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RIM: BlackBerry PlayBook battery life is still being optimized, won't cause delays
If you've been keeping an ear to the techie ground, you'll probably have heard some analyst chatter suggesting RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook may be delayed due to issues relating to its supposedly poor battery life. That scuttlebutt has now turned out to be mostly unfounded, with RIM clarifying the situation through a communiqué sent to Erictric: "Any testing or observation of battery life to date by anyone outside of RIM would have been performed using pre-beta units that were built without power management implemented. RIM is on track with its schedule to optimize the BlackBerry PlayBook's battery life and looks forward to providing customers with a professional grade tablet that offers superior performance with comparable battery life." To be sure, it's not an outright denial that there may be PlayBooks floating about with disappointing battery performance, but the immaturity of the software on them is clearly such as to invalidate any conclusions drawn. Perhaps more important than the imprecise discussion of battery longevity (what does "comparable" even mean in this context?) is the note that the company is still on track to complete its software optimizations and deliver its first tablet on schedule. Guess we can all quit worrying now.
HTC responds to HD7 death grip reports, says some signal drop is 'inevitable'
Oh boy. We'd actually passed over reports that the HTC HD7 suffers from a "death grip" issue this past week, since we think it's been well-proven that you can get almost any phone to drop some signal if you hold it exactly right, but apparently the furor's gotten loud enough to merit an official HTC response. Here's the statement, sent to Computer Weekly: Quality in industrial design is of key importance to HTC. To ensure the best possible signal strength, antennas are placed in the area least likely to be covered by a person's face or hands while the phone is in use. However, it is inevitable that a phone's signal strength will weaken a little when covered in its entirety by a user's palm or fingers. We test all of our phones extensively and are confident that under normal circumstances reception strength and performance will be more than sufficient for the operation of the phone when network coverage is also adequate. Yes, that sounds almost exactly like what Apple said during its iPhone 4 Antennagate press conference, but that makes sense -- we wouldn't honestly expect HTC to say anything else, even though John Gruber points out that the company told the Wall Street Journal that Apple's reception problems were "certainly not common" in July. But we do find it extremely interesting that the HD7 is clearly based on the HTC HD2, a handset which came out over a year ago and suffered from reports of similar reception issues. (In fact, a post at xda-developers in June noted that the HD2 has the same death grip issue as the iPhone 4.) Whatever the case, much of the problem seems to stem from the fact that the HD2 / HD7 antenna is located at the bottom of the phone where it's most likely to be covered by a user's hand, so it looks like the ultimate answer for HD7 owners is a familiar one: you're holding it wrong. Video after the break.
Apple responds on missing Flash in new MacBook Airs, says get used to it
The other day, we reported on the fact that those tiny new MacBook Airs are shipping without a pre-installed version of Flash. Based on Apple's recent, vocal anti-Flash opinions, we took it as a sign that the company was putting even more distance between itself and Adobe, but according to a statement we've just received, that might not be the case. Apple spokesman Bill Evans just pinged us with the official word on the situation, claiming that it has more to do with making sure users have the most recent version of the software and less to do with politics. Here's the word from Apple: We're happy to continue to support Flash on the Mac, and the best way for users to always have the most up to date and secure version is to download it directly from Adobe. Interestingly, he also notes that this will be happening across all Macs in the future, though there may be some models still in the channel with Flash pre-installed. Obviously this makes some sense, but it's hard not to see it as a dig against Adobe -- there must be other solutions for ensuring users are up to date (like, oh, putting the plugin into your auto-updater). Also, it would be nice if those "missing plug-in" messages actually worked as links to the Adobe install page (because they don't, at least in Safari). Hey -- at least we know it wasn't a fluke!
En Masse's response to microtransaction speculation: TERA is not a microtransaction game
In one of our recent TERA articles, we speculated that TERA may be going towards a microtransaction/subscription model thanks to the wording in a press release sent out by Digital River, TERA's online shop service. However, senior producer Brian Knox has sent us a statement that sets the facts straight: TERA is not a microtransaction game. "After a press release by Digital River announcing our e-commerce partnership a few players expressed concerns that TERA would be a micro-transaction game in addition to requiring a subscription fee; that is not the case," said Knox. "TERA is not a micro-transaction or cash-shop item game. The game is built and designed to function as a subscription-based game. We would have to make dramatic changes to the game's design to support micro-transactions and there is no intention of doing so."
Samsung joins the crowd, rejects Apple's Omnia 2 antenna claims
RIM and Nokia aren't the only ones saying "WTF Steve!?" after last Friday's press conference attempted to draw the competition into the Antennagate saga. Samsung has issued its own choice reaction about supposed problems with the Omnia 2, though this one is somewhat less sternly worded than the others: The antenna is located at the bottom of the Omnia 2 phone, while iPhone's antenna is on the lower left side of the device. Our design keeps the distance between a hand and an antenna. We have fully conducted field tests before the rollout of smartphones. Reception problems have not happened so far, and there is no room for such problems to happen in the future. Why is Samsung being rather more polite? Because it's full of really nice people? Or, is it because the iPhone 4 is stuffed with Samsung memory chips? We'll let your level of cynicism be your guide here.
Apple responds on iTunes fraud, vaguely confirms said fraud (update)
Over the weekend we saw reports of what appeared to be fraud occurring in the iTunes system -- namely, a rogue developer had somehow managed to snag 42 of the top 50 sales positions in the App Store's "book" category with seemingly bogus content. It looked as if there was some correlation between those suspicious sales and word of an increase in iTunes account fraud, but Apple had been mum on the subject over the holiday weekend. We've finally gotten a response from the company, and the folks in Cupertino say that the developer in question -- a gentleman named Thuat Nguyen -- has been chucked out of the Store altogether. Additionally, while they don't explicitly say fraud occurred, they suggest you check with your bank and kill your card if any of your info was stolen... which seems to suggest that something funky happened to some users. Here it is from the horse's mouth: The developer Thuat Nguyen and his apps were removed from the App Store for violating the developer Program License Agreement, including fraudulent purchase patterns. Developers do not receive any iTunes confidential customer data when an app is downloaded. If your credit card or iTunes password is stolen and used on iTunes we recommend that you contact your financial institution and inquire about canceling the card and issuing a chargeback for any unauthorized transactions. We also recommend that you change your iTunes account password immediately. For more information on best practices for password security visit http://www.apple.com/support/itunes. So it looks like even the walled garden isn't impervious to attacks -- here's hoping the problems were limited to a small group of people. Have any of you guys noticed strange charges on your account? Double check it right now! Update: Apple pinged our old buddy Clayton Morris with the damage report and claims it's fairly low -- roughly 400 iTunes users were hit, all told. While that's a pretty small percentage of the reported 150 million Apple serves daily, the company said new security measures are in place anyhow: according to Morris, iTunes will ask for the verification code on the back of your credit card "a little more often" from now on.
Chinese World of Warcraft project chief resigns
Just when it seemed that NetEase had finally gotten things under control to operate World of Warcraft in China, it's hit another potential road bump. The company released an official statement to Chinese press announcing the resignation of project chief Li Riqiang, according to JLM Pacific Epoch, a research firm that focuses on China. The statement did not give a specific explanation for Riqian's departure nor did it name a possible replacement to fill the seemingly important vacancy. Since taking over World of Warcraft operations in China from The9, NetEase has faced a series of difficulties. It seemed like the company had finally gotten back on track, however, as NetEase was recently approved to run World of Warcraft and the Burning Crusade expansion. It's as yet unclear how Li's absence might sour that good fortune. [Via GI.biz]
Nintendo to Greenpeace: We do care about the environment
Greenpeace harshed on Nintendo's eco-coolness last week, and this week the House that Miyamoto Built is firing back. It's released a statement to Gamasutra saying that it takes environmental responsibilities seriously, and that the company is committed to saving energy, making both of its consoles energy efficient and using carefully picked and clearly-labeled materials in an effort to make post-usage recycling easy. To be fair to Nintendo, most of Greenpeace's argument against it was that the company didn't share information about what it did for the environment, and let's be honest here: Nintendo's not really one for sharing. While Nintendo did get blamed for increasing its CO2 emissions, most of Greenpeace's other complaints (as you can see in the PDF) were not actually about mistakes Nintendo was making, but its failure to share information or release reports about its operations. We can't really blame Nintendo for that -- on at least a few of its points, it seems Greenpeace's methodology was more responsible for the big N's bottom-of-the-barrel listing. [Via GoNintendo]
Palm says no webOS SDK till end of Summer
So, you want to be a webOS developer, huh? That's great kid, we're excited for you, but there's a catch: Palm won't be handing out an actual SDK to most people until the end of Summer. In a post just published on the Palm Developer Network Blog, reps from the company say that although they've been cranking away on getting their full SDK in shipshape (the version given out to current devs is apparently pretty rough), they won't have anything for a broader audience anytime soon. In their words:With the Pre now in customers' hands and reports of webOS hacks in the news, we know that you are more anxious than ever to get access to the SDK and start developing for webOS.We've been working very hard on the SDK and are eager to open access on a wider scale, but the software and the developer services to support it just aren't ready yet.This should come as a bit of a blow to developers hoping to get cracking on Pre software, and will unquestionably turn those who can't bear the wait towards the fully stocked iPhone or Android platforms. However, Palm does say that they'll be opening the program up a bit wider, stating in the post that they plan to crank the number of devs with the early SDK in their hands up from "hundreds to thousands" over the next few weeks. Apparently, that's part of process the company is beginning to ration out access, building to a full release.Another bit of puzzling wordsmithing in this post comes in the form of the company's stance on homebrew and DIY "experiments" (their words) which have come to light in the past couple of weeks. So says Palm:As on any popular platform, we recognize that some developers will experiment in ways that cross official boundaries, but we believe that our formal offerings – and community efforts built around those offerings – will provide the best experience for the vast majority of webOS developers and users.So while it's not exactly a keep-off-the-grass statement, it certainly reads vaguely as to whether or not the company will lock out jailbreakers hoping to dive deeper into webOS. Further confusing the matter? Palm has just released the Linux source code used to compile the Pre's firmware, making the possibility of cooked / custom ROMs a very serious reality, and obviously opening the floor to a lot of said experimentation. Mixed messages? Yes. Our word to Palm right now? Put every effort into getting that SDK out, or you're at risk of quickly burning through all the good will you've just engendered.Update: We've added some info above which reflects Palm's statement that it will be considerably widening its pool of developers over the next few weeks with access to the early SDK.Read - An update on the early access program and the SDKRead - Open source packages
mCubed's RipNAS Statement now available in Europe
mCubed's RipNAS Statement may be unique, but it isn't apt to be widely adopted -- at least not with price points like this. Hailed as the first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device, the product is also available in a traditional HDD form, though both handle automatic ripping, NAS duties and media streaming. Within, you'll find a dual-core Atom CPU, gigabit Ethernet, a TEAC DVD drive, four USB 2.0 sockets and a fanless design. The pain? €1,795 ($2,500) for the 3TB HDD version, or €3,295 ($4,590) for the 500GB SSD model. If you're unfazed by sticker shock, you can pick yours up right now over in Europe.
RipNAS Statement: world's first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device
We'll be perfectly honest with you -- the Atom-powered RipNAS definitely caught our interest when it launched with practically no major competitors back in February. Now, the RipNAS family has grown by two with the introduction of the Statement SSD and Statement HDD. We're told that the former is the world's first SSD-based CD ripping NAS device, and we've absolutely no reason to believe otherwise. The totally silent, all-silver box is based on the Windows Home Server OS and handles a cornucopia of tasks: CD ripping, media streaming and networked file storage. Internal specifications include a dual-core Atom CPU, 2GB of RAM and four USB 2.0 ports. The Statement SSD arrives in a 500GB configuration (2 x 250GB SSDs), while the Statement HDD holds 3TB by way of two 1.5TB drives; mum's the word on pricing, but don't bank on 'em being cheap.
Sony lays down some LittleBigPlanet laws
SCEE has released a statement via glorified press release site, ThreeSpeech, regarding LittleBigPlanet and its level moderation system. After opening with a massive "thank you!" to the community, who have so far racked up 84,000 uploaded levels and an enormous 27 million level play-throughs, SCEE outlines a couple of rules regarding uploaded content. The statement reiterates that only 0.5% of levels have actually been moderated and while they are looking to improve moderation feedback in the future you can avoid the whole messy business by following these guidelines. Firstly, make sure your level is appropriate for all ages, as LBP is a family game at heart. Secondly, don't take liberties with other peoples' intellectual properties. That means "images, brands or logos" that you're not entitled to use. We're not sure whether that still counts for brands which already exist in the game (for example, if there's a Sephiroth costume available in game, surely his likeness is also usable in levels?), but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Stargate Worlds studio faces cash flow issues
Get ready for some dubious corporate drama. We were contacted by a tipster claiming to be a Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment employee. He or she alleged, among other things, that CME/Firesky is in critical financial condition -- that it has accrued a large debt, that massive layoffs are planned, and that the future of Stargate Worlds might be in jeopardy. Knowing full well that potentially-scorned anonymous employees are rarely a wholly reliable source, we contacted the company and provided them an opportunity to comment.We were told that the tip was full of inaccuracies and overstatements. The official comment was this: "Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment is a start up, and like many start ups, we face the typical cash flow issues that all pre-revenue companies face. CME continues to fund its operations in the same way it has done for three years and the viability of the Stargate Worlds project is not in question. We fully expect to complete and ship Stargate Worlds in 2009."
Sony comments on leaked PSN release list
We always try to tread carefully when too-good-to-be-true game release schedules, like the recently leaked PSN list, start to appear on the internet. On the one hand, we want to get you this potentially juicy information as quickly as possible. On the other hand, these leaks are often based on sketchy information that can end up being highly variable and misleading to the average reader.Sure enough, that's basically what Sony said by way of addressing the leaked list. In a statement reprinted by Eurogamer, the company teasingly tells us that listed content like "Ratchet: Quest for Booty" and "Dark Mist" "may be working titles or placeholders subject to later confirmation." Similarly, dates for everything from Super Stardust DLC to Home are officially "not confirmed until issued as part of a press release or formal announcement." So, to summarize, while the list itself is probably authentic, the information contained within it should be considered "subject to change" at best.
Comcast's CFO claims that "not every HD channel deserves to be in HD"
Although Comcast has been fairly headstrong about updating its HD offerings of late, the firm's Chief Financial Officer was caught making some fairly interesting remarks during a discussion at the annual Bear Stearns Media Conference in Florida. First off, the exec deemed Comcast's HD service "great," but did acknowledge that DirecTV did a "better job" of marketing its HD capabilities. Additionally, he proclaimed that even though the carrier is capable of tossing in upwards of 150 high-def channels (trimming down, are we?) into its lineup, "not every HD channel deserves to be in HD, and there are lots of HD channels that aren't watched very much." Yeah, we're curious to know the context of said statement, but still, we can't think of a single network -- boring or not -- that wouldn't at least look better if aired in high-definition.
Yahoo! officially spurns Microsoft's advances
Just in case you misunderstood the news from Yahoo!, they don't want Microsoft's money, help, time, or friendship. Officially. In a somewhat related story, Jerry Yang says he's also not interested in a week-long round of brunching with Steve Ballmer. No word yet on whether he's game for a dinner date and coffee with Sergey Brin.
ESRB issues statement about Manhunt 2 hacks and controversy
OK, we're just going to come out and say we're getting a whole seven-year itch from all this Manhunt 2 controversy and coverage. We're bored by it. It's a mediocre game and in no way brings the concept of a thrill kill to the Wii. Back in the day when the whole AO rating affair was going on it was sexy, with issues about retail sales keeping things interesting. Now, it just feels like we're being subjected to lame talking heads trying to grab the microphone.The ESRB recently held an investigation regarding Manhunt 2 and the hack that makes the censored material available -- we've placed the corresponding release and Q&A after the break. ESRB president Patricia Vance makes it clear that unauthorized hacking of the code does not constitute a need to reissue the rating, and that parents should be vigilant of what their kids are downloading from the internet in order to modify or remove "controls the industry has so diligently put in place for their own protection." Vance better watch her back, parents don't like being told to do their job -- that's how wars with Canada get started.
Apple "not going to enter a public debate with Fred Anderson"
In a remarkably candid and defensive statement issued today by key members of Apple's board of directors (including Eric Schmidt and Al Gore -- heard of 'em?), apparently, "We are not going to enter into a public debate with Fred Anderson or his lawyer." It goes on to say:"Steve Jobs cooperated fully with Apple's independent investigation and with the government's investigation of stock option grants at Apple. The SEC investigated the matter thoroughly and its complaint speaks for itself, in terms of what it says, what it does not say, who it charges, and who it does not charge. We have complete confidence in the conclusions of Apple's independent investigation, and in Steve's integrity and his ability to lead Apple."Kind of sounds like Steve just wrote it on his iPhone and sent it on over, right? Anywho, no real updates from the SEC since yesterday's allegations that Steve was behind the whole backdating scandal, but it looks like Cupertino Co. are getting off without sanctions and Jobs still lies in legal limbo for the time being, despite Apple's wholehearted support of their Jobs-in-Chief.
Sony Europe sez PS3 still coming in March, not April
Sony execs have been known to say a few less-than-recommended phrases in the past, and while usually it's all fun and games poking fun of their blunders, things get serious when the giant starts talking delays. In a recent interview with CNET, Sony's latest CEO -- Sir Howard Stringer -- somehow got his wires crossed up and proclaimed that "the European launch [of the PS3] would be in April," and that this momentous occasion "is very important to us." As expected, more than a few minor uproars ensued, but apparently March is the new April, as a SCEE spokesperson has now stated that the official PlayStation 3 European launch is "still on track for March, despite suggestions from the CEO proclaiming otherwise." Of course, no actual day in March has been officially selected, but that number could come as early as next week, and if Mr. Stringer is to be the one delivering the news, please, somebody get the man a cue card.
