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Drop opens pre-orders for its smart kitchen scale, early-bird price is $80
Hey, not all of us are Marissa Mayer -- most of us don't have the time to make a spreadsheet outlining the optimal ratio of cupcake ingredients. If you never know which recipe to trust -- or you're simply afraid of screwing things up -- a startup called Drop hopes to take the pain out of baking. The company just launched pre-orders for its connected kitchen scale, which not only weighs ingredients, but works with an iPad app to serve up curated recipes, complete with photos of what the food should like after you complete the different steps.
Minecraft creator launches browser-based Drop, makes us wish we'd taken touch-typing lessons
Must try harder. Update: Bonus points if you press the space bar as you play! [Thanks Giuliop!]
Notch launches Drop, inspired by Super Hexagon, Fez and letters
In lieu of his Ludum Dare game, Notch today launched a Unity game called Drop, available online for free. Notch is, of course, the mastermind behind Minecraft, and Drop is a quick exercise in rapid wordsmithery, spinning and catchy tunes.Notch attributes inspiration for Drop to Super Hexagon, the ceiling of his apartment and the ending of Fez, and after playing for a little while, that all sounds about right. We would also throw in a vibe from Pippin Barr's 30 Flights of Loathing and Pottermore's Spells game.If you have some time today, maybe make nimble your fingers and give Drop a go. But first try to say that sentence five times fast.
Huawei 2011 financials: 20 million smartphones sold yet profit down 53 percent
Huawei's annual earnings report is out and it's a mixed bag, since while turnover increased by 11.7 percent to 203.9 RMB ($32.3 billion), profits plummeted 53 percent to 11.6 billion RMB ($1.8 billion). Revenue from overseas sales (138.4 billion RMB) equated for over half the company's total income and it boasted of having sold 150 million consumer devices, including 20 million smartphones in the year. The company didn't provide reasons for the drop in profit, emphasizing that it's increased R&D spending by 34.2 percent to 23.7 billion RMB ($3.75 billion) and that in any event, it's got around $30 billion of assets that can shoulder the brunt of a bad year. However, the company may not see a rosy 2012 either, after both America and Australia refused to give the company big infrastructure deals (Huawei's bread and butter) thanks to allegedly close relationships between the company and the Chinese government. It seems to be following a similar trajectory to rival ZTE, which also felt margins squeeze as it entered the global retail space and felt the heat when its political dealings were thrown in the spotlight.
Lots of apps on sale for Valentine's Day: Dungeon Defenders, Quarrel, more
Yes, it's Valentine's Day, but even if you're lonely and forlorn without love, there's good news: A bunch of iOS developers have put their apps on sale! The great Quarrel Deluxe is available for only 99 cents. Don't pass this one up if you haven't grabbed it yet -- it's a really quality word game with a lot of polish and great design. Dungeon Defenders: Second Wave is on sale for just a buck as well. Return7 is having a sale on the App Store, with both Debt Minder and Bill Minder on sale for up to 50% off. High end shooter Warm Gun is just $1.99 today. Hypership Out of Control is completely free today. Race of Champions is just a buck. Psychoban HD is also on sale for a dollar. The great 2D pirating adventure Plunderland is free for download. Dungeon Hunter Alliance for Mac is just 99 cents on the Mac App Store. Trainz for iPad is still on sale for 99 cents. BattleLand has gone free. iPad zombie shooter End Night has gone on sale for 99 cents. Interesting music title Frederic: Resurrection of Music is also just a buck. So there's quite a few apps to keep you busy this evening, even if you don't happen to have a date to go out with.
Encased iPad survives 1300 foot drop, because why not?
The folks at G-Form make athletic pads and rugged iPad cases, but they must really hate Apple's tablet over there. Not only did they drop a bowling ball on it and drop it out of a plane at 500 feet, but now they've doubled that distance, throwing a couple of encased iPads from a parachute at a height of 1300 feet (almost 400 meters), complete with movies playing. Since you probably wouldn't be watching the video below if the iPad broke, the case indeed does protect the devices (though that case does look a little worse for the wear). In a review of G-Form's cases, we liked the protection a lot, but I agree -- it's not a very good looking case, and especially if (like me), you like to keep the iPad's form factor lean and sleek, it's not a good choice for that either. But then again, if you're in a situation where you absolutely need to protect your iPad and aren't worried about how it ends up looking, it certainly seems like G-Form's protection is a good way to go. [via TechCrunch]
8 GB iPhone 3GS now free with contract, iPhone 4 price dropped
With the announcement of the new iPhone 4S today, Apple has also dropped the price on the previous versions of the iPhone. The iPhone 3GS version with 8 GB of memory is now down to the low, low price of absolutely free (as long as you're willing to sign up on a two-year contract with the cellphone service providers), so you've really got no excuse to join the rest of us in the smartphone future. The iPhone 4 has had a price drop as well -- the 8 GB version is now just $99. Apple's iPhone is cheaper than ever, and while yes, you won't be able to run some of the sexiest new features with these older phones, they're still excellent devices.
New LotRO dev diary outlines future itemization improvements
Some days we feel like Paul Revere, riding our 120% mounts through towns and shouting announcements like "Rise of Isengard is coming! Rise of Isengard is coming!" It's OK, people probably prefer to get their news shouted at them by cyber equestrian newsies than any other method, right? And in the case of Lord of the Rings Online's latest expansion, it's good we do so, because a whole host of itemization improvements is coming to the game. In a new dev diary, the LotRO systems team lays out the path for itemization improvements, including where we've been in the game and where we're going with gear. Two of the biggest concerns that the team identified to fix were minute increments between gear upgrades and the inability to predict what combination of equipment players would use to hit the stat caps. Therefore, the caps will be removed and players should see more substantial gear upgrades with the expansion. The diary goes on to share how different segments of the player community will be able to access top-of-the-line gear in the future, including solo players, crafters, casual groupers, and raiders. Other interesting tidbits include desirable yellow gear, gear dropping in instance chests, and the addition of a non-gating stat called Finesse.
Vodafone UK bids adieu to Galaxy Tab 10.1v, likes its slates skinny
Back in February, it looked like Vodafone UK was more than happy to get its hands on the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, but with the impending UK release of a younger, slimmer model, the carrier is giving the 10.1v the boot. According to some helpful tipsters, customers who showed early interest in the thicker version of the tablet have received an "important update" from Vodafone saying, "We've decided to add the slimmer Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to our range, which will now take the place of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v." The landing page for the original 10.1 has also been removed from Vodafone's website. Looks like it's a sad day for our friends across the pond who like their tabs with a little extra cushion, not to mention an 8 megapixel camera. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
G-Form Extreme Sleeve gives new reasons to throw a MacBook out a window (video)
Extreme products make people do extreme things -- take, for example, all of those phones we've dumped in glasses of water and various things we've run over with cars. When it comes to demonstrating ruggedness, G-Form is no slouch. After dropping a bowling ball on its iPad case (iPad inside, naturally), the company hit YouTube again to toss a MacBook encased in a new Extreme Sleeve from a 20 foot balcony -- a fall it survived unscathed. These heavy-duty cases are made up of PORON XRD, a flexible material that absorbs 90 percent of impact energy, which the company also uses it to make things like skateboarding knee pads and biking accessories. The laptop case starts shipping on May 31st for $69.95, so heads up when walking under windows this summer. Extreme press release and video of gadget abuse after the break.
IDC and Gartner's latest PC shipment stats show why Acer needed to make a strategic change
Gianfranco Lanci's departure from Acer last month came as a bit of a surprise, but looking at some fresh PC shipment data from the IDC, we can now understand why it had to happen. In Q1 of 2011, Acer suffered a precipitous 42.1 percent drop in PC shipments to the United States, falling from 2.3 million units in the first quarter of 2010 to 1.3 million in the first three months of this year. That's matched by a global downturn of 15.8 percent for the company's computer business, taking its market share from 12.9 percent down to 11.2. A percentage point and a half might not seem like much, but in the high stakes business of selling high volumes of devices with low profit margins, that can clearly make the difference between winning and losing, between living and dying (as a CEO). On a happier note, Lenovo surged upwards by 16.3 percent globally amid a market that shrunk a little overall. The IDC -- whose numbers are considered preliminary until companies confirm them in their quarterly financial reports -- identifies Acer's exposure to the shrinking interest in netbooks as the chief reason why it's now having to reorganize itself. That overhaul is already underway with a new logo and some attractively priced tablets, but it's likely to be a while before Acer gets back to challenging HP for world domination. Update: Gartner has dropped its figures for the first quarter as well, and while it doesn't see Acer losing out quite so badly in the US (minus 24.9 percent year-on-year), it agrees on its worldwide market struggles, placing its decrease in shipments at 12.2 percent.
Nokia experiments with Drop, elegantly shuttles photos and web links to mobiles (video)
Proving not all clever projects need witty names, Nokia introduced an experimental project known as Drop -- and it's likely to make your web browser and Symbian phone the best of friends. Intrepid testers may now push links, pictures, and even apply wallpaper to linked mobile devices, all from the comfort of Firefox or Chrome. While Nokia intends to add more features as development matures, what we're previewing appears decidedly familiar. Symbian^3 and S60 5th Ed. users can get a taste of the clever trickery right now, though considering Nokia's excitement in heralding this innovation late in Symbian's life cycle, we wonder if our friends from Espoo are pondering Drop's future for Windows Phone handsets. Want to join us in the speculation? Take a gander at the video after the break to see what these wide-eyed developers have in store.
Final Fantasy I and II on sale, ESPN app free, Real Racing on sale this weekend
Here's some good news about a few popular apps on the App Store: Square Enix has dropped the price on retro titles Final Fantasy I and II. The games were originally released at US$8.99, but to celebrate more widespread localization, the apps have dropped down to $3.99. Great games, nice price. ESPN's Scorecenter XL app for the iPad has gone completely free. The app provides news and scores from around the sporting world -- it was $4.99, but the network has apparently decided to go free for good. And Firemint is putting its Real Racing title on sale for the iPhone next week -- as of September 30, the app will be available for just $2.99. That's a rare occurrence for them. It's the first time this game has ever gone on sale, probably because the title has been so popular. It offers a quality racing experience, with full Game Center integration. These are all great deals on really popular apps. If you've been waiting to pick one of these up for cheaper than usual, now's your chance.
iPhone 4 drop test yields results (video)
There's been a lot of fuss about the iPhone 4's Gorilla Glass "custom glass" comparable in strength to sapphire crystal but 30 times harder than plastic. Sounds incredible, right? But make no mistake, that front glass panel will still break if dropped. Ok, it took four deliberate attempts to accomplish what you see above but it still happened. Bottom line: like any cellphone, you'll have to worry about more than just scratches. See the destruction after the break.
Microsoft considers a Zune Pass price drop
Zune Pass already felt like a pretty sweet deal for music buffs -- $15 per month for unlimited streaming and 10 DRM-free MP3s -- and now Microsoft might be lowering the subscription price even further. Or so says Senior Product Manager Terry Farrell, who added, "it's a very definitely a challenging business." No indication what that new price might be, but just this past April, RealNetwork dropped Rhapsody's monthly fee from $15 to $10. If it does come to fruition, the new price would surely be a welcome boon to an already-promising Windows Phone 7 launch -- and maybe even Kin. Maybe.
Navigon cuts price of MyRegion version for a limited time
If you were about to buy one of the MyRegions Navigon GPS apps for the iPhone, don't press that 'buy' button just yet. In honor of WWDC, Navigon will make the normally U.S. $29.99 version just $14.99 from June 1 through June 11. That's a big savings on one of the premier nav apps. The MyRegions versions cover the Western, Central and Eastern U.S., so if you are going to buy, make sure you get the correct version. All versions include functions such as Reality View Pro, Google Local Search, Lane Assistant Pro, Enhanced Pedestrian Mode, NAVIGON MyRoutes and much more. Of course you get text to speech, and either a flat or perspective view of your route. All these features are described in detail at the links above for each version. In addition, you can add other regions of the country with an in-app purchase. During the sale, additonal regions are $9.99 instead of the usual $14.99. Buyers can also add Traffic Live services (which will update traffic notices in real-time) for a one-time subscription cost of $19.99. If you buy, note that the entire U.S. will download to your iPhone, which is 1.4GB, so make sure you've got the room. If you go to add a region or two, you'll just unlock the data already installed on your phone.
Final Fantasy XIII sales plunge in Japan
According to unofficial sales numbers from Japan, Final Fantasy XIII has fallen down to number four on the sales list over there, after a very big million-plus release day and a record-breaking first week. But otaku take heart: even though sales of the game dropped over a million units in the second week, this wasn't unexpected. Final Fantasy games always tend to take a dip after the "day one purchase" audience gets their copies. The last iteration of the series took a 1.5 million unit hit in week two. But even with the lower sales, about 200,000 copies were traded for the appropriate cost in yen, which indicates Square Enix is likely still on track to meet or exceed its six million target worldwide. That's a lot of chocobos. %Gallery-41346%[Via Kotaku]
Canon EOS Rebel XT spits in gravity's face, survives 3,000-foot drop?
Picture this: you're a skydive instructor with a makeshift helmet apparatus for taking stills and video of your feats. Suddenly, about 3,000 feet from above the ground, your photography mount decides to take its own flight pattern and sets off without you. That apparently happened to a friend of FredMiranda forum member Calin Leucuta, who calculates the velocity at impact was approximately 100 miles per hour. After a 15- to 20-minute search after landing, the video camera was found to be without saving... but the Canon Rebel XT for still was still functional despite a crack in the body and some jerkiness with the zoom lens. We're still hesitant to take it at face value -- it's a pretty wild and impressive tale, after all -- but video is reportedly on the way and we'd definitely like to see that footage remove all lingering doubt from our minds. More pics of the aftermath past the read link.
Samsung responds to Symbian claims, says it's still supporting it
Contrary to popular belief (and reports from yesterday), it seems that Samsung actually isn't planning to ditch Symbian anytime soon -- or at least it's not prepared to tell the public. Shortly after announcing its own Bada OS, rumors began to fly that Symbian support would fade in the near future; according to a company representative speaking with Mobile Burn, however, that's simply not true. To quote: "Samsung is an initial member of Symbian Foundation and continues to cooperate with Symbian Foundation. At the same time, Samsung supports various existing open operating systems including Symbian, Linux, Android, and Windows Mobile. To provide more choices to meet consumers' many different tastes and preferences, we will continue our 'multi-OS' strategy." 'Course, just because it's "continuing" to support Symbian doesn't mean that the hammer won't fall tomorrow, but at least for now it seems the Big S is safe from seeing one of its own jump ship. Phew.
Samsung dropping Symbian for Bada in 2010, says senior VP
Android is in, Windows Mobile is in (despite rumors to the contrary), and Bada is definitely in for next year, according to Samsung senior vice president Don Joo Lee. Not making the phone manufacturer's cut? Symbian. Digitimes has it from the exec that its new proprietary mobile OS will be taking the place of the Nokia-friendly platform. Hey, all the phones to end a legacy on, the Omnia HD certainly isn't a bad swan song.
