What's new on SlashGear.com

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• T-Mobile Temporarily Suspends Bobsled VoIP App, Possible Facebook Conflict
• Kodak Announces ESP Office 2170 All-in-One Inkjet With Mobile And 3D Photo Printing
• CloudTalk – Integrated Multimedia Messaging
• Yahoo Acquires TV “Check-In” Company IntoNow To Ramp Up Social Offerings
• Reminder: We Have an XOOM Contest Going On, Winner at 5pm PST
• Hair Follicle Harvesting Robot Approved by FDA
• Is this the white iPhone 5 again?
• HTC 7 Pro could be Verizon’s first WP7 phone
• Don’t Want to Tell Everyone What You “Like”? Use the Send Button
• SlashGear Morning Wrap Up – April 25th 2011
• PSN Network Updates – Anon disavows [UPDATED AGAIN]
• Apple iMac Refresh To Come Next Week With Sandy Bridge And Thunderbolt?
• HTC Tube Concept Design: Phone, Tablet, Notebook
• Apple iTunes, Rumblings from the Cloud
• NETGEAR launches N750 Dual Band router
• SG Comics Presents: Apple vs. Samsung
• DON-8r Robot
• Google mind-control “victim” sneaks into HQ and leaves poison pen letter
• ORIGIN EON17-S overclocks Core i7 to 4.5GHz for gaming notebook
• AT&T packs “Fly-away” cell tower in a suitcase, Mary Poppins style
• “We don’t track anyone” Steve Jobs reportedly tells user
• Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc Review
• Nook Color gets email, apps and more with new update
• Microsoft confirms Mango will be branded as Windows Phone 7.5
• White iPhone 4 to hit Best Buy on April 27
• T&T Pen uses spiral ink refill to pack in more ink and makes for less waste
• T-Mobile to give G2X a Gingerbread update soon
• RIM wants Blackberry PlayBook Hulu Plus access
• Awesome wearable Lego minifig space helmet reads comics
• Crazy thin ThinkPad X1 surfaces
• Galaxy S II smartphone gets NFC payment app onboard in Korea
• Leaked screens of Windows 8 App Store were fakes
• iPhone storing tracking details on users even with location services off
• Acer prioritizes Tablets over netbooks; Plans “Shuriken” screen ultraportable for May
• Dell Latitude ST and Streak Pro tablets detailed; CEO predicts Android will squash iPad
• Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet breaks cover: Honeycomb slate with Keyboard Dock
• Nintendo 3DS sales hit 3.61m: 2010 net income down 66.1%
• Nintendo confirms Wii replacement in 2012; Preview at E3 2011
• PSN Admin Dev Accounts Got Hacked, Source Claims Service To Return By Tuesday
• SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video – April 24, 2011

T-Mobile Temporarily Suspends Bobsled VoIP App, Possible Facebook Conflict Posted: 25 Apr 2011 03:21 PM PDT Early last week, T-Mobile announced a fresh crop of VoIP and data services under a new brand called Bobsled. The first of its offerings was a free VoIP calling app for Facebook that may eventually make its way as an app for mobile devices. Unfortunately, the road is a bit rocky, as today T-Mobile announced on their Facebook page that they’ve voluntarily and temporarily suspended the Bobsled service as apparently they need to work some things out with Facebook. The free Bobsled app lets you call your friends for free via Facebook. Once installed, you click on the phone icon in the chat window, and choose the friend to call. A message is sent to your friend with a link to accept the call and they are not required to have the app for it to work. If your call goes unanswered, you can leave a private message or a public message on your friend’s wall. The app had been working for almost a week before Facebook must have expressed some concerns. Facebook seems to be concerned that the app is not differentiated enough from its own services and that users may mistaken it as a Facebook created property. This could be a simple miscommunication or lack of communication from the T-Mobile team that might be fixed just by the app more clearly identifying itself as a third-party service. If you’ve used this service, we’d like to know what you think of it so far. Is it something you’re dying to have re-instated? The message from the Bobsled team reads: We are voluntarily and temporarily suspending the Bobsled service as we work with our partners at Facebook to address their design questions, including working to ensure that the Bobsled experience is clearly differentiated and is not mistaken for a Facebook created property. We apologize to our customers for this temporary disruption in service. [via IntoMobile] Relevant Entries on SlashGear T-Mobile temporarily suspends sales of Nokia 5610 XpressMusic due to defect Buy Your Kids a Porsche…Bobsled Facebook cellphone tease campaign from UK carrier Three Android tether backtrack: apps allowed, but not for T-Mob US users T-Mobile Announces Bobsled For Free Facebook VoIP Calls

Kodak Announces ESP Office 2170 All-in-One Inkjet With Mobile And 3D Photo Printing Posted: 25 Apr 2011 02:58 PM PDT Kodak has announced its new addition to the All-in-one Inkjet Printer line, the ESP Office 2170 AiO printer. Like many new printers the Office 2170 will do away with cables as it can connect to your wireless network and it multifunctions to scan, fax, and copy. But it adds to that some features that sound cool, but you may seldom use, including the option to print direct from your mobile devices, print from video, and print 3D photos. The Kodak ESP Office 2170 will be able to directly print from your Blackberry device, as well as your iPhone, iPad, iPad 2, and iPod Touch. The printer is also cost efficient since the largest amount of money spent during a printer's life is on the ink. The Office 2170 can churn out 670 black text pages on a single black ink 30XL cartridge and 550 color pages on a single color 30XL cartridge. The printer can print stills directly from video files such as mov, .avi and .mp4 file types. But perhaps its most unique feature may be the 3D photo feature, one of the first among consumer inkjet printers. You'll also be able to edit images to adjust color tone, red eye, blemishes, and skin tones from the 1.5-inch display. The Kodak ESP Office 2170 goes on sale in the U.S. in June for $149.99 MSRP. [via Kodak] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Revolutionary printing from Kodak Kodak ESP Office 6150 AiO Printer Offers Printing from Smartphones [Update] Kodak unveils Pynk printing system Kodak to unveil full line of new gear at CES 2011 Kodak orders OLED panels for digital photo frames

CloudTalk – Integrated Multimedia Messaging Posted: 25 Apr 2011 02:29 PM PDT CloudTalk is a new application that integrates all kinds of messaging into a unified platform. Honestly, my first thought was that this is attempting to solve a problem that nobody has. There are so many ways to send text, video, pictures, or audio files across devices that it’s not even funny. That said, it seems like it’s actually a sweet little app and I’m impressed with the slick UI as well as the ability to create “Communities” on the fly, which works like a group in facebook or like google wave. They have versions of the software available on iOS, Android, and through a web browser interface. The browser interface is currently in a beta stage. I’ve tested it in Firefox 4 as well as Chrome and it seems to work swimmingly in both. They need to add some functionality for the web interface to be truly useful, specifically an ability to take and post webcam videos on-the-fly. And currently the upload feature seems to be broken. I am only able to sign up for the service and check it out through the PC interface because my iPhone is busted. Anyway, from what I can tell. They have everything right. The interface is comfortable and intuitive and the software ran quickly. They might be onto something here. It’ll depend on if they can get this to catch on through the gauntlet of Facebooking and tweet-API craziness out there in the market. PCMag has a more detailed look at it, so if you think this app might have some promise for you and your circle, check it out. Or just jump right in, it’s a free download. [via PCMag] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Harmon Kardon Launches Guide+Play for your car Pantech C150 now available on AT&T Wireless Nokia N72 Integrated Circuits Turn 50 Nokia 6175i

Yahoo Acquires TV “Check-In” Company IntoNow To Ramp Up Social Offerings Posted: 25 Apr 2011 02:25 PM PDT Yahoo is planning on a splash in the media check-in game with the acquisition of young company IntoNow. The company has only been around 12 weeks, but it already caught the eye of Yahoo, Twitter, and Facebook in the short amount of time. Yahoo was reportedly very adamant about acquiring the company and struck a deal somewhere between $20 to $30 million. IntoNow works like a combination of Shazam and any type of "check-in" program you've come across, but instead of music, IntoNow listens for the TV show or movie you're watching. The program works by simply tapping the screen and it will take in the surrounding audio to determine what you are watching and you will "check-in" to what you are watching. This is uploaded to a social network and your friends can see what you're watching, and you can see what they're watching. Once uploaded you can even jump to what they're watching if it's live, or if it is on Netflix a link will be given to the title. The app is limited to the iPhone right now, but the company is working on an iPad and Android version. Since the service is still so new, they are constantly compiling movies and shows, but already have somewhere between 500,000 to one million users. The staff of seven at IntoNow will be folded into Yahoo and the service will probably be integrated across all of Yahoo's properties. Competing TV check-in services such as GetGlue and Miso may get scooped up by Yahoo rivals, but Yahoo certainly hopes to be a step ahead with this purchase. A social TV platform is a relatively new arena and may be a good place for Yahoo to secure a lead if they can find the right way to integrate. The once popular search and news portal giant has fallen behind in recent years and is attempting to turn itself around. These days it means having to go more social. [via TechCrunch] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Yahoo rejects Microsoft purchase offer, holding out for AOL to save the day Yahoo ups the stakes against Google by acquiring Right media Microsoft to buy Yahoo? Western Digital acquires SSD company Microsoft ready to take over Yahoo for $44.6 billion

Reminder: We Have an XOOM Contest Going On, Winner at 5pm PST Posted: 25 Apr 2011 01:42 PM PDT In case you missed it, in case you didn’t know yet, in case you somehow haven’t seen our reminders before, we need to tell you…we have AN XOOM CONTEST going on! We have a total of FIVE XOOM tablets we’re giving away. Two of them have already gone to new homes, but there are two more left on Android Community, and we still have ONE MORE left here at SlashGear. The winner of our last tablet will be announced today at 5pm PST. So you still have three more opportunities to win an XOOM, that super awesome Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet, with NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 dual-core processors. The XOOM is just waiting to go home with you. If, sadly, you did not win our last SlashGear tablet, you still have another week to win on Android Community. Below you're going to find the limited rules set. In order for you to see the FULL rules, you'll need to head on back to the original contest rules post and get the full story – then enter using the rules below! Just a few clicks and you're in! What a fabulous opportunity to win an excellent tablet for absolutely free! To win one of these fabulous tablets, you must: 1. "like" us on Facebook: facebook.com/slashgear.com 2. Comment on the wall saying something nice like "SlashGear and NVIDIA are ever so generous and kind with their dual-core generosity." Contest begins April 11, 2PM PST, and ends April 25, 5PM PST. A winner will be announced every Monday @ 5PM PST here in the main news feed and at our official Facebook page. WINNERS will be given the opportunity to submit a review of their XOOM and have it posted on the front page of SlashGear.com! *Reviews may be edited or modified before publication and are considered works for hire under the 1976 Copyright Act. Submissions will be ineligible for payment or remuneration. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Reminder: We Have a XOOM Contest Going On! SlashGear's Gigantic XOOM Giveaway WINNER #1 Reminder: We’ve got a XOOM Giveaway Going on! Motorola XOOM Contest via SlashGear! WIN a XOOM in SlashGear’s Gigantic Tablet Giveaway!

Hair Follicle Harvesting Robot Approved by FDA Posted: 25 Apr 2011 01:34 PM PDT Baldness is one of those things that our capitalist society manages to rail against something fierce. We have foams, drugs, surgeries, and old-wives tales all centered around the dreaded idea of losing your hair. I think hair loss is similar to how silverback gorillas go silver when they’re all alpha-male and in-charge. One time I read it had something to do with testosterone. That said, Restoration Robotics just received clearance to market a new robotic system called the ARTAS. It’s designed to assist in the hair transplant process by precisely ripping out a hair follicle and storing it until the doc can manually transplant it into the area where the hair is thin. First off, who thought it would be a good idea to program a robot to literally gouge needles into someone’s scalp, ripping out their hair one strand at a time? I know that’s not something I would ever think about, ever. This idea is terrifying to me. But, it is an impressive technical feat, so… There’s that. Restoration Robots is based in Mountain View CA. They hope to streamline the hair transplant process, of which there were more than 100,000 in 2009. They claim that the ARTAS robot will shave (pun intended) hours off of the procedure. [via Forbes] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Panasonic Hair Washing Robot Gets Showcased on Video Panasonic Hair Washing Robot and Electric Care Assistance Bed Showcased in Japan Latest Ferrari is a hair dryer? Dental Students Practice on Robot, Her Name is Hanako Hair Restoration Headphones

Is this the white iPhone 5 again? Posted: 25 Apr 2011 01:33 PM PDT Early last week we had some videos crop up that begged for speculation on whether they were the white iPhone 4 or a white prototype of the iPhone 5. Studying the images now, you will see that the proximity sensor is a bit different than that of the images purported to be an actual white iPhone 4 accidentally sold early from a Vodafone UK store. And now we have yet another image leak to get us wondering again. This image of a white iPhone device was picked up by folks at M.I.C. Gadget, and is believed to be a white prototype of the iPhone 5. Although the proximity sensor on this device more closely resembles that of the one sold from the Vodafone store than the one from the videos, the screen appears to be much wider with smaller surrounding borders. The body shape also appears to be much thinner, but it’s difficult to tell from the low quality image. M.I.C. Gadget also has an image of the purported white iPhone 5 face plate sitting next to a purported white iPhone 4. Here are two other images for your comparison. First is the image of the white iPhone 4 from the Vodafone store and the second is the image from the videos we mentioned. It could also be possible that this is the prototype iPhone ’4S’ that sports the A5 chip, which has reportedly been seeded to game developers for optimizing games for the high-performance next-gen iPhone. Either way, we should know for sure very soon what the actual white iPhone 4 will look like. A leaked memo and now a leaked screenshot of Best Buy’s inventory status pinpoints Apple’s white iPhone 4 to arrive on April 27th for both U.S. and Europe. [via M.I.C. Gadget] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Best Buy clears shelf space for white iPhone 4 White iPhone 4 To Debut In April For AT&T Only? White iPhone 4 by end of April according to sources White iPhone 4 to hit Best Buy on April 27 White iPhone 4 on Sale in China

HTC 7 Pro could be Verizon’s first WP7 phone Posted: 25 Apr 2011 01:04 PM PDT HTC’s 7 Pro might be Verizon’s first Windows Phone 7 device. The HTC 7 Pro is also known on Sprint’s networks as the HTC Arrive. We reviewed the Arrive here recently. The possibility that this phone was imminently going to be a part of Verizon’s stable was revealed when a gaming site that tracks and publicly displays the hits from various phone operating systems displayed some otherwise unknown model numbers. First off, hats off to the crew over at pocketnow for putting the pieces to this puzzle together. The clever duders over at pocketnow came to this conclusion starting with this piece of unexpected information. On the list of phones was one known to be an up and coming Verizon Windows 7 phone (the 7 Trophy, or MWP6985), but there was another yet unknown model number, MWP6885. They did a little more digging and found that the MWP6885 was linked with an file labeled PC93-1.0.xml Then they remembered that the PC93100 is a designation for the HTC 7 Pro when it passed through the FCC last year. So if A=B and B=C then A=C right? Right. Verizon picking up a WP7 device is good news for Microsoft, as they are seriously behind the game in the smartphone OS market. The quick shift in the way we interact with technology as a society has turned a lot of the technical world on it’s head. The market for traditional computers is flattening while an entire new style of computer is growing. I for one am enjoying the ride. I can’t wait. [via IntoMobile] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Verizon selling Venture Mini hands-free calling/FM Transmitter Verizon’s New Flow of Tiers Verizon’s LTE Reportedly Planned to Launch November 15th in 30 Markets Saygus VPhone V1 poses for better photos Verizon’s XPERIA Play crosses FCC with SIM slot: 4G or World Phone?

Don’t Want to Tell Everyone What You “Like”? Use the Send Button Posted: 25 Apr 2011 12:55 PM PDT Facebook’s “Like” button is everywhere online. Most any website you run across has a “Like” button somewhere, so that make it even more amazing that the “Like” button only launched a year ago. But what if you don’t want to share your “Like” with your 300+ Facebook friends? Today, Facebook announced that it is adding a new social plugin, called the “Send” button. The new button makes it easier to share with an individual or a group in fewer steps than were previously required. Say you looking at a gift for Mother’s Day and want to send out an idea to your siblings, the “Send” button lets you do that in just one click (provided you already have groups set up on Facebook). The Facebook Developer’s blog describes it this way: “The Send button drives traffic by letting users send a link and a short message to the people that would be most interested. They don’t need to leave the web page they're on or fill out a long, annoying form. Compared to the alternatives, the Send button has fewer required steps, and it removes the need to look up email addresses by auto-suggesting friends and Groups. We designed the Send button to be used alongside the Like button. By including both on your website, people will have ability to broadcast the things they like and also send it to specific people.” Partners on the launch of the “Send” button are Gilt Groupe, 1-800-Flowers.com, Huffington Post, People.com, Orbitz and Last.fm, but we are sure that it will spread over the web very quickly. Code and more information is located at the Facebook Developer’s blog. What do you think? Is this something you will find helpful? [via Facebook Developers Blog] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Traveler 515 Laser Mouse – don’t you love useless buttons? Declare war on those fibbers with the Bullshit Button Android gets first malware, McAfee says don’t be a Chicken Little The Panic Button for all your cubicle frustrations Self-Destruct button cellphone charm

SlashGear Morning Wrap Up – April 25th 2011 Posted: 25 Apr 2011 12:12 PM PDT In the news this morning: soon you will be able to get a white iPhone 4 that also “will not track you”, and Google’s mind control claims an unfortunate victim. Also, a superfast gaming notebook from ORIGIN, a crazy thin Thinkpad, and an update for the Nook Color. And a cell tower you can pack away in your suitcase. We also have lots of tablet news: Acer, Lenovo and Dell are planning new slates. And in the Android world, the G2X will soon get a serving of Gingerbread, Skype has solved problems with its Android app, and Amazon will give you $$ for Android apps. We are also keeping an eye on the PlayStation Network, which is still down after an “external intrusion”. Read on for more. Google’s mind-control may have gone too far, as a serial letter-writer sneaks into headquarters and leaves a “poison pen” note.   The ORIGIN EON17-S gaming notebook overclocks Core i7 to 4.5GHz, but you will pay for the speed as you might expect.   No cell reception? Now you can pack your own cell tower in a suitcase, just like Mary Poppins might do.   The long-awaited white iPhone will soon be available, but if you are worried about it tracking you, Steve Jobs says you needn’t – despite evidence to the contrary.   Catch Chris Davies’ in-depth review of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc.   Nook Color is looking more and more like an Android tablet with email, apps and more. gets email, apps and more with new update   Microsoft eschewing food-based software names, opting for “Windows Phone 7.5″   The T-Mobile G2X is getting a Gingerbread update – soon, very soon.   Crazy thin ThinkPad X1 surfaces, but not confirmed as official yet lest you get too excited.   Acer is giving priority to Tablets over Netbooks, planning ultraportable tab for May, and the Dell Latitude ST and Streak Pro slates are detailed. Plus, Lenovo to release a Honeycomb slate. Relevant Entries on SlashGear The Daily Slash: April 8th, 2011 Best Buy Pre-Sale Of WiFi HTC Flyer To Start April 25th SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: April 4, 2011 SlashGear Morning Wrap-up: November 11 2010 Electronic Bubble Wrap Keychain – just when you thought FedEx was Santa

PSN Network Updates – Anon disavows [UPDATED AGAIN] Posted: 25 Apr 2011 11:47 AM PDT There’s an update to this story about Sony’s PSN network going down. System crackers gained access to the Playstation Network’s Admin Dev accounts. Sony has publicly stated that they don’t have any idea how deep the incursion went. Anonymous has disavowed any knowledge of the attack, though all eyes are on them in the wake of their recent threats vs Sony. Sony got pwnd. PCWorld spoke with spokesman for Sony Computer Entertainment in Tokyo, but Sony isn’t really saying much except that this was an “external intrusion” into their network. They’re working to figure out if any of the personal information such as credit card numbers were compromised. If you use the PSN, keep an eye on your accounts. I personally doubt that the people responsible for this attack are looking to target the customers, but that data might have been too juicy of a target not to grab if they had the opportunity. Though Google recently pulled Anon’s videos from April citing ToS violations, there are still conduits of their voice postin’ videos. If you missed their threats vs Sony the first time around like I did, check it. Sony has no official word on when they will be able to reinstate their service. Some sources point to tomorrow, but Sony’s official word is that they don’t know. This is a quote from the EU PSN blog: I know you are waiting for additional information on when PlayStation Network and Qriocity services will be online. Unfortunately, I don't have an update or timeframe to share at this point in time. As we previously noted, this is a time intensive process and we're working to get them back online quickly. Will keep you updated with information as it becomes available. We once again thank you for your patience. I’ll say it again. Sony got pwnd. UPDATE: Yeah, they still don’t have a clue as to when they’ll get everything back online. As far as cyberattacks go… props duders, whoever you are. [via ars technica] Relevant Entries on SlashGear AT&T Continues to Roll Out Updates to 3G Network Sprint’s plans for the future unveiled Rumor – .Mac to be updated tomorrow? Win a Sidekick LX TomTom add lifetime maps/traffic to $200+ PNDs

Apple iMac Refresh To Come Next Week With Sandy Bridge And Thunderbolt? Posted: 25 Apr 2011 11:36 AM PDT Last week we warned you to hold off on buying an iMac because constrained supplies indicated an upcoming refresh. And now we have further reports that the new iMac will arrive the week of May 2nd. According to a source known as Mr. X from 9to5 Mac, Apple will officially stop shipping current generation iMacs to resellers this week. The iMac refresh is believed to incorporate faster processors with Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge platform. It should also sport Apple’s new Thunderbolt connector port, which is said to be 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and about 20 times faster than USB 2.0. However, it will be only the 2nd line of systems to support the new Apple-only standard, which debuted with their MacBook Pro refresh back in February. Apple also seems to be delaying shipments for current online orders. The orders are delayed with a message saying that they will be shipped on or before May 2nd. Based on Apple’s penchant for launching on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, well except for when it comes to iOS devices, it is likely that the refreshed iMac will land on May 4th, which aligns with the May 2nd ship date to suggest the refresh will land next week. [via 9to5 Mac] Relevant Entries on SlashGear iMac Refresh Imminent With Supplies Running Low Apple ditching NVIDIA for AMD GPUs in Sandy Bridge MacBook Pros? MacBook Air Sandy Bridge refresh tipped for June MacBook Pro and “mainstream” new size iMac tipped for 1H 2011 MacBook Pro stock shortage could point to imminent Sandy Bridge refresh

HTC Tube Concept Design: Phone, Tablet, Notebook Posted: 25 Apr 2011 10:48 AM PDT Back in March, we covered an HTC Tube concept design, which is meant to integrate all of your devices using a removable cartridge that can transfer between the phone and tablet. Now Antoine Brieux, the designer, has added a keyboard which plugs into the tablet and creates a notebook, possibly inspired by the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer? Brieux considers this the completion of his HTC Tube concept, that now integrates phone, tablet, and laptop into one harmonious cartridge-powered ecosystem. But he also adds one more accessory he calls the NAK Stick Phone that slides into the tablet for an integrated basic phone that will let you take and make calls using the tablet. It looks like it can be used separately as well to completely replace the need for a smartphone. This would be good for someone who intends to carry around their tablet most of the time and only need a small device for making basic calls. This is certainly an interesting concept with sleek aesthetic execution. It will be neat to see if any of the major manufacturers start picking up on this type of integration. It could be very advantageous for manufacturers to be able to promote their smartphones, tablets, and laptops as one cohesive family or package rather than solely separate product segments. [via NAK Studio] Relevant Entries on SlashGear HTC Tube Tablet And Smartphone Concept Design LG Triptych: Phone Morphs Into Tablet Concept Design Gravity Phone concept looks cool and bulky Video of Nokia’s Super Sexy Concept Phone The Ultimate Customizable Phone

Apple iTunes, Rumblings from the Cloud Posted: 25 Apr 2011 10:46 AM PDT I’ve been downloading music since I first figured out that I could minimize my AOL window in Windows 3.1 and open up a Netscape browser. My thirteen-year-old self was ravenous for the media that I could find searching on early FTP directories that shall remain nameless. MP3 blew my mind at the time. I was amazed that data could be compressed like that (a 600+MB music CD could be compressed down to as low as 50MB). That kind of stuff was a lot of fun for me, but the music itself wasn’t the goal. It was as much about the hunt, the technical challenge and the WOW! factor. It took about a half-hour to download a 128kbps bit-rate MP3 of a 3-5 minute song. Now, Apple is signing a deal with Warner Music to offer streaming, cloud-based music services. They haven’t said anything publicly, but both they and Google are looking to grab as much of this market as possible after Amazon released their Cloud Player last month. There are a multitude of streaming services that provide music in almost any format you can imagine. The most popular is a site that wasn’t even really designed with music in mind, YouTube. Google made the right choice to snap them up when they had the chance. There’s also Pandora, Soundcloud, and Grooveshark, which are just the ones that I regularly use. After Amazon released it’s cloud service last month, the other giants are scrambling to keep up. Apple is looking to introduce cloud functionality to their iTunes service. This is exciting as it removes one of the reasons why many rarely purchase albums these days. I mean, apart from the fact that you can listen to just about anything you want using the multitude of online services that are available for free. This cloud functionality is going to remove one of iTunes most complained about issues. But that’s mainly because many people don’t consistently back up their data. These changes signify a major shift in the way we need to start thinking about our devices. Our devices, be they smartphones, tablets, or even a traditional keyboard-mouse computer sitting on your desk, are the endpoint to the greater network instead of objects in themselves. Tune in, Turn on, Jack in. [via CNET] Relevant Entries on SlashGear iTunes 10.1 Available Now for Download, Brings Video AirPlay to the Masses Apple Planning Cloud-Based iTunes and Wireless Sync for Devices Apple To Release Cloud Music Service Ahead of Google iTunes cloud for storage not subscription streaming tip insiders Apple says the talks with Universal Music are still ongoing – there is no standoff

NETGEAR launches N750 Dual Band router Posted: 25 Apr 2011 10:37 AM PDT NETGEAR has launched a new Router which offers dual band wireless transmission at up to 750 megabits per second. Named the NETGEAR N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router, the router transmits data simultaneously over both wireless N bands with up to 450mbps in the 5Ghz band and 300mbps in the more crowded 2.4 Ghz band. In addition, the N750 offers a wide range of parental controls and even a broadband usage meter for those concerned with data caps. And with DLNA media server support, the router can handle HD video, music, and photos and stream them to any DLNA enabled television or game console on the network. The parental controls enable for control of all devices on a network including Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets. Parents can be secure in the knowledge that their kids are safely surfing the internet and prevented from visiting suspect sites. The Broadband usage meter can be set to automatically notify when data consumption is about to surpass any monthly limits set by the service provider, thereby saving on expensive data overage fees. And guests can access the Internet and the home network without access to other computers, storage drives or other devices on the home network. But the hallmark feature is the N750 ‘s transmission of wireless signals over a lesser used 5Ghz band, which means less congestion and faster data transfer rates. Users can watch HD movies, play live networked gaming, and have video chats with multiple users while the router handles traffic seamlessly at 450 mbps, while running more traffic on the lower 2.4 Ghz traffic at 300 mbps. The N750 is available now for around $179.99 msrp. Press Release NETGEAR Tops Off Product Portfolio with New Flagship Router The NETGEAR N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router speeds through intense tasks such as HD video streaming, multiplayer gaming and large file transfers SAN JOSE, Calif. – April XX, 2011 — NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR),a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers, today announced worldwide availability of the N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4000), the newest top of the line router from the industry’s market leader. The N750 powers through intense wireless tasks such as streaming HD video, multiplayer gaming and large file transfers thanks to a an aggregate combined data rate of up to 750 megabits per second (Mbps) while operating simultaneously in both wireless N bands: up to 450 Mbps in the 5 GHz band and up to 300 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. But the N750 isn’t just about speed – the router offers a full range of premium features including flexible parental controls and a broadband usage meter, as well as DLNA Media Server support for streaming video, music and photos from any storage device plugged into its USB port to DLNA-enabled devices throughout the home such as some newer televisions and game consoles. The N750 takes the wireless N standard to new levels with performance of up to 450 Mbps in the 5 GHz band, where there is less interference than the 2.4 GHz band. This higher frequency band can provide smoother, more consistent streaming to newer laptops, video game consoles and other dual-band wireless N devices for a superior user experience. The N750 also operates at up to 300 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band, supporting both the older 802.11g standard and the newer 802.11n standard. This provides maximum range and more capacity when multiple devices are using a mix of the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands on a single home wireless network. Overcrowding and delays are minimized during data-intensive activities such as HD video streaming and multiplayer online gaming. The N750 is also an intelligent home gateway that helps consumers get the most from their network and connected devices. NETGEAR Live Parental Controls, for example, provide a centralized, flexible and reliable parental control solution for all devices on the network, including Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets, giving children and teenagers a safer environment for online activities – with no subscription required! The broadband usage meter can be set to automatically notify consumers when data consumption is reaching monthly limits set by their service provider, avoiding costly overage fees for those with metered service plans. Among the additional premium features of the N750 are: * Guest network access, allowing visitors to go online without having to be given the home network password and without gaining access to computers, printers, storage drives and other devices on the home network. * NETGEAR ReadyShare™ technology, for connecting a standard USB hard drive to the router to share storage and a media library across the home network. * DLNA Media Server, for streaming media to DLNA HDTVs, Blu-ray™ players and game consoles. * Four high-speed gigabit Ethernet ports for ultra-fast wired connections. * IPv6 ready, for future-proof compatibility with the emerging IPv6 standard for Internet addresses. “Home networks are no longer limited to low-bandwidth tasks such as reading email or looking at static web pages. Instead, today’s home networks are gateways to movies, television, music, games, video chat and much more,” said Som Pal Choudhury, NETGEAR director of product marketing. “No wireless router on the market today is faster or better prepared to deliver these next-generation online experiences to everyone in the family than the N750.” Pricing and Availability The NETGEAR N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4000) is now available worldwide from major retailers – in stores and online – at $179.99 in the United States. More information To learn more about the NETGEAR N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router, please visit http://www.netgear.com/MaxWiFi About NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR (NASDAQGM: NTGR) is a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers. For consumers, the company makes high performance, dependable and easy to use home networking, storage and digital media products to connect people with the Internet and their content and devices. For businesses, NETGEAR provides networking, storage and security solutions without the cost and complexity of Big IT. The company also supplies top service providers with retail proven, whole home solutions for their customers. NETGEAR products are built on a variety of proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. NETGEAR products are sold in over 28,000 retail locations around the globe, and through more than 37,000 value-added resellers. The company’s headquarters are in San Jose, Calif., with additional offices in 25 countries. NETGEAR is an ENERGY STAR® partner. More information is available at http://www.NETGEAR.com or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR at http://twitter.com/NETGEAR and http://www.facebook.com/NETGEAR. ©2011 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR, the NETGEAR logo, and ReadyShare are trademarks or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved. Note: Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary from maximum signal rates stipulated. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for NETGEAR, Inc.: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, statements concerning NETGEAR’s business and the expected performance characteristics, specifications, reliability, market acceptance, market growth, specific uses, user feedback and market position of NETGEAR’s products and technology are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the following: the actual price, performance and ease of use of NETGEAR’s products may not meet the price, performance and ease of use requirements of customers; product performance may be adversely affected by real world operating conditions; failure of products may under certain circumstances cause permanent loss of end user data; new viruses or Internet threats may develop that challenge the effectiveness of security features in NETGEAR’s products; the ability of NETGEAR to market and sell its products and technology; the impact and pricing of competing products; and the introduction of alternative technological solutions. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect NETGEAR and its business are detailed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties listed in the section entitled “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors,” pages 11 through 29, in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2011. NETGEAR undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. # # # Relevant Entries on SlashGear Netgear unveils RangeMax dual band wireless-N WNDR3700 router TP-Link shows off 450Mbps dual band wireless router Trendnet TEW-673GRU 300Mbps concurrent dual band router tips up Netgear reveals Rangemax wireless-N gigabit router with USB Netgear N300 DGN2200M Router with 3G backup ships

SG Comics Presents: Apple vs. Samsung Posted: 25 Apr 2011 10:00 AM PDT Apple’s patent suit claims Samsung copied the “look and feel” of their user interface, including having a grid of colorful square icons with uniformly rounded corners, a bottom row “Springboard” of square icons, and an overall rectangular product shape that has four uniformly rounded corners. The TouchWiz UI resemblance to Apple’s iOS UI is certainly there, but it will still be one tough legal battle with Samsung fighting back that will bring plenty of analysis on its implications for Apple and the smartphone/tablet industry as a whole. But, let’s just imagine for fun if Samsung were to lose on the UI design battlefront… The Apple vs. Samsung legal battle is an interesting one despite the myriad of lawsuits already in full swing amongst all the major manufacturers. Apple is Samsung’s number two largest client and fills up 4% of their annual revenue, whereas Samsung is also Apple’s major components supplier in semi-conductors, memory, and displays. For a really good breakdown of Apple’s lawsuit against Samsung, visit here. Relevant Entries on SlashGear DC Comics iPad app joins Marvel SG Comics Presents: NYC Apple iPad Lines SG Comics Presents: Verizon vs. AT&T Samsung Galaxy S Gingerbread ROM leaks SG Comics Presents: Angry Turds

DON-8r Robot Posted: 25 Apr 2011 09:55 AM PDT Props to robot designers for finally coming out with stuff that can make a difference, not that robotic factory arms and mechanized food processing and and and… Whatever man, this thing is cute. It’s designed on the principle that many organizations depend on charitable contributions for their operating budgets. Usually it takes legions of volunteers to collect these donations, but in our modern world such tasks can be done with robots just as well. Not to mention that people get annoyed with panhandlers. Enter DON-8r bot, designed by Tim Pryde. There’s even videos after the break. "I developed DON-8r as a device to get people more personally involved with raising funds for charities. I was inspired by the increasingly negative attitude that many people have towards on-the-street charity workers. Rather than approaching them and supporting their charity, people will often go out of their way to avoid them. DON-8r is my response to this, an engaging and approachable robot that raises money for charities through encouraging playful and empathetic support from strangers and passers-by." DON-8r is constructed from smooth plastic panels, it glides along the ground for a set length and then stops to ask passers by for donations. The coinage deposited into the slot on his back helps to power the bot, and he won’t roll on without the continued support from passers by. This little robotic panhandler is designed to be branded with any chairty of choice. Tim Pryde is a student of the University of Dundee in Scotland in his final year. He teamed up with the Dundee Science Centre and produced this cute little bot to raise awareness for the center and to collect DON-8tions. He will be exhibiting his bot at the following shows: Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design Degree Show, Dundee 21 – 29 May 2011 New Designers, London 6th – 9th July 2011 And just for fun, here’s an early video he posted of the GUTS! We love robot guts, and robots in general. If you want to read more about the design process, Tim’s chronicled the whole process in his blog. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Robot Clones in Beijing Spyke – The Robot Does Skype Video Calls Roller-Walker Robot Can Walk Like Insect Or Make Like A Tree An innovative robot that…tells the time-The Flexible Robot Clock Toyota and Fujita Health University Testing Robot to Aide Stroke Patients

Google mind-control “victim” sneaks into HQ and leaves poison pen letter Posted: 25 Apr 2011 08:49 AM PDT Google may be tracking you but it can’t seem to stop a Russian filmmaker and former Geisha from wandering into its headquarters and leaving hate-mail. Vera Svechina – who has accused Google of being ”inside her head and making her do things” walked into the Mountain View offices on March 14 and left a Russian book and a “rambling” letter addressed to co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Reuters reports. Svechina apparently followed a visually-impaired employee into the building, according to reviews of the security camera footage. Back in May 2010 she attempted to file a complaint with Mountain View police, alleging that Google was attempting to psychically manipulate her; police held her after psychiatric evaluation and she was apparently hospitalized but then subsequently released. Brin and Page aren’t the only west coast execs suffering from Svechina headaches. Last month, Zynga CEO and founder Mark Pincus took out a restraining order against her, after she reportedly turned up at his home and threatened his family. However, Mountain View police say the letter to the Google co-founders was merely “a little bit angry” and is not being considered a criminal threat. Relevant Entries on SlashGear SlashGear Morning Wrap Up – April 25th 2011 George Lucas finally sues Jedi Mind The Letter Opener USB Hub Clock: Longest name ever Google Envelopes concept is cool Master Mind software controls WoW with thought

ORIGIN EON17-S overclocks Core i7 to 4.5GHz for gaming notebook Posted: 25 Apr 2011 08:07 AM PDT Intel always said its Sandy Bridge processors were capable of a lot, and gaming laptop manufacturer ORIGIN has taken them at their word with the massively-overclocked EON17-S. Running at up to 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost, the ORIGIN EON17-S pairs 2011 Core i5/i7 processors with B3 stepping motherboards and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M/GTX 485M graphics, to make the desktop-replacement you’ve always dreamed about. There’s also a 17.3-inch 1920 x 1080 display, up to 16GB of DDR3 memory (spread across four slots), a Blu-ray burner, and a choice of hybrid or SSD drives for storage. Connectivity includes HDMI, optical digital out, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth, along with 7.1-channel surround. You also get an optional TV tuner, USB 3.0 and eSATA. As you might expect, none of this comes cheap. ORIGIN offer various custom paint finishes and designs, and the base model – with a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520 dual-core, 1.5GB GeForce GTX 460M graphics and 2GB of RAM - kicks off at $1,759. If you want the 4.5GHz overclocked Core i7-2920XM quadcore then it’s another $1,144 on top, while the GeForce GTX 484M is another $495. ORIGIN expects to start shipping the EON17-S from May 9. Press Release: ORIGIN EON17-S Laptops Overclocked up to 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost Available Now The Highest Mobile Processor Clock Speed in the World Miami, FL – April 25, 2011 – ORIGIN PC announced today the availability of overclocked processors in the EON17-S. Featuring 2nd generation INTEL "Sandybridge" processors and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485M graphics cards, the laptops are the most powerful ORIGIN laptops available with mobile processors. The EON17-S laptops have updated B3 stepping motherboards and feature overclocking and Turbo Boost technology allowing ORIGIN engineers to successfully increase the speed and power of the processor without impacting system stability or longevity. EON17-S laptops with overclocking are fully covered by ORIGIN's unsurpassed warranty featuring free part replacement, free shipping, and free lifetime support. EON17-S Features and Technology: • 17.3 Full HD Widescreen, LED Backlit, 16.9, 1920 x 1080 (1080p) • Customizable ORIGIN top cover • 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 Processors • Overclocking up to 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost on Core i7 Extreme Edition processors • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M 1.5GB or GTX485M 2GB • FOUR Memory Slots for up to 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 1333Mhz or 16GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz • Bluray burner & reader, Hybrid and SSD drive with RAID options • Full size keyboard with numeric pad • HDMI Out; Optical Digital Out, up to 7.1 HD Audio with THX TruStudio support • Built-In 802.11n & Bluetooth Support • Bluetooth 3.0 & Wireless Video options • Built-In TVtuner support • Built-in USB 3.0 & E-SATA ports • (W)16.22″ x (D)10.87″ x (H)1.65″ – 1.79" • 8.6 lbs with the battery "The EON17-S laptops are remarkably portable and with 2nd generation Intel processors overclocked to 4.5GHz, they are the fastest ORIGIN laptops ever built on an Intel mobile platform" said Kevin Wasielewski ORIGIN CEO and co-founder. ORIGIN systems feature a 1 to 3 year free shipping and free part replacement warranty backed with the best in class integration, quality testing and support. ORIGIN offers a free life-time phone and online service guarantee and each customer has a dedicated support team and free life-time labor for upgrade needs. About ORIGIN: ORIGIN builds custom, high-performance desktops and laptops for hardware enthusiasts, professionals, and gamers. ORIGIN PCs are hand built, tested, and serviced by knowledgeable gaming enthusiasts, industry veterans, and award winning system integrators. Their staff is comprised of award-winning, experienced experts in the gaming and PC markets who want to share their passion with other enthusiasts. ORIGIN is located in Miami, FL and ships worldwide. For more information, please visit www.ORIGINPC.com or call 1-877- ORIGIN-Ø. (674-4460) Relevant Entries on SlashGear SlashGear Morning Wrap Up – April 25th 2011 ABIT overclocks Core 2 Extreme to 5GHz with liquid nitrogen Origin EON 17 Gaming Notebook Unveiled, Ships in October Origin gaming PC boutique builder launches Origin PC Set to Show off Hybrid Liquid-Cooled Xbox 360 Gaming Computer at CES 2011

AT&T packs “Fly-away” cell tower in a suitcase, Mary Poppins style Posted: 25 Apr 2011 07:50 AM PDT AT&T is offering a “cell tower in a suitcase” for disaster management, emergencies and temporary sites, a portable satellite base station which can get multiple users connected in a short amount of time. Part of AT&T’s Remote Mobility Zone system, the so-called “Fly-away” solution has a half-mile range and can be used with regular GSM handsets. While AT&T provides a satellite dish, if there’s a stable wired backbone to the network then the “Fly-away” solution can be hooked up direct to that. In effect, it’s a big femtocell, just like AT&T’s 3G Microcell, but one which requires powering from an external generator. According to the AP the systems will range from $15,000 to $45,000, as well as being subject to monthly fees. They’ll be on sale to governments and businesses, though are probably overkill unless you live in an area with particularly bad reception. Press Release: AT&T Remote Mobility Zone Aids Critical Communications in Emergency and Disaster Situations Business and Government Organizations of All Sizes Can Now Activate Emergency Cell Sites Business, government and public safety agencies can be better prepared for natural or man-made disasters with the help of AT&T Remote Mobility Zone, a new offering that provides mobile voice and data services in the absence of wireless coverage. Designed to support essential communications, AT&T Remote Mobility Zone allows organizations to set up their own cell sites during a disaster scenario. AT&T* is the first carrier to supply a customer-deployable model for mobility recovery to help with disaster recovery and business continuity efforts. "In the pivotal first minutes of a natural or man-made disaster, AT&T Remote Mobility Zone provides a solution to help maintain critical mobile communications," said Chris Hill, vice president, Advanced Mobility Solutions, AT&T Business Solutions. "With AT&T Remote Mobility Zone, users can set up a cell site in less than 30 minutes." AT&T Remote Mobility Zone is also well suited for organizations that operate in remote locations where AT&T holds licensed spectrum, but in which wireless coverage may not be available. AT&T Mobility Vanguard Services LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T, can install permanent cell sites for customers that work in these areas, providing mobile voice and data service. AT&T offers several options of Remote Mobility Zone solutions: Fixed site deployment establishes a mounted cell site for use as a backup communications system or as a primary network in zones without wireless network coverage. This can help enhance business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities by enabling sensitive operations to proceed even in loss-of-service situations. The "Fly-away" solution packs a small cell site into a suitcase, offering first responders an easy-to-use, transportable system that can bring voice and data coverage to an area where disaster has knocked out communication channels. These small cell sites can extend connectivity up to one half of a mile in any direction from the suitcase site. Created for use by police officers, firefighters and other emergency responders, the Fly-away AT&T Remote Mobility Zone option is currently available to government agencies and personnel. "Park and Use," designed specifically for government use, integrates small cell sites into vehicles, allowing users to drive to locations without wireless coverage and activate service then and there. Roof-mounted satellite antennas further enhance communications on the move. Customers that choose to protect their communications with AT&T Remote Mobility Zone can use their existing AT&T handsets with all three of the solutions listed above. Additionally, in disaster or emergency conditions, AT&T Remote Mobility Zone clients with AT&T Wireless Priority Service can choose to prioritize certain cellular traffic to ensure that key personnel can access the network. Today's announcement is the latest addition to AT&T's portfolio of solutions that help mobilize government and business. AT&T offers a wide array of business continuity services, encompassing disaster planning, risk management, recovery preparedness and communications readiness. AT&T Business Continuity Services are comprehensive, providing customers with business-impact analysis, risk assessments, enterprise hosting, cloud computing and application services, a full continuum of storage solutions, high-availability network solutions and network and IT security solutions. AT&T also conducts several Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) exercises each year, the most recent of which took place in Dallas in March. These events are designed to test, refine and strengthen AT&T's business continuity and disaster recovery services. By simulating large-scale disasters and network service disruptions, AT&T can apply and hone best practices for rapidly restoring communications. AT&T has invested more than $600 million in its NDR program, which includes specially trained managers, engineers and technicians from across the United States, as well as a fleet of more than 320 self-contained equipment trailers and support vehicles that house the same equipment and components as an AT&T data-routing or voice-switching center. For more information on AT&T Remote Mobility Zone and other enterprise mobility solutions, please visit: www.att.com/armz. *AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. Relevant Entries on SlashGear SlashGear Morning Wrap Up – April 25th 2011 The Chair Suitcase – Bet you can’t guess what it does Gaems suitcase makes Xbox 360 portable complete with display Live Luggage offers battery-operated suitcase Want A Better Signal? Get A Cell Phone Tower In Your Front Yard

“We don’t track anyone” Steve Jobs reportedly tells user Posted: 25 Apr 2011 07:38 AM PDT Apple CEO Steve Jobs may be taking a leave of absence right now, but it seems he’s still checking his email. Asked by a MacRumors reader about the ongoing furore over iPhone tracking, which reports suggested this morning was occurring even when location services are shut off, Jobs reportedly denied any such tracking and said “the info circulating around is false.” Q: Steve, Could you please explain the necessity of the passive location-tracking tool embedded in my iPhone? It’s kind of unnerving knowing that my exact location is being recorded at all times. Maybe you could shed some light on this for me before I switch to a Droid. They don’t track me. A: Oh yes they do. We don’t track anyone. The info circulating around is false. Sent from my iPhone Recent research showed that Android does indeed track users, though the extent to which data from each system is passed on to the respective company is still unclear. The WSJ claimed that both the iPhone and Android-based devices are regularly sending back location data to Apple and Google, something Jobs does not address. Now, there’s no confirmation that this is actually from Steve Jobs himself, and indeed even if this is from Apple it may not be the handiwork of the CEO, but rather some over-enthusiastic PR person tasked with minding the account. Still, it looks like the privacy concerns over the two biggest platforms in smartphones and tablets aren’t going anywhere until consumers get some answers. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Steve Jobs knighthood blocked by ex UK Prime Minister Fake Steve’s secret identity has been revealed I hate to say it, but we told you so – Apple goes after sites using the iPhone trademark in their name Steve Jobs taking a leave of absence from Apple due to heath concerns Steve Jobs to Give iPods to Chilean Miners as a Personal Gift

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc Review Posted: 25 Apr 2011 07:21 AM PDT Sony Ericsson’s 2010 Android range may have started promisingly, but software headaches undermined solid hardware and left many early-adopters with a low opinion of the company. 2011 is something of a relaunch for Sony Ericsson, then, with the XPERIA Play doing its level best to deliver the mobile PlayStation platform we’ve been expecting for years, and now the XPERIA Arc hoping to bring some of Sony’s living room expertise to your pocket. Is the Arc the best Sony Ericsson handset to-date, and if so is it good enough to overshadow the competition? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Hardware Making the “world’s thinnest phone” is a common ambition among current smartphone manufacturers, but no matter whether the XPERIA Arc manages to grab the title or not, it’s a slender, tactile device in the hand. Measuring 125 x 63 x 8.7mm and weighing 117g, the chassis may be plastic rather than metal – and not even soft-touch plastic at that – but it does bow nicely in the middle, making for a device that feels thinner than the spec sheet might suggest. Sony Ericsson’s use of shiny chrome-effect plastic is an acquired taste, but at least it’s limited to the buttons and edges. Sony Ericsson has dumped a dedicated search button in favor of three front-panel keys – back, home and menu – though you can call up search by long-pressing menu. Ports include a 3.5mm headphone socket on the left edge, a microUSB socket on the right edge – above a tiny, fiddly volume rocker, with a camera shortcut further down the side – and then a power/lock button (also pretty tiny and pretty fiddly) on the top next to a micro HDMI port covered with a little dust-flap. The plasticky battery cover – finished with a two-tone paint job – pops off to reveal both the microSD and SIM slots are blocked by the battery, so there’s no hot-swapping to be done here. Up front is arguably the Arc’s crowning glory, a 4.2-inch 854 x 480 capacitive touchscreen that Sony Ericsson has seen fit to bless with ambitious “Reality Display” branding. It’s 0.2-inches bigger than the XPERIA X10, and a smudge smaller than what you’ll find on the HTC Desire HD and Samsung Galaxy S II. We’d obviously prefer to see qHD 960 x 540 resolution, as on Motorola’s ATRIX and the upcoming HTC Sensation. A “regular” LCD TFT – rather than Super AMOLED or similar – it nonetheless does a decent job with visuals, although the viewing angles are on the narrow side. Blacks aren’t quite as inky and captivating as on, say, Samsung’s recent handsets, but it’s a decent screen nonetheless. Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc overview: Sony’s branding gets called into play with the display too, thanks to the Mobile BRAVIA Engine (MBE). This, so the hyperbole goes, does a similar job to the BRAVIA tech in Sony’s HDTVs, finessing video and images so that they look tip-top on the Arc’s screen. While we’re generally suspicious of image optimization – what you gain in sharpness you often lose in extra noise – there’s no denying that multimedia on the Arc does end up looking better than in its untampered state. MBE can be turned off, though there’s no quick way to do it mid-playback so that you can really see the difference (Sony Ericsson has previously rigged a few demo handsets that could quickly toggle between, and that made it a lot easier to see the impact MBE makes). It’s a multimedia-centric feature, too, rather than a global one, so you can’t have MBE processing in the browser or games, for instance. That can leave streaming video in the browser – the Arc supports Flash Player 10.2 – looking a little dull in comparison. Keeping the XPERIA Arc running generally is Qualcomm’s 1GHz MSM8255 processor paired with Adreno 205 graphics and 512MB of RAM. There’s 1GB of ROM, along with an 8GB microSD card in the box. GPS/aGPS, ANT+ wireless – for hooking up to suitably-compatible pedometers and other accessories – and the usual WiFi, Bluetooth and proximity/digital compass/accelerometer sensors round out the main specs. On the back is an 8.1-megapixel camera paired with autofocus and an LED flash. This uses one of Sony’s Exmor R for mobile CMOS sensors and is capable of 720p HD video recording. As you’d expect from a multimedia-centric device, there’s plenty of choice in the settings modes; we’ll cover the camera in more detail later on in the review. Software and Performance As you may have gathered, the XPERIA Arc is a reasonably current-spec handset with some stand-out ticks on the product sheet. They’re enough to keep Android 2.3.2 Gingerbread running smoothly, even with Sony Ericsson’s UI tweaks. As on the XPERIA Play, these involve reskinning the regular Android interface with a clean blue and silver theme and then preloading some apps including the “falling panes” Timescape social networking software and Mediascape media player. Unlike on the X10, these have been detached from the underlying OS – Timescape is little more than a homescreen widget now – so that Sony Ericsson’s engineers should have less issues pushing out timely platform updates. It all moves slickly and looks good, though by opting for a single-core processor rather than a dual-core Sony Ericsson has potentially given Arc owners a headache as Android builds – and Android apps – become more hardware-intensive. Right now it’s not really an issue, but whether the same will hold true halfway through the average two-year agreement remains to be seen. In terms of pure benchmarks, Quadrant offered up a score of 1179 – putting the Arc mid-league – while browser test SunSpider ran in 5534.8ms (lower is better). Camera and Multimedia Multimedia – whether capture or playback – is the XPERIA Arc’s key value proposition, and happily it’s a solid performer. The 8.1-megapixel camera is definitely a legitimate alternative to your trusty point-and-shoot, with surprisingly good low-light performance thanks to the back-illuminated Exmor R for mobile CMOS sensor. That’s a step up from the regular sensors you’ll find on cellphones, and means you can avoid the LED flash more often which has the usual narrow cone of effect and a tendency to overpower nearby subjects. Just as Sony does some processing with its MBE, so the Exmor R camera can’t resist tinkering with your stills, and the Arc seems to have a preference for ramping up the color saturation in the interest of making poppy pictures. Most of the time that’s acceptable, though the option to leave shots as-is would be nice. The digital image stabilization is passable, and there are various smile-detection and face-detection modes to play with in Sony Ericsson’s modified camera app UI. Video can be recorded in up to 720p HD, a step down from the 1080p capabilities we’re seeing on the latest dual-core Android handsets. Sony Ericsson has fitted a rear microphone to better capture noise, and that works well; the CMOS sensor is also strong in low-light conditions, picking out detail where other phone cameras demanded we turn the LED flashlight on. There’s some blurring as the Arc’s processing has its way, and again no way to shut it off. 720p HD video sample: The HDMI output – which uses a regular micro HDMI to HDMI cable, sadly not included in Sony Ericsson’s retail packaging – squirts out everything you can see on the Arc’s display, not just video content. It defaults to the landscape orientation of any apps which support that view (i.e. not the Android homescreen or app menu) though while some TVs will apparently allow you to navigate the screens using the color buttons on your remote, we had no luck with our Samsung test set. Missing from the Arc – indeed from all four of Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA phones so far announced for 2011 – is a front-facing camera, which means video calling is out of the question. Phone and Battery As a phone, we got above-average audio performance and signal strength from the Arc. Sony Ericsson’s Noise Shield feature didn’t particularly make itself known, and the speakerphone was relatively anaemic, likely a constraint of the size of the speaker itself. Sony Ericsson estimates battery life at up to 7hrs of 3G talktime or 400hrs of 3G standby; alternatively, you could listen to 31hrs of music. In practice, with a mixture of push email, browsing, Google Maps, media playback and photography, the 1,500 mAh battery made it through into the evening, though after a session plugged in via HDMI and playing back HD video, it expired more quickly. Thanks to the HDMI and microUSB ports being separate, however – unlike the dual-connection used on, say, Samsung’s Galaxy S II – you can keep the Arc plugged into the mains while it’s simultaneously outputting video. Price and Value After the wallet-busting XPERIA Play, we had some price worries about the waifish Arc. Happily they haven’t panned out: Sony Ericsson is asking around £420 ($694) for the unlocked, SIM-free handset. Opt for a monthly plan and you’re looking at a free phone on a £25 per month, two-year agreement. That puts the XPERIA Arc on a par, price-wise, with the HTC Desire HD. The HTC has a slightly bigger screen but a less impressive camera, and is an altogether heavier and bulkier – if sturdier – device. Give dual-core handsets are going to be around £10 ($17) per month more – or near £500 ($826) SIM-free – then the XPERIA Arc starts to look like something of a bargain. Wrap-Up If the XPERIA Play failed to persuade us that it was the future of mobile gaming, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc has no such caveats when it comes to solid multimedia and all-round performance. No, it doesn’t have a dual-core processor or record Full HD, but it also has a relatively low price tag and still manages to pack its functionality into an impressively slimline chassis. What Sony Ericsson still has to do, however, is convince Android users that it can deliver on timely software updates. The XPERIA X10 debacle, with Gingerbread only grudgingly being promised after months of complaints, has left plenty of suspicion; it will take the first significant firmware update to prove whether or not Sony Ericsson’s earnestly-professed new leaf truly has been turned. Nonetheless, we always say you should buy a device because it satisfies you today, not for what it might do tomorrow, and on that front the XPERIA Arc is a solid choice. It’s certainly the best Sony Ericsson handset around today – in fact the best we can recall in quite some time – and it’s strong enough to take on much of the current Android segment too. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Android 2.1 update promised for Q4 2010 XPERIA X10 gets taste of Gingerbread despite Sony Ericsson abandonment Sony Ericsson XPERIA X12 (aka ANZU) gets early, pessimistic preview No WinMo6.5 update for XPERIA X1 says Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 delayed?

Nook Color gets email, apps and more with new update Posted: 25 Apr 2011 06:50 AM PDT The eReader market is flooded with a bunch of devices that have the same basic functionality. Some are nowhere near as popular as other readers are though and while the Amazon Kindle is one of the most popular, it’s not as interesting to some as the Nook Color. A color screen on an eReader is a unique feature right now and when you factor in that the Color runs the Android OS all sorts of hacks and mods are possible. For a while, users were doing just that with hacks and mods to get more functionality out of the device. Barnes & Noble has now issued a new firmware update of the Nook Color that adds in some of those cool features that people wanted and were thinking about hacking the device to get. The new features include Nook Email, Nook apps, and a better web user experience. The firmware update also brings with it access to enhanced books and to Nook Kids Read and Play titles as well. I would assume those kids books will have the story and then little games that go along with the story. B&N says that owners of the Nook color need to do nothing to get the update, it will be offered over WiFi automatically. If you haven’t been offered the update yet you can update manually. The update will start its automatic roll out to users this week so be on the lookout for it. Let us know how things work if you are a Nook Color owner. [via Android community] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Nook Color getting access to apps, Flash support, and more in April Nook 1.1 Firmware launches, most problems remain Nook 1.1-update enables connection to Barnes & Noble stores and performance improvements B&N NOOK Color tablet leaks ahead of launch SlashGear Morning Wrap Up – April 25th 2011

Microsoft confirms Mango will be branded as Windows Phone 7.5 Posted: 25 Apr 2011 06:01 AM PDT When it comes to the branding of the Mobile phone operating systems that are on the market, today the companies handle what they call the new flavors differently. Apple simply changes the number on its iOS to match a new update. Google on the other hand makes a big deal out of new statues to go along with the Android OS that are named after desserts. Microsoft has now confirmed that its next version of the Windows Phone OS, called Mango bringing the OS to 7.5, will be called Windows Phone 7.5. I wonder if going forward that Microsoft will use fruit for the codename of its Mobile OS offerings. We mentioned early in March that Mango could possibly slip to a 2012 launch and that slip could delay Nokia’s launch plans. The software giant noted that the new OS is due later this year. We don't have a firm time line on the 7.5 version right now. However, we do know that Nokia is waiting until around October to start offering Windows Phone devices. That October date looks likely for Mango to land despite previous indications of delays. Winrumros reports that Windows Phone Marketing VP Achim Berg said that the updates in the new Mango version are significant enough to warrant a point update. Mango is expected to have multitasking, IE9 mobile, Twitter, and more. Microsoft will also reportedly expand on dev opportunities with the new OS as well and expand the market for Mango to 35 countries. [via Winrumors] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Windows Phone “Mango” update may slip to 2012; Could delay Nokia Windows Phone 7 Mango Update Coming Late 2011, Source Claims Nokia won’t have Windows Phone OS on handsets until at least October Microsoft Reveals Details of Mango Nokia Windows Phone launch target still Q4 insists CEO

White iPhone 4 to hit Best Buy on April 27 Posted: 25 Apr 2011 05:27 AM PDT Way back when the iPhone 4 was first unveiled you were supposed to be able to get the smartphone in either white or black colors to suit your tastes. We even got our hands on the white version a bit and it looked pretty cool. That white iPhone 4 became a bit of a myth, as it was never able to come to market thanks to problems with the white paint and getting it to match phones made by different suppliers. That means for the entire life of the iPhone 4 so far the black version is all we have had. That white iPhone is now apparently coming and in the UK the thing is already on the website of some carriers. Here in the US we haven’t had a firm date yet. A new screen shot has surfaced that is allegedly from Best Buy’s internal computer system that shows the white iPhone 4 in 16GB flavor with AT&T hardware. The launch date is 4-27 according to the screen shot and it will be in the store until 4-27-13 according to the listing. 9to5Mac also notes that its sources have previously told it that the white iPhone would hit the Netherlands on April 27 so Best Buy’s launch date seems accurate enough. The publication also says that sources have told it that both 16GB and 32GB version of the white iPhone 4 have already been shipped to Best Buy. Apparently, most stores will have ten white iPhone 4 smartphones on launch day in 16GB capacity. There is no indication of how many 32GB models will be available in white. [via 9to5Mac] Relevant Entries on SlashGear White iPhone 4 To Debut In April For AT&T Only? White iPhone 4 by end of April according to sources White iPhone 4 in Europe from April 27 says source White iPhone 4 goes live at Three UK Three backtracks on white iPhone 4 listing

T&T Pen uses spiral ink refill to pack in more ink and makes for less waste Posted: 25 Apr 2011 05:08 AM PDT I don't have to write things out by hand much anymore, but I can remember back in college and when I had a real job it seemed like my pen was constantly running out of ink. It sucks to have to stop what you are doing and hunt down an ink pen. The reason the ink always ran out is that the little clear tubes inside just don't hold that much ink. You could get a much larger ink holder inside since the barrel of the average pen has a lot more room than is used. A new ink pen concept that is very simple yet innovative is making for one of those “Why haven’t they thought of that before” moments. Rather than using a straight straw to hold the ink the designer of the pen used a spiral ink tube that has greater surface area and can hold twice the ink of normal pens. That means not only will you not have to go schlepping around your home or office as often looking for a new pen, but you can be greener too. The green feature comes in the amount of plastic that is saved from landfills when we toss those disposable pens into the trash when they are empty. The pen the fancy ink cartridge is inside is retractable to keep the tip from drying out. It looks like the fancy pen could be made cheaply too. The design is an entry for the 2011 iF concept design contest. [viaYankoDesign] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Hermés 8 Day Spiral Boule Clock: a blob of expensive, pointless extravagence The Grabit Pack -for active gadget lovers iLoad takes your PC out of the picture The drinks are under me Street lights powered by human waste

T-Mobile to give G2X a Gingerbread update soon Posted: 25 Apr 2011 04:48 AM PDT The T-Mobile G2X smartphone is the best Android device on the T-Mobile network we reckoned when we put our review of the smartphone up not too long ago. The device has nice performance and one of the things that we lamented a bit was the fact that the G2X didn't have Gingerbread flavor of Android running. However, we were hopeful since the G2X doesn’t run any major OS modifications, updates would come sooner rather than later. We were right with that hope. A tweet from T-Mobile was posted up in response to a user mentioning that he liked the G2X, but missed some things about Gingerbread. The response from T-Mobile USA was that gingerbread was coming soon and the user wouldn’t have to wait long. That’s hardly a confirmed date and soon is vague, but hopefully T-Mobile really means soon. Other than the smartphone not using the most current version of the OS, we also noted a few issues. Android Community reported over the weekend that some users of the G2X were having random reboots and LCD screen bleeding issues. If you are on the T-Mobile network and want, a new smartphone the G2x is $199.99 and it runs the Tegra 2 processor. It has an 8MP camera and a 1080p HDMI output along with lots more. [Android Community] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Nexus One getting Gingerbread in coming weeks Nexus One Gingerbread OTA Update Due in a Few Weeks Android 3.0 Gingerbread detailed: 720p displays & intentional fragmentation in Q4 [Updated] Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread for Nexus S and Nexus One now OTA Vodafone leads Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread push in UK

RIM wants Blackberry PlayBook Hulu Plus access Posted: 25 Apr 2011 04:28 AM PDT RIM launched the Blackberry Playbook not long ago and started sending the machines out to reviewers to spend some hands on time with. We put up our review of the Playbook last week and noted that the firmware was a wreck. Chris called the firmware “half-baked” at the time he wrote about the device. One of the bright spots was that at least for a while the Playbook users could access the streaming content on Hulu. It didn't take long for Hulu to block access by the Playbook though and as of now users of the new tablet have no access to the Hulu streaming library just as iPad and Android users lack access too. On the iPad, the user can subscribe to Hulu Plus and download an app that will allow them to stream all of the Hulu content they want right to the iPad. The bad thing for Playbook users is that there is no app for Hulu Plus right now for them and they can’t stream the free content making Hulu fun out of reach. RIM has announced that it is in talks with Hulu LLC about getting access to Hulu Plus paid content on the tablet for the buyers to view. The Hulu Plus service costs users about $8 monthly. A RIM spokesperson told the WSJ, “We are in conversations with Hulu to bring the Hulu Plus subscription service to BlackBerry PlayBook users.” So far, there is no word on when or if the Hulu Plus access will come to the Playbook. [via WSJ] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Hulu Blocks Support For BlackBerry PlayBook BlackBerry PlayBook simulator updated with browser: Flash & HTML5 Video/Audio RIM announces two more PlayBook 4G models RIM considering Dalvik VM for QNX PlayBook: Android apps ahoy? BlackBerry PlayBook on sale now

Awesome wearable Lego minifig space helmet reads comics Posted: 25 Apr 2011 04:11 AM PDT Lego is perhaps the greatest of all geek toys ever invented. The things you can make out of Lego are limitless and with the right vision and the correct blocks and servos you can make just about anything and have the finished contraption actually work. We talked about a couple really cool Lego devices that some geeks built late last week. I really liked the Lego assembly line setup the best out of those cool offerings last week. Designer Jonathan Robson has designed something that is Lego, but is not made from Lego bricks, which is more than a bit strange sounding. I would bet anyone that played with Lego as a kid or an adult will recognize the helmet Robson made as being the same style that the little Lego minifigs in space and other environments would wear. Robson created this helmet complete with a gold flip down visor for kids to play pretend with, but the thing does more too. The helmet has speakers inside that are use to read kids audio comics that are Lego themed. Once the helmet is purchased and the kid is subscribed to the audio comics, a new print issue will come in the mail with a code that allows the downloading of the audio file. The helmet has a USB port on the back that a Lego flash drive is plugged into and then the audio plays back inside the helmet. Controls on the side of the helmet operate the volume and allow the user to skip forward and backwards in the pages. This is so cool! [via Jonathan Robson] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Geeky Lego Minifig Alarm Clock is awesome Halo’s Master Chief Helmet is Wearable, Made of LEGOs LEGO Space Shuttle: 65k bricks and 1,590hrs DIY Lego Santa sleigh for geeky festiveness LEGO Guitar Hero controller can really rock out

Crazy thin ThinkPad X1 surfaces Posted: 25 Apr 2011 03:50 AM PDT If you like your notebooks to be really thin and portable, you will like the new offerings from Lenovo that have turned up. The notebook reminds me a lot of the MacBook Air in profile and has a seriously thin screen that looks to thin to actually cram the parts needed for it to operate inside. The new notebook is called the ThinkPad X1 and while it looks as thin as the Air, it is a bit thicker at 21.5mm thick. It is important to note that this machine isn’t official and it could be some sort of fake until confirmed. It looks legit enough though with the ThinkPad style we are used to with both a track pad and a little red tracking nub in the center of the keyboard. The notebook is said to run a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520M processor and use a 160GB SSD for storing data and software. The machine has a 13.3-inch screen and that screen uses Gorilla Glass over the top to prevent scratches and breakage. I really don't see anything outside the realm of possibility so I bet this notebook is the real deal, but time will tell. It has 8GB of RAM inside one RAM slot and the 13.3-inch screen resolution is 1366 x 768. That would mean it supports 720p HD content. It also has a SDXC card reader and what GPU it uses is unknown. I would assume that with the thin profile we are talking integrated graphics though. The machine is on the Tell IT website in Switzerland with a price that works out to $2,920 and has a May 20 delivery date. [via Engadget] Relevant Entries on SlashGear SlashGear Morning Wrap Up – April 25th 2011 Thinkpad goes Titanium A ThinkPad Ignited in Flame at LAX ThinkPad X60 Tablet PC reviewed, opinion: great! Lenovo Thinkpad Reserve Edition – Worth the price?

Galaxy S II smartphone gets NFC payment app onboard in Korea Posted: 25 Apr 2011 03:35 AM PDT Near Field Communications has a lot of potential to make all sorts of things easier to do when integrated into some of the most common gadgets that people use today. One of the coolest uses for NFC tech for the gadget fan is that over time as more and more NFC payment systems are integrated into stores and vending machines around the country we will be able to pay for all sorts of items using our mobile phones rather than having to dig out a credit card or cash. In Korea, a grocery store chain called Lotte Mart has announced that it has a new NFC payment system that will also offer discounts to the users that are good for up to 19,000 won in savings over the year. The new NFC system is called Olleh Touch and it will require and app that will only be offered on the Galaxy S II for now. The use of the system will give the user a way to pay with their smartphone and discount coupons at the same time. The NFC phone payment system is from KT and will also the phone to be tied to the user’s credit card details. It’s not clear if the app will function with any credit card the user wants to use or if it is only able to be tied to some sort of Lotte Mart store credit card. There is no word on when or if the app will be made available for other smartphones. The NFC system used by KT operates on 13.56MHz frequency and it can shoot data across a gap of about 10cm. [via Android Community] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Samsung Galaxy Q QWERTY Android phone due in US by end of 2010 O2 Germany list Samsung Galaxy Tab for €759 Galaxy S hits US Cellular as Samsung Mesmerize Motorola to Launch Mobile Payment System in the US T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 4G on sale now

Leaked screens of Windows 8 App Store were fakes Posted: 25 Apr 2011 02:55 AM PDT Everyone has an app store today after the success Apple had with the App Store for the iPhone. After the massive success of Apple, it was a guarantee that just about all other makers were going to jump in with their own offerings. So far, the massively popular ones are still run by Apple and Google. Google has one for Android devices that is really popular. Not too long ago Apple unveiled the Mac App Store for Mac computer users that puts apps on their notebooks and desktops too. That will mean that an app store of some sort will be coming by Microsoft for Windows users at some point. With that in mind, no one was surprised when the screenshots for what was allegedly the app store for Windows 8 surfaced earlier this month. The leaked screenshot showed game apps like Angry Birds and other software that would allegedly be available for Windows 8 users to take advantage of when the new OS launches. Today a Chinese application launched called Appmarts and the app is the spitting image of the leaked screen shots claiming to be the Windows 8 app store. The Appmarts app is in Chinese and is a fully functional app that can be used by Chinese geeks looking for new software, but it has nothing to do with Microsoft or Windows 8. The images we saw with the English writing and apps on them had been manipulated to appear to be from Microsoft for Windows 8. [via istartedsomething] Relevant Entries on SlashGear Screenshots of Windows 8 App Store leak More MacBook Pro leaked shots claimed: we still say fake Microsoft UK October 11 event likely Windows Phone 7′s debut Ovi Store URL trick leaks X7? Get your leaked Wrath of the Lich King screens here

iPhone storing tracking details on users even with location services off Posted: 25 Apr 2011 02:36 AM PDT There are a lot of times when you iPhone or other device needs to know your location to give you the service you are looking for. For instance if you are looking for a gas station near you or trying to find your way to a destination the app on your iPhone will need to know where you are right now. There are also times when your iPhone doesn’t need to know where you are and has no need to be storing those details. That is exactly what the iPhone is allegedly doing though, storing location data even when the user has locations services turned off. We reported last week that both the iPhone and Android devices were storing tracking details on the user of the phone is at set intervals and sending that data home. The iPhone stores the data, that data is sent to Apple intermittently, and Android shoots the location data over the Google. The WSJ says that the iPhone is collecting and storing that data using cellular towers and WiFi access points near the user. The WSJ also notes that over the weekend Rep. Edward Markey (D. Mass.) has called for a congressional investigation into the tracking row. Markey says that the location information could be hacked by predators putting children who use the smartphones at risk. The iPhone stores months worth of tracking information according to security researchers. So far, both Apple and Google claim that the data that the smartphones stores and send in to them is anonymous and that users can turn it off by disabling location services. Apple will surely find itself in more hot water with the discovery that the data is collected even when location services are disabled by the user. [via WSJ] Relevant Entries on SlashGear “We don’t track anyone” Steve Jobs reportedly tells user iPhone Lands on GTA TeleGuam December 11 iPhone and iPad 3G caught keeping secret location tracking database [Video] Find My iPhone now free for iPad, iPod touch 4G and iPhone 4 Apple location tracking raises privacy ire; iAd opt-out unearthed

Acer prioritizes Tablets over netbooks; Plans “Shuriken” screen ultraportable for May Posted: 25 Apr 2011 02:32 AM PDT Acer may have lost a CEO over arguments whether tablets and ultra-mobility was the future, but the company isn’t acting too conservatively even with a PC stalwart at the helm. According to the latest rumors, Acer is phasing out netbook orders in favor of tablet production, with slates like the Acer Iconia Tab A500 – which went on sale today for $449.99 – replacing Aspire One netbooks. Meanwhile, the company is also reportedly using advanced “Shuriken” displays to create ultraportable notebooks offering more screen with less bulk. Acer has reportedly ordered as many as 500,000 10.1-inch touchscreens, for use in its tablets, though even then that’s not as many as the company was apparently hoping for. Apple’s demand dominance in the touchscreen segment has meant that Acer will only reach 70-percent of its shipment forecast at most. As for Acer’s remaining notebook plans, according to component sources the company is using so-called Shuriken screens, produced by LG Display, to create ultraportables with bigger than average panels. A new model, set to debut in May 2011, will have a 14.1-inch screen in the same form-factor as a 13.3-inch notebook, thanks to the Shuriken panel’s minimal frame (down from 12mm to 8mm) and scant 4mm thickness. However, the screen technology is around 50-percent more expensive than traditional notebook displays, and Acer is reportedly intending to use this initial, unnamed model to gauge consumer willingness to pay for a bigger screen in a compact form-factor. If buyers are willing to dig deep into their pockets, the Shuriken panels could become a key aspect of Acer’s range. Relevant Entries on SlashGear SlashGear Morning Wrap Up – April 25th 2011 Acer Sandy Bridge Android tablets due 1H 2011 Acer Aspire 1825PTZ convertible ultraportable gets unboxed Acer Will Not be Bringing Chrome OS Device to Computex 2010 Acer deny netbook phase-out: Tablets “will find their space”

Dell Latitude ST and Streak Pro tablets detailed; CEO predicts Android will squash iPad Posted: 25 Apr 2011 01:27 AM PDT Details of two 10-inch Dell tablets, one based on Intel’s Oak Trail and the other on NVIDIA’s incoming Tegra T25, have emerged. According to the tablet roadmap, acquired by Android Central, the Dell Latitude ST is expected to arrive in October running Windows 7 on a 1.5GHz Oak Trail chip, while the Dell Streak Pro will run Android 3.0 Honeycomb on the Tegra T25 and land in June. The leak comes amid Dell CEO Michael Dell admitting that he “didn’t completely” predict the “rapid rise of the tablet” and predicted that Android would squash Apple’s iPad. Asked whether he thought Android tablets would end up outpacing Apple’s iPad – something analysts don’t expect to take place for several years – Dell was confident the Google platform would eventually dominate the market. “Not tomorrow. Not the next day.” he said, “But again, if you look at 18 months ago, Android phones were like, “What is that? And now there are more Android phones than iPhones. I don’t see any reason why the same won’t occur with Android tablets.” The Dell Latitude ST has a 1366 x 768 display, 2GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. There are dual cameras – 3-megapixels and 1.3-megapixels – along with GPS, an accelerometer, 1080p output and an 8hr battery. Dell is also toting the “active pen support” which sounds a lot like the active digitizer on the ASUS Eee Slate EP121, only paired with longer battery life thanks to the power-sipping Intel CPU. As for the Dell Streak Pro – previously codenamed Gallo and tipped for a Q2 release – it will have a 1280 x 800 display, a modular – presumably GSM or CDMA – data-only modem, twin cameras and microphones, and an “Enterprise application stack” along with Dell’s Stage 1.5 UI. The latter is presumably the sync-enabled update Dell recently told us was incoming. According to the document’s source, Dell is also considering both USB Host and USB Client support, along with an ethernet-equipped dock, both of which would be useful for the enterprise market. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Dell Streak 7- and 10-inch tablets leak; AT&T Aero drops June Dell Streak available unlocked in UK Android 2.1 for O2 Dell Streak coming Sept 1st Dell Streak 7 gets video teardown treatment Dell Streak 7 tablet UK launch detailed; Stage to get sync upgrade

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet breaks cover: Honeycomb slate with Keyboard Dock Posted: 25 Apr 2011 12:57 AM PDT Details of a new Lenovo Android 3.0 Honeycomb slate have emerged, a stylus-toting 10.1-inch ThinkPad Tablet with an ASUS Eee Pad Transformer-style keyboard dock, an IPS display and NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 chipset. The ThinkPad Tablet is scheduled for a Q3 2011 launch, so the leaked presentation acquired by This is my next suggests, complete with a “Lenovo Family UI” customizing the interface and which apps are preloaded. Other specs for the slate include a 1280 x 800 WXGA display with capacitive multitouch, an optional active digitizer with a stylus – like the HTC Flyer – and a choice of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage. There’s also a battery good for 8hrs, USB and microUSB ports, a 3-in-1 memory card reader and mini HDMI, along with WiFi and 3G. No word on whether the keyboard dock – into which the ThinkPad Tablet slots – will have a battery of its own at this stage; from the images it does seem to have a trackpad though no TrackPoint stick that we can spot. Perhaps Lenovo’s artists simply didn’t dot a red blob in the middle. The ThinkPad Tablet is expected to be 1.6lb and 0.55-inches thick. Pricing is unlikely to be finalized, though Lenovo is said to be looking at a roughly $499 point – presumably without either keyboard dock or active digitizer – so as to keep it competitive with the iPad 2. [via Android Community] Relevant Entries on SlashGear ThinkPad X60 Tablet PC reviewed, opinion: great! Lenovo softening on ThinkPad slate possibility? No Lenovo ThinkPad slate tablets after negative market research Lenovo bringing two tablets to CES 2011: U1 Hybrid resurrected? Lenovo LePad tablet due worldwide in June

Nintendo 3DS sales hit 3.61m: 2010 net income down 66.1% Posted: 25 Apr 2011 12:46 AM PDT The Wii 2 may be off in 2012, but Nintendo is also talking about its current range, including sharing sales figures for the 3DS. According to the company’s latest financial results [pdf link], Nintendo sold 3.61m 3DS along with 9.43m games to play on it; that pales in comparison to the DS, which Nintendo sold 17.52m of and almost 121m games. Nonetheless, sales for hardware and software overall were down in comparison to the previous year, with net sales for the twelve month period up to 2012 being 1,014 billion yen, down 29.3-percent, and net income of 77.2 billion yen, down 66.1-percent year-on-year. The Wii, which will be replaced next year, sold 15.08m units worldwide, while 171.26m Wii games were sold. An extra 24 titles joined the list of “million sellers” for Wii – taking the total to crack that figure to 103 – while two of the 3DS games also broke the 1m barrier. Nintendo maintains production is unaffected by the Japanese earthquake, though warns that indirect impact is likely. The company expects to sell 16m 3DS handhelds this coming year, as well as launching the Nintendo e-Shop download store for the console. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Nintendo talks 3DS, gives no new insights Nintendo Wii and DSi sales tumble Nintendo profits down amid dreary Wii, DS sales Nintendo doubles profit over last year Nintendo had two top selling game consoles in US

Nintendo confirms Wii replacement in 2012; Preview at E3 2011 Posted: 25 Apr 2011 12:22 AM PDT Nintendo has announced [pdf link] it will release its next games console, the successor to the Wii, in 2012, with the first preview of the new hardware at E3 2011 in early June. Confirmed in a new investor note, the unnamed console – referred to in rumors as the Wii 2 – will seemingly drop sometime after March 2012, given Nintendo has not included it in its current financial forecasts. Specifications of the Wii 2 are unknown at present, though recent leaks suggested a so-called Project Cafe – and the potential launch name Nintendo Stream – which would mark Nintendo’s stepping up to HD gaming. The Stream would come with wireless controllers each featuring 6.2-inch touchscreen displays, which could show individual gameplay views or other personalized data. Alternatively, GameKyo [via CVG] reports that Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto suggested this weekend that the Wii 2/Stream could use the Nintendo 3DS as a controller. The developer confirmed Nintendo had been exploring ways the 3DS could be connected with its “future home console.” Press Release: Re: Wii's successor system Nintendo Co., Ltd. has decided to launch in 2012 a system to succeed Wii, which the company has sold 86.01 million units on a consolidated shipment basis between its launch in 2006 and the end of March 2011. We will show a playable model of the new system and announce more specifications at the E3 Expo, which will be held June 7-9, 2011, in Los Angeles. Sales of this new system have not been included in the financial forecasts announced today for the fiscal term ending March 2012. Relevant Entries on SlashGear Nintendo 3DS sales hit 3.61m: 2010 net income down 66.1% Nintendo Confirms 3DS will be Region-Locked New HD Nintendo game console confirmed by sources Nintendo 3DS browser & eShop delayed until May New Nintendo Wii Revisions

PSN Admin Dev Accounts Got Hacked, Source Claims Service To Return By Tuesday Posted: 24 Apr 2011 07:57 PM PDT Sony’s PlayStation Network has been down since Wednesday and stayed kaput throughout the weekend. Sony has admitted that the outage was due to their network being hacked but has not given any further details. But now, a source closely connected with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) reports that the attack is much deeper than admitted by Sony. The source claims that the PSN sustained a LOIC attack (which created a denial-of-service attack) that damaged the server. Plus, it received concentrated attacks on the servers holding account information and breached the Admin Dev accounts. Consequently, "Sony then shut down the PSN and [is] currently in the process of restoring backups to new servers with new admin dev accounts." The source further states that Japanese servers may be restored by tomorrow while servers in the U.S. and Europe may take another day. This information certainly supports what Sony has said about an external intrusion, but again it is not an official statement from Sony and there is no guarantee that PSN will indeed be back up within the next two days. “Everyone deserves the right to know what’s been going on,” wrote the source in an email. There are many theories going on about whether this was an organized attack by hacker group Anonymous, which has already denied their involvement although admitting that individual Anonymous members could have been involved without their knowledge. Other theories point to sabotage by rivals such as Xbox Live, building on Microsoft’s statement: "Of course it's regretful that Sony is encountering issues at such a busy time, and Microsoft takes no joy in the problems gamers are having playing their favourite games online. That being said, we are expecting Microsoft's robust online network to see an increase of traffic from those gamers who own both systems. Being able to play their games via the Xbox Live network could make all the difference for some gamers." [via PSU] Relevant Entries on SlashGear PSN Network Updates – Anon disavows [UPDATED AGAIN] WordPress finally streamlined to work with your iPhone Medical server hacked to host Call of Duty Game Netflix streaming coming soon to Wii 50,000 stolen iTunes accounts up for Chinese auction

SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video – April 24, 2011 Posted: 24 Apr 2011 03:11 PM PDT This week’s tech news roundup highlights the Apple and Samsung legal battle, our Samsung Galaxy SII extreme unboxing, cloud computing problems for both Amazon and the PlayStation Network, Apple’s Q2 earnings, the white iPhone 4, the iPhone 5, and details on various smartphones and tablets including the BlackBerry Playbook, G-Slate, G2x, HTC Flyer, and the Acer Iconia Tab. 1. Apple suing Samsung Apple Sues Samsung Over Galaxy Series Phones And Tablets Samsung counter-sues Apple with 10 patent infringement cases iPhone / Samsung F700 / Prada Phone Rumors Debunked 2. Samsung Galaxy S II Unboxing Extreme Unboxing: Samsung Galaxy S II meets Rally Car [Video] Samsung Galaxy S II Extreme Unboxing Roundup! 3. Amazon Tablet Imminent? Amazon Tablet Built By Samsung Could Arrive By End Of Summer? 4. Amazon Cloud Failure Amazon Cloud Failure Knocked Out Foursquare, Quora, and Reddit Amazon Cloud Failure Going On Day Two 5. PlayStation Network Down PSN down for unknown reasons, Sony investigating Sony admits PSN hacked: No restore date in sight 6. Apple and Google’s race to launch cloud music streaming services Apple To Release Cloud Music Service Ahead of Google Google In Talks With Spotify To Power Android Music Service 7. Apple’s fiscal Q2 earnings report Apple's Q2 Sales Results Show 18.65 million iPhones, 4.69 Million iPads, Apparent Growth Apple's Q2 2011 Earnings Analysis 8. White iPhone 4 White iPhone 4 goes live at Three UK Three backtracks on white iPhone 4 listing White iPhone 4 in Europe from April 27 says source White iPhone 4 In Retail Packaging Picked Up Early At Vodafone UK Store 9. iPhone 5 iPhone 5 a World Phone with GSM/CDMA spills Verizon Apple Seeding iPhone '4S' Prototype With A5 Chip To Game Developers? 10. BlackBerry PlayBook BlackBerry PlayBook Review A Half-Baked PlayBook is the tip of the Firmware Nightmare PlayBook sales "far exceeding" XOOM demand says analyst Verizon Undecided About Carrying BlackBerry PlayBook Hulu Blocks Support For BlackBerry PlayBook BlackBerry PlayBook Firmware May Be Lacking, But Getting Updates Fast 11. T-Mobile’s LG G-Slate tablet and G2X smartphone T-Mobile Confirms LG G-Slate To Ship April 20th T-Mobile G2x Review T-Mobile G-Slate, G2x and Sidekick 4G arrive in-store T-Mobile G-Slate Review 12. ASUS Eee Pad Transformer tablet ASUS Eee Pad Transformer gets US/Canada release date & pricing 13. HTC Flyer Best Buy Pre-Sale Of WiFi HTC Flyer To Start April 25th 14. Acer Iconia Tab A500 ACER Iconia Tab A500 Review Featured Columns: On Stewart Lee and how Twitter ate comedy Windows Phone: The Next Six Months Is Anyone Really Surprised the PSP Go Was A Failure? SlashGear 101: What is a Jailbreak? Relevant Entries on SlashGear SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video – April 3, 2011 SlashGear Android App Released! SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video: March 6, 2011 SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video: February 27, 2011 SlashGear Weekly Roundup Video – April 17, 2011

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