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PS3 has landed at Hong Kong airport

2010-01-27T12:31:00.001+06:00

The Hong Kong International Airport has taken a fairly interesting approach to keeping waiting, angry passengers from staging mutiny in the terminals. It's partnered with Sony to install 14 playable PS3 consoles, according to The Moodie Report. This is part of a long-lasting partnership between the airport and Sony Computer Entertainment. As it's one of the most trafficked international airports in the world it makes sense that corporations like Sony would use it as a venue to show off their wares--in this case, the latest games.

It's good for the airport, too, as it distracts passengers from their desire to kill the ticketing-booth reps. Currently, the PS3 "poles" feature the PS3's top games, including Final Fantasy XIII, James Cameron's Avatar, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Assassin's Creed 2.

As a guy who flies a lot I'd like to see this idea pick up here in the States. I remember that one smaller airport I flew through in California (Sacramento? Oakland?) had a pretty impressive video arcade that was a lot of fun, but free-to-play latest titles win any day over 20-year-old, broken-down Mortal Kombat arcade units.

MSI Wind U135 Netbook joins Pine Trail party

2010-01-27T12:29:00.002+06:00

Acer has a prime competitor in the ultra-affordable Netbook market, and that's MSI. The just-announced MSI Wind U135 doesn't add much that's new to the Netbook equation, swapping out the previous Atom N270 processor for a next-generation battery life-extending N450, nicknamed Pine Trail. Starting at $309.99, the Wind U135 comes with a 160GB or 250GB hard drive, plus 1GB of RAM.

The very Netbook-looking Netbook comes in charcoal, silver, ruby, or sapphire, aka black, silver, red, or blue, with a film-printed shiny coating. New to the Wind U135 is a raised chiclet keyboard, so that the Netbook joins the ranks of nearly every other laptop nowadays. A new, larger touch pad has also been added. Five different power management settings are built in--not that we have ever had to concern ourselves with power efficiency on a Netbook.

A 10-inch screen with a standard 1,024x600-pixel resolution, three USB ports, a 1.3 megapixel Webcam, and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi round out the features. And, of course, for a price this low, the Wind U135 runs Windows 7 Starter.

The MSI Wind U135 is available for purchase starting today on a variety of retail Web sites.

'Elastic water,' but can you drink it?

2010-01-27T12:24:00.001+06:00

Think Silly Putty, and you'll probably have a very good idea what the brains at Japan's Tokyo University have created. The new material, called "elastic water," retains its Flubber-like consistency by mixing a few grams of clay and organic matter to H20, essentially binding the whole into a jelly-like putty.

The aqua substance isn't headed for toy retail outlets, though we won't be surprised if it does spin off in that direction. For now, its intention is more visionary and intended to facilitate quick tissue attachment.

The Japanese scientists--who detail their findings in the latest issue of the scientific journal Nature--are also looking to increase the density of the substance for use as an ecological plastic material.

We say it'll be even more brilliant if they find a way to convert their creation back into potable liquid at a snap, so elastic water can be easily ferried to disaster zones where water supplies have been disrupted.

Programming Language ‘Google Go’ Expected To Benefit Developers

2010-01-27T12:11:00.002+06:00

Google Inc., which is the owner of the popular search engine Google has been unveiling different services, features and tools in the recent days. This week, they have declared to acquire the ownership of Admob firm and on Tuesday, also launched a new site for helping people with information related to H1N1 virus and vaccination.

Now the company has released an ‘open source programming language’ for the developers and named it ‘Go’. It is an excellent news for the developers yet sources stated that the programming language is still in an experimental stage. Experts are conducting studies on it and one can expect the language to become better once it reaches the final stage.

In a blog post, Google officials have given an overview of the new programming language that is expected to benefit the developers. It has been stated that ‘Go’ is launched with the aim of combining C++, a compiled language, with another computer language called Python. They also stated that they have designed the new programming language so that one can do the work faster. ‘Google Go’, which will provide support to multiple processing, is expected to be an useful language and would help people in conducting their works in a better manner.

According to the sources, the programming language ‘Go’ is not only memory safe but also type safe. The language is mainly aimed for running software on different multi-core machines. Experts at Google always consider that programming languages need to be productive and fast. Users should derive fun while using the programming languages and it is expected that the new programming language would provide all these.

Mozilla takes on YouTube video choice

2010-01-26T13:20:00.004+06:00

A disagreement between Google and Mozilla is making a once-obscure debate into a real issue for those who watch Web video or host it on their own sites.

Last week, Google's YouTube announced early support for HTML5 video, which can be built directly into Web pages and viewed with browsers without relying on a plug-in such as Adobe Systems' Flash, Microsoft's Silverlight, or Apple's QuickTime. Another Web video site, Vimeo, followed suit.

Native video on a Web page sounds nice, and many Web companies support the effort broadly. But there's one big devil in its detail: the HTML5 specification, still under development, doesn't say which "codec" technology should be used to encode and decode video, and different browsers and Web sites support different standards.

YouTube, which delivers vastly more video streams over the Web than any competitor, has come down on one side of the divide, supporting the H.264 codec for HTML5 video on its TestTube site. But after Google made the move, several involved in developing Mozilla's Firefox browser began preaching a royalty-free alternative called Ogg Theora.

Mozilla grew to its present status of second-place browser in large measure by the power of word of mouth, and there's evidence the Mozilla community has begun making itself heard. After an Ogg Theora petition request on a Mozilla mailing list, requests for Ogg Theora support are on both on the YouTube product top ideas and hot ideas list.

Google wouldn't comment on whether it plans to add Ogg Theora support or what it would take to convince it to do so. However, it did leave the door open.

"Support for HTML5 is just a TestTube experiment at this time and a starting point. We can't comment specifically on what codecs we intend to support, but we're open to supporting more of them over time. At the very least we hope to help further this active and ongoing discussion," the company said in a statement.

$5 million licensing fee
Mozilla would have to pay $5 million to license the H.264 codec from MPEG-LA, the industry group that oversees the technology, said Mike Shaver, Mozilla's vice president of engineering in a blog post, and that doing so wouldn't grant rights of those such as Linux operating system companies who build products employing Mozilla's browser.

"These license fees affect not only browser developers and distributors, but also represent a toll booth on anyone who wishes to produce video content. And if H.264 becomes an accepted part of the standardized Web, those fees are a barrier to entry for developers of new browsers, those bringing the Web to new devices or platforms, and those who would build tools to help content and application development," Shaver said.

Nothing requires only one video technology to prevail. After all, different graphics formats including JPEG, GIF, and PNG are in wide use today on the Web, and today's widely used Flash technology for video will remain a fixture for years.

But supporting multiple standards takes developer time and makes Web sites more complicated. So, in the absence of a prevailing standard, Web site developers are more likely to sit on the sidelines.

Microsoft urges laws to boost trust in the cloud

2010-01-20T23:52:00.002+06:00

Microsoft is so concerned about the future of cloud computing that it's urging the government to step in.

In a speech Wednesday, Microsoft general counsel and senior vice president Brad Smith called on government and business to shore up confidence in cloud computing by tackling issues of privacy and security--two major concerns that have been voiced about the cloud.

During his keynote speech to the Brookings Institution's "Cloud Computing for Business and Society" form, Smith also appealed to Washington to pass new laws and update existing ones to address problems such as computer fraud and cyberattacks as more businesses and consumers hop onto the cloud.

to modernize the laws, adapt them to the cloud, and adopt new measures to protect privacy and promote security," Smith said. "There is no doubt that the future holds even more opportunities than the present, but it also contains critical challenges that we must address now if we want to take full advantage of the potential of cloud computing."

To back up his position, Smith cited the results of a recent Microsoft survey that gauged feelings about cloud computing among business executives and the general public. Commissioned by Microsoft, the survey questioned 700 members of the public, 200 IT executives, and 200 senior business leaders in December.

Microsoft's survey found that 58 percent of the public and 86 percent of business leaders are excited about the possibilities of cloud computing. But more than 90 percent of them are worried about security, availability, and privacy of their data as it rests in the cloud. Microsoft said it also found that most of the people surveyed believe the U.S. should set up laws and policies to govern cloud computing.

During his speech, Smith proposed that Washington create a Cloud Computing Advancement Act that would protect consumers and give the government tools to handle issues such as data privacy and security. He added that an international dialogue is crucial in addressing data security so that information is protected no matter where it resides.

"The PC revolution empowered individuals and democratized technology in new and profoundly important ways," Smith said. "As we move to embrace the cloud, we should build on that success and preserve the personalization of technology by making sure privacy rights are preserved, data security is strengthened, and an international understanding is developed about the governance of data when it crosses national borders."

In proposing legislation, Microsoft is looking to the government to enact specific measures, including to:

Beef up the Electronic Communications Privacy Act to more clearly define and protect the privacy of consumers and businesses.
Update the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act so that law enforcement has the resources it needs to combat hackers.
Establish truth-in-cloud-computing principles so that consumers and businesses know how their information will be accessed and secured.
Set up a framework so that differences in regulations on cloud computing among various countries can be better clarified and reconciled.

Microsoft's survey and the speech by Smith echo sentiments about cloud computing that have certainly been seen elsewhere. Other studies have found that businesses view the cloud as a viable way to save money and rely less on internal IT. But those same businesses cite privacy and security as the biggest concerns of using a cloud-service provider.

Microsoft, of course, acknowledges that an external provider with the right expertise can often provide better security than many companies can internally. But with incidents of providers hit by outages or losing data, businesses are likely to remain cautious about storing data in the .

New York Times: We will charge from 2011

2010-01-20T23:48:00.000+06:00

The New York Times has officially confirmed that it is to charge its online readers.

A story just published on the NYT site says:

"Starting in early 2011, visitors to NYTimes.com will get a certain number of articles free every month before being asked to pay a flat fee for unlimited access. Subscribers to the newspaper's print edition will receive full access to the site.

But executives of The New York Times Company said they could not yet answer fundamental questions about the plan, like how much it would cost or what the limit would be on free reading. They stressed that the amount of free access could change with time, in response to economic conditions and reader demand."

There has been much speculation about the NYT's plans in recent weeks.

Arthur Sulzberger Jr, the company chairman and publisher of the newspaper, said: "This announcement allows us to begin the thought process that's going to answer so many of the questions that we all care about. We can't get this halfway right or three-quarters of the way right. We have to get this really, really right."

Janet L Robinson, the company's president and chief executive, added: ""There's no prize for getting it quick. There's more of a prize for getting it right."

Plans for charging for online content have been become more pressing for newspapers as the twin forces of economic recession and declining print revenue have gripped the industry.

Rupert Murdoch gave the debate even more urgency by revealing that News Corp plans to charge for online content.

The NYT report adds: "Two specialised papers charge already: the Wall Street Journal, which makes certain articles accessible only to subscribers, and the Financial Times, which allows non-paying readers to see up to 10 articles a month, a system close to what is planned by the Times."

This system of online charging has been attacked by critics such as Jeff Jarvis, who runs the website BuzzMachine.com and is a Guardian columnist, because it penalises the most loyal readers.

Sony delays rival to Nintendo's Wii

2010-01-20T23:40:00.002+06:00

Sony has delayed the launch of its motion-sensitive rival to Nintendo's highly successful Wii games console by six months and it will not now hit the shops until the autumn.

The delay means that the Japanese gaming giant now has only a slim timing advantage over Microsoft, which is due to launch its revolutionary hands-free gaming interface – codenamed Project Natal – for the Xbox 360 in time for Christmas.

But it does mean that by the festive season, video gamers will have the choice of three different devices, all of which will use motion-sensitive control, giving players a far more interactive experience.

The news is an obvious setback for Sony, which was plagued by delays when it launched the PlayStation 3 three years ago. It also comes after the company last week admitted that the launch of hotly anticipated racing game Gran Turismo 5 has had to be delayed yet again. It has been more than five years since the last instalment of the popular franchise.

But the company stressed that the decision to delay the launch of its new controller was not linked to any particular hardware or design fault. Instead the company wants to ensure that there are enough games available that can use the new controller before launching it on the market.

The success of the Nintendo Wii, launched in 2006, has revolutionised the games market. Allowing players to ditch their joysticks and traditional button-heavy controllers in favour of a wand they can wave at their TV screens has helped widen the appeal of video games, taking consoles out of the teenage bedrooms and back into the living room.

Sony unveiled its answer to the Wii, a motion-sensitive controller for the Playstation 3, at the E3 electronics show in Los Angeles last summer. It uses a television-top camera to track a wireless controller held by the player. Sony claims it can track actions with "sub-millimeter accuracy".

Microsoft's Project Natal, however, is more ambitious and does not require players to hold a controller at all। Microsoft maintains it can track a player's movements in three dimensions. It can also recognise faces and react to voice prompts, greatly expanding the range of actions which software developers can use in their games.

Apple confirms date for its 'event': we know it's a tablet, but what else?

2010-01-19T10:43:00.000+06:00

Here we go. Perhaps piqued by BBC Tech correspondent Rory Cellan Jones saying that Apple was leaving it late to issue invitations to its event on Wednesday week at the Yerba Buena Arts Center in San Francisco to launch its tablet, Apple has issued invitations to an event at Yerba Buena Arts Center in San Francisco on Wednesday week to see... "its latest creation".

Seeing the invite, the snark is already quite high (a new version of MacPaint! suggested some) but we can see certain things here.

The New York Times - which is due to introduce a paywall - is widely expected to be one of the partner organisations that will be represented on stage next week:

"sources speculate that [NYT chairman Arthur J] Sulzberger will strike a content partnership for the new device, which could dovetail with the paid strategy".

First, you can be sure that it is going to be a tablet. After all this time, it looks like Apple has finally figured out how you can do something with a tablet/slate (more the latter - as in a device without a keyboard, not even a slide-out one).

It's interesting that this is fully eight-and-some-change years after Microsoft reckoned it had cracked it: who can forget Bill Gates announcing at Comdex in November 2001 that "I'm already using a Tablet as my everyday computer. It's a PC that is virtually without limits -- and within five years I predict it will be the most popular form of PC sold in America." (Look, it's the computing equivalent of Andrew Neil in Private Eye, OK?)

But what's happened in those intervening eight years is that all sorts of new computing ideas have come along - particularly multi-touch, which you're familiar with from the iPhone. But actually Apple was trying it on a "safari pad" - a sort of web tablet - before the iPhone, according to a New York Times piece from 2007: "Mr. Jobs seized on the multitouch technology after Apple product designers proposed it as a 'safari pad,' a portable Web surfing appliance. Instead, he saw the technology as something that could be used for a similar purpose in a cellphone."

The only questions outstanding now are:
(1) how much will it cost in the UK if it's $1,000 or so in the US? Best guess: £1,000.
(2) what's it going to be called? Some of my money is on iPad - have a look at iPad.com, which changed hands in April last year but is peculiarly quiet and belongs to the mysterious "Enero 6 Corporation" (who? although as a point against iPad, it seems to be written in Microsoft's ASP scripting language), but the rest is on iSlate - given that islate.com presently shows up as being parked with Markmonitor.com, which all Apple-owned domains turn out to be once they're made live. Then again, the iBook name is available again

So: what's your prediction for how - if at all - the iSlate/iPad is going to rock the world? And what will it get right that the since-2001 tablets and slates haven't?

UK ignores fears over Internet Explorer despite French and German warnings

2010-01-19T10:39:00.001+06:00

The British government and armed forces are to continue their widespread use of the version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser that was attacked by Chinese hackers who broke into Google's corporate network – even though both the French and German governments have advised people to stop using it.

The Cabinet Office, which oversees the deployment of computers in government, said today that "it doesn't think the issue [of being open to hacking] would be resolved any better by going elsewhere".

But over the weekend the German government advised citizens to stop using any version of Internet Explorer because of the possibility of attacks against it which could compromise the user's computer without their knowledge – and lead to the theft of data or incursions into corporate networks.

Today, the French government followed suit, issuing an advisory suggesting that all versions of Internet Explorer, which is included with Windows, are vulnerable to the attack that was used against Google, Adobe and an estimated 30 other western companies, by hackers originating in China.

Google said the attacks were used to steal intellectual property and compromise email accounts, and identified Internet Explorer as the weak point that was exploited.

The specific version of the browser known to be vulnerable to the attack mounted on Google is Internet Explorer 6 (IE6), which was first released in 2000 and is standard on Windows XP, which was released in 2001. Despite its age and known weakness to hacking, IE6 is still the most widely used browser in the world, ahead of newer, more secure versions and rivals' alternatives such as the free Firefox, Opera or Safari browsers.

IE6 is extensively used by the British government, including UK armed forces: in response to parliamentary questions asked last year by Labour MP and former Cabinet Office minister Tom Watson, the Ministry of Defence, which has 300,000 desktops worldwide (including ships), said it was sticking with IE6, "and at the current time does not have a requirement to move to an updated version".

Watson said today: "The government's own advice to businesses and consumers, through its Get Safe Online site that it helps to fund, is to not use IE6. So other than the fact that they aren't taking their own advice, it's preposterous that they wouldn't take this threat seriously. With the added security threat, all departments should certainly ditch IE6 and upgrade."

Microsoft sought to play down the risks of the vulnerability in a blog posting on Sunday, saying that "we are only seeing very limited number of targeted attacks against a small subset of corporations. The attacks that we have seen to date, including public proof-of-concept exploit code, are only effective against Internet Explorer 6."

However both the French and German government advisories say that there are weaknesses on newer versions of Internet Explorer on all versions of Windows, including the recently released Windows 7.

Batten down the hatches. Augmented reality is on its way

2010-01-19T10:32:00.002+06:00

According to technophiles, experts, and that whispering voice in your head, 2010 will be the year that augmented reality makes a breakthrough. In case you don't know, "augmented reality" is the rather quotidian title given to a smart, gizmo-specific type of software that takes a live camera feed from the real world and superimposes stuff on to it in real time.

Being a gadget designed for people who'd rather look at a screen than the real world, the iPhone inevitably plays host to several examples of this sort of thing. Download the relevant app, hold your iPhone aloft and gawp in astonishment as it magically displays live footage of the actual world directly in front of you – just like the real thing but smaller, and with snazzy direction signs floating over it. You might see a magic hand pointing in the direction of the nearest Starbucks, for instance – a magic hand that repositions itself as you move around. It's incredibly useful, assuming you'd prefer to cause an almighty logjam by shuffling slowly along the pavement while staring into your palm than stop and ask a fellow human being for directions.

The Nintendo DSi has a built-in camera with a "fun mode" that can recognise the shape of a human face, and superimpose pig snouts or googly eyeballs and the like over your friends' visages when you point it at them. You can then push a button and save these images for posterity.

For a while, it's genuinely amusing ("Look! It's dad with a pair of zany computerised bunny ears sprouting from the top his head. Ha ha ha!"), until you realise there are only about six different options, two of which involve amusing glasses. If you could customise the options, you could make it automatically beam a Hitler moustache on to everyone in sight, which would improve baby photos a hundredfold – but you can't customise the options, probably for precisely that reason. You could print the picture out and draw the Hitler moustache on yourself with a marker pen, but that wouldn't be very 2010.

But while current examples of augmented reality might sound a tad underwhelming, the future possibilities are limitless. The moment they find a way of compressing the technology into a pair of lightweight spectacles, and the floating signs and bunny ears are layered directly over reality itself, the floodgates are open and you might as well tear your existing eyes out and flush them down the bin.

My goggles would visually transform homeless people

Years ago, I had an idea for a futuristic pair of goggles that visually transformed homeless people into lovable animated cartoon characters. Instead of being confronted by the conscience-pricking sight of an abandoned heroin addict shivering themselves to sleep in a shop doorway, the rich city-dweller wearing the goggles would see Daffy Duck snoozing dreamily in a hammock. London would be transformed into something out of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

What's more, the goggles could be adapted to suit whichever level of poverty you wanted to ignore: by simply twisting a dial, you could replace not just the homeless but anyone who receives benefits, or wears cheap clothes, or has a regional accent, or watches ITV, and so on, right up the scale until it had obliterated all but the most grandiose royals.

At the time this seemed like a sick, far-off fantasy. By 2013, it'll be just another customisable application you can download to your iBlinkers for 49p, alongside one that turns your friends into supermodels and your enemies into dormice.

And don't go thinking augmented reality is going to be content with augmenting what you see. It's a short jump from augmented vision (your beergut's vanished and you've got a nice tan), to augmented audio (constant reactive background music that makes your entire life sound more like a movie), to augmented odour (break wind and it smells like a casserole), and augmented touch (what concrete bench? It feels like a beanbag). Eventually, painful sensations such as extreme temperature and acute physical discomfort could be remixed into something more palatable. With skilful use of technology, dying in a blazing fireball could be rendered roughly half as traumatic as, say, slightly snagging a toenail while pulling off a sock.

Some people will say there's something sinister and wrong about all of this. They'll claim it's better to look at actual people and breathe actual air. But then they've never lived in Reading. And anyway, even if they're right, we'll all ignore them anyway, because the software will automatically filter them out the moment they open their mouths.

In other words, over the coming years we're all going to be willingly submitting to the Matrix, injecting our eyes and ears with digital hallucinogens until there's no point even bothering to change our pants any more. Frightening? No. In fact, I'll scarcely notice.

Google, Yahoo, Adobe and who?

2010-01-16T22:10:00.003+06:00

Yahoo and Adobe appear to be among the companies that suffered the sort of cyberattack that led Google to threaten to withdraw from China. In its original announcement, Google said that "at least 20 other large companies from a wide range of businesses – including the internet, finance, technology, media and chemical sectors – have been similarly targeted".

However, Google did not name any names, and it did not actually say that the attacks were made by people acting on the behalf of the Chinese government.

Most large companies "face cyber attacks of varying degrees on a regular basis," as Google said, but so far none of them seem to have come forward.

Adobe said in a blog post that it was investigating a "coordinated attack against corporate network systems managed by Adobe and other companies", and the timing suggests it could well be related to the attacks on Google.

Bloomberg reported that Yahoo "was targeted by a Chinese attack similar to the one that affected Google Inc, according to a person familiar with the matter", but this has not been confirmed. The company said: "Yahoo does not generally disclose that type of information, but we take security very seriously and we take appropriate action in the event of any kind of breach."

The Washington Post, reporting a "vast espionage campaign", claimed that "at least 34 companies – including Yahoo, Symantec, Adobe, Northrop Grumman and Dow Chemical – were attacked, according to congressional and industry sources."

The attacks seem to have been performed by "spear phishing" – that is, targeting company employees with infected email attachments. According to a widely-reported statement by Eli Jellenc, head of international cyber intelligence at Verisign-owned iDefense: "The attack bears significant resemblance to a July 2009 attack in which attackers launched targeted email campaigns against approximately 100 IT-focused companies."

This type of attack has been part of the computer scene for several years, and Chinese involvement has often been suspected. It would be surprising if Google had not been attacked before. In this case, it's not the attack but the response that is unusual.

Chinese hackers used Microsoft browser to launch Google strike

2010-01-16T21:59:00.001+06:00

Microsoft has admitted that its Internet Explorer browser was the weak link used by hackers to attack Google's systems in China.

The world's biggest software company today issued a security advisory and warned of a loophole that was used by Chinese hackers to attack dozens of US companies - the same attack that led Google on Tuesday to announce its plan to drop the censorship of its search engine in China.

"In a specially-crafted attack... Internet Explorer can be caused to allow remote code execution," said Microsoft in its security alert.

The company added that it had not yet fixed the vulnerability in the world's most popular web browser, which is used by around two thirds of internet users.

The attacks, which apparently attempted to steal personal information on Chinese dissidents and the code that runs some of Google's critical services, also hit a number of other companies, said to include Yahoo and US defence contractor Northrop Grumman.

Microsoft confirmed the existence of the loophole after an investigation by internet security firm McAfee and information from Google and Adobe.

"As with most targeted attacks, the intruders gained access to an organisation by sending a tailored attack to one or a few targeted individuals," said George Kurtz, McAfee's chief technology officer, adding that the hackers would then use the Internet Explorer bug to infect the victim's computer.

"Once the malware is downloaded and installed, it opens a back door that allows the attacker to perform reconnaissance and gain complete control over the compromised system. The attacker can now identify high value targets and start to siphon off valuable data from the company."

The company's admission is at odds with earlier consensus - largely based on a report from security firm iDefense - that it was Adobe's own software that had been used for the attacks.

Earlier this week experts had suggested that a "zero-day vulnerability" - jargon for a previously unknown software loophole - had been used to exploit a "major document type", thought to be Adobe's PDF format. By sending an infected document to target users, iDefense suggested, the hackers had been able to compromise victim's computers and launch further attacks.

Now, however, it appears that the strike - which analysts are now calling "Operation Aurora" - was carefully orchestrated using the hidden bug in Microsoft's systems.

The Chinese government yesterday issued its first response to the claims by Google, saying that it was opposed to computer crime and had been the victim of cyberattacks itself in the past. However, the statement, issued by the country's foreign ministry, also contained a veiled threat to other companies who may be considering following Google's stand.

"China has tried creating a favorable environment for internet," said a spokeswoman. "China welcomes international internet companies to conduct business within the country according to law. China's law prohibits cyber crimes, including hacker attacks."

Space station needs ‘extension to 2020’

2010-01-15T15:14:00.003+06:00

Europe wants a decision in 2010 on an extension to the life of the International Space Station (ISS).

At the moment, no programme for its use nor any funding has been put in place to support the platform beyond 2015.

But the European Space Agency's (Esa) Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain, told the BBC the uncertainty was undermining best use of the ISS.

He said he was persuaded of its worth, and expressed the desire to keep flying the station until at least 2020.

Only by guaranteeing longevity would more scientists come forward to run experiments on the orbiting laboratory, he argued.

"I am convinced that stopping the station in 2015 would be a mistake because we cannot attract the best scientists if we are telling them today 'you are welcome on the space station but you'd better be quick because in 2015 we close the shop'," he said.

The weightless environment on the station enables scientists to study systems and processes without the bias of gravity. Already it is providing new insights into infectious and degenerative diseases, and is expected to return new knowledge in a host of other fields as well, such as materials science.

But scientists needed time to run their experiments, Mr Dordain said.

The ISS project is a partnership of five - the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.

Budget consideration

One of the biggest issues holding up an agreement on station-life extension is the human spaceflight review ordered by US President Barack Obama.

The Americans are developing a new vision for space exploration, and the rockets and spacecraft they will need to implement it. The future of US participation in the ISS is intimately tied to the outcome of the review.

Mr Dordain said no one partner in the ISS project could unilaterally call an end to the platform. A meeting would be held in Japan later in the year where he hoped the partners could get some clarity going forward.

"The decision must be taken early enough to put the budget in place, to build the hardware necessary and to decide on which transportation policy we shall use between 2015 and 2020. There are lot of aspects to be discussed and if decisions are not taken by the end of this year - beginning of next year - it will become more and more difficult to have the approach under which we will exploit the space station."

Mr Dordain said it was also essential the benefits were increased and the costs were reduced.

Increasing the benefits could include finding new uses for the station.

Esa has called for ideas on how to use the ISS as a platform for Earth observation. Mr Dordain said the agency had received about 20 very good proposals.

On the issue of reducing costs, there were many ideas on the table, he explained.

"First of all, we have four control centres - one in Houston, one in Oberpfaffenhofen, one in Moscow and one in Tsukuba - and these four control centres are working 24 hours a day. Question mark: Why can't we use only two of them for 12 hours and then the other two for 12 hours?"

He also questioned whether it was necessary for the station to be staffed by six astronauts at all times. If there were periods when little maintenance was required or the experiment load was light, could the ISS run on a smaller crew, he suggested.

One way to reduce costs would be to bring in new partners outside the current five - something Mr Dordain is keen to see discussed.

Construction of the space station is due to finish this year. Next month, two components built in Europe - a connecting node and a robotic control room - will be flown to the platform by the US shuttle Endeavour.

Tranquility and the Cupola, as they are known, will complete the non-Russian side of the ISS.

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News

Intel earnings surge 875 percent

2010-01-15T15:03:00.003+06:00

Intel posted a fourth-quarter net income of $2.3 billion, up 875 percent over the same period last year. Revenue came in at $10.6 billion, up 28 percent year over year.

Earnings per share was 40 cents. The analyst consensus for the fourth quarter called for 30 cents a share on earnings of $10.17 billion. Adjusted income came to 55 cents per share.

Income was about 10 times greater than the $234 million (4 cents per share) that the chipmaker reported in the fourth quarter of 2008.

One of the key financial indicators, gross margin, hit a record 65 percent, Intel said, up 12 points over the same period last year when it was 53 percent.

Revenue for Atom processors and chipsets—which are used widely in Netbooks—shot up 167 percent.

“Our ability to weather this business cycle demonstrates that microprocessors are indispensable in our modern world,” said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO in a statement.

“Our notebook business was exceptional this quarter,” Otellini said during the company’s earnings conference call. The chip business for server computers was up too. “Servers had a very strong quarter with a shift toward the high end of the server stack,” he said.

Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2010, Intel expects revenue to hit $9।7 billion, plus or minus $400 million. The gross margin percentage is forecast to be 61 percent, plus or minus 2 percentage points.

.CNET NEWS

Microsoft brings kids developer tool to the PC

2010-01-14T14:50:00.005+06:00

Microsoft researcher Matt MacLaurin came up for the idea for Kodu in his kitchen in the fall of 2006, noticing the way his three-year-old daughter watched her mom browse away on Facebook।
MacLaurin saw how different computing is now than when he was a kid. While his Commodore Pet was like a lump of clay that he could mold by writing software in Basic, his daughter’s generation is using computers whose functions are already set in stone.

So he set about creating a new developer language that would appeal to the current generation of kids. He settled on one that would work with just a game controller, using basic rules to do things like move an apple across the screen.

A few months later, the idea was working code. MacLaurin had created Boku, an all new programming language that could be run on an Xbox using only the console’s controller to craft basic logic. MacLaurin showed it at the 2007 TechFest internal science fair and later that year at an emerging technology conference.

“That’s just in our DNA,” MacLaurin said. “We don’t really trust something until it is on our screen.”

Kodu, the final name for Boku, got its big-time debut in 2009, when Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed the program, as part of his keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Now, Microsoft is bringing Kodu to the PC

Hybrids the early winners in electric-car race

2010-01-14T14:41:00.004+06:00

Toyota FT-CH hybrid concept

Electric vehicles are one of the top stories coming from the auto show in Detroit this week. But despite the introduction of even more electric concept cars, familiar old hybrids are projected to be the dominant form of electric vehicles.

Boston Consulting Group sought to inject some reality into the electric-car buzz even before the doors opened at the North American International Auto Show with the release of a study that concluded battery cost will keep pure EVs from taking over any time soon।

BMW Concept ActiveE

Beyond early adopters and fleet owners, the demand for mass-produced electric vehicles is still anyone’s guess. “The pragmatic majority are the folks who have to be convinced that the technology is real, that charging stations are available and it’s easy to do,” Mark Perry, director of product planning for Nissan Americas told Automotive News.

Government policies to protect the environment or drive investment in new technologies play a significant role in making plug-in vehicles more attractive. A person who buys a car with the battery size of the Chevy Volt, for example, can get a $7,500 tax credit.

Intel cites AMD exec who 'would never buy' AMD

2010-01-14T14:32:00.002+06:00

In a recent response to longstanding antitrust accusations from chipmaking rival Advanced Micro Devices, Intel included in a Federal Trade Commission filing a quote from one of AMD’s own executives critical of AMD chips.

Near the top of the document is the most condemning statement against AMD—an excerpt of a 2004 internal AMD communication from former AMD Executive Vice President Henri Richard, the company’s then-highest-ranking sales executive: “If you look at it with an objective set of eyes, you would never buy AMD. I certainly would never buy AMD for a personal system, if I wasn’t working here.”

The Intel response (PDF), according to Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy, was posted on the FTC Web site on Friday. Although Intel agreed to pay AMD $1.25 billion to settle an antitrust case in November, the FTC continues to pursue the case against Intel.

Intel got the internal AMD communication through the discovery process, Mulloy said. “Over time, more and more [of] this kind of information will be available in the case,” he said Wednesday.

AMD technology has gone through periods when its chips have been decidedly less competitive than Intel’s, according to Jim McGregor, chief technology strategist at research firm In-Stat. “You’re looking at a period of time when AMD wasn’t necessarily the most competitive product out there. AMD has gone through cycles,” he said, adding that Intel has gone through a similar competitiveness ebb and flow.

Nevertheless, it is a stinging indictment of AMD processors. AMD has accused Intel of essentially blocking PC makers from buying its chips by using alleged anticompetitive business practices. (AMD has claimed that PC makers would rather buy its chips but were pressured not to.) “From a positioning standpoint, [Richard’s] is a harsh statement against your own product,” McGregor added.

DNA computing

2010-01-14T14:12:00.003+06:00

DNA computing is fundamentally similar to parallel computing in that it takes advantage of the many different molecules of DNA to try many different possibilities at once. ^[6]

DNA computing also offers much lower power consumption than traditional silicon computers. DNA uses adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as fuel to allow ligation or as a means to heat the strand to cause disassociation. ^[7] Both strand hybridization and the hydrolysis of the DNA backbone can occur spontaneously, powered by the potential energy stored in DNA. Consumption of two ATP molecules releases 1.5 x 10⁻¹⁹⁻¹⁰ W,^[8] and similarly Shapiro reports a system producing 7.5 x 10¹¹ outputs in 4000 sec resulting in an energy consumption rate of ~ 10⁻¹⁰ W.^[9] J. Even with a large number of transitions per second using two ATP molecules, power output is still low. For instance, Kahan reports 109 transitions per second with an energy consumption of 10

For certain specialized problems, DNA computers are faster and smaller than any other computer built so far. But DNA computing does not provide any new capabilities from the standpoint of computability theory, the study of which problems are computationally solvable using different models of computation. For example, if the space required for the solution of a problem grows exponentially with the size of the problem (EXPSPACEvon Neumann machines, it still grows exponentially with the size of the problem on DNA machines. For very large EXPSPACE problems, the amount of DNA required is too large to be practical. (Quantum computing, on the other hand, does provide some interesting new capabilities). problems) on

DNA computing overlaps with, but is distinct from, DNA nanotechnology. The latter uses the specificity of Watson-Crick basepairing and other DNA properties to make novel structures out of DNA. These structures can be used for DNA computing, but they do not have to be. Additionally, DNA computing can be done without using the types of molecules made possible by DNA nanotechnology.

Behind the China attacks on Google

2010-01-14T12:23:00.003+06:00

The September 11 attacks (often referred to as September 11th or 9/11) were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners.^[1][2] The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. There were no survivors from any of the flights.

2,973 victims and the 19 hijackers died as a result of the attacks.^[3] The overwhelming majority of casualties were civilians, including nationals of over 90 countries. In addition, the death of at least one person from lung disease was ruled by a medical examiner to be a result of exposure to dust from the World Trade Center's collapse.^[4]

The United States responded to the attacks by launching a War on Terrorism, invading Afghanistan to depose the Taliban, who had harbored al-Qaeda terrorists, and enacting the USA PATRIOT Act. Many other countries also strengthened their anti-terrorism legislation and expanded law enforcement powers. Some American stock exchanges stayed closed for the rest of the week following the attack, and posted enormous losses upon reopening, especially in the airline and insurance industries. The destruction of billions of dollars worth of office space caused serious damage to the economy of Lower Manhattan.

The damage to the Pentagon was cleared and repaired within a year, and the Pentagon Memorial was built on the site. The rebuilding process has started on the World Trade Center site. In 2006 a new office tower was completed on the site of 7 World Trade Center. 1 World Trade Center is currently under construction at the site and, at 1,776 ft (541 m) upon completion in 2013, it will become one of the tallest buildings in North America. Three more towers were originally expected to be built between 2007 and 2012 on the site. Ground was broken for the Flight 93 National Memorial on November 8, 2009, and the first phase of construction is expected to be ready for the 10th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2011.^[5]

Top 15 Black Friday tech deals

2009-11-24T12:10:00.000+07:00

(Credit: Best Buy)

Every year, the Black Friday online circulars hit the Web, and lots of sites round up every Black Friday tech deal under the sun. If you want to see massively long lists with loads of models names that make no sense to you, go over to our friends at ZDNet or Gizmodo. They've done an excellent job compiling everything.

However, if you're trying to sort the real deals from all the crap that's being advertised to lure you into the stores, I've done my best to surface some of the more attractive options out there. The truth is a lot of the so-called deals are already available online from stores like Amazon and others--but a few items do stand out.

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some deals may appear better to you than us, but here's what we've picked so far. If you feel we missed anything, feel free to point it out in the comments section below, and we'll add it to our showcase. Also, noted doorbuster items will only be offered in limited supplies, so get to stores early--or don't bother.

Click on any image below to start the slideshow.

Top 15 Black Friday tech deals

Drobo storage gets faster eSATA interface

2009-11-24T12:09:00.000+07:00

Data Robotics eSATA-enabled Drobo S

(Credit: Data Robotics)

Finally, it looks like the Drobo storage system I've been waiting for has arrived.

I've been struggling with the right way to deal with data as I move from a desktop machine with abundant internal storage to a laptop that can't fit my burgeoning photo library. Earlier four-drive Drobo models, with FireWire and USB ports, looked better at backup than storing live files I'd be using constantly.

But Monday, Data Robotics announced the Drobo S, a five-bay, $799 storage system that adds an eSATA connection to the mix.

Drobo systems use technology called BeyondRAID that stores data across a mixture of different drives. It offers redundancy and automatically rebuilds your files when you replace an older drive or add a new one that's more capacious. Drobos don't come cheap, but they offer longevity, and right now Amazon is selling 1.5-terabyte drives for $99.

So why should the prospect of dropping $1,000 on a storage system excite me? Because of eSATA

Google Maps Navigation arrives for Android 1.6

2009-11-24T12:07:00.001+07:00

(Credit: Google)

One of the highlights of Android 2.0 has been the Google Maps Navigation app that delivers voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation on your phone for free. Until now, only Motorola Droid owners could take advantage of this sweet perk, but times they are a-changing.

On Monday, Google announced that its navigation app is now available for devices running Android 1.6 and higher, including the T-Mobile G1 and T-Mobile MyTouch 3G. While still in beta, the app provides voice-guided directions between two points, traffic information, and business searches.

This release also includes a new Layers feature that lets you overlay more information on the map, such as transit lines and Wikipedia articles about places, but it does not support the "Navigate to" voice command feature found on Android 2.0, so you'll have to input all your destinations using your phone's keyboard.

Google Maps Navigation for Android 1.6 is now available for download from the Android Market. Unlike other navigation apps or location-based services from the likes of TomTom, Garmin, and TeleNav, you don't have to pay a one-time fee or monthly subscription to use Google Maps Navigation. All you need is a data connection and you're good to go.

Nintendo Black Friday: DSi with $20 in DSiware

2009-11-24T12:06:00.001+07:00

The new metallic blue DSi with five titles.

(Credit: Nintendo)

Starting on Black Friday, Nintendo will offer two new DSi bundles featuring metallic blue or white Nintendo DSi systems, plus more than $20 in DSiWare games, the company announced on Monday.

The new bundles will come with different games, depending on the DSi customers buy. The metallic blue version of the DSi will come with five Mario DSiWare titles, including Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again; Dr. Mario Express; WarioWare: Snapped!; Mario Calculator; and Mario Clock.

Nintendo's white Nintendo DSi comes preinstalled with Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters; Brain Age Express: Sudoku; Brain Age Express: Math; Clubhouse Games Express: Card Classics; and Photo Clock.

Nintendo said the DSi bundles will be available as long as supplies last, though a company representative wouldn't divulge how many units will be shipped. Nintendo also pointed out that although the white DSi has been around for a while, the Metallic Blue color is new. So far, Nintendo hasn't responded to my inquiry about whether or not it will offer a Metallic Blue DSi as a standalone unit after the bundle runs out.

Both the White DSi bundle and the Metallic Blue offering will be available in stores on Friday for $169.99, the same price as the standalone DSi.

Technology that's totally impossible

2009-11-24T12:05:00.000+07:00

What makes ADSL so improbable is it's transmitting a huge amount of data over some very ancient copper. That's right, copper, the stuff that isn't anywhere near as interesting or valuable as gold.

(Credit: Crave UK)

Many things keep us awake at night. Simon Cowell's hair is one. The implausible success of anyone who appears in "Big Brother" is another. But the thing that really keeps us staring into the darkness is technology. How the hell does it work? Simple gadgets like TVs and mice leave us unperturbed. But there are some things that are just beyond reasoning.

Science fiction writer and all-round genius Arthur C. Clarke once said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." On this one issue, we think he might have been wrong--because it's quite obvious to us that some technology is magic. Or if not magic, at least utterly impossible and somehow a massive confidence trick.

We've ranked the most impossible technologies on the planet in order of their level of impossibility. If you've got all six things on this list, and haven't yet had breakfast, then as Douglas Adams said, you should consider dinner at Milliways, the restaurant at the end of the universe.

T 'Good Time Ring' pays tribute to Polaroid

2009-11-24T12:04:00.000+07:00

(Credit: yellowgoat/Etsy)

Here's another fashion accessory to complement your Polaroid-related peripherals collection. This sterling silver Good Time Ring from crafts site Etsy has a slot at the side that allows you to slip your favorite picture into the wearable frame to show off. The creator, Etsy member "yellowgoat," says the ring was inspired by Polaroid photos.

The ring's face measures 1.1 inch by less than an inch, and accommodates prints of only about three-quarters of an inch by three-quarters of an inch. Yes, that is small, but it's definitely a unique piece of jewelry that every Polaroid-devoted shutterbug should have in addition to the candle, paperweight, and mirror. Unfortunately, the ring currently appears to be sold out.

Charlie the robot joins rest home staff

2009-11-24T12:00:00.003+07:00

Add another robot to the list of helping bots for seniors. A robot named Charlie rolled into a New Zealand retirement village on Monday to take residents' vital signs, deliver their medication reminders, and call for assistance if they fall.

Charlie's trial stint at Selwyn Retirement Village in Auckland's Point Chevalier is, in part, a response to a University of Auckland study exploring seniors' attitudes toward robots.

The study--part of a three-year "HealthBots" collaboration by the University of Auckland and Korea's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute--collated the opinions of Selwyn Retirement Village residents, their families, and staff on what tasks health care robots could perform and what the mechanical helpers should look like.

Results showed respondents felt most comfortable with robots taking vital signs such as blood pressure, calling for help, lifting heavy objects, cleaning, and making phone calls to a doctor or nurse. They did not identify personal care, medical advice, and assessing emotions as tasks they'd like to see taken over by robots.

Posing with Charlie the robot are HealthBots team members (from left) Rebecca Stafford, Bruce MacDonald, and Elizabeth Broadbent.

(Credit: University of Auckland)

As far as physical appearance, residents and staff indicated they preferred a "middle-age robot" with a clear voice, though they didn't have a preference for male or female features. The robot shouldn't be too human-like, they suggested, with some residents explicitly saying they'd rather be tended to by a robot without a face. The preferred design was silver and around 4 feet tall, so the robot was not too imposing, with wheels and a screen.

Google places ad explaining offensive image

2009-11-24T12:00:00.001+07:00

Google has reserved one of its valuable ad spaces on Google Image Search to explain why an offensive image of Michelle Obama appears as the first result for searches on her name.

Search Engine Land noted that last week, Google had removed the image after claiming the site hosting it was spreading malware, but it's back with the ad featured prominently above the image results. "Sometimes our search results can be offensive," Google said in the ad copy. "We agree. Read more."

Clicking on the ad takes you to a special page on Google's site where the company explains "sometimes Google search results from the Internet can include disturbing content, even from innocuous queries. We assure you that the views expressed by such sites are not in any way endorsed by Google." Google said its policy in matters like this is to only remove content from its site if that content is illegal, violates Google's Webmaster guidelines in some way, or if the site owner requests the content be removed.

What's not clear, however, is what triggers the company to take out an ad explaining the search results: after all, there's no shortage of things on the Internet that would offend the average person. Google did not immediately respond to a request for more information about how those decisions are made.

Search Engine Land notes Google has also taken out explanation ads against search queries such as "jew" and "miserable failure," the search query that introduced much of the world to the concept of the Google bomb when searches for those keywords were orchestrated to point to the official Web site of former President George W. Bush by taking advantage of Google's PageRank formula.

Can erasing your iPhone's memory improve performance?

2009-11-16T18:35:00.001+07:00

If you erase and restore your iPhone, does performance improve?

I won't bore you with the gory details, but recently I had cause to erase my iPhone. And by "erase," I mean venture into the Reset menu and tap "Erase All Content and Settings."

Leading up to this, my iPhone 3G was running like a snail through molasses. In recent months it had grown weirdly sluggish. I'd pick up my daughter's iPod Touch and be shocked at how much faster it was.

After the nerve-racking process of wiping the 3G and letting iTunes restore the backup (it was the first time in a year of iPhone ownership that I'd had to do this), I noticed something: It seemed peppier. A lot peppier.

I'm not sure why, but this definitely begs the question: Should iPhone owners perform this step every few months? Does the wipe-restore process somehow defrag the device and thereby optimize performance?

I honestly don't know, but I reckon you, our brilliant readers, can offer some insight। Am I crazy? Imagining things? Or right on the money? (That'd be nice for a change.) Share your thoughts in the comments.

Switching to Android? Read this first

2009-11-16T18:32:00.000+07:00

T-Mobile G1

(Credit: Corinne Schulze)

With the recent flood of new Google Android phones, some of you may be thinking of making the switch. You're right to consider it, as there are many advantages to the operating system, not the least of which is the growing line of attractive handsets. But for the uninitiated, Android can be a bit of a mess. It's supposed to be a uniform operating system across all devices, but in practice, the user interface on each device varies. It offers third-party applications, e-mail syncing, and a media player; however, the capabilities of those features will differ by handset. Lastly, while Android promises a high degree of user customization, that may not mean a whole lot to the average person.

Understanding the operating system
Fear not, as Android takes only a brief period of acclimation. Even after a few minutes, you'll get the hang of the interface and you'll be able to navigate your way through your phone. Even so, you need to know a few things about Android before making the jump. Below I've told you what to expect, because I'd hate for you to be surprised by what you find. And equally as important, because your Android experience will vary by device, I'll break down the current U.S. handsets and give you the basic scoop of the Android features on each device. ... Read more

HTC Passion rumors heat up

2009-11-16T18:30:00.000+07:00

A leaked screenshot of the HTC Passion?

(Credit: Boy Genius Report)

We've seen the Motorola Droid and the HTC Droid Eris from Verizon Wireless so far, but apparently there is a third Verizon Android handset waiting in the wings, if rumors are to be believed.

Rumors are that it will be the HTC Passion, which is supposedly powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon chipset (the Passion might also be called the Dragon). The rumor mill (from Boy Genius, Phone Arena, and elsewhere) claims that the HTC Passion will feature a 5-megapixel camera, a large WVGA-resolution screen with multitouch, a 3.5mm headset jack, 256MB RAM, and it's said to run Android 2.0 with the HTC Sense overlay.

We have heard nothing about this through official channels, so this is strictly rumor territory here, but we can't help but be intrigued by this mythical phone. The Android 2.0 with multitouch and the Snapdragon processor certainly puts it just a notch above the Droid. Perhaps that's why Verizon is keeping mum about the device for now. Still, the rumor mill claims we'll see an announcement about the Passion/Dragon in mid-December, so we'll definitely keep an eye for that.

Hands-on with the Nokia Booklet 3G

2009-11-09T19:39:00.000+07:00

Mobile phone maker Nokia is jumping into the Netbook pool with its recently announced Booklet 3G laptop (as seen in the video). We've just gotten our hands on the final version of the system, and here are our initial impressions.

The Booklet 3G is easily one of the most upscale-looking Netbooks we've seen. It feels solid and well-built in your hands, without being too heavy. The screen hinge in particular feels pleasingly tight, while the slightly too thick keyboard tray has zero flex even when pressing down firmly on the keyboard.

Unlike the gently tapered sides of many other Netbooks, designed to create the illusion of slimness, the Booklet has sharp, angled edges. True to the name, there is a booklike squareness to it. The inside is devoid of quick launch or shortcut keys, and even the power button is relegated to the right side edge, next to a tiny hatch covering SD and SIM card slots.

Unfortunately, the keyboard itself is cramped, with tiny keys that are hard to hit accurately. Considering the strides other Netbooks have made with creating very usable keyboards, it was a letdown. The touch pad is large and easy to use, even though we had to crank up the pointer speed in the Windows 7 options.

The 10.1-inch display has the higher 1,366x768-pixel resolution found on many high-end Netbooks, and a single sheet of glass covers the screen and much of the screen bezel, but there's still a separate outer lip, so it's not quite what we call edge-to-edge.

The AT&T mobile broadband service connected automatically, and the process was wonderfully transparent, especially compared with the software setup and manual log-ins required by other mobile broadband laptops. The option to manually join a local Wi-Fi network is also available. Our review unit lacked the final versions of the Nokia and Ovi networking and connectivity software, but we did fine with Windows 7's built-in versions.

Despite an excellent design and well-integrated mobile broadband, the Booklet 3G hits a rough patch as as an actual Netbook. Using the slower Z530 version of Intel's Atom CPU (instead of the more common N270 or N280 versions) means that performance was generally sluggish, especially with only 1GB of RAM.

Opening windows and navigating around the Windows 7 environment led to some stuttering and slowdown. Even something as simple as running multiple Web browser windows and a Microsoft Office doc at the same time slowed the system in our anecdotal hands-on testing.

With a two-year AT&T contract, the Booklet3G costs $299, and its excellent design and build quality puts it miles ahead of other $299 Netbooks. But keep in mind that you're then tied to a monthly fee--usually around $60--for data. The Booklet is also available sans contract for $599, but that's both largely pointless and way overpriced.

We will conduct our usual battery of benchmark tests and report back with a full review next week.

Verizon's LG Chocolate Touch is nice but nothing new

2009-11-09T19:38:00.000+07:00

LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 in hand

Perhaps the biggest letdown of the LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 from Verizon Wireless is that it's not the LG Chocolate BL40. After getting teased for months by the sexy shots of the LG BL40, we thought there might be a chance we would see it stateside. Alas, the LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 looks nothing like its European cousin. In fact, the touch screen interface reminds us a lot of previous LG touch screen handsets, like the LG enV Touch for example. The geometric shapes on the back of the phone and the blob-like buttons underneath the display are about the only things that are unique about the phone's design.

Still, that doesn't mean the Touch VX8575 is a terrible phone. Continuing the Chocolate tradition of strong music features, the Chocolate Touch VX8575 has a great music player with Dolby Music equalizer settings (both manual and preset modes), an FM radio, and an integrated song ID feature. There's also a really fun "Join the Band" feature that gives you either a virtual drum kit or a scrolling 88-key keyboard to play along with your tunes. The drum kit even has a cow bell, which we found amusing.

That, and it has a nice 3.2-megapixel camera, EV-DO Rev. 0, V Cast video access, stereo Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm headset jack. We weren't big fans of the full HTML browser -- you have to keep going back to a URL-entry page to enter URLs, for example -- but it's otherwise a decent touch screen music phone from Verizon Wireless. The LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 is $79.99 with a two-year service agreement with Verizon Wireless.

Ridiculous new Peeks inspired by TwitterPeek

2009-11-09T19:34:00.001+07:00

(Credit: Gizmodo)

The single-purpose TwitterPeek is a crazy device. But hey, now that Peek has gone down this road, why stop there? Here are some ideas for the next generation of Peek handheld devices.

NotepadPeek
Take notes on the go! Never be without your shopping list again! Doesn't sync with anything on your normal computer. $99 for six months of service or $199 for lifetime use.

YelpPeek
Find restaurants and businesses around you, and leave reviews of those you go to. How convenient! No GPS. $99 for six months of service or $199 for lifetime use.

TimeZonePeek
What time is it in various time zones? Now you know with this Peek! $99 for six months of service or $199 for lifetime use.

ClockPeek
What time is it? Never ask such a stupid question again! No alarm function. $99 for six months of service or $199 for lifetime use.

Beamer, the iPhone case for night owls

2009-11-09T19:33:00.000+07:00

Beamer, an iPhone case with a built-in LED light, will only be available for purchase if at least 500 people preorder it.

(Credit: Quirky.com)

It's not like us to get too excited about an iPhone case, but this one shines--literally--because it's the very device I was wishing for last month while traveling in Europe.

This iPhone day shot of the Leaning Tower of Pisa turned out just fine, but my night shots didn't work at all. Beamer would have helped.

(Credit: Michelle Meyers/CNET)

Beamer, as the name connotes, is an iPhone case with a built-in LED light you can turn on to use as both a flashlight and a camera flash. Just the thing I needed when I wanted to shoot the Leaning Tower of Pisa at night with my iPhone, having left my real camera back at our hotel.

And it sure would have helped in Paris when we returned at night to our historic apartment building and had to climb six flights up a pitch-black spiral staircase. (I did light the way with my iPhone, but this would have been much better.)

Beamer has a hard-plastic, two-piece design, equipped with a replaceable coin cell battery that provides about 10 hours of illumination. Pressing the silicone button once will turn the light on for 10 seconds. Pressing it twice in a row will leave it on indefinitely, or until you press it a third time. It comes in an array of bright colors.

The case is just the latest design from Quirky, a relatively new collaborative design community that also conceived of the super-cute DigiDude tripod and that cool Watt Time light-bulb shaped alarm clock.

In line with Quirky's crowd-sourced production model, the Beamer won't be available for consumers until 500 orders have been made, at which point those who have committed to buying it will be charged $32. Right now, 44 prospective Beamer owners have preordered.

Review redux: Flixster movie app for BlackBerry

2009-11-09T19:31:00.000+07:00

"Come on, Flixster. We know you can do better than that."

Those are the words I wrote on Friday to sum up a review of Flixster's movie app for BlackBerry phones. The trouble is, I goofed. I was apparently a day early, reviewing the previous Flixster for BlackBerry, which did deserve the critiques I dished out, and not the update, which Flixster was set to release on Saturday (we still don't see it in the BlackBerry App World as of Sunday, but keep checking the store and this post for an update). A re-review--or rather, a preview of the forthcoming Movies app, version 1.1.6--is only fair.

The updated Movies app by Flixster for

(Credit: Flixster)

Flixster's free Movies 1.1.6 for BlackBerry is a pronounced improvement over version 1.0, which served more as a shortcut to Flixster's mobile-optimized Web site than it did a native application. The movie app's navigation looks similar to the previous version, but is now stylized and fixed in place, with only the content refreshing as you move from tab to tab, not the entire screen as before.

As with many mobile apps that sync their content from a master Web site, the application's speed is still contingent on the strength of your connection. If you have a slow connection, the show times and theater lists will be slow to load. This is especially true when it comes to launching previews. It appears that movie previews call on the browser to initiate a download, and then play on the BlackBerry's built-in media player--at least in the case of my test phone, the BlackBerry Bold 9700. An error message that the wireless connection broke appeared after each trailer finished playing. Pressing the phone's "back" arrow key twice restored Flixster's app.

While the guts of the Flixster app are identical to the previous version, and mostly to the main Web site itself, the updated visual wrapper transforms the user experience from basic Web browsing to a cohesive launchpad from which you can read reviews, scour showtimes, and buy tickets by way of Movietickets.com. Flixster's Movies app is one I'd now readily, not reluctantly, use on BlackBerry when that urge to stare at the silver screen sets in.

Google: We're not making Android hardware

2009-10-31T17:15:00.000+07:00

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--Google's Andy Rubin, head of the company's Android development, would like to clear something up: Google is not in the phone-making business.

Don't expect to see Google-developed hardware competing with the Motorola Droid anytime soon.

(Credit: Motorola)

Last week TheStreet.com reported that Google had plans to sell a Google-developed phone at retail this year, bypassing carriers with its own Android implementation. But Rubin, vice president of engineering for Android at Google, scoffed at the notion that the company would "compete with its customers" by releasing its own phone.

"We're not making hardware," Rubin said. "We're enabling other people to build hardware."

Now, Google has played a role in designing phones that have emerged with Android, such as the G1. For example, Google advocated the infamous hinge design on the G1 based on its desire to offer a phone with a five-row keyboard, Rubin said. That design was not popular with reviewers, however, and Rubin joked that perhaps that's why Google shouldn't make its own hardware.

But pushing for a design feature is a far cry from designing an entire phone, contracting with a manufacturing partner to build it, and working the distribution channels to get it to market. That would be "a fundamental shift" in Google's business model, Rubin said, and one the company does not seem prepared to make at this time.

Rumors of a so-called "Gphone" date back years, long before Google formally announced Android in November 2007. But Google's strategy to date has been a somewhat traditional volume licensing play, working with hardware and carrier partners to spread Android far and wide as the mobile operating system of choice, rather than following Apple's lead with a complete hardware and software design like the iPhone.

Almost two years later, the software is rounding into form with the release of several phones this year along with the pending release of the Motorola Droid, which runs Android 2.0 on Verizon's network.

Man fakes moon landing in own garage for $800

2009-10-31T17:14:00.001+07:00

(Credit: Jonathan Worth/PopSci)

I know most of you out there think we landed two Americans on the moon in 1969. Well, let me tell you that you're wrong. It's all a hoax! It was done on a sound stage and George Clooney and Dan Aykroyd were involved!

I mean, look at this real-life version of the Atari classic Lunar Lander vector game!

It took British engineer Iain Sharp less than $800 and a year to build this replica in his garage to honor the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, and it works almost like the real thing. It's powered by a pair of old PCs he wrote custom software for. In addition, the movements are controlled by things like old inkjet printer motors, and fishing line. But what's important is it works just like a real lunar lander would--if one existed.

If Sharp can make a device like this in his garage in his spare time then it's not a leap to assume the U.S. government could have made a full-size mock-up with the years and millions it took to make the so-called "moon shot" happen. This awesome toy might be all the evidence I need. Myth busted.

Listening test: Audio-Technica's new ATH-ANC7b QuietPoint noise-canceling headphones

2009-10-31T17:12:00.001+07:00

(Credit: Audio-Technica)

Last year, we reviewed the Audio-Technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC7 noise-canceling headphones, and editor Jasmine France thought they were a good value, offering decent, but not great, sound for the money. Well, when we heard that Audio-Technica was releasing a new, improved version of these headphones with a "b" tacked on to the model name, we were eager to get our hands on a pair.

What exactly has the company improved? According to the news release, these 'phones are supposed to sound better, offer a more comfortable fit (the earcups have been redesigned), and deliver some additional design tweaks, including an easier-to-access battery bay and two detachable cables of varying lengths: 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) and 1 meter (3.3 feet). Also, according to Audio-Technica's release, the ATH-ANC7b headphones deliver "smoother, richer, and more natural tonal balance...with impactful bass, a detailed midrange, extended treble and accurate imaging in an immersive soundfield."

All that sounds good and a lot of people have their eyes on the $200 ATH-ANC7b headphones as good alternatives to the Bose QuietComfort 15s and QuietComfort 3s that cost significantly more ($300 and $350, respectively). So we decided to see if the Audio-Technicas measure up to that hype.

Read the full review of the Audio-Technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC7 headphones to see if they do.

New Apple iMacs plagued by choppy Flash video playback?

2009-10-31T17:10:00.000+07:00

(Credit: CNET)

After reading Engadget's report citing recent complaints about Flash video playback mucking up system resources on the latest 27-inch Apple iMacs, we decided to test out the claims using our own system. Users on the Apple Discussion threads noticed a bug in the Flash Player that bogs down CPU processes, resulting in choppy audio and video playback.

We visited several sites with heavy streaming video content like Hulu, YouTube, and the Break Media Network, and experienced similar issues: popping sounds and jerky video rendering the content unwatchable on several accounts. Like many of the users in the Apple thread, we called up the Activity Monitor and saw that the Flash Player demanded a surprising 114.4 percent of the iMac's CPU processes.

We were able to temporarily fix the problem by putting the computer to sleep and waking it up, but some people are speculating that a hardware malfunction could be to blame. We've also tried to contact Apple for official word, but our messages have been as yet unreturned.

If you're experiencing similar problems, we'd like to hear about it--leave a comment and let us know the issue and what you did to fix it.

Tiremaker Bridgestone develops flexible e-book reader

2009-10-31T17:09:00.000+07:00

(Credit: Bridgestone)

When not making tires, Bridgestone is working on e-book readers so flexible they'd probably survive being driven over. They've even got a prototype ready for testing, but no plans to commercialize the slender and bendy device at this point.

The reader (press release in Japanese) is definitely slender, as it's almost half as thin as a Kindle 2. It's said that it can be "bent to some extent since the circuit board and the electronic paper are flexible," but no one is saying how much "to some extent" is. No matter. While the lack of too many details about it or any plans for a commercial product put a damper on Bridgestone's device, the good news is that other companies might adapt the technology in their products.

The countdown to being able to toss our readers into bags without worrying about destroyed displays is on.

This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.

Hands-on with DJ Hero

2009-10-31T17:05:00.000+07:00

As the music games genre overflows with add-on packs for Guitar Hero and Rock Band (and too many plastic guitar variations to count), consumers might be feeling a little gun-shy about adding a turntable to the mix. Smartly, however, Activision has countered the skepticism by adding what might be the best video game soundtrack of all time to DJ Hero.

Ninety-three tracks (double the amount on The Beatles: Rock Band) of unique mashups and remixes from some of the world's most renowned DJs are not only great listening, but each one takes two excellent source songs to make music with. That's actually 186 songs floating around somewhere in this game.

Scott:
The turntable in DJ Hero almost feels like an afterthought compared with the track selection, but it's solid and thankfully compact, with a free-spinning platter that's extremely smooth. The plastic buttons, crossfader, and other knobs feel a little jiggly, but the rubber feet beneath will make sure the controller stays put on a table.

To make music in DJ Hero, a very similar-looking "notes approaching" interface is repurposed to resemble a spinning record. Three different note-tracks are controlled by pressing colored buttons on the plastic turntable, just like Guitar Hero or Rock Band. You can also scratch the notes by pressing and turning at the same time.

On the left side of the controller, the crossfader is activated during certain zig-zaggy cues in the track, and alternates the two tracks. Above that is a "euphoria" button that is DJ Hero's version of "star power." Beside that is also a knob that either controls pitch effects during some sections, or selects sound effects in another portion of gameplay. As you can imagine, it starts to get complicated. DJ Hero might have one knob too many, but it adds to the feel of deck manipulation, and keeps your hands pretty busy. The end result--awesome hip-hop--is worth the effort.

Months ago, we were skeptical about DJ Hero--we worried that it was shameless music game exploitation. We were wrong. The effort has been exceptional, and that level of incredible musical talent should earn DJ Hero serious consideration this fall, perhaps even over the latest Rock Band and Guitar Hero entries.

Jeff:
The real star of DJ Hero is without a doubt the music. The game boasts 93 mashup tracks that are sure to appeal to music tastes of all kinds with some of the most renowned DJs in the business lending their talents to the game.

So how does it play? DJ Hero is an interesting beast as its wireless turntable controller must be played on flat surface. We found success laying it on an ottoman while sitting on a couch behind it. For the most part, the tapping, crossfading, and scratching works, but you may have a problem with the button closest to the center of the faux record. Since it's anchored so closely to the center, it's tougher to scratch than the outer buttons. Regardless of how you orientate the controller, that last button may give you a problem.

The crossfader is also tough to master as its center position is not as easy to detect as you might think. During songs you'll have to switch it left and right, but we wish the center was more noticeable just by feeling its position--a definitive notch here would have helped.

DJ Hero may have less of an appeal to the more mainstream Guitar Hero franchise fan; it's a different demographic that this game is trying to reach. That combined with the intimidation of finding room for yet another plastic accessory and its $120 price tag may turn off prospective buyers.

Dan:
We've spoken before about the threat of guitar game fatigue, with semiannual installments of music games vying for consumer's increasingly stretched dollars. Successfully injecting a little new life into the genre, DJ Hero is the biggest sea change in music games since the addition of drum kits.

MP3 players with memory expansion

2009-10-31T17:03:00.001+07:00

In the beginning, MP3 players relied heavily on memory-card expansion slots, because built-in memory was painfully scarce. My, how the times have changed. Nowadays, internal flash chips offer up to 32GB of storage, and memory-card expansion slots--which almost exclusively take some form of SD media--are merely offered as an extra feature.

Luckily, there's a decent array of MP3 players currently on the market offering this extra, so if you're keen on the option of adding more space on a whim--or you just want to use memory cards a la MiniDiscs, swapping them in at intervals--you have plenty of worthy choices.

Lightroom 3: Bring on the time-lapse videos

2009-10-31T17:00:00.001+07:00

Adobe Systems released the first Lightroom 3.0 beta only last week, but already people are adapting the software for their own ends. In Sean McCormack's case, time-lapse video.

Time-lapse photography, for those unfamiliar with it, compresses a sequence of still images into a movie that appears to speed up the passage of time. It's how nature documentaries get those clouds scudding over the mountains and the sun racing across the sky.

Most of use just a small fraction of what our software can do, but McCormack is one of those people at the other end of the spectrum who figures out how to push software well beyond the built-in feature set. In Lightroom's case he took advantage of its ability to export a sequence of shots as a video, a feature designed to let photographers create easily shared slideshows.

Get cozy with comics on your iPhone

2009-10-31T16:13:00.000+07:00

If you're a fan of comic books, you should also be a fan of the iPhone. Apple's smartphone is home to several neat comic-book apps designed specifically for those who want to enjoy harrowing stories of their favorite heroes in the Digital Age.

I've sifted through the many apps related to comic books and found a handful that you'll want to try out. Whether you're a DC Comics fan or you're partial to Marvel, I think you'll like what you find in these apps.

Get your comic on

Clickwheel Comic Reader if you plan to read comic books on your iPhone, the Clickwheel Comic Reader will be able to satisfy that desire.

When you start using Clickwheel Comic Reader, you'll be able to sift through comic books and find one you want to read. The app doesn't have many of the classics like those you would find from an app like Comics or iVerse Comics (see below), but it does have some comic books you might care about. Either way, the app displays all your favorite content in full color on your iPhone. And since it's free, it's probably worth trying out if you don't mind reading a relatively small collection of books.

If you want to read some comic books, Clickwheel might be your choice.

(Credit: Clickwheel)

Comic Envi If you're more into comic strips than comic books, we have you covered too.

With the help of Comic Envi, you can check out some of your favorite comic strips. You can check out old, well-known comic strips, Web-only offerings, and more. You have the option of viewing them in a slideshow or by moving them with your fingers. You can also check out the daily updated strips or some of the titles in the archive. It's a neat utility, but beware that you will need to pay 99 cents to get it.

Check out Comic Strips with the help of Comic Envi.

(Credit: Comic Envi)

Two snags to watch for when upgrading to Windows 7

2009-10-23T12:02:00.002+07:00

Generally, I've been a big fan of Windows 7. From the beta to the release candidate to the release-to-manufacturing "official" release, upgrading has been a stable, sane experience. Except for two repeated problems, that is.

From the Devices and Printers window, you can see that double-clicking on a device does not guarantee that Device Stage supports it. Also, notice the lack of driver support for the Ericsson mobile broadband card.

(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)

In some cases, driver compatibility is still an issue. It's not as big as it was with the beta, which suffered from problems that everybody was expecting. However, as you can see from the error warning at the bottom of this image, Ericsson has yet to release a stable driver for the mobile broadband card in my Lenovo T400. The longer that Windows 7 is in the wild, the fewer of these compatibility issues are expected to crop up, but it is notable that there are still some holes that need plugging on the official release day.

Frustratingly, there's not much of a solution at this point. Always run your Windows Update first, and if that doesn't find a fix you can force a driver-specific update search through the Control Panel. Going to the manufacturer's Web site and looking to see if Windows just hasn't detected an official update is the next step, followed by looking for a potentially unstable beta version if you're comfortable with that. You should also check the manufacturer's user forums in case an update was linked to there.

The much-applauded Device Stage is the source of the second snag I've repeatedly encountered. Devices are always detected, but only devices made by manufacturers that have created the requisite XML image files will receive the visually-enhanced Device Stage treatment. Devices such as iPods, iPhones, Zunes, and Windows Mobile phones that have their own manufacturer-made interface experiences won't take advantage of the easy-to-see pictures in the Device Stage, nor will they appear on your taskbar. At least, in my experience they haven't.

Microsoft used to have a list of supported devices on its Web site, but that seems to have disappeared at some point before today. I can confirm that many HP printers are supported, as well as the Sansa Fuze, Clip, Clip+, and View Personal Media Players; the Canon Pixma MP990 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-in-One Printer; the Epson Artisan 800 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer; and the Sony Walkman E Series and S Series video/MP3 players.

If you can confirm that a specific device works in Device Stage, or if you're having problems with one, please let us know in the comments below.

Dell Adamo XPS can only be opened by rubbing

2009-10-23T12:00:00.000+07:00

(Credit: Gizmodo)

The Dell Adamo XPS isn't only ridiculously thin, it opens like no laptop ever seen before. Its propped-up keyboard can only be opened by sliding a finger on the lid's heat-sensing strip. See it below to believe it...

Did your mouth drop? Because mine did. All I know is that rubbing that strip illuminates it and unlocks the aluminum lid. I also got to hold the system for a bit and it is really really sturdy. I thought it would be more flimsy, but it has strength.

I can't tell you much more, other than it will be officially announced in November and production is scheduled to ramp up soon. As for what's inside, I can sleep soundly now that I know that there isn't an Intel Atom processor (like the Sony Vaio X), but rather will use an Intel ULV chip of some sort.

Now back to your regularly scheduled Windows 7 programming.

Related story:

Dell teases with new Adamo shots

Amazon set to release Kindle for PC app

2009-10-23T11:58:00.000+07:00

Amazon already has a free Kindle iPhone app. And soon it will have a free Kindle app for Windows PCs.

While the new app won't be available for download until next month, Microsoft demonstrated it at the Windows 7 launch event in New York City on Thursday. Like the iPhone app, Kindle for PC turns your PC into another reading device that can be linked to a Kindle account (you don't have to own a Kindle to set up a Kindle account). You can then choose to send Kindle e-books and periodicals to your PC via a wired or wireless network connection. Also, you can read an e-book on your PC while at home (or elsewhere), then send that same e-book to your iPhone or Kindle and pick up reading where you left off.

"Customers have told us that they want access to a wider variety of content and an increasingly diverse set of form factors," said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Windows Platform Strategy at Microsoft. "With the announcement of Kindle for PC, Amazon is making its massive selection of Kindle books available on the world's most widely used platform."

Both Amazon and Microsoft are quick to note that Kindle for PC takes advantage of capabilities in the new Windows 7 OS, including Windows Touch technology. Also, the app isn't compatible with Windows 7 machines only, but will also work with Windows XP and Windows Vista computers.

Here's a list of features:

Purchase, download, and read hundreds of thousands of books available in the Kindle Store
Access your entire library of previously purchased Kindle books stored on Amazon's servers for free
Choose from over 10 different font sizes and adjust words per line
View notes and highlights marked on Kindle and Kindle DX
Zoom in and out of text with a pinch of the fingers (Windows 7 users only)
Turn pages with a finger swipe (available in a future release for Windows 7 users)

And what about a Kindle app for Macs? Well, Drew Herdener, Amazon.com's Director of Communications, tells us, "We will be coming out with Kindle for Mac in the next few months." Herdener also confirms that Kindle for Blackberry will debut soon.

To receive an e-mail when Kindle for PC is available for download, sign-up at amazon.com/KindleforPC.

Check your processor: Toshiba T135-S1310 thin-and-light worth a buy

2009-10-23T11:57:00.001+07:00

Check your processor: the much better dual-core T135-S1310.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

I had a hard time coming up with a title to this post: Intel processors are confusing? Dual-core ultra-low-voltage processors make a difference? How about, what a difference a config makes? All could apply to the Toshiba Satellite T135, a Windows 7 thin-and-light that we've reviewed two configurations of here at CNET. Although similar in design and shape, the small shift from an SU2700 to an SU4100 Intel Pentium processor in the slightly more expensive Satellite T135-S1310 makes a world of difference. Here's why it's worth a look.

First of all, the Intel Pentium SU4100 in the T135-S1310 is a dual-core processor. The SU2700 in the previously reviewed laptop, the T135-S1300, isn't. You wouldn't know the difference from the "Pentium Inside" sticker below the keyboard, but the dual-core T135-S1310 is far better at multitasking, and also gave a significant boost in dedicated media tests like our iTunes benchmark. For all intents and purposes, it behaves much like an ultra-low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor.

What do you get in the T135-S1310? For just $100 more than the S1300, the S1310 includes an extra 80GB of hard drive space, an extra gig of RAM at a faster speed, Bluetooth, and the far better SU4100 processor. Throw in $10 for a red or white paint job, or stay at $699 for the black config. Either way, with the mere change of a number, the Toshiba T135-S1310 has suddenly become a highly recommended budget thin-and-light with Windows 7 Home Premium preinstalled and excellent battery life. Just make sure you get this model, and not the very similar-looking (and similar-named) Toshiba T135-S1300.

We still don't like the keyboard very much, though.

Read the rest of our review.

Toshiba Satellite T135-S1310: Windows 7 thin-and-light

Amazon stops selling Sprint-powered Kindle

2009-10-23T11:56:00.000+07:00

(Credit: Amazon)

Just weeks after announcing a new $279 international version of its Kindle e-book reader, Amazon has chopped $20 off its price and made that model its only Kindle offering for both the domestic U.S. and international markets. In the process, the company has eliminated the U.S. version of the device, which used Sprint as the carrier for the Kindle's built-in wireless capabilities. Now, for better or worse, new Kindles will tap into AT&T's data network, which will also be the wireless provider behind Barnes & Noble's upcoming Nook e-book reader.

For those who bought the international version in recent weeks, Amazon is crediting buyers with a $20 refund. Here's the note it sent out to customers:

Good news! Due to strong customer demand for our newest Kindle with U.S. and international wireless, we are consolidating our family of 6-inch Kindles. As part of this consolidation, we are lowering the price of the Kindle you just purchased from $279 down to $259. You don't need to do anything to get the lower price--we are automatically issuing you a $20 refund. This refund should be processed in the next few days and will appear as a credit on your next billing statement.

If you bought U.S domestic version in recent days, you should get the AT&T-powered version. (We're looking into whether you can return an earlier U.S. Kindle for the newer model if you bought the U.S. one in the last 30 days).

For now anyway Amazon is not totally ditching Sprint. Drew Herdener, Amazon.com's director of communications, confirmed that the Kindle DX will continue to use Sprint's data network (no international version of the DX has been announced) and no Sprint-powered Kindle devices will have their wireless cut off.

As for reports that the Web browser is not available in the international Kindle, they may not be completely accurate. According to Engadget, Gadget Lab is reporting that you can get to the English version of Wikipedia, which leaves some hope that Amazon may open the browser to other sites. When we get the official word on what the new Kindle's browsing capabilities will be, we'll update this post.

Free iPhone app streams short films, documentaries, cartoons, and more

2009-10-23T11:54:00.000+07:00

NFB Films streams over 1,000 shorts and feature-length films to your iPhone.

Like indie films? Documentaries? Animation? Ho, boy, have I got an app for you: NFB Films lets you watch over a thousand movies on your iPhone. For free.

The "NFB" stands for National Film Board, a kind of Canadian PBS. The app taps the NFB's mammoth library of documentaries, animated films, trailers (for upcoming NFB releases), and more.

All the movies are streamed to your iPhone, but there's also an ingenious "watch later" option that downloads a selected movie for later viewing. However, these downloads expire after 24 hours, not unlike App Store movie rentals, but that hardly seems unfair.

NFB Films includes a Channels section where you can browse various categories, including Documentaries, Kids Cartoons, History & War, and Environment. There's a search option, natch, and you can add movies to a favorites (sorry, "favourites") list for easier access.

If you come across a film you want to share with friends, the app lets you send an e-mail that includes a link to the Web version.

A while back I went to see 10 Oscar-nominated short films--five animated, five live-action. They were all tremendously entertaining. Since then I've been a lot more open-minded to non-mainstream movie fare like this. So for me, NFB Films is pure iPhone gold. I reckon you'll love it, too.

DIY driving station at its best

2009-10-23T11:32:00.000+07:00

(Credit: Kotaku )

A hard-core racing simulation fan from Japan has created this very rudimentary (yet somewhat cool) DIY driving station out of PVC pipes, a wooden plank, and cable ties. While it doesn't look as polished as its video game arcade equivalent, this skeletal concoction is actually very functional, complete with a steering wheel and foot pedal mounts, plus folding capability for easy storage.

One important point we'd like to highlight: this driving station has nothing to do with Gran Turismo (which is a PlayStation exclusive) as claimed by game portal Kotaku, since the pictured steering wheel is manufactured by Microsoft and designed for its Xbox 360.

Click here for more DIY driving stations.

The driving station can fold up for easy storage.

(Credit: Kotaku)

Wii 2 to be smaller and cheaper?

2009-10-22T17:54:00.001+07:00

If you're expecting bigger and better things from the Wii's successor, you may be let down. Nintendo might be satisfied with what the current Wii is already able to offer. According to TechRadar and Popular Mechanics, the company's creative mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto says, "With both the Wii remote itself and Wii Motion Plus, what we've been able to do is introduce an interface that is both I think appealing and at the right price for a broad audience."

Does the "right price" mean the next Wii will go for a comparable price to what it is now? Miyamoto continued: "And while we don't have any concrete plans for what we'll be doing with hardware in the future, what I can say is that, my guess is that because we found this interface to be so interesting, I think it would be likely that we would try to make that same functionality perhaps more compact and perhaps even more cost-efficient."

Sure, it's probably too early to forecast what the Wii 2 will offer, but as of now it sounds like Nintendo may not look to offer more of a graphical powerhouse, but instead continue to deliver what has proven to be a winning formula--just in a more compact and inexpensive package.

What do you think? Are you content with more of what has seemed to work for Nintendo or do you want a more powerful Wii with functionality like HD graphics?

Sega classic Earthworm Jim wriggles onto iPhones

2009-10-22T17:53:00.000+07:00

He's back! And he's still a worm (but in a good way). Earthworm Jim for iPhone recaptures the original's fun, funny gameplay.

Everything old is new again. Earthworm Jim, a run-and-gun platform game that debuted on the Sega Genesis in 1994, just hit the App Store.

Brought to you by Gameloft (do these guys ever stop working?), Earthworm Jim offers the same terrific tongue-in-cheek sci-fi action as its predecessor.

As the titular mutated character, you'll run, swing, blast, and bungee-jump your way through 16 levels as you attempt to rescue Princess What's-Her-Name from the evil Psy-Crow and Queen Slug-for-a-Butt. (I didn't say it was a particularly sophisticated game.)

The onscreen d-pad control makes movement a little challenging until you get the hang of it, and it can be frustrating to miss a jump because you accidentally grazed the wrong part of the controller.

Even so, the graphics, sound effects, and gameplay are all here, making Earthworm Jim ($4.99) a worthwhile buy for nostalgia buffs and fans of platform games.

Other PC/console classics that have made their way to the iPhone:

What legendary games are you hoping to see remade for the iPhone? Me, I'm waiting on The Neverhood, a 1996 Claymation game.

Windows 7: The first wave

2009-10-22T17:52:00.000+07:00

All-in-one desktops and laptops are among the first PCs with Windows 7.

With the launch of Windows 7, computer shoppers are emerging from a dark period when newly purchased desktops and laptops would arrive with an already archaic operating system. Even with the promise of a free upgrade, it made sense for most to wait until systems started shipping with the new OS.

If you're eager to hit the ground running, we've already reviewed several Windows 7 PCs, from big names such as Lenovo, Toshiba, and HP. Click on the gallery below to check out each one, including the massive Toshiba Qosmio X505, the touch-screen Lenovo T400s, and the HP Touchsmart 600 all-in-one.

This collection represents the very first wave of Windows 7 computers, but after October 22, it'll be rare to find a Vista or XP desktop or laptop for sale anywhere.

Click here to see all the Windows 7 laptop and desktop reviews

Robomule Rex follows soldiers, voice commands

2009-10-22T17:51:00.000+07:00

The Rex is designed to take a huge load off of foot soldiers' shoulders.

(Credit: Israel Aerospace Industries)

"Fetch" and "heel" may be the latest commands to join the military lexicon, with the arrival of Rex, a small, six-wheel-drive load-bearing robotic vehicle designed to follow squad-size units in response to voice commands.

Envisioned as a robotic "beast of burden" for the modern soldier, Rex can carry more than 400 pounds, a typical load for groups of 3 to 10 ground soldiers, for 72 hours at a time without refueling, according to developer Israel Aerospace Industries.

"The robotic vehicle follows the lead soldier from a given distance, utilizing technology developed and patented by IAI. Using simple commands (one might give his pet dog), including 'stop,' 'fetch,' and 'heel,' the lead soldier controls the robot without being distracted from the mission at hand," IAI's Ofer Glazer said. "Controlling the robot in this way allows for intuitive interaction and rapid integration of the product on the field within a short time frame."

IAI says it developed the platform in response to "an urgent operational need," estimating that military and civil demand could amount to tens of thousands of orders, worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

"The Rex platform is unique in its state-of-the-art operational capabilities and its user-friendly interface, both of which are central to the platform's superior performance," Glazer boasted.

Rex is but one of the robocaddies appearing on the military market. Aimed at infantryman, it's unclear whether these present-day pack mules may take a load off the grunt or just end up as more junk to haul--and ultimately leave behind.

MPAA: Antipiracy is now 'content protection'

2009-10-19T09:46:00.001+07:00

LOS ANGELES--The six largest Hollywood film studios are apparently dissatisfied with the way their trade group has waged war on illegal file sharing. CNET News has learned that at least three leaders of its antipiracy operations have been fired.

Among the three who were quietly ushered out of their posts at the Motion Picture Association of America three weeks ago was Greg Goeckner, the MPAA's general counsel. The others were the MPAA's director of worldwide antipiracy operations and its deputy director of Internet antipiracy. Goeckner will remain with the MPAA until the end of the year.

Other MPAA staffers were let go as part of a dramatic restructuring of the piracy-fighting operations, which included dropping the word "antipiracy" in favor of the term "content protection."

According to two sources in the film industry, the MPAA's antipiracy leadership had failed to impress studio executives, some of whom were concerned that the unit lacked aggressiveness. The reshuffling at the highest levels of the MPAA's antipiracy efforts will undoubtedly be seen as a black eye for MPAA CEO Dan Glickman.

An MPAA spokeswoman declined to comment on the firings but said that Daniel Mandil, an MPAA senior executive vice president, has been named general counsel and chief of content protection. He will oversee the association's combined legal and antipiracy efforts.

The shifts come as the sharing of movie files continues to creep toward mainstream adoption. In the past, digital copies of movies were too big to transmit easily on the Internet, but file-sharing technologies are improving, and sending large movie files is becoming easier.

Hollywood fears that the pirating of movies will become as common as the illicit sharing of music files. Studio insiders say they know that the answer isn't lawsuits but the hope is that Comcast, AT&T, Time Warner, and other bandwidth providers will help them thwart file sharing at the network level. So far, though, the music and film industries have failed to get the major ISPs very involved.

As for Glickman, the whispers from studio execs for over year is that the former U.S. secretary of agriculture (under former President Bill Clinton) hasn't been very effective since taking over at the MPAA in 2004. One source said that Glickman won't make it to the end of his contract, which runs out in September 2010.

The MPAA denied an impending early departure for the executive.

"This week Dan Glickman met with several of the MPAA member company studio executives, as he often does," said Angela Martinez, an MPAA spokeswoman. "During those meetings he reconfirmed his plans to continue in his role as chairman and CEO through the remainder of his contract. They welcomed that commitment and expressed their continued confidence in him."

New Droid TV spot happily rips Apple

2009-10-19T09:45:00.002+07:00

There I was watching the Yankees suck yet another victory from the very duodenum of defeat, when along came an rather sweet Apple TV spot.

You know, music that makes you glad your lungs function even after a night on the tequila, and a white background with a soothing typeface telling you some simple things that Apple will do to make you even happier.

Then I put down my cup of green tea (Decaf, naturally. Only way to watch the Yankees) and realized that this was a rather vicious list of the iPhone's alleged shortcomings: the inability to run simultaneous apps, for example. And the lack of 5-megapixel imagery.

I still wasn't quite convinced that this wasn't Apple with a cheery punchline. But no, this was somebody throwing a nasty right cross at Cupertino's double chin.

For there was the line "iDon't allow open development." Closely followed by "iDon't have interchangeable batteries."

Well, goodness, this was somebody who had sauntered into the temple and tossed curse words toward the altar.

I realized this just as the ad ground to a slightly freaky halt and the words told me "Everything iDon't...Droid Does."

Please forgive me if I didn't immediately realize that Droid was a phone rather than yet another awful horror/zombie/paranormal movie/video game/TV series.

However, I am told that this little tease (as one calls it in the persuasion trade) is the precursor for the imminent launch of Verizon's Droid antiphone, a sort of sane lover after you've been through a few rather colorful ones.

I have no idea what this Droid thing will look like. Although perhaps it would be a positive step if it had a pointy head, nasty little eyes and spoke to you in extra-terrestrial tones.

However, I am pleased that someone has taken the trouble to produce an ad that seems to offer a little hope for anyone whose delicate self-image would urge them to be seen with something other than an iPhone.

There are more of them out there than you would ever believe.

Vote your plans for Windows 7

2009-10-19T09:45:00.001+07:00

Have you been eagerly tracking Windows 7 since the beta release? Or have you had enough of Microsoft? Tell us how you plan to handle Windows 7 in this weekend poll. Voting ends Monday morning at 9 a.m. PDT.

What's your plan for Windows 7? (Poll Closed)

I currently have a Windows computer and will upgrade it to Windows 7 on the same computer. 59% (2872 votes)

I will buy a new computer that comes with Windows 7. 14% (666 votes)

I currently have a Windows computer and have no plans to upgrade the operating system. 17% (841 votes)

I currently have a Windows computer and will switch to either Mac or Linux. 10% (460 votes)

Total Votes: 4839

Comments (5)

PollDaddy.com

Originally posted at Windows 7 Insider

Poll: What's your favorite audio product of all time?

2009-10-19T09:44:00.001+07:00

My second Linn LP12 turntable.

(Credit: Steve Guttenberg)

CNET.com Poll

Audiophiles have been known to develop unnaturally strong bonds with their gear, but civilians also have their faves. It might be a type--a speaker, an MP3 player, a car audio system--or a specific product. For me it was my first Linn LP 12 turntable I bought in 1979. I told my wife I wanted to be buried with it. That 'table rocked my world.

Or are you just hung up on 8-track players, or maybe it was a radio your father gave you? In other words, I want to know if it's a type of gear, or a specific product you've owned. Please tell us about your favorite piece of audio equipment in the comments below, and also be sure to vote in the poll.

Week in review: Data loss disasters

2009-10-19T09:43:00.000+07:00

T-Mobile Sidekick LX

(Credit: CNET)

A massive data outage for Sidekick handheld users has become a massive PR headache for Microsoft and carrier T-Mobile.

A massive data outage in Microsoft's Danger unit left many T-Mobile Sidekick users without access to their calendar, address book, and other key data. However, things got even worse as Microsoft said in a statement that data not recovered thus far may be permanently lost. Microsoft and T-Mobile have not said how many of the roughly 800,000 Sidekick customers have lost data.

T-Mobile USA has, at least temporarily, stopped selling all models of the device as the company continues to investigate the recent problems.

T-Mobile later said that it may yet be able to recover Sidekick users' information. Those who do suffer permanent data loss will get a $100 "customer appreciation card" good toward T-Mobile service or products.

Not surprisingly, a number of lawsuits have been filed, including two in federal court in Northern California that allege both negligence and false claims on the part of Microsoft and T-Mobile.
• Sidekick's lesson: We learn by failing
• Unanswered questions loom large in Sidekick fiasco
• Sidekick users share their horror stories
• Deaf users sound off on Sidekick outage
• Microsoft: We've recovered most Sidekick data
• With outage, Sidekick service loses its footing

Twitter co-founder's 'Square' comes into focus

2009-10-19T09:42:00.003+07:00

A test 'Square' in action, and a screenshot of the geo-tagged receipt.

(Credit: Engadget)

Well, we finally have a glimpse at "Square," the new mobile payments venture coming from Twitter co-founder and chairman Jack Dorsey. As expected, it's a little hardware add-on that can turn an iPhone into a credit card reader.

The funny part: Details about the small-business-oriented project have been on the Web for months. It was just that nobody had put two and two together until some eagle-eyed folks at Engadget realized that a URL on a screenshot of the "Square iPhone Payments Venture" first reported by Coolhunting matched a domain registered to Dorsey.

Dorsey, who stepped down as Twitter CEO almost exactly a year ago, is headquartering the company in New York, though we hear he already has employees in both Gotham and San Francisco. Its Web site will likely be located at SquareUp.com. Currently, that site is a collection of links to a smattering of businesses, including Sightglass Coffee, a new San Francisco coffee shop in which Dorsey has invested. (Wanna bet they're testing Square out there?)

From Coolhunting:

The innovation is in a small, plastic card reader that fits in to the headphone jack of an iPhone (or iPod Touch) and transfers the credit card's swipe data to the app. After the employee enters the amount to charge, the customer confirms by scrawling their signature with their finger and then either one enters the customer's email address to send the receipt to. The payment is processed by Square for a small percentage plus a fixed fee; the funds are transferred directly to the store's bank account, cutting both time and complexity on the processing side. The customer's receipt includes a map showing the location of the transaction which is handy for those who record, sort and file such things.

We heard that the venture is being called Square rather than "Squirrel," its originally reported name (according to TechCrunch's MG Siegler, this is because it looks kind of like an acorn) due to some unclear legal-copyright-licensing-whatnot issue. CNET News first reported the name change along with the news that Dorsey had been an angel investor in location-based mobile navigation start-up Foursquare.

Funding a hardware venture is typically more expensive than a Web-based one for obvious reasons: the up-front cost of production and manufacturing.

But two sources with knowledge of Square's logistics said that Dorsey believes he can keep production costs extremely low, possibly manufacturing a "square" at a cost of about 40 cents apiece. The company may then even give the devices away for free, making money instead on transaction fees. That's the old Gillette razor business model--make the razors cheap or even free, but replacement blades more expensive.

Regardless, we hear Dorsey has been working on a funding round.

A new way to track Alzheimer's patients--or your kids

2009-10-19T09:42:00.001+07:00

The plain black wristband EmSeeQ, released this week, uses U-TDOA location technology to more quickly track "wanderers."

(Credit: EmFinders)

We all know our cell phones can give away our locations whether or not we want them to. But what if you want to track someone who's too forgetful--or perhaps ornery--to carry one around?

EmFinders to the rescue. This week the Frisco, Texas-based tech start-up unveiled EmSeeQ, which is designed to look and be worn like a watch (though strangely does not tell time--but hey, it's better than a collar) and uses cellular network-based U-TDOA technology to provide tracking information to law enforcement and E-911 systems.

The company says the device, which costs $185 plus a $25 monthly service charge, "can be worn by anyone with the propensity to wander, including those with Alzheimer's, autism, and other cognitive and developmental disabilities." Which to any discerning parent translates to teenagers, and while we're at it, pets, all of whom have propensities to wander.

Whether kids or pets would have any success getting away with wearing this beguilingly plain black "I am either Batman or a special agent" wristband that doesn't tell time remains to be seen.

Of course law enforcement in Frisco, a fast-growing suburb of Dallas, is all for it, and understandably so. "Locating wandering individuals in a particular area can often be like searching for a needle in a haystack," says Frisco Police Chief Todd Renshaw. "If the wanderer has driven somewhere, that becomes multiple haystacks. It's encouraging to know that we can begin receiving support from EmFinders immediately without any extra effort on our part. I would advise all law enforcement agencies to become familiar with this service."

KaChing takes on mutual fund industry

2009-10-19T09:41:00.001+07:00

When I wrote about KaChing last December, the site was a fantasy stock market where you could track the pretend portfolios of other investors. But the game of make-believe is coming to an end at the company, and KaChing is now letting users attach real money to their accounts. In doing so, this company is taking on the $11.5 trillion U.S. mutual fund industry. It looks like a great opportunity, both for the investors in the company and consumer equity investors.

KaChing lets anyone create and manage a portfolio on the site, and any user can see these portfolios and track their returns. Unlike other fantasy stock-trading sites, though, with KaChing you can actually commit money to mirroring another user's portfolio. This feature should be live on the site Monday.

The site offers some protection for users choosing to track others. It awards "genius" badges to portfolio managers to only those players who have been on the site for a year, who have qualified for and signed trading regulatory documents, and whose consistent performance measures over a certain level. Only genius users can be mirrored.

KaChing's "geniuses" might be worth investing real money in.

(Credit: Screenshot by Rafe Needleman)

KaChing traders also have to specify their fund or portfolio philosophy, which is tracked and rated by the system. If you say you're a health care investor, for example, and then you make a killing on Apple, your return may go up but your "sticks to strategy" rating will decline, and people following you or investing alongside your portfolio will be sent "drift alerts" to tell them that you might have moved from the "good" category into either the "lucky" or "reckless" bins. As CEO Andy Rachleff says, with a typical mutual fund, there's no way to tell if the investors are lucky or good, and especially not in between quarterly statements.

To invest alongside KaChing geniuses, you have to use fund a brokerage account at Interactive Brokers, which KaChing will do for you, online. KaChing works with this particular brokerage since it has an API that lets KaChing make fast trades fairly cheaply, at 2 cents a share.

Geniuses on the site set their own management fee, of which KaChing takes 25 percent. KaChing also will collect margins on stock trade commissions. Investors who are mirroring KaChing geniuses can stop doing so whenever they wish and trade their stocks out thereafter. Unfortunately, you can't yet trade into another genius' fund without setting up a new trading account yourself, but that should be fixed shortly. Account minimums are low, though ($3,000) and there are no exit fees.

Rachleff told me that the real secret behind KaChing is the observation that the Ivy League endowments outperform the S&P due to "a superior strategy to choosing investment managers," which is what KaChing's algorithms check for. Oversimplified, KaChing rates adherence to strategy coupled with returns, not just returns themselves. That makes returns predictable, Rachleff says.

Top KaChing genius Min Thang believes in health-care.

(Credit: Screenshot by Rafe Needleman)

Of more than 8,000 KaChing users with public portfolios, only eight, so far, are geniuses whose accounts can be mirrored. Hopefully that number will rise. These eight people need competition, and users need options.

I'm one of millions of consumers dissatisfied with the returns in my mutual funds as well as the lack of transparency in these investments. I am a big fan of KaChing's model, enough so that I am strongly considering putting some of my own money into the service once there are more genius managers to track.

Six charged in tech insider-trading scheme

2009-10-19T09:40:00.001+07:00

Federal prosecutors have charged a prominent hedge-fund manager and five others with securities fraud resulting from insider trading involving some of the tech industry's best-known companies, including Intel, Google, and IBM.

Raj Rajaratnam of Galleon Group was arrested Friday in New York according to various reports and charged with 13 counts of securities fraud and conspiracy following a FBI investigation into Galleon Group's trading patterns. Also charged in the complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, were co-conspirators Rajiv Goel of Intel and Anil Kumar of McKinsey, which provided consulting services to AMD.

A separate complaint charges two employees of New Castle Partners, another hedge fund, with insider trading along with IBM executive Robert Moffat, senior vice president and group executive for IBM's Systems and Technology Group. Danielle Chiesi and Mark Kurland of New Castle Partners allegedly exchanged information with Rajaratnam regarding the negotiation process surrounding AMD's decision to spin off its chip-making arm and receive outside investment, and obtained other insider information for the purpose of trading in Akamai and Sun Microsystems.

Galleon Group told CNBC that it was unaware of the investigation but planned to cooperate with authorities.

An Intel representative confirmed that Goel works in the treasury department of Intel's finance organization, and has been "placed on administrative leave as we look into this matter." Intel said it was never contacted by authorities regarding the investigation.

McKinsey said in a statement that it was "distressed" about Kumar's involvement in the case and was "looking into the matter urgently. AMD said it was looking at the complaints and had no further comment. IBM declined to comment.

A representative for Akamai did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

According to the complaint, Rajaratnam obtained information about strategic investments that Intel and others were about to make in Clearwire from Goel, and details about AMD's proposed fab spinoff from Kumar and Chiesi. Galleon Group and New Castle Partners then allegedly used that information to trade in shares of Clearwire and AMD, resulting in millions of dollars in profits.

Moffat is also said to have provided details about AMD's GlobalFoundries spinoff, which required IBM's approval due to an extensive technology-sharing partnership between the two companies. In addition, Moffat allegedly gave the traders information related to upcoming earnings announcements from IBM and Sun, which IBM was considering acquiring in early 2009.

Rajaratnam also had hired an individual identified in the complaint only as a "confidential witness" who has been cooperating with the FBI since November 2007 after agreeing to plead guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy. The witness had insider contacts at Polycom and a company called Market Street, which helps publicly traded companies--such as Google--prepare earnings reports.

The FBI said Galleon Group was able to learn through its Market Street contacts that Google's second-quarter 2007 earnings results were going to miss analyst expectations, which would usually send the stock down the following day. Before Google's earnings were released, Galleon Group purchased put options and sold Google's stock short in hopes of turning a profit, which, of course, they did, to the tune of $8 million.

Shares of Polycom and Hilton Hotels were also involved in the insider trading, according to the complaint. The FBI said it obtained its information by placing a wiretap on several phones--including Rajaratnam's mobile phone--as well as the participation of confidential witnesses.

Rajaratnam was named to Forbes' 2009 list of the world's billionaires, with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion. He is a former employee of Needham & Co., an investment bank.

French micro plane fast forwards to hover

2009-10-19T09:39:00.000+07:00

(Credit: ISAE)

It may look like something your kids brought home from shop class, but this rugged, French-designed micro air vehicle (MAV) could be a missing link between smooth, steady hover and fast, forward flight.

The inventor, Dr. Jean-Marc Moschetta, professor of aerodynamics at the Institut Superieur de l'Aeronautique et de l'espace in Toulouse, France, created what he calls the MAVion with both commercial and military markets in mind.

A mere 30 centimeters long, the MAVion combines fixed wings with two counter rotating propellers, allowing it to operate with high aerodynamic efficiency--even in adverse conditions, according to the professor.

"The ultimate goal of the MAVion concept is to demonstrate a twofold capability using the same vehicle: fast forward flight and hover flight," Moschetta explained. "The two counter-rotating tandem propellers provide a simple means to enhance yaw control, which is particularly important in vertical flight."

"The global vision for developing the bimotor MAVion is to provide a fixed-wing aircraft that can be easily upgraded for hover, but also for rolling on the ground or along walls by adding wheels on either side," he said.

The project, funded by the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development in London and the French military, took top honors at the International Micro Air Vehicle Flight Competition held in Pensacola, Fla., this year.

(Credit: ISAE)

Sharp's LED-based LCD TV costs less money, consumes less energy

2009-10-19T09:38:00.000+07:00

The Sharp LC-LE700UN series uses less power than any TV we've tested.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

LCD TV makers have always charged a premium for LED backlighting. In fact, the first LED-based LCD TV Sharp released, the inch-thick XS series, debuted last year at a cool $11,000 MSRP for the 52-inch model. LED has become a lot more mainstream since then, and so have Sharp's ambitions for the well-marketed backlight technology. The Sharp LC-LE700UN series encapsulates that progress toward the mass market: it's the least-expensive LED-backlit LCD available today, it measures the standard 3-odd inches thick, and as a result, its owners will have a tough time convincing visitors that it's anything more than a normal, CCFL-based LCD.

This Sharp uses different LED backlight technology from any of the other "LED TVs" available today, and perhaps as a result its picture quality has no major advantage over non-LED-based LCDs. On the other hand, it sips power more sparingly than any other TV we've reviewed, and its solid feature set is highlighted by a unique selection of widgets and superb built-in support options. The Sharp LC-LE700UN series will appeal to people on a moderate budget who still want the energy efficiency of an LED-backlit LCD.

Sharp Aquos Net--photos

Orson Welles' Martians finally land--in a Colorado attic

2009-10-19T09:37:00.000+07:00

One piece of 'Balloon Boy' fan art took the iconic poster that hangs on the wall of Agent Mulder's office in the sci-fi series 'The X-Files.'

(Credit: FullBleed.org)

Two years ago we asked the question: Could the mass hysteria of the 1938 "War of the Worlds" scandal, in which a Halloween radio drama orchestrated by actor Orson Welles was mistaken for a real announcement of Martians landing in New Jersey, still take place in the Information Age?

The answer: Yes, it could. And it happened this week.

Like millions of Americans, you were probably glued to your computer watching some news outlet's live video stream or hitting refresh on Twitter for updates on "Balloon Boy," the twisted saga of a 6-year-old Colorado boy who had allegedly floated away in a flying-saucer-shaped helium balloon that his parents had built. Was he alive? Had the helium suffocated him? Had he, heaven forbid, fallen out of the balloon?

And the media flipped out.

"This Is Wrong: A Six Year Old Child Could Die On Live Television," industry blog Mediaite warned. Keywords related to the missing kid started to dominate Twitter's trending topics. More details started to pour in: the boy was revealed to be Falcon Heene of Fort Collins, Colo., whose parents were avid storm-chasers and whose family had appeared on reality show "Wife Swap." Audiences grew captivated as the whole situation became weirder and weirder.

Thankfully, "Balloon Boy" was safe. But rather than being dramatically rescued from a flying saucer in an uplifting ending worthy of the "Miracle on the Hudson," it turned out that he'd been in a box in his parents' attic the entire time: and then the really weird details began to emerge. The family quickly hopped aboard the TV news circuit, and not only did little Falcon blithely say "we did it for the show" on "Larry King Live," he proceeded to puke on two network morning shows. Later in the day, the Business Insider floated a claim that a former video intern for the boy's father, Richard Heene, was attempting to sell evidence that the entire affair was fabricated for a TV show. (This has not been proven whatsoever.)

It's annoying. It's annoying that the whole thing could have been an attention-grabbing stunt. It's even more annoying that hours of workplace productivity were slurped down the drain by streaming-video footage of a wacky silver balloon that didn't actually have a traumatized 6-year-old on board like we all thought it did. Likewise, it was probably pretty darn frustrating back in 1938 when scores of Americans realized that they'd mistaken a "War of the Worlds"-themed radio drama for a real emergency broadcast--especially for the people in the New York and Philadelphia metro areas who reportedly fled their homes in panic. (Try to explain that one to the neighbors.)

But maybe this cloud (balloon?) has a silver (tinfoil?) lining. Much has been made recently of the death of "watercooler" media: the TV show everyone is watching, the news story everyone is following, the topic that the whole world seemingly can't stop talking about. The Internet's ability to slice and dice culture into niches and easy-to-follow subcultures was supposed to more or less destroy that. Yet we had another "War of the Worlds": something weird and bizarre that made us all completely freak out like spooked chickens.

For better or for worse, just about everyone on Thursday was talking about "Balloon Boy." They were worried about him. They were incessantly searching Google News for any kind of update. They were cracking snarky jokes and wondering if it was "too soon." They were biting their nails when a photograph started to circulate that seemed to show an object falling from the silver saucer balloon. They were relieved when "Balloon Boy" was found safe. And they were angrily cursing themselves and the national news media when it became clear that the whole thing could have been fabricated. This was the news story that disproved our cynicism over the viability of true, mass-media phenomena in the Digital Age. In fact, it was the tools of the Web--streaming video, Twitter, news aggregators--that made "Balloon Boy" into the sensation that he became.

And honestly? If we have to look like gullible idiots, we might as well all be in it together

Price war over books worries industry

2009-10-19T09:36:00.000+07:00

A tit-for-tat price war between Wal-Mart and Amazon accelerated late on Friday afternoon when Wal-Mart shaved another cent off its already rock-bottom prices for hardcover editions of some of the coming holiday season's biggest potential best sellers, offering them online for $8.99 apiece.

Publishers, booksellers, agents, and authors, meanwhile, fretted that the battle was taking prices for certain hardcover titles so low that it could fundamentally damage the industry and the ability of future authors to write or publish new works.

The price cutting began on Thursday when Wal-Mart announced that it would take pre-orders for 10 yet-to-be-published hardcovers for $10 apiece on its Web site, Walmart.com. Later that day Amazon quietly began cutting the prices of those same titles to the very same $10, prompting Wal-Mart to lower its price to $9, a markdown of 59 percent to 74 percent off the list price of the books. Amazon had matched the $9 price by Friday morning, and Wal-Mart had lowered its price again, to $8.99, by late afternoon.

The titles affected include Sarah Palin's memoir, "Going Rogue"; John Grisham's short-story collection, "Ford County"; Stephen King's "Under the Dome"; Barbara Kingsolver's new novel, "The Lacuna"; and the latest installment in the Alex Cross thriller series by James Patterson, "I, Alex Cross."

Although Wal-Mart, Amazon, and other retailers like Costco, Target, and even pure bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble typically discount best sellers, they usually don't take more than 50 percent off the list price. Wal-Mart's move, and Amazon's reaction, signaled a new threshold in price cutting for books and left publishing insiders wondering how low it would go when the beleaguered industry is already worried about the effect of $9.99 e-books and a slowdown in book sales over all.

On Friday a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart said in an e-mail message that the company would "continue to adjust our pricing so that Walmart.com offers the lowest prices on these top pre-sellers in books." Amazon declined to comment.

Wal-Mart has said for the moment that its $8.99 offer is limited to 10 titles that will officially be released in November. Once they are published, the company said, the price could go up. Still, publishing industry veterans were worried about the potential long-term effect on the consumer mindset.

"If readers come to believe that the value of a new book is $10, publishing as we know it is over," said David Gernert, Grisham's literary agent. "If you can buy Stephen King's new novel or John Grisham's ?Ford County' for $10, why would you buy a brilliant first novel for $25? I think we underestimate the effect to which extremely discounted best sellers take the consumer's attention away from emerging writers."

The immediate impact of the low prices was likely to be felt by other bookstores, including chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders. As of Friday, neither of the Web sites for those companies indicated that it was matching the $9 price. At BN.com and Borders.com, the titles were generally discounted by 40 percent.

A spokeswoman for Barnes & Noble declined to comment. In a statement Borders said the majority of its revenue did not come from best sellers. "Our model does not rely on being the lowest priced," the company said in the statement. "It relies on offering our customers a true bookstore experience--the opportunity to explore a vast array of titles within a comfortable environment where shoppers can go where their interests take them."

Independent booksellers have long struggled to compete with discounts offered by Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Wal-Mart. William Petrocelli, an owner of Book Passage, an independent company that has stores in San Francisco and suburban Corte Madera, Calif., said that for now he was relying on the loyalty of customers who valued staff recommendations and author events as much as prices. But, he said, if the low prices siphoned off too many customers and put independent stores out of business, it would ultimately affect what would get published.

"What this does is accentuate the trend towards best sellers dominating the market," Petrocelli said. Without independents, decisions about what books to put on store shelves would reside in the hands of a few corporate executives rather than hundreds of idiosyncratic booksellers, he said.

"You have a choke point where millions of writers are trying to reach millions of readers," Petrocelli said, "but if it all has to go through a narrow funnel where there are only four or five buyers deciding what's going to get published, the business is in trouble."

For now, Wal-Mart and Amazon will take a loss on the sales of the discounted titles because publishers generally charge retailers 50 percent of the list price.

Publishers hoping to sell large volumes of titles like "Going Rogue" or "Under the Dome" might see the discounts spur more sales. One publishing executive also said Wal-Mart's move was welcome because it signaled that another large competitor was taking on Amazon, which currently dominates online sales of books. As long as the $8.99 price was promotional, rather than a permanent trend, this executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid commenting publicly about a customer, said there were some positive aspects to Wal-Mart's move.

"If this is a short-term statement to let hundreds of millions of people know that they will be able to buy books from Walmart.com," the executive said, "it's a good thing."

Rafi Mohammed, a consultant and author of "The Art of Pricing," said he was surprised by the radical discounting because he could think of no other industry in which retailers cut the prices of the newest or most popular goods. "You always pay the highest price for the latest and greatest," he said. (In fact, new music CDs are often discounted.)

Indeed, Patterson, who said that while he was glad to be included in the top 10 most popular preordered books at Walmart.com, he could not think of any other industry accepting such dramatic discounts.

"Imagine if somebody was selling DVDs of this week's new movies for $5," Patterson said. "You wouldn't be able to make movies." He added, "I can guarantee you that the movie studios would not take this kind of thing sitting down."

Brad Stone of The New York Times contributed reporting from San Francisco.

HP ushers in third wave of TouchSmart desktop all-in-ones

2009-10-13T15:23:00.000+07:00

HP Touchsmart 600

(Credit: HP.com

HP just announced the third upgrade to of its line of TouchSmart PCs, and the first model we've laid hands on, the TouchSmart 600 (full review here), was good enough to earn an Editor's Choice award. The new TouchSmart 300 and TouchSmart 600 feature 20-inch and 23-inch screens, respectively, and both offer the same multitouch screen with either a 16:9 1080P HD or HD-ready display.

To coincide with this announcement, HP is also rolling out exclusive applications for the TouchSmart PCs that take advantage of its multitouch enabled screen and Windows 7, including, but not limited to:

Hulu Desktop: browse and watch your favorite TV shows
Netflix: Instantly watch movies or browse and add films to your online queue
Pandora Internet Radio: Discover new music based on your personalized taste
TouchSmart Live TV: Watch and record your favorite television shows
TouchSmart Canvas: organize your photos on a virtual canvas and use your fingers to make edits
TouchSmart RecipeBox: Enjoy a hands-free cooking experience with recipes that respond to voice commands

Of those apps, the Recipe Box is the most impressive. Smart software lets you scrap and catalog recipes from a variety of popular recipe Web sites (Epicurious, Food Network, and Martha Stewart among them), and via voice recognition and text-to-speech you can navigate the recipes hands-free. It's the best kitchen-oriented PC solution we've seen.

The new 300 and 600 models also include a new swivel stand, a built-in wall mount support, in addition to a new tiltable web cam for group conferences and video chats. Both models are available in a variety of retail configurations with customizable configurations available at HP.com.

The long and the short--Ask the Editors

2009-10-13T15:22:00.000+07:00

iLuv iEA15 adapter

MP3 Mailbox Monday has had quite the hiatus, so I've selected a healthy mishmash of questions that should satisfy the span of curiosity about recent (and not-so-recent) goings on in the digital audio domain. For example, do you have to replace your headphones to get integrated iPod controls? Plus, what's the deal with the iPod and subscription music? And of course, what is sure to be an age-old question: which is better, the Zune or the iPod? Oh, and yes...one other thing, too. Read on.

Q: I was wondering if you could recommend any second-gen iPod Touch headphone remote adapters that I can use with my current earbuds (Shure SE210s). Ideally, it would have the same functionality as Apple's headphones (play/pause, skip forward/backward, volume control, and a built in mic). I love the Shures and would prefer not to get a new pair of 'buds just to get remote-control functionality.--Tyson, via e-mail

A: Absolutely. Check out the iLuv iEA15 adapter. It will only set you back about $15 and offers all the functionality you're after. (Buy.)

Zune HD is great for music.

Q: I wanted to ask you whether the music I could get from a Zune Pass can be imported to iTunes, and then be played on a third-gen iPod Touch.--Adrian, via e-mail

A: No, it cannot. The iPod is not compatible with the music rental model. Similarly, the Zune Pass is only directly compatible with the Zune. Other subscription services, such as Napster To Go and Rhapsody To Go, can be used with a variety of non-iPod and non-Zune devices, such as the Sony Walkman line and the Creative Zen line.

Q: Which is the better player, the iPod Touch or the Zune HD?--Anonymous, via e-mail

iPod Touch: a top chioce for podcasts

A: My opinion is that it really depends on what you're using it for. If you want an app powerhouse with plenty of gaming capability and a larger screen for video viewing, go with the Touch. If you want a top notch MP3 player with excellent sound quality and some compelling extras, go with the Zune HD.

Q: I am looking for a player to replace my Ibiza Rhapsody. The only thing I don't like about it is the battery life, but I still need a player that can sync and download podcast over any Wi-Fi hotspot.--Benton, via e-mail

A: There are two players that will satisfy that need, and unfortunately they're both quite pricey: the iPod Touch and the Sony X-Series Walkman.

Originally posted at MP3 Insider

iBend: The superthin iPhone video stand

2009-10-13T15:21:00.000+07:00

The iBend stand from Widget Factory has been around since last year, but I missed it when it first came out, and I gotta say: it's a pretty nifty, little accessory for your iPhone or iPod Touch if you use your device to watch videos.

The key here is that the thing is superslim. It's a flat sheet of plastic that you can store in your wallet or the back of your iPhone's protective cover (slip it between the cover and the back of your iPhone) and bend into a stand when needed.

It's also cheap: the original iBend costs $4.99 for two stands and the just-released iBend Artist Series (pictured), which features designs from three "renowned artists" from New York, California, and Canada, costs $7.99 for a two-pack.

Anybody think this is cool?

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas

Uzi-shaped flash drive to hold rap album

2009-10-13T15:20:00.000+07:00

(Credit: Get Busy Committee)

Airport security can be so impersonal sometimes--they expect you to open up your luggage and show them your most intimate clothing without so much as a dinner date. If you are really desperate to solicit a more "personal" experience with a man (or woman) in uniform, this unique USB drive is the way to go.

Shaped like the familiar Israeli Uzi gun, the flash drive isn't your typical storage device. Instead, it's a medium for Los Angeles-based rap group Get Busy Committee to release its upcoming album "Uzi Does It" on October 27. Whether or not you're into the group's music, this is definitely a must-have gadget if you want a memorable experience at the airport security line.

Missing Sidekick data may be gone for good

2009-10-12T07:19:00.000+07:00

Most of them don't look like this today.

(Credit: CNET

It looks as though the current Sidekick outage is turning into a bigger mess for T-Mobile. The company has just published an apology to Sidekick users who've been without many important services for a few days--and says that because of a server error at Danger (a Microsoft subsidiary), affected users might not get their data back at all.

This is terrible news for some Sidekick users out there and is also one of the largest fails in cloud computing in recent memory. T-Mobile has already offered affected users a free month of service, but that was a few days ago when it seemed the problem was on its way to being resolved. Now, some users are looking at not having their data restored at all. Those whose data hasn't already been recovered will likely have to rebuild their contact lists, calendars, to-dos, and other personal content themselves.

The problem is that many users didn't back up that data. A friend of mine never backed up her Sidekick LX because Danger's server-side infrastructure made it redundant--or so she thought.

T-Mobile says they'll issue another update on Monday, October 12, which will communicate the current status of the repair.

One important point T-Mobile is communicating to affected users is not to power off your device. On its Web site, T-Mobile warns, "We continue to advise customers to NOT reset their device by removing the battery or letting their battery drain completely, as any personal content that currently resides on your device will be lost." Good luck on Monday.