T-Mobile Springboard hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)

By Brad Molen posted Oct 11th 2011 10:13PM CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011 has blessed us with a 7-inch tablet by the name of the T-Mobile Springboard. Similar in look and feel to the HTC Flyer, this Huawei-made slate is just as easy to hold, though it's completely sans a fancy pen. The device has a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, runs on the latest version of Honeycomb (Android 3.2), and offers a 5MP rear camera with a 1.3MP front-facing shooter. We couldn't get any confirmation on pricing or availability, aside from being told to expect the Springboard sometime during the holiday season. That may not narrow the timeframe down as much as we'd like, but at least you know it's an idea for that holiday wish list you've been trying to put together. Head below for a full smorgasbord of pictures and a hands-on video.

France's eviGroup SmartPaddle surrenders to lower prices

By Daniel Cooper posted Oct 11th 2011 9:19PM You may remember eviGroup's range of SmartPaddle Windows 7 tablets, the latest arriving back in March with the heavy-duty price of $1,800. Now it's produced a budget-model and rechristened the hefty original as the SmartPaddle Pro. The new SmartPaddle (keep up) has a 10.2-inch 1024 x 600 capacitive multitouch screen, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 2GB RAM, 32GB SSD and a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 that runs Windows 7. Battery life is rated for five hours and the only build-to-order option you have is to squeeze a 120GB HDD in there too -- but they don't recommend you do. The company has stopped talking up its webcam-based gesture controls (probably for the best) and has made the old-school move of including a physical scroll-wheel along one side of the device. It's available to order now, at the comparably barganacious price of €660 ($900).

[Thanks, Nicolas]

The Engadget Show returns Friday, October 21st -- win a ticket to the taping!

Are you ready for this? We're dropping another Engadget Show on your head next Friday, October 21st! This time out, we'll be celebrating Halloween early, with a costume contest, a trip to New York Comic Con and all manner of additional surprises.

The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint and will take place in our intimate NYC studio, so if you want to get in, you'll need to win a ticket in advance. If you are joining us in studio, make sure to come in costume if you want to be eligible to win some awesome giveaways, including a very special $900 complete costume package provided by HalloweenCostumes.com. But don't worry, if you can't get there in person we'll have a download up soon after taping.

Sprint is also offering 60 guaranteed tickets to The Engadget Show taping to the first 60 entrants who text "ENGADGET" to 467467 or enter online! Standard text messaging rates apply. Click for the Official Rules and see how to enter online.

If you live outside of the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT), you can enter online for a chance to win a trip for two to New York City to attend The Engadget Show. Standard text messaging rates apply. Click here to enter.

Here are the details if you win a ticket:
The event is all ages.We'll open doors and begin seating at 5:15pm on October 21st, and the taping begins at 6:00PM. We'll be closing the doors at 5:50PM.Winners must pick confirm and print tickets 24 hours before taping begins or risk forfeiting their seat.Please bring a photo ID with you to the taping.The show length is around an hour.If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
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AMD FX processor brings eight cores to battle, we go eyes-on (video)

AMD fans have endured a long wait for this, while being reduced to spectators as Intel spews out an ever-increasing horde of Sandy Bridge variants and builds up the hype around its next-gen Ivy Bridge architecture. But the new FX series of processors is finally here and will be available to buy in the next few days, with the top-end FX-8150 priced at $245 in exchange for eight cores, a 3.6GHz base clock speed and easy over-clocking to 4.8GHz using the packaged Overdrive software. Your AM3+ motherboard is crying out for the upgrade, but don't succumb until you've clicked past the break -- we've got details of the full range and pricing, our initial impressions and an eyes-on video that includes a detailed chat with the guys from AMD.
Firstly, let's take a look at the full range of FX variants. Only the eight- and six-core models will be available straightaway, with the four-core options coming at some undisclosed point in the future.
Now obviously we're just talking about paper specs at this point, and these gloss over some key concerns. In particular, having eight cores might not be much of an advantage in most real-world tasks -- at least not until games and other software starts to adapt to the new architecture. Then there's also the fact that the Bulldozer cores are clumped into pairs which share certain resources -- so they're not entirely independent like traditional cores are, and they might not scale up processing speeds in the way adding traditional cores would.
Nevertheless, when you factor in the bang-back ratio, the FX range does look impressive. The FX-8150 undercuts the Core i7-2600 by a good $55, while AMD's own benchmarks suggest it delivers roughly equivalent performance -- at least in certain multithreaded tasks.
It's interesting that the two rivals are so neck-and-neck, despite the fact that the FX-8150 has twice as many cores, 200MHz extra base clock speed and a 100-400MHz faster turbo mode (depending on how many cores are utilized). It just serves to reiterate our cautionary note that broad-brush specs don't necessarily translate into real-world performance in the way you might expect.
Above you'll see the suggested US retail prices for the three different processor variants that will be available at launch. PC builders on a budget can opt for the FX-8120, which looks designed to tackle the Core i5-2500 (currently around $210), or the six-core FX-6100 at $175, which could also prove to be a sensible middle-ground depending on your needs. Ultimately, our PC upgrade dilemmas have just became a whole lot more complicated, and we love it.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Plus WiFi approved by FCC

By Daniel Cooper posted Oct 11th 2011 2:17PM Yesterday we brought you news of pre-orders, and today we can confirm that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus has passed the exhaustive scrutinizing that the FCC does so well. The version that had its insides prodded with multimeters and suchlike was the 16GB WiFi model, with no talk of any other mobile wireless capability. Still, whilst it may not be able to roam around the country without a MiFi, you know that when it's emerged from the testing bunker, it won't be long before it's available in stores.

iCloud opens to the masses, iOS 5 lurks near

By Richard Lawler posted Oct 12th 2011 2:29AM Desktop or mobile access to Apple's iCloud will still require the absolute latest versions of OS X Lion and iOS 5 that haven't been officially released just yet, but you can get into the website right now. Line jumpers may have noticed the site opened up to all a few hours ago, and now the design has changed, dropping the beta tag for this more inviting storefront. Hit the source link below to check it out for yourself (we've got the full breakdown here), but have your Apple ID and password handy.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

BT Openreach launching 300Mbps broadband in the UK - high in fibre, low in fat

BT Press Releases
Print This Page

DC11-234 October 5, 2011
Openreach to transform broadband speeds

FTTP commercially launched with initial speeds of up to 110Mbps
300Mbps speeds to be available over FTTP from Spring 2012
FTTC speeds to roughly double in 2012 following bandplan approval

Openreach today announced three significant developments that will provide a major boost to Broadband Britain. As well as launching its up to 110Mbps Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) service, Openreach revealed it will use this technology to deliver downstream speeds of up to 300Mbps from next Spring. These speeds are three times faster than those offered by other major networks and they will be available on a wholesale basis supporting a competitive retail market.

The business also revealed a third boost for broadband speeds by saying it now has approval from the relevant authorities to roughly double the speeds delivered by Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) broadband. This development will see FTTC downstream speeds roughly double from up to 40Mbps to up to 80Mbps.

These developments will transform the broadband speeds that are available across the UK. BT is investing £2.5 billion to make fibre broadband available to two thirds of UK premises by the end of 2015. More than five million premises already have access and tens of thousands are gaining access every week.

Speaking today, Openreach chief executive Liv Garfield said: "Today is a significant step in the UK's broadband journey. These developments will transform broadband speeds across the country and propel the UK up the broadband league tables."

Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: "These are significant announcements and good news for the UK. High-speed broadband is essential for economic growth, which is why we want the UK to have the best superfast broadband in Europe by 2015.

"Improving the UK's broadband infrastructure will help our high-tech, digital industries grow. It will ensure the UK is an attractive place to start-up and base the businesses of tomorrow."

Garfield added: "All our fibre products are fit for the future and these developments show that to be the case. As always, we want to go further and faster and so our journey doesn't end here. We can turn up the dial should there be demand and so we can look to the future with confidence.

"No-one is keener than us to extend these super-fast speeds to rural areas and so we will be bidding for public funds to help extend these services even further. The challenge is a tough one but by working with the public sector it is within our reach."

Openreach has this week launched its Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) service on a commercial basis. FTTP is where fibre is deployed all the way from a BT exchange directly into a customer's premises. It is the most technically advanced broadband as it is the only one that is solely based on optical fibre.

The service, which becomes available in six locations 1 from late October before wider deployment, is open to all Communications Providers (CPs) to use on an equivalent and wholesale basis allowing them to market the service to end users.

It is initially available to CPs in various speed combinations with downstream speeds reaching 110Mbps and upstream speeds reaching 30Mbps. The fastest speed combinations being made available this month are 110/15 and 100/30 but speeds of up to 300Mbps will be available from next Spring. The technology is capable of delivering even more dramatic speeds of up to 1Gbps and these are currently being trialled by BT in Kesgrave, Suffolk.

The launch of FTTP builds on Openreach's rapid deployment of FTTC broadband. This latter service - where fibre is deployed from the BT exchange to the cabinet and copper is then used for the final connection to the premises - is already available to more than five million homes and businesses. The recent approval from the network frequency authorities means that Openreach now has permission to roughly double the speeds delivered over the service at some stage in 2012.

Ends

Android on HP TouchPad: yes, there's an app for that (video)

TouchPad firesale hysteria may have finally died down, but those of you with newly acquired HP slates should pay attention. A poster by the name of Chomper has uploaded a walkthrough of Android running atop webOS. Yes, you may have seen that particular feat before, but this time 'round the appropriated Google OS gets the emulated treatment. The mobile platform, installed via an .ipk, is accessible as an app and appears to run somewhat smoothly, although certain tics become noticeable when switching between homescreens or attempting to playback YouTube video. Audio and multi-touch have both yet to be successfully implemented in this rogue use of Android, and there's also a pesky power off issue that requires a hard reset of the system. Still, it's good to see the dev community doing what it does best, and inching us ever closer to a Rubin afterlife on HP's deceased tab. Skip past the break for a silent video tour.

Android Gingerbread has growth spurt, grabs 38.2 percent device share

By Mat Smith posted Oct 5th 2011 8:56AM

Gingerbread has apparently made a substantial mark on Android users, with new figures showing it holds a 38.2 percent share of all Google OS-powered devices. That's some kind of growth from the one percent sliver it held earlier this year. Froyo still remains dominant at 45.3 percent, but fragmentation continues to shrink, with 95.7 percent of all Google-coated devices now running Android 2.1 or above. These figures, taken from Android Market statistics over the last two weeks, give a pretty good illustration of the gulf between Android smartphone and tablets, as well, with Honeycomb versions accounting for a meager 1.8 percent. But the tablet version will likely get a boost from Ice Cream Sandwich -- which, as we all know, is just around the corner.

Poll: Will you be getting an iPhone 4S?

Needless to say, opinions of Cupertino's latest product have poured down on the internet like acid rain. Tim Cook's inaugural turn behind the wheel came with the awesome responsibility of unveiling the iPhone 4S, Apple's first addition to the iPhone family tree in 16 months. The good news: the 4S received a healthy upgrade in CPU and camera, threw in Siri voice recognition and added Sprint to its growing list of supporters in the US. The unsettling news (for many, anyways): it's basically an iPhone 4 with new internal parts -- there was no change in design or screen size, no LTE to flaunt, no iPhone 5 to accompany it. Naturally, expectations were incredibly high prior to the keynote, so we're anxious to find out how you feel about the outcome. Do you feel the design is still current? Are you relieved to see it available on Sprint? Were you hoping for a larger Retina Display? Rise up to the occasion and let us know -- is the iPhone 4S going to be your next handset purchase? Sound off after the break.

BBM caught cheating with Android, CrackBerry epidemic to spread?

By Joseph Volpe posted Oct 5th 2011 5:38PM

RIM's killer BlackBerry feature has always been BBM. So, you'll have to excuse us if we give some side-eye to these leaked shots of the private messaging service two-timing its Canadian maker. The pics over on TechnoBuffalo, supposedly obtained by a RIM employee, show off the BBM for Android app in question running on a crude developer phone. Not much can be glimpsed from the set aside from the application's icon and account interface. It could all be a slick hoax, or maybe the Waterloo-based co. really does plan to release its prized service into greener Android pastures. We'll let you know for sure when we hit up DevCon later this month.

Dell announces Inspiron One 2320 touchscreen all-in-one

By Dana Wollman posted Oct 5th 2011 9:23AM Over the past few weeks, we've seen HP and Toshiba freshen up their all-in-ones, while Samsung made a belated jump into the market just last week. Today, it's Dell's turn -- the company just announced an addition to its all-in-one lineup, the 23-inch Inspiron One 2320. Funnily enough, the new design reminds us somewhat of the PCs HP trotted out last month in that it has an easel-like display with enough space underneath to stow the keyboard, although this one doesn't have a tilting screen. Spec-wise, it's well-matched against the competition, with a 1080p touchscreen, Intel Wireless Display capability, optional NVIDIA GeForce GT525M graphics, six USB 2.0 ports, HDMI-in, a Blu-ray option and up to 2TB in storage. (For whatever reason, USB 3.0 didn't make the cut.) That starting price of $950 will get you a Core i5-2400S CPU and 6GB of RAM, but if you have an extra $450 lying around you can step up to a Core i7-2600S processor with 8GB of memory. Wrapping it all up, the 2320 runs Dell's touch-friendly Stage UI, the latest version of which lets you sync photos and other media across different devices. We've rounded up a few glossy press shots below, but hit the source link if you're curious enough for the full spill.

Dell Introduces the Inspiron One 2320, the Ultimate Stay-Connected Desktop for Families

- Thin and Powerful: Sleek all-in-one design with Intel 2nd generation Core i processor options
- Family Centerpiece: Fun and intuitive technology makes staying in touch, completing tasks and accessing favorite content quick and easy

Tweet This: Dell introduces the sleek, powerful Inspiron One 2320 all-in-one desktop. #DellInspiron

ROUND ROCK, Texas, October 5, 2011 – Dell today introduced the Inspiron One 2320, the ultimate 'stay-connected' all-in-one desktop that delivers the latest in entertainment and interactive experiences for the entire family. Finishing homework assignments, keeping track of household expenses, enjoying movies and music – the Inspiron One 2320 is the ultimate PC for every member of the family.

Sleek and stylish, this PC is a definite overachiever - offering more than just stunning good looks. Available with Intel® CoreTM i5 or i7 processor options, and optional discrete graphics , the Inspiron One 2320 delivers outstanding performance, connectivity and entertainment capabilities. Keep up-to-date and share experiences with friends and loved ones with built-in Wi-Fi and HD webcam –grandparents can say goodnight, and students can catch up with friends, no matter where they are in the world – down the street or across the miles.

The desktop's large high-definition (1080p) display makes it perfect for double-duty as a home entertainment center. For a theater-like experience, viewers can stream full HD movies and video, or hook up a gaming console by an HDMI-in connection . With immersive SRS audio and optional JBL speakers, the Inspiron One 2320 is the ideal home entertainment system for watching TV with the optional built-in TV tuner or a favorite flick.

For those who like to touch as well as type, the Inspiron One 2320 is also available with a multi-touch display option, offering a simple, intuitive experience for accessing content, which can then be quickly and easily shared with others. With the multi-touch display option, the Dell Stage user interface also comes pre-loaded with fun touch games like "Bug Blast" and "Drum Zone", for fun and easy children's entertainment.

The Inspiron One 2320 is the latest addition to Dell's family of Thin + Powerful solutions, which includes the XPS 15z laptop for uncompromising performance in a beautifully-designed anodized aluminum finish, and the Inspiron 14z laptop for all-round computing with an attractive, sleek design.

Versatile, space-saving design
At just 68mm thin for the touch-screen model (66.5mm for the non-touch display), the Inspiron One 2320 embodies a sleek, space-saving design that fits perfectly in tight spaces – such as in the kitchen, a dorm room, or on a desk in the home office. With a single power cord for a "clutter free" look and a VESA mount option for connecting to walls, the Inspiron 2320 is easy to incorporate almost anywhere throughout the home.

"Families today are looking at PCs as the hub for everything: entertainment, education, household organization – and they want it to look good at the same time," said Sam Burd, vice president of Dell's Consumer and Small/Medium Business product group. "The Inspiron 2320 is the ultimate 'family togetherness' PC for staying connected, getting tasks done and being the centerpiece for family entertainment."

Share and enjoy favorite digital content
The Inspiron One 2320 could very well be considered the most popular "member" of the family and a blank canvas for fun. Stay organized with Dell Stage, an intuitive user interface which places shortcuts or "tiles" to documents, music, photos, videos, and frequently used web pages right on the desktop – delivering easy access to files and fun. Stage also includes SyncUP powered by Nero, which synchronizes content across other supported devices in your home network, and offers 2GB of free personal cloud storage to access and store favorite content anytime, from anywhere connected to a Wi-Fi network with browser access. Staying connected and sharing experiences with family, friends and schoolmates is both seamless and enjoyable.

Technical Information
- Processors: 2nd generation Intel Core i5 and i7
- Display: 23" WLED with 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) resolution standard (Touch Optional)
- Memory: 6GB DDR3 Memory (Standard) up to 8GB DDR3 Memory1
- HD Webcam
- Optional remote
- Hard Drive options: 1.0TB SATA 3.5" (Standard) Up to 2.0TB3 SATA 3.5"
- Graphics: On-processor Graphics (standard) up to nVidia GeForce GT 525M discrete graphics1
- 8:1 Media Card Reader
- Optical Drive Options: DVD+/-RW (standard) up to BluRay Combo BD-RE
- USB mouse and keyboard as standard with wireless keyboard and mouse options
- Audio: Integrated HD Audio w/SRS and optional JBL-branded speakers
- Dimensions: Width 567mm (22.32"), Height 397mm (15.6"), Depth 68mm (2.67") Touch and 66.5mm (2.62") non-touchscreen

Availability and Pricing
The Inspiron One 2320 is available beginning today on www.dell.com/inspironone starting at $949.99 with an Intel Core i5 processor and multi-touch display. The Inspiron One 2320 will also be available in select retail locations across the United States.

Rohm and Lumiotec create $450 OLED Hanger lamp, we go hands-on (video)

By Zach Honig posted Oct 5th 2011 12:34PM Four hundred and fifty dollars. Made out to Lumiotec, please. Really, that's all you need to know -- this tiny purposeless OLED lamp costs nearly half a grand. But hot damn does it look good. If you have the cash and don't mind shelling it over, Lumiotec's OLED Hanger lamp is a mighty cool gadget to own. Until you realize that you're not really sure what to do with it. Do you hang it in a closet? Do you hang it over the door? Can you hang it anywhere at all? It is a hanger, after all. Even representatives from Rohm, which manufacturers the OLED panel used in the Hanger, were unable to explain the lamp's purpose at the company's CEATEC booth. Some variation of "use your imagination" was the final response. Well, our imagination has concluded that we'll pass on the Hanger, but we'd like a few dozen of those gorgeous OLED panels, please (we've already set aside several hundred square feet of wall space).

If you're still into the Hanger, we can confirm that it's not only bright, but also very thin and very light. The panel gives off roughly the same amount of light as a 60-watt bulb, yet it consumes just 9.6 watts of power. Sadly, that doesn't mean it will eventually pay for itself in electricity cost savings, since, again, you're still paying $450 for what's essentially a (very slick) light bulb. We'd be far more impressed if the Hanger were more portable. You'll have many feet of cord to work with, but you'll still be tethered to an outlet -- there's no flat battery magic implemented here. These are available now in limited quantities, if you're ready to pull out the checkbook and sign on the dotted line. Or, if you'd rather spend that dough on a truckload of traditional fixtures, you can get your Hanger fix for free in the video after the break.

Wiretapping Act could spell 'finito' for Italian Wikipedia

By Amar Toor posted Oct 5th 2011 2:02PM This week, lawmakers in Italy are debating a controversial new bill that could have disastrous implications for Wikipedia. Yesterday, the encyclopedia posted a lengthy letter on its Italian portal, informing visitors that the site may be shuttered within the country if parliament passes the proposed DDL Intercettazioni, or "Wiretapping Law." If ratified, the legislation would require all online publishers to amend any content considered objectionable or defamatory within 48 hours of receiving a complaint. Offenders would face a fine of €12,000 (about $16,000), and any requested corrections would not be subject to review. Of course, this presents obvious problems for the crowdsourced (and crowd-edited) Wikipedia, which characterized the law as "an unacceptable restriction of [its] freedom and independence." The site took particular umbrage at the bill's apparent disregard for third-party review, pointing out that the "opinion of the person allegedly injured is all that is required" to force a re-write, "regardless of the truthfulness of the information deemed as offensive, and its sources." At the moment, the portal is still up, but masked by Wikipedia's letter. If the Wiretapping Law progresses further, however, the organization says it will have no choice but to delete its Italian platform altogether.

[Image courtesy of Toutlecine]

Arduino, iPod and RFID make beautiful, accessible music together (video)

By Terrence O'Brien posted Oct 5th 2011 11:12AM There isn't actually much new about this awesome DIY project, but it's the way it brings the various parts together that has us impressed. Designed by Instructables user XenonJohn, with help from software developer David Findlay, the Magic Music Table RFID was designed to let a child with a disability select albums to play back from an iPod touch playlist. The iPod is connected to an Arduino, which tells the device to start playing a particular track based on a selection made with RFID cards. The whole setup is built into a coffee table and the RFID tags are sandwiched inside clear plastic blocks with the album art. You can see it in action in the video after the break and, if you've got the patience and skill, you can build your own using the directions at the source link.

TomTom extends Live service and HD Traffic to Canada with Go Live 1535M nav unit

TomTom Introduces LIVE Services and HD Traffic Service to Canada

TomTom Connected Portable Navigation Device Features the Most Accurate, Comprehensive and Up-to-Date Traffic Information Available

CONCORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TomTom today announced the launch of LIVE services for the Canadian market with the introduction of the connected GO LIVE 1535 M. The GO LIVE 1535 M combines the most comprehensive road and traffic information from TomTom HD Traffic with access to real-time information through travel-related apps. These new features will give people in cars the information they need on a dedicated device designed to offer the best navigation experience.

As a connected device, the new TomTom GO LIVE saves people time on their commute, money on gas and helps alleviates stress by continuously monitoring and rerouting drivers based on current traffic conditions. TomTom HD Traffic provides the most accurate reporting available by capturing more of the actual traffic jams than ever before. Additionally, TomTom HD Traffic processes traffic conditions for all major and secondary roads within the Canadian road network and proactively delivers real-time traffic updates to devices every two minutes.

"We are excited to introduce our connected navigation solutions to Canadian drivers," said Tim Roper, President, TomTom, Inc. "By giving people the most up-to-date traffic details as well as relevant local content provided by travel apps, TomTom is bringing a new level of connectivity to drivers by providing information in the most effective platform available."

Using TomTom's connected LIVE travel apps, individuals can access Yelp®, TripAdvisor®, Expedia® and Twitter for the information they need while on the road. With these apps, users can read restaurant reviews, find hotel availability or automatically tweet their arrival time without ever leaving the car. Additionally, they'll have access to weather forecasts and Google Local Search.

Features Overview

* Intuitive Voice Recognition with one-step address entry
* Bluetooth Hands-Free Calling*
* Integrated Mount with flip-screen
* Crisp, sharp graphics and intuitive user menus
* Expanded driving view on 5" touch screens
* Spoken Street Names
* Advanced Lane Guidance
* Maps of US, CAN and MEX
* Lifetime Map Updates** (varies by model)
* TomTom LIVE Services bundle, including TomTom HD Traffic (available in country of purchase)
* Branded Travel apps from Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expedia, Twitter and Google
* Other TomTom Apps like Weather Forecasts

Availability and Pricing

The TomTom GO LIVE 1535 M will be available at retail stores and from online retailers in October 2011. Pricing starts at $269 CAD MSRP. A free 12-month subscription*** of LIVE services will be available with each purchase.

The new GO devices will be available at Best Buy, Future Shop, Rogers Stores and other retailers nationwide.

Garmin's Forerunner 910XT sport watch begs to become your new swimming buddy

The Ultimate Multisport Training Experience: Garmin Forerunner 910XT

OLATHE, Kan./Oct 4, 2011/Business Wire - Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Forerunner 910XT – the only all-in-one GPS-enabled device that provides detailed swim metrics and tracks distance, speed/pace, elevation and heart rate for running and cycling. The 910XT sports a sleek profile allowing users to easily slide wetsuits on and off, and has an on-board barometric altimeter for improved elevation data, all without sacrificing the size of its easy-to-read display. The Forerunner 910XT was announced in preparation for the Triathlon World Championship in Kona, HI, October 8, 2011 where it will be prominently displayed.

"Having one solution that provides athletes with all the metrics they are after is what the Forerunner 910XT is all about," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales. "Seeing swimming metrics such as stroke count, stroke rate and stroke identification, and seeing running and cycling metrics such as pace, distance, heart rate and power, place the Forerunner 910XT in a class of its own."

With Forerunner 910XT, swimming will never be the same again. Designed for both open water and pool swimming, Forerunner 910XT is water resistant to 50 meters and is Garmin's first multisport watch to offer extensive swim metrics, including swim distance, stroke identification, stroke count and pool lengths. It also computes a user's swolf score – the sum of the time for one length plus the number of strokes for that length. For example, 30 seconds plus 15 strokes equals a swolf score of 45. Swolf is a measurement of swimming efficiency and, like golf, lower is better. The 910XT's robust design and easy operation make it suited for other water sports, including paddle boarding, kayaking and windsurfing to name a few.

When an athlete is ready to jump out of the water and onto the bike, Forerunner 910XT moves easily from wrist to handlebar with the optional quick release and bike mounts. Forerunner 910XT categorizes multisport activities in one workout and can also log transition time in the process, so triathletes can analyze their performance from start to finish. And with up to 20 hours of battery life, even hardcore endurance athletes can push themselves further than ever.

Forerunner 910XT uses a vibration motor for alerts such as heart rate, pace/speed and distance when audible tones cannot be heard (heart monitor included in some bundles or available separately). With the heart rate monitor, Forerunner 910XT also allows athletes to track their training intensity via the Training Effect feature. By inputting key information into the watch, a user can measure the impact of an exercise regimen on their aerobic fitness.

In a true race against the clock, Forerunner 910XT adds Virtual Racer™. With this feature, Garmin has an answer for every excuse- no more, "I could have beaten that time"- where users can race themselves over their previous bests or against other users' times. These can be taken from activities stored on the watch or downloaded wirelessly from the huge and expanding Garmin Connect community (http://connect.garmin.com). Here users can quickly and easily log their workouts, track their totals, set goals, share workouts with friends and family and participate in an online fitness community of more than 70 million activities around the world. Also, users can now create and plan workouts, and even design courses and send it all directly to your 910XT with the click of a button. Garmin Connect displays metrics such as time, distance, pace, elevation and heart rate. This information is shown through charts, illustrations, reports and a variety of map representations including street, photo, topographic, and elevation maps.

During and after the workout, Forerunner 910XT blends the best wireless connectivity of all of its predecessors in the Garmin fitness family, syncing wirelessly through ANT+ technology with Garmin heart rate monitors and foot pods, compatible third-party fitness equipment and power meters, and the user's PC or Mac for automatic data download. The Forerunner 910XT will be compatible with Garmin's innovative power meter Vector™ and display independent left/right power.

Forerunner 910XT is the latest breakthrough from Garmin, which has spent more than 20 years developing technologies and innovations to enhance users' lives, making Garmin a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries. For more about features, pricing and availability, as well as information about Garmin's other products and services, go to www.garmin.com, www.garmin.blogs.com and http://twitter.com/garmin. To watch step-by-step, feature-specific tutorial videos for Forerunner 910XT and other Garmin products, visit the online learning center at www.garmin.com/learningcenter.

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, has passed away at 56

By Tim Stevens posted Oct 5th 2011 7:41PM We just got some very, very sad news. Steve Jobs has passed away. As confirmed on Apple's site, Mr. Jobs has died at the age of 56 after recently stepping down from the position of CEO and naming Tim Cook his successor. Steve has had a profound effect on the world of technology, both at Apple and through his many other endeavors. Our thoughts go out to his family.

Update: All Things D has posted a memo sent out by Tim Cook to Apple employees stating that there will be an internal celebration to honor Steve's life soon. Those words can be found after the break, along with statements from Apple's Board of Directors, his family, and Bill Gates.

Tim Cook:

Team,

I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today.

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

We are planning a celebration of Steve's extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply email rememberingsteve@apple.com.

No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve's death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.

Tim

Apple Board of Directors:

We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.

Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

Steve Jobs' family today made the following statement regarding his death:

Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family.

In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve's illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.

We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.

Bill Gates:

I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.

Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.

The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.

For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.

Sprint will offer unlimited data plan for the iPhone 4S

By Brian Heater posted Oct 5th 2011 4:58PM A Sprint spokesperson gave us a ring to let us know that the newly announced iPhone 4S will be eligible for the carrier's unlimited data plan. According to Sprint, pricing will start at $69.99 for unlimited data and 450 talk minutes, with the Simply Everything unlimited calling and data running you $99.99. At the very least, the company's confirmation that the plan is sticking around will help the third US carrier to nab the iPhone stand out among its predecessors. We'll add some PR as soon as it hits.

Murata Tactile Controller TV remote hands-on (video)

By Zach Honig posted Oct 5th 2011 11:59AM What's that, you're not into changing the channel with that boring old remote, or even with your voice? Murata's ground-up Tactile Controller brings a real twist to every couch potato's favorite gadget. Quite literally. The company's prototype remote uses touch-pressure pads and pyroelectricity to analyze the position of a piezoelectric film. In English: a plastic film produces tiny amounts of electricity at various voltages (output as data) when it's forced into a variety of positions, letting you change the channel simply by twisting the controller in either direction, or flexing to adjust volume. The model we saw was a plastic sandwich of sorts, and also included four solar cells, capable of producing one milliwatt of electricity -- just enough to power the device.

We put the controller through its paces at the company's CEATEC booth, adjusting a TV's volume and channel up and down, and, well, up and down, since that's just about all you can do with the thing. The model we saw only supported five twist positions and four bending positions in each direction, so it could theoretically adjust those two basic settings more quickly based on how much pressure you put on the film, but realistically can't do much beyond that. The Tactile Controller on display here is more of a proof of concept of sorts -- with the concept being the plastic film technology itself, and not the battery-free remote control, which the company decided would be the most visual application for testing its new film, though not necessarily the most practical. Understandably, Murata doesn't have any plans to release the remote that we saw today, but you can jump past this to see us do the twist.

Cyberdyne HAL robotic arm hands-on (video)

By Richard Lai posted Oct 5th 2011 10:48AM
If the name Cyberdyne doesn't immediately ring a bell, its HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) robotic suit sure will. Here at CEATEC, we bumped into these folks who kindly offered to strap us onto their latest prototype arm -- a slightly smaller variant of the one installed on Cyberdyne's current suit. Most of the HAL's main part was strapped to the outer side of our upper arm with velcro, while our wrist was tied to the much smaller extendable piece; both parts were hinged together with a power unit. Additionally, a sensory pad was applied onto our forearm's medial cutaneous nerve (around the elbow area) to pick up our muscular nerve signal -- similarly, Cyberdyne's lower-body exosuit requires two sensors on each leg.

Our HAL was energized as soon as we tensed our arm muscles, so lifting up the tray of four 1.5kg water bottles was a piece of cake consistently throughout the demo -- we even managed it with just our pinky (see video above)! And as soon as Cyberdyne's lovely assistant Fumi turned the dial down, our superhuman powers were instantly taken away. We weren't given any dates or specs for this piece of kit, but if all goes well, we may well see a brand new full-body suit at CES 2012 in January, so stay tuned. Oh, and can someone please get Cyberdyne some WD-40?

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Piezoelectric system turns your balmy breath into pungent power

By Amar Toor posted Oct 5th 2011 4:02AM Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have come up with a way to produce electricity from just about the most renewable source known to man -- his own breath. It's all thanks to a plastic microbelt developed by engineers Xudong Wang, Chengliang Sun and Jian Shi. Made of a material known as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), this belt produces an electric charge whenever low-speed airflow passes over it and causes it to vibrate -- a result of that vaunted piezoelectric effect. Eventually, Wang and his team were able to tinker with their system to the point where it could produce enough current to charge small electronic devices. "The airflow of normal human respiration is typically below about two meters per second," Wang explained. "We calculated that if we could make this material thin enough, small vibrations could produce a microwatt of electrical energy that could be useful for sensors or other devices implanted in the face." The researchers say their technology could be used to power smaller biomedical devices like blood monitors and pacemaker batteries, which typically don't demand vast amounts of energy. No word yet on when this system could make its way to the mainstream, but we'll be waiting with bated breath.

NEC LaVie Touch hands-on

By Richard Lai posted Oct 5th 2011 2:31PM Originally scheduled for a September launch under the VersaPro type VT moniker, NEC's LaVie Touch Windows 7 tablet is finally hitting the Japanese market next week. Alas, there are still no plans on an international release for this 10.1-inch Atom Z670-powered device, but at CEATEC we were lucky enough to stumble upon it along with its DVD dock and wireless input peripherals -- all included for ¥99,960 ($1,300), which is a huge drop from the original ¥144,000 ($1,873) customizable bundle.

Despite the slightly more sensible pricing, is the LaVie Touch still worth the money? Probably a stretch given the much cheaper offerings from the likes of Acer and Samsung, but regardless, kudos to NEC for keeping its tablet's weight just under 730g (1.6 pounds) while promising 10.6 hours of battery life. For comparison's sake, the Acer Iconia W500 weighs 970g (2.14 pounds) and only packs up to six hours worth of battery juice. The NEC tablet felt firm in our hands and its IPS LCD didn't disappoint, though Windows 7 on this particular unit was slightly laggy during our hands-on, so be sure to check it out in the stores first before you hand over your hard-earned yen.

Google Earth hits one billion downloads, those with fear of flying still getting virtual kicks

In a feat that outdoes even Dr. Evil's vision of worldwide domination, the folks in Mountain View have reported a staggering one billion downloads of Google Earth. Over the years, the service has taken us around the world, giving us a peak into amazing and sometimes obscure places ranging from the bottom of the ocean to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. It's also evolved from its humble beginnings as a desktop app back in 2005 to include a mobile app and a plug-in, not to mention a 3D flight simulation used with Google Maps -- all features that helped it reach the astronomical milestone. For that, we salute you Google Earth. Check out the celebratory video after the break.

It's not TV: it's Nottv, Japan's new Smartphone-only TV station

By Daniel Cooper posted Oct 5th 2011 11:36AM Japanese mobile users hankering after short bursts of original video will soon gain access to Nottv, a platform designed to capitalize on the nation's love of smartphones as well as its now empty analog TV frequencies. The service is different to Japan's other smartphone-TV network, One-Seg, which just relays terrestrial broadcasts to your mobile device -- not least because it lets you share snarky ripostes after watching a clip. It's backed by the country's major channels as well as NTT DoCoMo and it just needs the heavy rubber stamp of governmental approval before you can start hunting down condensed editions of Takeshi's Castle from April 2012.

Soon, Xbox Companion will let you control your console from Windows Phone

By Brad Molen posted Oct 5th 2011 1:40PM We just reported that Microsoft is partnering with Verizon and Comcast (among others) to continue expanding the reaches of its Xbox 360 entertainment suite, but would it be complete without adding compatibility to its mobile empire as well? The Windows Phone Team says nay; it spoke up this morning about an upcoming app called Xbox Companion, which will access the Xbox Live Marketplace and also act as a remote, allowing you to navigate your console or control video playback directly from your handset. You can call it laziness or convenience -- or both -- but either way, it's still going to be a clever new addition to the Marketplace. The app's currently in beta and will be available as a free download "soon." For a peek, check out the video below at around the one-minute mark.