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Best Buy Connect no longer accepting new activations, service to end June 1st (update: confirmed)
Remember Best Buy Connect? If so, you'll soon have a few more megabytes of humanized DDR3 freed up, as it appears that the retail giant is ready to put the kibosh on its own branded mobile broadband service nearly two years after it was first unveiled. According to the internal memo shown in the above screenshot, new activations are no longer allowed effective immediately, and the service for legacy customers will be cut off on the first of June. So why the change of heart? Apparently Connect is the victim of a reshuffling of priorities, and the company determined that it "can achieve greater growth by delivering mobile broadband support in ways other than an exclusive Best Buy-branded service." Of course, this is bound to upset more than a handful of folks who have been relying on Connect for their data needs, and the retailer isn't leaving them completely in the dark: to help smooth out the transition, all Early Termination Fees will be waived, and all customers will receive a $125 or $150 gift card via email to curb the cost of moving to a different carrier. WiMAX Connect users, additionally, will also be given the option to switch over to Clear service. We're still awaiting official confirmation from Best Buy -- as of this moment, the official website remains up and running as if it's none the wiser -- but we'll update as soon as we hear more. Update: Best Buy has now officially confirmed to us that the service will indeed be shut off on June 1st. [Thanks, Anonymous]
'Connect Pritect to Protect Kinect:' for all your tinfoil helmet needs
Have you considered that if a secretive governmental cabal seized control of your Kinect, it would be able to spy on you as you lurched awkwardly to Just Dance? Such is the price we pay for abrogating our right to privacy, or at least it was until Catalyst Components came up with a solution. Connect Pritect to Protect Kinect is a high-gloss plastic shield that clips over your device to block the sensor bar's cameras from prying eyes. The only opening is a tiny hole for the Xbox logo -- the efficacy of which is shown after the break. Freedom from surveillance will cost you a meager $15 from Target, Microcenter, Best Buy and Amazon.
Cox Communications brings live TV to the iPad
Cable provider Cox Communications has a new app available for subscribers that makes it possible to watch live TV shows and movies in your home -- on an iPad. The Cox TV Connect app (free, requires cable subscription) brings live shows from 35 different popular channels to the iPad. While that's just a fraction of the channel lineup carried by Cox, it's a start. A similar iPad app from Cablevision allows viewers to watch all channels available to them, but Cox VP of Video Strategy Steve Necessary told GigaOM that they're in the process of negotiating rights with TV networks to add more content to Cox TV Connect. Some cable carriers such as Comcast only provide on-demand content to subscribers, while other operators like Cablevision and Time Warner Cable are also providing subscribers with live TV. Necessary noted that "A screen is a screen is a screen" in terms of allowing consumers to watch their favorite shows regardless of what device they're looking at. Cox expects to eventually blend the functionality of Cox TV Connect and another app (Cox Mobile Connect) that lets users browse content and program their DVRs from their iPads or iPhones.
DVBLink v4 out of beta, brings live TV, EPG and remote recording on the go
That Boxee client update we saw recently wasn't the only thing brewing over at DVBLogic. It was part of a wider refresh of the company's DVBLink products, including the final release of its Connect! server software that can stream live TV from a network-connected tuner out to Android, iOS and WP client apps with EPG and remote recording. Other improvements include the ability to connect up to eight virtual tuners to Windows Media Center, the promise of less painful WMC setup, as well as a DVBLink Remote API that will allow third parties to create clients for other devices. Check out the full PR for pricing and other details after the break.
Motorola Admiral outed as mystery Sprint Direct Connect device, strikes a pose for the camera
That unnamed Motorola smartphone coming this fall to help usher in Sprint's new CDMA-based Direct Connect service? It appears to be the Admiral. If the name sounds familiar, its trademarked logo actually appeared simultaneously with the Samsung Epic 4G Touch. But it's so much more than a name now, thanks to a tipster who sent in an image of the device next to some well-detailed specs. The Admiral will likely be a portrait QWERTY Android 2.3 device powered by a 1.2GHz single-core Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU, and will feature a 3.1-inch VGA display, 5 megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording and a stellar 1,860mAh battery. Oh, and it's a rugged phone that's built according to 810G military specifications. If this truly is the mystery Motorola Direct Connect smartphone we've been waiting for, it's bound to turn a few hard-hat-donning heads. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Livescribe Connect upgrade lets you share doodles in several ways, just not wirelessly (video)
Pen pushers who took a chance on Livescribe's note-recording smartpen have benefited from some nice apps, hacks and upgrades along the way. Now the company's latest productivity-booster is a software update called Connect, which lets you share your scribbles via Email, Google Docs, Facebook and Evernote, as well as through Livescribe's own Pencast platform. Some of these sharing options were already available but Connect tries to speed things in an interesting way: by letting you set sharing instructions even as you jot down a note. Simply draw a double line and write, say, 'Facebook' or 'Google Docs' somewhere on the page, and the sharing will take place automatically the next time you sync to your Mac or PC. Most of the sharing options are free, but if you own an older Pulse model or the new entry-level $99.95 2GB Echo you'll need to buy a $15 upgrade before you can share via Email or Google Docs. Heck, we'd pay way more than that if only Livescribe would come up with a way to sync and share wirelessly -- docking this thing feels about as cutting edge as a quill. Video and full PR after the break.
Hertz launches hourly EV rentals in London, self-satisfaction comes free
Contract-free cellphones, declining marriage rates and car-sharing services all tell us you're a bunch of commitmentphobes. Lucky for you the world is willing to oblige your wishy-washy ways, and for those who also happen to have a bit of a green streak, Connect by Hertz offers hourly rentals on electric cars. After launching its EV rental program here in New York last year, Hertz promised to expand to several other cities and countries by the end of 2011, with London being the next to go online this Friday. British urbanites averse to car ownership will be able to pick from a fleet of vehicles including the iMieV, Nissan LEAF and Renault Kangoo, range anxiety diminished thanks to the city's 16 charging stations. It's not exactly the Jetsons, but if this is the future of transportation, we're ok with that -- we're thinking Mother Earth is too.
Copia's 'social reading' platform goes live, abandons hardware plans
We might be busy refilling our inkwells in preparation for CES 2011, but let's not forget that some of the CES 2010 exhibitors are still working feverishly on bringing their innovations to market. Copia is one such company, though in the time between its January debut and today it's had to abandon its plans for own-brand e-readers and has fully transitioned itself into a software offering -- with apps available for the desktop, iPad, Windows Phone 7 now, and Android and other touch devices following soon. Copia allows Facebook Connect logins, which should give you a hit at its premise -- it aims to meld an ebook store in with a vibrant and active online reading community, with a litany of social and sharing features making it perhaps more attractive than the somewhat more limited social skills on offer from the current ebook market leaders. Unannounced OEM partners have been engaged to deliver the Copia platform on upcoming e-reading devices, though whether the whole thing sinks or swims will be entirely up to you, the user. See a video demo of what Copia's about after the break.
Skype said to be prepping 'deep' Facebook integration for version 5.0
The Skype 5 beta might have already wowed us with its crazy 10-person videoconferencing, but apparently there's even more in the company's bag of new tricks. Sources intimate with the matter are reporting that Skype's planning on deploying Facebook Connect in the next version of its software -- meaning you won't need a Skype ID to get your internet telephony on -- while also enabling SMS messaging and voice or video calls to your Facebook contacts. You have to admit, whether you love or loathe either platform, this is an extremely sensible move for both companies to make: Facebook stretches its tentacles out even further, while Skype develops a significant presence on the world's biggest and baddest social network. We're sure there's a good side to this for the user as well.
Is Microsoft quietly opening up a Kinect beta program?
Well what do we have here? It appears our friends over at Joystiq have received word from diligent tipsters that Microsoft's Connect customer feedback service is sending out Kinect beta program invites. Details are predictably sparse, but naming ironies aside, the note does specify that chat will be limited only to those involved in the preview program. While this isn't really surprising given the context, Joystiq surmises that this choice clarification could hint invitees will have the chance to sample the video chat app available through the Kinect's new dashboard, which was shown off at E3. Unfortunately, Ballmer and crew have yet to lend any official credence to these murmurs, though apparently the email address behind these notes is valid. It's also not that outrageous to imagine Microsoft wanting to spin Kinect's wheels in the wild before releasing it to the unwashed gaming masses on its official November 4th launch date. Considering the program would have to put hardware in the hands of testers though to pull something like this off, we're counting on more than a few overly excited gamers shining additional light on the situation should things get serious.
Best Buy partners with Clearwire, will Connect customers to 4G
When we first heard through the grapevine that Best Buy was launching its own branded wireless data service, Connect, rumor had it that 4G was going to be baked right in there. We'd later learn that was just wishful thinking, but today's announcement of a partnership with Clearwire makes it instead simply look premature. Starting sometime next year, Best Buy Connect will offer 4G wireless data over Clearwire's WiMAX network -- and that's all the two are saying about this partnership right now. We're hoping prices for these next-gen data plans stay with their current levels, $30 monthly for 250MB up to $60 for 5GB, but all that extra bandwidth might just make those caps feel even tighter.
Best Buy Connect wireless service is official, offers contract-free plans
We'll admit that we never took Best Buy as the kind of company to sell its own wireless service, but you know what Best Buy does sell? Laptops with unlocked WWAN modems, and to that end, the retailer's Best Buy Connect offering seems to be a pretty attractive one. Monthly plan pricing is about what you'd expect from anyone else, and you'll be able to choose between two-year, one-year, and contract-free packages for the same price -- the only difference is how much subsidy they'll throw in for you upfront. On a two-year deal, you'll get $275 off the compatible laptop of your choice, which compares favorably against all of its competitors -- AT&T at $150, Verizon at $200, and Sprint at $250 -- while you'll pay $60 for 5GB of data, $40 for 500MB, or $30 for 250MB (only available without a contract). Sure, you might not attract the glitz, glamor, and curious stares that a high-fashion name brand like Verizon might... but seriously, who are we kidding? Data is data, and if this works well, it sounds like a square deal. Hit up the source link for all the details. [Thanks, Christian]
Best Buy Connect mobile broadband service launching soon
We've been hearing wind of a new mobile broadband service coming next month from Best Buy for a few days now, and it looks like the company went ahead and spilled the beans in its own Sunday flyer. The service offers a variety of tiers ranging from a contract-free 250MB per month for $30 all the way up to 5GB monthly on a 24 month contract for $60 a month. Interestingly, 5GB monthly contract-free costs the same $60 monthly -- you just get the $35 activation fee waived. At this point we don't know what the hardware looks like, but we're told Sprint is providing those bits and bytes wirelessly and that this new service will work with 4G. The employee news image after the break indicates that Connect will be launching on July 11 in all but 75 of the company's stores. Sometimes living out in the country is a drag. Update: We got a note from Shaun indicating that there will actually not be any modems offered by Best Buy for this service, rather it will only be offered on GOBI-equipped laptops. Additionally, Shaun indicates the service will not work with 4G, but that's contrary to some earlier intel we received, so hopefully BBY goes ahead and clarifies all this soon enough. [Thanks, Jameil and Tyler]
Rumor: Apple building Facebook into iPhone OS
Business Insider says a source has told them that Apple is working on integrating Facebook directly into the next iPhone OS. This would mean the use of Facebook Connect to bring contacts directly into the phone (which we've heard as a rumor before, and which would make sense, considering that the Android OS already does that). BI also suggests that Apple might be working on features like showing Facebook pictures of your contacts when they call or building the Facebook API into the official iPhone SDK. This would allow app creators to use Facebook information in their apps directly through the iPhone's code interface. It's all rumor and speculation at this point, so don't get (too) freaked out about Facebook's privacy problems spreading off to the iPhone just yet. However, it's true that Facebook is quickly becoming one of the Web's biggest sources of personal information, and qualms about privacy aside, Apple would do well to at least catch up to Android and start getting the hooks into the main OS.
Android-powered GoGear Connect PMP debuted in new, Godzilla-sized form factor
We're used to seeing some ho-hum units with the GoGear name, so we were pleasantly surprised to hear (well, read) that Philips was getting much more ambitious for its upcoming GoGear Connect line of PMPs. Plans are said to include the Android 2.1 OS, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, and extensive skinning that plays up the media player / navigation device angle. Although there's no cellular connectivity herein, there is a speaker and mic for some VoIP action, alongside haptic feedback for the touchscreen display, a memory card slot, rear-facing camera of unknown resolution, up to 64GB storage, and DivX/XviD support. Neither price nor release date has been confirmed (though Q3 2010 is a possibility, according to SlashGear). Indeed, we haven't even seen one of the units, even in prototype form -- but there is an amusing King Kong-scale device running the OS in the video demonstration, which means they definitely have designs on the monster movie demographic. Check it out after the break. [Thanks, Anh]
Xbox 360 Dashboard Update... updates: Preview program reopened, Sky TV due Oct. 27
Just as it did earlier this year, Microsoft has opened the preview program to let the most hardcore of Xbox 360 owners poke around the updated dashboard -- presumably with access to all the 1080p instant-on streaming, Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm add-ons we've been expecting -- ahead of its official release in order to shake out any remaining bugs. While worldwide console owners should scrape together console IDs, make & model of your TV, router and more in hopes of receiving an invite next week, a little more concrete news is in order for the UK, with the console launch of Sky TV nailed down for October 27. You'll have to wait until then to find out exact pricing and channel line up availability, 'til then it's a matter of finding out who on your friends list is most suited for the inevitable football viewing party. [Via Joystiq & NeoGAF] Read - Xbox Live update Preview Program Read - Xbox.com - Set a date for Sky Player!
Sony CEO Howard Stringer on music: "If we had gone with open technology from the start, I think we probably would have beaten Apple"
We've always had a soft spot for Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer, and it sounds like the old man's doing more than cajoling Tom Hanks into telling jokes following his consolidation of power: in a lengthy and illuminating interview with Nikkei Electronics Asia, Sir Howard pledged that Sony would use more open standards in the future, saying "If we had gone with open technology from the start, I think we probably would have beaten Apple" in the music market. That's a pretty bold statement to be making in hindsight -- especially since we're pretty sure the Connect Player and SonicStage would have still driven people screaming into the arms of iTunes -- but it's pretty heartwarming to hear from the head of a company just as famous for an endless array of funky proprietary standards as it is the Walkman. You want to make us feel even warmer and fuzzier, Howie? "We can no longer say that we're right and our customers are wrong. We can't build only what we want to build." Wow -- sounds like the start of a whole new Sony. We'll see if Sir Howard can actually pull off what sounds like a major change in his company's culture, but for right now we'd recommend hitting the read link and taking in the whole interview, cause it's a good one.
Server restarts for Friday October 24th
While the connectivity and general lag seems to have gotten better in the last day or so, there are still some lingering issues here and there. All servers will be undergoing rolling restarts on the morning of the 24th from 5:00 a.m. PDT to 6:00 a.m. PDT. Each realm is expected to be down only 15 minutes.Ideally this will solve all the issues we've had since patch 3.0.2 hit last week, but more likely we'll just see things be better for a short time.If this temporary down time turns into anything extended, we'll update this post.Of course, this restart might have something to do with Zombies hungry for brains.
Connect '08 attendees to receive in-game LotRO cloak
That's right, more free stuff for those lucky enough to attend Codemasters' Connect '08 on the 14th and 15th of March. The European Lord of the Rings Online website has made it known that everyone attending the event will receive an in-game Ranger cloak for LotRO. This will be the first time this cloak is made available, and it has a unique design and a limited duration 5% speed boost as an effect.The cloak joins the list of other cool swag available to visitors of Connect '08, including exclusive in-game LotRO titles (The Worldly Traveler, Pillar of the Community, Greeter of Kin) and beta invites for Jumpgate Evolution -- and this is only the announced stuff. Who knows what else might get thrown?
Promotion code grants 20% off ticket price for Connect '08
Codemasters' brand new European gaming event Connect 2008 is a little over a month away, and if you've been on the fence about whether to make it out to the Omega Sektor indoor gaming center, LotroLife.com has a deal that might just make your mind up for you. Visit their Connect '08 promotion page, click a magic button, and voila! A promotional code that grants 20% off your ticket purchase is all yours.Certainly one of the best reasons to attend the convention will be the chance to get your hands on Jumpgate Evolution, with the game being featured on all the computers at the Omega Sektor, and NetDevil will have developers on hand to answer questions -- not to mention, all attendees walk out the door with a JGE beta key. This, on top of all the other games and developers/producers that will be there (which now includes specia guests Jeffrey Steefel of Lord of the Rings Online and Kate Paiz of Dungeons and Dragons Online), leads us to believe that Connect '08 is going to have a stellar debut.
