Rabu, 27 April 2011

What's new on SlashGear.com

What's new on SlashGear.com

Google Launches Chrome 11, Bug Fixes, Security Updates, And New Speech Input

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 03:04 PM PDT

Google today launched the stable release version of Chrome 11. The updated browser brings numerous bug fixes and security enhancements, plus a brand new logo. Google has been releasing new versions of Chrome almost every six weeks since last summer and have listed over 3.700 changes made with this latest stable release.

Some of the Chrome 11 changes include bug fixes in cloud printing, new hardware accelerated 3D CSS, updated security of its built-in version of Adobe Flash, and user agent string changes that bring it in line with the changes made in Firefox 4. The browser update also addressed 25 security vulnerabilities, 15 of which were ranked as high.

However, the feature that Google highlighted was a new speech input function implemented with HTML 5. The new feature works seamlessly with Google Translate to provide speech-to-text capabilities. Newly embedded on the translate page is a microphone icon, which you can click to speak your input that converts into text. It appears to only work with English at this time. Chrome 11 is ready for download now for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

[via CNET]

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NEW CONTEST! Win an Aire LED Black Monitor from SlashGear!

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:33 PM PDT

Because we love you, our readers, so much, we have got yet another contest for you! You’ll have a chance to win a fabulous Aire LED Black Monitor, thanks to AOC! This monitor features one of the world’s thinnest displays, only 12.7mm throughout, with a sleek, piano black finish. We are giving away the 22″ version of this HD screen. The monitor can be placed on a desktop, or you can tilt the stand with the press of a button and mount this puppy on the wall. All you have to do is head on over to our Facebook page and be our friend. Read on for all the details.


So here’s what you need to do to win the AOC Aire LED 22″ Monitor:

1. "like" us on Facebook: facebook.com/slashgearcom
2. Comment on the wall saying something nice about SlashGear and let us know why you think you should win. You must also include the tag #airemonitor, or your post will not be counted.

Contest begins April 27, 2PM PST, and ends May 4, 2PM PST. A winner will be announced on May 4 @ 5PM PST here in the main news feed and at our official Facebook page.

WINNERS will be given the opportunity to submit a review of their Aire monitor and have it posted on the front page of SlashGear.com!

*Reviews may be edited or modified before publication and are considered works for hire under the 1976 Copyright Act. Submissions will be ineligible for payment or remuneration.

Competition is open to residents of the US over the age of 18. One entry per contest per person. Family members of Google and SlashGear/Android Community are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified SlashGear Facebook page; entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized. One entry per person (and yes, we check).

The winners will be announced on SlashGear and will be expected to contact SlashGear via the following email: samia@androidcommunity.com ; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, AOC and SlashGear.

Prize consists of one Aire LED Black 22″ Monitor on SlashGear. One prize per winner. There is no cash alternative or any other alternative for prize winners unless this prize should become unavailable, in which case SlashGear and AOC reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value.

Contest provided by SlashGear. Prizing provided by AOC. Any questions regarding this contest should be directed to samia@androidcommunity.com.

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Flapping Toasters – Kinect, Meet 1989

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:20 PM PDT

Clever hackers put together an interactive piece of art that is reminiscent of the old Flying Toasters screensaver. The artists call it a kitschy “absurdist reconstruction of the classic screensaver Flying Toasters.” Become one with the winged toaster, flap your arms to flap the wings and tilt to flip your tiny silver box to roll away from danger. First off, this looks really fun. Secondly, they’re already talking about turning it into a game. This is an early look into something that’s going to be super fun.

I’m already seeing a game where you fly around releasing toast mines and have to flap and dodge yours and your friends’. And each toaster is a different color so you can get up to four players in on the craziness. It’s a novel and ridiculous drinking game.

I’m already sold. I think I’m going to have to beg/borrow/steal/buy a Kinect to try this out tonight. I’ll update this later with some more information. It’s only available in source code on the GitHUB right now, so it needs to be compiled.

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Epix Movie Streaming Expands Apps To Android, Google TV, Roku, PlayBook, And More

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 11:58 AM PDT

Epix announced today that it will be expanding its availability across hundreds of devices. In case you’re not familiar, Epix is a video streaming service that has over 3000 movies and original programming. It was initially launched as an online portal at EpixHD.com but has now readied apps for over one hundred devices including smartphones, tablets, TVs, and more.

The company is co-owned by Paramount, MGM, and Lionsgate and therefore is able to provide the premium selection of movie content in direct competition with DVD and movie streaming services such as Netflix. The apps will be free for download and will allow subscribers to access the service from over one hundred devices as long as there is an internet connection. The devices include Android tablets and smartphones manufactured by Motorola, HTC, and LG; Samsung TVs and Blu-Ray players; Google TV; Roku players; and the BlackBerry PlayBook.

As part of the launch, Epix will provide free access to content such as movie trailers, interviews, and short form videos. They will work further with their distributors to provide limited time free trial access to the core content.

"Our business was created to take advantage of the changing landscape, understanding how consumers are using technology, and we have been able to successfully work with our partners to create new ways for authenticated subscribers to access premium entertainment when, where and how they want," said EPIX President and CEO Mark Greenberg. "Movies have been a key driver of every new entertainment platform and we are excited to tap the power of movies to engage online viewers and attract new subscribers for our affiliated distributors."

[via EpixHD]

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White iPhone Needed Sunscreen – Challenges Explained

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 11:56 AM PDT

Color goes more than skin deep, at least for the iPhone. Apple has explained some of the challenges that caused delay after delay for the device. Apple had announced plans to make the iPhone 4 in both black and white, and in fact had the white phone on hand at the product announcement, but found the white color a challenge. The color effected the internal components, as well as needing more protection from the sun. The company has said that the modifications they made for the white device will benefit them with the iPad as well.


There had been questions about whether Apple had given up on the white phone altogether, and then sightings in the UK, and even on eBay yesterday. Now that it is actually, for sure, for reals going to be in stores tomorrow, we get a bit of insight into why the delays.

"It was challenging," Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller said during a joint interview with CEO Steve Jobs on Wednesday. "It's not as simple as making something white. There's a lot more that goes into both the material science of it–how it holds up over time… but also in how it all works with the sensors."

It turned out there were many unexpected interactions between the color of the device and various internal components. The white color also made it more sensitive to the sun, needing more UV protection.

"We thought we were there a year ago, or less than that, when we launched the iPhone 4 and we weren't," Schiller said. Waiting for release of the elusive white device has assured that it will live up to expectations he said.

Steve Jobs noted that the extra work that Apple had to do to get the white iPhone ready will benefit the company in the future. "We obviously think about this in a generic way because you have a white iPad," Jobs said, toward the end of the interview.

So are you getting a white iPhone? Do you care?

[via All Things Digital]

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iPad 2, HARMAN OnBeat, Upgrade Bracket Free Promo Code

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 11:50 AM PDT

Free stuff is always nice. We just got this tip that you can get an upgrade bracket that will allow you to fit your iPad2 into your HARMAN OnBeat. The old model was too loose to accomadate the slimmer tablet. If you have been running into this problem, JBL has your back. They’re offering to ship free brackets to anyone who has this problem. All of the details are after the break.

All you have to do is browse on over to JBL’s webstore here. There you’ll find the product numbers you need, just use the promo code BRACKET and you’ll be able to get a new bracket shipped to you at no cost. Thanks JBL! It’s always nice when a company actually goes out of their way to support a product like this. I snapped a quick screenshot confirming that the code actually works. Here you go.

You should also know that if you’re shopping around for docking stations, JBL is already shipping all new purchases with this bracket. So don’t let this deter you, you’re already covered. We wrote a bit more about it and have an image gallery posted here.

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Google Docs Android App Launched, Uses Phone Camera For OCR Text Capture

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 11:20 AM PDT

It’s surprising how long it has taken for some of Google’s primary products to get an app version for their Android platform. Today, the Google Docs product of services has finally gotten its app launched and will bring easy editing and sharing of documents to your mobile device. Now you really have no excuse for not finishing work while on the go.

The app will make it easy for you to filter and search for your content across any of your Google accounts and jump straight into editing via the online mobile editors. Your documents can also be easily shared with contacts on your phone from within the app. Additionally, content can be uploaded from your phone, documents can be directly opened from Gmail, and shortcut widgets can be added to the home screen for your most common tasks.

But perhaps the standout feature is the integration of OCR (Optical Character Recognition). This feature along with the use of your phone’s camera can convert photos with text into editable documents. The process is as simple as tapping the “Document from Photo” option or selecting the camera icon from the widget. The converted document will appear in your documents list ready for editing. Photos already stored on your camera can also be converted via OCR.

The Google Docs app works for smartphones with Android 2.1 and above. It is available for download at the Android Market.

[via Android Community]

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SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up, April 27th 2011

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 11:01 AM PDT

Good morning, or good afternoon to you all, depending on where you abide. It’s been another busy morning at SlashGear, and we have lots of news to wrap up for you. Verizon’s 4G LTE network is down nationwide, relegating those with a 4G hotspot or an HTC Thunderbolt to 1x speeds, but don’t worry, there is a workaround. Also Sony defends its handling of the PSN hack, and the sluggish pace of getting information to customers. Acer comes out with not one but two 3D devices, and Nintendo lets us know that sales of its 3DS are “weaker than expected”. After hearing that sales of the 3DS set records, we wonder if we can ever believe earnings reports. Much more news to wrap up, and A NEW GIVEAWAY after the cut.


The white iPhone is coming, the white iPhone is coming! It will be out tomorrow. Also, you can now use Qik Video Connect to taunt your Android friends by video (or vice versa). Apple also has released a Q&A about tracking to calm your fears. And the iPad 2 will be available in Asia May 6.

We preview the Sony Freestyle Hybrid PC and “Ultimate” ultraportable notebook, so be sure to check that out.

Qualcomm/BSQUARE MDP Giveaway! BSQUARE MDP with 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8660 Snapdragon is any developer’s dream come true, and we are giving one away. Check out the details here.

Amazon’s ad-featuring, cheaper Kindle is now shipping.

AT&T is mad as hell and isn’t going to take it anymore, charging $25 fee for unofficial tethering.

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Fring 4-way Video Chat, Out of Beta

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 10:48 AM PDT

We first mentioned Fring in July of last year. They have been working on an application that rocks videochat on a handheld to something of a new level. Then earlier this month they released the Beta. If this is all new to you like it is to me, they designed an application that will set up a video chat room for up to four people at once. It’s available for both Android and iOS.

Fring released this promo video showing you the way this will allow you to connect with groups of friends to create unique personal moments of joy and beauty. It’s a fun little advertising spot and really does showcase the possibilities with this kind of technology. I especially enjoyed the short scene that implies you should take your friends with you when you’re peeing in public. It reminds me of a friend who would tweet their toilet shenanigans with alarming regularity, pun intended.

One thing I noticed…

Fringing? Really? It always bothers me when marketers jump forward like that and try mutate their own memes. It always looks and feels hokey and artificial. Listen up, let the meme pools do their work, that’s what they’re for. Google never wanted “google” to be an English verb (publicly anyway), that just evolved naturally out of the language.

Linguistic foibles and tangents aside, this app seems to be a similar tool to Cloudtalk, except Cloudtalk is more focused on asynchronous messaging, where there can be a significant time delay in response. Fring is more about synchronous messaging, where all parties are streaming the video data up and downstream at the same time. This is a good sign for the app ecosystems. These are similar, but slightly different applications that might be competing to fill a similar, but distinctly different, niche. Which do you prefer?

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NOOK Color Adds New Exclusive Game: Aces Bubble Popper

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 10:37 AM PDT

The Barnes & Noble NOOK Color eReader is really setting itself apart from the competition. Earlier this week, the eReader got a firmware update that brought new features including NOOK Email and apps. The ability to download apps is perhaps the niftiest part and included several games for the eReader. New games will likely be piled on quickly, and today’s latest release is the Aces Bubble Popper from Concrete Software, who also released Aces Jewel Hunt and Pocket Ants for the device.

Taking a quick glance at the Barnes & Noble website, you will see 14 of their most popular games. The entire lineup is accessible only via the NOOK Color and purchasing is only available via the device as well. You will be familiar with most of the games from Solitaire to Flight Control and to the most notorious of all, Angry Birds.

Below is a little demo video of the Aces Bubble Popper for the NOOK Color.

However, games are just part of the new apps market. You will also find numerous other apps that help you “explore” as in access web services such as American Airlines, Springpad, and Pulse News. There are also various apps for learning and organization as well as apps designed specifically for kids.

The NOOK Color is really beefing up its functionality and thanks to it running Android OS, there can be many other possibilities with the device. For those of us not keen on hacking the eReader, we now can still enjoy the addition of apps, email, and enhanced web browsing and Flash support. The WiFi version retails for $249.

[via Concrete Software]

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Verizon 4G LTE Down Nationwide

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 09:22 AM PDT

Verizon‘s experiencing some stumbling blocks the day before the commercial release of their new DROID Charge by Samsung. The LTE network that Thunderbolt users have been using with speeds of up to 12Mbps down is curently broken. Completely broken, as in down nationwide. This is only affecting the LTE component of Verizon’s network, their 3G network is as strong as ever. Verizon is aware of the problem and has it’s engineers working for a fix. For you Thunderbolt owners with a broken phone, there is also a workaround. This network outage is just five days after Verizon rolled out LTE to six more cities across the US.

From Verizon’s twitter:

We’re aware of an issue with #4G #LTE connections & our network engineers are working to resolve quickly. Will update here.

The workaround was posted up on xda-developers:

-Go to the ThunderBolt’s phone dialer. Enter ##778# and hit Send.
-You’ll get a pop-up labeled EPST, with the choice to “View Mode” or “Edit Mode.” –You want “Edit Mode.”
-You’ll be asked for a password. It’s 000000.
-Now flip down to “Modem Settings,” and then choose “Rev. A.”
-Change the setting from eHRPD to “Enable,” hit OK, then press the Menu button on the phone and tap “Commit Modifications.”

This gave me 3G back, hopefully works for others.

This issue also affects the MiFi 4510l LTE Mobile Hotspots. There isn’t a workaround for this device that we currently know of, but Verizon will have everything up and running as fast as possible. For the rest of you who are drooling over LTE’s ridiculous throughput, we reviewed the DROID Charge yesterday. If you missed it you should check it out.

[via GottaBeMobile]

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Amazon confirms Kindle with Special Offers shipping now

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 08:25 AM PDT

Amazon has begun shipping the ad-supported Kindle it announced earlier this month, around a week earlier than expected. The Kindle with Special Offers gives users the opportunity to save $25 off the price of a third-gen WiFi-only Kindle, in return for agreeing to view adverts on the homescreen and sponsored screensavers.

Amazon originally said the subsidized version would ship from May 3, or next Tuesday. Obviously the retailer has decided that readers may want some early distraction from the royal wedding this weekend, however; saying that, there are probably already Wills & Kate ebooks just waiting to be downloaded.

We’ll have to wait until Amazon release sales figures – if they ever do – to know how many people are willing to view adds in return for a $25 discount. Frankly, we can’t help but think the company should’ve bitten the bullet and given it a $99 sticker instead.

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Qualcomm’s AR Platform exits beta: Android apps ahoy!

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 08:15 AM PDT

Qualcomm wowed us with its augmented reality photo frames last year, and appealed to our retro whimsy with virtual Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, and now the company is making the AR Platform responsible for the underlying technology commercially available. In beta since October 2010, the freshly official Qualcomm AR Platform consists of an SDK and a Unity3 game engine extension, opening the door to Android 2.1+ smartphone apps overlaying digital graphics onto real-world views from the camera.

In Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, that overlay consisted of two two robots that could be virtually battled on a real-world game mat. The app tracked QR codes on the mat, and used them to overlay the ‘bots on top of the scene, viewed as if live through the camera. In the AR photo frame concept, Qualcomm showed how a phone could identify different networked displays based on what they were showing at the time, swapping pictures around accordingly.

Qualcomm says the AR Platform should work on any Android 2.1+ device, though unsurprisingly the company is also warning that performance will be best on those handsets powered by Snapdragon chipsets. You can download it here.

[via Android Community]

Press Release:

Qualcomm Announces Commercial Release of its Augmented Reality Platform

Platform Enables Android Developers to Create and Distribute Vision-based AR Applications

SAN DIEGO — April 27, 2011 — Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced the immediate commercial availability of its Augmented Reality (AR) Platform for Android smartphones. Offered through Qualcomm's online developer network, this 1.0 release marks the successful completion of the Company's beta program. Developers can now build, market and commercially distribute applications based on the Qualcomm AR platform.

Qualcomm's award-winning AR platform will enable a broad range of experiences that entertain, engage and inform consumers with a new form of interactive media. The platform's rich feature set enables developers to build high-performance, interactive 3D experiences on real world images, such as those used in print media (books, magazines, brochures, tickets, signs) and on product packaging.

The platform supports multiple development environments. The Qualcomm AR Android SDK supports native Android development with the Android tool chain, including the Android SDK and NDK. The Qualcomm AR Unity Extension supports rapid development with the Unity 3 game development tool. A web application is also included for creating and managing image resources that can be used with either development environment.

Industry-leading performance is achieved through Qualcomm's innovations in advanced computer vision algorithms and close integration of hardware and software. The effect of this performance is a higher fidelity user experience in which graphics content appears more real against the real world background. While applications built on the platform will run on all Android smartphones using Android 2.1 or greater, optimal performance will be exhibited on phones using Qualcomm's Snapdragon™ chipset.

"Qualcomm has a long history of providing advanced technologies that drive innovation and opportunity for the mobile ecosystem," said Jay Wright, senior director of business development, Qualcomm. "We continue the tradition by making leading AR technology widely available to developers for commercial use. With more than 6,000 registered developers, we look forward to a new generation of AR applications available in the Android Market and other application stores."

Qualcomm and BigPlayAR recently collaborated with the Dallas Mavericks to introduce the first commercial application using Qualcomm's platform. Mavs AR, a game developed by Big PlayAR, has enabled fans attending the Mavs playoff games at American Airlines Center to point their smartphone running the Mavs AR application at their ticket to play a virtual basketball game in the palm of their hands.

"We are thrilled with Mavs AR – it has really added a new layer of fun and interaction to the Mavs fan experience," said Mavs owner Mark Cuban. "Based on the game's success, we expect to use AR for future fan promotions, and Qualcomm's AR platform has demonstrated itself as a powerful platform for creating these types of 3D experiences."

The Qualcomm AR Platform is available immediately at developer.qualcomm.com/ar

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Qualcomm/BSQUARE MDP Giveaway!

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 08:00 AM PDT

Qualcomm and BSQUARE have just announced the Mobile Development Platform (MDP), the latest developer smartphone with the Snapdragon MSM8660 1.5GHz asynchronous dual-core CPU and Adreno 220, and SlashGear has one to give away! It’s a developer device worth $1,350, and could help change the fortunes of any Android coder looking to polish his apps for the Android Market. Find out how you can win after the cut…

To enter, head on over to the SlashGear Facebook page and hit “Like”, then leave a comment on the wall telling us why the MDP would make your life better. Comments must include the hashtag #MDP or they won’t be counted when we pick a winner.

Good luck!

Giveaway Rules:

Contest begins April 27, 8:00AM PST, and ends May 2, 6:30PM PST. Competition is open to residents of the US over the age of 18. One entry per contest per person. Family members of Qualcomm, BSQUARE and SlashGear/Android Community are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified SlashGear Facebook page; entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized. One entry per person (and yes, we check).

The winner will be announced on SlashGear and will be expected to contact SlashGear via Facebook; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, Qualcomm, BSQUARE and SlashGear/Android Community.

Prize consists of one BSQUARE Mobile Development Platform device. There is no cash alternative or any other alternative for prize winners unless this prize should become unavailable, in which case SlashGear and BSQUARE reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value. Contest provided by SlashGear/Android Community. Prizing provided by BSQUARE/Qualcomm.

(Red sports car not included)


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AT&T warns unofficial tethering will auto-trigger $25 extra fee

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 07:45 AM PDT

AT&T obviously isn’t relying on either honor or guilt to get people to stop unofficially tethering their phones. Having sent out SMS warnings last month to smartphone users caught tethering without a special data plan that they were flouting the carrier’s policies, AT&T has apparently followed up with a second message, reports TiPB, saying they’ll be automatically upgrading users to the appropriate package, an extra $45 $25 per month.

“AT&T Free Msg: We’ve noticed you’re continuing to enjoy the tethering feature with your smartphone service. Remember, you need a tethering plan ($45/mo, incl. 4GB) to use this feature, so we're planning to update your line with the required plan soon. Visit att.com/dataplans or call 888-860-6789.”

Many iPhone owners had used unofficial WiFi hotspot apps like MyWi to share the handset’s connection out with their tablets, notebooks and other devices. While AT&T offers this functionality officially, it also charges extra for it: the regular smartphone data plan only covers on-device browsing and messaging.

What will be interesting is how AT&T reacts to the inevitable complaints from subscribers demanding they prove they have been tethering. Automatically subscribing people to a new, expensive add-on is likely to provoke no small amount of vitriol.

Update: AT&T has pointed out that the actual extra fee is $25 per month – on top of the existing $20 on-device data plan. That gets you an extra 2GB of data for use on any device for a total of 4GB.

[via GottaBeMobile]

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Acer HS274H NVIDIA 3D Vision monitor claims world’s first title

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 07:28 AM PDT

The Aspire Z5763 isn’t Acer’s only piece of 3D kit today; the company has also outed what it’s claiming is the world’s first 27-inch FHD 3D monitor, the Acer HD274H. Relying on NVIDIA’s 3D Vision tech – and having an integrated IR emitter to keep things clean – the HD274H offers three HDMI inputs along with VGA and DVI, and runs at 1920 x 1080 resolution.

There’s LED backlighting, a 2ms response rate and 120Hz refresh rate – though obviously that’ll be halved during 3D playback – together with the usual, overblown dynamic contrast figure: 100,000,000:1 in this case. Acer also throws in a number of digital picture tweaking modes, though we’ve a feeling most image-sensitive users will leave them turned off.

The Acer HD274H will go on sale in the UK in May, priced at £499 ($826). No word on US availability or pricing at this stage.

Press Release:

Acer unveils the world's first 27-inch FHD 3D monitor – HN274H with NVIDIA 3D Glasses

London, 27 April 2011 – TV broadcasts, movies, gaming, photography and even new learning applications: 3D technology unlocks an entire world of experiences. Experiences that can be best appreciated on a bigger screen. Acer, always at the forefront in offering technologically advanced solutions, now presents the HN274H, the first 27-inch 3D monitor in the world to support the HDMI®(dual link) 3D solution, enabling users to fully appreciate the array of possibilities brought by the stereoscopic technology.

Offering powerful and exciting graphics as well as top-notch technology, the HN274H 3D monitor is particularly well suited for thrilling gaming and action movies: the perfect solution for tech-savvy users and gaming enthusiasts.

Together with 3D technology, the HN274H display is rich of high-end monitor's features, to ensure the best viewing experience. First of all, a large 68.6 cm (27") LED backlit panel, ideal not only for gamers or video enthusiasts, but also for users who want to enjoy a great entertainment.

Stunning picture quality is given by an exceptional 100,000,000:1 contrast ratio, while the Full HD resolution (1920×1080) is perfect for 1080p Full HD applications and the 16:9 aspect ratio, is ideal to watch a movie with the same splendour of a theatre screen. The 120Hz refresh rate, essential for creating the 3D effect and a response time of just 2ms, the utmost in reactivity for real-time gaming complete the picture of really outstanding features.

The Acer 3D monitors come with built-in IR emitter to offer greater convenience. An integrated IR emitter means you can connect the monitor to a set-top box or Blu-ray Disc™ via HDMI and enjoy 3D broadcasting or the latest 3D movies.

The Acer HN274H is ideal for enhanced home entertainment. With the included NVIDIA® 3D glasses, featuring advanced active shutter 3D technology, combined with the monitor's built-in IR emitter, you can enjoy your favourite movies or games with your friends, as multiple pair of glasses can be used simultaneously.

The HN274H combines high-end specs with a highly sophisticated design that easily blends into any environment. The graceful base has a rim in a contrasting color for a richer visual impact, while the teardrop-shaped power-key adds a cool touch of class. Convenient to use touch-sensitive controls and an intricate vent design give the monitor an all-round sleek look and feel.

The HN274H monitor falls under Acer's range of EcoDisplay. These displays are specifically designed with an energy saving design, are mercury free and are made of easily recyclable materials. To ensure lower power consumption white LED backlighting technology was adopted, replacing the four lamp design with two lamps, for up to 68% power saving. In addition, LED lamps are mercury-free and safer for the environment whilst delivering better performance. Acer 3D monitors meet stringent industry standards and are compliant with RoHS (the EU directive restricting the usage of hazardous substances) and ENERGY STAR® requirements.
Lower energy consumption not only helps reducing costs but also preserves resources and the environment for future generations.

To ensure the best viewing experience, no matter what are your doing, the Acer HN274H monitor features cutting-edge display technologies.

Acer eColor Management optimizes image performance in common usage scenarios, delivering an improved, more enjoyable viewing experience. This feature allows you to quickly tailor the performance characteristics (brightness, saturation, contrast, etc.) of your monitor to best suit the visual content. Acer eColor Management, which includes a set of convenient scenario modes, is the result of comprehensive research to reveal the high-end features sought most by users. Psychological and technological studies were also carried out to determine the best method of implementing those features.

Acer Adaptive Contrast Management (ACM) dynamically adjusts the contrast ratio to achieve ultra-sharp images. Each scene is analysed to fine-tune images frame by frame and enhance colour quality, obtaining a dramatic improvement of gradation and detail, especially in dimmer and brighter scenes.

The Acer HN274H display series comes with a 2-year collect & return warranty and will be available in May for a SRRP of £499 Inc VAT.

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Acer Aspire Z5763 throws 3D into the all-in-one

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 06:52 AM PDT

Acer has outed its latest all-in-one PC, and this time there’s 3D in the mixture as well. The Acer Aspire Z5763 has a 23-inch 1920 x 1080 display and uses NVIDIA 3D Vision with an integrated emitter for the active shutter glasses; inside there’s a choice of Intel Core i5-2400s, i5-2500s or i7-2600s CPUs along with Intel HD Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GT440 or the GeForce GT435M.

Other specs include an optional hybrid analog/digital TV tuner, integrated 5W stereo speakers, and a 2-megapixel webcam. Connectivity includes gigabit ethernet, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (the latter two both optional), eight USB 2.0 ports, a multiformat memory card reader, PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, VGA and audio in/out.

Storage is up to 2TB and RAM up to 16GB of DDR3; there’s also a Blu-ray drive. Acer also preloads the Aspire Z5763 with its AirControl app, which uses the webcam to allow control of the PC – such as media playback, volume, etc – with hand gestures. The Acer Aspire Z5763 will land in the UK from mid-May, priced from £999 ($1,654).

Press Release:

Aspire Z5763 – the new all-in-one 3D entertainment centre from Acer

London, 27th April 2011 – Started in movie theatres, the 3D revolution has spread fast and entered our homes adding depth to the bi-dimensional world of entertainment, for a more exciting and natural experience. Acer embraced this revolution from the beginning and now enriches its wide range of 3D devices with the Aspire Z5763, the ultimate home entertainment center, capable of ensuring incredibly realistic movies and games, thanks to totally immersive 3D visuals and crisp audio, for an extraordinary entertainment experience.

Combining superior performance, excellent 3D entertainment, stylish modern design, and exciting new ways of interacting with the PC, the Acer Aspire Z5763 opens the doors to next generation computing and fun. Watching any 3D multimedia on the Aspire Z5763, featuring an integrated IR emitter and NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ technology, will make anything else seem dull.

The spacious 58.4 cm (23") Full HD 1080p 16:9 display not only renders totally immersive 3D visuals that pop out of the screen, but thanks to advanced graphic solutions, users will enjoy riveting action with ultra-sharp and colorful imagery. Nothing has been left to chance with the Aspire Z5763. This is why to match the incredible image quality it flaunts an integrated 5W stereo speaker system and professionally tuned Dolby® Home Theater® v4 for the most captivating and immersive audio.

With the Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive, reproducing hyper-realistic 3D effects, and optional TV-tuner the Aspire Z5763 offers multiple entertainment possibilities, allowing users to take full advantage of the display as 3D HDTV. This desktop will also appeal enthusiast gamers as it can transform more than 400 game titles automatically into full stereoscopic 3D right out of the box, without the need for special game patches, for an unparalleled, life-like experience.

Have you ever imagined of operating your PC with simple hands movements? Now you can. The Aspire Z5763 all-in-one desktop is the first to feature Acer AirControl technology for easy media consumption. Acer AirControl is a sophisticated software solution that uses integrated cameras to detect the movements of your hand or fingers enabling full remote control of the computer. Acer AirControl is next generation remote control. It's unbreakable, always available and doesn't need batteries. Just wave your hand in front of the desktop and the media control interface is launched; move your hand over the button to adjust the volume, rewind or forward, play, pause or stop. Acer AirControl is the funkiest way of remotely controlling movies and music within 3mt of distance!

The Aspire Z5763 also comes with clear.fi, Acer's media sharing system based on the idea that it's easier if all multimedia content is simply brought into a single system with a common interface, no matter where they are. clear.fi is a cross-platform solution that works straight out of the box, automatically detecting the clear.fi-enabled devices connected to the wireless home network, and then allowing all digital content stored on any of these to be shared seamlessly using the clear.fi media interface.

Featuring a modern, minimalist design, the Aspire Z5763 easily fits into any décor, gracing any living or working space with a sophisticated look and feel. Sharp-cut geometric lines set off the combination of aluminum with matt and glossy black surfaces, creating a luxurious effect. Cool blue lighting placed above the integrated speakers lights up the keyboard. When not in use the keyboard can be nicely tucked away below the PC, enhancing the overall minimalist look as well as increasing the free area in front of the desktop. Inspired by modern art, the silver stand is designed with a window for organizing cables while keeping a simple, yet stylish design.

Performance-wise, this is an advanced PC, rich of cutting edge technologies engineered to convey an enhanced computing experience. Exploiting the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processor family, that features Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, capable of increasing perfomance in response to the most demanding tasks such as editing multimedia files, or playing fast-paced games, this desktop can deliver optimal speed enabling smoother multitasking and ensuring maximised entertainment and productivity. What's more it combines turbo-charged computing power with energy efficiency.

Full connectivity is ensured by the most advanced wireless and wired technologies: 802.11b/g/n network connection, Gigabit LAN and optional built-in Bluetooth® 2.1. The built-in microphone and high definition webcam will help you keep in touch with friends and family through video chats and conference.

In terms of storage, up to 2TB of capacity offers plenty of space for all your digital archives while up to 16GB of DDR3 memory ensure seamless running of most demanding application. A total of eight USB port supplies handy connection to all your peripherals and the multi-in-one card reader simplifies multimedia sharing and enjoyment.

The Acer Aspire Z5763 will be available from mid May with a SRRP of £999 inc Vat.

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BSQUARE MDP puts 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8660 Snapdragon into developer device [Video]

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 06:15 AM PDT

Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon CPU has found its way into the BSQUARE Mobile Development Platform (MDP), a device targeted at developers looking to test and optimize their apps on Qualcomm’s new 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8660 chipset – as found in the HTC EVO 3D – and Adreno 220 GPU. The MDP runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread on a 3.61-inch WVGA touchscreen, and has a 13-megapixel rear camera, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and various preloaded monitoring apps.

Other specs include a 1-megapixel front camera, microSD card slot, USB on-the-go support, an HDMI port and support for 5.1-channel surround sound when plugged into an external speaker system. The MDP itself has stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphones socket.

BSQUARE has customized the regular Android UI, and there’s Qualcomm’s Adreno Profiler for optimizing 3D graphics performance and Trepn Profiler for optimizing app power consumption. The MSM8660 is an asynchronous chip, which means each of its two cores can be run at separate clock and voltages; Qualcomm says that adds up to lower power consumption and a more efficient handset.

There’s also support from BSQUARE and Qualcomm’s developer database and other coding backup. This isn’t a mainstream phone and as such it’s not priced that way: figure on spending $1,350 on the MDP.

Press Release:

BSQUARE Announces General Availability of the Next Generation Snapdragon Mobile Development Platform Based on the MSM8660 Processor

New Platform Accelerates Android Application Development

Bellevue, Wash., – April 27, 2011 – BSQUARE Corporation (NASDAQ: BSQR), a leading enabler of smart, connected devices, today announced general availability of the next generation of the SnapdragonTM Mobile Development Platform (MDP) for AndroidTM, a development platform based on Qualcomm's dual-core MSM8660TM Snapdragon processor running speeds of up to 1.5 GHz.

The MSM8660-based Snapdragon MDP provides application developers and device manufacturers with early access to a high-performance platform used to develop, test and optimize Android applications for a wide range of pre-commercial devices. This new generation of the Snapdragon MDP offers developers powerful built-in graphics, power management and other profiling tools, which, when complemented by BSQUARE professional engineering services and TestQuest test automation solutions, enable developers to accelerate time to market for Android applications.

BSQUARE began providing customers with the first-generation Snapdragon MDP, based on the MSM8655TM processor, in December of 2010. This new generation of the Snapdragon MDP, based on the MSM8660 processor, introduces new features, including a dual-core CPU that supports asynchronous architecture and console quality and stereoscopic 3D graphics performance.

As with the MSM8655-based Snapdragon MDP, BSQUARE will also support developers and manufacturers using the MSM8660-based Snapdragon MDP with engineering services, as well as technical support and access to the BSQUARE Knowledge Base, documentation, complimentary tools and Snapdragon MDP software updates. Users of the MSM8660- based Snapdragon MDP can also benefit from the industry-leading TestQuest automated testing solutions from BSQUARE, which support testing of Android solutions and the MSM8660-based Snapdragon MDP.

"The need to accelerate development of high-quality Android applications continues to grow along with the size of the Android market," said John Traynor, vice president of products for BSQUARE. "The MSM8660-based Snapdragon MDP, with a dual core CPU and Adreno® 220 GPU, is one of the fastest development devices currently on the mobile market. When combined with BSQUARE support and services, the MSM8660-based Snapdragon MDP, along with the MSM8655- based Snapdragon MDP, will be key drivers in helping to accelerate the development of innovative applications."

The MSM8660-based Snapdragon MDP, available at www.bsquare.com/qualcomm, includes the MSM8660-based smartphone form-factor with a 3.61″ WVGA responsive multi-touch touch screen display, asynchronous dual-core CPUs running independently at up to 1.5 GHz, Adreno 220 GPU, 13MP rear camera, 1MP front camera, stereo loudspeakers, 1GB of RAM , and 16GB of storage memory. To help developers optimize their applications for Snapdragon platforms, specific tools are also available from Qualcomm including the Adreno Profiler for optimizing 3D graphics performance and the TrepnTM Profiler for optimizing application power usage.

"We are thrilled to work on the next generation of the Snapdragon MDP with BSQUARE," said Tia Cassett, senior director of business development for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. "The combination of a powerful developer device in the MSM8660-based Snapdragon MDP and support and services from BSQUARE means faster time to market for Android developers."

About BSQUARE

BSQUARE is an industry leader with a proven track record in providing production-ready software products, engineering services, solutions and automated testing for smart, connected devices. With deep technical knowledge of mobile and embedded technologies, BSQUARE enables device makers to develop and ship best-in-class products. Since 1994, BSQUARE has provided satisfied customers with innovative software solutions allowing them to get to market faster with reduced risk and cost. For more information, visit www.bsquare.com.

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iFixit shows off clear back panel for iPhone 4

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 06:13 AM PDT

I really like my gear to look different from the other stuff that my friends have. I can appreciate the cool factor that comes with being able to see what gear looks like on the inside, yet covered leaving it protected with some sort of clear plastic. This is the reason that many gamers buy cases for computers with windows in the side. It’s cool to see the hardware that makes things operate.

iFixit is mostly know for tearing up gadgets that we would all like to own just to see what’s inside. The latest teardown came just this morning when they ripped the Nikon D5100 DSLR apart. The company has in the past ripped apart every iPhone model that has been made too. That means that if you want to pick up this cool clear back panel for the iPhone 4 that iFixit offers you can get the instructions for installing it from the site as well.

The clear back case for the iPhone 4 is cheap at $29.95. It fits the GSM AT&T version of the iPhone only and is product code IF182-021-1. I wonder if they will have one for the Verizon iPhone 4 in the future. I would like to have an iPhone 4 that is clear all around, not just on the back panel. You can order one of these covers right now if you are comfortable with voiding warranties.

[via iFixit]

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Nokia is working on new Vertu smartphone

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 05:57 AM PDT

Nokia has been busy the last few months since it landed a new CEO. The company has shunned Android, one of the most popular mobile operating systems and instead went with Windows Phone, one of the least popular operating systems around. The company is also hurting badly and has axed a large number of workers, and moved Symbian off to another firm.

Reports surfaced today that Nokia was going to let 4,000 workers go around the world with most of them in Denmark, the UK, and Finland. The workers will be terminated through the end of 2012. At the same time, Nokia is moving about 3,000 workers to Accenture along with the development duties for Symbian OS. Despite the cuts Nokia is moving ahead with new and questionably tasteful Mobile devices in its high-end luxury brand Vertu.

Vertu is at work on a new mobile phone in the Constellation Quest family and the word is the new handset will be made from carbon fiber. The smartphone will run the Symbian OS Nokia is shedding. The device will come in a stainless steel version or in an 18K gold version. The smartphone will also support the Vertu Lifestyle Services. The price isn't announced, but it will be very far from cheap for either version.

[via Electricpig]

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Apple releases iPhone tracking Q&A: Denies spying, tips incoming traffic updates

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 05:57 AM PDT

Apple has responded to the iPhone tracking controversy, denying that it has ever tracked users of the iOS handset in a new Q&A (which you can read in full after the cut) and claiming that the location cache is in fact “a crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database” that is used to speed up positioning fixes by the smartphone. However, Apple also says it will release an iOS update in the next few weeks that reduces this cache’s size, ceases backups on the user’s Mac or PC, and deletes the database altogether when Location Services is switched off.

As to why the cache currently continues collecting location data, even when Location Services is turned off, Apple describes this as “a bug” which it will address with the imminent update. The next major iOS software release will also see the on-device cache encrypted, for further security.

“This data is not the iPhone's location data—it is a subset (cache) of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database which is downloaded from Apple into the iPhone to assist the iPhone in rapidly and accurately calculating location. The reason the iPhone stores so much data is a bug we uncovered and plan to fix shortly. We don't think the iPhone needs to store more than seven days of this data.” Apple Q&A

Interestingly, Apple also reveals its plans to create a crowd-sourced traffic database, which would use anonymous traffic data to provide better road status updates to iPhone users. That service is expected to launch “in the next couple of years.”

“Q: What other location data is Apple collecting from the iPhone besides crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data?
A: Apple is now collecting anonymous traffic data to build a crowd-sourced traffic database with the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service in the next couple of years.”

The pressure is now arguably on Google to respond in a similarly clear manner where Android stands in location tracking.

Press Release:

Apple Q&A on Location Data

Apple would like to respond to the questions we have recently received about the gathering and use of location information by our devices.

1. Why is Apple tracking the location of my iPhone?
Apple is not tracking the location of your iPhone. Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so.

2. Then why is everyone so concerned about this?
Providing mobile users with fast and accurate location information while preserving their security and privacy has raised some very complex technical issues which are hard to communicate in a soundbite. Users are confused, partly because the creators of this new technology (including Apple) have not provided enough education about these issues to date.

3. Why is my iPhone logging my location?
The iPhone is not logging your location. Rather, it's maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location, some of which may be located more than one hundred miles away from your iPhone, to help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested. Calculating a phone's location using just GPS satellite data can take up to several minutes. iPhone can reduce this time to just a few seconds by using Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data to quickly find GPS satellites, and even triangulate its location using just Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data when GPS is not available (such as indoors or in basements). These calculations are performed live on the iPhone using a crowd-sourced database of Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data that is generated by tens of millions of iPhones sending the geo-tagged locations of nearby Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers in an anonymous and encrypted form to Apple.

4. Is this crowd-sourced database stored on the iPhone?
The entire crowd-sourced database is too big to store on an iPhone, so we download an appropriate subset (cache) onto each iPhone. This cache is protected but not encrypted, and is backed up in iTunes whenever you back up your iPhone. The backup is encrypted or not, depending on the user settings in iTunes. The location data that researchers are seeing on the iPhone is not the past or present location of the iPhone, but rather the locations of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers surrounding the iPhone's location, which can be more than one hundred miles away from the iPhone. We plan to cease backing up this cache in a software update coming soon (see Software Update section below).

5. Can Apple locate me based on my geo-tagged Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data?
No. This data is sent to Apple in an anonymous and encrypted form. Apple cannot identify the source of this data.

6. People have identified up to a year's worth of location data being stored on the iPhone. Why does my iPhone need so much data in order to assist it in finding my location today?
This data is not the iPhone's location data—it is a subset (cache) of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database which is downloaded from Apple into the iPhone to assist the iPhone in rapidly and accurately calculating location. The reason the iPhone stores so much data is a bug we uncovered and plan to fix shortly (see Software Update section below). We don't think the iPhone needs to store more than seven days of this data.

7. When I turn off Location Services, why does my iPhone sometimes continue updating its Wi-Fi and cell tower data from Apple's crowd-sourced database?
It shouldn't. This is a bug, which we plan to fix shortly (see Software Update section below).

8. What other location data is Apple collecting from the iPhone besides crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data?
Apple is now collecting anonymous traffic data to build a crowd-sourced traffic database with the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service in the next couple of years.

9. Does Apple currently provide any data collected from iPhones to third parties?
We provide anonymous crash logs from users that have opted in to third-party developers to help them debug their apps. Our iAds advertising system can use location as a factor in targeting ads. Location is not shared with any third party or ad unless the user explicitly approves giving the current location to the current ad (for example, to request the ad locate the Target store nearest them).

10. Does Apple believe that personal information security and privacy are important?
Yes, we strongly do. For example, iPhone was the first to ask users to give their permission for each and every app that wanted to use location. Apple will continue to be one of the leaders in strengthening personal information security and privacy.

Software Update
Sometime in the next few weeks Apple will release a free iOS software update that:

reduces the size of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database cached on the iPhone,
ceases backing up this cache, and
deletes this cache entirely when Location Services is turned off.

In the next major iOS software release the cache will also be encrypted on the iPhone.

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iPad 2 hits Japan, Hong Kong, Korea & more this week; China on May 6

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 05:47 AM PDT

It’s not just the white iPhone 4 going on sale this week; the iPad 2 is also making its debut in a further twelve countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore. Both the WiFi-only and the WiFi + 3G models will be offered in almost all the new locations; China will also get the iPad 2 on May 6, though only in WiFi-only format.

The iPad 2 WiFi will be available in Japan on April 28 and Hong Kong, India, Israel, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey and UAE on April 29 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. As for the iPad 2 WiFi + 3G, that will be priced at $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model.

Finally, the iPad 2 with WiFi will be available in China on May 6. Apple is promising further international availability to be announced at a later date.

Press Release:

iPad 2 Arrives in Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore & Eight Other Countries This Week

Wi-Fi Version Available in China on May 6

CUPERTINO, California—April 27, 2011—Apple® today announced that iPad® 2, the second-generation of its breakthrough post-PC device, will arrive in Japan on Thursday, April 28 and Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and eight additional countries on Friday, April 29. iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores at 9 a.m. local time, select Apple Authorized Resellers, and online through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) beginning at 1 a.m. Additionally, iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in China beginning Friday, May 6.

iPad 2 features an entirely new design that is 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same stunning 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. iPad 2 features Apple's new dual-core A5 processor for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics and now includes two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime® and Photo Booth®, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time. Though it is thinner, lighter, faster and packed with new features, iPad 2 still delivers up to 10 hours of battery life* that users have come to expect.

Pricing & Availability
iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in Japan on April 28 and Hong Kong, India, Israel, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey and UAE on April 29 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in China on May 6, and further international availability will be announced at a later date.

iMovie® and GarageBand® for iPad apps are available for $4.99 (US) each from the App Store℠ on iPad or www.itunes.com/appstore. The Smart Cover is available in a range of colors in vibrant polyurethane for $39 (US) or rich leather for $69 (US).

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

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Google seeking manager for Games at Google division

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 05:43 AM PDT

I will admit in the days before smartphones that I thought mobile gaming wasn’t that great. Before my iPhone I used a Razer and you could hardly play games on the device and the ones that were offered were boring and had graphics that reminded me of an 80′s Atari and not in a good way. The iPhone launched and showed us all that gaming on a smartphone could be very fun and then Android came along and gamers found another OS that was good for gaming in later builds.

Google is apparently set to make a bigger push into the mobile gaming market with the search for a new product manager for a Games at Google business unit. The full duties and details for the job are unknown, but IntoMobile has a few things that give a hint at what the position will entail. The new hire will be tasked with designing the strategies for game distribution and discovery, player identity, game mechanics, and more.

That almost sounds like the manager will be working to help develop games internally at Google. I wonder if this will see first party titles. I would also bet the manager would be working with existing devs too. IntoMobile thinks that the manager will also be responsible for making sure Android games work for Chrome.

[via Android Community]

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White iPhone 4 on sale Thursday

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 05:41 AM PDT

As predicted, Apple has announced that the white iPhone 4 will finally go on sale this week. The much-anticipated color variant of the iOS smartphone will land in stores from Thursday, April 28, priced at the same $199/$299 as the current, black model. It will be available both as a GSM device for AT&T and international carriers, and a CDMA phone for Verizon Wireless.

Apple has never officially confirmed the exact reasons for the white iPhone’s delay, though that hasn’t stopped various suggestions making the rounds. They’ve included fading or discoloring problems with the white paint, issues with light seeping through the camera surrounds, and flaking or chipping from Apple’s first choice of coating.

It’s unclear what the white iPhone 4 going on sale will do to Apple’s upgrade timeline; the company has traditionally worked to a yearly refresh cycle, announcing a new iPhone in June or July. With this new version arriving today, it seems likely that Apple will push back the iPhone 5 launch somewhat. Recent rumors have suggested September availability, though of course Apple itself is saying nothing.

Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and the US will all get the white iPhone 4 beginning Thursday, April 28. So, who’s buying?

Press Release:

White iPhone Arrives Tomorrow

CUPERTINO, California—April 27, 2011—Apple® today announced that the white iPhone® 4 will be available beginning tomorrow. White iPhone 4 models will be available from Apple's online store (www.apple.com), at Apple's retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

"The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it's beautiful," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we've worked to get every detail right."

iPhone 4 is the most innovative phone in the world, featuring Apple's stunning Retina™ display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone resulting in super crisp text, images and video, and FaceTime®, which makes video calling a reality.

Pricing & Availability
White models of iPhone 4 will be available in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and the US, beginning Thursday, April 28 and in many more countries around the world soon. White iPhone 4 will be available for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model with a new two year agreement through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple's retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

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Hulu Plus coming to Xbox 360 on April 29

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 05:12 AM PDT

I’m sure that there are a lot of Xbox 360 gamers out there that have been wishing they had more entertainment options on the console than the Xbox has right now. The PS3 user has Netflix and Hulu Plus and has had them for a while now. I can vouch for how nice it is to have Hulu Plus on the PS3, I use it all the time to catch up on shows that I miss and my DVR can't hold. The good news for Xbox 360 fans is that Hulu Plus is heading your way.

Joystiq reports that Hulu Plus will land on the Xbox 360 on April 29. That is only a few days away now. If you are a subscriber this will give you one more place to watch your favorite shows in your home. The last time that we heard about Hulu Plus coming to the Xbox 360 the official word was this spring. Spring has spring and here comes Hulu Plus.

Joystiq reports that the tip comes from the June issue of OXM magazine that seems legit according to the gang at Joystiq. The mag also notes that there will be a contest along with the launch that will see users winning prices each wheel from April 29 through May 30. The prizes will be given to randomly drawn Hulu Plus user names. Assuming the scan that Joystiq saw was real, this Friday you can start streaming Sons of Anarchy all you want. Considering that the Xbox 360 is the best selling game console I am surprised it has taken this long to get Hulu Plus.

[via Joystiq]

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Acer ZGB Chrome OS notebook details emerge

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 04:45 AM PDT

Google has been working on Chrome for a while now and has sent out notebooks to reviewers in the past to check out the OS. The machines that went out weren’t about the hardware at all, the OS was the focus. There are doubts as to whether or not Google will be able to offer a compelling notebook OS that consumers will be interested it. Those same doubts were around when Android first surfaced and eventually the Android OS bloomed and is very popular today. Google undoubtedly hopes the same will happen with Chrome.

Last week we learned that Google OS notebook would be offered by subscription at up to $20 monthly rather than for straight purchase. Whether this will be only for notebooks straight from Google or for all machines running the OS is unknown. A notebook from Acer has surfaced again called the ZGB that runs Chrome. The machine was spied in a bug repot that was filed a few hours ago by Macles. The report offers up a bit of info that allows insight into the hardware the machine might run.

We know the screen resolution is 1366 x 768, which is common. The last line of the report offers insight into the hardware inside the machine that we didn't have before. The line lists a LVDS to HDMI encoder by Chrontel that is used to support HDMI out in Intel Atom-based notebooks. Macles points out that the AMD fusion APU supports HDMI directly so Intel Atom is the only hardware around right now that uses that encoder. It seems we are looking at nothing but another of the same notebooks with Chrome as the only differentiator.

[via Macles]

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iFixit tears down Nikon D5100 DSLR

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 04:30 AM PDT

The gang over at iFixit is always taking one gadget or another apart and looking at what is inside the device that makes it tick. The auspices for tearing the cool gadgets apart are that they are looking at how easy the things are to repair. That’s all fine and good, we just want to see what the devices look like on the inside. I really wish I could buy a DSLR with a clear case like that Sony DSLR that surfaced a while back so I could look at the innards all the time.

The teardown of the Nikon D5100 appears to be more involved than the tear down of some of the smartphones and other gadgets iFixit has done over the years. The tools required include small metal tweezers, a solder kit, plastic opening tools, and a #00 philips screwdriver. There is a bunch of other tools recommended too. I would bet that few people will be willing to risk their D5100 to an attempted self-repair and will opt to take the camera in for work.

The circuit board with the Exspeed chip and lots of other stuff is one of the first things that comes out of the camera. After the front panel is off you can see some of the workings for the shutter and other features of the camera. It all looks very tightly packaged. I particularly like the image of the sensor the camera uses all laid out for perusal.

[via iFixit]

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Pioneer AppRadio connects your iPhone to your car radio

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 04:08 AM PDT

There are bunches of people that just don’t like the radio that comes in their vehicle. For these people there are hoards of aftermarket radios that they can replace their factory offerings with. Pioneer is a big name in the aftermarket radio scene and has been for a long time. A new Pioneer radio for your car has surfaced and the thing appears to have very tight iPhone integration.

The head unit is a double DIN offering that will fit inside most modern vehicles without any issues. The model number for the AppRadio is SPH-DA01 and it hit the FCC yesterday. That should l mean that the radio is set to hit the market before long. The most interesting part is that the mockup of the interface shows what appears to be a iOS style interface. I would love to see a car stereo that has tight integration and allows my iPhone to shoot whatever content I am looking at out to the larger screen.

A tipster told CrunchGear that the unit feels exactly like the iOS experience. I really have to wonder if the radio is Made for iPhone certified or has permission from Apple to use what appears to be a knock off of the interface on its screen. I still hope that what the renderings show is just the mirrored interface from the smartphone. Presumably, the iPhone would be providing the web connectivity and the radio supports streaming radio from the web and more. I tend to watch a lot of Hulu Plus and Netflix in the car when waiting for school to let out and this would be perfect. I would also like to see the iOS GPS nav from my iPhone on the larger radio screen.

[via CrunchGear]

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Sharp develops massive 156-screen immersion system

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 03:50 AM PDT

When it comes to being more immersed in any sort of content the larger the screen the easier it is. This is why a flick on a gigantic IMAX screen is so much cooler than a similar flick on a smaller screen in your local theater. Sharp has developed a new and very cool multi screen display system that makes the whole room into a giant display. The screen is installed in a theme park called Huis Ten Bosch Co. Ltd.

The display system puts the screens on the floor, walls and ceilings and it takes 156 of the screens to make the attraction work. Each of those panels is 60-inches in size and they are Sharp PN-V601 screens. The attraction is called the 5D Miracle Tour and it looks interesting. Visitors don’t get to walk on the floor screens, from the rendering it appears that the viewers stand at railings behind the room.

The front wall, floor, and ceiling each have 36 monitors on them each and the sidewalls use 24 monitors. The official release says that the finished effect surround the viewing in a giant seamless display. The rendering hardly looks seamless; perhaps the real thing has less of a seam. This looks like an interesting attraction; I can see people, crowding in to see underwater views and other types of movies. It’s too bad the screens aren’t strong enough to stand on, it would be really cool to stand in the middle of that room.

[via Akihabara News]

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Banned Microsoft Xbox 360 consoles getting a reprieve?

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 03:30 AM PDT

If you have been around SlashGear for a few years, you might recall back in 2007 when we first started to talk about Microsoft banning Xbox 360 consoles from the Xbox Live network for violating the terms of service with hacks of all sorts. The owners of those consoles would boot their machines up and when trying to access the Xbox Live network they would get messages similar to the lovely you see in the image below.

Apparently, some of the users of these banned consoles are seeing their machines regain some access to the Xbox Live network. The machines appear to still be very limited in what they can actually do. Briefly some banned users are reporting that they can re-connect to Xbox Live, but they are unable to play anything online or buy content, but they can apparently go one-step further than usual.

Whether or not this is some sort of new policy by Microsoft is unknown. Kotaku thinks that what we may be seeing is a change at Microsoft in preparation for its move to a new disc format that will render many of the copy protection hacks that users were banned for moot. Perhaps since the hacks these old consoles have are no longer effective Microsoft has chosen to allow the gamers back on. Microsoft has offered no official comment.

[via Kotaku]

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New PS3 models hit FCC, no word on changes

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 03:13 AM PDT

There has been a lot of talk over the last few days about the breach of the PSN that took the PS3 network down and left players unable to play anything online. Even worse than not being able to play any online games is that Sony has finally admitted just about every detail that could have been stolen on the users of the PSN was grabbed. With all the bad stuff about the PS3 being talked about heavily, it’s cool to see something that may be good surface from Sony.

A couple new models of PS3 have landed at the FCC. There are no real hard details for us to go on so the changes, if any, are unknown at this point. The new models numbers include CECH-3001A and CECH-3001B. The difference between the two is the size of the HDD for storing data and content. What we do know is that the original PS3 and PS3 Slim had CECH-2xxx model numbers.

So what might these new models feature? We have no idea. We do know that they both have Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11 b/g WiFi. Could these perhaps be somehow changed internally to render the hack from GeoHot and his ilk moot? Could we simply be looking at new models with larger HDDs? We won’t know until more details surface.

[via Wireless Goodness]

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User agent profile gives up some details on the HTC Doubleshot

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 02:59 AM PDT

We have talked about the HTC Doubleshot Android smartphone in the past. The device was thought to be coming in time for CTIA 2011, but that didn’t happen .The smartphone was tipped back in March to be an Android 2.3 smartphone that was heading to the T-Mobile network. We have a few more facts to go on today thanks to the smartphones user agent profile being dug up and shown to the public.

The profile shows that the smartphone will have a physical QWERTY keyboard, which would give it a slider form factor. It has Android 2.3 according to the profile and will run JavaScript. The screen resolution is 480 x 800 and the smartphone is sound output capable and will accept voice input as well. Back in March the Doubleshot was tipped to be running a 1.2GHz processor inside. That processor would make this a powerful smartphone indeed.

We also know a few other things about the smartphone. For one the device has a 6MP camera with HDR. The Doubleshot name is also though tot be derived from the 3D camera the phone is believed to carry along the lines of the one that the EVO 3D and Optimus 3D use. The smartphone also has Bluetooth 3.0 and WiFi onboard. Another repot claims that the Doubleshot will hit T-Mobile in July. I would be surprised if the thing doesn’t cross the FCC soon with spy shots in tow.

[via Android Community]

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Sony defends sluggish PSN leak warnings; Some PSN services back “within a week”

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 02:22 AM PDT

After admitting that the personal details of the 42m+ PlayStation Network users have been leaked, Sony has argued that it couldn’t warn subscribers of potential data loss when the system was first taken down because it took “outside experts” to confirm it. According to Nick Caplin, SCEE’s head of comms, the delay involved in “forensic analysis” explains why it took the company so long to warn users that their information had been compromised.

“There's a difference in timing between when we identified there was an intrusion and when we learned of consumers' data being compromised. We learned there was an intrusion 19th April and subsequently shut the services down. We then brought in outside experts to help us learn how the intrusion occurred and to conduct an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident. It was necessary to conduct several days of forensic analysis, and it took our experts until yesterday to understand the scope of the breach. We then shared that information with our consumers and announced it publicly yesterday evening.” Nick Caplin, Head of Communications, SCEE

Users themselves, unsurprisingly, aren’t particularly impressed with Caplin’s reasoning. They suggest that Sony was negligent in not flagging up even a potential suspicion of a data breach from the start, which would at least have given them a chance to change their passwords, cancel credit cards and take other steps to minimize the impact.

Of course, doing that would be a worst-case scenario for Sony, since it’s possible that users might not subsequently return to the PSN; as with Apple and iTunes, Sony values its database of users each with credit cards attached to their accounts. The potential backlash of advising cancellations should the database not, in fact, have turned out to be compromised could also have been significant.

Nonetheless, the information is loose, and Sony can’t – or won’t – commit to when the either the PSN or Qriocity streaming services will be back online. According to the FAQ, there is “a clear path to have PlayStation Network and Qriocity systems back online” and Sony does “expect to restore some services within a week.” Nonetheless, Sony also warns that it “will keep the service down to allow us to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure smooth operation of our network services when they return.”

What personally identifying information do you suspect has been compromised?

Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information provided by PlayStation Network/Qriocity account holders: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birth date, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password, login, and handle/PSN online ID. Other profile data may also have been obtained, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip). If an account holder has authorized a sub-account for a dependent, the same data with respect to that dependent may have been obtained. If an account holder provided credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, it is possible that the credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may also have been obtained.

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Nokia axes 4,000 jobs; Gives Symbian to Accenture

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 01:30 AM PDT

Nokia warned that the shift to Windows Phone would result in “substantial reductions in employment” and now the first significant signs of those job losses are being seen. Around 4,000 employees worldwide – though predominantly in Denmark, Finland and the UK – will be axed by the end of 2012, while around 3,000 will be shunted over to Accenture as part of a new deal to transfer Symbian software development there. Accenture will become a “preferred provider” of mobility software and other services for Nokia’s Windows Phone range.

Nokia will also attempt to streamline its R&D processes, hopefully cutting down on the development timelines that some have accused of being behind the company’s sluggish reactions to the changing smartphone market. R&D will be consolidated with some sites expanded and some reduced or even closed, ”so that each site has a clear role and mission.”

Windows Phone devices will begin to show up in 2012, and while that’s good news for Nokia and Microsoft, it will be bad news for employees losing their jobs as the redundancies are expected to take place “in phases until the end of 2012, linked to the roll-out of Nokia’s planned product and services portfolio.”

Ex-Nokians will be offered re-employment support and retraining. “This is a difficult reality,” CEO Stephen Elop says, “and we are working closely with our employees and partners to identify long-term re-employment programs for the talented people of Nokia.”

Press Release:

Nokia starts measures to align workforce and site operations with new strategy

Espoo, Finland – To deliver on its new strategy, Nokia today announced plans to align its global workforce and consolidate site operations. These measures are part of Nokia’s target to reduce its Devices & Services non-IFRS operating expenses by 1 billion euros for the full year 2013 in comparison to the full year 2010, as announced last week.

Earlier today, Nokia announced plans to form a strategic collaboration with Accenture that would result in the transfer of Nokia’s Symbian software activites, including about 3,000 employees to Accenture. In addition, Nokia also plans to reduce its global workforce by about 4,000 employees by the end of 2012, with the majority of reductions in Denmark, Finland and the UK. In accordance with country-by-country legal requirements, discussions with employee representatives started today.

Nokia also plans to consolidate the company’s research and product development sites so that each site has a clear role and mission. Nokia expects the expansion of some sites and the contraction or closure of others.

All employees affected by the reduction plans can stay on the Nokia payroll through the end of 2011. Nokia expects personnel reductions to occur in phases until the end of 2012, linked to the roll-out of Nokia’s planned product and services portfolio. During this period, Nokia intends to ramp up its capacity for the development of Nokia smartphones based on the Windows Phone platform, the company’s broad range of mobile phones and its services portfolio.

“At Nokia, we have new clarity around our path forward, which is focused on our leadership across smart devices, mobile phones and future disruptions,” said Stephen Elop, Nokia president and CEO. “However, with this new focus, we also will face reductions in our workforce. This is a difficult reality, and we are working closely with our employees and partners to identify long-term re-employment programs for the talented people of Nokia.”

Nokia is launching a comprehensive social responsibility program for employees and the communities likely to be affected by the personnel reductions. The program will be led locally, with local partners and stakeholders, and senior management support.
“We are offering those who are losing their jobs a range of options, from individual re-employment support and re-training to making investments to promote innovation and working with a variety of partners to create new opportunities,” Elop continued.

Press Release:

Nokia announces plans to transfer Symbian software activities to Accenture; Accenture to provide future smartphone ecosystem services to Nokia

Espoo, Finland and New York, US – Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Accenture (NYSE: ACN) today announced plans for a strategic collaboration in which Nokia would outsource its Symbian software activities and transition about 3,000 employees to Accenture. At the same time, Accenture would provide mobility software services to Nokia for future smartphones.

The collaboration, which is subject to final agreement, calls for Accenture to provide Symbian-based software development and support services, with the expected transition of about 3,000 Nokia employees to Accenture. The companies expect completion of the final agreement during summer 2011, and expect the transition of employees by the end of the calendar year 2011. Transitioning employees, located in China, Finland, India, United Kingdom and the United States, will initially work on Symbian software activities for Nokia. Over time, Accenture and Nokia will seek opportunities to retrain and redeploy transitioned employees.

This collaboration also includes plans for Accenture to provide mobility software, business and operational services around the Windows Phone platform to Nokia and other ecosystem participants. Under the proposed agreement, Accenture would become a preferred partner for Nokia’s smartphone development activities, as well as a preferred provider of services.

“Mobility is a key area for Accenture,” said Marty Cole, chief executive, Accenture Communications and High Tech group. “This collaboration with Nokia will enhance our ability to help clients across multiple industries leverage mobility to advance their business agendas. It is a real win-win for Accenture and Nokia”.

“This collaboration demonstrates our ongoing commitment to enhance our Symbian offering and serve our smartphone customers,” said Jo Harlow, executive vice president for Smart Devices, Nokia. “As we move our primary smartphone platform to Windows Phone, this transition of skilled talent to Accenture shows our commitment to provide our Symbian employees with potential new career opportunities.”

Accenture and Nokia have been working together since 1994. In October 2009, Accenture acquired Nokia’s professional services unit that provides engineering and support of the Symbian operating system to mobile device manufacturers and service providers, and which then served as a key building block in Accenture’s Mobility services portfolio.

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Sony Freestyle Hybrid PC and “Ultimate” ultraportable notebook previewed

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 01:18 AM PDT

Sony’s two Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets, the S1 and S2, aren’t the only new ultraportable devices the company teased earlier in the week. Slotted neatly at the tail-end of the presentation were teasers for a further two models, PC Watch reports, the Sony Freestyle Hybrid PC – with a slide-and-tilt form-factor, similar to Samsung’s Sliding PC 7 – and a super-slimline notebook, the Sony Ultimate Mobile PC.

No specifications for either device were given, beyond what Sony showed on the two slides. Still, we can assume that the Freestyle has both a touchscreen and a physical keyboard, along with VAIO branding; last we heard it would run Windows 7 on an Intel Pinetrail-series Atom processor, with a 9.4-inch display and a $799+ price tag when it was tipped to arrived around October 2011.

As for the notebook, Sony is on solid ground with this one thanks to its long track-record in producing tempting ultraportables. Whether it can compete on price as well remains to be seen, however.

[Thanks Gustav!]

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Nintendo 3DS sales “weaker than expected” admits CEO

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:57 AM PDT

Nintendo may have described the launch of the 3DS as having “a smooth start in sales at its launch” in its recent financial results, but company president Satoru Iwata made no disguise of his disappointment with the 3D handheld’s market success when speaking to investors. “Sales of the 3DS have been weaker than expected since the second week of launch in the US and Europe” he said at a briefing, the WSJ reports, dipping after satisfactory first week sales.

Although Japanese sales were, as expected, lower in the aftermath of the earthquake there last month, Iwata blamed a perceived shortage in 3D titles as prompting buyer reticence elsewhere. “Some people may be waiting,” he suggested, “thinking that there aren’t yet enough software titles that they want to play.” The 3DS launched alongside 18 titles though has backward compatibility with DSi/DS games.

According to Nintendo’s own figures, the company has sold 3.61m 3DS handhelds along with 9.43m games. Still, Iwata reminded investors, the original DS took around twelve months to gain traction, so Nintendo isn’t too worried right now.

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Qik Video Connect lets iPhone and Android users taunt each other by video

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:46 AM PDT

Qik has updated its video calling app, Qik Video Connect, to support cross-platform calls between iOS and Android devices. The new version – a free download for both platforms, though the premium Qik Video Connect Plus is also available for iOS – allows the front and rear cameras to be used on the iPhone 4, iPod touch 4G, iPad 2 and Android 2.1+ devices for two-way video chat and video mail.

As well as the broader compatibility, Qik is promising boosted video quality and less of a hit on battery life than in previous versions. If you’ve got a Samsung Galaxy Tab, Samsung Galaxy Player, Samsung Galaxy S, or Telus Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate 4G, you can have VGA-quality calls over WiFi, too.

Video mail, however, will only be free until June 1, after which time it will be free to receive them but require a subscription in order to send them. Qik for Android can be downloaded here, and for iOS here.

Qik had previously said that it wanted to include FaceTime support, for native compatibility with iOS devices, but Apple’s ongoing tardiness in releasing open APIs for its video calling service has obviously pushed it into this alternative strategy. Google is tipped to be readying a smartphone version of its own Android Gtalk video calling app for debut at Google I/O early next month.

[via Android Community]

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White iPhone 4 Prototype Ebay Listing Removed, Plus Latest Images Of The Real Deal

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 05:24 PM PDT

Earlier today we reported on what appears to be a prototype white iPhone 4 being auctioned on Ebay, listing at one point at around $3000. The device seemed legit with even the serial number and employee ID visible in the image, which would certainly cause trouble for the developer or whoever got hold of the device in an attempt to off load it. However, checking in now, we see that the listing has been removed. Perhaps, realization set in on what kind of trouble could loom ahead? And why splurge on a possibly buggy prototype when the real deal is only a day away? More early photos of the real thing after the cut.

An early image of the white iPhone 4 had first come from a Vodafone store in the UK, and now we have more coming in from a small Belgian retailer as well as Rogers and Virgin Mobile in Canada. Rogers was said to be circulating an internal memo that allowed stores to take orders but not to sell them yet. It is not confirmed whether the white iPhone 4 will be available at Rogers tomorrow or later this week.

Although specific to Canada, this new development does reveal that the white iPhone 4 will be priced the same as its black counterpart. The 16GB model will be priced at $159 and the 32GB model at $269. Release information for the U.S. still points to tomorrow with the Best Buy inventory leak.

[via Electronista, Engadget]

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HP TouchPad Passes FCC, Means Commercial Launch Coming Soon

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 04:25 PM PDT

HP’s first tablet offering, the TouchPad, has just passed through FCC signaling that a commercial launch is not too far off. According to a leaked document obtained early last month, the TouchPad is slated to launch in June. The recent FCC filing seems to support this schedule.

Besides the recently launched BlackBerry PlayBook, most of the already available and upcoming tablets run the Android platform, including the Motorola XOOM, ASUS Eee Pad Transformer and the Acer Iconia Tab A500. The HP TouchPad will add a new dimension to the tablet wars by running on its own WebOS, likely to be version 3.0 on launch.

The HP TouchPad will have a 9.7-inch screen with 1024 x 768 resolution, powered by a 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor. However, the tablet only has a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera. There is no rear camera despite this early commercial indicating it would. This could translate as DOA for some folks but hopefully HP’s WebOS is strong enough to overshadow this issue. HP has also been gearing up for its tablet release with the HP Music Store and the HP Movie Store for streaming media to the tablet.

At this point, it’s believed that the 16GB model should retail for $499 with the 32GB model coming in at $599. Are you excited about the HP TouchPad?

[via IntoMobile]

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DARPA’S Expensive Telescope Tracks Space Debris, Keeps Satellites Safe

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 04:10 PM PDT

DARPA has announced the Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) that was developed in conjunction with MIT and the Air Force. The telescope will be used to give wide angle views of space and view images previously impossible to see. The SST ushers in a new generation of ground-based telescopes and gives the Air Force a better ability to monitor the geosynchronous orbit around the Earth, where room is getting tight with older satellites going out of commission and new satellites constantly being launched.

The SST took over nine years to develop and cost over $110 million. The SST is able to create these larger and more detailed images because of its innovative design. The telescope has a curved charge coupled device (CCD) technology and a 3.5-meter aperture. This allows the SST to create wide-angle lenses and capture more light than any other ground-based telescope before. "Currently we have a 'soda straw' view of deep space, where we can only see one narrow segment of space at a time," said Air Force Lt. Col. Travis Blake, DARPA's Space Surveillance Telescope program manager. "The Space Surveillance Telescope should give us a much wider 'windshield' view of deep space objects, significantly enhancing our space situational awareness."

The main concern is for the defense satellites the military has up there and the possibility of collision with all that debris in orbit. The new design makes the SST much more compact and nimble than previous generation telescopes, allowing it to cover more sky in less amount of time. If the SST is a success, the Air Force could deploy more of the telescopes around the globe, giving the military a complete 360° surveillance view of the planet.

[via PhysOrg]

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