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ASUS PadFone review
It's been a long ride for the PadFone. ASUS' last smartphone was the Android 2.1-powered A10 from two years ago, then five months later the company ended its smartphone partnership with Garmin (though they're still friends). The next thing we knew, the outfit was openly considering Windows Phone, but obviously nothing came to fruition despite its E600 engineering units floating about in the wild. Meanwhile, a bunch of Android Eee Pads started entering the market to get a slice of that hot tablet pie. Eventually, the PadFone shocked the industry at last year's Computex (remember our brilliant mockup based on the teaser pics?), but ASUS went on to miss its Christmas launch target, allowing it extra time to rejig the phone's software and design. Then CES and MWC went by, with the latter hosting the official launch event to unveil the PadFone's final design and availability date. This time, the new April target was missed by only three weeks, and shortly afterwards we got hold of our retail unit from Taiwan, which is still the only place where you can get hold of the product. But enough with the story. What we want to know is whether ASUS' courageous and unique project has all the right ingredients to squeeze itself into a market now dominated by the likes of Apple, Samsung and HTC. Most importantly, will the company set a new trend with this two- or three-in-one form factor -- in the same way it did with netbooks -- thus taking the Android ecosystem to the next level? Let's see.%Gallery-155848% %Gallery-155852%
Xcom Global revolutionizes global data: one MiFi to serve 195 countries
Chances are you'll see a metric ton of new gizmos surfacing at CES next week, and if we're lucky, two or three of them will be bona fide game changers. Lucky for you, Xcom Global is serving one up ahead of the mayhem, with a single WWAN device that enables you to suck down 3G data in nearly every country on the planet. If you'll recall, the outfit's Euro SIM took a giant step in the right direction by providing universal 3G data coverage to jetsetters who passed through some 40 nations in Europe, but true globetrotters need something even more advanced. And frankly, even those who are only hitting three or four nations in a swing will surely appreciate the ability to carry just a single USB stick or MiFi hotspot versus a handful of 'em. Xcom's deeming it the Global Travel Plan, and thanks to its partnership with iPhoneTrip, the outfit is adding support for some 130 nations, bringing the grand total to 195. Better still, users will be able to enjoy unlimited surfing in any of those places, all for just $12.95 per day. For those unaware, Xcom's service -- which we reviewed back in 2010 -- works a bit like this. If you're in the US, you hit its website and select your travel dates as well as the nations you're planning to travel through. If you select the Global Travel Plan, you'll get a single device shipped to you before you depart. It'll serve up data from local 3G networks in the countries you travel through, and once you're home, you pop the device back into a prepaid envelope and carry on. Yeah, you could argue that scrounging up a local SIM in every place you go is more affordable, but the ease of use here can't be overlooked. We'll be giving the new plan a go in some of the world's most far-out locales in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep an eye out for our results. Till then, hit the source link for a PDF of every supported nation as of January 2012.
Lytro's light field camera hits the FCC, drop-dead simple user manual in tow
2011's most outrageously incredible camera just hit the FCC, leaving it a step or two shy of being on retail shelves here in America. The Lytro light field camera (hands-on) -- for those who blinked through late October -- is a rare game-changing device that enables photographers to shift the depth of field after the image has been captured. The downside, of course, is that this functionality is tucked into a pocket-sized toy rather than Canon's incoming EOS 1D-X (or similar), but we're hoping that it's only a matter of time before the company licenses this out to the big boys. The included user guide proves just how simple the $399 device will be to operate, but on the same token, how few options there will be for advanced users. Dig in yourself in the source link below -- looks like that "early 2012" shipping promise might just be kept.
Siri gets lost internationally, promises to do better next year
The iPhone 4S' Siri integration may be a potential game changer, but she's not quite the world traveler some of us would like her to be. In fact, it seems she's as lost outside of US borders as any unprepared tourist. Looking for a pub in London? Better find a traditional map. Need to know the time of day in Canada? Siri admits she has no idea, go buy a watch. Business search (via Yelp), directions, and traffic data search all appear to be US-only features for now, and Wolfram Alpha only works in English-speaking countries. The automated assistant's international failings aren't too big of a surprise, however -- Apple's own Siri page outs the service as a beta, noting that some features may vary by area. Stuck with sub-par international support? Sit tight, it's coming: Apple's Siri FAQ states that additional language support (including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian and Spanish), maps and local search content are set to go international in 2012. Update: Wolfram Alpha works outside the US in English speaking countries, thanks to everyone in the comments for the clarification.
Apple brings Siri voice control to the iPhone 4S
You've heard the rumors, and Apple has now confirmed that it will be bringing Siri voice control to its new iPhone 4S -- and, yes, it will still be called Siri. That will let you use natural language to perform tasks like asking for a weather forecast or getting directions, setting an alarm or making a calendar appointment, and searching Wikipedia or Wolfram Alpha for information (among many other possibilities). Described as a "humble personal assistant," Siri will work in English (including the UK and Australia), French and German for now, and it'll work with all built-in apps and over both 3G and WiFi. It'll also be a beta to start with, and Apple promises that it "gets better" as it learns your voice. Unfortunately for current iPhone owners, however, it looks like Siri will only be available on the iPhone 4S (at least initially). Update: Perhaps not surprisingly, Apple appears to have pulled the existing Siri Assistant app from the App Store. There's also somewhat curiously no mention of Siri at all on Apple's Canadian website, although the Siri app itself was never available in Canada to begin with. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update 2: Already enjoying the fruits of a voice navigated lifestyle with Siri on your iPhone? Don't get used to it, as users are receiving messages like this one indicating it will shut down for the non-iPhone 4S owning plebeians as of October 15th. [Thanks Shawn & Lloyd] %Gallery-135726%
Amazon launches Kindle Touch and Touch 3G: starts at $99, ships November 21st
Oddly enough, the Kindle Fire already feels like yesterday's news. Why? Because Amazon won't stop launching new products. Jeff Bezos just revealed the Kindle Touch ($99 with ads, $139 without) here in New York City, noting that this guy's using an IR touch system, similar to the latest Nook and Kobo, and there's no keyboard (physical, anyway) to speak of. It's slimmer, smaller and lighter than the existing Kindle, with a muted silver chassis that looks almost nothing like the Kindles of today. The entire user interface has been re-thought out, with "taps" being used in place of buttons. Need another reason to buy? We're told that it's using the company's "most advanced" E Ink display yet, and while no specifics were doled out, "extra long" was the term used to describe battery life. A 3G-enabled model ($149 with free global roaming!) will also be available, with the duo up for pre-order later today and shipments going out on November 21st. Unfortunately, the Touch -- like the Fire -- is a US-only product. Keep up with the unveiling at our liveblog of the Amazon event. Update: Orders are live! %Gallery-135063% %Gallery-135076%
Amazon reveals $79 Kindle, ships today!
As if a $199 Kindle Fire wasn't enough, Amazon's also launching a Kindle e-reader that'll dip below triple-digits for the first time. You heard right -- a $79 Kindle (or £89 if you're unfortunate enough to be on that side of the pricing insanity). According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the company's Kindle line will "start" at the aforesaid price as of today, a marked decrease from the $114 being charged for its lowest end unit earlier in the week. If anything, that's a huge blow for Barnes & Noble, and we're surmising that a reactionary drop will be coming soon in the Nook family if it hopes to keep pace. We've also learned that this guy has ads built right in -- not a shocker given the price, but notable for those who aren't keen on buying a device that continually serves up commercials to justify the lower up-front tally. If you're looking to avoid the hassle, the non-ads variant is priced at $109. Keep up with the unveiling at our liveblog of the Amazon event. Update: We've added the first commercial video after the break. Update 2: Orders are live! %Gallery-135075%
Amazon Kindle Fire tablet unveiled: Android-based, 7-inch display, $199 price tag
Okay, so it wasn't much of a surprise, but Amazon finally has a tablet, and as expected its name picks up where the Kindle left off: Fire. Of course, rumors of an Amazon tablet date back to this time last year (if not before), but it seems that Jeff and co. have wisely chosen to get this thing out on the open market before having yet another wild and wacky holiday quarter. Bloomberg has curiously reported on some of the details before the event itself kicks off, noting that the 7-inch device will run a version of Android while acting much like a "souped-up Kindle." The real kicker, however, is the price -- at just $199, it's bound to turn heads, regardless of whether you were interested in a slate before. Naturally, that bargain-bin sticker explains the lack of an embedded camera and microphone, though consumers will find WiFi (no 3G, sadly) and a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. It's also quite clear that Amazon's hoping to make a bigger splash on the content side of things than has been made already by Apple, and with the deals flowing like wine, we wouldn't be shocked if it does just that. Update: Itching for specs? How's about a 7-inch IPS (!) panel, Gorilla Glass coating, a 1GHz TI OMAP dual-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a chassis that weighs 14.6 ounces. There's also access to things you'd expect to have access to: Android Appstore (though no access to Google's Android Market!), Kindle books, magazines, etc. -- all stored for free via Amazon Cloud Storage. Per Jeff: "Delete it and get it back when you want." Oh, and Whispersync now works with movies and TV shows! "When you get home, switch to your big screen TV. Your movie will be right where you left it." While it's clearly Android underneath, the actual UI looks effectively nothing like it -- considering TechCrunch's intel that Amazon went and did its own thing without Google's blessing, we guess that makes some level of sense. Oh, and pre-orders are set to start today (but only for Americans... boo), with shipments heading out on November 15th. Update 2: We've added the first commercial video after the break. Update 3: Check out our hands-on impressions right here! Keep up with the unveiling at our liveblog of the Amazon event. %Gallery-135068% %Gallery-135074%
Clearwire adding 120Mbps 'LTE Advanced-ready' technology to its holdings, restates commitment to WiMAX
Is it really fall? We can't say for certain that this is what Dan Hesse was referring to when he told us face-to-face that something spectacular would be coming our way a bit later in the year, but Clearwire definitely just announced its intent to add "LTE Advanced-ready" technology to its 4G network. In what'll likely go down as the most shocking mobile news this side of the proposed T-Mobile / AT&T merger, America's biggest WiMAX fan has finally caved to the realities of the next-gen wireless war: LTE's winning, and it's picking up all sorts of steam. Verizon Wireless has been building out LTE at a breakneck pace, and soon enough, Ma Bell (and presumably, T-Mob) will be following suit. According to the bizarrely worded release, Clearwire will be leveraging "deep spectrum resources and an all-IP network to meet long-term mobile broadband demands." Translation? An "unmatched LTE network" capable of serving current and future wholesale / retail customers. We're told that the initial LTE rollout will target "high-demand areas of current 4G markets," taking advantage of existing 4G infrastructure in order to reduce expenditures. For those curious about transmission rates, you can look forward to download speeds exceeding 120Mbps (or so it says). In a telling quote, Dr. John Saw, Clearwire's Chief Technology Officer, confesses: "This is the future of mobile broadband. Our extensive trial has clearly shown that our 'LTE Advanced-ready' network design, which leverages our deep spectrum with wide channels, can achieve far greater speeds and capacity than any other network that exists today. Clearwire is the only carrier with the unencumbered spectrum portfolio required to achieve this level of speed and capacity in the United States. In addition, the 2.5GHz spectrum band in which we operate is widely allocated worldwide for 4G deployments, enabling a potentially robust, cost effective and global ecosystem that could serve billions of devices. And, since we currently support millions of customers in the 2.5 GHz band, we know that our LTE network won't present harmful interference issues with GPS or other sensitive spectrum bands." No doubt, that closer there is a direct shot at the dilemmas faced by LightSquared -- a company that Sprint curiously just inked a partnership deal with. It's hard to envision how this unholy love triangle's going to play out, but the company's making it quite clear that its LTE network will be "LTE-Advanced-ready," enabling it to have a leg-up on the laggards here in the States. The dirty little secret in all of this is that Clearwire's still waiting on "additional funding" to fully implement its LTE desires, which involve the use of multicarrier, or multichannel, wideband radios that will be carrier aggregation capable. As you'd likely expect, the company closed with a restatement of its support to the existing WiMAX network, but it's practically a guarantee that you've seen the last expansion effort on that one. In case you've been looking the other way, Clearwire hasn't produced plans for a new WiMAX market in all of 2011. Now you know why.
Google adding Netflix, Hulu support, offline Gmail, Calendar and Docs to Chrome OS this summer, prices hardware at $20 per month
Google's currently in the process of detailing Chrome OS' latest improvements and there are a couple of big 'uns: Netflix and Hulu support will be available right out of the box for the pair of new Chromebooks -- one from Samsung and one from Acer. An improved file manager has also been added to the upcoming version of Chrome OS, plus offline versions of Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs -- all will be made available for Chromebook users this summer. You can learn more about these improvements in the video after the break. Far more monumental, Google's also just announced the cost of these Chromebooks and there's no upfront payment to speak of. Instead, Chrome OS laptops will be distributed on the basis of a recurring monthly subscription, which will cost $28 per user for businesses and $20 per user for schools. That includes regular software and hardware upgrades. Hardware as a service, folks! %Gallery-123369%
NVIDIA announces Project Denver ARM CPU for the desktop
A "full custom processor," designed by NVIDIA in partnership with ARM. World's first ARM processor targeted at high performance computing. NVIDIA really sprung this Project Denver as a major surprise at the end of its CES press conference here. This chip is "in development" and seems intent to conquer the desktop and laptop scene that is currently wholly owned by the x86 duo of AMD and Intel. It's true folks, NVIDIA's building a CPU! Madness! It's hard to properly express the gravity of a move like. ARM processors, as Jen-Hsun Huang just pointed out, are becoming the most ubiquitous around the world because of their great success on the mobile front. Taking them into the fortress of high performance computing is a daring decision, but if anyone has the requisite technical knowhow and OEM relationships to hit that ball out of the park, it's NVIDIA. For its part, Jen-Hsun's company is taking its antagonism with Intel to the next logical stage, finally announcing that it'll leap out of the GPU market and into the shark waters of CPU manufacturing. And oh yes, Microsoft just announced ARM compatibility for the next version of Windows. The future just got a lot more exciting. Update: The press release (available after the break) informs us that Project Denver will integrate graphics processing with straight computational skills in a fully integrated CPU / GPU hybrid package -- much like AMD's Fusion hardware -- and we've got a highly informative blog post from NVIDIA's Chief Scientist Bill Dally for you at the link below.
Marvell unveils 1.5GHz triple-core application processor, all current smartphones look on in envy
Marvell's decided to whip out the "game changer" tag for its latest slice of silicon, but when you read the spec sheet that accompanies it, you might be willing to forgive it. Just this once. The new Armada 628 application processor delivers three cores, two of which crank along at 1.5GHz, and enough graphical prowess to churn 200 million triangles a second. You might remember we were once impressed by the Hummingbird's 90 million -- yeah, not so much anymore. The 628 is capable of 1080p 3D video and graphics (meaning it can sustain two simultaneous 1080p streams, one for each eye) and pledges to have an "ultra" low power profile: more than 10 hours of 1080p video or 140 hours of music playback are on offer. If that's not enough, it's also the first mobile SOC to include USB 3.0 support, adding yet another speed crown to its bulging resume. Now if it can also be SuperSpeedy in coming to market, that'd be just swell.
Exclusive: Sony Ericsson to introduce Android 3.0 gaming platform and PSP Go-like smartphone
There's no question that gaming on the Android platform has heretofore been relatively underwhelming, but that looks like it's all about to change. It seems that Sony Ericsson -- a company that has yet to even introduce an Android 2.0 device -- is at work on a project to redefine gaming on Google's mobile platform. We now know (via a trusted source) that the company is actively and heavily developing a brand new gaming platform, ecosystem, and device (possibly alongside Google) which are already in the late stages of planning. And we've got the goods on it.
Sony issues NEX-VG10: first interchangeable lens HD Handycam camcorder
What a way to celebrate 25 years of the Handycam brand, right? Out of absolutely (almost) nowhere, Sony has just upended the entire prosumer camcorder universe, and it may very well sway you from purchasing that Canon EOS 7D for video purposes. For all intents and purposes, this is Micro Four Thirds for your camcorder, but since Olympus and Panasonic own that specific technology, Sony's left calling the NEX-VG10 an "interchangeable lens HD camcorder." Moreover, it's the first Handycam to sport an Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor (the same one found in the NEX-5 and NEX-3), and it'll shoot 1080p (1,920 x 1,080/60i at 24Mbps, if we're being precise) with a wealth of E-mount and A-mount lenses. When not handling live action, it's also capable of snapping stills at 14.2 megapixels, and the 18-200mm lens that's bundled with it is about as versatile as they come. Budding videographers will also appreciate the Quad Capsule Spatial Array Stereo Microphone (yes, seriously), not to mention the 3-inch swivel display, Optical Steadyshot image stabilization, BIONZ processor and twin accessory shoes. There's no internal storage to speak of, but it will accept SDHC / SDXC (huzzah!) in addition to MS Pro Duo. Get ready to get wowed this September when it lands for around $2,000. %Gallery-97452%
Verizon to allow unlimited Skype calling over 3G starting next month
We may be way off base here, but we're pretty sure the game just got upended. Days after AT&T appeased the masses by finally enabling 3G streaming over the iPhone's SlingPlayer app, Verizon Wireless has delivered some big gargantuan news of its own. Starting next month, all Verizon Wireless customers with smartphones (and an accompanying data plan) will be able to make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any user in the world over its 3G network, which is something that AT&T users have been able to do since last autumn. Let us repeat that: VZW, which is known historically as one of the most controlling carriers in this great nation, is opening up its 3G network for limitless Skype calling. The forthcoming Skype Mobile application will also support Skype Out calling, instant messaging between Skype users and an ability to "remain always connected... to see friends' online presence." Nine smartphones will be compatible at launch (the full list is after the break), and we're guessing that more will be added in due time. Giddy yet?
Game Changers: Teach kids with LittleBigPlanet, earn $50K
A super team of foundations has assembled with one goal in mind: Giving you fat stacks of loot. OK, it's not entirely about that, but you could win $50,000, just from creating levels in LittleBigPlanet. Basically, Sony (in cooperation with the MacArthur Foundation, the ESA and the good ole US of A) is holding the "Game Changers" competition, a contest that charges players with creating levels that teach America's youth about science, technology, engineering and math -- you know, the STEM initiative. Basically: Edu-gaming. Now, before you start having flashbacks of horrible dance routines and long division space battles, know you're on the clock right now! The official submission page will start accepting applicants' levels on January 15, so you better start coming up with ideas. For more info, hit up the "Game Changer" page here and best of luck! [Via PlayStation Blog]
New iPhone Ad: Game Changer
Apple released a new iPhone ad last night, and I know of at least one person that will like this one. They're continuing to show off the App Store, and just like last time, they are featuring an individual application. The MLB (At Bat) application is the lucky player for this edition. The narrator says, "It can be a score checker, a live pitch updater, or video highlight player. But any way you cut it, it's officially a game changer."The new commercial is called "Game Changer" and can be viewed from the iPhone ads website.Thanks to Jack and others for the tip!
