Saturday, February 12, 2011

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 11/02/2011




LG Optimus 3D previewed in remarkably convincing teaser video
We just saw a brief teaser video for the LG Optimus 3D a few days ago, but another, longer one has now also surfaced that shows just how much the phone's glasses-free 3D display can help you in everyday situations -- like practicing yoga. As explained by LG, some things are simply too complicated to be conveyed by a two-dimensional medium like a big screen TV, and can only truly be grasped by holding a phone and looking at a 4-inch screen while standing on one leg. See for yourself after the break.

[Thanks, M.]
Continue reading LG Optimus 3D previewed in remarkably convincing teaser video
LG Optimus 3D previewed in remarkably convincing teaser video originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Debunk: Clamcase now shipping, manufacturing problems remedied
You may remember that we had an oh-so-brief hands-on with the Clamcase back at CES, and at that time we were promised a review unit the following week. Well, here we are a month later and we still don't have our unit, and according to some unhappy tipsters neither do those who reordered all the way back in December. We spoke with a rep to get to the bottom of the matter and we got some updates on the situation to share with all you eager pre-orderers..

Things got off to a bit of a rough start when the initial January ship date slipped to February, and although an email was sent to preorder customers indicating a few week delay, credit cards were still charged. Apparently, a manufacturing issue early on rendered a small batch of the earliest units un-chargeable, though some of these units made their ways into customers' hands. We're told that these problems have since been solved and that units are rolling off the Texas factory lines daily, but we've also gotten reports of bunk tracking numbers and 'shipments' that never arrive. The last piece of the puzzle is the suspicious disappearance of a discussion thread on the company's official Facebook page, which apparently got so heated that lawsuits were threatened. We're told that it was "accidentally taken down while the page was being reorganized", but we still cannot locate it ourselves. Not all is wrong in the world though, as some Twitter spelunking has revealed that real live people have received real live units in at least some cases, so our best bit of advice would be to either hit the company up for a status report or simply move along to one of the many other iPad keyboard case options available to lighten your wallets. We've been assured that our unit should arrive sometime shortly, so stay tuned for the next installment of the Clamcase Chronicles coming in the near future!
Debunk: Clamcase now shipping, manufacturing problems remedied originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lego shutter release for Sony NEX-5 lets Pikachu take your pictures
Need something to go with your colorful new NEX-5 Lego viewfinder? How about a Lego shutter release? It's the next project by the same dude, who goes by the appropriate handle "cubie" over at the Digital Photography Review forums. This one requires a bit more work, soldering a couple of IR LEDs to a headphone jack and positioning them to sit atop the camera's IR sensor. Then, by playing the right sound through an audio patch cable, pictures can be taken. Overly complicated? Yes. Love it? Pika!

[Thanks, Marc]
Lego shutter release for Sony NEX-5 lets Pikachu take your pictures originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nokia workers mourn death of Symbian, thousands walk out
Nokia workers mourn death of Symbian, thousands walk out
We know how you feel about the apparent death of Symbian, and you had to figure that those most affected by it wouldn't be feeling too good either. Those people are, of course, the 1,500-odd workers at Nokia's Tampere office who have crafted the OS through the years, over a thousand of whom apparently walked away from their jobs today as a sort of non-violent protest -- or maybe just to get a preview of what their Friday afternoons will look like once Elop starts dropping the axe. It should be noted that they used their flexible work schedules to enable this, so this is one orderly bit of social dissonance that shouldn't result in any accelerations of whatever layoffs are to come.
Nokia workers mourn death of Symbian, thousands walk out originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink geek.com  |  sourceHS.fi  | Email this | Comments
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Okii USB Follow Focus knob makes remote-focusing your Canon DSLR easy (video)
Okii USB Follow Focus knob makes remote-focusing your Canon DSLR easy (video)
Touching your camera to re-focus its lens while filming your next budget masterpiece isn't necessarily a good idea, and lugging a laptop around to handle the task remotely isn't exactly practical for today's modern gorilla filmmaker. The $400 USB Follow Focus looks to be a much more simple solution. It's quite simply a knob in an aluminum enclosure that connects over mini-USB. Plug it in and welcome to your next Oscar -- or Emmy, anyway. There are a suite of buttons that can be used to define focal presets and it has compatibility with most Canon HD DSLR shooters. The results? Check the two videos after the break and see for yourself.
Gallery: Okii USB Follow Focus
Continue reading Okii USB Follow Focus knob makes remote-focusing your Canon DSLR easy (video)
Okii USB Follow Focus knob makes remote-focusing your Canon DSLR easy (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Kinect hack gets a Wiimote assist, stomps all over Dead Space 2
It's not the first time that a Kinect hack has incorporated a Wiimote, but this demonstration from YouTube user Kick755 is certainly one of the more impressive examples to date -- even if it's still not quite ready to fully replace a controller. As with similar hacks, this one relies on the FAAST emulator for the Kinect end of the equation and GlovePIE for the Wiimote, but it has one notable feature that the others lack: the ability to quite literally stomp on your enemies in Dead Space 2. See for yourself after the break.
Continue reading Kinect hack gets a Wiimote assist, stomps all over Dead Space 2
Kinect hack gets a Wiimote assist, stomps all over Dead Space 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Joystiq  |  sourcekick755 (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments
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Samsung preparing a 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 2 with Honeycomb for this Sunday?
Samsung's MWC 2011 presentation is this Sunday, at 6PM Central European Time (midday for those on the American east coast). We already know it will feature a dual-core evolution to the Galaxy S smartphone and we know for a fact there'll be at least one new tablet on show. Pocket-lint is today filling in some details about said Tab successor by identifying it as a 10.1-inch Android 3.0 device. That means Samsung is stepping right up to Motorola, whose Xoom still looks likely to be the first Honeycomb tablet to ship, and saying it can do better. It might just be able to do it, too, as the new and unnamed Tab is said to be physically smaller than Apple's iPad in spite of having a slightly larger display. Somewhat less believable is the mention of a dual-core Qualcomm processor as the thing to power Samsung's new tablet -- can you really see Samsung undermining the future success of its Orion / Exynos chip by using a competitor's hardware? Then again, weirder things have happened.
Samsung preparing a 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 2 with Honeycomb for this Sunday? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung releases 8 and 12 megapixel CMOS smartphone sensors, shoots 1080p on the go
Samsung releases 8 and 12 megapixel CMOS smartphone sensors, shoot 1080p on the go
What the world needs now is more pixels up in your phone, and Samsung has a selection of new offerings that offer just that for stills and vids. It's released details on two new sensors, one, the S5K3H2, clocking in at eight megapixels and the other, the S5K3L1, at 12. Both will record 1080p video, with the 12 megapixel offering doing it at up to 60 fps -- the lesser model makes do with a mere 30. Both can capture full-res stills at 30fps and, naturally, both are really tiny for fitting into things like smartphones.Continue reading Samsung releases 8 and 12 megapixel CMOS smartphone sensors, shoots 1080p on the go
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Nokia posts video of Microsoft partnership announcement online

Wow, we have to hand it those Nokia social media types, they're on top of their game. A mere couple of hours after Stephen Elop and Steve Ballmer took the stage in London, the video of their joint announcement of a Nokia-Microsoft partnership is up and ready for repeated consumption. For those of you just catching up now, Windows Phone 7 has become Nokia's "principal smartphone strategy," MeeGo is getting transformed into an experimental "learning" platform, and Symbian... well, maybe you should sit down for this one, Symbian's being killed off. There's more to the strategic alliance unveiled today, including the WP7 Marketplace subsuming the Ovi Store and some Bing and Ovi Maps interaction, so why not press play above and let the men in charge tell you about it?
Nokia posts video of Microsoft partnership announcement online originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hitachi's 4.5-inch IPS display has 1280 x 720 res, 1,100:1 contrast, plans for mass production in October
Yo, Apple, you know that Retina Display you're so proud of? Old news. Hitachi Displays has just announced a 4.5-inch IPS LCD panel that fits 1280 x 720 pixels within its frame, accounting for an eye-watering 329dpi density. That's higher than you can get on the iPhone 4, but the fun doesn't stop there. Hitachi's new goodness also promises an 1,100:1 contrast ratio and 500 nits of brightness coming from an LED backlight. This precious new slice of technology is predictably all geared to land in your future smartphone of choice and we're told mass production is set to begin in October of this year. That basically means CES 2012 is going to be filthy with handsets offering full 720p resolution -- we can't wait.
Permalink MobileCrunch  |  sourceHitachi  | Email this | Comments
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HP confirms legacy webOS apps will run on webOS 3.0, TouchPad keeps its Mojo
HP confirms legacy webOS apps will be runnable on webOS 3.0, TouchPad keeps its Mojo
We know the original Palm Pre models and Pixi won't get upgraded to webOS 2.0, and we also know all about the new Enyo app development framework. But what about running those apps written in the older Mojo framework on webOS 3.0 devices, like the TouchPad? They'll be supported, so says HP Developer Relations and Framework Engineer Ben Combee. A first tweet indicated that "On webOS 3, Mojo apps will run in an emulation window with back and forward buttons at bottom." He went on to say this won't be a traditional emulator in the "check out my Super Metroid ROM, yo" sense, rather "a smaller card with gesture area chrome." So, good news for existing apps continuing to be supported going forward, but of course it remains to be seen what the experience will look and feel like. It seems we'll have to wait a bit to find that out.
HP confirms legacy webOS apps will run on webOS 3.0, TouchPad keeps its Mojo originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink PreCentral.net  |  source@unwiredben (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments
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Nokia will be able to customize 'everything' in Windows Phone 7, but likely won't
Stephen Elop, in his financial and strategy briefing continuing Nokia's marathon Capital Markets Day, just posed an interesting rhetorical question: will Nokia be able to "customize everything" on Windows Phone 7 in order to differentiate itself? "Yes!" was Elop's ebullient proclamation, though he quickly pulled it back to say that Nokia likely won't make extensive use of this freedom to tailor Microsoft's OS. Instead, the company will be cautious and seek to maintain compatibility rather than pushing the boat out too far in tweaking the underlying software. That's a major shift for Microsoft, who forbade HTC from skinning Windows Phone 7 with Sense, something the Taiwanese company would surely have loved to do, and limited it to the introduction of a self-contained Hub. Now Nokia's saying it -- perhaps exclusively -- has been given the liberty to play around inside WP7 to its heart's content. We'll see how important that turns out to be whenever Nokia delivers its first device bearing its new smartphone OS. An insider tip tells us the current plan is to introduce such a handset by the end of 2011, potentially based on current hardware. Who's ready for Xbox Live on a future version of the N8?
Nokia will be able to customize 'everything' in Windows Phone 7, but likely won't originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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RIP: Symbian
This slide was just presented by Stephen Elop and Nokia CFO, Timo Ihamuotila, at Nokia's Capital Markets Day. Although there's no date listed, it's clear that Symbian -- a "franchise" OS that Nokia will "harvest" -- will be wholly consumed by Windows Phone on Nokia devices just as soon as Nokia and Microsoft can complete the transition. It won't be immediate, but it seems like 2012 will be the year that Nokia pulls the cord on life support. Regardless of the actual date, who in their right minds would invest their development time or consumer dollars in a smartphone OS that has no future within the company? One more slide showing the post-Symbian reductions in R&D spending after the break.Continue reading RIP: Symbian
RIP: Symbian originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nokia's Elop responds to Google's 'Two turkeys' tweet
Like it or not, you have to hand it to Stephen Elop, Nokia's new CEO. The man isn't afraid to shake things up and clean house to meet his vision of the future. And now that he's made Windows Phone 7 Nokia's "primary smarphone platform" in what he sees as a three-way race between Microkia, Googloid, and Apple (sorry HP and RIM), the man's free to unleash his mild-mannered Canadian fury upon Google's Vic Gundotra (via proxy). As you'll recall, Vic insulted the rumored partnership earlier in the week by tweeting, "two turkeys do not make an Eagle." If you don't understand Elop's twitter-burn then we urge you to visit one of Dayton Ohio's fine historical museums while eating a slice of Cassano's pizza -- we hear it's delicious.

[Thanks, Jack]
Nokia's Elop responds to Google's 'Two turkeys' tweet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 06:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Mobile Tech World  |  source@selop (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments
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IcedRobot Android fork to sidestep legal battle between Oracle, Google
We'd prepared ourselves for a drawn-out legal battle between Oracle and Google when we heard the former was suing the latter for Java-related copyright infringement, but fortunately for Android enthusiasts, not everyone was so resigned. A team of developers are working on an Android fork called IcedRobot (yep, that's the logo) to separate the offending Dalvik Virtual Machine from the OS, hopefully circumventing this epic argument altogether. The project seeks to create a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that is based on OpenJDK (an open-source implementation of Java), avoiding Oracle's Apache Harmony, and to allow Android to run on just about any PC with the use of Hotspot, another device non-specific JVM using open-source Java. It's a tall order, and the devilish little Android has already gained a healthy amount of tech industry skepticism, but we're interested to see if these guys can make it work. Either way, we're pretty sure we've still got years of legal volleying to go before Google and Oracle can play nice again -- this ain't no People's Court, folks.
IcedRobot Android fork to sidestep legal battle between Oracle, Google originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 06:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Linux for Devices  |  sourceMario Torre  | Email this | Comments
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Nokia Q&A reveals more MeeGo details and tablet plans -- says Android 'risk of commodification was very high'
The Steve show just ended with both Elop and Ballmer hosting a very informative media Q&A following the reveal of Nokia's plan to use Windows Phone 7 as its "primary smartphone platform." Here are the highlights:
  • No specific announcement for when we'll see the first Nokia Windows Phone. Ballmer mentioned that the engineering teams have spent a lot of time together already.
  • Elop also confirmed that Nokia is a Finnish company and always will be -- they will not be moving to Silicon Valley or anywhere else.
  • Ballmer said that the partnership is "not exclusive" but some things that Microsoft is doing with Nokia are "unique" allowing Nokia to differentiate itself in the market. Elop added that it's important for the Windows Phone 7 ecosystem to thrive, which means that multiple vendors must succeed.
  • Elop didn't believe that Nokia could create a new ecosystem around MeeGo fast enough.
  • Nokia will "substantially reduce" R&D expenditures while increasing R&D productivity moving forward.
  • Nokia did talk with Google about adopting Android but decided that it "would have difficulty differentiating within that ecosystem" and the "commoditization risk was very high -- prices, profits, everything being pushed down, value being moved out to Google which was concerning to us." Microsoft presented the best option for Nokia to resume the fight in the high end smarpthone segment.
  • Elop clarified that MeeGo will ship this year but "not as part of another broad smarpthone platform strategy, but as an opportunity to learn." Something that sounds very similar to position Nokia took with its so-called "experimental" Maemo-based N900 last year. After the first (and apparently, only) MeeGo device ships this year, the MeeGo team will then "change their focus into an exploration of future platforms, future devices, future user experiences." Trying to determine the "next disruption" in smartphones.
  • Responding to "hope for a broad MeeGo-based ecosystem," Elop said that Nokia simply wasn't moving fast enough to effectively win and compete against Apple and Google. Windows Phone makes it a "three-horse race," something that Elop says is pleasing to the carriers he's been speaking with.
  • Nokia has different options for its tablet strategy including using something from Microsoft or something that Nokia has developed internally.
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Stephen Elop: There will be 'substantial reductions in employment' inside Nokia
Stephen Elop and Steve Ballmer are in the middle of a Q&A now. When Elop was asked by a concerned Finnish reporter, "What happens to Finland," Stephen responded that a successful Nokia is good for Finland but there will be "substantial reductions in employment" in Finland and around the world. We can't even imagine what it's like to be working inside of Nokia at the moment but the stress, frustration, and concern must be extraordinarily high.
Stephen Elop: There will be 'substantial reductions in employment' inside Nokia originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 05:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Live from Nokia's Capital Markets Day!
The time for leaked memos, rampant speculation and obscure references was brought to an abrupt end this morning when Stephen Elop and Steve Ballmer delivered the announcement of Nokia and Microsoft's future strategic alliance. It all revolves around Windows Phone 7 becoming the smartphone strategy around Espoo, but there are still plenty of details to be explicated, highlighted and mulled over. Stephen Elop is about ready to take the stage here in central London to officially kick off Nokia's annual Capital Markets Day, where we expect him to give us a clearer picture of what to expect from this tie-up of industry giants. Our liveblog, after the break you shall find.Continue reading Live from Nokia's Capital Markets Day!
Live from Nokia's Capital Markets Day! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nissan unveils sexy ESFLOW concept EV sports car
Concept cars always promise the car of tomorrow, but they only get us hot and bothered for fantastical design elements that rarely make it to production due to trivial concerns like "cost" and "the laws of physics." Undaunted by these limitations, Nissan has rolled out a new futuristic EV called ESFLOW -- with a roofline inspired by modern Z cars and an elongated bonnet reminiscent of the original 240Z -- to titillate our inner gearhead. Scheduled for a Geneva Motor Show debut in early March, the coupe is powered by children's dreams and whimsy dual electric motors driving the rear wheels and can take residents of imagination land from 0-100kph (0-62mph for us Yanks) in less than five seconds. If the ESFLOW is where Nissan's going with its EV designs -- the Leaf isn't exactly a looker -- we're all for it, but don't expect to see it on the road anytime soon as it's only a concept after all. Vid's after the break.Continue reading Nissan unveils sexy ESFLOW concept EV sports car
Nissan unveils sexy ESFLOW concept EV sports car originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nokia to developers: no Qt for Windows Phone development
Nokia's been beating the Qt warpath for years after purchasing the developer framework from Trolltech back in January of 2008. In fact, Nokia just made the switch to Qt exclusively back in October in a sign of its unrelenting support for the unified development environment. That, like all previous Nokia strategies, is in for a big change today. While Qt will continue on as the development framework for Symbian and MeeGo, Microsoft will provide its free Windows Phone Developer Tools (Visual Studio 2010, Expression, Silverlight and the XNA Framework) to developers interested in developing for Nokia Windows Phones (get used to that phrase) while providing "guidance" to anyone wishing to port their apps to WP7. In other words, Qt will not be adapted for Windows Phone 7 APIs. Full letter after the break to what we imagine is a very disgruntled and previously loyal Nokia developer community.Continue reading Nokia to developers: no Qt for Windows Phone development
Nokia to developers: no Qt for Windows Phone development originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink @stroughtonsmith (Twitter)  |  sourceForum.Nokia  | Email this | Comments
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Nokia tells investors that 2011 and 2012 will be 'transition years'
Wondering how long it will take for Nokia to fully execute on its new strategy? Here's a clue in a press release targeting investors and financial analysts:
"Nokia expects 2011 and 2012 to be transition years, as the company invests to build the planned winning ecosystem with Microsoft. After the transition, Nokia targets longer-term: (1) Devices & Services net sales to grow faster than the market. (2) Devices & Services non-IFRS operating margin to be 10% or more."
There are many ways to interpret this, naturally. But the one we can't get our minds around is that the Symbian and MeeGo houses were such a mess that they couldn't be repaired by 2012, even after years of effort and huge investments directed towards that goal. And here we thought that MeeGo "inspired both confidence and excitement" while Symbian's only issue was UI related.

Update: Stephen Elop says that he expects Nokia to ramp up the transition this year and be ready to ship Windows Phone 7 devices in significant volume in 2012.Continue reading Nokia tells investors that 2011 and 2012 will be 'transition years'
Nokia tells investors that 2011 and 2012 will be 'transition years' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 03:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nokia and Microsoft enter strategic alliance on Windows Phone, Bing, Xbox Live and more

It's happened. Former Microsoft exec and current Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has married his future and his past in the holy matrimony of a "strategic alliance." Windows Phone is becoming Nokia's "principal smartphone strategy," but there's a lot more to this hookup -- scope out the official press release just after the break. Microsoft's Bing and adCenter will provide search and ad services across Nokia devices, while Nokia will look to innovate "on top of the platform" with things like its traditional strength in imaging. Ovi Maps will be a core part of Microsoft's mapping services and will be integrated with Bing, while Nokia's content store will be integrated into (read: assimilated by) Microsoft's Marketplace. Xbox Live and Office will also, as is to be expected, feature on these brave new Microkia handsets. An open letter on Nokia's Conversations site, penned jointly by Stephen Elop and Steve Ballmer, sets out the foregoing details along with the following statement of intent:
"There are other mobile ecosystems. We will disrupt them. There will be challenges. We will overcome them. Success requires speed. We will be swift. Together, we see the opportunity, and we have the will, the resources and the drive to succeed."
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Nokia: Symbian and MeeGo not dead yet, still shipping this year (updated)
Amazing day, eh? Something many of us thought would never happen just hit the smartphone industry like a sweaty madman screaming at developers. But rest easy, even though Windows Phone 7 is being billed as Nokia's "primary smartphone platform," your OS hasn't suffered an untimely death, MeeGo and Symbian fans. Understandably, we're seeing that Alberto Torres, the former head of MeeGo, quit as of yesterday. Here's what Nokia has in store for MeeGo:
"Under the new strategy, MeeGo becomes an open-source, mobile operating system project. MeeGo will place increased emphasis on longer-term market exploration of next-generation devices, platforms and user experiences. Nokia still plans to ship a MeeGo-related product later this year."
Likewise, Symbian isn't going away either:
"With Nokia's planned move to Windows Phone as its primary smartphone platform, Symbian becomes a franchise platform, leveraging previous investments to harvest additional value. This strategy recognizes the opportunity to retain and transition the installed base of 200 million Symbian owners. Nokia expects to sell approximately 150 million more Symbian devices in the years to come"
Jo Harlow, Nokia exec now in charge of Smart Devices, will grab the MeeGo reins in addition to responsibility for Symbian Smartphones and Strategic Business Operations.

Update: After listening to the Q&A and further presentations, it's clear that Symbian is on its last legs and will be replaced by Windows Phone just as soon as Nokia and Microsoft can make it happen. Commitment to MeeGo has also softened with Elop calling it "an opportunity for learning."
Nokia: Symbian and MeeGo not dead yet, still shipping this year (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nokia execs reshuffled in Microsoft-centered Elopcalypse
Pardon us while we catch our breath... Nokia's bombshell of an announcement's going to require some serious internal tinkering to execute upon the new strategy. As such, there's a big-time reorganization effort being kicked off today in order to accelerate the company towards its new goals. Here are some of the highlights:
  • Nokia's "applications and content store" (Ovi) will be integrated into Microsoft Marketplace
  • Nokia Maps will be at the heart of Microsoft's Bing and AdCenter
  • Microsoft will provide developer tools to Nokia (So no Qt?)
  • Symbian is now described as a "franchise platform" with Nokia planning to sell 150 million Symbian devices into the future
  • MeeGo emphasis will be on longer-term exploration with plans to ship "a MeeGo-related product" later this year (not products)
The new team that will leadership team that will drive the effort consists of Stephen Elop, Esko Aho, Juha Akras, Jerri DeVard, Colin Giles, Rich Green, Jo Harlow, Timo Ihamuotila, Mary McDowell, Kai Oistamo, Tero Ojanpera, Louise Pentland and Niklas Savander. Unsurprisingly, Alberto Torres, former head of MeeGo, has quit. Here are some of the key execs:
  • Jo Harlow becomes the gal at the center of the Nokia's Elopcalypse with Smart Devices responsibility for Symbian smartphones, "MeeGo Computers," and Strategic Business Operations.
  • Mary McDowell will drive the Mobile Phones division focusing on growth markets.
  • Marko Ahtisaari will lead up design efforts
  • Tero Ojanpera will lead Services and Developer Experience
  • Niklas Savendar owns Markets
  • Rich Green will head the CTO Office responsible for Nokia's technology strategy and related forward-looking activities
So really, Nokia is maintaining most of its executive staff, unlike the rumors coming into today.Continue reading Nokia execs reshuffled in Microsoft-centered Elopcalypse
Nokia execs reshuffled in Microsoft-centered Elopcalypse originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ViewSonic intros dual-SIM V350 smartphone, Windows 7 / Android dual-boot ViewPad 10Pro tablet
Mobile World Congress may not have its halls open quite yet, but that's not stopping ViewSonic from giving the world a peek at what's to come. First up is the V350 smartphone shown above, a dual-SIM creature with a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touchpanel, Android 2.2, five megapixel camera, a microSD card slot, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 and A-GPS to boot. By supporting a pair of SIMs, it allows jetsetters to carry two SIMs from two operators in order to take advantage of different plans and networks for voice / data in different countries.

Moving on, there's a highly intriguing new tablet in the waiting -- the ViewPad 10Pro. This 10-incher (shown after the break) is a "professional" slate with dual-boot functionality, enabling users to tap into Android 2.2 or Windows 7 Professional at their leisure. It's also one of the first tablets to utilize Intel's long-awaited Oak Trail platform, and it'll ship with a 1024 x 600 LED-backlit capacitive multitouch screen, inbuilt 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and a battery good for six or so hours of life. Finally, the ViewPad 10s -- which was just unveiled at CES -- is seeing a gentle update in Barcelona, with the ViewPad 10s 3G (predictably) gaining integrated 3G functionality. Mum's the word on pricing and release, but as always, we'll be prying for more once we touch down at BCN.Continue reading ViewSonic intros dual-SIM V350 smartphone, Windows 7 / Android dual-boot ViewPad 10Pro tablet
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Bloomberg: RIM working to let BlackBerry PlayBook run Android apps, but Dalvik's not the way
We'd heard sweet, sweet rumors that RIM would include a Java virtual machine in the BlackBerry PlayBook and even bring Android apps on board -- and lo and behold, Bloomberg's corroborating those claims with no fewer than three anonymous sources. Where the new rumor diverges is that the Dalvik virtual machine used in Google's OS reportedly won't be part of the formula; RIM considered it, these sources say, but decided it didn't want to get involved in the Oracle / Google legal fracas. Apparently, the company's working on this secret project in-house and targeting a possible release in the second half of the year. We have to say, the ready availability of roughly 200,000 Android programs could be quite the shot in the arm if WebWorks and AIR don't produce killer apps right away.
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Ask Engadget: best electric bicycle under $1000 for college campus cruising?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Jonathan, who can't be bothered to burn off calories on a normal bike once he heads of to university next year. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"My college of choice has a big, hilly campus, and driving is pretty heavily discouraged, so I've been looking at getting an electric bike. I have to keep it under $900 (I may be able to up to around $1100, but that would be a tough sell). I'd like it to look somewhat low-key, not unlike a typical street / mountain bike. It doesn't have to be crazy powerful, but it does need to be strong enough to tackle hills on a regular basis, and it needs batteries to match that usage pattern. I prefer the flexibility of a mid-drive mounted motor, since that would let the motor take advantage of the gears, and it would let me easily switch between power-assisted and all-electric pedaling, but I wouldn't mind a different setup. Finally, the university has a lot of fog and rain, so weather-resistance is probably important. I already own a street-bike with 26-inch wheels and a diamond-frame body, so if a conversion kit would be a strong option, I'm also open to modifying my current bike. Finally, if the bike most suitable for my needs falls outside of my price range, what would the price-range for that bike be, and what alternatives could I pursue? (I don't really want a motorbike or a scooter / moped.) Thanks!"
Phew, looks like this guy's going to be quite the wordsmith! For those of you currently cruising around campus on a power-assisted bike, which did you use? And how'd you secure it while in class? Throw this fellow a bone -- he's obviously more interested in nabbing a 4.0 than cranking on a set of pedals, and that's a-okay with us.
Ask Engadget: best electric bicycle under $1000 for college campus cruising? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 01:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Engadget Interview: Jon Rubinstein and Steven McArthur talk webOS on PCs, 'Music Synergy,' competition, and more
We had a chance to sit down with HP's Jon Rubinstein and SVP of applications and services Steven McArthur just after the company's device-filled event yesterday, and the conversation was rather revealing. Besides being extremely upfront about some tough issues (timing, legacy support), both execs were more than willing to tackle questions about HP's current deficiencies in the consumer electronics space. We've put together a rough transcript of the chat below, and it touches on a lot of issues currently facing HP and its user base -- namely, developer support, future versions of webOS, where the company is headed with devices, and what the overarching strategy will be in the coming weeks and months. We highly suggest you take a look... after the break.Continue reading The Engadget Interview: Jon Rubinstein and Steven McArthur talk webOS on PCs, 'Music Synergy,' competition, and more
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Verizon iPhone hits the streets, fails to gather crowds (video)

Verizon may have had its best sales day ever with the launch of the CDMA iPhone 4, but you wouldn't be able to tell if you parked outside a retail store this morning. Reuters reports that the usual hordes didn't show up for the Verizon iPhone launch -- San Francisco and New York flagship Apple Store locations boasted as few as forty individuals in line -- and that by afternoon today, the initial shipment of devices were still in stock. Of course, the device had already been on sale for several days -- and face it, it's just a CDMA iPhone 4 -- but it's not often we get to see spectacles like the one on video above, shot at the Mall of America store.
Verizon iPhone hits the streets, fails to gather crowds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 23:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceReuters, ojezap (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments
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Samsung dubs its mobile processors Exynos, dual-core 4210 (formerly Orion) arriving next month
We've been talking about Samsung's Orion processor for some time, the dual-core successor to the well-received Hummingbird core of 2010 -- but Orion was a codename all along. What will you be calling these two slices of high-performance silicon by the time they finally grace a phone of yours? "Exynos 4210," it turns out, as the Orion becomes the first member of Sammy's newly-branded Exynos line of application processors. We'd already known that the company was targeting the first half of 2011 for Orion's commercial release, but they're ready to get a little more specific now... and the news is good: production begins next month, which might line up nicely for some announcements the company has in store for MWC next week. Here's hoping! Follow the break for the release.Continue reading Samsung dubs its mobile processors Exynos, dual-core 4210 (formerly Orion) arriving next month
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T2 is not a cyborg, is the new more colorful Traktor
Native Instruments just unveiled a lot of enhancements to their current line of DJ software. Before, we didn't even know we were just dealing with T1, but it feels good to know that going forward, everything from Traktor Scratch Pro to Traktor Duo will have T2 inside, which features a more Serato-like waveform colorization scheme called TruWave. We'll leave it to DJ Rafik to give you the real low-down, though, in the video after the break. Also new today are the Traktor Audio 6 and 10 interfaces with new analog direct thrus -- expect them in April for $279 and $449, respectively. Now excuse us, we've got a couple of sequel ideas of our own to get cracking on.Continue reading T2 is not a cyborg, is the new more colorful Traktor
T2 is not a cyborg, is the new more colorful Traktor originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Thermaltake Level 10 GT case polishes up a classic, available now for $280
The Thermaltake Level 10, arguably the sweetest-looking enclosure to ever hit the mass market, has managed to find a chassis worthy of being called its successor in the shape of the behemoth you see standing before you, the Level 10 GT. It softens the aggressively modular aesthetic of the original, but in exchange delivers a more performance-focused design, replete with three 200mm fans, air filters everywhere you look, a neat little window so you can peek inside your full-sized tower of doom, and enough space to fit the very largest of modern graphics cards. Thermaltake is asking for $280 on its online store and you can order one up today. Video awaits after the break, though we wouldn't skip out on the Flickr gallery below, either.Continue reading Thermaltake Level 10 GT case polishes up a classic, available now for $280
Thermaltake Level 10 GT case polishes up a classic, available now for $280 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ZTE 005Z emergency cellphone keeps your kid safe, cooler than other kids
Remember back in 2005 when kiddy phones were all the rage? Well, with the release of the single-button 005Z, Softbank and ZTE are giving toddler connectivity another try. Like the Firefly and the Migo before it, this little guy limits outbound calls, but unlike its predecessors, the 005Z only allows for one pre-programmed number -- so if baby's in danger, mommy better have her cellphone charged. While the one-button approach is limited, the phone also acts as an alert system: when the cord is pulled, a loud buzzer sounds (à la the rape whistle) and SMS and voice messages (both of which contain the kid's location) are sent to emergency contacts. As far as we're concerned, a child with a cellphone is a nightmare in the making, but if you're into that sort of thing (and live in Japan) the 005Z will be available this March for ¥490 ($5.90) a month.
ZTE 005Z emergency cellphone keeps your kid safe, cooler than other kids originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Technabob  |  sourceSoftbank  | Email this | Comments
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HTC prepping VoLTE-enabled smartphone for MetroPCS
Hot on the heels of Verizon's completion of a test call using voice over LTE on its LG Revolution, the word on the street is that MetroPCS is hooking up with none other than HTC for its own VoLTE-capable phone -- though it's not MetroPCS making the announcement: instead, the GSM Association's technology director broke the news, which was followed by a swift "no comment" from the carrier itself. As PCMag points out, there's a sense of urgency for MetroPCS to deploy VoLTE in short order because it's using AWS bandwidth for its LTE services -- the same bandwidth it uses for CDMA -- whereas Verizon has LTE deployed down by its lonesome in the newish 700MHz space, which means MetroPCS could open up 4G bandwidth by migrating away from CDMA voice as quickly as possible. No word on when we might see this mysterious HTC device surface just yet.
HTC prepping VoLTE-enabled smartphone for MetroPCS originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Twitter updates Android app, we go hands-on in more than 140 characters
If you're an avid Twitter user and an avid Android smartphone user, you've been waiting for this day. The day where those developers at Twitter's headquarters man up and release a Twitter app that can seriously compete with the likes of TweetDeck, Twidroid, and HootSuite. Well, fellow tweeters, it appears that time has come -- the official Twitter Android 2.0 app just hit the Market and it includes a pretty drastic UI overhaul, some bug fixes, and a few more key features.

Naturally, we hit the update button as soon as it popped up on our Droid 2 Global, and we have to say the first thing we noticed was the speed increase -- our feed loaded quickly and jumping over to the different columns was snappy. Speaking of those columns, Twitter wiped the previous, overly-cutesy main homepage for four tabs that run along the top of the screen -- there's your regular feed, mentions, direct messages, and lists. It feels more like the iOS app, which definitely isn't a bad thing. You can still pull-to-refresh and swipe left or right over a particular tweet to respond, retweet, or favorite it. So, what's the best improvement? Besides the tidied up interface, we have to say it's the auto-complete for usernames -- punch in the @ symbol and start typing a name and you'll get a list of suggested names. Twitter's also improved the search functionality, but we'd suggest checking that out yourself. It won't cost you a penny, we just hope you're running Android 2.1 or higher. Nope, not even Twitter is safe from the evils of fragmentation.
Gallery: Twitter 2.0 for Android
Twitter updates Android app, we go hands-on in more than 140 characters originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Twitter  |  sourceTwitter Android Market  | Email this | Comments
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The Engadget Show returns next Thursday, February 17th
Gentlemen and ladies, it's that time again -- that's right, the Engadget Show is back next Thursday, February 17th! We'll have more details for you on Monday, but clear your schedules, cancel your hot dates, put down Dead Space 2, and get yourself to New York City next Thursday. As usual, we'll be streaming live right here on Engadget, but you'll have to trust us when we say you're gonna want to be at this one in person. Stay tuned!

If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.


Subscribe to the Show:

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The Engadget Show returns next Thursday, February 17th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Pac Machina displays a trivial love of the needlessly complex
Now, you may look at this little project and ask yourself, "what is the point of this thing?" but that would, in fact, be the wrong question. The Pac Man-loving creator of Pac Machina needs no reasons, and honestly, neither do we. While we wouldn't necessarily want one of these clock-like Pac Men in our drawing room, we admire the creativity and time put into what was surely a somewhat tedious project. We are huge fans of tedium, after all. Video is after the break.Continue reading Pac Machina displays a trivial love of the needlessly complex
Pac Machina displays a trivial love of the needlessly complex originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Bloomberg: Apple working on 'cheaper, smaller' and dual-mode iPhones, trying to kill SIMs along the way
Bloomberg is citing -- you guessed it -- "people who have been briefed on the plans" as saying that Apple is hard at work on taking the iPhone downmarket with a new model that's roughly one-third smaller than the existing iPhone 4, possibly with the intent on delivering it midyear using mostly carryover components from the iPhone 4 to keep pricing down. Thing is, Bloomberg says that Apple is looking at launching the "cheaper" model at $200 off contract, which would be the same as the 16GB iPhone 4 on contract currently. Let's not understate the fact that $200 off contract is dirt cheap by modern smartphone standards, which means Apple would have to be using every scrap of its enormous economies of scale to pull that off. In all likelihood, in fact, it'd have to abandon the 3.5-inch Retina Display -- it might be too big for a "smaller" model anyhow. The pub goes on to say that the device could've been delayed or scrapped altogether since its source saw the device last year, but it's something to keep an eye on; after all, Apple's probably leaving money on the table right now by failing to go after the midrange with a current-generation handset, so this could be its golden opportunity.

Moving on, they're also saying Apple's working on a dual-mode iPhone that'd work on both CDMA and GSM -- not a surprise at all, really (if anything, it was a little surprising to us that Apple didn't kill off the existing GSM iPhone 4 and replace all SKUs with CDMA / GSM ones when it announced the Verizon model). There's no mention of whether this model would have any manner of 4G support, but CDMA, GSM, and LTE in a single phone -- with at least five bands, if not more -- would be pretty wild indeed.

Finally, Bloomberg says (and our own sources have corroborated) that Apple's working on a so-called "Universal SIM" technology that would eliminate physical SIMs altogether and make using the iPhone on different networks a simple matter of provisioning, not unlike American CDMA networks today. Of course, this rumor's been through the mill before -- and has already been killed off -- so it's hard to say whether this is something Apple is actively working on or has been shelved. The device independence afforded by the SIM has been one of the chief advantages of GSM networks around the world over the past twenty years, and we'd hate to see Apple succeed in killing that off in favor of some sort of locked-up iTunes nonsense, but let's be honest: if anyone could pull off that kind of coup, it'd be Cupertino. More on all these rumors as we hear it.
Permalink   |  sourceBloomberg  | Email this | Comments
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HTC Thunderbolt makes FCC appearance?
It looks like HTC just got the go-ahead for a 4G smartphone from that great predictor of market preparedness, the FCC -- and all signs point to Thunderbolt. PG05100, as it's so lovingly referred to, operates on Verizon's 700MHz LTE as well as its CDMA / EVDO bands, and is set up for SVDO and SVLTE (or simultaneous CDMA voice and LTE data) -- definitely in keeping with Verizon's plans. Unsurprisingly, HTC's slapped the usual confidentiality request on this one, asking that any telling photos remain under wraps until March 31st. Considering what we've heard about a delayed Valentine's Day debut, could this mean an April Fools' launch for Verizon's first 4G LTE smartphone? Our heart tells us to doubt it, but if PG05100 turns out to be the real deal, Thunderbolt should hit the US sometime soon. Not soon enough, mind you, but you catch the drift.

[Thanks, Shane]
HTC Thunderbolt makes FCC appearance? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hand-sewn, hyperlinked book is a thing of beauty, and a joy for several minutes
It's not every day that you see something handcrafted with time and care on the internet, but what you see above certainly qualifies. An art / craft project by German designer Maria Fischer, it's called Thoughts on Dreams, it contains threaded 'hyperlinks' which are there to help guide the reader to links between important passages. The book is sadly (for us) in German, so we can't know what it says, but we can imagine that it's all sorts of beautiful, mysterious things that can only be conveyed by paper and colored string.There is one more image after the break, just because.Continue reading Hand-sewn, hyperlinked book is a thing of beauty, and a joy for several minutes
Hand-sewn, hyperlinked book is a thing of beauty, and a joy for several minutes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Gizmodo  |  sourceThe Daily What  | Email this | Comments
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