New e-reader chip brings page layout to the (E Ink) screen

New e-reader chip brings page layout to the (E Ink) screen

via DVICE Atom Feed by Peter Pachal on 11/2/09

One of the issues many newspaper readers have with the current crop of e-readers (growing by the day) is that they don't do page layout very well. On a newspaper page, changes in text position and point size subtly give signals about which stories are less or more important, while on an E Ink screen headlines are generally all given equal value.

That's changing with the introduction of a new kind of e-reader processor. Chipmaker Marvell recently unveiled its Armada 166E processor, which integrates the e-paper display controller into the chip itself. It created the chip in partnership with E Ink, the company behind the display technology of pretty much every e-reader on the market. Part of the package: FirstPaper software, which supports larger screens, graphics and flexible page layout. One of the first e-readers with the Armada will be the Entourage Edge.

What does this mean to you? Expect even more e-readers at cheaper prices and better technology in the coming year. With technology changing so rapidly in this category, does it make much sense to buy a Nook or IREX reader now, or hold out for a few months?

Via Marvell

Amazing architecture: Floating building as traveling exhibit space

Amazing architecture: Floating building as traveling exhibit space

via DVICE Atom Feed by Charlie White on 11/3/09

Leave it to Australian architects at Peddle Thorp to prove that houseboat architecture has come a long way. They're calling this starship-like floating exhibition space "Fluid," and once it's done showing off its beauty at the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu, South Korea, it'll be unmoored from its dock and floated to other Asian cities.

Check out the gallery below, and you'll notice that its interior is even more magnificent than its exterior, taking the theme of a whale to the extreme. We love floating buildings. Bring this beauty to the states!

Galactic Suites space hotel is on course for a 2012 debut

Galactic Suites space hotel is on course for a 2012 debut

via DVICE Atom Feed by Kevin Hall on 11/3/09

Come 2012 (you know, providing the world doesn't end) you may have another venue for booking a luxury hotel: space. That's the hope of the Barcelona-based architects behind the Galactic Suites, anyway, who say that they are on track with building a space hotel.

Each three-night stay at the Galactic Suites will cost a whopping $4.4 million, though that also gets you an eight-week training course on a tropical island. Hopefully you've let your vacation days pile up, because that's a pretty big commitment.

You'd wear a velcro-covered suit while on board the station to aid with mobility, and you'd get to watch 15 "sunrises" as you orbit around the Earth every 80 minutes. Each hotel pod will have room for four, as well as two astronaut pilots — who, hopefully, will have their own space to retreat to.

Sure, it still sounds a little crazy, but it's all part of a big space tourism push hinging on companies such as Virgin Galactic and the construction of Spaceport America in New Mexico.

"It's very normal to think that your children, possibly within 15 years, could spend a weekend in space," Galactic Suites CEO Xavier Claramunt told Reuters Television. "When the passengers arrive in the rocket, they will join it for 3 days, rocket and capsule. With this we create in the tourist a confidence that he hasn't been abandoned. After 3 days the passenger returns to the transport rocket and returns to earth." Claramunt doesn't plan to use Spaceport America initially, opting instead to ferry guests into space on Russian rockets launched from a spaceport that will be built in the Caribbean.

Only time will tell if Galactic Suites really will open on time. Skeptics cite the enormous costs that a project like this obviously poses, though, according to Yahoo News, "Claramunt said an anonymous billionaire space enthusiast has granted $3 billion to finance the project."

Via Yahoo News

5 home theater technologies coming faster than you think

5 home theater technologies coming faster than you think

via DVICE Atom Feed by Stewart Wolpin on 11/3/09

Tops on my home-entertainment wish list is the experience recorder invented by physicists played by Louise Fletcher and Christopher Walken in Douglas Trumball's Brainstorm. Such a gadget is highly fanciful (and likely to be co-opted by the military, just like in the film), but there are five bona fide home theater trends we'll see take off in 2010, almost all of which are connected to connectivity — and reality.

Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers go semi-wireless, still awesome

Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers go semi-wireless, still awesome

via DVICE Atom Feed by Charlie White on 11/4/09

We love Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 computer speakers, and we were wondering why the THX-certified powered speakers have been scarce lately. Here's the answer: they're going wireless. They still deliver that kick-ass sound, and at $199, only cost about 50 bucks more than the wired version. Plug your USB wireless transmitter into your Mac or PC's USB port, and then you're rocking that 200-watt amplifier inside the ProMedia 2.1's awesome subwoofer.

There's a catch, though — that subwoofer still needs to plug into a wall outlet, and the two satellite speakers are still connected to the subwoofer with wires. The advantage? You can place those speakers and their sub 30 feet away from the PC. Might be great for listening to iTunes in the bedroom, controlling your PC via Wi-Fi with the Apple Remote app on your iPhone.

If the lack of complete wirelessness is mildly disappointing to you, the good news is that you can still get those original ProMedia 2.1 speakers for $150.

Xbox 360 Sky Player down, relaunching 'in phases' today

Xbox 360 Sky Player down, relaunching 'in phases' today

via Joystiq [Xbox] by JC Fletcher on 10/28/09

While the Xbox 360 Sky Player apparently launched in the UK yesterday as planned, things veered away from the plan almost immediately thereafter. The service was "suspended" shortly after launch, for what must be the best possible problem in Microsoft's eyes: too many subscribers.

"Unfortunately due to the unprecedented levels of simultaneous demand," a statement on Xbox.com reads, "we did not have the capacity to satisfy all service requests and therefore temporarily suspended all access to the service." The service is being reinstated in phases today, presumably with some upgrades in place to deal with the demand. An earlier statement (reproduced on Engadget) specified tomorrow as the target date for the relaunch -- it seems likely that all users will be returned to their regularly scheduled programming then.

Gratuitous Space Battles officially blows up thousands of space ships

Gratuitous Space Battles officially blows up thousands of space ships

via DVICE Atom Feed by Tom Chick on 11/4/09

If I'd known Gratuitous Space Battles was going live this week, I would have adjusted the wallet threat level upwards. You know how the space combat scenes in Battlestar Galactica were terrible and epic and oddly serene, all at once? This game is like that. It has lovely graphics, a lot of depth, an alarming amount of replayability, and a great sense of humor, to boot. Plus, it's universal. Who wouldn't want to build spaceships and then throw them into massive battles so you can sit back and watch them pound the snot out of other spaceships? Isn't that the point of all science fiction? Isn't that why Wrath of Khan is the only good Star Trek movie?

After a lengthy beta period that incorporated lots of user feedback and lots of gratuitous improvements, Gratuitous Space Battles is now officially released. Not to say it's final. Developer Cliff Harris clarifies the announcement of the "release version":

Does this mean the game is finished?
It means the game is in a finished state, playable and is properly for sale, yes. It means people can review the game without thinking it's still in beta. It means that Positech (Me!) consider this to be a finished game, rather than an on-going beta test.

Is this the end of new features?
No. Definitely not. I already have stuff (like the converging lasers thing) in the pipeline to add in later updates. There is a ton of stuff I'd love to add (if the game sells!). It *does* mean that updates will be less frequent, but probably be more feature-related rather than focusing on bug fixing, and possibly bigger in scope.You can get Gratuitous Space Battles here for the odd, odd price of $22.99.

Map of Connectedness reveals world's most remote places

Map of Connectedness reveals world's most remote places

via DVICE Atom Feed by Charlie White on 10/26/09

Physical distance used to dictate how remote a place was, but no longer. Now that there are airlines reaching around the globe, bullet trains, Autobahn-like superhighways and go-fast boats, the remoteness of the location is measured by how good the transportation is between here and there. In the map above, the darker a location is, the harder it is to get there.

Created by the European Commission's Joint Research Center in Italy and the World Bank, the map started out as a model based on how long it would take to travel from each point to a city with a population of 50,000.

Just be happy you're not in Tibet, the most remote place in the world — you'll travel three weeks to get to a city of any decent size, including 20 days on foot. And we thought the Midwest was in the boondocks.

New Scientist, via Fast Company

Hey NASA: Skip the moon, send humans to asteroids, Mars moons

Hey NASA: Skip the moon, send humans to asteroids, Mars moons

via DVICE Atom Feed by Charlie White on 10/23/09

As NASA readies the Ares 1-X test rocket, a commission of experts appointed by the president says hold everything. NASA should forget about going to the moon for now, and land humans on a nearby asteroid or comet, or one of the two moons of Mars, says the Augustine panel. The reason? It will take a whole lot less fuel to get humans back from such low-gravity destinations.

It makes sense. The moon? Been there, done that. Let's get some big honking rockets, maybe even bigger than the Saturn V, and head out into deep space. Meanwhile, the Augustine panel recommends extending the life of the shuttle for another year — until 2011 instead of putting it in mothballs on October 1, 2010 — and keeping the International Space Station aloft until 2020 instead of crashing it into the ocean in 2015.

Too bad this commission didn't exist when George W. Bush decided back in 2003 that our goal was to set up a base on the moon, and then head to Mars. Among the eight options presented by the commission, a moon landing would only be a training mission, a stepping stone to destinations beyond. A Mars mission would only happen in the distant future.

These new plans could work. Well, until another politician decides to change them.

Via USA Today (art courtesy Denise Watt, via Space Gizmo)

Twitter Peek: a mobile device that handles Twitter and that's it

Twitter Peek: a mobile device that handles Twitter and that's it

via DVICE Atom Feed by Adam Frucci on 10/28/09

Are you really into Twitter, but not into having a cellphone capable enough to run a Twitter app for you? Would you rather carry two devices of limited functionality around with you than one that can do multiple tasks? Uh, OK. Well, the Twitter Peek is designed with you, and few other people, in mind.

The Twitter Peek is a wireless device that can handle Twitter and only Twitter. No phone calls, no email, no mobile internet, no nuthin', just Twitter. There's no word on pricing on this guy, but I'll stick to using Tweetie on my iPhone, thanks.

Peek via CrunchGear via Oh Gizmo!

Inside the Motorola Droid, an iPhone likeness

Inside the Motorola Droid, an iPhone likeness

via CNET News.com on 11/1/09

Though the Motorola Droid and Apple iPhone have different chassis, their high-octane engines are similar.

The internal similarities begin with performance: both devices are fast. The iPhone 3GS is already distinguished for its speed. And the Droid is quickly garnering similar accolades.

The Motorola Droid has a radically different exterior compared with the iPhone but uses a speedy Cortex-A8 ARM chip like the Apple phone.

(Credit: CNET Reviews)

"The Droid makes a big leap in internal performance. Compared with its rather sluggish Android predecessors," CNET Reviews said, citing the speed at which the Droid opens applications and menus and scrolls through lists and switches display screens.

"We're really pumped to see all the industry excitement it's created," said Jeff Dougan, the OMAP 3 product marketing manager at Texas Instruments, which supplies the OMAP 3430 processor that powers the Droid. "This is the first handset that truly realizes the full potential of Android," he said, referring to Google's Android 2.0 operating system that runs on the Droid phone.

The TI processor, like the one in the iPhone, is based on an a new architecture called Cortex-A8 from U.K.-based chip design house ARM, whose wide variety of chips populate most of the world's cell phones. Dougan says most smartphones currently on the market use an older, lower-performance ARM architecture than the Cortex-A8--with the exception of the Palm Pre, which opted for the newer TI chip. The Cortex-A8 provides a "two to three times performance boost" over older architectures, according to Dougan.

Max Baron, an analyst at Microprocessor Report, says the chips in the Droid and the iPhone (see not below) are so alike that differences are more dependent on the operating systems the two chips use and how successfully each phone maker optimizes the OS. "With chips that have near-similar specs, the optimum OS and the look-and-feel of the user interface may make or break the product," Baron said.

"The caveat, however, is that even small differences in chips will surface and become important differentiators as soon as the market forces you to increase the screen size or add more pixels per screen, or execute more power-consuming applications," he added.

The raw MHz ratings on the chips are slightly different. The processor in the iPhone 3GS--which is believed to be based on the Samsung S5PC100 processor--runs at 600MHz, according to most accounts. The Motorola Droid's TI chip is rated at 550MHz though theoretically it can be run as fast as 600MHz, according to TI's Dougan.

Both phones also use PowerVR graphics from Imagination Technologies--a company that both Apple and Intel have invested in, testifying to how hot its ultramobile graphics technology is. The PowerVR is renowned for its ability to process several million triangles-per-second--a key indicator of graphics chip performance--blowing away other phones and the previous version of the iPhone.

Other internal specifications are similar between the two phones, including memory capacity (either 16GB or 32GB) and communications chips that offer 3G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connections.

So, internally the Droid is every bit the iPhone's equal. And future versions of TI OMAP 3 chips that may appear in upcoming Droids will be backed by formidable ecosystems, according to Baron. "Investments in application software may lean more toward the TI components," said Baron, given TI's strong support of the entire chip ecosystem, including auxiliary chips and software development tools.

Note:: Apple's and Samsung's reluctance to release information about the processor used in the iPhone 3GS has made it difficult to determine if the chip is based on the Samsung S5PC100, according to the Microprocessor Report's Baron. Many iPhone 3GS reviews and teardowns, however, state explicitly that the iPhone's processor is essentially the Samsung S5PC100 processor.

Motorola Droid now best Android phone ever

Motorola Droid now best Android phone ever *via DVICE Atom Feed by Stewart Wolpin on 10/28/09

A few weeks I go I proclaimed the Motorola CLIQ the best Android phone ever, asterisk, at the time it came out.

On Nov. 6, the new Android champion will be the Motorola Droid. That'll make Verizon customers/Apple haters happy now that the carrier has a phone to match its vaunted 3G network, or will have when it becomes available on Nov. 6 for $200 after the usual contract stipulations and rebate.

Handling the phone for the last couple of hours, I find Droid's imperfections overwhelmed by Android 2.0 advances that help unify related functions and, first and foremost, its gorgeous screen.

At 3.7 inches diagonal, Droid's display is the biggest on a cellphone, yet the Droid is only a hair larger and actually a bit thinner than the CLIQ. Even better, the LCD is 854 x 480 (WVGA) or 400,000 pixels. Most similarly sized screens are 480 x 320. In less tech terms, text and colors are sharper, bolder and crisper than on any other cellphone LCD I've seen.

All Together Now
Droid is more than its screen and slide-out QWERTY keypad. To make non-verbal communications easier, Motorola borrows the contact-centric phonebook from CLIQ's MOTOBLUR social-network interface. Contacts in your phone book include text and email data, but let you compose a message or post to varying your contact's pages on social-networking sites such as Facebook without having to actually boot the Android Facebook app. Droid also handily merges all the info from contacts culled from varying app phonebooks and email contact lists, such as Facebook and Gmail.

Further unifying disparate functions, the home page-based Google Search now scours not only the Web but data on your Droid. For instance, if you do a search on U2, you'll find websites, plus websites you've visited or bookmarked, apps, contacts or, optionally, YouTube and your music. You can change these search options in the settings.

Google Maps now comes with voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions and "layers" — instead of having to choose a normal map view or a traffic view or a satellite view, you can overlay these options on top of each other. You can also share your location with other Google Navigation users for keeping track of your peeps or coordinating arrival at a mutual destination, i.e., "I'm lost, do you see where I am? How do I get to where you are?"

Moto Quibbles
I have some initial complaints. First, the 5MP camera is slow to process the large images. And, despite included image stabilization, indoor shots with the dual LED flash come out blurry if you don't hold the camera stock-still until the shot is processed. Photos also can be geotagged, but oddly this is not the default setting. I'm not even sure why there is an option to begin with — what is the drawback to having all your photos automatically geotagged?

Like the CLIQ, Droid's slide-out horizontal keyboard is three-line rather than four, which means you'll need to tap ALT to access the number keys.
YouTube playback was hinky on my demo unit, especially when I tried to watch videos in HQ. They'd get stuck in "loading" and never actually play. Unlike other Android phones, there isn't a "full screen" zoom option, which means videos that do play play in the middle third of the screen.

But Droid's big, sharp screen makes everything easier to read, Android 2.0 adds the kind of intuitive interface that makes using a complex cellphone easier, Verizon's EV-DO network speeds net surfing, and Droid's solid metallic body fills klutzes with confidence.

Now all we need is an iTunes-like Android client software.

15 ghoulish apps you can download to your iPhone

15 ghoulish apps you can download to your iPhone

via DVICE Atom Feed by SCI FI Wire Staff on 10/28/09

Whenever a new gadget appears, you can be sure it will be demonized in popular culture. Gothic novelists wrote about haunted typewriters. There were Twilight Zone episodes about evil electronics and telephones that went straight to grandma's grave. There were movies about cursed computers long before there were PCs (HAL 9000, anyone?), and there are countless straight-to-DVD flicks about eerie cellphones.

But it used to be that those hauntings were involuntary. Nowadays people are willingly downloading the ghouls, ghosts and goblins themselves, usually at about a buck a pop. Follow the jump below for our 15 favorite scary iPhone apps.

To read the list, follow this link our sister site, Sci Fi Wire.

Netflix details PS3 disc distribution for November, 'confident' it'll have ample supply

Netflix details PS3 disc distribution for November, 'confident' it'll have ample supply

via Joystiq [PlayStation] by Alexander Sliwinski on 10/28/09

Netflix is confident that it will have ample supply in November for every PS3 user who requests a disc for its recently announced streaming service. Speaking with Joystiq, Netflix Vice President of Corporate Communications Steve Swasey wouldn't disclose the number of reservations the company has received for the free PS3 Netflix disc since the company announced the program on Monday, but did emphasize, "We're confident we've produced enough discs." Distribution centers apparently already have the units.

Swasey told us that the company is still hammering out the distribution details, but the plan is to send out a press release sometime in November announcing that the discs have shipped. Customers should receive the red envelope in about the same time it usually takes for a Netflix shipment to reach them. He expressed that "there's no VIP list or special circumstance list," so everyone should be receiving it around the same time.

Asked if there were any points he'd like to clarify about the recent announcement, Swasey told us that the disc was the best solution currently available in getting PS3 users the Netflix service, downplaying the need to always have disc in the tray. "They put the disc in whenever they play a game." When pushed on why an integrated solution wasn't implemented, he said, "We haven't given any reason. The key thing here ... it's very easy and no different than playing a video game. We'll have an update in time." The integrated solution is expected in late 2010.

Netflix doesn't like to discuss HD content in nitty gritty detail yet, but confirmed that the PS3 will have a similar offering to the Xbox 360, which outputs 720p and stereo sound.

Keep an eye out for an announcement in November for when the discs ship, then put that eye back in when the disc arrives. You'll need both to appreciate those episodes of Dexter.

Netflix Streaming Coming to Wii Next, Naturally

Netflix Streaming Coming to Wii Next, Naturally [Rumor]

via Gizmodo by matt buchanan on 10/28/09

Netflix is finally, officially about to hit the PS3, leaving the Wii as the odd console out. Well, besides past hints and the whole "duh" aspect, StreamingMedia swears that the Wii is next, and has seen pitchas to prove it.

Of course, those pictures can't shared in order to protect they're source, and what's more, they're hearing that "Nintendo originally planned to bring the Netflix service to the Wii before the end of this year" but they're "also considering holding off on the Netflix service until they release their next generation Wii HD unit in early 2010." So, uh, just keeping your breath on that one.

[Streaming Media via Engadget]

AT&T's first Android phone: A Dell?

AT&T's first Android phone: A Dell?

via Betanews by Tim Conneally on 10/7/09

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

Dell has smartphones on the way, but it's not talking about them yet.

In fact, the first Android-powered smartphone on AT&T's network could be coming from Dell, according to reports this afternoon.

Citing unnamed "people briefed on the plans," The Wall Street Journal today claimed that Dell will have a smartphone on AT&T as early as 2010.

In September, a 3.5" touchscreen Dell smartphone known as the "Mini 3i" was shown running Open Mobile System (OMS), an Android-based operating system central to China Mobile's "OPhone" platform. That platform thus far has been supported by Lenovo and HTC subsidiary Dopod, with many more to come.

The Texas PC company, however, has thus far been hesitant to discuss its movement in the Chinese mobile sector, even though China Mobile has highlighted Dell's participation in the Android-based OPhone project several times.

Dell declined comment today to Betanews and others on its plans for smartphone distribution, domestically or otherwise.

How the iPod Nano can beat the Flip (hint: a camera's not enough)

The star of Apple's dog-and-pony show today was undoubtedly the iPod Nano, adding so many features that our Twitter live-blogger was wondering if there would be a kitchen sink included. An FM radio on the Nano? The pigs were about to fly when they heard that one.

But the biggest addition was a video and still camera (update, it's video only), knocking on the door of all the other portable camera makers with a clatter so loud that when the Flipmakers peer through their peephole, they might see the Grim Reaper.

In the Pocket

It's common knowledge that the most useful camera is one that you have with you, and given that a large percentage of the population carries around a music player wherever they go, video and still camera possession will soon be almost a given.

Sure, our informal survey of teenyboppers told us they don't care much about having a camera on board their iPods — most told us that they already have cameras on their cellphones. But do they have a video camera in their cellphones? Most don't. New Nano users will soon realize how useful it is to have a camera with them all the time, even if it is only 640x480.

Jack of All Trades, Master of All

Perhaps the most ominous fallout from this announcement will be the fate of camcorders from such companies as Flip and Creative that have made such impressive inroads with tiny camcorders. In waltzes the iPod Nano, a music player that's already a highly desired product, with a camcorder thrown in. If Apple can make it super easy to send videos to YouTube, this'll be a sure winner.

Note to Apple: check out what FlipShare is doing, and then beat that. Or, just do the same thing you did with the YouTube implementation of the iPhone, which is as good as it gets.

No Cam for the Touch?

A camcorder in a music player is such a great idea, we're still scratching our heads and wondering why the iPod Touch didn't also include a camera. It would be a natural, loading up movies to YouTube just as easily as the iPhone does now. Already, iPod Touch users are speaking out. Said one disgruntled Touch user, "Once again Apple screws me over by putting all the cool new features in the iPod Nano, and NONE of them in the iPod Touch."

Was Apple protecting its iPhone franchise? Perhaps the fact that the iPod Touch can only connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi would have frustrated users who'd like to instantly upload their YouTube videos from anywhere. That said, expect the iPod Touch to also include video camera capability in its next generation, hopefully in HD resolution.

[originating url]

12 things you didn't know about the PS3 Slim

The PS3 Slim has been at the eye of a massive rumor storm for months, but now that Sony has finally made it official it’s time to bring the facts. By now you probably know the general specs – it includes a 120GB HDD, it’s $300/€300, it’s out September 1st, and it’s, well, slimmer – but no self-respecting, hardware-obsessing, early-adopting gamer would stop there. Read on to snag twelve of the PS3 Slim’s most overlooked details and you’ll know more than the next guy when it’s released next month.

1. It’s not actually called the “PS3 Slim” – it’s just the PS3 or the PlayStation 3. It is a new PS3 for sure, but nowhere on the box or in the documentation will you see the words “PS3” and “Slim” next to each other. Nevertheless, we’ll keep calling it the “PS3 Slim” for the sake of convenience.

2. The logo is beautifully etched into the machine (above), and not only that, the old branding is gone for good - no more tacky Spider-Man font! No more PLAYSTATION 3, either – Sony decided to stop yelling at us with every press release and just call it the “PlayStation 3.” Much better.

3. It has buttons! Those weird, touch-sensitive non-buttons are gone, and they’ve been replaced with that wonderful, tactile CLICK that only real buttons can deliver.

4. This is what the new ad campaign looks like:

5. It’s smaller, but not in every way. It’s thinner and lighter, but as you can see in the comparison below, it's a bit longer from the rear to the front. They had to fit all those graphics in there somehow.

6. It’s quieter! With power consumption two-thirds what it was, there’s a lot less fan-blowing and a lot more sweet serenity.

7. It only comes with composite cables. Yes, composite. Not even component, and definitely no HDMI.

8. If you have a Bravia TV and you hook up your new PS3 with an HDMI cable (…not included), you can operate the PS3’s media bar with your TV’s remote – you can even set it to turn the system off when you turn the TV off.

9. The hard drive IS removable - though it doesn’t initially appear to be. There’s a little hole by the drive bay which contains a screw that holds the HDD in place. Pop that open, unscrew it, and you’re in business.

10. It’s not backwards compatible with the PS2, but it might work with some PSX games. That’s right, the PS3 Slim cannot play PlayStation 2 games, but some PlayStation games will work. The only appropriate response to this statement is “lol wut?”

11. It has a tiny stand-by light. Look how cute it is:

12. The games advertised on the back of the box are: inFAMOUS, Madden NFL 10, Tekken 6, MAG, and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Does that tell us anything? Not really, but it is something you probably didn’t know.

C-c-c-combo breaker: Bonus facts!

We couldn't possibly stop at just twelve things when there's so much to say. What, you thought we could only make numbered lists of things? Well numbers can suck it - here are a few more things we noticed about Sony's new product.

If you want to stand it vertically, you can buy a stand separately.

The big power switch on the back is gone - but that's about the only thing different about the layout of the system's rear.

Xbox 360 Pro missing from new Elite packaging

Xbox 360 Pro missing from new Elite packaging

via Joystiq [Xbox] by Richard Mitchell on 8/24/09

The lifespan of the Xbox 360 Pro looks to be dwindling every day. First, the SKU disappeared from the comparison chart on the Xbox 360 Arcade packaging, and now it looks like the same change has occurred on the Xbox 360 Elite box. Perhaps even more significant is that the Elite has abandoned its traditional (and super 1337) gray packaging for white. White, as it happens, is also the color of Xbox 360 Pro packaging. Coincidence, or proof that the Pro is on its last legs?

One final bit of (somewhat depressing) evidence, the Elite box states that it only includes standard A/V cables. No component, no HDMI, just plain vanilla A/V. In fact, the only features separating the Elite from the Arcade are a headset, an Ethernet cable and the 120GB hard drive. Even assuming the Elite drops to $299, that's not a lot of extras beyond the $199 Arcade model. At least Canada gets Halo 3 and a wireless adapter to make the deal a little sweeter.

Swiss Xbox.com outs Mass Effect 'Pinnacle Station' DLC

Swiss Xbox.com outs Mass Effect 'Pinnacle Station' DLC

via Joystiq by David Hinkle on 8/24/09

Remember when those Achievements for Mass Effect showed up online -- you know, these ones that mention Pinnacle Station? Well, the Swiss Xbox.com has offered up new details, pricing the DLC at 400 ($5) and billing it as a series of battle scenarios lasting around "2-3 hours." The Swiss Xbox.com listing says the DLC has been available since June 16, an obvious error.

So, Bioware, EA, would you just officially announce Pinnacle Station already?

[Via Eurogamer]

It’s E71x time, kids!

It’s E71x time, kids!

via Boy Genius Report by Michael Bettiol on 5/4/09

Mmm mmm do we ever love it when carriers pick up awesome handsets at awesome prices. Today, after a mind boggling number of delays, AT&T begun selling the Nokia E71x on its website for the incredibly attractive price of $99 on a two-year contract. And while the notion of using a phone that was announced in the summer of 2008 might be unthinkable to some who are accustomed to the very latest in tech, we find it pretty hard to argue against a full-QWERTY S60 device with a 3.2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, aGPS, Bluetooth 2.0 and HSDPA connectivity, especially when the device in question is Kate Moss thin at 10mm.

Read

Nokia E71x Now Available on AT&T for $99

Nokia E71x Now Available on AT&T for $99 [Nokia]

via Gizmodo by John Herrman on 5/5/09

How AT&T's prospective carriage of the handsome-but-not-beautiful, capable-but-not-amazing Nokia E71x spawned so many rumors and leaks is beyond me, but it's all over now. $99 AR on a two-year contract, available today.

[AT&T via Slashphone]

Can't Login to MSN Messenger on Xbox 360 NXE but could 48 hours ago - anyone else experiencing this? (3 months now)

I am experiencing an issue with my MSN Messenger (Windows Live Messenger) not connecting when i connect with my Xbox Live ID on my 360.

I am able to login with my MSN Messenger on my computer in the same LAN, and i was able to connect to my MSN Messenger on my Xbox 360 XNE just 48 hours ago, but starting yesterday, every time i login, my auto MSN Messenger [as well as manually] login i got the message "can't connect to messenger".

I have a Xbox Live Service Request # 110-696-0357 (and now a second # 110-700-3596), but i thought i would post here and see if anyone else is experiencing the same issue.

Additionally, i was not experiencing this problem jut two day ago on my 360. I did not make any modifications to my Windows Live ID account (Windows Live Messenger or Xbox 360) such as password change or anything.

Nothing has changed.

Additionally, when contacting Xbox Live support, i have been hang-up on, given the runaround by support agents that does not know what they are really doing and even been hung up when asked to be transferred to their supervisors.

As most of you Microsoft/Xbox users know, this is very a-typical of Xbox customer behavior and it is simply, in my opinion it is offensive, appalling and intolerable. I am dismayed that this kind of ongoing customer service behavior is still common practice at Xbox Hardware/Live support and most of all i am alarmed at the little interest support personnel actually devotes to do what they are actually supposed to be doing. Helping, assisting, improve & encourage customers and in turn push brand loyalty. None of these things are happening, when all they do is read from a script on their monitors and on the most timely, rapid fashion move on to the next, like an assembly-line.

I know this, because i felt this. Still my issue goes not resolved. With a promised of a higher-end technician to contact me on my home phone given to me today, i will not be sitting by the phone. As previous experiences have tough me, just like a 3 year old little girl waiting for her boyfriend to call which will never will but endlessly holds on to hope; but he never does. (just as with that, it will never happens [sad face for us both]). Still no one really cares. Not Microsoft, not Xbox... They certainly don't care about their customers who spend Billions on their products, even the ones still under warranty.

Maybe i will sit by the little girl waiting by the phone... I know that at this moment, i have more in common with her then any other; waiting for a call that will never come. Holding on to hope, where there is none!

Reference to this post to contact Microsoft directly.

Lohan
tip@infoblog.us
___________________________________

Updates:

1. 2009-09-14 (17:15 hours) - XBOX Live Service Center is of no help. They ave given me additional run around and promised me that a higher tier tech agent would contact me withing the next 48 hours at my home telephone number (which i then provided). Additionally, i was instructed to email (contact) the Windows Live Messenger support team directly, for they might have better luck at troubleshooting the issue then the XBOX Live Service Center. Which by this time is unable to assist me any further. Please note that this is a supervisor that i am speaking to at the time.
2. I send out an email to the WLM support team (which is not easy to find any more btw), only to get an automated reply. Got that fix and got an actual response by the evening hours of 09/14, only to have them direct me back to Xbox live Service Center. I kindly replied to the email and asked for someone, somewhere to take ownership of the issue, for the people at Xbox Support will only re-direct me back to them. I also CC's "Steve Ballmer, CEO" & "Bill Gates" on that email as well as another contact i have at Microsoft which i dealt in the past with somewhat related issues. Maybe that will get the support representative's attention. I did however email my issue to all 3 individuals earlier today, following it up with a phone call to each office and posted my blog post and reference URL on a bunch on gaming sites. Now all i have to do is wait. I know that Mr. Ballmer is traveling and not in his office and Mr. Gates is at a conference. So a 24 hour response window is much better then never getting a reply from Xbox Support at all.
3. 2009-7-30 (13:30 hours) - So Derrick from Xbox Corporate Xbox Escalation Team returned my call today (i had left him a voice mail the the night before around 20:03 hours, just 3 min after his shift ended. We did make allot of progress in the 3 previous phone calls that we had the the previous week in regards to my issue, all of which left me mad, and ill-content. THE BOTTOM LINE; as we stands right now, i had to create an second Game Tag (in my case i simply used one of the old ones i created for a similar issue i had nearly 2 years ago. On his suggestion (which i heavily opposed, knowing the outcome would be this), i changed to Windows Live ID associated with my primary Xbox 360 hardware. The purpose of this was to see if Windows Live Messenger would work after the change (but the catch is that i would have to wait a month (yes, 30 days to be able to change it back), of course it did! The next step was to associate the original Window Live Messenger ID (the one that i am having issues with), with that second Xbox Live Game Tag which i just created (in this case which i already had. So i did, and it did not work. Conforming what i already knew and had informed Derrick, that the issue was with my Windows Live Messenger account. So he forwarded the issue on the the WLM programming team and we are waiting for a response as to what is the maxim number of contact that you can have as 'friends' on contacts on your buddy list. As i tried to explain to the teck, the i did come across the same issue in the past, (it's the same issue as i had before) the Xbox 360 is not able to handle the seer number of contacts in my WLM contact list. Apparently, this all happened when Windows Live Spaces imported all of my Facebook contacts on to WLM network and Messenger basically adding about 1,000 or so new contacts to my WLM. Now know this, i already have nearly 1,700 WLM contact on my WLM to begin with. Since it's used for family, friends, blogging AND work. But he seems to be very impatient when speaking with me and always in a hurry. I guess i would be too when talking with someone that know more about my job and about what is going on then i do too. I know the steps that needs to be taken to correct this; it's the same steps that were taken the last time this issue occurred with me. WLM for the Xbox 360 needs to raise it's capacity. Specially now that Windows Live Spaces gives it's users the ability to connect and/or import Facebook, Myspace, Hi5, LinkedIN, Tagged & Windows Live. NOW; i just got several emails from readers of the site, and calls from friends of mine who are now experiencing the same exact issue that i am. I explained this to Derrick today, also the fact the the front end support team at 800-XBOX is not equipped to provide adequate support to this issue. And since Windows spaces is now providing it's users the ability literal import their entire contact list onto their network/WLM, any Xbox 360 user will now face the same issue. So this really need to be re-prioritized before they are inundated with calls and be acting instead of reacting. But my pleas as always falls on the ears of those that who really don't care.
4. Just imagine a user, seeing this feature and deciding to connect to their Myspace account. Now you know that most people have about 10,000+ friends and more on their Myspace. After the import process, their WLM (MSN Messenger) would all of a sudden have anywhere between 5,000 to 15,000 new contacts (after the other users accept them over the follow days and month). The primary user would not even be aware of the HUGE influx of "friends" to their WLM. And the next time they login to Xbox 360, the 360 WLM client crashes just like mine because it can't handle the influx of 5,000+ new contacts. I don't know about you, but this is definitely a issue since ALL Windows Live IDs are tied in from Xbox Live, Windows Live, Zune Marketplace, Microsoft Marketplace, Windows Live Spaces, etc... what do you thing?...
5. 2009-08-03 (03:00) - Still waiting for a reply from Microsoft. Did email Microsoft Headwaters again on the issue hoping it might expedited the WLM team a little but that was Friday. I might hear something back early next week.
6. 2009-11-14 (02:25) - I finally got a responce from Microsoft a while back, and basically was told that there is nothing they could do. After working back and forth with the programming team with the Windows Live Messenger, Xbox 360 Live and the programmers in between there is nothing no one could do. They refused to exchange the hardware to try to see if that would fix the issue so after all this time I can't login to my WLM account using my Xbox 360 Live account. Additionally I did find out that the WLM on the Xbox 360 can only handle 1000 contacts as per the programming team specifications on the Xbox. However, the total number of contacts on my contact list was well bellow that. They were unable to explain why i was/am unable to login to my WLM account thru my Xbox 360 Live... So I was told "Sorry, there is nothing we can do. This functionality is not functional for your system!" #&*#E*& Microsoft!

What the hell do i do now?

Just to keep you posted my TMP case ID for this is "11-07-11-71-55" - sorry i can not give you direct contact info as to the particular contact info on my articular case.

See if this link works for you. - this is the URL for where you can find the import tool on WINDOWS LIVE -> ADD PEOPLE

I will keep you posted.
And PS, i am still experiencing the issue where as Xbox Live Support told me to "Wait a hour and try again!"

And PSS, i am still unable to logon to my original Windows Live ID (MSN Messenger) using my Xbox 360 Game Tag (the alternative one).

Still waiting for a resolution.

Michael Jackson patented a gadget to perform dance magic

Michael Jackson patented a gadget to perform dance magic

via DVICE Atom Feed by Charlie White on 6/29/09

As we mourn the loss of spectacular dancer, frenetic and staccato singer, and professional weirdo Michael Jackson, the gadget world reminisces about a patent Jackson filed in 1993. Remember that supernatural, gravity-defying 45-degree lean Jackson performed with his troupe of dancers on "Smooth Criminal"? Jackson used wires and harnesses in the 1988 music video, but that wasn't possible when he performed the trick live in 1992.

He did it with special shoes that quickly slid into pegs that rise out of the floor at just the right moment. Also helping the effect were rigid anklets that worked like ski boots, supporting Jackson and his entourage of dancers as they leaned forward at that magic angle.

Classy Bugatti Stratos is what mobsters will drive in 2099

Classy Bugatti Stratos is what mobsters will drive in 2099

via DVICE Atom Feed by Kevin Hall on 6/26/09

The Bugatti Stratos is a slick design by France's Bruno Delussu, who was inspired by classic cars such as the Bugatti Type 57, Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Mille Miglia and locomotive designs by Raymond Loewy. Delussu wasn't so interested in the technical aspects of those vehicles, however. He designed the Stratos to be a purely fantastical car that leans on its looks.

And lean on its looks it can. The end result, as you can see, is pretty impressive, affecting a retro air that's still undoubtedly futuristic.

Finally, charcoal-broiled meatballs are possible

Finally, charcoal-broiled meatballs are possible

via DVICE Atom Feed by Charlie White on 6/26/09

Summer's here, and it's time to fire up the grill. A newcomer to your sizzling fire pit could be meatballs, kept perfectly round, seared and smoked in this Meatball Grill Basket from Williams-Sonoma.

Notice the tiny holes around each of the dozen meatball compartments, letting those flames lap all around the circumference of each meatball, while letting that flavor-inducing grease drip out into the fire.

Might be well worth the 50 bucks just to get that coveted charcoal-broiled goodness in meatball form, which surely won't be anything like mama used to make.

Williams-Sonoma, via Coolest Gadgets

Razer brings 7.1 surround sound to its Megaladon headphones

Razer brings 7.1 surround sound to its Megaladon headphones

via DVICE Atom Feed by Adam Frucci on 6/29/09

Razer's new Megaladon headphones are named after an extinct gigantic shark, and with good reason: they're absolute monsters. I mean, how many pairs of headphones have you seen that emulate a 7.1 surround sound system?

These bad boys come with a remote for adjusting the volume and a mouthpiece for use while gaming, which is what these are intended for. They go on sale for $150 tomorrow, if you're in the market for serious headphones.

Razer via Technabob

Frolicat Bolt keeps your cat entertained with lasers

Frolicat Bolt keeps your cat entertained with lasers

via DVICE Atom Feed by Adam Frucci on 6/29/09

If you have a cat, you've probably played with it with a laser pointer. Cats love laser pointers! Well, now the Frolicat Bolt lets your cat be entertained by lasers without you needing to do any work. Simply put it down and it'll flash lasers all over the place, making your cat go crazy.

You know what else cats love to play with? String. Or crumpled up paper. Or basically anything else. But hey, this thing has lasers! And costs $20! Doesn't your cat deserve something that'll cost you money?

Frolicat via Coolest Gadgets

iPhone OS 3.1 update already in beta

iPhone OS 3.1 update already in beta

via DVICE Atom Feed by Charlie White on 7/1/09

Just when we got used to the new iPhone OS 3.0, Apple rolls out a beta of version 3.1. Top of the list of this bug fix is the ability to nondestructively edit video. With the current OS 3.0, if you trim the beginning or the end of the clip and save it, those edited parts of your video are gone forever. In OS 3.1, you'll have the option to save a copy of the edited video, leaving the original intact. But wait, there's more:

• Voice Control now works over Bluetooth
• Faster boot time
• iPhone vibrates when moving icons
• Updated AT&T profile to 4.2
• Updated modem firmware to 5.08.01
• Improvements to OpenGL and Quartz.
• APIs to allow third party apps to access videos and edit them.

One fix I wish they would implement: It's harder to place the cursor within text than it was in the old iPhone OS (could that be because of the new "oleophobic" screen?). Maybe somebody could try fixing that. Let's also hope the developers do something to improve the iPhone 3GS's speech recognition, which is laughably lame thus far.

Developers are getting the beta software and firmware now, but the official release date for the rest of us iPhone-totin' suckas is unknown.

The iPhone Blog, via Geeky Gadgets

World's biggest satellite blasts off into space courtesy of Ariane 5

World's biggest satellite blasts off into space courtesy of Ariane 5

via DVICE Atom Feed by Addy Dugdale on 7/2/09

There was a rumble in the jungle yesterday as the TerreStar-1 satellite set off on its one-way trip into space from a launch pad in French Guyana. After storms delayed blast-off, the 7.6-ton behemoth finally went up, hitching a lift aboard euro rocket Ariane 5 at 17:52 GMT. You can see it kiss the sky in a video after the jump.

The mighty space bird is the mothership parent satellite of the new $700 Terrestar satellite phone, which yesterday had its own, somewhat less stellar, launch back on Earth.

TerreStar-1 should be put into action in around a week's time, when its 60-foot reflector umbrella is unfurled in a procedure that should take around four hours. Once up and running, expect the satellite and its super-slimline handsets to change the worlds of drug-running, drug-busting, terrorism and counterterrorism. Forever.

Via BBC News