This isn’t a limited edition review, instead this is a review of a limited edition app – interesting, yes? Actually what they’re saying is that the app will be $9.99 for the first 10,000 units. What that generally means, when you’re purchasing artwork anyways, is that the rest will be MORE expensive. Could it be that this app will tear through 10,000 downloads then demand more money because it’s doing so well? Have a look at our miniature review below.

This app is a synthesizer that makes the music as you want it. You can synthesize basically any sound you like, place it in a row with the rest of the sounds, and make some electronic music. This isn’t the first time something like this has been released for the iPad, and it’s not even the first time KORG has released the same app, iELECTRIBE on iOS. Instead, this is the first time the group (or any group, for that matter,) has teamed up with the alt-rock supergroup Gorillaz to make a magical musical device.

What you’re going to find in this new edition of the iELECTRIBE is a collection of Gorillaz-created sounds in addition to a completely new old-trash look that’s paramount to the Gorillaz sound. Check out the video to see some of the sounds and the interface you’re going to be working with, as well as the gallery below for some lovely high-def looks. Also feel free to use them as wallpapers.

They’re magnificent in every way.

This is a music-making device that I’d recommend to anyone. I’m not a musician in any respect of the word – I can’t play the drums, can’t make my fingers hit the frets like they’re supposed to, and I was the last trumpet in line in highschool. But I can make music with this. Sweet, lovely, amazing dubstep. And now there’s a bunch of Gorillaz beats to work with too! Win for all! Worth $10 all day long.

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comScore: iOS Has Twice the Installed Base of Android

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:11 PM PDT

According to new data from comScore, Apple’s iOS has twice the installed user base of Android in the US. iOS, which encompasses the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, has an installed base of 37.9 million, 59 percent higher than Android’s at 23.8 million. This data is according to comScore’s MobiLens service, and includes phones and connected media devices like tablets.


As far as iOS installation goes, there are just slightly more iPhone users than iPod touch users. Both devices have about twice the users of the iPad. This gives Apple a 16.2% share of mobile subscribers, vs. Android’s 10.2 percent. iPad ownership is highest for those ages 25 to 34, and only about 25% of those who own an iPad also own an iPhone. 17.5% of iPad owners have a BlackBerry, and 14.2% have an Android phone.

According to comScore Senior Vice President of Mobile, Mark Donovan, “[The] data clearly illustrate the Apple ecosystem extends far beyond the iPhone. Though it’s frequently assumed that the Apple user base is composed of dedicated Apple ‘fanboys,’ there’s not a tremendous amount of overlapping mobile device access among these users. This of course has significant implications for the developer community as they consider the market potential in developing applications for different mobile platforms.”

This data may change as more Android tablets hit the market, giving Android a higher percentage on “mobile devices” and not just phones. Needless to say, Apple had a significant head start with the iPad, one which tablet makers are struggling to overcome.

[via comScore]

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SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: April 19, 2011

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 11:36 AM PDT

Welcome to a whopper of a round-up! We’ve got so many hands-on posts, reviews, features, and the like that your head is about to explode – I assure you! Head below for the full story – it’s an Android circus with animals by the name of G-Slate, G2x, Asus A500, and more! Then there’s a slew of overly important columns and feature posts that’ll continue to drive you up the wall as well – rockin!

We’ve got a T-Mobile G-Slate review on SlashGear and another over on Android Community – two perspectives from two different corners of the United States! Then we’ve got a review of the little bother of the G-Slate, that being the T-Mobile G2x – full review on Android Community by yours truly! And the Acer Iconia Tab A500? We’ve got that too.

And a BlackBerry PlayBook review in a pear tree!

Then you’ve got to fill that G-Slate up with some games, right? How about a few games that aren’t even out yet? We’ve got pre-complete demos of both Riptide GP, a wave racing game on jetskis, and Pinball HD, a pinball game that’s absolutely spectacular!

And what of our contests running on both sites? You want to know who’s winning the tablets, right? Check out the first winner on Android Community and the next right here on SlashGear!

More fun to come!

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Netflix Shifting To Multiple Simultaneous Streaming And More Personalized Accounts?

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 11:33 AM PDT

Netflix may be offering family plans with the option for multiple simultaneous streams later this year. A message lifted from Netflix’s investor relations FAQ page this morning seems to support speculation that the company is heading towards a more full on streaming model. They are looking into various service options to offer including one that encourages multiple accounts in one household.

Currently, Netflix offers a $7.99 streaming-only service that gives you one stream at a time or a one-DVD plan that offers unlimited streaming but doesn’t allow for multiple simultaneous streaming. However, they do offer multiple simultaneous streaming of up to four at a time with a four-DVD monthly plan.

Their new offering later this year may be to simplify things and focus on pushing households to sign up for either additional streams or multiple accounts under one umbrella family plan.

The Investors FAQ message reads:

The evolution toward individual memberships will take time, and we are still thinking about how to best do it. One option would be to allow an account to add additional concurrent streams (using the analogy of our DVD business, it would be like choosing a higher-priced plan that allows a subscriber to have more DVDs at home). Our $7.99-per-month plan is for one stream at a time, and later this year we expect to be able to offer consumers some account options to watch multiple simultaneous streams. Or it could be that there is a price point that would encourage multiple accounts in one household.

Netflix may also be looking beyond the household, hoping to boost individual memberships in the future as well. Individual plans could involve streaming content to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets along with having more social integration with Facebook. This may all be in the horizon for the company as they aim to ramp up their service with improved recommendations for a more personalized experience.

[via VentureBeat]

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BlackBerry PlayBook Review

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 11:32 AM PDT

Until today, the consumer tablet market has been defined by the battle between iPad and Android. Apple’s best-selling slate has set expectations for mobile utility and usability, managing to persuade users that – despite years of Microsoft Tablet PC promotion – the company pretty much invented the tablet segment. Google’s Honeycomb (review) has launched its offensive against the iPad titan, and now it’s the turn of RIM and the BlackBerry PlayBook. Initially billed as the enterprise-focused slate a BlackBerry phone toting business person would covet, the PlayBook’s scope has gradually grown to encompass the consumer market too. Has that spreading focus left RIM with the jack of all trades or the master of none? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.

Hardware

A nondescript black slab measuring 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches and weighing 0.9lbs, the PlayBook is a combination of the very glossy and the pleasingly matte. The whole front is a slab of glass hiding a 1024 x 600 WSVGA LCD touchscreen, the touch-layer of which extends – Palm Pre style – off into the bezel around the panel itself. The sides and back are metal with a rubberized coating for easier grip. Ports and controls are minimal, which makes it all the more frustrating that the one button you’ll probably be spending the most time tapping, the power key, is such a frustration. Tiny, recessed and overly-sprung, it’s hard to find without looking and hard to press without jabbing the tip of your finger at just the right angle.

Next to it there are volume up/down keys flanking a play/pause button, and the 3.5mm headphone socket is on the top edge as well. On the bottom there’s a microHDMI port, microUSB port, and a proprietary charging connector for the PlayBook’s docking station. Rather than integrate the speaker grills into the sides or rear of the tablet, as we’ve seen other manufacturers do, RIM has sliced narrow gaps in the edges of the front glass, and slotted the speakers neatly behind them. The end result is solid audio performance.

Two cameras – 3-megapixels up front, 5-megapixels on the back – comfortably outclass those on the iPad 2, both on the spec sheet and in the stills and video they’re capable of shooting. There’s no flash on either side, but you can record Full HD 1080p in MPEG4 format and, in well lit environments, there’s minimal noise to be seen.

Inside, RIM has bypassed the Tegra 2 familiar from recent Android tablets, and instead opted for Texas Instruments’ 1GHz OMAP4430 processor and PowerVR SGX540 graphics. They’re paired with 1GB of RAM and a choice of three storage variants: 16GB, 32GB or 64GB. Choose wisely as, like with the iPad, there’s no microSD memory card slot.

Connectivity includes WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR but – on these first models at least – no integrated 3G or 4G. Cellular wireless won’t arrive until later in the year, with RIM talking about LTE, WiMAX and HSPA+ versions depending on carrier. Of course, the company expects most PlayBook buyers to tether their slate with their BlackBerry smartphone in order to get online (and access some of the key apps; more on which later). There’s also the usual array of GPS, an accelerometer, 6-axis gyroscope and a digital compass.

Software and Performance

The PlayBook runs QNX, a Unix-like OS which RIM acquired a little over a year ago. It’s a well-established platform that’s more commonly found in embedded devices. To QNX, RIM’s software engineers have added a splash of UI magic that borrows at least a little from some of our favorite software platforms of the moment. There are webOS-style swipe gestures, including the ability to power on the PlayBook by swiping all the way across the display from bezel to bezel, and iOS style icons which are rearranged by tapping and holding them until they animate.

The gestures are welcome additions, working well on the 7-inch form-factor. Swiping up from the bottom bezel shows you all the currently running apps – each still quietly doing its thing in the background – as webOS-like tiles, and you can then swipe up on each tile to force-close it. A swipe from the left or right bezel moves between running apps, while swiping down from the top bezel opens a context-sensitive menu bar for whichever app has focus. Finally, a swipe from the top corners pops open the status bar, with battery and wireless reports, date/time and quick access to the settings page.

The QNX keyboard could do with a polish, however. As on the iPad there’s no dedicated number row, and punctuation keys are limited to comma and period before you have to dig into a second layout. There’s also no provision for long-pressing a key and getting a pop-up menu of alternative letters and symbols. More frustrating is the inconsistent auto-correction, which sometimes fails to do simple things like insert apostrophes in “I’m.”

Multitasking is one of those things which sounds straightforward but which has spawned a few different methods of handling simultaneous apps. On the one hand there’s Apple’s strict limitations in iOS, with only a few APIs allowed to stay active no matter what, and apps “frozen” when they don’t have focus; on the other, there’s Android with its more lackadaisical approach. RIM has settled somewhere in-between, with QNX offering a choice of two multitasking modes. Users can either take manual control over what apps are running, closing them from the card view as they see fit, or they can allow QNX to handle it all, freezing apps as it deems appropriate to keep the system moving slickly.

And slickly it does move, the TI processor proving adept with the native QNX apps and the separate GPU able to handle recording and playback of 1080p HD video. RIM’s party trick with the PlayBook is setting several system-intensive profiling tools – testing things such as video frame-rates and polygon generation – running simultaneously, and then showing that each is concurrently active in the multitasking cards view. It’s not exactly something the average user will do, but it’s evidence of the power on tap: apps load without hesitation, switch rapidly and are generally lag-free, and there are neat animations and graphical flourishes along the way that thankfully don’t introduce any delay.

Apps and Functionality

Unfortunately, the actual range of apps to take advantage of all that power is pretty limited. The PlayBook’s software selection is its biggest drawback today, and it’s one that RIM has tacitly acknowledged (but which we’ll have to wait until later in the year to see addressed). Out of the box you get a browser, music app, video app, Adobe Reader, pictures app, calculator, Documents To Go and Kobo Books, along with access to the BlackBerry App World download store.

If you’ve noticed a few obvious omissions, like email, contacts, calendar, tasks and memos, then you’ve spotted RIM’s most unusual software decision. Rather than having standalone apps for each of those features on the tablet, the PlayBook relies on its BlackBerry Bridge application to pull the content over from a Bluetooth-tethered BlackBerry smartphone. The handset needs to be on OS 5 or OS 6 and running the Bridge app, and once that’s done it’s just like using your BlackBerry phone but on a 7-inch screen (and with a UI to suit). The benefit to this, RIM argues, is that enterprise users needn’t worry about securing a second device for each newly-tablet-equipped employee: the phone is secure, and the PlayBook just borrows its content for a while.

When connected, new email and appointment reminders are flagged up in the status bar, and you can – with a little lag from the Bluetooth link – use the apps as normal. Problem is, disconnect the phone and you lose all the Bridge functionality: the apps disappear and all the data is gone with it. If you don’t have a BlackBerry to start with then, in its present state, the PlayBook is probably not the tablet for you; RIM says it will be adding native apps later in the year, but right now the slate feels decidedly half-baked without a phone to play with. AT&T is also yet to approve the BlackBerry Bridge app for its devices, which means that, for the moment, the carrier’s subscribers are out of luck (unless they’re willing to install the app unofficially).

The patchy experience continues into the browser. WebKit based and with Adobe Flash support out of the box, the end experience should be desktop-like but suffers occasional rendering glitches, sluggishness in pages with more than a little Flash content, and tends towards memory hogging. QNX shows low memory status with glowing red in the corners of the display, and all too often we’d find that the browser would simply shut down of its own accord. To be fair, a similar thing can happen with the Safari browser on the iPad, but either way it’s a jarring experience on what’s arguably meant to be a web-centric device. We also had issues with navigating between pages, with overlapping icons and a tendency to get confused if we allowed our fingers to touch the bezel while holding it.

It’s doubly annoying when you consider that key functionality that we’re used to seeing handled by native apps is instead handled by the browser. Although there are Twitter and Facebook icons on the PlayBook homescreen, they take you to the relevant sites in the browser, and the Bing Maps app does little more than frame the regular site in a standalone way. There’s no turn-by-turn navigation as you get on Android tablets, and nor is there a video calling app (or, indeed, Skype in the BlackBerry App World).

In fact the BlackBerry App World is looking pretty barren in all. RIM says 3,000 submissions of PlayBook-specific titles have been made, though the range has been conspicuous by its absence over the week or so we’ve spent with the tablet. Hopefully that should change as retail units arrive with real buyers. Unfortunately, while there are plans to bring both Android app and BlackBerry smartphone app support to the PlayBook, neither are ready at launch.

It’s a shame, because when the PlayBook gets things right, it works very well. The HDMI output is particularly useful: if can show different things on the tablet screen and the TV it’s hooked up to, rather than just mirroring the display. That means you can be outputting 1080p HD video (in H.264, MPEG4 or WMV formats) and simultaneously surfing the web on the PlayBook itself, or alternatively run a PowerPoint presentation on the big screen and see your presentation notes on the slate.

Battery

RIM is vague about the sort of runtimes users can expect from the PlayBook’s 5300 mAh battery, though in our testing we’ve found it’s easily capable of getting through a full day of heavy use. That’s with some HDMI output, plenty of browsing and media playback. Scale down your ambitions and you could easily go through several days.

Pricing and Value

Rather than make the same mistake carriers did with the Motorola XOOM, and Samsung did with the sluggish release of the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab, RIM has kicked things off with WiFi-only PlayBook models that match the entry-level iPad 2. That means $499 for the 16GB PlayBook, $599 for the 32GB and $699 for the 64GB.

Relative value is a more difficult proposition. The PlayBook is obviously smaller than the iPad 2 and XOOM, a positive for those who want a more pocketable tablet but something that can make for a more cramped browsing experience. The enterprise security of keeping key data locked up on a user’s BlackBerry smartphone rather than on the tablet makes sense in some ways, but it also artificially limits the potential audience considerably. Lots of people don’t have a BlackBerry handset but might want a PlayBook tablet, and right now they’re getting half the software experience out-of-the-box that Android or iOS slates offer.

The fact that the BlackBerry App World store is so sparsely populated, and that BlackBerry app and Android app compatibility is still somewhere on the unspecified horizon, means there are plenty of glaring gaps where other platforms have software choices. RIM may have matched the iPad 2 on price, but it falls well short on functionality.

Wrap-Up

Make no mistake, the BlackBerry PlayBook has plenty of potential. The hardware is fast, the design soberly striking (annoying power button notwithstanding) and the QNX OS pulls many of the best aspects from rival platforms into a stable, generally well thought out environment. With the right BlackBerry handset to pair it with (and assuming you’re not with AT&T, at least at the moment) the unusual Bridge system works surprisingly well.

Unfortunately there still too many rough edges for us to comprehensively recommend the PlayBook – or, indeed, for it to entirely take on the iPad 2 as RIM might hope. The underwhelming app situation may change in the near future, but right now the PlayBook’s core apps – including, most troubling, the browser – err on the flaky side a little too often in comparison to the more solid iOS experience. Yes, RIM may be primarily targeting its tablet at enterprise users, but the iPad has also made in-roads into that segment and expectations are set accordingly. Bridge crashes simply won’t be acceptable in either enterprise or to regular consumers.

The future for the PlayBook looks distinctly different to the tablet it is now, however. Android app compatibility, more native software, the ability to use email, calendar and other core apps without a “Bridge” to a BlackBerry phone – they’ll all change the PlayBook hugely. RIM is pushing out firmware updates at a rate of knots, almost daily in the run-up to launch, and each has tweaked the overall user-experience toward greater stability and functionality. All but the most ambitious of early-adopters should hold off until the PlayBook reaches the tipping point where ability matches promise.

BlackBerry PlayBook hardware and OS walkthrough, BlackBerry Bridge setup and demo video:

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Facebook Rolls Out New Safety and Security Features

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 11:23 AM PDT

Facebook announced the launch of new safety and security tools today, including a redesigned Family Safety Center, social reporting buttons, and Two Factor Authentication. Facebook is hoping these tools will help combat cyberbullying among young people, and also make using the site more secure.


Facebook launched the Safety Center in March, in conjunction with President Obama’s conference on bullying prevention. Facebook has now redesigned and renamed the portal calling it the Family Safety Center. It features easier navigation, videos and how-to sections and links to related pages on Facebook and other sites. Facebook also is offering a free downloadable guide for teachers, coming soon.

Facebook also expanded the social reporting tool, previously available only in photos, to be more widely available across the site. It can now be accessed in Profiles, Pages and Groups. There will now be a “report” link available to report images and other content that contains hate speech, violence, illegal activity, pornography, spam or scams, or personal attacks. The tool is meant to provide younger users a way to get help from friends and other adults if they are experiencing bullying or other attacks.

In addition to reporting the offending content to Facebook, the tool gives users the choices they have to deal with a harasser. Options include “Send a message,” “Remove as friend,” or “Block.” They can also enter an email address to send the offending content to someone who is not on Facebook.

The other improvement involves security, adding an optional Two Factor Authentication setting which allows users to have the option of entering a code when they log into Facebook from a new device, in addition to their password. The HTTPS feature has also been improved so that it will switch back on after a user goes to a non-HTTPS application. Though many think Facebook should default to HTTPS, there are issues with applications adopting the feature. This give a workaround so that when a user is finished with the game or app, the site defaults back to HTTPS again.

Do you think these features are helpful? What else do you think Facebook should be doing to improve security?

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TimBL Calls for Preservation of Net Neutrality

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 10:22 AM PDT

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the web, has called for more regulation to preserve the principle of net neutrality, the concept that all traffic on the internet should be treated equally. He has called upon service providers to self-regulate, but failing that he said governments must act. He is working with the UK government to negotiate an agreement on an open internet with service providers and content firms.


Berners-Lee cited the revolution in Egypt as demonstrating the importance of free access to the web, and told the BBC: “It’s such an empowering thing to be connected at high speed and without borders that it’s become a human right”.

The issue of net neutrality, already a major issue in US, has begun to move up the political agenda in the UK as well. The FCC rules adopted in December in the US did not stop ISPs from charging more for faster access, which some say creates a two-tiered internet.

Sir Tim does not take issue with traffic management, but says that any move to limit access to content, or only being able to access certain content through certain service providers is taking things too far. “What you lose when you do that is you lose the open market,” he said. “What the companies gain is that they get complete control of you.”

Others have worried about net neutrality regulations giving the government too much control over the internet, which poses its own set of dangers.

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SlashGear BlackBerry PlayBook Giveaway: We have a Winner!

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 10:05 AM PDT

As you might recall, last week we offered you the chance to win one of RIM’s brand new BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, courtesy of our friends over at Office Depot. You’ve been entering in your droves, and today we’re excited to announce that the winner is Max Rosner of Illinois.

The PlayBook goes on sale today, with a 7-inch touchscreen, QNX OS, close BlackBerry integration and the usual mixture of WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and twin cameras. We had almost 500 entries from people eager to win!

Huge thanks to Office Depot for providing the BlackBerry PlayBook, and congratulations to Max the lucky winner. Our full review of the PlayBook will be going live very shortly, so keep reading SlashGear!

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Samsung Portable Gaming Concept, Powered by Android

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 09:49 AM PDT

Is Samsung planning to enter the portable gaming market? And if so, should they? Here is an interesting concept by designer Dumary Joseph. It is called “Consolr HD3 by Samsung” (ummm, the name needs a bit of work), and has some crazy features, and according to Yanko Design is “a fanboi's pipe dream about the ultimate gaming machine”. After all, the best concepts are those that go past what we can currently accomplish. Check out all the details after the cut.


This beasty little console has features like fingerprint recognition so it knows who is playing and can adjust, WiFi, 4G, GPS…

Well, just check out this list (also, more pics in the gallery):

  • 16:9 full HD Amoled Multi touch screen Capacitive type with DTP (Dual Touch Pro for multitouch capability)
  • Built-in HD Stereo Speakers
  • Built-in HD Microphone
  • Gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient light sensor
  • 2 analog sticks
  • Chat with your friends ( Wimax or 4G), by text, headset bluetooth or Visio
  • Download Apps from the Android Market
  • Share content and download movies
  • Synchronize content with your Android phone
  • Built-in GPS System with HP Localization (high precision mode)
  • Follow your contacts in real time on the map (MAPlayers zone app)
  • Front Camera 8MP HD and 3D 12MP rear camera
  • Visio Gaming (watch your friends through the screen and play with them by Visio
  • M.I.S.S. touch buttons (Media, I+,Select, Start buttons vibrate to confirm your order and illuminate when you turn the Consolor on
  • The Swin' Bar allows player to access all the contents, volume, 3D effects, camera settings etc…
  • Mobile Network connectivity: 4G, Bluetooth 2.1, WiMax, ConsolorR Mode, DLNA,DP Connect Technology4.0sW (Play your game via your TV Full HD 3D wireless)
  • Inductive charging
  • 250 GB Internal Memory
  • Multitask without lag

Ok, but here’s my question. Why do this on a separate gaming console? Why not put it all on a smartphone? That seems to be where things are going. What do you think? Would you want one of these?

[via Yanko Design]

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Nintendo 3DS design flaw leaving screen-scratches?

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 09:31 AM PDT

Nintendo 3DS owners are complaining of a design flaw that can leave the upper, glasses-free 3D display scratched simply by carrying the console around. According to multiple posts on Nintendo’s support forums, the clamshell design can leave the raised edges of the touchscreen rubbing against the top display; while initially the marks it leaves will rub off, some owners have found permanent scratches are been left.

The display isn’t the only aspect of the console seemingly prone to damage. Eagle-eyed owners have also spotted D-pad cracks appearing, potentially where the top section has been squeezed down onto the controls.

There’s speculation that Nintendo has used insufficiently-plump rubber stoppers to prevent the two halves from contacting, especially when squeezed together in a pocket or bag. Nintendo was particularly proud of its 3DS design, but customer service staff reportedly claim to not have heard of this particular issue (though they did offer a replacement when one owner called in and complained).

Any 3DS owners out there suffering scratched-up consoles? Let us know in the comments.

[Thanks Fred!; pictures credit ANDIDS]

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Alienware M14x and M18x official; M11x refreshed

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 08:46 AM PDT

Dell has officially announced the Alienware M14x and Alienware M18x, as well as reworked the smallest gaming notebook it offers, the Alienware M11x. The new 14-inch M14x and 18.4-inch M18x each come with quadcore Intel Core i7 processors – overclocked from the factory in the case of the bigger machine – while the M11x shifts to Intel’s 2011 Core i5 and Core i7 chips at 1.4GHz and 1.6GHz respectively.

The Alienware M14X has GeForce GT 555M graphics with either 1.5GB or 3GB of dedicated memory, together with using NVIDIA Optimus intelligent GPU switching. That allows the notebook to reach up to six hours runtime on a single charge. The display runs at 1366 x 768 or, optionally, 1600 x 900; other options include WiMAX. Ports include USB 3.0 and HDMI 1.4i, while pricing starts at $1,199.

Meanwhile the updated M11x now has up to 10 hours battery life thanks to the new processors and Optimus graphics, while still finding room inside the compact chassis for optional LTE, WiMAX or 3G connectivity. It’s priced from $999. As for the Alienware M18x, that will drop in May from $1,999.

Update: UK pricing will be from £899 for the M11x and from $1,099 for the M14x.

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New Acer CEO promises to “aggressively yet cautiously” chase Apple

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 08:30 AM PDT

Acer has found itself a new corporate president, with Jim Wong – previously the corporate senior vice president – taking over from Gianfranco Lanci who quit at the end of March. Wong used to helm the IT Products Group and will, according to Acer’s press release, lead the company to “aggressively yet cautiously develop data-consumption products, tablet PCs and smartphones based on the solid foundation of the main PC business.”

Lanci is believed to have advocated a more ambitious mobile drive, with greater emphasis on chasing Apple in tablets and pushing Acer’s smartphone development with handsets like the distinctive Iconia Smart. That didn’t sit well with the more conservative Acer board, which preferred a more traditional approach that focused on PCs.

Press Release:

Acer appoints Jim Wong as Corporate President

Through teamwork, company to face challenges and embrace opportunities of the new ICT industry

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (April 19, 2011) – Acer Inc.'s board of directors has approved the candidacy of Jim Wong as the new Corporate President, with immediate effect. Wong previously held the positions of corporate senior vice president and president of IT Products Group (ITGO). Together with Chairman and CEO, J.T. Wang, they will lead the company forward to embrace new challenges and opportunities in the new ICT age.

Acer Chairman and CEO, J.T. Wang, states, "For the past ten years Jim has led Acer's global IT operations, including product development and logistics. In that time he has shown outstanding leadership and made important contribution to the company. He has also worked closely with our regional operations to thoroughly understand the needs of our marketing and channels at the front end operations. Therefore, we regard Jim as a well-qualified candidate to step into the role of Acer corporate president."

Wang continues, "The presidential candidacy must fulfill company's needs for future development, and show capability to lead the company forward. As the ICT industry shifts from single to multiple operating system platforms, it opens up new challenges as well as new opportunities. Acer needs a leader who is familiar with technology, as well as understands the market. We reviewed Jim's potential and agreed he would fit well in the role."

The rapid growth from data-creation to data-consumption devices is increasing the ICT market scale and opening up new prospects. Acer will aggressively yet cautiously develop data-consumption products, tablet PCs and smartphones based on the solid foundation of the main PC business.

Jim Wong, new corporate president of Acer states, "The IT industry is encountering a profound change. I foresee many new opportunities and am ready to face the challenges ahead. I will encourage teamwork throughout the company and work closely with the new management team. We are ready with a clear set of goals and action plans."

In the PC business, Acer will continue to seek volume/shipment growth, but we must optimize our multi-brand strategy by having clear differentiation of the brands' positioning and create value for our customers. Concurrently, Acer shall focus on developing selective models for mobile devices to lay a solid foundation for the future.
Three key principles have been defined by Acer's new management to ensure successful decision making:
Promote the spirit of teamwork to enhance company's overall competitiveness, and encourage closer communication between front-end and back-end management teams for better mutual understanding.
Simplify operational systems and processes to boost effectiveness and speed.
Strengthen corporate governance and enhance company sustainability.
Wong joined Acer in 1986, with experience in sales, product marketing, product development, with a keen understanding of ODM supplier operations and the brand business. In 2001 when he took charge of the ITGO, he has been one of the core members of Acer's top management team. In 2005 he was promoted to corporate senior vice president.

Born in 1958, Wong holds a bachelor degree, majoring in mathematics from Soochow University in Taiwan, and an MBA from Emory University, Georgia, USA. In 1999 he received Taiwan's 17th Annual Management of Excellency Award.

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Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 4-85: 85-inches of wallet-busting 3D

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 07:59 AM PDT

Bang & Olufsen has dipped a well-designed toe into the world of 3D, with the company’s latest TV offering well-heeled buyers the third dimension. The Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 4-85 is a whopping 85-inch plasma HDTV, complete with a dedicated BeoLab 10 center speaker and a motorized stand that automatically lifts the set to the optimal viewing position (as well as rotate it to suit your sofa).

There’s also integration with B&O’s BeoLink home automation system, which allows all your A/V kit to be controlled by one or more Beo6 remotes. Like other B&O sets, there are electronic curtains, which open automatically when you power on the TV, while the Automatic Color Management system checks the screen after every 100hrs of use with a built-in camera, tweaking settings as appropriate.

The 3D system uses active shutter glasses. Bang & Olufsen aren’t talking pricing at this stage, though given the size of the set and the company’s track record, we’re not expecting the BeoVision 4-85 to be a budget option.

[Thanks Jon!]

Press Release:

Bang & Olufsen launches new elegant TV giant with 3D

Struer, April 2011 – The BeoVision 4 85-inch plasma TV is the latest member of Bang & Olufsen's home cinema family and the first Full HD screen with 3D. It incorporates state-of-the-art performance within audio, video, magical moving mechanics and intelligent home integration, all completely controlled by the Beo6 remote control.

With the launch of the BeoVision 4 85-inch TV, Bang & Olufsen keeps their promise: to provide the best picture experience of any plasma screen. Not only does the BeoVision 4-85 plasma panel qualify as 'Full HD', which means razor sharp details, rich, lifelike colours and smooth movement of objects on the screen; it is also Bang & Olufsen's first TV concept that includes 3D technology using active shutter glasses. In addition, with the help of Automatic Colour Management to counter the effects of age, it delivers exceptional picture quality, ensuring the same high level of performance year after year.

"BeoVision 4-85 is designed to give our customers the ultimate TV experience. Although it would appear to be mainly suited for home cinema viewing owing to its exceptional picture quality and its significant size, it encompasses a wide selection of picture improvement technologies such as anti-reflection coating that reduces annoying reflections from the screen and automatic picture control which adjusts the light output and makes BeoVision 4-85 well suited for daytime viewing as well," says Product Manager, Ole Moltsen.

If you go for the 3D experience, though, you have to close the curtains completely. Given the ongoing advances in the industry, from recording and editing equipment to the products which transmit them, 3D types of experiences are on the verge of having an impact on the entertainment world at large. The new generation of 3D TV viewing is introduced in the BeoVision 4-85. So get ready to be utterly enthralled by a 3D sight and sound sensation from Bang & Olufsen. And watch your TV experience come alive.

Spectacular sound

With the dedicated centre loudspeaker BeoLab 10 utilising Acoustic Lens Technology, BeoVision 4-85 has an unmatched sound performance to accompany the high quality picture performance.

"BeoLab 10 is capable of handling the centre channel perfectly even when combined with our most powerful loudspeaker, BeoLab 5. With the patented Acoustic Lens Technology, sound from the centre channel is spread equally in the horizontal plane, allowing you to get all the nuances from e.g. film dialogue, regardless of where you sit in the room," says Jens Rahbek, Acoustic Engineer at Bang & Olufsen.

Elegant giant

The new 85-inch member of the BeoVision 4 family is offered with a unique stand that elevates the screen at the touch of a button. When the TV is turned on, the screen will elegantly elevate itself to the optimal viewing position, and the seamlessly integrated BeoLab 10 centre loudspeaker will emerge underneath the screen. At the same time, the screen will turn and tilt according to the user's preferences. When switched off again, the impressive screen moves down towards the floor in a powerful, sturdy fashion and is parked only inches above the floor, making it look less prominent in the room when not in use.

"Placed on a motorized stand, BeoVision 4 represents a whole new and unique approach to the placement of a giant flat screen TV," says Product Manager Ole Moltsen. "Bang & Olufsen is among the few companies that are able to deliver a TV screen that size, and we are the only ones who can offer a stand that will actually lift the screen off the floor, and then turn and tilt it to your preferred viewing position."

BeoVision 4-85 is also available as a screen-only solution, where the screen is mounted on a wall bracket as known from other BeoVision 4 family members.

The size of the carefully crafted 85" screen with its high-grade aluminium frame is impressive, but it becomes even more impressive when the screen starts to move. The movements of the screen and speaker are accelerated and decelerated in the process to underline the muscular progress, and the initial lift of the screen is timed with the start up time of the BeoSystem 3 picture and surround sound engine. The hallmark electronic curtains are then pulled aside while the BeoLab 10 centre loudspeaker is moving forward into position.

Centre of intelligent home

This new TV concept is the cornerstone in the intelligent home as it is a fantastic hub for combining audio and video experiences with other home automation systems. To many customers home automation is becoming more and more interesting, and due to increasingly sophisticated interfaces, Bang & Olufsen customers can actually control and operate all their A/V and home automation equipment from the programmable Beo6 remote control all over the house. Control of light settings plus access to security systems, ventilation, curtains, pool cover, burglar alarm etc. are only some of the countless possibilities.

Due to the extensive flexibility of BeoVision 4-85, its built-in competencies and high-end performance, the customer gets a unique Bang & Olufsen solution that can be customized according to individual preferences by the professional Bang & Olufsen retail organization and carefully selected specialist partners.

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Lenovo ThinkPad X220 and X220T Tablet on sale, plus Edge E220s

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 07:30 AM PDT

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X220 and X220T Tablet have gone up for sale, offering up to 24hrs of battery life and Intel Core i3 and i5 processors. Announced back in March, the notebooks are priced from $849 for the X220 and from $1,249 for the X220T. Both have 12.5-inch 1366 x 768 displays, with the X220T’s recognizing multitouch gestures.

There’s also 2GB of RAM as standard on the X220, along with a 250GB hard-drive and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The X220T gets 4GB of RAM but the same HDD and GPU. Both have WiFi b/g/n as standard, and can be configured with Bluetooth and/or integrated WWAN.

Meanwhile the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E220s is also up for sale today, priced from $749 with the Core i5 processor and from $819 with the Core i7 processor. It has a 12.5-inch display and Intel HD Graphics 3000.

[via Logicbuy 1, 2 & 3]

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AT&T blocks BlackBerry Bridge app for PlayBook [Update 2: AT&T responds]

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 06:41 AM PDT

AT&T may have undermined an integral part of the BlackBerry PlayBook‘s functionality, over what looks to be concerns regarding tethering use. BlackBerry Bridge is the system by which RIM allows for email, contacts, calendar and other app access on a PlayBook tablet from a BlackBerry smartphone; however, it also allows for tethering, something which seems to have prompted AT&T to block the app.

Update 2: AT&T statement after the cut

CrackBerry found that, when they tried to use the Bridge app, AT&T was listed as an unsupported carrier. That means no access to email on the handset, and since the PlayBook currently lacks a dedicated email app of its own, it’s a significant shortcoming.

AT&T’s issue, it’s speculated, is that through Bridge the PlayBook can get online using the smartphone’s connection. That wouldn’t be recognized as tethering – i.e. something that AT&T charges more for subscribers to access – and so Bridge has seemingly been blocked as a result.

Enterprising PlayBook owners have already found a direct, OTA link to the .jad file, which seems to work, but if AT&T persists in blocking Bridge then RIM may have issues with enterprise clients using the network. Neither company has publicly commented on the issue.

Update: We’ve just tried to install BlackBerry Bridge on an AT&T BlackBerry Torch, and been presented with the image shown at the top of the page. It looks like AT&T really is blocking the app.

Update 2: AT&T has given us the following statement, which suggests that RIM’s last-minute submission of the Bridge app to the carrier is the problem here:

“AT&T is working with RIM to make the BlackBerry Bridge app available for AT&T customers.  We have just received the app for testing and before it’s made available to AT&T customers we want to ensure it delivers a quality experience for our customers.”

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Sonos Controller for Android released; Sonos v3.4 adds AirPlay

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Sonos has released its Sonos Controller for Android app, allowing users of Android 2.1 or higher smartphones or tablets to remotely control their multi-room audio systems without paying for a separate remote. Meanwhile, the company has also added Apple AirPlay support in Sonos firmware v3.4, allowing an AirPort Express to be plugged into a Sonos device’s aux-in input and stream from it around the home.

We played with the Sonos Controller for Android app back in February – you can see it in action in the video below – and found it to be even better than its iOS counterpart. Sonos missed its original release date, but the app will be in the Android Market today.

As for the AirPlay support in Sonos 3.4, that allows for music to be streamed from an iPod, iPhone or iPad, just as the system currently allows for iTunes access. It can be streamed to a single room or synchronized across all rooms.

Press Release:

Sonos Controller for Android Now available on Android Market

Sonos Gives Android Fans Amazing Sound, Unlimited Music and Incredible Wireless Control in Every Room of the Home

London, UK – April 19, 2011 – Sonos, the leading developer of wireless
multi-room music systems for the home, today announced that the Sonos
Controller for Android is now available for download as a free app on the
Android Market™. Sonos Controller for Android transforms most Android™ smartphones into a wireless music controller for the award-winning Sonos Multi-Room Music System. To see a video on how you can use an Android smartphone to control music all over the home with Sonos, please visit www.sonos.com/android.

"We're pleased to deliver a great new way for music lovers to tap into all the music on earth," said John MacFarlane, founder and CEO, Sonos, Inc. "Now Android owners can pull out their phones and bring music home with Sonos."

With the award-winning Sonos S5 in any room and an Android smartphone in hand, music fans can now enjoy an unmatched wireless music experience in the home. Access and play all the music on earth – from the Internet and your personal music library – throughout the home, wirelessly. Play the same song in every room of the house – perfectly synchronized. Or mix it up and play different songs in different rooms. Use the free Sonos Controller for Android to control the music in each room, all from the palm of your hand. Search for songs and stations by typing, or by speaking, thanks to the new Sonos music voice search feature. Also, turn the hard buttons on the Android smartphone into volume control. And because your Android phone is controlling the music – not the source of it – when a text comes in or you need to make a phone call, the music doesn't stop.

The Sonos Controller for Android works on any Android smartphone running Android 2.1 or later with a screen size of HVGA 320 x 480, WVGA 480 x 800 or WVGA 480 x 854. Sonos Controller for Android joins the family of Sonos Controllers which includes free apps for iPhone and iPad, a dedicated touchscreen controller, the Sonos Controller 200, and free software for your Mac or PC, which is included with every ZonePlayer. All controllers work together seamlessly.

In conjunction with today's Sonos Controller for Android availability, Sonos has released Sonos System Software v3.4 which features support for Apple AirPlay music sources, iOS multi-tasking and more. For more details, see additional press release or visit:

http://sonos.com/support/software_update.aspx

Press Release:

Now playing all over the home: Apple Airplay music sources on Sonos

Sonos offers the only true, multi-room Apple AirPlay experience with an Apple AirPort Express

London, UK – April 19, 2011 – Sonos, the leading developer of wireless
multi-room music systems for the home, today introduced Sonos System
Software 3.4, a free software update that adds more music and more
features to the Sonos music experience. Sonos 3.4 makes it easy to play
Apple AirPlay music sources all over the home, and adds support for Apple
iPad and Apple iPhone multitasking and Sonos Controller for Android.

“The cool AirPlay feature for music is sending a song from an iOS device to a speaker or receiver,” said John MacFarlane, founder and CEO, Sonos, Inc. “Today Sonos improves the AirPlay experience with party mode so a music lover can send a song from his iPhone or iPad to all the rooms in a home with perfect synchronisation.”

Apple AirPlay Music Sources on Sonos

Now you can stream songs from your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch all over
your home on Sonos. Connect an Apple Airport Express via line-in to any
Sonos ZonePlayer and enjoy the only true, multi-room Apple AirPlay
experience.

• Party Mode: Only on Sonos can you send a song from your iOS device
to multiple ZonePlayers throughout your home and enjoy that song in
every room, simultaneously
• Different songs in different rooms, Sonos-style: Since 2005, only on
Sonos can you play different music from your iTunes library in different
rooms of the home

For more information about how to play Apple AirPlay music sources on
Sonos, for recommended setup and more, please visit www.sonos.com/AirPlay.

Other Sonos 3.4 features include:

Faster wireless control on your iPhone and iPad with iOS multitasking
support. Find and play your music even faster with multitasking updates
available on the free Sonos Controller for iPhone and Sonos Controller for
iPad. Both are available for download from the iTunes App Store.

More control with support for Sonos Controller for Android. Transform your favourite Android smartphone into a full-fledged Sonos Controller with a free app you can download from Android Market today. Sonos Controller for Android features innovative music voice search so you find any artist, album or track by simply speaking into your phone. For more details, see additional press release or visit www.sonos.com/android

Full details of the Sonos 3.4 software release can be found here:
http://sonos.com/support/software_update.aspx

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Is this the official white iPhone 4 or iPhone 5 running iOS 5.0? [Video]

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 05:50 AM PDT

Footage of what’s claimed to be iOS 5.0 running on either a white iPhone 5 or an official white iPhone 4 has emerged in Vietnam, ahead of what’s expected to be a June official unveil this year. Tinhte forums member cuhiep managed to grab some hands-on time with what’s described as “a test version of next-generation iPhone with the new iOS that Apple plans to release this year.”

Video demo after the cut

He says it’s a 64GB model though there’s no sign of any settings pages to prove that. There’s an interesting Exposé style switcher, too, along with slicker integration with searching across the phone.

To be honest, it could very well be an iPhone 4 running a custom – but non-official – multitasking UI, but if this is really Apple’s handiwork then we’re pleased to see a change from the current system of app switching. No sign of a bigger display as previous rumors have tipped.

Update: 9 to 5 Mac dug up another video (which you can see below) that shows prototype buttons as well as confirming the 64GB storage. According to iPhone hacker chronic the firmware is iOS 4, build number 8A216.

Update 2: It’s looking more and more likely that this is an unreleased iOS 4.x build, not iOS 5.0. Particular points to note are the old-style Voice Memo and Calculator icons. A shame, since the multitasking system is far better – in our opinion – than what’s currently offered.

[Thanks Anonymous!]

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Three backtracks on white iPhone 4 listing

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 05:17 AM PDT

UK carrier Three has backtracked on its white iPhone 4 listing, which was spotted yesterday promising April 20 2011 delivery of the coveted device. While the carrier’s customer care team told us yesterday that the deal was authentic, Three is now saying that “it’s a hidden page that’s inactive.”

“This page is not live at the moment, it was built at the same time as the iPhone black page so that we have it ready when and should the time come to launch white. For now, it's a hidden page that's inactive.”

Apple is rumored to be preparing the white iPhone 4 announcement for April 26, and the Three listing was seen as the carrier jumping the gun on getting its offer out there. The original product code is no longer working, however, and it’s unclear what’s happened to anybody who took advantage of the deal before Three pulled it.

Still, all signs point to an imminent launch of the handset, and were we cynical people we might wonder whether Three were now playing dumb so as to keep Apple on-side. If you got an order in with the carrier before the listing changed, let us know in the comments!

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Geek makes toy motorcycles out of watch parts

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 04:57 AM PDT

I like seeing people take one device and use it to make other devices. I’m not talking about taking a hammer and making a birdhouse out of wood with some nails. I am talking about taking apart a watch and using the gears and parts to make a sculpture of something else like this guy going by dkart71 did.

He takes old school watches with gears and other small parts that can be removed. He then uses those parts to build motorcycle models. This is really cool and if you look close, you can see the watch crystal, winging knob and stems, and lots more. The only thing I wonder about being an actual watch part is the exhaust.

It looks like the case from an old pocket watch is the rear wheel. And the forks are made from a gold watchband. I love the creativity and vision this sculpture required!

[via deviantART]

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Nokia unveils Ovi Maps 3D for web users

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 04:46 AM PDT

Nokia has been offering navigation maps for users of Nokia maps for web users for a while now. Like many of these types of apps they started out as flat 2D maps that looked like drawings. Nokia has announced a cool new update to Ovi Maps that adds 3D view to the maps so a user can get a better understanding of the “feel” of a place.

Nokia Maps 3D sounds lot like Google Earth to me. Nokia claims that the maps are very realistic and all the buildings, parks, and playgrounds in an area are included in the map. Nokia partnered with C3 to make the 3D maps.

C3 uses camera equipment that captures the same object form up to 100 different angles and then the images are used to recreate a 3D representation. 3D maps are offered for San Francisco, New York, Miami, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Toronto, London, Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Milan, Venice, Florence, Barcelona, Madrid, Prague, Vienna and more to come. The service also offers maps of the streets of downtown in London, San Francisco, Helsinki, Oslo and Copenhagen.

[via Nokia

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Metal Pen hides a level and a screwdriver, perfect geek gift

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 04:14 AM PDT

It’s hard to believe that here in the US we are very close to being done with another school year. That means that you will need to find gifts for all those graduates you know and if you want something cool that won’t break the bank here it is.

This is a metal pen with an integrated level, screwdriver and ruler. The body of the pen is marked in inches. You can see the bubble level window the little window and the screwdriver has both a small flat tip and a Philips bit under the cap on top.

The pen is cheap too with a price of $14.95 each. You know that this pen will get lots of use; I always need a screwdriver at odd times and never have one. There is no word on if the pen has black or blue ink color.

[via neatorama]

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Seagate and Samsung announce strategic agreement

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 04:02 AM PDT

Seagate is one of the biggest names in HDD storage for the consumer and enterprise user. Samsung is very big in the production of NAND flash that is used in SSD drives. The two companies have today announced a new strategic partnership that will have them combining some of their operations.

Samsung will combine its HDD operations into Seagate and the two firms will extensively cross-license technology. In exchange, Samsung is getting a significant ownership stake in Seagate of about 9.6%. The deal is costing Seagate $1.375 billion. Half of that amount is being paid with stock and the other half in cash.

Samsung will provide Seagate with NAND flash for use in SSD products, hybrid drives and other gear under the agreement. The two firms expect the deal to close by the end of 2011. Samsung will also get to designate a nominee to join the Seagate board of directors.

[via Seagate]

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Cancel a Kindle mag subscription and lose back issues

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 03:51 AM PDT

One of the things I like most about print mags and subscriptions is that I can keep them and look back at things printed in the past to compare to new items. Back issues are also great for reading material on really boring days. If you have a Kindle and you have a digital magazine subscription, you may not know this little tidbit.

If you cancel your subscription to a magazine on the eReader, you also lose your back issues. That is like the publisher coming to your house and picking up the magazines on your coffee table if you cancel. That is certainly not fair at all to the subscriber that paid for the issues.

Some people like to collect the back issues and it really sucks that you lose those issues. Not only do the back issues you already downloaded get deleted if you cancel a subscription, but there is no way to transfer back issues to a new device either.

[via Gizmodo]

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Alienware m18x and m14x coming April 19

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 03:41 AM PDT

Alienware makes some really cool gaming focused machines that have loads of power and big prices to go with that power. The company also makes some interesting smaller notebooks too. If you have been looking for the new m18x and m14x notebooks to land apparently, that is coming today.

Pocket-lint reports that sources have told it that the launch of the m18x and the m14x notebooks are due today. Alienware has a teaser site up right now that geeks interested in the notebooks can register with for more information. These should be some nice gaming machines.

The m18x will use an NVIDIA GTX 460M processor, 4GB of RAM and a 320GB HDD. It also uses a 2.8GHz Core i7 CPU, 8GHz of RAM, and 750GB HDD. One of the upgrade processors is a 3.4GHz unit, and other upgrades include 8GB of RAM, and 750GB of storage.

[via Pocket-lint]

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Analogue Interactive offers custom wooden Neo Geo Consolized MVS systems

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 03:28 AM PDT

A long time ago when I got my first credit card the first thing I did was buy a Neo Geo game console I thought it was the coolest game system in the world and it was pretty darn cool. If you are still playing your Neo Geo and want something cooler that you can play Analogue Interactive has something really cool.

The product is the Neo Geo Consolized MVS. That is a long name for what amounts to the innards of a Neo Geo console stuffed in a really cool looking walnut wood enclosure. The enclosure has dust flaps over the door where you plug the cartridge and has a pair of joystick ports on the front.

The back of the case has component and composite inputs and a power switch. The cabinet is 100% real walnut. The connectivity lets the console work with just about any HDTV and it has a new rechargeable battery for saving content and scores. The MVS will ship in early May 2011 for $649 and will work with any Neo Geo controller made.

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Galaxy Tab 10.1v pre-orders underway at Vodafone Australia

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 03:14 AM PDT

If you live in Australia and have signed up for information on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, you need to check your inbox. Emails started going out yesterday at some point telling those that had registered for more details that the 10.1v was hitting pre-order today. The official launch date is tomorrow for the tablet.

The pre-orders are underway until 8pm tonight, but you have to wait until May 1 for the tablet to ship. This tablet is basically nothing but a thinner version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 that we have here in the states. The tablet comes with a bonus book cover too.

The tablet is free with a 2-year contract on data at AU$39 monthly. It you want a one-year contract it will cost you AU$259 and the same monthly fee as the 2-year contract. If you want no contract, you will need to spend AU$729.

[via Android Community]

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Korg offers iElectribe Gorillaz Edition for iPad

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 02:47 AM PDT

If you like music you might be familiar with the band Gorillaz. They have the videos with animated primates in them. Gorillaz and Korg have teamed up to offer a cool special edition app for the iPad that is a virtual beatbox from Korg. The app is called iElectribe Gorillaz Edition.

The app will sell in a limited edition of 10,000 units at $9.99 per download. The company is apparently thinking of selling more since the app carries the disclaimer “sales beyond 10,000 are yet to be determined.” What that likely means is if we sell 10,000 copies we will sell more. The app has some cool stuff for the people that want to make their own jams.

The app has a PCM synthesizer sound engine with 128 PCM samples. It has eight total instrument voices and eight PCM synthesizer parts. It has a bunch of different effects and the sequencer can have different patterns and tempos. The app has a lot of different things you can do and use to make your own tunes.

[via iTunes]

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Samsung says it will fight Apple suit with counter-suit

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 02:20 AM PDT

Yesterday word surfaced that Apple was filing a patent suit against Samsung. The suit stems from allegations that Samsung is copying Apple intellectual property with the design of some of the Samsung Galaxy series smartphones. Anyone can see the resemblance between the two in the photo below.

Samsung has vowed to fight Apple’s suit with one of its own. According to the AFP, Samsung suspects that Apple is violating its wireless technology patents. This suit is interesting considering that Apple is the second largest customer for Samsung and has spent huge sums of money on components from Samsung.

Apple accused Samsung of copying the look, feel, design, packaging and user interface of the iPhone. Samsung issued a statement reading, “Samsung will respond actively to this legal action taken against us through appropriate legal measures to protect our intellectual property.”

[via Google News]

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Dish Network announces plans to keep 600 Blockbuster stores running

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 02:09 AM PDT

Blockbuster was for years the place to go in many cities around the country when you wanted to watch or rent a movie. The company started to lose ground when alternatives like Netflix and Redbox started to become popular ultimately Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy. I reported last week that the bankruptcy court had approved the purchase of Blockbuster by Dish Network.

At the time, one of the reasons that Dish Network won the bid was that it planned to keep the chain running. Dish plans to continue to operate about 600 of the Blockbuster stores around the country. That means that 1000 of the stores running right now will be closed. Blockbuster had already cut the number of stores to 1726.

The store closings are all around the country, including some in Dallas where the company is based. Apparently Dish hasn't yet assumed the lease for the corporate HQ of Blockbuster in downtown Dallas or the distribution center measuring a massive 850,000 square feet in McKinney. The purchase of Blockbuster cost Dish Network $320 million.

[via Finantil.tmcnet.com]

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Nokia Windows Phones detailed: X7-based W7, 12MP N8 variant, more

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 01:20 AM PDT

Nokia’s Windows Phone ambitions have been prematurely previewed, with rumored details of four handsets supposedly in development being leaked. The company has apparently bypassed the so-called “chassis 1″ format – the tightly spec-constrained handsets we’ve seen so-far – and, according to Mobile-review, dived straight into developing “chassis 2″ prototypes which will allow Nokia greater flexibility in the design and components it can use. The initial four designs reportedly consist of X7 and N8 variants running Windows Phone, along with a QWERTY touchscreen candybar device similar to the E6 and a “cheap” all-touch device for the entry-level price point.

The Windows Phone X7 – which Mobile-review calls the Nokia W7, though it’s unclear if that name will stick – supposedly has a WVGA display and Qualcomm QSD8250 chipset. The chassis is the same, angular casing as we played with last week, with an 8-megapixel camera paired with autofocus and a flash. The screen is not reportedly AMOLED, though that could change, and Nokia apparently intends to push the W7 out to the market first: as early as fall 2011, if the company can get its act together.

As for the N8 variant, that will apparently carry over the Symbian handset’s imaging capabilities with a 12-megapixel camera or similar. It will also be targeting the high-end market, with a dual-core Qualcomm CPU and Adreno 320 GPU, and a final design that will apparently look relatively different from the N8. It’s expected to drop in late Q1 or early Q2 2012, and is still for the most part in very early developmental stages.

The final two devices will probably be based on existing Symbian prototype hardware. The QWERTY handset will supposedly come with a Nokia-developed enterprise-focused service of some sort, though details are still scant, while the “cheap” phone is tipped to be based on the W7 design but with cheaper materials, an EDOF full-focus camera and an early 2011 release date.

In fact, these are just four of a total of 12 Windows Phone handsets Nokia is tipped to be working on for 2012. Among the second wave will reportedly be a new flagship, along with another high-end camera phone. Interestingly, the Finns are also supposedly continuing their Android evaluation, with everything supposedly depending on Windows Phone sales in the first half of next year.

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Portal 2 on sale today! [Video]

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:59 AM PDT

You may as well call in sick to work right now: Portal 2 has arrived, and it owns your week. The much-anticipated title is available today for Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Mac, offering a much-boosted single player mode complete with fresh challenges, new characters and more devious test levels, while there’s also an innovative two-player cooperative mode.

That cooperative mode demands that gamers think and work together to solve challenges. There are two new characters and an entirely new campaign with a dedicated storyline of its own. Later on, Portal 2′s editing tools will be enabled, so that gamers can create their own levels.

Portal 2 is on Steam for PC or Mac, and $54.99 for Xbox 360 or PS3 via the usual retail channels. Plenty more video and details on Portal in our previous wrap-up

Portal 2 Teaser:

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Baratza Esatto and Vario-E want to revolutionize your coffee

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:46 AM PDT

If you take coffee seriously, then you’ll know there’s more to a premium brew than a huge, shiny espresso machine. In fact, the grinding process makes the biggest difference to your eventual cup, and part of that is getting the exact dose right. Enter Baratza and the Esatto, reports CoffeeGeek, a weight-based dosing system that promises accuracy down to 0.2g variance for the company’s existing grinders, as well as the Baratza Vario-E, a full weight-based grinding system in one.

Weight-based dosing has been something of a holy grail for coffee addicts over the years. The problem with traditional grinders is that, even if you know exactly the weight of the coffee beans going in at the top, you can’t be sure how much – after you lose some sticking to the mill, to the coffee chute, etc – will come out for the eventual brew. Timed grinding, where you preset a length of time for the grinder to be active, leads to the inevitable variances with different beans and in each different grind.

“You’re the home barista. You geek out on coffee, you measure everything. You weigh everything. You time everything. Meanwhile, your spouse just wants a good cup of coffee. This is one more step to he or she being able to have that, on their own, thanks to the grinder doing the weighing for them. You program in the weights and set the preset buttons (there’s three). In the morning, your spouse just has to hit one button and voila, the grinder has ground out an exact dose for their morning press pot. Or morning espresso. No muss, no fuss, no scales, no obsessive compulsive home coffee geek looking over their shoulders.” Mark Prince, CoffeeGeek

What Baratza has done is integrate a tiny weighing mechanism into a base plate – designed, in the case of the Esatto, to have an existing Maestro Plus, Virtuoso and Preciso grinder to sit on top – which takes over control of the grinding process and shuts it off when a preset weight is achieved. The Esatto uses basic power cycling to control the grinder on top, while the Vario-E actually integrates everything into a single unit for those who don’t already have a Baratza grinder.

The Baratza Esatto is expected to go on sale in June 2011, priced at $149. As for the Vario-E, that’s expected to add $100 to the cost of a regular Baratza Vario, making it around $549 in the same timescale.

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BlackBerry PlayBook on sale now

Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:14 AM PDT

RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is now on sale, with the WiFi-only QNX slate available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models priced from $499. The PlayBook is available from RIM direct or from Best Buy, Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples. More details on accessories after the cut.

The 32GB PlayBook is $599 while the 64GB PlayBook is $699. As for accessories, RIM is offering various cases and skins for the tablet: there’s a Convertible Case which stands the PlayBook up for video watching, priced at $49.99, and a Journal Case, priced at $59.99, while the PlayBook Skin is $29.99.

3G/4G versions of the BlackBerry tablet will be coming later on in 2011. We’ve been playing with the PlayBook for the past week or so; expect the full SlashGear review later today!

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