Section: Business News, Video, Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers  In a move that may pay nice dividends, Motorola has decided to split the company into two main divisions. With each division focusing on its strengths, Motorola should be able to effectively produce better products all around and contribute to the overall wealth of the company. Yesterday, Motorola confirmed the split of the company would take place in the first quarter of 2011. So while it is not immediate, it is definitely on the horizon and I’m sure they will start making decisions with the split in mind.
Sanjay Jha, one of the two co-chief operatives, will be taking over command of one company - the mobile handsets and set-top boxes division. Meanwhile, Greg Brown, the other co-chief operative, will be overseeing command of the wireless networking business and the radio systems operations. Since no division yields more revenue than the other, the split makes since as one division will not do all the heavy lifting. In 2009, both divisions accounted for the $22 billion in sales. The mobile handset and set-top boxes will continue to have the Motorola brand, and they will be licensing it royalty-free to the other division. In an interview, Sanjay Jha stated: "Through 2009, we have improved our balance sheet so that both entities will have solid capitalization to have operational and strategic flexibility.”
With the introduction of the Motorola Droid on Verizon Wireless, the dismal mobile handset operation has been revitalized. It has not seen many good days since the Motorola Razr cell phone. It will be interesting to see how this move pays off in the future, but by the looks of it, it should help. Read [NYTimes] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Software / Applications  Microsoft's latest security patch has left XP users with BSOD's and unusable systems. The company's support forums have been flooded with complaints from angry users since the release of MS10-015.
“I updated 11 Windows XP updates today and restarted my PC like it asked me to,” said a user identified as “tansenroy” who kicked off a growing support thread . “From then on, Windows cannot restart again! It is stopping at the blue screen with the following message: ‘A problem has been detected and Windows has been shutdown to prevent damage to your computer.”
MS10-015 was one of 13 patches released by Microsoft and was meant to patch a *17 year old* kernel bug in Windows' Virtual DOS Machine. The flaw was discovered 3 weeks ago by Google engineers. The big problem is that the fix involves booting from the WinXP installation disk and running the recovery console-something that's near impossible for netbook owners to do. Uninstalling the update would fix the issue but since the affected computers can't get past the BSOD when booting, it can't be done. Microsoft, disappointingly, has refused comment on the issue. I suggest they get on the ball quickly or Apple may find itself with a spike in sales! Read [InfoWorld] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Haven’t caught all of the Gadgetell news this week? Here's your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles! - Gadgetell and Appletell get grilled on TechVi
“This week on TechVi’s BottomLine Gadgetell’s JG Mason and Appletell’s Jake Gaecke faced off on the tech stories of the day. From Facebook doppelgangers to the iPad to Amazon pricing to the…” MORE » - iPad to kill more than just Kindle, it’s going to kill digital books?
” With Apple’s announcement that the iPad will become an snazzy eReader, that is will have the apps to read digital books, the case is being made that Apple has already blown it. By attracting the attention of publishers with higher price sales, is Steve Jobs simply sitting…” MORE » - Google announces Buzz: Twitter/Facebook for Gmail
” With Twitter and Facebook being in many ways the most popular and used websites out there, it makes sense that Google would try to get into the competition. Google tried once before by buying Jaiku, which was a Twitter-like service…” MORE » - Motorola Droid to receive Android 2.1 upgrade this week
” Motorola chose to announce some pretty exciting information via Facebook earlier today. Rather than issuing a formal press release, Motorola has stated the Motorola Droid will be receiving an Android 2.1 upgrade sometime this week. Unfortunately, it is not known whether…” MORE » - Michael Jackson to sell Samsung 500GB external drive
” If you live in Europe, are a fan of Michael Jackson and need a storage device, check out the new Samsung S2 Portable HDD. This special edition external drive is preloaded with Michael Jackson’s “This…” MORE » - iPhone, now an SD card reader
” Today, zoomMediaPlus announces the zoomIt, a SD card reader dock for iPhone and iPod touch. The attachment allows the Apple products to access data on an SD card and share this data to and from the…” MORE » - Will Microsoft continue to get “smoked” by Apple? Was iTunes only the beginning?
“According to some emails turned over by Microsoft during an investigation into antitrust action, Microsoft was in awe of the deals Apple’s Steve Jobs worked to create iTunes. Emails from the big man himself, Bill Gates, to his team revealed his amazement and his teams response, “we…” MORE » - Google Contacts, otherwise known as my first big issue with the Palm Pre Plus, and a simple fix
” The folks at Verizon Wireless were kind enough to send me a Palm Pre Plus and a Palm Pixi Plus to play with for a little while. And because of them sending out a few review units, I will in-turn be able to offer some hands-on…” MORE » - Inbrics to reveal Android-based M1 MID at MWC
” The folks over at Pocket-lint scooped up some really interesting info about the upcoming announcement of Inbrics’ Android-based M1 MID, scheduled to be revealed at the Mobile World Congress next week. The M1 is really a little bit of everything.…” MORE » - HTC Legend pictures surface, looks pretty much like previously released renders
” Finally, some real photos of the HTC Legend have surfaced. They look pretty similar to renders which were previously released. It looks like the Legend will sport a pretty durable build, as can be seen from the back photo. The aluminum-like…” MORE »
Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile Based on previous confidentiality dates filed on FCC paperwork, AT&T may be selling the Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus as early as May. Other Palm devices have tracked similarly through the FCC and launched very close to the end of the confidentiality date. We expect the AT&T versions will follow the same route. So far, the Palm Pre Plus is available on Verizon. Now that it looks near when the phones will launch on AT&T, it will be interesting to see how a class smartphone with tethering is priced compared to AT&T’s other big smartphone that lacks AT&T supported tethering. Sprint, the launch partner for the original Palm Pre and Pixi, still does not show any signs of taking in the upgrade featuring more ram and tethering hotspot. Sprint and Palm have been buddy-buddy since the intro of the Pre back last year. Could Sprint the first to gain a touchscreen-only Palm/webOS device? Clearly, this has to be an area Palm’s considered as many of us find the keys on the Pre and even the Pixi to be less than perfect. Or will an update to webOS be enough? Rumor has it 1.4 is set to drop on Monday and it will bring a video capture and editing application, a host of calendar and messaging improvements, and enhancement to battery life and usability. It is also popular that Palm could announce that, like in the US, it will add more carriers in Europe. Or will Pre and Pre Plus owners get an update that will enable Flash 10.1? Word is Pixi is left off this one to help differentiate the devices. Our feeling is this is a reach for Palm. Arguably the slickest mobile OS out there, we expect big things from the webOS as more and more users come to appreciate it. You can check out Gadgetell’s photo gallery of the new Pre Plus and Pixi Plus launched last month at CES. Read: [SFGate] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Audio, Video, Communications, Computers, Gadgets / Other, Features, Originals, Columns, Who's On Crack 
Welcome to another Who’s on Crack where we look back with all the power of hindsight and use it have some fun at companys that hit it just off the mark. This week we’ll look at: - TiVo plans to rewind themselves
- Droid Does (not)
- More free Kindles
- We’ll all stop listening to Warner Music
 TiVo to bring out the next big ______ Our Natesh Sood writes, “on March 2, 2010, TiVo will be holding an event in New York City presumably regarding some new innovating technology. The flyer they have sent around includes the phrase "Inventing The DVR Was Just A Warmup." For TiVO DVR enthusiasts, this is definitely exciting news.” I am a huge fan of TiVo (I’ve got the HD) and if they are not talking about legal proceedings here (they’ve been embattled in lawsuits with DVR providers for years) then this could be big. TiVo created the DVR category, or at least made it mainstream to the point of “just TiVo it” creeped into our language to define a category. What are they up to next? Many point to the leak of TiVo Premier which would seem to fall short of the hype they are looking to build. Premeire is essentially an upgrade to the UI to handle HD (they are not that late, oh wait, yes they are) and will probably do apps like everything else. Sidebar, I was looking up new apps for my microwave yesterday and…nevermind. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be psyched for Premier, but will it make inventing the DVR look like a warmup? I think not. 
Droid Does (not) Proving yet again that you can’t believe everything you read, even if it is on Facebook and Motorola’s own support site, as was a pending update of the Droid to Android 2.1 from Motorola. Again our Natesh wrote, “it's a wonder why details about Android 2.1 were posted not only on Facebook but their support website, which have since been removed. Matt claims people inside Motorola posted information about the release prematurely, probably due to enthusiasm. While it may seem like a little error on Motorola's part, it definitely annoyed DROID owners because they were on the verge of receiving a pretty nice update. Who knows exactly when the update will become available at this point. “ Whoops-a-daisy. 2.1 looks to be a pretty big update in the way the OS looks with some handy widgets and the like. Let’s hope Motorola gets it together and gets 2.1 out soon. 
More free Kindles The rumors again swirl on Amazon purportedly giving free Kindles to Prime members. Our Robert Nelson reports, “the story suggests that Amazon is looking for a way to give ALL Amazon Prime customers a free Kindle. The catch here is that Amazon is said to still be working on a way to do that without losing a bunch of money.” Amazon finally looks to be thinking about longevity. If they get Kindles in folks hands, they’ve be less like to duplicate the device with, say, an iPad. Then they are locked in to Amazon’s book choices and theoretically, Amazon should profit. We’ve got to wonder just how much Amazon fears the iPad - could they open this offer up to all who seek a free Kindle? How much would that upset the early adapters? 
Warner Music says nada mas This week, our Andrew Kameka wrote (in a very nice piece, I might add), “Warner Music Group, one of the world's largest music conglomerates, has said it will stop licensing songs to free music streaming services.” This move will severely impact some of our favorite sites like Pandora, Slacker, Spotify and more. So I am getting ready to protest Warner Music. Who needs them, I thought, let’s take it to the street (or at least delete channels that have their music). Then I stopped and looked at exactly who is Warner Music. I was stopped dead in my tracks. A-Ha. Damn, they got me.There is no way we can live without the Norwegian synth band tour de force that is a-ha. Take on Me is perhaps the finest thing ever to flow out of my computers speakers and is oft compared with the likes of Beethoven and Brahms. But those crackers didn’t have music videos to take music to a new level like a-ha did. Behold the comic book story that hit MTV like a wave of hungry ants over a falling, melting Popsicle stick. I mean, really folks, look at their hair. Awesome. Warner’s also go the likes of Twisted Sister, Guns and Roses, Winger and many more popular artists. There is no way we can live with them, ok, mostly without a-ha. Warner knows this and they are going to make us pay in typical music label fashion. Look later this year for the “SAVE a-ha” shirts in the Gadgetell gift shop. Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Netbooks What do you get when you put a smartphone’s innards into a netbook chassis? A Compaq Airlife 100, of course! Except that HP decided to call it a “smartbook”, which seems to suggest the smartphone-netbook hybrid nature of the Airlife 100. It is said to feature a Snapdragon processor (rumored), a 16GB SSD, 3G and WiFi connectivity, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen display. It even runs on an Android OS. HP also added that the battery has enough juice for up to 12 hours of continuous usage, and up to 10 days in standby mode! Scary, I know. My cellphone doesn’t even last that long on standby. For now, it will be rolling out in the Europe and Latin America only. According to rumors, it may be placed under the HP Mini line of netbooks, which is quite a reasonable assumption, when it begins shipping in the US. No words on the price, though. Via [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Cheng Hung for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Gadgets / Other 
LG’s CEO KW Kim has recently begun spilling details about an upcoming product. Sadly though, in this case the details are more of just a tease than something to truly look forward to seeing. So far, what we can tell you is that Kim told Emirates Business that they (LG) “will soon launch a new product, maybe by April.” And that the new product will be able to compete with Amazon and Apple.
Based on that one would, and really can only assume that it will be a tablet style device that also serves as an ebook reader. That said, this news, while interesting should not be all that surprising considering LG has been showing off ereader technology such as a solar powered ebook reader and solar illuminated LCD displays for a little while now. Read [Emirates Business] Via [E-Reader-info] and [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Gadgets / Other, ebooks The last time we heard rumblings about a free Kindle, it was really nothing more than a gimmick that allowed select “pre-qualified customers” to purchase a Kindle and then request a refund should they not like it. The gimmick here was that, once they admitted they did not like the Kindle, they were still allowed to keep it. Strange perk considering you hated it enough to want a refund. Anyway, this latest offer seems to be a little more legitimate. Of course, at this point it is nothing more than the word of a “reliable source” of TechCrunch. But putting that aside, the story suggests that Amazon is looking for a way to give ALL Amazon Prime customers a free Kindle. The catch here is that Amazon is said to still be working on a way to do that without losing a bunch of money. As far as Amazon Prime, for those unfamiliar, it it a subscription service that costs $79 per year and allows customers to always get two day shipping for free. The theory here is that if they give a free Kindle to those customers they can make up for any upfront loss with future purchases. The part that makes me question this is that regular Kindle readers may not need Amazon Prime. Personally, I have been reading about 2 or 3 books per month on my Kindle. By itself that is a decent amount, but I also do not need the free shipping perk that comes with Amazon Prime because I use the Kindle for delivery. Read [TechCrunch] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Web, Web 2.0 / Social Networking, Google Having played with Google Buzz for the past few days, many of us have noticed one major problem with it: Privacy. Google was quick to react when they first heard complaints of many privacy issues. Previously, it was difficult to find the option to disable others from viewing things like lists of your followers, however, Google has now made it clear by providing a prominent option to disable people from seeing your list of followers or people you are following. Some of us couldn’t care less about privacy, but for those who do, this would be a great news to you. Read [CNet News] Via [Ubergizmo] Full Story » | Written by Cheng Hung for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
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