Older PS3s losing 'install other OS' option in Thursday's firmware 3.21 update

Bad news, Linux fans. The older PlayStation 3 consoles are losing one of the features they could tout over their Slim successor. Firmware 3.21 is coming out this Thursday, April 1st, and its major raison d'être is to kill the "install other OS" option. (This is "not an April fools joke," as the PS Europe blog elaborates.) Those who wish to keep Yellow Dog or Fedora running can opt to not upgrade, but skipping out means losing the ability to access PlayStation Network and play games online, among other things. DARPA enthusiasts notwithstanding, we can't say we know many people still running Linux on their console, but if you count yourself among the few and proud, our condolences. Them's the breaks, but hey, at least some of you still have PS2 compatibility.

Apricorn's Aegis Padlock Secure USB HDD goes Pro, solid state

You gain an immense sense of security when your gadget has a number pad on it, but if last year's Aegis Padlock Secure drives weren't quite sophisticated enough for you, this year's Pro revision might fit into your dashing lifestyle of international mystery and intrigue. The new version from Apricorn comes exclusively with 256-bit AES encryption and, if you don't mind platters, offers up to 640GB worth of storage for $199. But nothing says you've made it quite like solid state storage, and for $419 you can get 128GB of the stuff, or 256GB for $799. Nobody said living dangerously would be cheap!

Source Apricorn

Pre-order iPad now, wait until April 12th for delivery

Consider this a friendly public service announcement care of our friends at TUAW. Those who coveted the iPad and pre-ordered anytime before today can still apparently expect a delivery by the original April 3rd launch date. Anyone that orders a WiFi model today, however, can expect to wait a little over a week, April 12th, to get an Apple tablet of his or her own, while the 3G-equipped units are guesstimated for late April. Have patience -- on the bright side, that gives more time to see apps that justify your larger-screen iPhone purchase.

Source Apple

Victorinox Secure Pro USB drive is 'un-hackable,' can file your nails

This isn't the first USB drive / Swiss army knife we've seen from Victorinox, but the company's new Secure Pro drive is the first that is supposedly "un-hackable." To put that claim to the test, Victorinox actually offered a £100,000 prize to a team of "professional hackers" if they could crack the drive during the company's launch event -- they were unable to do so. That un-hackableness apparently comes primarily from the drive's combination of AES256 technology and fingerprint security, which is paired with (get this) a self-destruct mechanism that irrevocably burns the CPU and memory chip if there's any attempt to force the drive open. All that and a pair of scissors -- how can you go wrong? No word on a release over here just yet, but the drive is now available in the UK in capacities from 8GB to 32GB for between £50 and £180 (or about $75 to $270).

Taurus concept adds a touch of bullish masculinity to personal transportation

Ah, the old electric two-wheeler, a dream of so many ecologically conscious geeks and yet never popular enough to achieve its Gaia-saving objective. Enter designer Eric Lanuza, with his own spin on the idea, who brings in a few exciting curves straight from the world of motorbikes, but keeps the self-balancing antics of the concept's progenitor. Setting aside the cute toro theme, we reckon the addition of a seat will be one of the biggest differences, since -- though they may not be wiling to admit it -- most people don't consider something a vehicle unless they can sit in or on it. Hit the source for a photo gallery, though we'd advise against holding out any hopes for this making it past the concept drawing board. Wired
Source AtCrux

Spracht Aura EQ (the really real version) hands-on

We got a glimpse at Spracht's new Aura EQ Bluetooth headset back at CES this year, but in reality, we sort of didn't -- what was being shown back then didn't constitute final ID, turns out. The company's back at it here at CTIA showing something closer to what you'll be seeing on store shelves later this half -- though they only had one, and it wasn't in final retail packaging -- so we took a minute to check it out. It's using the same tricky earbud that we saw before, but the front of the unit has changed significantly -- gone are the matte ridges, replaced with a glossy black surface broken up by a few bumps that represent the range of the capacitive volume slider. If "understated" is the look you're going for, the Aura EQ is generally going to do the trick -- and even if you like something a little more edgy, it's got those funky points on the front and rear. Quite the crowd pleaser, eh?

Eclipse Litetouch wireless touchscreen keyboard clears the FCC, on its way to retail (video)

OK, dudes -- we don't want to freak you out or anything, but the Wireless Litetouch Keyboard has cleared the FCC. Brought to you by Mad Catz, this bad boy (and its wired companion) was first unveiled at CES this year. Featuring an programmable LCD touchscreen with three different sets of "buttons" (number pad, media mode, and the user configurable MyEclipse mode) the latest entry to the Eclipse line has is sure to get admiring looks from the drone in the cubicle across the aisle. Compatible with Mac OS X as well as your many flavors of Windows, this bad boy will be out soon -- wireless for $129, or wired for $99. Jaw-dropping video after the break.

Qualcomm adding the kitchen sink to Gobi, including EV-DO Rev. A, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE

The whole point of Gobi is that you can buy one device and use it with multiple network technologies or carriers, but apparently Qualcomm isn't kidding around about the idea. It just announced a slew of data chipsets (voice still isn't part of the picture) with all sorts of new goodies. New technologies supported include EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (the five people on earth using Rev. B will be thrilled), HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+ (which looks to be the evolutionary end of HSPA), and LTE. The mother of all these chipsets is the MDM9600, which can do LTE up to 100 Mbps, dual-carrier HSPA+ up to 42Mbps, HSPA+ up to 28Mbps, and EV-DO Rev. A / Rev. B. Qualcomm also says it's moving Gobi beyond just laptops, with USB modems, e-readers, and "gaming devices" now in the cards. No word on when they'll start showing up, but much of it will have to do with carrier rollout as much as Qualcomm's ability to ship these out the door.
Source Qualcomm

Synology DS410 NAS will back up your files, won't incite a passionate response

The last time we laid eyes on Synology's DiskStation line it was in the form of the DS409Slim -- a diminutive NAS without the 'zazz of lots of your flashier network storage solutions. The newly announced DS410 also keeps it pretty simple: features include four bays of RAID-5 storage, 256-bit encryption, Amazon S3 cloud backup, Apple Time Machine integration, media streaming, print server, and web hosting with PHP/MySQL. Don't worry, you Big Brother-types don't get left out either: the included Surveillance Station 4 software allows the deployment of multiple IP cameras and support for H.264 video. Available now for $500.
Source Synology

Mobinnova Beam netbook spotted running Android, sporting other improvements

Mobinnova had already mentioned that it planned to ditch Windows CE in favor of Android for its Beam netbook before the device was actually released, and it looks like it's now finally made the jump, as evidenced by Laptop Magazine's recent hands-on with the netbook. Whats' more, the 8.9-inch device was also seen sporting a few other minor improvements, including some new media playback keys on the keyboard, and CinemaNow pre-installed on the system for downloading movies. Expectedly, you won't have access to Android Market, btu Mobinnova says it will include some games that "leverage the Tegra chip's multimedia prowess," and that it's even working on its own app store for the device.
Source Laptop Magazine

Nintendo announces 3DS -- the glasses-free 3D successor to the DS

Whoa, now this is a whopper coming (almost) out of nowhere. Nintendo has just slipped out a press release in Japan informing the world that all-new 3D-capable portable hardware is coming, with a full unveiling set for E3 2010 this June. Tentatively titled the 3DS, this glasses-free 3D wonder is pitched as the successor to both the DS and DSi, and will use a "compatible cart" that should ensure backwards compatibility with your vast library of favorites from the older consoles. Nintendo expects to launch the 3DS into retail "during the fiscal year ending March 2011."

Need for Speed Shift 3D running is now available, best Blackberry App so far - TechGeeze | latest gadgets and technology news

Need for Speed Shift 3D running is now available, best Blackberry App so far - TechGeeze | latest gadgets and technology news

Active Media Products ships 100MB/sec eSATA flash drives, shrugs off USB 3.0 noise

Who needs 200MB/sec when you've got... 100MB/sec? Nah, Active Media Products' newest flash drives aren't quite as snappy as those few USB 3.0 keys that are making their way out, but for folks who aren't quite ready to upgrade (or are just dying to make use of that otherwise empty eSATA port), this here unit is the ticket. Outfitted with 16GB or 32GB of MLC NAND memory, these units boast sequential read and write speeds up to 100MB/sec and 55 MB/sec, respectively, and in case you cruise over to a legacy machine that lacks eSATA, a mini USB 2.0 port is also provided for universal access. 'Course, a USB cable is still required in the eSATA port for power, but hey, at least you'll be "with the times," right? Check 'em right now on Amazon for $69.95 and $109.95 in order of mention.

SanDisk ships 32GB microSDHC card for $200

Our 16GB microSDHC card has been treating us well since shipping early last year, but obviously no capacity is capacious enough. SanDisk has just announced that a Class 2, 32GB version of its microSDHC card is now shipping (remember that "something big" thing?), bringing gobs and gobs (and gobs) of storage space to whatever phones still support it. SanDisk claims that this is the first of its kind, but you can bet that other memory outfits won't be far behind in matching it. It should be hitting e-tailers momentarily for $199.99 (and around £200 if you're in the UK, we're told), which is almost certainly more than the (subsidized) price of the phone you'll be sliding it into.

Neofonie announces WePad 11.6-inch Android slate

Another day, another Android tablet render. This one, the imaginatively titled WePad, is as ambitious as its name might suggest. (You know, because "we" is plural of "I"? Yeah, it's a stretch.) Dwarfing the iPad with its 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) display, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, GMA 3150 graphics, webcam, two USB ports, flash card reader, UMTS modem, and a mooted six hours of battery life, we could see ourselves picking one up -- provided the price point is decent. But that's just the beginning! The manufacturer, Neofonie, also has designs on a WePad app store and, if all goes according to plan, this thing'll sport genuine Google Android and the Android Market. The company also mentions something called the "WeMagazine publishing ecosystem," the basis of a turn-key operation for getting your own branded device out on the e-reader market, so if you're looking to get into the biz just hit the source link to begin your adventure. As for us, we'll wait to see a final product before we jump to any conclusions.

Source WePad

How would you change HTC's Sense?

Microsoft's not going to allow HTC to cover Windows Phone 7 Series with its Sense UI overlay (which is going to be an interesting thing to watch in and of itself), but there's no question that the homegrown user interface has made a-many Windows Mobile phones look and feel a whole lot better than stock. Sense is also gaining traction in the Android realm, a sector where it's far more likely to either make a huge impact or be overlooked entirely. So, the question we're posing here today is this: if you were granted an HTC badge for a day, how would you change Sense? Are you satisfied with the quickness? Does anything simply get in the way? Any quirks that you just can't figure out? Any tweaks that you'd love to see made? We aren't always serious when we say that these companies are listening to you, but trust us when we say that design folks from HTC might just give your comments a once over. Here's your chance. Don't screw it up.

Sprint's HTC Touch Pro2 gets official Windows Mobile 6.5 update

Sprint had promised a first-quarter update for its Touch Pro2 way back in January, and sure enough, it's delivered the Windows Mobile 6.5 boost right on time. It might not have as much punch now that we know everything there is to know about Windows Phone 7 Series, of course, but it's still a pretty big deal -- the Touch Pro2 remains one of the best Microsoft-powered phones you can buy in the States, and unlike AT&T's Tilt2, it launched with that grubby old WinMo 6.1. It's available now, complete with Sense "enhancements" and a variety of bug fixes -- so if you've got one of these bad boys in your pocket, it seems like a must-grab.

Source HTC

Dell rolls out Vostro 230 Slim Tower, Mini Tower desktops

They may not be quite as sleek as their latest laptop counterpart, but Dell's two new Vostro 230 desktops are both at least fairly compact and, most importantly, cheap. Available in both Slim Tower or Mini Tower form factors, the desktops start at just $389 or $299, respectively, but can of course be upgraded significantly from there, including processors up to a 3.0GHz Core 2 Quad Q9650, a maximum 4GB of RAM, up to 2TB of storage (from two 1TB drives), and your choice of NVIDIA GeForce G310 or GeForce GT220 graphics (in addition to the standard integrated option). Hit up the link below to configure one for yourself.
Source Dell

Marvell pitches $99 Moby Tablet as textbook alternative

When chipmaker Marvell told us its technology would power $99 smartphones, we took the company at its word. We weren't expecting a sub-$100, 10-inch tablet PC, however -- and we definitely weren't expecting Marvell itself to build it. Marketed at students looking to lighten their textbook load, the Marvell Moby will be an "always-on, high performance multimedia tablet" capable of full Flash support and 1080p HD playback -- thanks to those nifty Armada 600 series processors -- and supporting WiFi, Bluetooth, FM radio, GPS and both Android and Windows Mobile platforms for maximum flexibility. No release date has yet been announced; like the OLPC, Marvell will introduce the Moby in pilot programs at participating at-risk schools. While it's far too early to say if the Moby will be the universal educational e-reader Marvell hopes (that depends on software), it's certainly an intriguing device for the price, and we'll admit we're a touch jealous of those kids who'll first get to try one.
Source Marvell, Technologizer

T-Mobile USA eyeing iPhone launch this year or next?

We don't like to stir up the nearly constant barrage of "so-and-so is getting the iPhone" rumors unless we've got a great reason to do so -- and we'd argue that a Financial Times report involving statements from Deutsche Telekom's CEO qualifies. The British rag was chatting up DT's boss over the prospects of its American unit -- T-Mobile USA -- and stressed the company's long-term commitment to turning around T-Mobile's fortunes in the face of recent spinoff rumors, saying that it's all about rapidly building out a speedy 3G network as part of an effort this year "to lay the foundation for future growth."
Here's where it gets juicy: referring to the iPhone, the report goes on to say that "T-Mobile USA is hoping to start selling the popular smartphone later this year or next year" while focusing on Android in the meantime, as if Android is merely a stopgap measure to make it through to the singular device that can save America's number four carrier from going down the tubes. It's not clear whether FT got the chief exec making a statement to that effect on the record or it's merely gleaning this knowledge from other rumors, but the only way this would be able to happen is if the next iPhone were to come in an AWS-compatible version -- and that seems unlikely considering that AWS coverage represents a trivially small fraction of 3G subscribers around the world. Of course, wireless CEOs of all walks of life regularly make statements saying they'd be more than happy to carry the iPhone if the opportunity presented itself, so this could be little more than off-the-cuff blather anyway.
Source Financial Times

i-Got-Control IRB1 dongle gives your iPhone / iPod touch universal remote functionality

No need to spot clean your spectacles, and no need to brush the cobwebs out of your dome -- you really are seeing yet another IR dongle for Apple's dear iLineup. Hot on the heels of New Potato's FLPR, ThinkFlood's RedEye mini and Power A's solution comes this: an all-too-similar way to convert your iPod touch, iPhone or forthcoming iPad into a universal remote. Functionality wise, there's really nothing here that the other guys don't provide, though the beefed-up database of over 40,000 IR codes should make setting up your system a breeze. Users simply plug this into their dock connector, download the free application from the App Store and then dial up whatever components they have; once loaded, the IR beamer should do the rest, nixing the need to keep those 40 remotes around. It's expected to start shipping any day now for $69.95.

Source PR Newswire, i-Got-Control

Dell Adamo XPS alive and kicking, back for order on Dell.com

Well hello again, Dell Adamo XPS. Though the incredibly thin and uniquely designed laptop disappeared from Dell.com last week and we received official comment that it was a "limited edition product with a finite number of systems available," the Adamo XPS has reappeared in its $2,000 glory on the company's site. According to Dell's blog, it was merely just a move to restock the inventory and direct customers to retailers that had fresh stock -- well why didn't you just say that Dell! And do not fear about the Adamo brand, Dell reports that all is well as it starts to apply the design to other lines, just as we saw yesterday with the Vostro V13. We're still a bit confused by the reappearance, but it sure is good to see you again, Adamo XPS. We wish you a long successful life with many many price drops.

AUO's 65-inch 3D HDTV panel headed for the conveyer belt in 2H 2010, boasts polarized specs

While it might have been a pipe dream back in '09, Taiwanese display manufacturer AU Optronics is firmly committed to blasting our eyeballs in 2010, with a monstrous 65-inch HD LCD panel ready for all the 3D and pseudo-3D content (we're looking at you, G-Force) you have on offer. AUO isn't hedging its bets on this one, either; at FPD China 2010, the company announced that they're using a polarized solution with cheap, $2 to 3 glasses to generate the 3D effect. Sure, polarized is the preferred method for most theatres, but it's often more expensive than active shutter tech for an in-home user -- and can come with some serious visual tradeoffs like permanent ghosting or halved vertical resolution. We won't know for sure until we get hands-on, but either way, expect to see AUO's panels in a branded 3D HDTV near you early next year, or just a few months before HDI drops a 103-inch monster of its own.

Source AUO

Sky TV buys 15,000 3DTVs from LG for live sports broadcasts in public venues

LG is today proudly boasting that it has sealed the biggest sale of 3D television sets so far, thanks to its partnership with UK broadcaster BSkyB. Following a surprisingly successful trial run of broadcasting the Arsenal versus Man United match in 3D this January, Sky clearly sees its future through polarizing glasses and has ordered up the big batch of tubes so that it can provide weekly 3D broadcasts of Premier League games. The plan is for a rapid rollout this spring -- which is right about now -- meaning that your local pub should be getting all glitzed up just in time for the end of season excitement. It remains to be seen whether Brits will swarm to the new tech or lose interest once the novelty wears off, but judging from the size of this investment, it would seem the bigwigs in charge of our entertainment are already convinced that 3D will be a win.

Source Newswire

Microsoft Tells Windows Phone 7’s App Story

Microsoft on Monday announced details regarding Windows Phone 7 Series’ application store, software development kit and user interface.
As leaked documents hinted in February, the Silverlight and XNA programming environments will play major roles for third-party software developers. Microsoft previewed the software toolkits at its MIX developer conference this morning.
“I think we’ve been very clear since we first started talking about [Windows Phone 7 Series] that it represents a sea change for Microsoft,” said Charlie Kindel, manager of Microsoft’s Windows Phone App Platform and Developer Experience program, in a phone interview with Wired.com. “We’ve revamped just about every aspect of how we build phone software, ranging from how we think about customers to how we do the engineering for the product.”
Windows Phone 7 Series is Microsoft’s reboot of its mobile platform previously named Windows Mobile. Though Windows Mobile established an early lead as the smartphone operating system of choice, the platform last year suffered significant losses in market share in the mobile OS space, while Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android platform continued to see healthy growth.
With Windows Phone 7 Series, Microsoft is attempting to regain its mobile groove by offering a brand new user interface that integrates applications and multimedia into “Hubs” (i.e., software experiences organized into main categories) as well as a tidier platform for third-party developers to create and serve apps.
For development, Windows Phone 7 Series will employ XNA, a set of programming tools that makes it easier for game designers to develop games for multiple Microsoft platforms, including Windows XP, Xbox 360, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Now that Windows Phone 7 Series supports XNA, customers will be able to download and play games sold through Microsoft’s online store, Xbox Live Marketplace, which currently serves about 300 titles.
Silverlight will serve as the coding toolkit for “rich internet applications.” As Microsoft’s alternative to Adobe Flash, this is not surprising, and potentially gives Windows Phone 7 an edge over phones that don’t support Flash or Silverlight — namely, the iPhone.
To make a long story short, that means most mobile apps will be made with Silverlight, while more graphics-intensive 3D games will most likely be developed with XNA.
“Our focus is on making the tools friction-free for developers to get in as easily as possible,” Kindel said.
Microsoft also detailed the experience of its application store, dubbed Windows Phone Marketplace. Developers will be required to provide trial versions of their applications so customers can try out apps before deciding to purchase them. And similar to what practically everyone is doing with app stores, developers will receive a 70 percent cut of each sale, while Microsoft will take 30 percent.
Microsoft disclosed a lengthy list of partners that have signed up to develop for Windows Phone 7 Series. Notable developers include Associated Press, EA, Foursquare, Namco, Sling, Shazam, Pandora, Netflix and Pageonce.
As for usability, Microsoft’s phones will support about the same touch gestures seen on the iPhone: pinch or double tap to zoom, and swipe in a certain direction to pan, for example. Also similar to the iPhone, Windows Phone 7 Series phones supports push-notification. Dubbed “Microsoft Notification Service,” the service enables third-party apps to send updates to a phone’s home screen and display status messages even when the actual application is not running in the background. Some core integrated features such as the phone and music player will be able to run in the background, but third-party apps cannot, according to Kindel.
Despite those similarities to the iPhone, the general hub-based UI is a major difference from any smartphones on the market. Microsoft will provide a basic framework of hubs on Windows Phone 7 Series’ start screen: People, Pictures, Games, Music + Video, Marketplace and Office. Developers can inject their apps into Microsoft’s standard hubs, and they’ll also have the option to create their own hubs, according to Kindel.
The brand new hub UI should make Windows Phone 7 Series’ app story interesting, said Michael Gartenberg, partner of technology consulting firm Altimeter Group, who attended the MIX keynote this morning.
“We’ll see how the market reacts and how consumers react because it’s a very different user interface,” Gartenberg said. “They’re going to have to justify the differentiation for consumers and developers, and I think there’s going to be a longer story that needs to be told here.”
For hardware, each Windows Phone 7 Series phone will include seven standard physical buttons for controlling power, volume, screen, camera, back, start and search. (See diagram below.)

Droid Eris rooted to 2.1, but look before you leap

Tired of waiting for Verizon and dissatisfied with a series of recent buggy leaks, the fine folks at XDA Developers were determined to trade their Cupcake-laden Droid Eris for a more toothsome Eclair on their own terms. Yesterday evening, it seems they finally achieved their goal, though not without a caveat or three. If you're still running the stock Android 1.5, it's a simple matter of dropping a ZIP file onto your SD card and restarting your phone; if not, you're completely out of luck. Rooters warn that the hack won't work on phones that have already been flashed to that aforementioned Eris 2.1 leak, and that they haven't yet figured out a way to restore any non-1.5 phones back to factory default. If hacking isn't your daily bread, proceed with caution -- Sense UI may be fancy and all, but chaining your phone forevermore to an unsupported OS just ain't worth it. See what an Eris Eclair looks like after the break.

Homegrown Wacom Cintiq LCD tablet comes to life through prefab DIY enclosure

Dropped a stack of change on a premium Wacom drawing tablet, only to find yourself with Cintiq envy? Got an old laptop handy? If so, odds are good that you've occasionally (or persistently, for that matter) thought about hacking together an LCD tablet of your very own. Problem is, the mods we've seen require some serious shop time -- building a custom enclosure isn't for the lighthearted, you know? But if you're in possession of a sizable Wacom Intuos and roughly $220 of post-tax cheddar, TabletMod.com has a purpose-built, laser-cut acrylic enclosure with your name on it. You'll still need an LCD controller kit and CCFL extenders, and there's still a chance you'll be paying more for the whole kit and caboodle than if you just got a low-end $1,000 Cintiq 12WX to begin with -- but if you've already got half the parts lying around (or you're just dying to scratch another DIY itch), this project might be worth your while. Cheapskates like us, however, will continue to wait for the Bamboo variety, though you can certainly dabble in the source link if you're scouting some instructional videos.

Source Ponoko, TabletMod.com

What to Expect from the FCC’s New Broadband Plan

The FCC's new broadband plan will be presented tomorrow, but we have the scoop on what you can expect.
More corners of the country would have high-speed Internet access and existing connections would become much faster under a sweeping proposal to overhaul U.S. broadband policy that is being unveiled Tuesday.
The plan from the Federal Communications Commission is meant to guide the government’s strategy on broadband for the next decade and beyond. It reflects the Obama administration’s concern that the nation that invented the Internet is in danger of falling behind the development of online applications in other countries that have faster broadband speeds at lower prices.
Yet it’s not certain the FCC can find the corporate support and legal clearance to carry out the entire plan.
Already, broadcasters oppose one key proposal, which calls for reclaiming some airwaves from TV stations and auctioning those frequencies to companies that deliver wireless Internet access. The FCC also wants to rewrite complicated telecommunications rules in order to pay for broadband using a federal program that now mainly subsidizes telephone service in poor and rural areas. Congress and federal regulators already have been trying to modernize that program for years.
Funding could be a question as well. The FCC does not estimate the total cost of the plan. It insists that its proposals could be paid for by auctioning off slices of the airwaves. But the agency will have to persuade Congress that as much as $20 billion from the airwave auctions be set aside for broadband plans and not get routed to other purposes.
That would come on top of the $7.2 billion for broadband included in the 2009 stimulus bill. The Commerce and Agriculture departments are handing out that money now.
Last year’s stimulus bill also required the FCC to come up with the broadband plan, which is being delivered to Congress on Tuesday. The plan argues that high-speed Internet access is no longer just a luxury but is critical for economic development, education, health care and other aspects of daily life.
“Broadband is an infrastructure challenge that’s very akin to what we’ve faced in the past with telephones and electricity,” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in an interview. Genachowski has made the broadband plan his top priority, and his legacy at the commission will be linked to the plan’s success or failure.
The proposal sets a goal of connecting 100 million U.S. households to broadband connections of 100 megabits per second — at least 20 times faster than most home connections now — by 2020. Although existing connections are often fast enough to let people watch TV shows or movies on computers, faster connections would open new kinds of services, such as fast-loading, high-definition videos ideal for viewing on big-screen TVs. The FCC also says faster broadband would enable doctors to monitor patients over the Internet and broaden the opportunities for students to take classes online.
The plan also calls for every American community to have at least one “anchor” institution, such as a school, library or hospital, that has ultra-high-speed Internet access. The FCC defines that as at least a gigabit per second, 10 times faster than the 100 megabits per second envisioned for home connections.
In addition, the plan is designed to encourage more people to subscribe to broadband.
About two-thirds of U.S. households have high-speed Internet access now. Many people in the remaining one-third could get broadband but choose not to because they think it’s too expensive or because they don’t see a need for it. The FCC plan calls for increasing adoption rates to more than 90 percent of the population. One proposal calls for a Digital Literacy Corps to teach people how to use the Internet.
When rural areas lack broadband access, it’s often because phone and cable companies haven’t found it worthwhile to invest in dragging high-speed lines to remote places that would have few subscribers. One way the FCC hopes to expand broadband use is with wireless technology.
The wireless industry currently licenses about 500 megahertz of the wireless spectrum. In a move akin to adding more lanes to a freeway, the FCC hopes to free up 500 megahertz more over the next decade, both for licensed purposes and for uses that don’t require a license, such as Wi-Fi networks. The agency hopes to get roughly 120 megahertz of that spectrum from broadcasters of free, over-the-air TV. It would allow broadcasters to unload frequencies they don’t need and share in the proceeds raised by auctioning those airwaves to wireless companies.
That proposal has run into fierce resistance from the National Association of Broadcasters. TV broadcasters already gave up more than 100 megahertz of spectrum when they shut off analog signals last year and began broadcasting only in digital. Many say they plan to use their remaining frequencies to transmit high-definition signals, to “multicast” multiple channels and to deliver mobile TV to phones, laptops and cars.
In a statement Monday, the National Association of Broadcasters said it is also concerned that some aspects of the plan “may in fact not be as voluntary as originally promised.”
The FCC plan also lays out a framework for overhauling the federal Universal Service Fund to pay for expanding broadband instead of basic telephone service. The $8-billion-a-year program, financed by a surcharge that businesses and consumers pay on long-distance bills, was established to subsidize telephone service in sparsely populated places.
Tapping this pool of money for broadband could be an uphill push, too, because the long-distance revenue base that supports the Universal Service Fund is shrinking. The FCC plan offers several options to pay for the new broadband programs, including one that would require no additional money from Congress and one that would accelerate the construction of broadband networks if Congress approves a one-time injection of several billion dollars.
The FCC may also need to sort out questions of legal authority. Existing law and policies say Universal Service money can only be used for telephone service, not broadband.
The plan also recommends that Congress spend up to $16 billion over 10 years to build and operate for a nationwide wireless broadband network that would allow police officers, firefighters and other emergency workers to communicate with each other.
Early reactions from the big phone and cable companies that dominate the U.S. broadband market were positive. US Telecom, a trade group that represents phone companies, praised the FCC for recognizing that “it will be through private sector investment and innovation that America’s broadband deployment goals will be met.”

Opera Mini 5, Opera Mobile 10 graduate to stable

Well, that was fast. Just last week we speculated that Opera Software would release the final versions of their latest beta Web browsers in time for the CTIA cell phone conference in late March. Instead, Opera released them a week earlier than we predicted. Tuesday morning, Opera turned its Mini 5 beta 2 and Mobile 10 beta into the company's latest stable versions of its mobile Web browsers.
For those who have been following along, the newly finalized Opera Mobile 10 and Opera Mini 5 hew close to the beta versions. They don't receive any new features, though there are some fixed bugs and the app now supports more than 100 languages.
If you're new to browsing with Opera software, Opera Mini's proxy browser works on phones running Java, including BlackBerry. However, Opera Mini 5 remains in beta for Android and Windows Mobile phones. The company's standalone Web browser, Opera Mobile, works on Symbian Series 60 phones and Windows Mobile phones.
The change from yesterday's stable Opera Mini 4.2 to today's Opera Mini 5 is dramatic, and centers on a cleaner, updated interface governed by Opera's speed dial thumbnails, faster browsing speeds, and more advanced features such as support for tabbed browsing and a password manager (see our initial hands-on look for more detail). Opera Mobile 10 looks nearly identical to the earlier Opera Mobile 9.6. Since it already had tabs and a password manager, the interface and performance changes are its claim to fame. While some features, like the bookmark-syncing Opera Link, were temporarily unavailable during the first beta rounds, but now they're back in the final version.
Stay tuned for a video update of Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10. In the meantime, here's an oven-fresh hands-on look at Opera Mini 5 beta for Android, which is nearly identical to the Mini and Mobile versions being released today.
You can download the latest Opera browser for your phone by visiting m.opera.com. As usual, tell us what you think of the app in the comments. Overall, we're fans of the improved interface and functionality, which makes Opera our go-to mobile browser on many phones. However, it sees competition from Skyfire's mobile Web browser for Symbian and Windows phones as well as browsers like Xscope and Dolphin browser for Android. Although Firefox Mobile only works on Nokia's Maemo platform at the moment, it's also under development for Windows Mobile. Opera has won this round, but we don't see competition over mobile browsers letting up anytime soon.

First Data and Tyfone announce partnership for NFC payments by microSD card

We've already seen Visa team up with DeviceFidelity to deliver NFC payments via microSD card, and it looks like they now have some company from First Data and Tyfone, who have just announced a partnership of their own to help bring the technology to the cellphone-toting masses. At the heart of their system is Tyfone's SideTap card made by NXP Semiconductors (pictured after the break), which is not only able to function as an actual memory card in addition to a NFC payment device, but should cost about the same as a regular memory card of the same capacity as well. Using a microSD card instead of a phone with built-in NFC technology also cuts out the need for carriers or phone manufacturers to be involved, which is apparently where First Data comes in, as it will responsible for bringing the cards to consumers (in addition to dealing with retailers, carriers and financial institutions). Complete details on a rollout still seem to be a bit up in the air, but the two companies are promising that it will hit the market in the second half of 2010, with trials slated to begin mid-year.

Olé, Contoso: Windows Phone Marketplace will integrate carrier-branded stores

So we noticed this odd "Contoso" label on Microsoft's Windows Phone Marketplace press image earlier today, and we finally got to the bottom of it: Microsoft's Todd Biggs says it's a placeholder entry for a carrier-branded section of the store -- instead of having a separate portal and / or store, Verizon or AT&T or whoever can simply sell their content to customers directly through Marketplace. So why Contoso? Todd says it's a random trademark owned by Microsoft used in place of carrier names that doesn't actually mean anything, although we think it suggests adventure, white roadsters, and finely-groomed mustachios. And now you know.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II firmware

It's been obvious from day one that it was possible, but after a couple of years of oh-so-painful 30 FPS recording on the EOS 5D Mark II, Canon is finally coming through with its long-promised 2.0.3 update that brings 29.97 FPS and 24 FPS (23.976, to be precise) 1080p recording at last. Even the VGA mode has been swapped to a 29.97 actual rate, and PAL mode has a flat 25 FPS and 23.976 FPS as well. Additional tweaks include a manual volume adjustment (as opposed to the automatic gain the cameras usually employ), a brightness or RGB histogram display (this function, like some of these other features, has been available for a while as a hack), shutter and aperture priority modes have been added for movie shooting, and the audio sampling ramp has been bumped from 44.1KHz to 44KHz. The bad news: now you don't have any excuses for not shooting that heartwrenching mumblecore masterpiece you've been telling everyone you're working on. Hit up the source link for the download instructions.

Source Canon

Dell joins dog pile, sues five LCD makers over price-fixing allegations

Looks like Dell is getting itself a membership in a club of which AT&T, Nokia, and the US Department of Justice are none too pleased to say they're members. The company has filed suit in a San Francisco court today against four Japanese LCD makers - Sharp, Hitachi, Toshiba, and Seko Epson - and Taiwan-based HannStar. The crime at hand? None other than the much-chronicled LCD price fixing cartel. At least two of the aforementioned companies (Sharp and Hitachi) have already come forth to admit involvement and pay fines elsewhere, and now it looks like the troubles are still coming for them and others. If only there was some way the companies could band together to increase profits and help pay for these suits... oh, wait.

Source WSJ

Earthquake detection software gains foothold in California

Stanford's Quake-Catcher Network has been up and running since early 2008, but it looks like it's just now starting to reach the critical mass of users that's essential for its success. As you may be aware, the software takes advantage of the accelerometers built into many new laptops to watch for any signs of shaking or vibration, which it then compares with data from other laptops in the same area -- if they're all shaking at the same time, that's a pretty good indication there's an earthquake happening. Until recently, however, there hasn't been enough users in any particular area to produce reliable data, but Stanford now counts more than 450 users in California alone, which has provided it with its first truly viable testbed. Of course, more users would be even better, and you can sign up and download the software at the link below if you're interested in helping out.

Source Quake-Catcher Network, Los Angeles Times

Monster Miles Davis Tribute Review

We review the limited edition Miles Davis Tribute in-ear headphones from Monster and find out if they live up to their namesake.

Introduction
When we first heard that audio accessory giant Monster Cable was getting into the headphone market, we were, to be perfectly frank, skeptical. Let’s face it: Just about everyone and their cousin is making some form of headphone, from the insultingly cheap to the shockingly expensive. Thankfully, our first experience with Monster headphones was a very positive one. The Beats by Dre headphones sounded great, and were clearly very well made. So, it was with optimistic anticipation that we received the Miles Davis Tribute headphones by Monster. More than just headphones, this suite of collector’s items that bears the legendary trumpeter’s name comes packed with loads of goodies. But do the headphones sound good enough to satisfy the particular tastes of someone like Miles Davis? In this review, we’ll dig into what comes with the Miles Davis Tribute headphone experience, and see if Monster does Miles proud.
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The Miles Davis Tribute headphone experience extends well beyond the headphones themselves. Indeed, the out-of-box experience is a big part of what you purchase when you invest in this set of buds.
Once slid from its sleeve, the packing case opens like a book to reveal its contents neatly nestled inside. In addition to the headphones, Monster includes a black, hard-sided carrying case with lined with blue velour perfectly molded to fit the earbuds. The outside of the case is adorned with Miles’ signature silhouette image, leaving no doubt that Davis is a big part of what lies inside. Along with the hard carrying case are two soft-sided carrying pouches. One is for the earphones, and the other for the multiple pairs of soft ear tips provided, which allow for a perfect fit to the listener’s ears.
Then comes the media: A special edition, a 50th anniversary set of the Kind of Blue album packed with two audio discs, a DVD, plus a 24-page booklet of liner notes, essays and some rare photos that we’ve not had the pleasure of seeing before. The CDs feature over two hours of audio that includes false starts, alternate takes and dialogue from the recording session. For hardcore Miles Davis fans, and jazz fans in general, we think this will make a very nice addition to any collection.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/product-reviews/mp3-player-reviews/headphone-reviews/monster-miles-davis-tribute-review/
The quality of construction in these headphones becomes apparent as soon as you pick them up. The earbuds themselves feel much heavier than one might expect, substantiating Monster’s claim that they are made of rigid, anti-resonant materials. We were initially concerned that this weight might affect long-term wearability, but soon learned that was not the case.
ach earbud is plated in 24k gold and accented with red or blue to indicate which bud is for the left and right ears. On one side, you’ll find Monster’s logo, and on the other, the same Miles Davis logo the hard case wears.
The cord is a rather bright, almost cobalt, blue, and outfitted with a security clip and cable management system to help eliminate tangles and reduce strain on the earphones. The cord is terminated with a 1/8-inch mini plug at a right angle to help reduce strain on the cord where it meets an audio device.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/product-reviews/mp3-player-reviews/headphone-reviews/monster-miles-davis-tribute-review/
Not everyone enjoys wearing earbud-style headphones. Some folks just don’t enjoying putting things in their ears, rather than over them. We can certainly understand that, but there are some distinct advantages that come along with an in-ear headphone. For one, sound isolation is a function of the headphone’s placement, and happens right at the ear opening. Another advantage is that less energy is needed to move the speaker diaphragm, and that means more attention can be poured into designing an accurate speaker, not just a loud one.
Those advantages do tend to come with a couple of liabilities, however. For instance, since everyone’s ear opening is a different size and shape, so you simply can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to designing an earbud. Monster copes with this issue by offering up seven distinctly different ear tips. While the versatility will certainly pay off, it does mean that you will need to take some time to find the right set for you. Not only does the tip choice impact how comfortable the earphones will be, but, based on its fit to your ear, it also has a big effect on how food the earphones sound. With ill-fitting tips, the Miles Davis Tribute headphones did not sound their best, so we encourage you to seek out the best-sounding option and trust that they will also feel right.
As in-ear headphones go, the Miles Davis Tributes sound spectacular. They have an open midrange appeal that you normally find only in high-end, open backed, on-ear headphones. Vocals were free of congestion, electric bass had warmth and punch and wind instruments sounded remarkably true to their live sound.
High frequencies are sparkling, but not at all overly bright or shrill. Transients were crystal clear, and suffered from little to no distortion. Since the Tributes reproduce sound that stays true to the recording, only those tracks with already hot highs sounded hot through the Miles Davis Tributes.
Bass in an in-ear headphone is a tricky proposition. On one hand, you have a limited amount of space for a speaker, so you just can’t achieve head-pounding bass. You can, however, achieve musical, tonally accurate bass, and that is what Monster has done here. We feel that Monster designed these earphones to be as accurate as possible, rather than achieve beefier bass at the expense of accuracy elsewhere in the frequency spectrum. While you may not get the sense that you feel the kick drum, you will most certainly hear it. Over long listening sessions, we didn’t feel ourselves wanting more bass. Once our ears relaxed into the sound, we simply enjoyed the highly revealing, very engaging sound that the Miles Davis Tributes served up.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/product-reviews/mp3-player-reviews/headphone-reviews/monster-miles-davis-tribute-review/
The Miles Davis Tribute headphones are revealing, accurate and fun. While they won’t blow your head off with bass, they will bring you closer to your favorite recordings, and that counts for a lot.
Though very well designed and constructed, the Miles Davis Tributes on their own may seem a little pricey for some. However, when you consider the unique Miles Davis content only available with this special set of earphones, the price looks more justified, and this extra content makes the package a pretty remarkable gift to the jazz lover. We highly recommend Monster’s Miles David Tributes.
Highs:
• Very clean sound
• Comfortable, secure fit
• Tangle-free cord
• Attractive carrying case
• Lots of extra goodies for the jazz fan
Lows:
• Bass response may be light for some
• Included collector’s items jack up price

HP: Hey, We’ll Have a Tablet Too – With Flash!

With all the hype surrounding the Apple iPad, HP wants people to know its forthcoming Slate runs all of Windows 7...and that includes Flash.
Sure, Apple may be commanding a lot of mindshare in the tablet computing world with the imminent arrival of the Apple iPad, but tech giant Hewlett Packard wants people to know that it, too, is coming out with a tablet-based device dubbed the HP Slate—and, unlike the iPad, it’ll run Windows applications and offer a “a full Web browsing experience”—and by “full” HP means their tablet runs Flash. U
“With this slate product, you’re getting a full Web browsing experience in the palm of your hand,” said VP and chief technical officer for its Personal Systems Group Phil McKinney, in a blog post. “No watered down Internet, no sacrifices. A big bonus for the slate product is that, being based on Windows 7, it offers full Adobe support.”
Apple has ignited an industry-wide debate about the ubiquity of Adobe Flash, since neither the iPhone nor the forthcoming iPad support Flash, which is widely used on the Internet to stream video and add interactive elements to Web sites. Although Apple has had little to say publicly about Flash, the technology is widely known to perform more poorly on Macs than on its Windows counterparts—for technical reasons that have a great deal to do with corporate politics. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has also characterized Flash as an inefficient technology that would several impact the battery life of devices like the iPhone and iPad. Apple favors alternatives like HTML 5 and H.264 video.
HP’s Slate, however, makes no such distinctions: the device aims to be a full Windows 7 experience, complete with Flash, and has now posted video of the HP tablet being used in similar ways to those shown during Apple’s iPad commercial that premiered during the Oscars. The device is shown playing video, being used for navigation, and as an e-reader.
HP has not announced a name for its tablet device, or any product specifications, pricing, or release date. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer did demo a prototype version at his keynote at this year’s CES show in Las Vegas; if nothing else, the demo showed that trying to use a touch-enabled version of Windows 7 on a small screen held upside down and backwards on a hot, brightly-lit stage isn’t a very intuitive experience.

Microsoft's Game Room for Xbox 'rewinds' the hits in our hands-on demo

Microsoft showed off its new retro-tastic Game Room UI for Xbox 360 in playable form at GDC last week. While the "make a virtual representation of a gaming space" idea might seem ripped straight from Sony's Home, there aren't really any actual similarities -- outside of the fact they're both in 3D, at least. You dive disembodied through the different game rooms pretty intuitively, with different company collections on the bottom "level" of the mall-like UI, and upper levels set aside for your own collections of the games. Unfortunately, once you actually select an arcade cabinet, the UI gets rather overly complex, with all sorts of modes you can play the game in, sorts of scores to be tracked and an indecipherable menu tree that makes it a real chore to exit a game. We're sure arcade fanatics, ready to pit their scores against the best of them and looking for truly in-depth functionality are going to love all this, but for us poor simpletons it's a little much to take in all at once. Luckily, Microsoft saved the best for the actual gameplay. Not only does it nicely emulate inserting coins and even entering in codes on a virtual keypad, but when playing games in the non-ranked classic mode there's a "rewind" function accessible at any time with the tug of the left trigger. The screen gets those VHS-style wavey lines and you can mend your errors instead of losing a valuable life or having to start from the beginning. It's perfect for patching over the quarter-munching difficulty of some of these games, and it might even be enough to pull us away from our polygon-drenched gorefests now and then to don an inexplicable bear avatar and spelunk some Crystal Castles. Check out a video of Game Room after the break, and stand by for a launch of the service on March 24.