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Normancies’ Aluminum-Reinforced Laptop Bag Looks Like The Business

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:40 PM PDT


I’m always worried that when I put my laptop bag down, I’m putting it down on the corner of my laptop. Bam! Not a problem with these cases from Normancies, which have a band of aluminum making up the handle and protecting the sides.

It has a double clamshell design and can handle up to a 15″ laptop, as well as all the little things that go with it — chargers, drives, your notepads, etc. I just like the strengthening aspect of the aluminum band. The smart little removable strap is cool, too, though I’d want to test it out in person before I trust it.

How much does it cost? Your guess is as good as mine, friend. It’s Finnish — so probably a lot.

[via Notcot]

Don’t Do This At Home: Flex-Testing iPad 1 And 2 Glass

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 07:18 PM PDT


Kids, this is a really bad idea. I’m hoping these guys at least wore goggles, but considering they decided to break the glass with their bare hands, I don’t think safety was the #1 priority.

Questionable methods (and music) aside, that’s pretty impressive. The thinner iPad 2 glass is in fact stronger and more flexible. Of course, it’s extremely unlikely that you’re ever going to be flexing it — I’d be more interested in how hard it can take a hammer strike, or how far it can fall onto a corner without breaking. But that costs $500 per shot, so… perhaps not the best thing for a low-budget video.

The guys doing it are from iFixYouri.com. They are strong.

[via 9to5mac]

Here Comes The Nook App Store (And Flash Support)

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 06:47 PM PDT

While the Nook Color may be a popular tablet for hacking, it’s also just a plain ol’ e-reader — or so they say. Now that they’re adding the Nook Store, a device-specific market for apps, like that on the Galaxy Tab.

These irregular devices can’t access the normal Android Marketplace, so they have to port and redo apps and then offer them via their own service. Sound like fun to you? Me neither. But if you’re not interested in hacking your Nook, this will be a good opportunity to get a little more functionality on there.

The information comes by way of HSN, where the April update, as they call it, is advertised as coming to HSN customers first. I’m guessing that means that Nook Color units will ship in April with the update installed, and HSN has the first batch. They mention watching Flash-based video, but don’t mention the Flash version number.

I’m sure there will be a more comprehensive look at the update in the next couple weeks; we’ll keep our eyes open.

Also! Question! I didn’t notice this before, but how the hell can HSN get away with this pricing?

Retail value, $500? Are you joking?

[via CNET]

Want: FirstLook Spy Robot (Video)

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 06:26 PM PDT


iRobot recently introduced the 110 FirstLook robot designed for spying, scouting, and surveillance. FirstLook has four cameras, one on each side, giving the operator a 360-degree view around the robot (night vision mode included). The best part is that it’s super rugged and can survive 15 foot drops onto concrete.


Not only can FirstLook be thrown around and submerged in water, but it can also climb stairs and flip itself over if it ends up on its bad side. Top speed is is decent at 3.5 mph, but more impressive is its 6-hour battery life. It’s pretty similar to that little Ember robot we saw a while back, but bigger and more rugged. I just wish I didn’t have to enlist to try one of these out. Check it out in action in the video below.

[via CNET]

AT&T Broadband Metering Is Shoddy And They Know It

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PDT


The question of broadband metering is becoming more important by the day. And while there’s much to be discussed regarding the cost of bandwidth, the trends of consumption, the public money involved in the infrastructure, and so on, one basic fact today is this: AT&T wants to put caps on your bandwidth, but they can’t be trusted to measure it correctly. That’s not a situation consumers should take without protest.

Readers over at Broadband Reports are noticing marked differences between AT&T’s measurements and their own. One user found differences of several orders of magnitude. Now, if AT&T (and of course Comcast and others) are unwilling to allow for wiggle room in their GB caps (fees start the byte over 250GB), why should we allow wiggle room in their measurement? After all, we don’t let grocers use poorly (or maliciously) calibrated scales.

If we’re going to be paying by the byte, we need real legal protections against being taken advantage of by companies that have their customers over a barrel. The average AT&T customer would likely recognize if their electricity bill was far more than they expected, and of course at the grocery store, they’d be surprised and concerned to find that a single apple tips the scale at ten pounds. But if they were told that they’d exceeded their bandwidth limit (uncommon today, but bandwidth use is growing as streaming video becomes more accessible), what could they say? Unlike the readers of Broadband Reports, they don’t know how to tell their router to track packets, or set up a software monitor — many would be hard-pressed to access the online meter provided by AT&T.

Without a legally standardized, reliable, and understandable way to track the bandwidth we’re using, we’re completely at the mercy of the telecoms. There are legitimate questions as to how traffic should be tracked. Is it before or after the router? Should it require separate hardware? Will there be exceptions for “promotional” packets, overhead introduced by the service, bits we didn’t request, or wijacking? If the service is down, will we be reimbursed? At what rate, and by whose measurements? These aren’t trifling technicalities or rounding errors. They’re essential regulatory questions that mean the difference between being charged for what you use, and being charged whatever they say. It’s a fundamental conflict of interest that the telecoms are the ones tracking this usage.

How best to proceed isn’t really clear, but here’s what I’m thinking: a few pioneering cities or counties (depending on the jurisdiction required) should implement pilot programs with simple, certified, publicly-developed hardware designed to count bits accurately and report them securely (a big university would love designing this). Work out the kinks with a study of a town or neighborhood, make the device (or integration of one into a router or cable modem, or central cable box) required by law, and with luck others will follow suit. Yeah, it’s rather optimistic, and the money will have to come from somewhere, but it’s not complicated and it is necessary.

AT&T has, predictably, attempted to account for the huge discrepancies by suggesting user error. They’re working tirelessly to ensure accuracy. Yes, but whose accuracy, AT&T? Your accuracy or mine?

Update: AT&T has reached out with some information, which I include here in the interest of fairness. AT&T was the subject of this post, and their methods of measuring bandwidth may or may not be accurate (they tell us they are, but they would either way), but the criticism in this post is intended for the other companies as well. I stand by my assertion that it is a conflict of interest to have as an impartial observer of usage the same company that charges for said usage, and sets its own rules and measures. Here is the email I was sent, with contact information removed:

Would have liked the opportunity to have given you some background on this before you posted – most notably the fact that our broadband usage policy doesn't go live until May.

When I reached out to Karl Bode yesterday, I told him that we're already addressing ways we can make the labels and information on the online tool more clear for customers between now and May… but assured him that our team is performing checks everyday to ensure accuracy. We believe it's an accurate system.

One reason for any discrepancy could be due to the software the customer is using to measure their usage. Other tools may be measuring different periods of time than we are, and most likely do not take into account the standard network protocols (e.g. Ethernet, IP) that are used to provide applications and content to our customers via the Internet. As you know, this is fairly standard to incorporate when measuring broadband traffic and is applied by other ISPs who measure usage.

Worth noting that we factored all of the above into our allowance settings and into our trials – so they are baked into our data that indicates that less than 2 percent of customers should see an impact from the new policy.

These changes affect less than 2 percent of customers. From our own year-long trial of this model, we validated that a very small group of subscribers – 2 percent – are using about 20 percent of the bandwidth on our network, which risks driving up the cost of providing service to all our customers. (Our average DSL customer uses 18 GB/mo.)

Customers have had direct input in designing this approach. For example, customers said it's our responsibility to make it easy and convenient for them to know how much bandwidth they use.

· We heard them…and will send alerts when they've used 65% of their data plan. If needed, we'll send out another alert at 90%, and then another if they reach 100%.

· Customers also can check their use—anytime—on line

· If a customer exceeds the allowance a second time, we'll notify them and provide a grace period.

· The third time a customer exceeds the allowance, we'll alert them, and they'll be charged $10 for each additional 50 GB.

· We also have an informational website – www.att.com/internet-usage — where customers can learn more about broadband usage, how the allowance works, and why we're making this change.

I believe this is what’s called “softly, softly, catchy monkey.”

[via TechDirt; image: Cobalt on Flickr]

RIM Confirms: Playbook To Run Android Apps

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 04:18 PM PDT

It looks like earlier speculation regarding Android apps on the BlackBerry PlayBook was correct. Today, RIM officially announced Android app support for the BlackBerry PlayBook. This was made possible by what RIM calls a "high degree of API compatibility," making it easy for Android developers to port apps to the PlayBook. But there is one slight catch.

According to the press release, the Android Market won’t be available on the PlayBook. Instead, users will have to download Android apps from BlackBerry App World — only certain compatible apps will be available.

Developers currently building for the BlackBerry or Android platforms will be able to quickly and easily port their apps to run on the BlackBerry Tablet OS thanks to a high degree of API compatibility. The new optional app players will be available for download from BlackBerry App World and will be placed in a secure "sandbox" on the BlackBerry PlayBook where the BlackBerry Java or Android apps can be run.

Developers will simply repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to BlackBerry App World. Once approved, the apps will be distributed through BlackBerry App World, providing a new opportunity for many developers to reach BlackBerry PlayBook users.;

I think it’s pretty cool that RIM is allowing this. It’s a smart move since they are a little late to the tablet market. By having access to over 200,000 Android apps, RIM could be in a position to capture a lot of Android fans, so long as developers do the work and people buy the tablet.

The PlayBook is set to release April 19th.

Press Release

RIM Expands Application Ecosystem for BlackBerry PlayBook
· BlackBerry PlayBook to support BlackBerry Java and Android apps
· Native C/C++ development support added, in addition to HTML5, Flash and AIR support
· Support from leading game engines: Ideaworks Labs (AirPlay) and Unity Technologies (Unity 3)
· BlackBerry PlayBook becomes a new market opportunity for all the developers who have already created over 25,000 BlackBerry Java apps and more than 200,000 Android apps

Waterloo, ON – Developers wanting to bring their new and existing apps to the highly anticipated BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet will soon have additional tools and options to enhance and expand their commercial opportunities. Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to greatly expand the application ecosystem for the BlackBerry PlayBook. The BlackBerry PlayBook is scheduled to launch in the U.S. and Canada on April 19.

RIM will launch two optional "app players" that provide an application run-time environment for BlackBerry Java® apps and Android v2.3 apps. These new app players will allow users to download BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps from BlackBerry App World and run them on their BlackBerry PlayBook.

In addition, RIM will shortly release the native SDK for the BlackBerry PlayBook enabling C/C++ application development on the BlackBerry® Tablet OS. For game-specific developers, RIM is also announcing that it has gained support from two leading game development tooling companies, allowing developers to use the cross-platform game engines from Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to bring their games to the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Support for BlackBerry Java and Android Apps

"The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet. The power that we have embedded creates one of the most compelling app experiences available in a mobile computing device today," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "The upcoming addition of BlackBerry Java and Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook on BlackBerry App World will provide our users with an even greater choice of apps and will also showcase the versatility of the platform."

Developers currently building for the BlackBerry or Android platforms will be able to quickly and easily port their apps to run on the BlackBerry Tablet OS thanks to a high degree of API compatibility. The new optional app players will be available for download from BlackBerry App World and will be placed in a secure "sandbox" on the BlackBerry PlayBook where the BlackBerry Java or Android apps can be run.

Developers will simply repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to BlackBerry App World. Once approved, the apps will be distributed through BlackBerry App World, providing a new opportunity for many developers to reach BlackBerry PlayBook users. Users will be able to download both the app players and the BlackBerry Java and Android apps from BlackBerry App World.

The BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry Tablet OS are built on the QNX® Neutrino® microkernel architecture with a 1GHz dual core processor and a leading OpenGL solution, which allows RIM to make this incredibly broad platform support possible.

BlackBerry PlayBook users and developers who are interested in seeing the new app players for BlackBerry Java and Android apps can see demos at BlackBerry World in Orlando, Florida (May 3 to 5, 2011) (www.blackberryworld.com).

BlackBerry Tablet OS Development Tools

The BlackBerry Tablet OS already supports an incredibly robust platform with support for Web development standard HTML5, through the BlackBerry® WebWorks™ SDK for Tablet OS, and Adobe® AIR®, through the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR. The BlackBerry Tablet OS is built from the ground up to run WebKit and Adobe® Flash® as well, giving developers a fast and true Web experience to leverage.

RIM is also announcing today that the BlackBerry Tablet OS Native Development Kit (NDK), which is currently in limited alpha release, will go into open Beta by this summer and be demonstrated at BlackBerry World. The BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will allow developers to build high-performance, multi-threaded, native C/C++ applications with industry standard GNU toolchains. Developers can create advanced 2D and 3D applications and special effects by leveraging programmable shaders available in hardware-accelerated OpenGL ES 2.0.

Other features of the BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will allow developers to:

* Take advantage of the QNX POSIX library support and C/C++ compliance for quick and easy application porting and for creating native extensions for both BlackBerry and Android applications
* Easily integrate device events like gesture swipes and touch screen inputs
* Integrate the BlackBerry Tablet OS environment into existing code management and build systems using industry standard Eclipse CDT (C/C++ Development Tools)
* Leverage work done in standard C/C++ to make it easier to bring applications to the BlackBerry Tablet OS
* Find and fix bugs quickly with provided debug and analysis tools

"The response to the BlackBerry PlayBook from the developer community has been exceptional. Our commitment to supporting HTML5 and Adobe AIR development has resonated and spurred developers to create fun and innovative applications for BlackBerry PlayBook users," said David Yach, Chief Technology Officer, Software at Research In Motion. "The upcoming BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK beta will add C/C++ tools to our repertoire and gives developers one of the broadest and deepest platforms to develop on."

Gaming Engines

Building on the power of the BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK, RIM is working with leading gaming and application development technology providers such as Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to implement their native engines and application development platforms. Developers will be able to take advantage of these engines when building games and other applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook.

The Ideaworks Labs Airplay SDK is expected to include support for the BlackBerry Tablet OS soon, making it easy for publishers and developers to use their existing code to bring their games and apps to the BlackBerry PlayBook.

"Supporting a new OS can be a challenge for developers," says Alex Caccia, President of Ideaworks Labs, "however, integration of the BlackBerry Tablet OS with the Airplay SDK makes this a non-issue. We think this is a far-sighted move by RIM: the BlackBerry PlayBook is a great device for games and applications, and combining this with content distribution via BlackBerry App World brings an exciting new ecosystem for developers."

RIM has also been working closely with Unity Technologies, providers of the highly popular, multi-platform Unity development platform and Union, the firm's games distribution service. Through Union, dozens of high-quality Unity-authored games are slated to make their way to BlackBerry App World for the BlackBerry Playbook.
"With a sharp focus on the multimedia experience, very powerful hardware, and fantastic games in the pipeline, the BlackBerry Playbook has all the right ingredients to be a mainstream hit," said Brett Seyler, GM of Union at Unity Technologies. "Through Union, Unity developers have an opportunity to reach a new audience and grow with another great new platform."

Availability
The new app players for the BlackBerry PlayBook are expected to be available from BlackBerry App World this summer. More information and demonstrations of the new app players will be shared at BlackBerry World. The BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will be available in beta later this year and will also be showcased at BlackBerry World.

Useful Links
For more information on the BlackBerry Tablet OS and BlackBerry PlayBook developing, visit http://us.blackberry.com/developers/tablet/

To see the BlackBerry Tablet OS in action running conceptual applications from The Astonishing Tribe, please visit http://www.youtube.com/blackberry#p/c/8D8C3A23664E6761/5/uH7NKhNyygw and http://www.youtube.com/blackberry#p/c/8D8C3A23664E6761/0/mWJG-sB7H4Y

For RIM insights into developing for the BlackBerry Platform, visit http://devblog.blackberry.com or follow @BlackBerryDev on Twitter.

Visit the BlackBerry Developer Zone at www.blackberry.com/developers for the latest news, information and updates for BlackBerry developers.

Visit the BlackBerry Developer Video Library at www.blackberry.com/go/developervideolibrary to view a variety of instructional videos.

Sign up for the BlackBerry Developer Newsletter at http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/resources/newsletter.jsp.

For the latest news and information about the BlackBerry Developer Conference visi twww.blackberrydeveloperconference.com.

About Research In Motion
Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

Researchers Create Material That Gets Stronger With Increased Stress

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 03:30 PM PDT


You know that feeling you get after burning through a thousand curls? Neither do I. But I believe the bros when they say they’re sore afterwards; and of course later, the muscles become stronger. That same natural phenomenon has recently been demonstrated in a composite material from research underway at Rice University. Much like steel cold-working, the research plays on the idea that after bending or compressing a material, it resists it the next time.

Pulickel Ajayan, Rice professor of mechanical engineering and materials science along with graduate student Brent Carey created a new composite material by fusing a batch of vertically aligned, multi-walled nanotubes with polydimethylsiloxane (a rubbery polymer). Normal fatigue testing of the composite led to the surprise discovery that instead of the material weakening, it actually got stronger. The explanation for this reaction is still a mystery, but they are going to try to find an explanation next.

After more research is completed, the composite material could go on to be used in medical applications. “We can envision this response being attractive for developing artificial cartilage that can respond to the forces being applied to it but remains pliable in areas that are not being stressed,” Carey said. So you probably won’t see phones made out of it any time soon, but it’s still pretty cool.

[via DailyTech and Gizmag]

Record Industry: Limewire Could Owe $75 Trillion – Judge: “Absurd”

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 02:56 PM PDT


So we’re all pretty desensitized by now to the mind-blowing stupidity on display by the record industry in its foolhardy attempts at assigning damages in piracy cases — was anyone surprised when they told one woman, who had shared 24 songs, that she owed nearly two million dollars? Yes, ridiculous. But this — this is beyond ridiculous. This is… sublime.

The record companies suing Limewire were asked to estimate the damages that should be paid by the file-sharing service. Their estimate? $400 Billion on the low end, and at the high end — $75 trillion dollars. That’s more than the GDP of the entire world.

The judge, in a refreshing stroke of good sense, deemed these potential damages “absurd” and the plaintiff’s approach “untenable”. The $75tn figure relies on an interpretation of copyright law that provides statutory damages for each instance of copying, and with the numbers of downloads and individual songs the industry is alleging, the money adds up quickly. Even the $400bn figure is certainly grossly inflated, however “conservative” it may appear to Virgin, Atlantic, Sony, and so on.

It was decided that an interpretation of copyright law enabling the music industry to sue for more money than they’ve made in the history of recorded music was necessarily wrong, and accordingly the damages were reduced to “a single statutory damage award from Defendants per work infringed, regardless of how many individual users directly infringed that particular work.”

That amount will vary, of course, depending on the number of works that can be shown to be infringed, and the award per work decided on by the judge. It matters not because Limewire will have to pay less (they’re probably bankrupt already just from legal fees), but because it enforces a “reasonable” interpretation of our antiquated copyright laws, and limits the potential value of a shared song. It’s not exactly analogous, but at least it would be something for the aforementioned Jammie Thomas-Rasset to lean on in court.

Which record company owns the rights to “The Times They Are A Changin’”? They should give it a listen.

[via Hot Hardware]

Gorgeous Wooden iPad 2 Cover Is Like A Smart Cover, But Far More Tasteful

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 02:07 PM PDT


When you get an expensive, beautiful device like an iPad 2, you want to spoil it. A cheapo case feels wrong on it, and personally, I think Apple’s Smart Cover (while cool) is a little… synthetic and gadget-y. You know what I mean? I like the more organic stuff. Fortunately, the Dutch have come to the rescue!


This beautiful wood cover works just like a Smart Cover — it turns your iPad on and off, rolls up to be a stand, and even has microfiber on the underside so it dusts your screen whenever you use it. I just love how the wood articulates. And it fits flush with the screen and everything. I love this!

It’s not available yet, but will cost 50 (~$70) when it ships later this month. Keep an eye on Miniot’s site for availability.

[thanks for the tip, Aaron]

Audible.com Audiobooks Now Available (For Real) On Kindle

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 01:00 PM PDT

Flickr’d

You can now download more than 50,000 Audible.com audiobooks on your Kindle via your Wi-Fi connection. You’ve always been able to download Audible audiobooks from the site itself, then transfer them to your Kindle via a USB, but now you can do so wirelessly.

There’s really not much more to this story, other than to mention that when you first sign up with Audible they give you a 30-day free trial.

RT: Twitter En Route To Floor Of UK Parliament

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT

Anti-Twitter people should probably click elsewhere for a few minutes, for it looks like the micro-blogging service is one step closer to making its way to the floor of the British House of Commons. I long for the day when our very own congressmen can tweet "distinguished gntleman from ohio wrng about budget, follow me 4 truth."

A rules committee there has said that MPs should be be allowed to use the service from the floor provided it doesn’t "impair decorum."

MPs will be allowed use devices no larger than a sheet of A4 paper. Laptops are still banned.

The idea is to allow MPs to bring in digital notes (on, say, their iPad) and maintain communications ties with their constituents from the floor.

A report shows that 225 MPs are on "the Twitter," and that, should the committee recommendation go through, there will be a one-year trial before it becomes set-in-stone policy.

Russian Hacker Jailed For Putting Porn On Video Billboard

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 11:45 AM PDT

In Moscow, naked woman find you. At least that’s what many Russians found out last year, when a 40-year-old Russian hacker named Igor Blinnikov somehow found his way onto a 600 square foot video billboard where he played NSFW video for passing motorists. Igor called it a “bad joke” when he confessed, but that didn’t stop him from getting sentenced to one and a half years in jail.

Shortly after the verdict, Igor said that he had “expected a bit less” jail time. He plans to appeal the ruling for less jail time, but considering he was jailed previously for four and a half years after trying to sell 13g of marijuana, something tells me he’s lucky to get just a year and a half. According to Russian news website lenta.ru, the video caused many Russians to gawk, affecting traffic for miles. When asked why he did it, he said he was looking for “something to do.”

Learn from his example, kiddies!

[image credit: RNW]

Digital Storm Updates Top-Of-The-Line Desktop With Nvidia GTX 590

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Digital Storm has bumped up its top-of-the-line gaming desktop PC to include the just-released Nvidia GTX 590. The absolute top-of-the-line PC is hilariously overpowered, with two GTX 590s in SLI that effectively deliver the power of four GPUs in one PC. Madness!

I’m sure there’s more than a few of you out there who’ll ask "what do you need that kind of power for?" I mean, Crysis 2 flies on my (now) lowly Radeon 5970; I can’t even imagine having two of those beasts churning away inside my case. One reason would have to be bragging rights—check out these 3DMark Vantage numbers! There’s a certain satisfaction in knowing you have the best GPU (this GTX 590 or the Radeon 6990 in this case) out there, even if you know you’ll be playing Crysis 2 or Metro 2033 at 200 frames per second.

Other specs in the absolute top-of-the-line machine: Intel Core i7 970, 12GB DDR3 memory @ 1600MHz, 160GB Intel SSD, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

That will set you back a cool $4,883.

Again, hardware enthusiasm isn’t for everyone, but it’s certainly fun if you can swing it.

And how about that GTX 590, seen here in perhaps the fanciest product shot ever? Reviews seem fairly positive, but again: you’re paying top-dollar for complete über-power.


Pah! The iPhone game you play with your mouth.

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 10:36 AM PDT



Have you ever been sittin’ there, playin’ an iPhone game, thinking to yourself, “Man! This is a cool game and all, but I really wish I didn’t have to use my hands so much. If only I could play using nothing but my mouth!”

No? Yeah, me neither. But hey, go with it.

Pah! is a classic sidescroller for iOS, with one big ol’ twist: it’s played entirely with your mouth.

Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>

Ford Announces Partnership With AT&T To Connect Focus Electric To The Cloud

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 10:12 AM PDT

Today, Ford announced their partnership with AT&T to provide wireless service for the upcoming Ford Focus Electric. AT&T transmits vehicle data — much like Audi and T-Mobile — to Ford’s cloud service that owners can access via any Android, BlackBerry, or iOS smartphone or web browser.

The mobile app, MyFord Mobile, allows owners to remotely view and control the vehicle settings of the Focus Electric. Some of the big selling points for the system include planning daily driving routes for maximum efficiency, locating charging stations with MapQuest, and preconditioning the car’s interior temperature for your arrival.


Press Release

DALLAS and DEARBORN, Mich., March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Ford Motor Company and AT&T* today announced an agreement to wirelessly connect the Ford Focus Electric, Ford’s first all-electric passenger car. Announced in January at the 2011 International CES, the new Focus Electric enters production at the Michigan Assembly Plant in late 2011. 

Through the new MyFord Mobile smartphone app, using the embedded AT&T wireless connection, Ford Focus Electric vehicle owners will have the ability to send and receive data about their car providing command and control of vehicle settings while away from it.

“Ford has been at the forefront of developing market leading telematics and infotainment services for its vehicles and we’re thrilled to be a part of this exciting and significant next step with the upcoming Focus Electric,” said Glenn Lurie, president of emerging devices, resale and partnerships, AT&T. “Connecting consumers directly to their electric vehicles in this new and innovative way is going to drive innovative and exciting levels of interaction.”

MyFord Mobile technology provides Focus Electric owners in North America with a powerful tool to stay connected, monitor and control their vehicle. Through a smartphone app or secure website, MyFord Mobile invites Focus Electric owners to plan trips, monitor the vehicle’s state of charge, receive various alerts for vehicle charging, as well as provides several other features designed to simplify the electric vehicle ownership experience.

“With a wireless connection, we’re putting battery charge and vehicle range information, along with an interactive, data-driven trip planning app, directly at the fingertips of our customers,” said Ed Pleet, product and business manager for Ford Connected Services. “This technology will keep drivers connected to vital information, enhancing their electric car ownership experience. The AT&T network is an important part of this equation and we’re pleased to have AT&T on board.”

MyFord Mobile will connect through the AT&T network, allowing the car to communicate off-board through standard wireless technology. From an internet connected mobile phone or computer, owners can:

Find current and projected state of charge information including estimated range and the amount of charge time necessary for additional distances
Program vehicle charging with utility input, allowing the car to start charging immediately or when electricity prices are lowest with the value charging feature, powered by Microsoft
Features powered by MapQuest available on the MyFord smartphone app:
Locate charging stations and get the destination sent to the vehicle
Know if the vehicle can reach a specific charge station from its current location with the current charge level
Create a journey with multiple stops, and determine the likelihood that the car has adequate charge for the full journey
Find the car by creating a route from a mobile phone to the vehicle
Receive alerts if the vehicle isn’t charging when it’s scheduled to, or if charging stops unexpectedly due to a power outage, plug removal or other event
Receive alerts during recharge when the vehicle has reached a particular preset charge level or has the ability to reach a particular destination
Engage remote vehicle preconditioning, using grid power to heat or cool the vehicle interior
Remotely lock/unlock doors
Use the built-in GPS system to locate the car
Download performance and system data
Fun ways of understanding your driver behavior, with ratings from ‘Zen’ to ‘Zippy’
Receive information personalized to the driver, depending on which key the driver used

How the system works

At launch, the MyFord Mobile app will be available for most major smartphones, along with a mobile web application for compatibility with any phone supporting HTML-5 browser-based access, or feature phones with WAP 2.0-supported browsers. The feature also is accessible via a secure Ford website.

Owners will use the smartphone to communicate with a cloud-based highly secure server, which stores information provided by the embedded wireless module in Focus Electric. Using a cloud-based architecture ensures users will have up-to-the-minute access to information through the AT&T wireless network

*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.

Netflix Apologizes For Being Down

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 09:54 AM PDT

Netflix has sent certain users a 3% credit for a downtime they suffered over the past few days, including a long period over the weekend. Not sure what the recourse is if you were affected and didn’t get a letter, but I suppose you can call 1-866-923-0898 to complain.

Dear User,

Recently you may have had trouble instantly watching TV episodes or movies due to technical issues.

We are sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused. If you attempted and were unable to instantly watch TV episodes or movies yesterday, click on this account specific link in the next 7 days to apply your 3% credit to your next billing statement for your Watch Instantly Unlimited plan. Credit can only be applied once.

Ready to start watching again? Check out our latest selection.

Again, we apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding. If you need further assistance, please call us at 1-866-923-0898.

–The Netflix Team

Tritton AX 120: For Xbox 360 Gamers Looking To Dip Their Toe Into Higher Quality Audio

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 09:30 AM PDT

Xbox 360 gamers have another choice when it comes to fancy-pants headsets, coming to you by way of Mad Catz. The Tritton AX 120 is now available, and it’s being positioned as an entry level headset into the world of higher end gaming headsets. You know, because you really need to be able to hear your CODBLOPS opponents yell "you suck~!" in crystal clear quality!

The headphones, around $60, come with many of the features you’d find elsewhere. Probably the biggest worth mentioning is the separate controls for voice and other sounds—I believe SteelSeries was the first to come up with this on the Xbox 360 side of things.

Beyond that, they seem to be standard-issue; you won’t find Dolby Headphone or anything like that here. Then again, these are entry level, so there you go.

Estimate: 3DS Costs Nintendo Less Than $100 To Build

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 08:45 AM PDT

You’ll be paying $250 when you pick up your Nintendo 3DS this weekend, but how much does it cost Nintendo to put the thing together? An estimate puts the total parts cost to Nintendo (not counting R&D, marketing, etc.) at just less than $100. These Apple-like levels of profit we’re talking about here.

The estimate comes to us by way of Eurogamer, which quotes UBM TechInsights, "the preeminent provider of sophisticated information services, consulting, and management software for technology companies seeking to leverage and protect their technology and intellectual property assets." Sounds authoritative to me.

The UK is in a bit of an uproar since the MSRP over there is £230, or about $370.

I think you’ll agree that $370 is quite a bit more money than $250.

As such, retailers over there for around £190, or around $307. That’s still more than we’ll be paying here in the U.S.

It’s a big mess.

Nintendo is quick to point out that you can’t experience glasses-less 3D anywhere else, and certainly not for that kind of money, and even the high-ish price represents a decent value for your dollar—or pound, as it were.

Solarball Cleans 3 Liters Of Water A Day

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 08:43 AM PDT

This clever ball allows you to purify up to 3 liters of water a day through the power of the sun. The water inside evaporates and flows down into a collection chamber while all the grossness gets stuck in another chamber. It’s simple, elegant, and reminds us that not everyone out there has access to potable water 24/7.

Jon Liow, a graduate of Monash University in Australia, created the Solarball after a trip to Cambodia.

'After visiting Cambodia in 2008, and seeing the immense lack of everyday products we take for granted, I was inspired to use my design skills to help others,' Mr Liow said.

It’s obviously not an ideal design – 3 liters isn’t very much – but it’s a start.

Project Page


5-in-1 iPad Dongle Dares You To Plug It All In

Posted: 24 Mar 2011 08:13 AM PDT

Mildred: What can I plug into my iPad 2, Johnny?
Johnny: Whaddya got?
Mildred: Well, I’ve got an SD card, a MicroSD car, an AV cable, a USB keyboard, a regular mini USB port, and a digital camera.
Johnny: Well this supports all of those, as long as you don’t plug them in at the same time.
Mildred: How much?
Johnny: $44.99.
Mildred: Oh, Johnny! No!

Product Page


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