IFA 2010 is in full swing and we are going to give you low down on what has caught our eye including the world’s first 3D camcorder from Panasonic, the Galaxy tablet from Samsung, Toshiba’s Folio, ViewSonic’s tablet and LG’s 2.9 mm thick OLED.

Panasonic were in bullish mood about their focus for the next twelve months, and it all revolves around their 3D Eco-system. We attended their press conference at the Messe in Berlin, where they held a full 3D press conference. All attendees were given 3D glasses to watch the presentation. And they filled the conference room with 94 Viera Full HD 3D Plasma TV’s.

The first big unveiling was the world’s first consumer-type 3D camcorder, which will go on sale in the autumn. The HDC-SDT750 is the world’s first and they showed footage caught from the camera on the 3D TV’s in front of us – it showed the potential of bringing family moments to life; like Birthday’s or going to beach in full 1080p 3D glory. We have to say it did look stunning. Especially, with their new 3D eyewear that was on show for the first time.

They also announced two new full 3D HD TV’s that were very impressive, especially with their new 600hz technology, it’s not as thin as a LED but they did produce stunning pictures. Later on, they brought on stage partners from Eurosport and Ubisoft, who announced that the French and US open were going to be available in 3D. Ubisoft announced a slew of titles that will be in 3D. Panasonic also announced that their new Viera 3D TV’s can connect to Ge-force PC’s making 425 games 3D compatible via HMDI 1.4a. They also showed off their 152” HD TV, which they have already taken orders for. Though they were unwilling to say how much it was.

Elsewhere the IFA went tablet crazy, with announcements from Samsung, Toshiba and Viewsonic. Samsung’s Galaxy Tablet stole the show and already being talked about as an operator-friendly alternative to Apple’s iPad. The 7-inch form-factor is more portable than the iPad and runs the Google alternative operating system Android. It will come in two flavours 16GB and 32GB and Samsung announced 200 apps on launch. No pricing details were given although it is thought to be a high as £500.

Toshiba announced their foray into the Tablet world with their compelling software full Folio, which again runs on Android. The tablet has a 10.1-inch, diagonal screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Folio runs on version 2.2 of Google’s Android operating system.

The fact that Toshiba used Android 2.2 is important because the Folio will be able to run Adobe Flash, a ubiquitous Web technology for playing video. That’s a key advantage over the iPad, which along with the iPhone can’t play Flash video. The Folio is equipped with an SD card slot, and HDMI and USB 2.0 connectors. The device supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless, with a 3G model scheduled for the near future, according to Toshiba.

Versonic also announced a tablet which features Windows 7 as well Android, but there is a compromise you can only run Android 1.6 which is already considered several steps outdated. This is because it’s the most recent version that supports the x86 processor on the tablet, which is required for Windows 7. Not the worst compromise, but still a compromise. The rest of the specs are typical netbook-level stuff: Intel Atom N455 processor, 1GB memory, 16GB SSD, 1024×600 10″ LCD.

LG were proud to show of the world’s biggest and thinnest OLED TV, which have had us drooling for years, but they’ve always been tiny and expensive. Now LG has solved one of those problems, well sort of, showing off a 31-inch OLED TV which will hit stores in March 2011. Finally, OLED is big enough for the living room. The only downside is it’ll cost a whopping £6,000 to get it there.

For the money though, you’ll get a Full HD TV set to floor all others, with an “infinite” contrast ratio and colours as rich as those buying it, the world’s largest commercially available OLED TV measures 31 inches across, as is also the slimmest in the world at 2.9mm thick.

Toshiba Picture Via Static intomobile

Viewsonic Picture Via Gizmodo AU

Samsung Picture Via Very.com

LG Picture Via Pocket-int

IFA 2010: Panasonic 3D Camcorder, Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Toshiba Folio, ViewSonic Tablet and More… is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

This is a product I hope to never have to review, but for anyone with mobility issues, it does look like a better way to help you get around.  Plus it comes in hot pink, how bad could it be?

This is the SmartCrutch, an ergonomic crutch with a multitude of adjustable settings (perfect for Gadgeteers).

It’s only $135 for a pair which seems pretty reasonable given how geeky it … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Health Related Gadgets, News, Spotlight Gadgets

Tagged: Health

SmartCrutch – A Crutch for the 21st Century originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 3, 2010 at 11:33 am.

Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile

Those looking to make a purchase direct with Verizon and save a few bucks as compared to the regular $199.99 purchase price of the Droid X can now opt to go pre-owned. Yup, Verizon is now offering (still with a two-year agreement), the Droid X for $149.99. Granted, as of now there are none in stock. Not bad, a $50 savings sounds good. Me personally, I don’t mind going pre-owned, that is as long as I am buying from a reputable company. If nothing else, this method of purchase could get a Droid X in your hands sooner as the new model is now sporting a shipping date of September 15th.

Product [Verizon] Via [Droid-Life]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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As it was announced at the Apple Event on Wednesday the release date for the iPod Touch 4G is expected for the 10th of September which is next Friday, however if Wednesday’s Apple event wasn’t enough to tantalise those tastebuds, then take a look at a teardown done by the Federal Communications Commission on the new iPod Touch.

The FCC are known for testing phones for wireless radiation levels, however they have got down to the nitty gritty with this one and are showing pics of the new iPod Touch in all it’s glory.

Take a look for yourself and let us know whether these close up pics are making you yearn for the new iPod Touch 4:

More pics over at Engadget…

iPod Touch 4G Gets Torn Apart by FCC: Take a Peak Inside is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Apple has docks for all their iDevices.  So obviously they created a new dock for the iPad as well.  It’s priced at $29 direct from Apple. … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Reviews, iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: Dock, iPad

Apple iPad Dock Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 3, 2010 at 10:30 am.

Section: Communications, Smartphones, Mobile, Gaming, Portable

The Angry Birds game that has taken so many people hostage is expected to be released for Android today, which means the Android version of the game will join the already available versions found in the App Store, App Catalog and Ovi Store. Yup, Angry Birds was available for webOS before Android, shocking. But that aside, according to a recent blog posting over on the Rovio website;

“Due to the massive response and demand from the Android community, we have decided to make Angry Birds Lite Beta available for everybody through the Android Market this Friday.”

Of course, as you have read, the version that it going to hit the Android Market today will not be the final version. But hey, at least you can begin get your fix.

Read [Rovio.com]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Wii; £24.99; cert 3+; Ubisoft

If we're being honest, you probably already know if Dance on Broadway is for you. When you went to open this review you were almost certainly looking for one of two things: justification for a purchase already decided on (or perhaps already made), or justification for your disdain.

Last November Ubisoft released Just Dance to underwhelming reviews but some of the best sales figures ever achieved by a third-party publisher for the Wii. With Just Dance 2 pencilled in for an October release, Dance on Broadway is a straightforward gap-filler – a quick and easy title certain to generate some revenue while also helping build anticipation for the main event.

The gameplay is almost identical to Just Dance, with players mimicking the actions of on-screen dancers, while holding a Wiimote. Just as with the former title, this feels entirely inadequate. Good dancing requires the whole body to move in unison, yet the nature of the hardware means that Dance on Broadway can only ever judge your performance on the basis of one limb. Even this is not done well.

At one point early on, while getting to grips with the concept, I found myself standing perfectly still, yet repeatedly being scored "great" for movements I hadn't even made. Knowing this, it was hard to shake the feeling that all subsequent successes or failures were rather arbitrary and at times it felt as though accidental motions were just as likely to be rewarded as intended ones.

From a presentation standpoint the game looks fine, if hardly inspiring, though the silhouetted images that appear along the bottom of the screen to warn you what moves are coming up can be more confusing than helpful. In terms of depth, the game offers little – with 20 show tunes to choose from but no career mode and nothing to unlock.

Yet this game will appeal to fans of Just Dance, of show tunes, and of games that provide an excuse to get up and throw yourself around your front room. Lyrics are displayed during the songs to allow players to sing along and as a party game it will provide plenty of cheap giggles. Some people will love it. And they knew they would from the moment they saw the title.

Rating: 2/5

3D is the future and we all know, but it doesn’t get amusing when you think of the weird glasses you have to wear to relish the 3D content. Sharp has been dedicatedly making efforts to create 3D displays that can be viewed without the need of glasses. In the same league of glasses-less 3D technology, Sharp showed off a few prototypes at IFA. This parallex barrier tech used in screens contain 800 x RGB x 480, when seen in 2D and 400 x RGB x 480 when viewed in 3D, requires users to view the screen from about 30cm away.

Based on this, Sharp showed tablet-type 7-inch and a smaller smartphone-type 3.5-inch screen with animated 3D content alongside an intriguing 3D camera on show. Using the same parallex barrier tech the camera is able to click images and videos in quality like never seen before. Sharp could also be readying a 9.7 inch 3D screen, now is the iPad in some danger. There’s no word on when Sharp would make these products ready for consumers.

Via: TechRadar

IBM has surprised us all with the introduction of a new zEnterprise chip, which according to the company claims clocks 5.GHz speed, thus putting it the pinnacle of the world’s fastest microprocessors. This blistering speed is sans any liquid cooling. Okay, you have seen some overclocked chips operate at more speeds than this, but then that’s courtesy. The high-speed IBM chip, the z196 is scheduled to ship to mainframe consumers from September 10, but its inclusion into PCs may just take a little longer.

Good for business et al. with larger workloads, the new zEnterprise technology based on 45mn architecture it comprises z196 processor is a four-core chip containing 1.4 billion transistors on a 512-square mm) surface. It also features IBM’s patented embedded DRAM (eDRAM) technology which adds to improved microprocessor performance. The z196 mainframe uses 96 superfast chips delivering over 50 billion instructions per second processing capacity.

Via: HotHardWare

Most credit cards can get you into trouble.

But this credit card-like multi-tool is designed to get you out of trouble. Armed with a 2″ ceramic blade, magnesium alloy fire starter, LED flashlight, and many more tools, this handy little lifesaver will become a permanent addition to your wallet.

$19.99 @ ThinkGeek

Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Gadgets / Other, ebooks

So Samsung has finally announced the Galaxy Tab, the 7-inch Android tablet we’ve been hearing so much about.  Like most Android devices, Samsung didn’t stop at just putting a new UI over Android and adding some apps readily available in the Market, it built a custom app for some of the features we’d expect a tablet to have.

One of the most popular uses we’ve seen of tablets so far (namely on the iPad), is reading eBooks.  Rather than relying on users to get their own apps, Samsung built it’s own launcher for reading eBooks, newspapers and magazines.  Together they bring 2.2 million books, 2,500 magazines and 1,600 magazines.  For eBooks, rather than building it’s own store like Apple, or relying on Google, Samsung brought in Kobo for reading books.  Kobo offers many more books than iBooks for the iPad, including popular authors that Apple lacks such as Steig Larsson, author of the Millennium Trilogy.  Kobo specifically designed the included app for the Galaxy Tab, so it should use the screen size and pixel density fully.

The other apps included in the Readers Hub as PressDisplay for newspapers and Zinio for magazines.  Of course, users are free to download their own reading apps from the Android Market, and they should scale well, especially is they use Google’s UI guidelines.  So, the Amazon and Nook apps might scale well, but it’s nice to know that at least one of the proven stores will definitely work well and look good on the 7-inch screen.

Read [Korea Newswire Kobo Release] and [Samsung]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Ever since I got the iPad in April, more and more of my life is paperless. Besides full libraries of e-books, iTunes music, videos and the like, my e-mail, memos, to-do lists, calendars and important documents are stored there, too. So you can imagine that sinking feeling that came when, about 3:30 PM yesterday, I couldn’t find it. I’d been in the TV studio all afternoon shooting videos and when I walked back to my office, I must have left it there, I thought.

I retraced my steps to the studio. There was no trace of the iPad. For an hour, I walked back and forth from my office to the studio. Nothing.

Then I remembered the Mobile Me “Find my iPhone and iPad” feature.

I logged in, hit “Find my iPad,” and there it was, on a map, with a little blue dot moving across town, some 45 minutes away. Argggg!

I hurriedly actvated a feature that sent a two minute alert noise to the iPad and typed in a message that displayed on the screen telling whoever had it to return it and call me. The next step, if the message was ignored, was a command I could have sent that would have wiped the iPad clean of all my files and personal info. Fortunately, I didn’t have to do that.

Turned out it wasn’t a thief. Just a video editor I was worling with that afternoon who has an iPad of his own, with the exact same case. He had picked it up and put it in his bag when he left, thinking it was his.

I watched as the map showed the little blue dot returning to me and, within the hour, there was a happy reunion. I’m sure the editor would have figured out the mistake. Eventually. But there would have been a lot of anxious hours for me until he did. And I needed the iPad for a story-planning meeting coming up that evening.

In my book,  “Find my iPhone and iPad” feature is well worth the $99 Mobile Me annual fee. But add to it e-mail, online storage and other features and I’m feeling pretty warm and fizzy towards Apple right now.

I’ve read the stories about others using that feature. Now I experienced it. Thank you Apple.

I’m putting a nametag label on my iPad case on the device itself, just to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Speaking of the iPad, Apple has posted a page showing new features that will be coming with a software upgrade in November. Biggest for me will be wireless printing.

Here’s my Daily Tech News Audioboo report:

Listen!

Ever since I got the iPad in April, more and more of my life is paperless. Besides full libraries of e-books, iTunes music, videos and the like, my e-mail, memos, to-do lists, calendars and important documents are stored there, too. So you can imagine that sinking feeling that came when, about 3:30 PM yesterday, I [...]

Section: Gadgets / Other

It’s never been much of a secret, but now it’s finally official: Samsung has announced the Galaxy Tab, and has confirmed the final specs.  The announcement happened at IFA in Berlin, so we haven’t had a chance to actually touch it yet, but we at least have final specs.

The Galaxy Tab is officially a 7-inch Android tablet running Froyo with TouchWiz on top of it. It was announced for Europe as having HSUPA and HDSPA+ 3G, and not the Verizon-approved CDMA, but that could always come later.  It has two cameras, a 3 MP back-facing camera with LED flash as well as a 1.3 MP front-facing camera for video chat.  Inside there’s all the standard accelerometer, geo-magnetic sensor, light sensor, WiFi (802.11n included), Bluetooth 3.0, and Samsung even managed to add in a gyroscope just like the iPhone 4.  For storage, the Galaxy Tab comes in 16 and 32 GB models, both expandable with microSD cards.  It runs on a 1 GHz Core A8 processor, and Samsung says the battery will last for seven hours or video playback.  To top it all off, the 7-inch screen has a resolution of 1024x600, which gives it a higher pixel density than the iPad.

Reports out of Berlin seem to indicate that the Galaxy is finally the Android tablet we’ve been waiting for.  The screen size means its easy enough to hold with just one hand, and the display is certainly bright and seems to show colors well.  SlashGear has noted that while the phone is light, and solidly built, it it a bit plasticky.  Kat Hannaford at Gizmodo was apparently down on the device before she played with it, but said she came away impressed with the Galaxy Tab.  Finally, Engadget noted that Samsung “has set the gold standard for Android tablets.”  Is that’s true, we certainly have a lot to look forward to whenever Samsung gets around to announcing pricing and availability for the US.

Read [Samsung]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Jon Sawer needs to upgrade his old but dearly loved radio and wants to buy a high-spec DAB radio

I'm about to reluctantly upgrade from my existing extremely old but dearly loved radio. I'm intending to spend as much as I can afford on a top range, high specification standalone DAB radio. You have in the past published many articles on the subject on the UK DAB radio format and how you consider this to be inferior to the European model being developed, and I don't really wish to make an error in my purchase when shopping around.
Jon Sawer

You can't really buy decent standalone radios any more, unless you want a portable of the sort often called a "kitchen radio". Above that are "tabletop radios" that usually include other functions. The main features are FM and DAB digital radios, a connection for an MP3 player (often an iPod dock), and internet or Wi-Fi radio. Some have CD players and some have hard drives for storing music files. Finally there are "lifestyle" or microsystems that are actually mini hi-fi units with separate speakers. You'll have to decide which kind of system best fits your needs, and your budget.

This diversity reflects changes in the way people listen to music.
Radio now comes from a variety of sources, including thousands of internet radio stations. Also, many people now listen to music files from their portable music players or PC hard drives, not just to CDs and cassette tapes. The most common factor is FM radio, because it's cheap and because FM radio's network coverage is still much better than DAB's.

Portable DAB/FM radios tend to be mono and have "retro" (old fashioned) designs. The top-of-the-range model in this class is the Pure Digital Evoke-2S (from about £130), which has a smart veneered finish. It's also a proper stereo radio, although the speakers are too close together to create much of a stereo effect. It has the usual telescopic aerial but you can unscrew it and use something more capable if you live in a weak signal area.

There's a very similar Pure Evoke-3 model (from £154), which can record to SD memory cards and also comes with a remote control. However, it doesn't say it's upgradeable to DAB+ (see below), so you'll need to check. A cheaper alternative is the "piano black" Roberts Sound 80 (£85), which has a downward-facing bass woofer of the sort more common on tabletop designs.

Tabletop radios are trending towards a boxy design exemplified by the Roberts MP43 Sound 43 (CD/DAB/FM/Dock, £180). The Monitor Audio AirStream 10 (£224) is a more stylish and distinctive unit that also includes Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections. Pure's challenger is the Avanti Flow Table-top Digital Music System (£228), which also has a downward facing 5.25 inch subwoofer. However, the one to beat is the award-winning Vita Audio R2i (Walnut finish, £280), which has a reputation for its sound quality.

Microsystems attempt to deliver hi-fi, or something close to hi-fi, without the overhead of having a large stack of units and speakers on stands. For a very long time, small silver Denon CD/radio receivers have been the ones to buy, though the line has been challenged by Onkyo and others in the value-for-money stakes. The Denon RCD M38 (up to £300) is the latest model, and it now supports USB playback and DAB+ as well as DAB and FM. It's also available for £200 without the two small SC-M37 speakers usually supplied. This allows you to spend a bit more on better speakers.

There are dozens of small bookshelf speakers on the UK market including the Q Acoustics 2010 and 2020, Tannoy F1 Custom, Monitor Audio BR1 and Mordaunt Short Aviano. They are heavily discounted if you shop around, though in the long run, it's better to buy from a dealer who will let you listen to them first. Most sound much better on stands, but you can use four generous blobs of Blu-Tack to lift each speaker off a shelf.
Sony also offers a lot of "mini hi-fi" systems at low prices. The Sony CMTBX77DBI (CD/DAB/FM/Dock, £130) provides the advantages of separate loudspeakers and room-filling sound for less than the cost of many portable radios.

I've quoted current prices from Amazon.co.uk for convenience, and this is also a good site for checking star ratings and user reviews. You can also use TestSeek.co.uk to find magazine and website reviews of most products before shopping around.

In terms of future-proofing your purchase, the main thing is to look for support for DAB+. This is the relatively new digital radio standard that is replacing the old and inefficient DAB system currently used in the UK. Of course, there are no plans to use DAB+ in the UK at the moment, and even DAB+ will never see the global adoption enjoyed by FM. However, it is painfully obvious that DAB is floundering in the UK, and DAB+ provides the chance to offer higher sound quality, more channels and lower transmission costs than DAB so ultimately it cannot be avoided.

This doesn't mean DAB would be phased out immediately: DAB+ is backwards-compatible so the two would co-exist while 10m DAB sets drop out of use. Before there's a switchover from FM to DAB, digital radio listening must reach 50%, and national coverage has to match FM coverage. There is zero chance of digital radio listening reaching 50% by 2013, let alone that being DAB digital radio. Indeed, the number of FM radios is still growing much faster than the number of DAB radios, because FM is also appearing in mobile phones and MP3 players. There's also very little chance of DAB matching FM coverage in time: that would require the BBC to spend more than £100m on building out the network. (The government isn't going to pay for it directly, and commercial radio doesn't have the money.)

But it may never happen. If the government thinks it can make perhaps 150m FM radios redundant then it's in for a very rude shock. (Technically, FM will never be switched off: the plan is to use it for "hyperlocal radio" – presumably schools, hospital radio, community stations etc.)

However, as I've pointed out before, Lord Carter's Digital Britain report said: "To prepare for any such change or additional upgrade we will work to ensure that digital radio receivers sold in the UK are at least compliant with the WorldDMB receiver profile 1; which includes DAB+ and DMB-A." This prepares the way for moving beyond DAB, though I suspect it had more to do with the European Broadcasting Union's desire to find a standard that would actually work across Europe.

You could, of course, wait for radios that support WorldDMB receiver profile 1 (PDF), but don't hold your breath.

Looking for something fun to do this weekend for the family? Windering what special events are happening near you?  Thanks to some new services for the Internet and smartphones, finding out fairs, festivals and family fun outings is just a click away

Check this out. It’s called A Days Outing and it’s a free website and a $2.99 iPhone app that lets you type in a location or zipcode and, bam, it returns a list of  location specific happenings in your vicinity. You can choose from various categories, from special events to museums to parks to special sports and outdoor activities.

And you can narrow that search by distance from your present location… it sets from 10 to 120 miles. And you can refine it further by when you’re looking for something to do, right now, next weekend or a specific date.

Another service, Eventbrite, promises much the same thing, though its probably more tilted towards music, conferences and business networking.

Eventbrite also has an iPhone app… but it’s totally free,

Now as cool as these services are, they both missed a couple big Labor Day events near me. But on the other hand I also found out about some cool events I didn’t know about.

Section: Gadgets / Other

While the biggest news in Android tablets may be the Galaxy Tab, Toshiba isn’t content with letting Samsung take all the spotlight at IFA.  At the show in Berlin, Toshiba announced it’s own, bigger tablet, the Folio 100.

The Folio 100 is a 10.1-inch Android tablet, running on an Nvidia Tegra 2.  It runs on Froyo with a custom skin laid on top of it, which doesn’t look too bad.  For specs, the Folio 100 has 16 GB of storage (exapandle with the card reader), a 1.3 MP front-facing camera, Blueooth, HDMI, and a USB port.  Unfortunately, the battery is only supposed to last for 7 hours with 65% web browsing, 10% video playback, and 25% standby.  That’s not much compared to the iPad.  While comparing the Folio 100 to the iPad, while the iPad has a 1024x768 display, the Folio 100 only has 1024x600 basically the same sort of display you’d expect to find on a cheap netbook.

The other disappointment with the Folio 100 is the lack of the Android Market on the device.  Toshiba’s press release notes that the Folio 100 has some software like Opera Browser, Evernote, Fring and Document to Go as well as a Toshiba-branded media player.  When Engadget got a chance to touch and check out the device, it noted that it could not find the Android Market on the device.  That doesn’t mean it’s not buried somewhere, or might be added later, but we can assume for now that it’s not on the device.  If that is the case, Toshiba may have killed the Folio 100 before release.  That is, of course, if the battery life and display didn’t kill it already.

Read [Engadget]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Acer has decided to release their latest eMachines compact desktop PC in Japan. The Acer ER1401-N12B comes with a 1.30GHz AMD Athlon II Neo K325 CPU, an nVidia GeForce 9200 chipset, a 250GB of hard disk drive and a 2GB of RAM. Other important specs include Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, four USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI output, a memory card slot. Measuring 210mm x 39.5mm x 210mm and weighing at just 0.83kg, the Acer eMachines ER1401-N12B desktop PC retails for 39,800 Yen or around $470. [Akihabara]

Panasonic has released 8GB and 16GB SDHC cards (RP-SDY08G and RP-SDY16G), which support the SD association’s latest UHS-I specification. Both memory cards boast a maximum read speed of up to 60MB/s and Class 10 speed specification. These UHS-I SDHC cards are perfect for use with 3D- and Full HD-capable cameras. The new Panasonic 8GB And 16GB UHS-I SDHC cards also feature protection against power failures and a Super Intelligent Controller that cleans up errors preventing data damage. These memory cards will be released in November 2010. [dpreview]

A computer model that detects who is influencing whom in a group discussion, can accurately predict who is likely to speak next

One fascinating question that occupies social scientists concerns groups discussions. The problem is to determine the nature of the interaction between individuals and in particular, who influences whom.

People divulge more sensitive information on sites that look less safe.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have found that the appearance of website has a big effect on how honestly people answer personal questions put to them by the site. But paradoxically, it turns out we're more likely to spill our secrets on websites that appear less reputable. The way a website phrases questions also affects our willingness to disclose revealing information, the researchers found.

NudgeCam encourages good footage by tracking faces and assessing sound quality.

If you've ever accidentally shot a video sideways, or cropped the top of someone's head out of a frame, you might be glad to know about a new cell-phone app that automatically provides shooting advice to videographers.

Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones

In Best Buy’s Buyer’s Guide, which features a variety of cell phones for customers to purchase, the unannounced Samsung Gem has made an unlikely appearance.  While the specs of the Gem aren’t too exciting, if the smartphone is priced relatively inexpensively, it could make for a nice, mid-range device. 

Based on the snippet of information provided with the Samsung Gem image, it looks like the Android smartphone features a 3.2MP camera, Android 2.1, Samsung TouchWiz 3.0, and a virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype.  In addition, it has GPS support, WiFi connectivity, and 16GB onboard memory.  For some reason, the product listing fails to mention its screen size, but I’d venture to guess it sports a 3 - 3.5 inch touch screen.  I’m sure we’ll see an official product announcement for the Samsung Gem sometime soon, as it is already featured in the September issue of the Buyer’s Guide. 

Via [Engadget]

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellphones, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile

At yesterdays Apple event, CEO Steve Jobs revealed they are seeing 230,000 iOS devices activated per day.  Jobs made it clear that these were new activations, not upgrades.  Without saying any competitors names directly, he implied Google is off in their count.

“We think some of our friends are counting upgrades in their numbers,” Steve Jobs.  “We think we are ahead of everyone.”

Is Google padding their numbers of Android activations?  Earlier this year, Google announced they were activating 200,000 devices every day.  While Job’s number includes iPads and iPod touch devices, it would seem Apple is still in the lead.

Google responded to Seth Weintraub, “the Android activation numbers do not include upgrades and are, in fact, only a portion of the Android devices in the market since we only include devices that have Google services.” 

That begs the question, what phones don’t have Google services?  It would seem Android phones in China do not, but some others, such as this Commtiva T1 from Taiwan do not as well.  According to winandmac.com, phone manufacturers have to pay for the license for Google services such as Gmail apps.  Further, the site suggests users who want to check their Gmail on these devices will have to use gmail.com.

We’re left to wonder how many are activated in just the US.  Other questions we have include: should all iOS devices be counted, or just iPhones?  Will Google count Android-powered tablets and the myriad of other gadgets the OS is being ported to?

Read: [Fortune]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Smartphones, Mobile, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle

Those who have been using RunKeeper for Android may have noticed the ads that popped up on the app recently. Well, in a little bit of good news, there is now an option to get rid of them. The RunKeeper team have officially announced RunKeeper Pro for Android, which will set you back $9.99. As for features found in RunKeeper Plus, you will notice the lack of ads, but perhaps a little nicer is the addition of audio cues. Furthermore, the RunKeeper team have stated that they “plan is to iterate rapidly with a steady stream of improvements.” Sounds good and that alone is worth the $9.99 purchase price if you ask me. Plus, I have been using RunKeeper for a while now on both the iPhone and an Android phone. In short, it comes with me on every run and every bike ride.

Read [RunKeeper Blog]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, VoIP, Mobile

The Skype Mobile app for Android has recently been updated. This latest update brings the app up to version 1.5.0.4 and it comes with some good news and some bad news. According to the details given as for what is new, the app now has support for Skype Caller ID and perhaps a little more important is that it will now run with Wi-Fi* turned on. A big step up from previous versions. Of course, a bigger step would have been to allow full calling over Wi-Fi, but at least the app can now launch without having to physically turn Wi-Fi off. That said, the good news comes with some bad news and in this case the Skype Mobile app remains limited in availability to those with Verizon. Yup, Skype Mobile for Android remains a Verizon exclusive.

Via [AndroidCentral]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile

Earlier today we mentioned that the BlackBerry Torch 9800 was coming to Rogers on September 24th, and well, it looks like that same release date will also apply to both Bell and Telus as well. In terms of Bell, the price will be the same as with Rogers—$199.99 on a three-year agreement. Telus has yet to confirm any pricing, but that said, with the other two coming in at $199.99 it seems likely that it will be competitive.

Via [CrackBerry] and [CrackBerry]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Video, Content, Video Providers

As we mentioned yesterday, Amazon was expected to begin offering 99-cent television episode downloads. And it is always nice to see what was once a rumor come true. As of now—Amazon has television content from both Fox and ABC available for download—as in download and keep and be able to watch whenever you want as opposed the the 99-cent rentals that Apple is offering. As for the quality, both SD and HD is available. It seems Amazon may have one-upped Apple on that one. But hey sometimes a 99-cent rental is good enough, after all how often do you need to return to watch a rerun. Of course, I suppose if you are going to spend 99-cents either way you may as own the content.

Read [Amazon]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Video

There is a wide variety of set-top boxes that are offering competition to the Apple TV, some of which are already available such as the Roku players and some that are still getting ready to come to market such as the Boxee Box. Well, in a little bit of good news, the Boxee team has finally unveiled their pricing—$199. And if you are wondering why they would price themselves at $100 more than the Apple TV—it is because they “think it’s worth it.” Plain and simple, but a slightly better explanation to that statement comes in the form of 1080p support and no keyboards or mice being required for use.

From the Boxee Blog;

“We all watched the Apple announcement. We walked away feeling strongly confident about the space it left for Boxee to compete. We have a different view of what users want in their living rooms.  We are taking different paths to get there. The Boxee Box is going to be $100 more expensive than the Apple TV, but will give you the freedom to watch what you want.”

Read [Boxee Blog]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile

A few days ago we reported on a rumor that Rogers would launch the BlackBerry Torch 9800 on September 15, but the rumor turned out to be false.  Rogers is reporting today that it will launch the Torch on September 24 available for $199 on a three year contract.  No word on how much the phone costs on a two year, one year, or off contract pricing, but your best bet is probably to purchase the Torch with a three year contract.  In case you want to learn more about the Torch before purchasing it, a Rogers representative talked with Michael McDowell, Director of Marketing for the BlackBerry, about the cool features in the Torch.  The video can be seen below. 

Via [Rogers]

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile, Web, Online Music/Video

In order to gain further exposure for Samsung’s Galaxy S lineup of phones, the electronics manufacturer has created TV advertisements for all four variants.  Since the AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint models have already launched, the only video left to watch is the Samsung Fascinate on Verizon’s TV ad. 

The video (which can be seen above) doesn’t really outline all the main features of the device.  In fact, the video only mentions that the Fascinate features an “exclusive AMOLED screen,” but I think most people already know the specs inherent in the Galaxy S device.  The TV ad is basically an action shot meant to show off the Fascinate’s beautiful screen and remind viewers it’s coming soon to Verizon Wireless.  Hopefully we will only have to wait another day or two until Verizon finally gets official with the Fascinate. 

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile

Details for the hopefully soon to be released T-Mobile G2 are beginning to shape up. As of now we have some leaked pricing, which although it seems legitimate has not yet been made official. As of now it looks like the G2 will be $199.99 on-contract and $499.99 off-contract. Again, this has not yet been confirmed by T-Mobile, but that said, it sounds fairly accurate. Furthermore, the G2 will be powered by an 800MHz Scorpion processor and have Android 2.2 Froyo at launch.

Read [TmoNews] and [T-Mobile Scoop]

 

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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In Apple’s fall event for 2010 there was a great deal of iPod action…some of it was problematic, dealing with the silent, unacknowledged cleanup of past failures. However, Apple also took some very important strides forward in redefining and blurring several different product categories. For all the doubts and things left unsaid about the “back to the future” iPod Shuffle and the suddenly touchscreen iPod Nano, there can be no question that the new versions of the iPod Touch will be revolutionary for Apple and users everywhere…and they will be selling LOTS of them.

Steve Jobs said that people refer to the iPod Touch as “an iPhone without a Phone”, but after the newest upgrade I think that is thinking far too small…the iPhone really should be considered a 3G iPod Touch (and apparently one with a better camera). In this release Apple filled in the last hardware gaps to make the iPod Touch a real MID or Mobile Internet Device. It is the true opposite number to so many devices currently being released in the coming weeks, the endless cavalcade of nearly identical small tablets running Android and Windows 7.

(...) Read the rest of New Apple iPods–The Upside (735 words)

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© Zealot at Mobility Site, 2010. | Permalink

Now that all the initial shock and awe has faded, it is possible to take a long hard look at exactly what happened yesterday as Apple literally tossed all their iPod designs into a box and shook it like a Boggle game played by Frost Giants. There were some very exciting announcements and initial reactions were very positive, and the ramifications of that in my opinion is going to be amazing…but I will look at those in the companion post to this, describing the upside of the event. Simply put, not all was double rainbows for Apple yesterday, there were some very clear downsides to the announcements and several moments when Steve Jobs was clearly playing fast and loose with numbers and dancing around certain facts.

Of course, such games are always part of these events. If you can’t make wild, statistically improbable claims when showing off shiny new products in front of an invited audience of the faithful, when can you make them? However, the downside went beyond the normal reality distortion that surrounds Steve Jobs. Did you catch the fact that he tacitly announced that the last two major design changes in the iPod line were utter, abject failures…but avoided saying so? Did you see what he did there?

(...) Read the rest of New Apple iPods–The Downside (730 words)

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

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© Zealot at Mobility Site, 2010. | Permalink

Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Web, Web 2.0 / Social Networking, Websites

The team over at Twitter have released the latest update for their iOS app, and this has brought the app up to version 3.1—but perhaps a little nicer is the app is now universal which means it supports the iPhone and iPod touch as well as the iPad. Yup, the official Twitter app is now iPad ready. As for neat little features, the iPad Twitter app will allow you to pinch on a tweet which will unfold related information and actions as well as the ability to use a two finger drag on a tweet to reveal others replies.

What is Twitter for iPad? And how is it different from our iPhone app?

Twitter for iPad brings your Tweets together with web pages, photos, videos and more. Tap on any tweet, and a related content pane will open, displaying any linked content from the tweet, including web pages, profile information, hashtag searches and similar users. Slide panels from side to side and quickly navigate through related content.

Read [Twitter Blog] Download [Twitter for iPad (App Store link)]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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A new way of excavating the past structure of networks reveals important information about their evolution

The largest-ever storm monitoring mission is now gathering scientific data that was previously impossible to get.

As Hurricane Earl barrels toward the eastern seaboard of the United States, coastal residents don't know if they should evacuate in case the storm makes landfall. They rely on forecasters analyzing computer models, but those predictions differ. A new hurricane-monitoring mission that's now underway hopes to reduce this uncertainty by gathering atmospheric and environmental storm data never before obtained.

The next few years will see at least two new commercial spacecraft put into orbit.

A small fleet of privately developed spacecraft will head into orbit in the next few years--assuming that current levels of public and private funding can be sustained. If it happens, this will mark a new chapter in space exploration and research, as NASA comes to rely more on private companies for the technology to put manned and unmanned vehicles in space.

Scientists examine new ways to manipulate the microorganisms within us.

Earlier this summer, scientists reported the success of an unusual medical transplant; a woman with a life-threatening Clostridium difficile infection was treated, and apparently cured, with an injection of some of her healthy husband's gut bacteria. Researchers are now exploring the effects of this type of transplant in greater detail. They hope to eventually treat a wide range of ailments--from bowel diseases to obesity, diabetes to depression--by manipulating the bacteria that live in the human gut.

The agency announced its latest revision but budget uncertainties in the U.S. Congress make plans moving targets.

Section: Video, Portable Video

Every company seems to feel the need to create a small video camera á la the Flip.  It can even be argued that it’s one of the reasons Apple included the back-facing camera in the new iPod touch.  Sony has now decided to get into that market as well, and it’s version looks quite impressive.

Sony’s entry is the called the Bloggie Touch.  As you would imagine, the Bloggie Touch has a large touchscreen on the back, 3-inches to be precise.  Unlike the Flip Slide HD, the Bloggie Touch doesn’t use the touchscreen for all the controls.  In an almost un-Sony design choice, the Bloggie Touch has just one button on the back for controls, a big record button.  There’s also two more buttons on the side, presumably for power and take photos.

Possibly most impressive about the Bloggie Touch is that it can shoot 1080p video, whereas most similar devices will only shoot in 720p.  The large sensor means it’s also capable of taking large still images as well.  The Bloggie Touch is capable of taking 12.8 MP still images, which is quite impressive.  You can even take still images while you are recording video, which is an impressive feature.  The device lacks any sort of opitcal zoom, instead it has only 4x digital zoom.

The Bloggie Touch is meant to make sharing your video and photos easily.  The touchscreen seems to have a simple swiping method of moving through content, and that content can be marked for easy sharing on services such as Youtube, Flickr and Facebook when the Bloggie Touch is connected to a PC.  This being Sony, of course the device uses it’s own software, and it’s only compatible with Windows computers.  That is possibly the biggest downfall of the device, if it worked with a Mac, it’d be almost an instant buy for covering events.

The Bloggie comes in 4 and 8 GB models for $179 and $199, respectively.  That comes in cheaper than the Flip SlideHD, but more expensive than the UltraHD and MinoHD sell for on Amazon.com.  Your move, Cisco.

Read [Sony] Via [CNBC]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Computers, Software / Applications

When Microsoft first launched Windows 7, it sold a limited number of Family Packs for the OS.  The Family Packs have since been long sold-out, but now Microsoft is bringing them back, but again only for a limited run.

The Windows 7 Family Pack gives you three licenses to put on as many computers.  The one catch is that the package only gives your three upgrades to WIndows 7 Home Premium, meaning you have to have XP or Vista installed on a computer to upgrade them.  You can’t use the Family Pack on a completely fresh computer, which is a shame, but can be easily worked around by just installing an older OS on the box first.

The Family Pack will be available again on October 3 at retailers and online at the Microsoft Store.  Again, like last time, this is a limited time thing, it would seem.  Once their sold out, we don’t know when Microsoft will bring the bundle out again.  It would seem to make sense that Microsoft would keep the package around for those who want it, it is the best deal on the OS it would seem, and there would be a lot of people who want it.  Although, by only offering it for a limited time, and not saying how long that time period is, it is possible it could drive up sales and adoption of Windows 7.  Despite the fact that more people are using 7 over Vista, Microsoft still needs to get people off of XP and onto 7, and offering a good deal for a short period of time is a good way to drive up that demand.

Read [Windows Team Blog] Via [Liliputing]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Audio, Portable Audio, Video, Portable Video

At IFA 2010 in Berlin, Samsung will have on display two MP3 players along with their other planned devices.  The new MP3 players are the slim YP-Q3 and YP-U6, but unfortunately, details are rather scant at this time. 

The YP-Q3 is the higher end device as it has a battery life of 45 hours playing audio and 6 hours playing video.  The color of the device matches perfectly with the GUI, as you can see from the picture above.  Additionally, it boasts high audio quality with 5.1-channel sound support.  No word at this time on storage space or screen size, but I imagine storage space to be at least 4GB.  The YP-U6 is a really slim device, as you can probably tell form the picture below, and it comes with 20 hours of audio playback.  It comes with an interesting fitness mode, which shows you how many calories you have burned.  Again, no word on storage space or screen size, but I expect more information will be announced at IFA.

Via [SamsungHub]

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Laptops, Peripherals, Mice / Keyboards

Today, Microsoft issued a press release explaining its latest product, the Arc Touch Mouse.  One of the main selling points of the Arc Touch Mouse is its ability to neatly fold away, fit securely in a laptop bag, and provide a comfortable user experience.  When using the mouse, users are able to pop it up allowing for a curved surface, and then with a simple push, the mouse goes flat and is easy to stow away. 

In addition, the mouse features a touch strip which is used predominantly for scrolling slow or fast—depending on your finger speed.  The Arc Touch Mouse contains three programmable buttons, but the default functions are page up, page down and the middle click area.  The mouse is currently available for pre-order from Amazon.com, BestBuy.com and Buy.com for $69.95 and it will start shipping in December in time for the holiday season.  Expect the mouse to launch globally in January 2011 for a similar price point. 

Read [Microsoft]

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile

With the recent launch of the Samsung Epic 4G, it is important for Sprint to keep introducing 4G speeds to more and more places.  Today, Sprint announced three more cities would be privileged with 4G speeds, and those cities include: Boston, Massachusetts, Daytona Beach, Florida, and Providence, Rhode Island. 

Here is a list of current cities with 4G access:

Sprint 4G is now available in 51 markets: California - Merced, Modesto, Stockton, Visalia; Delaware - Wilmington; Florida - Daytona Beach, Jacksonville; Georgia - Atlanta, Milledgeville; Hawaii - Honolulu, Maui; Idaho - Boise; Illinois - Chicago; Maryland - Baltimore; Massachusetts - Boston; Michigan - Grand Rapids; Missouri - Kansas City, St. Louis; New York - Rochester, Syracuse; Nevada - Las Vegas; North Carolina - Charlotte, Greensboro (includes High Point and Winston-Salem), Raleigh (includes Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham); Oregon - Eugene, Portland, Salem; Pennsylvania - Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Reading, York; Rhode Island - Providence; Texas - Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, Waco, Wichita Falls; Utah - Salt Lake City; Virginia - Richmond; and Washington - Bellingham, Seattle, Tri-Cities, Yakima.

Read [Sprint]

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile

Running Android 2.1 with MOTOBLUR, Motorola presents the Defy, a 3.7” touchscreen-driven smartphone that is ready to take a fall.  The device is touted by Motorola as water-resistant and dust-proof, two common elements users run into frequently.  While filming reef sharks at 30 feet underwater is out, the water-resistance should be helpful for getting caught in a quick shower and thanks to Gorilla Glass, the Defy’s screen is protected from falls.

The phone is geared currently for Europe and will release later this year.  Packing a 5MP camera, Android 2.1, AGPS, and Flash Lite 3, it’s not a super-powered device.  Motorola describes the phone as “slim”, though at 13.4mm thick, it’s fatter than the iPhone 4 (9.3).  The Defy packs only 512MB Internal RAM; 2GB Internal ROM and the microSD slot can handle up to a 32GB card.

While not the cutting edge, this should be a decent workhorse in the Moto line.

Product page: [Motorola]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Apple, Audio, Portable Audio

From a new product perspective, possible the most exciting announcement is the new iPod nano.  It doesn’t do as much as the iPod touch, but it combines the ease of use of the touch with the portability of the shuffle.

The new iPod nano is simply a roughly 1.5-inch square with a 1.5-inch touchscreen.  it has only three buttons: volume control and sleep/wake.  Opposite the buttons are the standard 30-pin dock connector and the headphone jack.  Behind the touchscreen in a clip, just like the iPod shuffle, making the new nano easier to bring with you for workouts and the like.

The interface is simple, and is based on iOS, even if it doesn’t run apps.  It has four home screens with four icons each.  Gone is the ability to play video that was present in the last three nanos, but it’s a worthwhile sacrifice for the new form factor.  Apple added in an FM tuner for the new nano, and kept the pedometer and Nike+ capabilities.  Apple really wants you to use the nano for workouts, it even has an option to turn the screen to orient whichever way you wish so you can clip it anywhere you want.

The new nano comes in 8 and 16 GB varieties for $149 and $179, respectively.  They are up for pre-order now, and will start shipping next week.

Read [Apple]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile

Coming Q4 of this year, Motorola announced the Milestone 2 for Europe.  Just like the original Milestone, the Milestone 2 is the European variant of the US Droid.  The Milestone 2 will ship with Android 2.2.

As expected the Milestone 2 features a QWERTY slide out keyboard, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, the ability to turn the device into a WiFi hotspot for up to 5 devices, and a 1Ghz processor now with 802.11n support.  The device ships with an 8GB SD card, bringing total memory up to 40GB.

While the form factor is identical to the Droid, there is a major difference between the Droid 2 and Milestone 2: the Milestone 2 can record HD video (720p).  And in the video below, you can see Motorola is pumping this new feature right up front.  In fact, it’s the first feature they highlight:

Press release: [Motorola]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Apple, Audio, Home Audio, Video, Video Providers

As the “one more thing,” or rather “one more hobby,” at today’s event, Steve Jobs unveiled the new Apple TV.  The product is essentially what we’ve heard rumors of for the past few months.

The new Apple TV is small, about a quarter of the size of the original, which is possibly because it has no local storage, instead it relies on AirPlay and streaming from Apple as well as other services.  The new Apple TV will only allow for renting movies or TV shows, unlike the previous model which allowed you to purchase content from the device.  Now Apple will let you rent first-run movies (same day as DVD release) in HD for $4.99, with prices diminishing as the movies get older.  Apple also has a deal with ABC and FOX to brings $.99 TV show rentals to the AppleTV, and it hopes to brings in other networks over time.  Apple TV will also support AirPlay, so you can stream media across your home network from your computers or iOS 4.2 devices (that OS version is due out in November).

In addition to Apple-provided content, you can view media from Netflix, YouTube, Flickr, and MobileMe on the new Apple TV.  It retails for just $99, compared to the previous $229, and is available for pre-order now.  The device will start shipping in four weeks.

Read [Apple]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Apple, Audio, Computers, Software / Applications

Love it or hate it iTunes is huge and probably part of your existence in some capacity. By the numbers - 11.7 billion songs, over 450 million TV episodes, 100 million movies, 35 million books, and over 160 million accounts in 23 countries. Today Apple announced their latest and greatest version of iTunes as iTunes 10. Brand new logo, a face-lifted UI and also introduced Ping.

Ping as described by Jobs “Twitter and Facebook meet iTunes.” As part of the iTunes 10, Ping allows you to follow and be followed by your friends and artist to see what they are listening post comments, view concert listing etc. Though it was briefly touched on, there were settings for privacy so you may share as much or as little as you want. Let’s hope Apple doesn’t take a page out of Facebook policy.

Ping is available to sign up today.

Full Story » | Written by Aaron Thacker for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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The National Institute of Health announces the grants for research aboard the space station.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded the first new grants for biomedical research on the International Space Station (ISS). The grants are part of an initiative between NIH and NASA to spur research on health issues in microgravity.

Section: Gadgets / Other, ebooks

We heard the rumors, and it looks like they have come true—Sony has officially offered up a refresh on their Reader device lineup. With that, we now have the Pocket Edition PRS-350, the Touch Edition PRS-650 and the Daily Edition PRS-950.

As for the devices, the Pocket Edition has a 5 inch display, the Touch Edition has a 6 inch display and the Daily Edition has a 7 inch display—all of which are said to be new and improved. Furthermore, all three models are shipping with a stylus and have 2GB of internal storage as well as an SD/Memory Stick Pro card slot. As for connectivity, the Pocket Edition and the Touch Edition stick with USB only. The Daily Edition on the other hand comes sporting Wi-Fi (and USB).

In terms of pricing, expect to pay $179, $229 and $299 for the Pocket Edition, Touch Edition and the Daily Edition respectively. And all I can say is that Sony was not lying when they stated they would not be competing in the ebook reader market with price. After all, while these all may be nice devices, it is hard not to consider that the Kindle and Nook are also nice and also have a much lower starting price.

Via [CrunchGear]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Apple, Audio, Portable Audio, Video, Portable Video

We all knew it was coming, an iPod touch with a Retina Display like the current iPhone.  To make it even better, though, Apple has added just about everything but the phone to the new iPod touch.

The latest touch will come not only with the Retina Display, but with a front-facing camera for FaceTime, and a back-facing camera as well.  Steve Jobs only mentioned HD video recording for the iPod touch, but it would make sense that it could also take photos, unless Apple doesn’t want to add that feature.  It will also contain the Game Center app for competitive gaming, which of course, is also coming to iOS 4.1 with all other devices.  Despite being even thinner than the third generation iPod touch, the new version will tout 40 hours of music playback, but will likely not get that with video and apps running.

The new iPod touch will ship in 8, 32 and 64 GB models.  They will sell for $229, $299, and $399, respectively.  They will go up for pre-order today, and will start shipping next month.

Read [Apple]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Apple, Audio

The first of Apple’s new announcements today is the new iPod Shuffle.  To make the new version, Apple decided to listen to users who liked the last version, but who wanted actual buttons on the device.

The new Shuffle looks less like the last version, and more like the second generation, but focused on just the buttons.  It has the same features as the previous version, including Voice Over, and playlist support.  Apple also added Genius Mixes to the new Shuffle, making it easier to find similar songs.

The new iPod Shuffle comes in five different colors (silver, blue, magenta, yellow and green), like the previous models.  It can hole 2 GB of music, and play that music for a total 14 hours at a time.  It will ship for $49.  Like all the new iPods, it is available for pre-order today, and will start shipping next week.

Read [Apple]

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Business News, Apple, Computers

Apple announced today the opening of their 300th retail store at Clove Garden in London. They are also reporting that within these stores approximately 1 million visitors are passing through - pretty staggering. Inside these stores there are 80k One to One classes, 50% of users are buying their first Mac. The proof is in the pudding that customers like their product sampling hands on.

Full Story » | Written by Aaron Thacker for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Computers, Mobile Computers

Augen may not have ended up having a hit on their hands with the $150 Augen GenTouch78 tablet with Android. Of course, having those issues with Google and the Android Market, that is not really all that surprising. That said, it looks like Augen may be down at the moment, but not completely out of the game. According to the details that we have read so far, Augen is currently working on a new line of Android based tablets—the GenTouch Espresso line. Unfortunately the details are fairly light at this point and so far include that the lineup will consist of tablets ranging from 7 inches up to 10 inches and are expected to be unveiled during CES this coming January. Sounds like a pretty bold promise, that being ready for January part. Furthermore, with the lack of Android Market access on the previous GenTouch78 tablet, that could be a recipe for disaster on any future model. After all, while people like Android, they seem to really only want Google Experience Android devices and by that I mean Android with the Android Market and Google mixed in.

Read [Augen Gentouch] Via [Liliputing]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Business News, Apple, Video, Content, Video Providers

More Apple related rumors, I know, shocking to see on the day of an Apple event. That said, if you are a fan of the Apple TV and Netflix this one may be of interest though. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is planning to unveil a new Apple TV set-top box that will be able to stream Netflix. The details are said to have come by way of “three people with knowledge of the plans.”

“The streaming service would be available on the revamped version of Apple TV, due to be introduced tomorrow in San Francisco, said two of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans haven’t been made public. Users would pay a subscription fee to Netflix for the service, the people said.”

And thankfully the Fall Apple Event is set to take place a little later today (at 1PM EST), that way we can either rejoice in having a new way to stream Netflix or realize this was just a crazy rumor. Still, I hope to see it come true, after all, Netflix is on just about every device at this point why would it not end up on the Apple TV? Furthermore, the new Apple TV (assuming there is one announced) is said to be coming with a $99 price tag.

Read [Bloomberg] Image courtesy: Apple

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Just because summer is coming to a close, doesn’t mean you have to give up the sweet treats of the season. This miniature ice cream maker will whip up a 1/2 pint of delicious, home made dessert is only minutes.

You can use your own natural ingredients so that you know just what you’re getting…and there’s no rules about weird flavor combinations, so get mixing!

$26.99 @ Amazon

Section: Business News, Video

It looks like this is going to be a rumor filled morning, first we have mention that Sony is going to try and steal some of the Apple thunder today, and now it looks like Amazon may also be looking to get in on that party. Only while this one may be aimed at Apple, it really looks like it would really be more competition for Netflix and/or Hulu+. The Amazon details are coming courtesy of the Wall Street Journal who are reporting that;

“Amazon.com Inc. is working on a new subscription service that would deliver TV shows and movies over the Internet, ramping up the battle among Web companies to control entertainment in the living room.”

According to the details, this service from Amazon is going to be targeted at older content and at multiple internet connected devices. Sounds a lot like Netflix. Hmm, an iPad app sounds nice. But in the end, while Hulu+ is a nice alternative, this would really be competing with Netflix, after all they are seemingly everywhere.

Read [WSJ]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Business News, Audio

The details on this one are still pretty light, however, according to a recent report in the Financial Times—Sony may be getting ready to unveil a new music service today.

“Sources in the media industry told the Financial Times that Sony would use its PlayStation games consoles as the starting point for a new service that users will be able to use across a range of other internet-connected devices. That could include Walkman music players, Vaio computers, Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players and Sony Ericsson mobile phones.”

Will Sony be able to steal some of the Apple thunder today? I guess we will see soon enough. If nothing else, this could be a nice option for Sony users. After all combine a service with a computer (Vaio), game console (Playstation) and portable device (PSP or Walkman or smartphone) and you could have an all around nice offering.

Read [Financial Times] Via [Gizmodo]

 

 

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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Section: Communications, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers

With all of the Galaxy Tab information that has hit the web up until this point, this latest appearance seems only more than fitting—the Galaxy Tab has turned up with FCC. Which as a side note leads us to believe we could be seeing an official announcement when Samsung has their latest event on September 16th. Otherwise, the listing shows the Galaxy Tab with the model number of SHW-M108S and offers specs to include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and 1900 GPRS support. Interestingly enough, that 1900 GPRS mention points more towards AT&T and GSM as opposed to Verizon and CDMA.

Read [FCC] Via [WirelessGoodness]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

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